



Nine seasons ago, just prior to the start of the 2010 season, Tulane athletic director Rick Dickson made one of the biggest moves in his school's history, hiring a first time head coach by the name of D. Geezy. In that time since the hiring, Geezy has taken Tulane from a Conference USA cellar dweller to a Southeastern Conference national powerhouse.

Can Coach Geezy add to Tulane's trophy case?
The team has seen several faces come and go during the past near-decade: RB Orleans Darkwa, QB Curtis Byrd, LB Mark Richards, QB Anthony High, and FS Dre Harris are just a few amongst several talented Green Wave players Geezy has had the pleasure to coach. But there are two in particular that stood out as men amongst boys during their stay in New Orleans - 2017 Heisman Trophy winning RB Reggie Moore and 2-time national champion QB Jamie Manning.
Moore, a Schriever, Louisiana native, was a 4-star recruit in 2014 and the first true superstar player Geezy was able to bring in to play for the Green Wave. Scoring on the very first touch of his collegiate career via a 90-yard kickoff return touchdown as a true freshman on opening day 2014, Moore would dazzle the Superdome crowd for 4 amazing seasons and helped lead Tulane to its first ever national title in 2016. His career would culminate with becoming Tulane's first ever Heisman Trophy winner in 2017 as a senior, a year which saw him finish with 1,964 all-purpose yards and 27 touchdowns. Moore left Tulane following the conclusion of the 2017 season, a heartbreaking loss to USC in the BCS National Championship Game and a game which saw Moore come just one yard shy of tying the score at the end of regulation.

Manning led Tulane to two national titles. Can they get back to the top without him?
Manning, a 4-star recruit in 2016 from Decatur, Georgia, guided the Green Wave to their first ever national championship as a true freshman, a game which featured a thrilling, game-winning 10-play 80-yard drive which concluded with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Moore with 0:02 remaining to seal a 29-26 win over defending national champion Penn State. Manning's 2017 season would end in disappointment, as he tore a back muscle on the very first play of the aforementioned BCS title game versus USC, which led to him missing virtually the entire game and his team falling 20-13 in Pasadena. Manning would bounce back in his junior season however, despite being minus his now-graduated partner-in-crime Moore, guiding the Green Wave to a perfect 14-0 record and a second BCS National Championship, this time defeating undefeated Michigan 30-20 in Glendale. Shortly thereafter, Manning announced he was going to forgo his senior season and enter the 2019 NFL draft, where he is projected to be selected #1 overall.
Manning joins six other star players leaving Tulane early for the NFL Draft this off-season, along with 14 more graduating seniors, for a grand total of 21 players (12 starters) departing from their championship squad, giving the Green Wave a brand new look heading into the 2019 campaign.
Fresh off winning their second national title in three seasons and clearly the "team to beat" in college football, Coach Geezy and the Green Wave now embark on a new journey, with a new supporting cast and a new signal caller helping to lead the way, along with a fresh target painted squarely on their backs.

- Deegeezy, Digital Sports Scene Dynasty Forum, May 30th, 2011
----------------------------------
Disclaimer: The following story lines, game results, etc. are purely fictitious and are for entertainment purposes only. Any fictitious story/article posted that any person(s) from Tulane University, Erin Andrews, or the NCAA feels is inappropriate will be taken down immediately upon request. Erin, please don't sue me.
Comment