ULM Gameday Central: Tulsa

ULM is on the road for its last non-conference game of the season at Tulsa.

The Warhawks (1-3, 0-1) have dropped two-straight after last Saturday’s 51-31 loss to Georgia Southern on homecoming. The Golden Hurricane (2-2, 0-1) have also lost two-in-a-row, including their American Athletic Conference opener to the University of Houston last week.

ULM head coach Todd Berry graduated from Tulsa in 1983 and also started his coaching career there.

Here are three things to watch from the Warhawks on Saturday and some pregame reading to get caught up before kickoff.

THREE THINGS TO WATCH

No more “special” teams: ULM’s special teams rank among the worst in the country, and while that isn’t going to change overnight, it isn’t too much to ask for the Warhawks to not commit some kind of blunder that sets up the other team for points. That’s happened in three of ULM’s four games this season. Georgia Southern was able to grab the momentum and the lead early last week by blocking a punt — the second block the Warhawks have given up this season —and returning it for a touchdown.

Win your share of one-on-ones: It isn’t realistic to expect ULM to win every one-on-one matchup with a talented offense. What the Warhawks can do though is make some plays in those situations. For ULM to have a shot at pulling the upset, it’ll need to split those battles. Tulsa’s offense is fifth in the AAC in scoring and third in total yards, but would be at the top of a less offense-centric conference. The Golden Hurricane are averaging 37 points and over 500 yards per-game.

Be who you are: ULM’s players are the ones who have to establish their identity, but if Berry had his way, he wants the offense to look like it did in the Nicholls State game. While no one should expect D’Marius Gillespie and Jared Mapps to be Rashon Ceaser, they showed the potential to contribute by each catching a touchdown pass last week. For ULM to have the same balance showed against Nicholls, it simply has to run the ball more effectively. The Warhawks ran the ball 35 times for 56 yards in the last two games. That isn’t going to cut it, regardless of the opponent.

GAMEDAY READING

Todd Berry said sending ULM out on the field after the death of backup QB Daniel Fitzwater was the toughest thing he's ever had to do in coaching.

ULM mourns Fitzwater after ‘difficult day’

Berry hopes a "return to normalcy" during game preparation for Tulsa would help the Warhawks cope with the loss of a teammate.

ULM returns to practice following Fitzwater’s death

Starting safety Justin Backus was dismissed from the team on Sunday and wide receiver Tre' Perrier left the program last week.

Backus, Perrier no longer in ULM football program

ULM continues to shoot itself in the foot with shoddy special teams and dumb penalties.

Berry: ULM will get special teams, penalties fixed

Berry is the lowest-paid football coach in the Sun Belt Conference and all of the FBS again this year

ULM’s Berry remains lowest-paid FBS head coach

In a way, ULM's final non-conference game of the season at Tulsa is like having two homecomings

ULM braces for second homecoming at Tulsa

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