LA-Monroe +3 versus Tulsa
Game Time: 08/30/2007 07:00 PM -
By: Mike Rose | who2beton.com
The Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks return 17 starters from a year ago, and that should give them the edge at home in Malone Stadium on Thursday against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.
This certainly isn’t a matchup that will get one’s blood boiling, but it presents value nonetheless, and we’ll be supporting head coach Charlie Weatherbie and the home team.
I have the ULM Warhawks pegged to make some noise in the Sunbelt in ’07, and a win here will certainly get the program off on the right foot. It’s been 13 years since the Warhawks have had a winning football team, and that’s the #1 priority of this squad in ’07.
The end of 2006 gave us a glimpse of what the future might hold as ULM rattled off five straight covers to close out the year. They even gave SEC representative Kentucky all they could handle in their own backyard in a 42-40 defeat as 20-point road underdogs. The offense returns 17 starters from a year ago, and the groundwork has been laid the prior four seasons under Weatherbie and his staff. He proved to be a winner back in his days at Navy and Utah State (both went bowling under his tutelage), and I really feel its only a matter of time before he gets this program to its first ever bowl appearance.
Tulsa experienced great success under former head coach Steve Kragthorpe as they made bowl appearances in three of the past four years. However, Kragthorpe has moved on to greener pastures, and new head coach Todd Graham takes over the reins after putting forth a masterful effort at Rice a season ago. He and his staff will be implementing new schemes on both sides of the ball, and the 10 starters back -- Four on offense and six on defense -- leads me to believe it will take some time for this group to catch on. Tulsa has dropped 12 straight road openers, and unfortunately for them and their fans, I foresee that number increasing to 13 after this one.
Grab the points with the home team as they’ll be a very improved team (record wise) in ’07, and they have a better understanding of what their coach wants them to do.
Free Pick: Louisiana-Monroe +3