USF Vs Tulane Week 5 Preview

Patrick Harkness • September 25, 2024

South Florida Vs Tulane Green Wave

By: Patrick Harkness 


Spread: Tulane -6.5

Total: 64.5


Tulane is coming off a 41-33 win over the Ragin' Cajuns in a sweltering, no-defense type of game. Next up for the Green Wave in Yulman Stadium at 11am is USF (2-2), led by Coach Alex Golesh, who guided the team to a 7-6 season last year. They're coming off a 50-14 loss to 8th-ranked Miami. USF returns 19 starters—9 on offense and 8 on defense. The offense is led by dual-threat QB Byrum Brown, more of a runner than a passer, but don’t underestimate his ability to throw the ball. USF plays a very fast up-tempo offense, spread-option offense, while their defense runs a blitz-heavy 3-3-5, led by cornerback Aamaris Brown and linebacker Jhalyn Shuler.


Tulane's defensive line is becoming a concern in the run game, but the pass rush may be coming. Things may be starting to click. They'll be tested, as USF returns four out of five offensive linemen. Penalties remain an issue as well, with Tulane drawing 8 for 91 yards last game. Let's get into the week 5 Preview.


Offense


Quarterback – Read and React
Mensah didn’t look great in the first half against Louisiana. He seemed to have some happy feet, but after halftime, he settled down and made some clutch throws that helped lead this team to a victory. Mensah will need to stay cool under pressure in this game, as USF defensive coordinator Todd Orlando loves to blitz. Expect Tulane to employ a lot of quick passes to help him get the ball out faster and build some confidence. He’ll also need to be ready to tuck and run when the pocket breaks down. But with a blitz heavy team this will allow for the passing lanes to become open, with more men coming after the quarterback means there is less in coverage.


USF's secondary has two key transfers on defense, like DeShawn Rucker (2nd on the team in tackles) and D'Marco Augustin (with an interception this season). Jalen Stokes leads the unit playing Free Safety and returning corners Aamaris Brown and Brent Austin (4 pass deflections) round out a very solid core.


Ty Thompson – Surf the Wave
Ty Thompson is simply a weapon. He's a versatile piece in short-yardage situations and the red zone, where he confounds defenses with his ability to read and react to both the run and pass. Expect RPOs, play-action, and maybe even some speed options as the playbook opens up for him.


Running Back – Feed Makhi
Makhi Hughes had a stellar performance against Louisiana, racking up 23 carries for 169 yards and a touchdown, with a long of 36. The run game seems to be hitting its stride just in time for conference play. But Makhi may have some issues with a blitz heavy team. Shadie Clayton was out last game with a concussion, so we'll see if he returns, but Trey Cornist looked solid as the backup with 4 carries for 39 yards. If Shadie is back, he should get involved in the passing game and take some carries to spell Makhi. If not, let's see what Trey can do. Arnold Barnes has struggled, so it might be time to give Trey more opportunities.


USF's linebackers are a solid group, led by Mac Harris (24 tackles, 1 sack) and Jamie Pettway (22 tackles), along with former Tulane commit Rodney Hill (11 tackles). Jhalyn Shuler, with 97 tackles last year, rounds out the crew. This is a very fast and physical unit.


Receiving Game – The Fantastic Four (or Five? Finally?......)

Shazz Preston may finally see his first action. This couldn't come at a better time with this style of USF defense. With a blitz heavy team that will lead to a receiver or two being open down field most of the time. Mario Williams and Yulkeith Brown are going to play a huge part for this team on Saturday. Quick passes will be key with blitzes coming at a quarterback. Look for them to get the ball quickly and try to get in space and utilize their speed. If USF takes away our speedy receivers this is where Shazz, Dante Fleming or Alex Bauman will shine. Bauman, a key redzone contributor will be very helpful in this game by being a good scapegoat for Mensah if things get hairy in the pocket and look for Shazz and Dante to stretch the field on some deep passes down the sideline. Look for Tulane early to capitalize with their speed with screens/bubbles and quick slants to out routes. If Mensah can get some confidence early, then look for this passing attack to open up with some deep throws.


Offensive Line – Blitz Pickup
The offensive line continues to build off its solid 272-yard rushing performance and they seem to finally be gelling by cleaning up the penalties. Josh Remetich got banged up but is expected to play. They'll need to be sharp against USF's blitzes, which will come from all over the field. The O-line will have to pick them up quickly and efficiently to keep the passing attack going. Establishing the run might be tough, so expect Tulane to pivot to a quick passing game. Don’t be surprised if we see 12 personnel to try and force the ball down the middle or outside with Makhi.


USF has 9 sacks on the year, with 8 different players contributing, including 5 from the D-line, 2 from linebackers, and 3 from the secondary. This defense will blitz from anywhere, so the O-line has to be ready.


X-Factor: Picking Up the Blitz and Finding Open Receivers



Defense


Defensive Line – Liability?
The defensive line continues to struggle but there was some light at the end of the tunnel. The 4th quarter of the last game you started to see something possible click with this Tulane pass rush. You could tell Louisiana's QB did not look comfortable in the pocket. Let's hope they can build off of that. And they must find an answer for stopping the run this week because USF’s offensive line returns 4 of 5 starters, and Byrum Brown, their dual-threat QB, is a problem. He's rushed 60 times for 281 yards and 2 touchdowns, and though his passing numbers (702 yards, 2 TDs, 57.9% completion) are still developing, he's a threat. If Tulane can get ahead early and force USF to throw, it will play into their hands. The D-line must step up and contain the spread-option offense, especially Brown. Look for Tulane to load the box to help out this unit.


Linebackers
Tyler Grubbs, Sam Howard, Dickson Agu, and Chris Rodgers will need to help out the D-line against this spread-option attack. Grubbs and Howard are key in stopping the run, while Rodgers could play a critical role spying Brown on passing downs.


USF’s backfield features three capable runners—Kelley Joiner (251 yards, 4 TDs), Nay’Quan Wright (199 yards, 2 TDs), and receiving threat Taron Keith (5 catches for 73 yards). Containing the run will be crucial.


Secondary – Stay on Target
While USF’s passing attack isn’t elite, Tulane's defense needs to improve after last week’s struggles and clean up the penalties. USF spreads the field with 4-wide sets, so Tulane’s corners—Micah Robinson, Jonathan Edwards, Reyshawn Pleasant, and Lu Tillery—must stay disciplined and avoid biting on the option game. Sean Atkins, USF’s top receiver, is a route-running specialist with 24 catches for 289 yards. If or when he lines up in the slot look for Caleb Ransaw to shut him down. Purdue transfer Abdur-Raheem Yaseen is a deep threat at 6-2, with 12 catches for 139 yards.


Tulane's safety room is an interesting one with all 4 guys who can make plays. Jalen Geiger coming off his first career pick for Tulane. He will lock down the free safety spot and keep the receiving game honest by not letting anyone get behind him. But Jack Tchiunchou may have something to say about that. Jack had a clutch pick six that helped this team overcome Louisiana and even came down and gave a nasty hit on a running back. He flashed during the spring game for this green wave defense and we’re now starting to see his potential. STUD ALERT!!! Look for him to get more snaps. Bailey Despaine is a tackling machine, and he must be for this one. Look for Bailey to be playing a lot in the box to help slow down this run option offense with his sure-fire tackling. He may be the key in stopping Byrum Brown running the ball. Kevin Adams, another young reliable backup strong safety will look to come in and help out when Bailey needs a breather, or they may both be in with Kevin playing the deep safety and Bailey in the box.


X-Factor: Stopping the Option Run Game



Special Teams


Kicker/Punter-Do your Job
Jacob Barnes’ injury status is still unknown, but Ethan Head filled in admirably last week until his final kick. He’s a true freshman with a powerful leg and has potential to be a very good kicker for Tulane.


Will Karrol only had one punt for 37 yards last week, but field position will be key against USF, so consistency and flipping the field in punting will be crucial.


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.

A quick share helps us a lot!

LSU Salvages Game 3 Over Vanderbilt

By David Billiot Jr • March 16, 2026
Sunday Afternoon Recap There aren’t any must-win games this early in the season, but Sunday felt like a must-bounce-back game for LSU. Following the emotional roller coaster that was game 1 on Friday night, the Tigers got steamrolled in game 2 on Saturday. Jay Johnson did not get the response he was hoping for from his team after their heart was ripped out by Logan Johnstone when he hit a 2 out, 2 run walk off homerun two nights ago. Today, the response was great, especially early. The first four LSU hitters reached base to start the game, leading to a 4 run 1st inning. After adding two more in the 2nd, the Tigers were rolling with a 6-0 lead. That lead evaporated, though, and those bad feelings that this team may be in trouble started creeping back in. To their credit, LSU refused to lay down this time. They went blow for blow with Vanderbilt, but back to back 5 run innings in the 7th and 8th innings helped salvage the final game of SEC opening weekend and the Tigers improved to 14-7 with a 1-2 start in the SEC. Pitching For the second straight week, William Schmidt’s line doesn’t do his performance justice. Vanderbilt made him work inning after inning and it eventually led to his early exit. The start got off to a great start, though, pitching around a double to record three groundouts with only 7 pitches. In the 2nd, he allowed a leadoff homerun, but recorded a couple of outs before stranding a 2 out walk. The 3rd was where Schmidt had to battle the most. He hit the first batter and then allowed a 3-2 walk after Johnstone fouled off pitch after pitch to stay alive. That approach by Commodore hitters is what stretched Schmidt’s pitch count. With runners then on 1st and 2nd and no one out, he struck out the next three to slam the door on the threat. Vanderbilt went down in order for the first time in the 4th, but finally found a way to get Schmidt out of the game the very next inning. Another leadoff homerun brought the game slightly closer at 6-2 and that was the beginning of the end. After starting his final hitter 2-0 with a couple of high fastballs, Cade Arrambide called time to go to the mound and check with his pitcher. Jay Johnson and Head Athletic Trainer Isaac Trujillo also came out to talk to Schmidt, then left him in to finish the at bat. Once back in the dugout, the broadcast showed him a few times and he seemed to doing just fine without a trainer in sight. After the game, Koki Riley reported that Jay confirmed everything is ok. He said Schmidt had some slight back tightness that he was trying to fight though and could have continued to, if needed, but it wasn’t worth it. Final line: 4.0 IP / 3 hits / 3 runs / 6 Ks / 3 BBs / 1 HBP / 84 pitches (51 strikes, 61%) Mavrick Rizy was first out of the bullpen and it turned in to his worst outing of the year. Upon entering with a runner on 2nd and no outs, Rizy gave up back to back RBI doubles. Both doubles came off of decently executed pitches, but were just more examples of the good hitting Vanderbilt displays. Back to back strikeouts would get Rizy close to escaping the inning, but a 2 out double off of the left field wall would chase him from the game and LSU’s lead was down to 6-5. Final line: .2 IP / 3 hits / 2 runs / 2 Ks / 0 BB Santiago Garcia was tasked with shutting down the Commodores 4 run 5th inning. He walked the first guy he faced, but froze Korbin Reynolds to end the frame. Tommy Goodin led off the 6th with his second homerun, Vanderbilt’s third lead off blast of the game and the LSU lead had vanished. Garcia then went strikeout, double, strikeout, and that would be the end of his SEC debut. Final line: 1.0 IP / 2 hits / 1 run / 3 Ks / 1 BB Deven Sheerin entered with the go-ahead run on 2nd, but was able to induce a pop out to John Pearson in foul territory to let his offense get back to work. They did just that, exploding for 5 runs and giving Sheerin a comfortable lead to back out with in the 7th. He struck out the first hitter, then a slow chopper got past Steven Milam for an infield hit. A tailor-made double play ball was then hit right to defensive replacement Jack Ruckert at second base, but he booted it and failed to record a single out. As they did all weekend, Vanderbilt made LSU pay. A 3 run Mack Whitcomb homerun got the Commodores right back in to it. A strikeout and a walk would bring the tying run to the plate, when Jake Brown made a diving catch on a blooper in shallow right field. It was originally called a no-catch, but was challenged and correctly ruled the third out. Sheerin would cruise from that point, returning in the 8th to retired 4-5-6 in the Vanderbilt lineup after a Pearson error to leadoff the inning. Final line: 2.1 IP / 2 hits / 3 runs / 4 Ks / 1 BB Cooper Williams entered to record the final 3 outs with LSU up 16-9 and it went just about as well as it could’ve for the lefty. He’s had a very disappointing start to his sophomore season, but hopefully this outing could be the spark that he needs going forward. He retired Vanderbilt 3 up, 3 down and struck out the final two. Final line: 1.0 IP / 0 hits / 0 runs / 2 Ks / 0 BB Hitting With the offense back in a big way, there should be no surprise that Jake Brown was in the middle of all of it. He is a legitimate Golden Spikes candidate right now. Brown hit his 11th homerun of the year, which was his 2nd of the weekend. Both of them were 3-run bombs. This one came after Milam had just driven in the go-ahead run to steal back the momentum after the Tigers choked a 6-0 lead. The big swing from Brown went off of the batter’s eye, re-extending the lead to 4 runs. He finished 2-4 with 6 RBI and scored twice. Cade Arrambide quietly had a good weekend, hitting .384. On Sunday, he went 2-5 with a double, 3 RBI, and 2 runs scored. Despite a few mishaps, his defense behind the plate slightly improved over the weekend. The much-welcomed return of Chris Stanfield kept rolling on Sunday as the senior leftfielder provided another multi-hit game. He finished 2-4, while also drawing a walk. One of his hits was a single off of the big wall in left field, that very well may have been a homerun in other parks. Stanfield also drove in a run and scored twice. Steven Milam’s 1-4 line may not seem massive, but it was his one hit that retook the lead for LSU after their collapse halfway through the game. He also walked, while scoring 3 runs, despite only recording the one hit. Derek Curiel also only went 1-4, but his one hit was a triple where he got to show off his speed. The ball went to left-center and Vanderbilt still didn’t come close to keeping him from getting to third base. Curiel also drew a walk and scored 3 runs of his own. John Pearson got the start at third base and made the most of it. Despite one throwing error in the 8th inning, he played a great all-around game. Even the error wasn’t a big deal, as it came with him shifted way out of position. He finished 0-1, but Pearson drew 3 walks and was also hit by a pitch. Those four times on base led to 3 runs scored. I would be surprised if Pearson is not back in the starting lineup once again on Tuesday. Although Seth Dardar finished hitless with an 0-3 stat line, he deserves to be pointed out for a few good at bats. After LSU had taken a 2-0 lead in the 1st, Dardar drove home another run with a ground ball for an RBI. Later in the 7th after Curiel tripled, Arrambide was unable to get him in with 0 outs because the Commodores brought their infield in and he hit the ball hard right to the second baseman. They remained in for Dardar and after falling behind with an 0-2 count, he found a way to drive the ball deep enough to left field for the sacrifice fly and his second RBI of the game. Those little things matter, especially for a struggling team. Omar Serna had a good day in his first SEC start on Saturday when catching Cooper Moore, so Jay rewarded him with a start in the DH spot. In the 1st, he hit a laser in to left field where Mancini made a crazy leaping catch. That brought in the 4th run of the inning with a sacrifice fly, but the ball was drilled. Serna finished 1-4 with an RBI single that drove in the final run of the game, as well. Up Next LSU will return home where they will remain for an eight game homestand. That will start on Tuesday as they welcome Grambling for a 6:30 pm central first pitch. The Tigers come in with a 5-13 record, following a 2-1 series win at Alabama St. Pitchers to watch for potential work for LSU include Dax Dathe, Grant Fontenot, Danny Lachenmayer, Connor Benge, and DJ Primeaux.

Vanderbilt - 11, LSU - 3

By David Billiot Jr • March 15, 2026
The big question following LSU’s heartbreaking loss on Friday night was how they would respond. Game 1 was a rollercoaster of emotions, starting with the Tigers scoring first, giving up the lead, Jake Brown crushing a homerun to retake the lead, then the pitching staff collapsing to fall behind 10-4, followed by 8 unanswered runs by LSU, only to be walked off in the 9th inning while being just an out of securing the dramatic comeback victory. Having that happen will test a team mentally under normal circumstances, but considering the timing, it was an even bigger challenge. It happened on the road, in the first game of SEC play, and on the heels of a pretty bad multi-week stretch for the Tigers. LSU was going to need a quick start on Saturday night to regain momentum, but Vanderbilt beat them to it by scoring first while Wyatt Nadeau carved up Jay Johnson’s lineup the first time through the order. The Tigers answered back to tie the game, but as Cooper Moore battled through the early innings, he was also playing with fire. He finally got burned in the 5th inning and things went downhill in a hurry for LSU. Before you knew it, they were down 10-1 and, again, in deep trouble. What was most concerning was Saturday’s results seemed to indicate that what we watched transpire on Friday had more to do with the Commodores choking, rather than the Tigers storming back on their own merit. LSU would go down quietly this time, dropping their first series of conference play. Pitching Cooper Moore entered Saturday coming off of his worst start of the season thus far. It wasn’t bad last week, but it was a far cry from his first three. He looked good early against Vanderbilt, breezing 1-2-3 through the 1st inning. Despite getting in to early trouble in the 2nd, Moore battled out of a 2nd and 3rd with 0 outs situation by only allowing 1 run. That was a massive win in the moment. The leadoff hitter got on base in the 3rd, but, again, he fought through it and didn’t allow the baserunner past 2nd base. We saw more of the same in the 4th, as the inning started with an infield hit, a single, then the chopper that bounced high over Zach Yorke’s head and rolled down the 1st baseline to give Vanderbilt a 2-1 and, once again, put runners on 2nd and 3rd with 0 outs. Moore struck out Ryker Waite, who came in to the series with a .560 on base percentage. Then, thanks to the magician that LSU has playing shortstop, a double play ended yet another big threat. Korbin Reynolds hit a laser right at Steven Milam, who was playing on the grass with the infield in. The ball go on to Milam so quickly, he had to fall backwards to catch it, but his impeccable reaction time somehow allowed him to snag the ball, fall to his butt, and toss it Trent Caraway at 3rd base. Unfortunately for Moore, the trouble would catch up to him in the 5th, though. A four pitch walk to the Commodores 9-hole hitter was the omen of bad things to come, as that was followed with a perfect sacrifice bunt attempt that no one fielded as they hoped it would roll foul, and then another single loaded the bases with 0 outs and Moore’s night was over. The first inning was the only inning that he was able to pitch from the windup, as the leadoff hitter was on base for the next four innings. Despite the talent of starting pitchers, that will forever be tough to overcome, especially against good teams. Final line: 4.0 IP / 7 hits / 5 runs / 4 Ks / 2 BBs / 79 pitches (48 strikes, 61%) Ethan Plog entered in an impossible situation and promptly got he ball he was hoping for. A high chopper ground ball made Yorke leave his feet, but he snagged it and fired home for the force out attempt. Unfortunately, the throw was poor and Omar Serna was unable to go down and get it, scoring a run and the bases remained loaded with no outs. Plog would then walk a hitter and give up a sacrifice fly, pushing Vanderbilt’s lead to 5-1. Chris Maldonado then stepped to the plate to pinch hit and blasted a 3 run homerun over Derek Curiel’s leaping attempt in dead center and the Commodores had blowing things open with 6 run 5th inning. Plog has been fantastic, but that’s where his first SEC appearance would come to an end. Final line: .1 IP / 1 hit / 3 runs / 0 K / 2 BBs Freshman Zion Theophilus was called upon to try and finish off the disaster of an inning for LSU pitching and he did just that, recording a strikeout and a flyout to end the 5th. Back for the 6th, he recorded the leadoff hitter for the first time since the 1st inning, but was unable to record another out after that. He then issued 3 walks (1 intentional) and a hit by pitch and his day was done. Final line: 1.0 IP / 0 hits / 2 runs / 1 K / 3 BBs From one high promise freshman pitcher to another, Reagan Ricken entered with the bases loaded and 1 out. He did exactly what Jay Johnon called upon him to do, drawing a ground ball to record an out and striking out Waite looking to keep the damage from getting worse. Even though a run scored on the groundout, LSU pitchers have struggled to simply record outs in some of these tough spots, which allows things to get worse and worse, much like we saw in the 5th. Ricken returned for the 7th and despite allowing a solo homerun and 2 two out walks, was able to navigate through the entire inning and get out of trouble. Ricken continues to flash plenty of traits to very excited about as he grows as a Tiger. Final line: 1.2 IP / 1 hit / 1 run / 2 Ks / 2 BBs With LSU down 11-3 and the tensity of the moment being low, Jay Johnson inserted Marcos Paz for the 8th inning in a great spot to get his feet wet. As he continues to come back from Tommy John surgery, he’s flashed his talent that made him a possible draft risk, while also battling through rust. In his first SEC appearance, he looked fantastic. Despite a walk, Paz struck out the side, including Maldonado that hit the big homerun earlier. Final line: 1.0 IP / 0 hits / 0 runs / 3 Ks / 1 BB Hitting There isn’t a lot of offensive production to get to, so this will be quick. Steven Milam followed up his 3 hit performance on Friday with a 1-4 game, including a fantastic piece of opposite field hitting for a double. Derek Curiel, Cade Arrambide, and Omar Serna each had a single hit, to give you the 4 total LSU hits. Arrambide’s was a double and Serna’s was a 2 run single that brought his RBI total for the week up to 6. Jake Brown entered the game with only 9 strikeouts so far this season, but Nadeau’s stuff was so good, he was able to get LSU’s offensive MVP twice. Brown did draw 2 walks, finishing the night 0-2. Up Next LSU and Vanderbilt will wrap up SEC opening weekend tomorrow. First pitch will be at 3 pm central. William Schmidt will take the mound for the Tigers as they look to avoid being swept on SEC opening weekend for the first time since 2006 when Arkansas took three in Alex Box during Smoke Laval’s final season. The Tigers have fallen to 13-7, which matches Vanderbilt’s record after back to back wins to start the series. The Commodores will send Nate Taylor to the mound on Sunday, who has started all four Sundays for them this season. Taylor has a record of 0-3 with a 4.91 ERA. His batting average against is the highest of any of the top Vanderbilt pitchers that LSU has seen so far at .242. Taylor has given up 12 runs in 18.1 innings of work, so the opportunities for the Tiger offense to get back on track could be there.
Show More