Freshman quarterback Michael Pratt crucial to surging Tulane

The Tulane Green Wave have won three football games in a row.

How about that?

What’s been the key?

Wide receiver Amare Jones said the team didn’t divide.

“We stayed together,” said Jones.

That’s a great take.

But here’s another.

The numbers are 41.4, 58.3, 57.1, 64.7, and 70.4.

Those of course aren’t Powerball numbers.

They are Michael Pratt’s completion percentage over the last five games.

Pratt, a true freshman, has grown exponentially at quarterback, and so has the Tulane offense.

For three consecutive games, the Wave has scored 38 points.

In those games, Pratt has completed 53 of 82 passes, seven for touchdowns, with just two interceptions.

Tulane’s win streak is more than one player, but it is hard to deny Pratt’s contribution.

“It is huge,” said Tulane head coach Willie Fritz after a 38-12 whipping of 25th-ranked Army.

“We run a pro-style offense,” said Fritz. “We have to be able to complete the gimmes.”

One of those gimmies didn’t seem like one. Protecting a 24-12 lead in the third quarter, Tulane faced a 4^th-and-1 from its own 37 yard line.

Quickly bringing his offense to the line of scrimmage, Pratt completed a throw to the left flat that wide receiver Jha’Quan Jackson turned into a five-yard gain and a first down.

It may have been a routine throw but it is one Pratt made with confidence.

Over the last three games, Pratt has also been a better decision maker. He was sacked 15 times in his first three college starts but only five times in the last three games, including once against Army.

“We finally have an offensive line,” said Tulane head coach Willie Fritz.

That line, a mix of veterans and youth, has been bolstered by the return from injury of left tackle Joey Claybrook.

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, Tulane (5-4) handed Army (6-2) its worst loss since a 38-7 loss at Ohio State in September of 2017.

“That usually doesn’t happen to them,” said Fritz.

And the opposing quarterback was one of the big reasons why.

Wave Notes: Tulane’s win over 25th ranked Army was the first for the program over a ranked team since the Wave defeated Vandy in the 1984 season.

Fritz said he was worried about whether his team was ready to play before Saturday’s game but noted that an Army assistant coach ran through the Tulane football team in warmups. “That fired up our team,” said Fritz. “It fired me up.”

Tulane plays at Tulsa Thursday night.