Friday, August 16, 2024
2024 SEASON PREVIEW
By Eve Jewell, TulaneInsider.com OFFENSEThe best word to describe the 2024 Tulane offense is "loaded." The Green Wave boasts veteran playmakers at all skill positions this fall, including a trio of seniors - QB Bryce Allen (94 ovr), WR Brandon McIntyre (97 ovr), and WR Jason Mason (92 ovr) - along with an establish starter in junior TE Ronnie Parsons (84 ovr).
Wide receivers Brandon McIntyre (#6) and Jason Mason (#11) have been Tulane's starting wide outs since 2022 and both head into their senior seasons with sky-high expectations.
Last season, Allen and McIntyre each missed virtually the entire second half of the year as both players sustained injuries during the Wave's 33-32 mid-season victory at Tennessee. The pair hopes to remain healthy for their final seasons in New Orleans, as they will be key in Tulane's quest for a third BCS National Championship under 15th year head coach D. Geezy. Allen got off to a slow start last year, playing in his third offensive system in three seasons as the Wave's starting quarterback. But now in year two of offensive coordinator Curtis Byrd's "Miami" system, the only problem for both Allen and Byrd will be figuring things out with so many mouths to feed.
The highest rated receiver in college football this season according to ESPNU.com's college football player rating system, McIntyre got off to a hot start last year, catching 8 touchdowns in just 8 games before getting injured. Seeing a boost in targets after taking over for McIntyre as the team's #1 receiver last fall, Mason finished as the Wave's leading receiver on the year, hauling in 38 receptions for 764 yards and 7 touchdowns, all career-highs. The pair will be complimented this season by first year WR Adam Lawson, and the 6-6 freshman has turned several heads while displaying remarkable playmaking ability during preseason practices thus far, routinely making one-handed circus catches on deep passes.
In the backfield will be speedy RB Tony Tompkins (80 ovr), recently named on ESPN's Heisman Watch list. With 2023 leading rusher Tim Powers now graduated, Tompkins will take on the lion's share of the backfield work load. The fastest player on Tulane's team overall, Tompkins' slashing style and change-of-direction ability will keep many SEC defensive coordinators up and night. True freshman RB Michael Brown Jr. will be a player to watch however, especially on third downs as a receiver out of the backfield. The 4-star recruit out of Kilgore, Texas has drawn comparisons to former Florida and NFL WR Percy Harvin due to his versatility as a pass-catcher. True freshman FB J.J. Williams is another player Tulane coaches are excited about, and he could see touches as a power-runner in short yardage situations.
The unit that may bring worry to Tulane will be its offensive line. After moving senior C Jeremy Andrews (90 ovr) to left guard and moving sophomore RT Kyle Gray (82 ovr) to left tackle, the Green Wave will have new starters at four different line positions. Stud senior RG Jay Bonner (94 ovr), a projected first round pick in next year's NFL Draft, is the unit's lone starter returning to his same position, a position Bonner has started at since day 1 of his stay in New Orleans. The team will be hoping that new starting junior C Peter Brooks (77 ovr) and incoming junior college transfer RT Matthew Cole (76 ovr) can hold up and keep Allen clean.
DEFENSEAfter seeing its defensive unit sink to 99th in points allowed last season, Tulane let go of defensive coordinator Steve Ellis along with the possibly stale "Multiple D" style attack. Replacing Ellis will be long time college and NFL defensive line coach Karl Dunbar, who was hired in January. Dunbar will be installing a 3-4 "QB pressure-oriented" defense in hopes of improving on the Green Wave's low sack total of 22 last year, which ranked 112th in the nation.
Tulane believes first year defensive coordinator Karl Dunbar's installation of the 3-4 defense will help the Green Wave solve its pass rush woes of recent years.
Perhaps the unit Dunbar is most excited about is his linebacking core. Returning junior MLB Sean Williams (87 ovr) finished last season with 86 tackles and was tied for the team lead with 3 interceptions last fall. He will be joined in the middle of the Green Wave's 3-4 defense by fellow junior Mario Young (88 ovr), who Geezy believes is the hardest hitting player on the team's roster after watching him make big hits on special teams units each of the past two seasons. Senior Chuckie Coley (88 ovr) will man one of the outside linebacker spots while blue chip true freshman Sean Williamson (82 ovr) will play the other outside position. The nation's #2 rated high school prospect last year will also see snaps as a rush defensive end when the Green Wave deploys its nickel and dime defensive sets. One other linebacker to keep an eye on is senior OLB Chaz Perkins (77 ovr, 96 spd), who Dunbar would like to deploy as a rush linebacker in what the team calls its "Cheetah package" on some passing downs.
As excited as the team is about its linebacking core, the area that could present problems for Dunbar is the defensive backfield, which has been a problem area for the team ever since the departure of former star CB Nate Hall following the 2021 season. Junior CB Tyler Harrison (78 ovr) and 5-9 senior CB D.J. Keyes (74 ovr) are both returning starters, however both had issues last fall with keeping up with receivers. The team will be hoping that converted cornerback Brian Malone's (81 ovr) move to free safety works out well, because he along with SS Jonathan Smith (85 ovr) will need to be solid in over-the-top coverage to make up for the lack of speed at corner. Smith will see snaps at nickel and dime corner, and 6-7 athletic freak Jo Jo Price (72 ovr), a redshirt freshman, will get first crack at playing the role of sub-package safety in place of Smith. As has been the case each of the past few seasons, the defensive backfield will be a primary focus of the Green Wave's recruiting efforts this year, an area they have struggled at.
SPECIAL TEAMSAs a true freshman, PK Aaron Larson (81 ovr) quietly had one of the best seasons Tulane has had at place-kicker in several years, connecting on 23 of his 25 field goal attempts last campaign. P Terry Alexander (91 ovr) is one of the top punters in the country, and he will look to improve upon his 41.5 net average from last season.
The absolute star of the Tulane special teams units is the 2023 Return Man of the Year award recipient, Tompkins. The Florida native had 6 combined returns for touchdowns last season (4 kickoffs, 3 punts), and it is a big reason why many believe he could find himself invited to New York in December.
OUTLOOKThe Green Wave's 2024 season will likely depend on how fast the team can come out of the gates. With one of the toughest schedules in college football, it would be hard to objectively predict an undefeated season. Between the installation of a new defensive system along with there possibly being just too many land-mines to dodge on the schedule, expectations will remain tempered, for now.
However, if Tulane comes out unscathed following its initial three game gauntlet at #14 Boise St., at #12 TCU, and at home versus #6 Notre Dame to start the year, this veteran, senior-led Green Wave Wave squad could find themselves with enough momentum to carry themselves through the always-tough SEC and be a force in 2024.
2024 PREDICTION: 12-2 OVERALL (8-1 CONFERENCE RECORD, SEC CHAMPION)
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