Tulane Week 1 Preview: Southeastern Louisiana vs. Tulane Green Wave

Spread: Tulane -27 

Total: 53.5

Football is back, baby! Tulane kicks off the season opener this Thursday night at 7 PM in Yulman Stadium. There are a lot of questions on my mind that will hopefully be answered, such as: How are our three quarterbacks looking, and how will they perform under pressure? Will we be a run-heavy team with an experienced offensive line? Which receivers will step up and solidify themselves as the top options? How does our new defensive front look, and how many sacks will the defensive line rack up? Can Sam Howard and company step up in place of the injured Jesus Machado? And last but not least, who will emerge from this intriguing, transfer-driven secondary to claim the DB1 and DB2 spots?

Offensive Preview

Quarterback (QB)

Who is QB1? This might be a two-quarterback system until someone steps up and takes control. Mensah, a redshirt freshman with wheels, is the shiny new toy everyone's excited about, but we haven't seen him in action yet. Expect some early mistakes, but what I really want to see is how he handles those mistakes. Can he stay calm, cool, and collected, ready to move on if he fumbles or throws a pick? Let's see if Mensah can stay poised in the pocket, and if nothing’s there, use his legs to make a play without forcing anything into coverage. It’s going to be a handoff-heavy day, but I’d love to see him utilized in some rollout play-action plays. If nothing’s open, tuck it and run. Overall, Mensah has tremendous promise, possessing that 'it' factor, as Jon Sumrall himself has stated. 

Next up is Ty Thompson. This guy has a cannon, and I’ve heard he’s been improving week by week. His accuracy has always been a question mark, but I’m eager to see how he operates this offense. The question is can he step up in the huddle, get the guys going, and be a leader? There’s no doubt he has all the potential in the world; he just needs to show it.

Running Back

What should we expect from this running back room? MAKHI, MAKHI, MAKHI! This guy is a baller and looks ready to pick up right where he left off last season. His running style is reminiscent of Maurice Clarett from Ohio State back in 2002—only faster. Expect a lot of ground-and-pound football in this game. We have three very capable backups: Shadie Clayton-Johnson, who will be the first off the bench and primarily serve as a third-down back/change of pace guy. Look for him to be a receiving threat out of the backfield, especially in the screen game. Arnold Barnes, who had an impressive spring and looks poised to take a significant step forward this year. He's definitely a between-the-tackles, lower-your-shoulder type of runner, perfect for grinding out those tough short yards. Expect him to give Makhi a breather every so often. And last but not least, Trey Cornist, my fellow Ohioan who’s made great strides during the offseason. He’s a bruising type of runner, and while it may be tough for him to see the field, when he does, you can be sure to see him pull a few truck sticks.

Wide Receiver

We’ve got three guys battling for the outside receiver spot: Dante Fleming, Shazz Preston, and Yulkeith Brown—all former transfers. Dante has had a great offseason, and I expect him to line up outside. But don’t blink; this guy has some serious takeoff speed. Hopefully, we’ll see some nice touch passes down the sideline for six from both QBs. Yulkeith Brown is another speedster with great return ability. He stepped up last year when Tulane’s receivers went down with injuries. We need to get the ball in his hands with some space and let him work. Shazz Preston, the former Alabama wideout, has been injured these past few weeks, and it’s unclear if he’ll play, but he’s another exciting piece in this WR room. 

The slot position could be the most exciting one this year. Mario Williams, a former USC transfer, has all the potential in the world. Look for quick passes, screens, or maybe even some jet sweeps out of the backfield. Let the man cook. Multiple players could be backing up Mario or lining up as the fourth slot: Yulkeith, Shazz when he gets healthy, Bryce Bohanon, or Phatt Watts. Bryce is the type of receiver you’d love to see on third downs—great hands and an innate sense of where the sticks are.

Tight End

This is Alex Bauman’s room for the next two years, but keep an eye out for 12 personnel this year while our QB room is still sorting itself out. Reggie Brown has impressed this year and looks to snag some catches away from Bauman. With a young QB, the tight end can quickly become a favorite target, racking up yards and catches. Don’t be surprised if Bauman has some big games early on. Blake Gunter and Josh Goines could also become significant receiving threats if our starters get any bumps or bruises.

Offensive Line

Tulane comes in with one of the most experienced offensive lines in college football this year, featuring Derrick Graham (left tackle), Shadre Hurst (left guard), Vincent Murphy (center), Josh Remetich (right guard), and Rashad Green (right tackle). What should we expect in this first game? Dominance. All five of these guys are more than capable of handling their own in both the run and pass game against this FCS opponent. The true test comes against KState and Oklahoma.

Offensive Review

Expect a lot of ground-and-pound early and often. We shouldn’t have to rely too much on the QBs in this game, but hopefully, we’ll get to see what these guys can do. The offensive playbook may be pretty conservative in this first game, with Kansas State and Oklahoma up next, but down the road, I’d love to see this offense spread out in a lot of 4-5 WR sets when Shazz returns, utilizing these speedy receivers. A heavy dose of ground-and-pound football with play-action should open the field up for the Tulane Green Wave offense.

Defensive Preview

3-3-5 Defense

Bandit/Pass-Rushing Defensive End: 

These guys are lined up on the defensive line edge, standing up with no hand in the dirt. Terrel Allen, last year’s FCS sack leader, will likely get the bulk of the snaps. Expect to see him in the QB’s face a lot this game. I’m looking forward to seeing him match up against FBS-level offensive linemen later in the season. Matthew Fobbs-White will also see some snaps as a rotational piece—a reliable depth player if something happens to Allen.

Defensive End

 Adin Huntington is a beast. If you haven’t seen him, you should Google him. Freak of nature—this dude would eat glass. He transferred from ULM and was in the top 5 in college football for pressures on QBs. Expect more of the same this year. He’s rumored to be dealing with an injury, so we’ll see if he suits up. If not, Angelo Anderson, one of Willie Fritz’s best recruits from five years ago and a native New Orleanian, is a very good depth piece who could come in and start if needed. Desahun Batiste, the former Troy DE, has a lot of potential and will be fun to watch down the road, but he probably won’t see a lot of play this season.

Defensive Line - 3-Tech/Rushing Defensive Tackle

 Pat Jenkins, the star from the Cotton Bowl, and Kam Hamilton will be key pass-rushers in this game. Jenkins will be playing no matter what, but keep an eye on Hamilton to take a leap this year after recording 4 sacks in limited action last season.

Defensive Line - Nose Tackle/Run-Stuffers

Eric Hicks and Adonis Friloux are the big boys clogging up the middle to stop the run. Adonis is looking to bounce back after an injury last year, and Hicks filled in very well in his absence.

Defensive Line Backups: Elijah Champaigne and Parker Peterson. 

Defensive Line Summary 

I know it’s an FCS opponent, but what we all want to see is how this new defensive scheme and front looks. Can they get pressure? Can they get to the QB and either make the sack or force mistakes? The answer should simply be yes. With so much star power and potential on this D-line, expect the QB and RB to be running for their lives.

Linebackers

Sam Howard is one of my favorite transfers. Look for him to step up into a defensive leadership role, given the injuries to Jesus Machado and Tyler Grubbs. Howard is used to playing FCS-level football, so let’s see how he does as the season progresses, but I expect him to thrive in this defense and step up this year. Tyler Grubbs, another local New Orleanian, will be holding down the Will LB spot—basically the outside linebacker. Look for these two guys to rack up tackles this game and all season long. Howard’s backups will likely consist of Makai Williams and Dickson Agu, both of whom could come in and provide quality minutes and have made great strides this offseason. As for Grubbs’s backup, install Chris Rodgers, a former Troy transfer who played safety at Troy, so look for him to excel in pass coverage situations.

Cornerbacks 

Where do we begin? This secondary room got a massive overhaul. Three transfers—Micah Robinson, Jonathan Edwards, and Lu Tillery—will be battling for the CB1 and CB2 spots. But don’t count out the returning players from last year, Rayshawn Pleasant and Jahiem Johnson. Coach has been speaking highly of both of them. Ultimately, it all comes down to who can play mistake-free, smart football at this position. Expect all of these guys to see the field, but Micah and Jonathan should get the bulk of the snaps. Also, keep an eye out for Lu Tillery coming up in the box and rushing—he has that ability and reminds me of Mike Hilton, the current Bengals nickel corner.

Spear/Nickel

Caleb Ransaw, the other Troy transfer, is expected to shut down those shifty slot receivers and come up in the box—this guy can hit. He’s already on the NFL’s draft radar and should be a top nickel corner taken. Behind him, we’ve got two true freshmen: Jayden Lewis, the best recruit in Tulane history, and Javion White, who has been getting good reviews from the staff. Let’s see how they do getting some playing time this week and for Jayden more as the season goes on.

Free Safety

Jalen Geiger is a coach’s dream in the centerfield spot. He’s a leader, smart, and just an all-around great person. He came over from Kentucky, so he’s got some SEC blood in him. We only have him for a year, but he’s going to be a great teacher to Josh Moore and Jack Tchienchou. Jack flashed in the spring game and is a great depth piece—look for him to be a key part of the defense next year.

Strong Safety

Bailey Despaine, Mr. Reliable, will be holding down this spot. He's a solid defender at the back end of the defense, capable of coming down to fill a gap when needed if a running back slips through. Tulane is fortunate to have two young freshmen backing up both safety positions. Kevin Adams, another young guy, is poised to take the mantle in a couple of years.

Defensive Review

It’s going to be very exciting to see how this defense performs this year. On the D-line, who’s lined up where, and how much pressure can we generate? How will this FCS transfer-driven secondary hold up? Only some of these questions will be answered in the season opener, but we won’t know much until those K-State and Oklahoma matchups! 

Roll Wave! Follow me at @RollDatWave on X, and @BeInTheKneaux everywhere!