Tulane Football Mid-Season Player Awards

Since we're just past the mid-point of the 2025 Tulane football season, we wanted to take a look back at who we think has made the biggest impact on the Green Wave.

Mid-Year Offensive Player of the Year: Jake Retzlaff

Sometimes fate hands you lemonade instead of lemons. Losing last year's starting quarterback Darian Mensah to Duke was a blow to the Wave. Meanwhile, Brigham Young was taking punitive action against Jake Retzlaff, saying he would have to sit out half his senior season because he broke the school's honor code. Retzlaff said, "Never mind," to BYU and opted to walk-on at Tulane. Coach Jon Sumrall had recruited the signal caller when he coached at Troy. That relationship remained, and Retzlaff joined the team. Though he has had an up and down year statistically, no one can deny he brings a certain swagger to the Green Wave offense. And did we mention he didn't throw an interception until game seven?

Mid-Year Defensive Player of the Year: Jack Tchienchou

This was a little bit of a close one. Javion White has three interceptions with an additional quartet of pass breakups. However, week-in and week-out, sophomore safety Jack Tchienchou is making plays. In his seven games, he has a sack, one-and-a-half tackles for losses, two pass breakups of his own, and leads the Tulane defense in total tackles with 48 and solo stops with 27. He truly is all over the field.

Mid-Year Special Teams Player of the Year: Patrick Durkin and Alec Clark

There is no way this cannot be a tie. Freshman placekicker Patrick Durkin is not just perfect in field goals (his longest crossing the bar from 50-yards away), he has hit all but one of his extra points, and almost every kickoff has been a touchback. As for punter Alec Clark, he is one of the top punters in the American Conference and the nation, plus Durkin can rely on him to hold for all his extra points and field goals. This tandem is the best we've ever seen at Tulane at the same time.

Mid-Year Comeback Player of the Year: Shazz Preston

A hamstring injury may be the toughest one to come back from as a wide receiver. You can't cut, change speeds, or stop on a dime. For Shazz Preston, his hammy injury kept him off the field for half-a-year. His coaches glow when they talk about his regimen for returning. He was consistently working out, getting things right with his leg. He'd be there longer than most and show up earlier than just about anyone during the recovery process. It paid off. The junior from St. James, LA has 20-catches for 314-yards and a touchdown. His 63-yarder from quarterback Retzlaff was a screamer. Preston's dedication to returning sets up other players for success, just by watching what he did to get back on the field.

Mid-Year Most Valuable Player: Jake Retzlaff

This was an easy one. Not to take anything away from anyone else, but it's hard to imagine where this Tulane team would be without Jake Retzlaff. His coaches have described him as a guy who played backyard ball as a kid. Retzlaff brings that kind of thought process to every down. He has worked his craft with his wide receivers overtime to get to where he is now. His is a true double threat. His arm is dangerous, as he showed with a 63-yard bomb to the aforementioned Comeback Player of the Year, Shazz Preston. He is also the leading rusher for the Green Wave with 70-carries for 450-yards. He averages 6.4-yards every time he carries the ball. But it's that swagger. He's in control when he's in the huddle. He knows when to drift in the pocket. He knows when to tuck it and run, or just look like he's going to, then chuck it downfield. He just knows, and that permeates not just the offense, but the entire team.

Tulane is on the road this Thursday to battle UTSA in a prime time game on ESPN.