Wonking With Phil Steele

Phil Steele has his mid-season all C-USA team out. Tulane has a decent smattering of representatives: SEVEN- one more than Rice. Marshall had five, UAB four, and Memphis three. SMU had the most- thirteen.

1st team:

DT Justin Adams: no doubt the interior DL has been vastly improved early in the season. Pre-Army, Tulane was quite good against the run at times.

LB Trent Mackey: Team MVP so far.

S Alex Wacha: This surprises me. But the safety play has been strong in spots- up the middle defense has been okay for Tulane. Wacha hasn't struck me as great this year. But DB is always a weak position in C-USA- and he did have a huge interception versus Rutgers. And I don't have an obvious replacement.

2nd team:

TE Cody Sparks: Again, weak position in C-USA. Had to pick someone I guess, and the veteran gets in. I think he's been disappointing this year. He is not a great blocker and the raw numbers just aren't there.

3rd team:

WR Casey Robottom: Three wide outs make each level- and he is arguably top ten. Maybe. Veteran status helps here too.

C Andrew Nierman: Competent lineman in a League that really struggles to find interior o-lineman.

OT Pete Hendrickson: Again, a journeyman performer you can trust in a League that struggles to generate "big" players.