Tulane Vs Louisiana Week 4 Preview

Patrick Harkness • September 17, 2024

Tulane Green Wave Vs Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Preview

By: Patrick Harkness 


Spread: Tulane -3.5 

Total: 54.5 


        Tulane travels to Lafayette this week to face the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns, an in-state battle. Louisiana is coming off a 6-7 season, with their seventh loss coming in an overtime thriller against Jacksonville State, 31-34, in the New Orleans Bowl. Despite being a formidable team, Louisiana has struggled to close out key games, losing five by a touchdown or less. Head coach Michael Desormeaux returns for his third year with a 15-14 record after replacing Billy Napier (now Florida Gators HC). 

Louisiana’s offense returns six starters, including four on the offensive line and two wide receivers. They are known for their strong running game, powered by two solid running backs and an experienced O-line. Expect them to establish a physical, run-heavy game and try to control the clock. 

        Defensively, Louisiana lost some talent to the transfer portal but returns much of their core. This season, they’ve switched to a 4-2-5 scheme, featuring a hybrid "star" linebacker/safety position, filled by Jaden Dugger. While last year’s defense struggled, the combination of a new scheme and experienced players could lead to major improvements. 

        After a hard-fought but tough loss, Tulane looks to bounce back, though this game has the potential to be a trap, especially on the road. Louisiana is a better team than their recent records suggest, so Tulane can’t afford to take them lightly. Can Mensah have a bounce-back game? Will we see more of Ty Thompson in the Tsunami package? Can the O-line maintain discipline and play all 4 quarters? Will the defensive line show up? Injuries? Key questions loom for both the offense and defense. 


Offense 

Quarterback – Another Road Test 

        Look for Darian Mensah to continue improving. He’s played well against two ranked opponents, though last game’s first half was rough due to poor O-line protection, leaving him running for his life. After halftime, both Mensah and the line settled down and moved the ball better. Though the

result wasn’t what we wanted, he’s young, and there’s a lot of football ahead. Expect him to get better each game. I’d like to see him use his legs more when the play breaks down—processing defenses faster will come with experience. This week, he'll need to keep an eye on Louisiana’s star linebacker, KC Ossai, who led the team last year with 95 tackles, 4.5 for loss, and a sack. 

Ty Thompson – The Tsunami Has Arrived 

        Ty Thompson will likely continue to be a weapon in the red zone. His athleticism gives defenses fits, especially when they’re backed up. He can hand off to Makhi, keep it himself and run, or use play-action to either pass or run. I love how they’ve used him in the offense, even lining him up at wide receiver and motioning him into the backfield. There’s a lot of potential for creative play-calling with him. I'm really excited to see where this goes. 

Running Back – Run the Ball 

        Makhi Hughes is having another stellar year. The coaching staff needs to lean on him more in short-yardage situations—he’s clearly the best option for tough yards. He could be in for a big game with some outside runs if Tulane’s tackles can hold the edges. Louisiana’s defensive ends are speedy but underweight. Defensive end Jordan Lawson, who had 6 sacks last year, will test the tackles, while the inside running game could be tough with defensive tackles Antoine Bayliss and Mason Narcisse being their run-stoppers. I would like to see Shadie Clayton be more involved in both the run and passing game. Arnold Barnes is a solid power back(caught a swing pass last week), but Shadie’s speed and versatility would add another dimension, especially in the passing game. 

Receiving Game – The Fantastic Four (or Five?) 

        Can Shazz Preston make his Tulane debut? If so, the offense becomes even more explosive. We’re talking five-wide, empty sets, spreading out the defense and finding open targets. Another dimension this offense could use. Alex Bauman has been a key target for Mensah, though he injured his wrist last game, leading to Reggie Brown getting more snaps, including a touchdown catch from Thompson. Hopefully, Bauman’s injury isn’t serious, as he’s a critical red-zone weapon and great at high pointing the football. 

        The receivers had a quieter game last week. Dante Fleming stood out with 4 catches for 59 yards. If the run game gets going, Tulane could use play-action to hit him on deep/go routes. He is their true deep threat receiver. Mensah missed him last week on what should have been a 70 plus touchdown bomb. Mario Williams and Yulkeith Brown are great in space, and I’d like to see more quick passes—slants, screens, and bubbles—to utilize their speed. They have the ability to make people miss in space and create yards after the catch. Louisiana’s defense, like Kansas State’s, features three safeties, with Jaden Dugger playing the star role. Safety Tyrone Lewis Jr., their top secondary player, registered 74 tackles and 3 interceptions last year, he will be a key player to watch. 

Offensive Line – Four Quarters of Discipline

        Once again, the game will be won in the trenches. Louisiana’s defensive front is experienced but hasn’t been tested, facing only Grambling and Kennesaw State so far. Tulane’s tackles should handle the lighter defensive ends, opening up outside runs for Makhi. Inside runs will be tougher against their stout nose tackle and defensive tackles. But none of this matters without discipline—Tulane is averaging almost nine penalties a game, and that’s a killer. If the offensive line can stay disciplined and play all four quarters, the run game should open up, allowing Mensah to take control through the air. 


X-Factor: Discipline and Coaching 


Defense 

Defensive Line – Who Will Step Up? 

        This defensive front has me baffled—they should be generating more pressure and sacks. Adin Huntington and Pat Jenkins are getting double-teamed and held on almost every play, but this should free up others to attack the quarterback. Both had solid performances last game, with Huntington batting down passes and Jenkins recording a sack. Hopefully this is a get right game and get this defensive front on the right track. Great news for tulane is that their Defensive line is deep with depth. 6 different guys can play the defensive tackle positions. Continue to see Tulane to use a rotation on the defensive line until they establish a good formidable front. Louisiana’s offensive line returns four starters and excels in a bruising run game. Tulane’s defensive line must control the trenches and stop the run if they want to have success. 

Linebackers 

        Tyler Grubbs continues to shine, notching a pick-six last game along with 6 tackles and a sack. Sam Howard had 10 tackles and is a key player in run defense. Both will need to be sharp against Louisiana’s strong running game. Dre’lyn Washington and Zylan Perry, along with freshman Elijah Davis, make up a deep running back committee. The strength of Louisiana’s offense in 2023 was the rushing game, which posted a league-best 4.9 yards per carry. Returning running backs Dre’lyn Washington and Zylan Perry combined for 728 yards last season. And Freshman Elijah Davis has been getting a steady work load as well getting 17 carries for 115 yards and 2 touchdowns. Look for Dickson Agu to rotate in with Howard on passing downs. Tulane's linebacking core should be in store for a long and busy day in Lafayette. 

Secondary – Injuries and Opportunity 

        Bailey Despaine was ejected for targeting but still managed 9 tackles before his exit. He’ll need to be sharp again with Louisiana’s run game. Jalen Geiger went down with an injury, giving young safeties Jack Tchienchou and Kevin Adams more playing time. Adams impressed with 9 tackles and a TFL. Adams was flying all over the field. The cornerback rotation of Micah Robinson, Lu Tillery, Jonathan Edwards, and Reshawn Pleasant is still sorting itself out. All four can play, it's just a matter of stepping up and rising to the occasion. I believe Caleb Ransaw got banged up again. Hopefully he's ready to go this week. 


        Louisiana has a solid Quarterback in Ben Wooldridge 40 for 52 with 497 yards passing with 4 touchdowns and 1 interception. He's returning from an injury that knocked him out most of last year. They are also returning wide receivers in Harvey Broussard and Robert Williams, combining for 55 catches and 702 yards.The top four receivers are a little untested and they seem to be trying to figure things out, so look for the secondary to step up in the passing game. Senior Jacob Bernard leads the team with 8 catches for 112 yards, Broussard 5 catches 82 yards and a touchdown, Williams 6 catches 83 yards and a touchdown, Tavion Smith 4 catches 74 yards and a touchdown, and last but not least their tight end Terrance Carter has 6 catches for 52 yards and a touchdown 

This is a chance for Tulane’s secondary to step up. 


X-Factor: Defensive Front 


Special Teams 

Kicker/Punter 

        Jacob Barnes left the last game with a groin injury. If he’s out, true freshman Ethan Head will take over. He’s got a strong leg, but we’ll see if the pressure gets to him. 

Will Karrol had a mixed performance last week with two bad punts, but he boomed one for 78 yards. Must be more consistent with 3 bad punts on the year so far. 


Final Thoughts 

        This game comes down to controlling the line of scrimmage and staying disciplined. If Tulane can avoid penalties, establish the run, and let Mensah work, they have a strong chance to come away with a win. Stopping Louisiana’s run game will be key, but they can't overlook Wooldridge's ability to pass. It’s shaping up to be another exciting road test for Tulane.


For more Tulane Football news, check out Wave Watch on YouTube at The Kneaux! 


Roll Wave!! 

This is Patrick Harkness and you can follow me on X @RollDatWave, Facebook, Instagram, and @BeInTheKneaux everywhere.

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The Curious Case of the Player to Be Named Later

By David Rainey • July 19, 2025
It’s that time of year again. The excitement of All-Star weekend and the Homerun Derby are behind us, and it’s on to the second half of the MLB season. This is the time where the great teams separate themselves from the good teams. It’s the time for teams to show whether they should be considered contenders or pretenders. And with this time of the year, of course, comes the MLB trade deadline. Arguably the most intriguing trade deadline of all the major sports. Fringe teams will have to decide whether to be buyers or sellers, and the great teams will mortgage their futures for one player they believe will take them to the promise land. Now, as out of left-field as the ending to this year’s All-Star weekend was (raise your hand if you also weren’t aware that swing offs were a thing), the MLB trade deadline features something much more curious. The Player to Be Named Later. You see, as most of us know, it’s extremely common in Major League Baseball for a team like the Padres, for example, to sell off a handful of their top prospects at the trade deadline for a lefty reliever they hope will help them navigate the difficult waters that is the postseason. But what some people aren’t aware of (outside of us baseball nerds of course) is the use of something, or someone more specifically, called the “Player to Be Named Later (PTBNL)” in these trade scenarios. For those of you who don’t know, here’s a quick explanation of what exactly the phrase “Player to Be Named Later” means. In baseball, when a team isn’t sure exactly which prospect they want in return or when they are trying to finesse the roster management rules, they will accept a “Player to Be Named Later” in return in a trade. This gives that team the opportunity to further evaluate players and choose who they want in return at a later date. This doesn’t mean that the team will just be able to choose a superstar down the road, there are limitations placed on who can be chosen, and most of the time the player ends up being just another player lost in baseball lore. However, sometimes these PTBNL turn out to be more than just a journeyman or even lead to oddities that only baseball can provide. So, what are the most famous cases of Players to Be Named Later? Well, I’m glad you asked. Let’s start with the not so unexpected scenario that actually led to the PTBNL rules to be changed. Trea Turner Before 2015, there was a rule in place in the MLB in which prevented players from being traded for a year after being drafted. Trea Turner was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the first round of the 2014 Draft which meant, you guessed it, he wasn’t eligible to be traded until the following year. However, in December of 2014 the Padres, Nationals, and Rays agreed to mega-deal that involved 11 players AND a Player to Be Named Later. So, what does this have to do with Turner? Well, everyone was aware of who that PTBNL would be. Trea Turner. But as I mentioned before, he wasn’t allowed to be traded yet. So Turner had to spend the beginning of the next season playing for the Padres who had already traded him. This led to a rule change in MLB before the next draft to avoid this situation ever playing out again. But where is Trea Turner now? He’s certainly no journeyman. He had an incredible start to his career with the Nationals, before being traded (again) to the Dodgers with Max Scherzer in 2021. He eventually signed a $300 million deal with the Phillies where he still plays and remains one of the best players in Major League Baseball. But is he the best PTBNL of all time? Not quite. David Ortiz Big Papi. Ever heard of him? Sure you have. But did you know he wasn’t always the mashing lefty for the Red Sox that we know and love? That’s right. Early on in David Ortiz’s career he actually struggled to find a place in the league; and at one point, was even a Player to Be Named Later in a trade. He actually started his career with the Seattle Mariners, but he doesn’t mean much to the Mariners franchise outside of being a PTBNL in a trade in 1996 with the Minnesota Twins for Dave Hollins. As a matter of fact, not only was Ortiz not the player we know on the field, he wasn’t even David Ortiz on paper. At the time, he was actually known as David Arias. You might be thinking, “Wow. The Mariners really traded BIG PAPI.” Trust me when I tell that the Twins feel even worse. Ortiz would play a handful of seasons for the Twins from 1997-2002; however, even after a solid season in 2002 with the Twins, they would go on to RELEASE Ortiz. That’s right. Even one of the greatest players to ever step foot on a baseball diamond was not only traded as PTBNL but was also outright released. Of course in 2003, David Ortiz would go on to join the Boston Red Sox. Ten All-Star games, 3 World Series Championships, a World Series MVP, and a Hall of Fame selection later, David Ortiz would go down in baseball history as one of the most feared batters of all time, and the legend we know him as today Big Papi. What is the oddest Player to Be Named Later situation? There is a rare, but always delightfully bizarre situation in which a player is traded for himself as a Player to Be Named Later. This hilariously absurd scenario is so rare that it has only happened four times in the history of Major League Baseball. Harry Chiti – traded from the then Cleveland Indians to the Mets in 1962 for a PTBNL. However, he was so bad that the Mets decided trade him back to Cleveland as the PTBNL Brad Gulden – traded (with $100,000) from the Yankees to the Mariners for Larry Milbourne and a PTBNL in 1980. Once again, he performed so poorly that the Mariners traded him back to New York as the PTBNL in the original trade. Are you sensing a theme? Dickie Noles – In 1987 the Cubs traded him to the Tigers for a Player to Be Named Later. Sadly, he didn’t do enough during the Tigers playoff run that year for them to want to keep him around. So, they shipped back to the Windy City to complete the trade as the PTBNL. John McDonald – The most recent example. He was acquired by Detroit, who clearly didn’t learn anything in 1987, from the Blue Jays in 2005 for, that’s right, a PTBNL. Later that year, he was sent back to Canada for cash considerations. There you go. Next time you’re hanging out with your buddies on the back porch naming random athletes from your pass, feel free to drop in a “Dickie Noles” reference and explain the wonderful scenario of him being traded for himself. Baseball is such a beautiful sport in so many ways. For many of us, it’s the first sport we play as children, or the sport we remember watching with our grandparents on the living room floor. It has such an iconic and rich history. It’s known as “America’s past time” for a reason. But throughout that history, there are so many things that have happened that can only be described as strange and uniquely baseball. And that’s why we love it. So, when you’re scrolling social media or watching ESPN this trade deadline season and see that stud middle reliever traded for nothing but a Player to Be Named Later, maybe you won’t just brush it off this time around. Maybe you’ll wait to see who that player becomes, and maybe they’ll end up being another great piece of baseball trivia.

Tulane Football Season Preview E-Book

July 14, 2025
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