Top Offensive Strengths for Tulane Green Wave Ahead of Spring Practice

The Tulane Green Wave football team can lean on these top traits on offense as they prepare for 2025 spring camp.

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The Tulane Green Wave begin spring practice on March 18, kicking off one of the more important assessment periods in college football.

As many programs cancel their spring games to prevent tampering and attrition in the transfer portal, including conference rivals, Tulane football coach Jon Sumrall is moving forward with the scheduled scrimmage on April 19.

However, the development and evaluation of the football team will start on the first of the 14 total practice sessions prior to that April game.

As the football team gears up for that critical period, there are a lot of turnover and question marks on both sides of the ball. The offense has a few top strengths that they can lean on entering spring practice.

Continuity at offensive coordinator

The ability to continue on with offensive coordinator Joe Craddock is perhaps the most underrated component of the Green Wave offense. His philosophy shapes the scheme to suit his players, focusing on the run game and explosive passes.

Craddock had to evaluate the quarterback and everyone on that side of the ball simultaneously. He had to assimilate with a bunch of new coaches that he previously hadn't worked with: offensive line, tight ends, running back, and wide receiver.

All of those position coaches return this season, as well as valuable depth pieces that will allow them to build a foundation off of while assessing the traits of incoming players.

Anchor on left side of offensive line

The offense starts and ends with the offensive line and protection on the line of scrimmage. However, evaluating this position group outside of a game setting can be challenging. It was one Sumrall pointed to for a critical group of returnees from the 2024 season.

Tulane will need to find a new center, right guard, and right tackle, making it the largest turnover the role has seen in seasons. It will do so under a new leader, as Evan McKissack was promoted to lead the unit after serving last season as an assistant.

McKissack will have continuity at left tackle and guard in Derrick Graham and Shadre Hurst, aka the quarterback’s blindside. Sumrall spoke in December about the importance of Graham and Hurst.

"Big-time starting-level players, all-conference type players,” Sumrall said. “Anchors of the left side of the line. You need some stability. We've got to fill back the center to right tackle roles. We'll have good options… Those guys deciding to return is huge for our team to have any opportunity for success going forward."

Intriguing traits at running back

Outside of losing quarterback Darian Mensah, running back Makhi Hughes may leave the next largest hole in a run-heavy offense. That said, Arnold Barnes was a bruiser who had a similar playstyle to Hughes, making it difficult to utilize both backs to their potential.

Barnes has a level of physical traits and lower body mass that simply can’t be taught, and he worked on his speed and balance last season. In his limited time last year, redshirt freshman Jamari McClure demonstrated a rare elusiveness and burst, which would serve as a strong complement in a one-two punch.

With the loss of Shaadie Clayton-Johnson, the room needs a pass catcher. Incoming transfer Maurice Turner may offer that wrinkle with his time as a receiver in high school.

The room also features transfer Zuberi Mobley and freshman Javin Gordon. As there are blocking schemes that the running back must learn to protect the quarterback, Gordon may be a development player similar to McClure last season.

They may not have the talent of Hughes heading into next season, but the room has a more varied set of traits that allow for creativity in the scheme and an ability to mold the role at quarterback that perhaps wasn’t there with the defined style of Hughes and central importance of his role.