MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / August 19, 2000

COVINGTON – A year ago, the Tulane Green Wave were on top of the world.

The Green Wave were coming off a 12-0 record, a Conference USA championship and a victory in the Liberty Bowl over BYU.

The 1999 season started off positively with a 3-3 record despite an rigid early schedule. But then came five straight losses to close out the season,dropping the Green Wave to 3-8 overall and a 1-5 conference record.

Tulane was a young team in 1999. Now with those players having a yearunder their belts, expectations are that the Green Wave will be an improved team this year. And a group of local athletes want to help themmake that turnaround.

Junior Corey Sewell, an East St. John grad, is entering his third year as astarter on the offensive line. He has been moved from guard to right tacklewhere he is a preseason all-Conference USA selection by The Sporting News.

Sewell said one of the main reasons for the slide from 12-0 to 3-8 in one year was turnovers. Tulane ranked last in the conference with a minus 10turnover margin in 1999, turning the ball over 35 times.

“The difference between last year and the year before was basically turnovers,” Sewell said. “You cannot beat a team if you turn it over fivetimes. If we can cut the turnovers down, we’re going to be straight.”Patrick Ramsey had a breakout year at quarterback in his first year starting, passing for over 3,400 yards and 25 touchdowns but he also threw 24 interceptions. Sewell said a year of experience will makeRamsey better and in turn make the team better.

“Patrick has a year of experience of being in the fire,” Sewell said. “Heknows what to expect. He’s gotten a little smarter and agile as the yearprogressed last year so he will be a big help for us.”Ramsey is in a battle this fall for the starting spot with transfer J.P.Losman. But quarterback is not the only spot on the team up for grabs.Nearly every position has competition at it this season. Even being a pre-season all-conference selection, Sewell has had to work hard to keep his starting job.

“Competition makes everybody better,” Sewell said. “Like somebody ispushing me for my starting spot so I have to work hard everyday to keep it.”Sewell is also working hard because as a junior, he knows he will have the younger players watching him.

“I have to be a leader now and set an example,” Sewell said. “I have toreally step up now. I have to be a leader and a role model.” Tulane head coach Chris Scelfo said he expecting Sewell to really step up this year now that he has had two years of experience.

“This is the year Corey should have a breakout year,” Scelfo said. “This isthe third year he has started. We’re expecting big things from him.”And while Sewell said being a preseason all-conference selection is nice, his goal is to help the team succeed.

“I rather get the conference championship, get the ring and get to a bowl game than any award they can give me,” Sewell said. “That would be theultimate award to get, to get a ring. But it’s nice to be preseason all-conference. Now I just have to go and show I’m all-conference material.”To get that conference championship, the Green Wave will have to get through conference favorites East Carolina and Southern Miss.

“Basically, we have to improve on turnovers and not giving the ball up,” Sewell said. “We weren’t real physical last year. We need to take it topeople now.

“I believe if we can put our best foot forward and play like we know we are supposed to play and not have turnovers, I believe we can beat them and win conference.”Another preseason all-Conference USA selection is junior punter Casey Roussel, a St. Charles Catholic alum. Roussel had a 44.2 yards per puntlast season, the third best average in school history. That included an 83-yard effort against East Carolina, the second longest in school history.

But despite those accomplishments, Roussel feels he can still do better.

He attended former Oakland Raider punter Ray Guy’s camp this summer where he served as a camp counselor.

“My first year was very successful but I wasn’t satisfied with it,’ Roussel, who became the starting punter before last year, said. “I had agreat offseason. I went to camp with Ray Guy and worked very hard and Ishould have a better season this year.

“I’ll be happy to have another season like last year. But I want to take itto the next level and be a little more consistent.”That desire to get better is one reason Scelfo said why Roussel is getting to be one of the nation’s top punters.

“He was outstanding in what he did last year and we are expecting him to duplicate it,” Scelfo said. “He has the potential to be an All-American.That’s what we expect of him and that’s what he expects of himself.

That’s what makes Casey so special. He works as hard or harder asanybody out here. He’s made himself what he is. It’s a tribute to him. It’s asacrifice he has made to become one of the top punters in the country.”While the Green Wave offense was potent at times last season, there were also period where it struggled. Roussel was called on to punt 55 times.”As a punter, you want to punt a lot because it’s your job, but when you do punt a lot it means your offense is struggling,” Roussel said. “Last year,the offense struggled at times. We were very young and not veryexperience there, but we have most of the guys coming back.”That youth was one reason Roussel gave for the Green Wave’s late season slide. He also said injuries to key players and the learning of a newsystem came into play.

“There were a bunch of things that led up to it,” Roussel said. “We had acouple of very key players get hurt, especially on defense. We had a veryyoung squad on defense and we had only two seniors on offense. We had anew coaching staff. A lot of things combined that hurt us last year. Butwe’ve worked hard and are expecting better things this year.”Another player starting for the Green Wave from the local area is East St.

John grad Ky Joseph at left cornerback. Joseph played in all 11 games lastseason and led the team with three interceptions.

“Ky is the starting left corner and we expect him to have a breakout year,” Scelfo said. “Ky is a senior now and it’s his last go-around. He needs tostay injury-free and impress like he has the last few days.”Meldon Barnes, a St. James alum, is coming off an injury after starting sixgames at free safety last season, recording 49 tackles and two interceptions. He will be in the mix again at safety. Destrehan grad ChrysBullock played in nine games last season, starting one, on the offensive line last year and will see playing time again this season.

Tulane also has two all-district wide receivers from East St. John comingin in Roydell Williams and Chris Bush. Williams worked out with the otherreceivers during the summer, learning pass routes. He also lifted weightsand ran stadium steps to prepare for the season.

“It’s about what I expected,” Williams said of the first week of practice.

“I expect to go out there and push myself and do better. I’ve been getting alot of reps. I’m trying to get better against the athletes of this level,trying to learn the routes.”Williams said the biggest difference between high school and college ball he has seen so far is the play of the cornerbacks.

“They’re faster, they’re better and they’re smarter,” Williams said.

With the players from last year returning to join the incoming freshman at fall camp, Williams and Bush got reacquainted with Sewell, a former East St. John teammate.”It’s fun to me being on the same field as him,” Williams said. “It’s justlike high school. We’ve been through a lot together.”Sewell had some advice for his former and current teammates.

“I’ve seen them play before, I’ve played with them before,” Sewell said. “Iknow what they can do. Now it’s time to show the coaches and playerswhat you can do.”Scelfo said that both Williams and Bush have a chance to be special players for Tulane.

“I think Roydell is special,” Scelfo said. “He’s answered every challengewe have presented to him. He’s as well prepared for the college game asany freshman I’ve seen.

“Chris brings a big body, good hands. As he learns and understands, Chrisis also going to be outstanding player for us also.”

Return To Sports Stories

Copyright © #Thisyear# Wick Communications, Inc.Best viewed with 4.0 or higher