Tulane football has two spring practices scheduled. It's difficult to get a lot out of watching a limited number of works.
However, there are a few.
The transition to new head coach John Sumrall has been smooth. Sumrall has inherited several coaches from his previous staff, and the mix of new and inherited staff appears to be going smoothly.
Sumrall is impressive. I don't know if Tulane could have made a better hire. He ticks all the boxes. He is young but has a lot of experience. The winner of the major prize at the previous venue. He is a coach who values discipline but is able to communicate with his players. He's obviously a coach who can recruit.
At Lagniappe, he spent two years as an assistant to former Green Wave head coach Curtis Johnson. He knows the school and Southeast Louisiana.
It's very impressive that the Green Wave ranked No. 3 in its freshman class in Sumrall's first year and had the American's top-ranked transfer class (according to 247Sports).
Wide receiver Mario Williams will be a difference-maker. He can separate and is very good at making yards after the catch.
No one knows what quarterback Ty Thompson, a transfer from Oregon State, can do.Thompson has yet to practice 11-on-11 since Tulane doctors discovered he had hairline fractures in five bones.th Metatarsal bones of the left foot. Still, Thompson certainly seems to be up to the task. He's better than his other teammates.
Is he a good decision maker? Can he throw accurately? How much of the designed run will be a part of Tulane's offense if Thompson is the starter?
These questions won't be answered until September.
It will be nice to see Kai Horton pictured as Tulane's quarterback in March. Horton entered the transfer portal, but he stayed. It will be interesting to see if new offensive coordinator Joe Craddock can successfully convince Horton, who has shown some skill in small on-field samples.
Having Mekhi Hughes back at tailback is huge for the Green Wave.
Last season, Hughes broke through traffic as a running back, racking up 1,290 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. It's not flashy, but it's a definitive north-south runner with unwavering stability.
The defense will still be fine. There are a number of transfers in the secondary, with only safety Bailey Despaney returning as a starter. Despaney was the Wave's third top tackler behind two returners, linebackers Jesus Machado and Tyler Grubbs. Defensive tackle Patrick Jenkins (5.5 sacks in 2023) returns as the anchor of the defensive line.
So far, Tulane hasn't had a good transition.
The club lost three of the top receivers and top passer in school history. Head coach Willie Fritz, the man behind Tulane's unparalleled success, has left for Houston.
But the vibe throughout the program is that not only will the success continue, but Tulane will continue to climb the college football ladder.
Autumn can't get here fast enough to find out.
