Tulane’s Potential Starting QB is a Four Way Deadlock

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Heading into Spring Camp, we at On SI Tulane believed that the starting QB position would be contested by Houston transfer Zeon Chriss-Gremillion and Kadin Semonza, but what Spring Camp held for us was something unexpected.

Keep in mind, this is not a prediction of who we think will win the starting job come September. This article is more focused on analysis: breaking down the pros and cons of each QB, breaking down what exactly they bring to the table.

Two New Names, Without Warning

Although Zeon and Kadin were the favorites heading into Spring, Coach Will Hall mentioned that the next Michael Pratt/Darian Mensah is in the QB room, though he didn’t rule out the upperclassmen. Who we think he was referring to, was true freshman, Trace Johnson and sophomore walk-on, Dagan Bruno.

Johnson was talked about this past Tuesday, where we went over the 2026 class as a whole and who’d make the most immediate impact. Trace was among those names mentioned, as he hails from Santa Margarita High School in California. Johnson showed a ton of poise and confidence for a QB of his size and age.

It seems as though the only flaw in Johnson’s game could be his physical attributes. He’s only 6’, 180-pounds, but being small has nothing to do with how great of a quarterback you can be. Drew Brees and Russell Wilson threw that argument away a long time ago, but it’s still something to take into consideration. Although he may be undersized, Johnson walks onto the field exuding the most confidence out of anybody on the grass.

His tape and Spring Showcase showing give us the idea that he knows exactly what to do with the football before even takes the snap. His high school tape makes us think that he had a complete understanding of the playbook. His progressions look natural, making on-time, anticipated throws with deadly accuracy.

Going hand-in-hand with his arm is his solid ability to escape the pocket. Johnson boasts good quickness while being able to keep his eyes downfield, then find his desired target from anywhere on the field.

Although Trace shows great promise, he's still young. His inexperience and size may need time, so we wouldn't be surprised if he sat out this year. But with a year or two of developement, Johnson seems to be the future of this program.

A 'Perfect' Candidate

Walk-on sophomore, Dagan Bruno follows the true freshman, and what he supplies is just as eye opening as Trace Johnson.

Bruno had a near perfect Spring Showcase where he'd complete two drives going 5-5 with a TD and 4-4 with a TD to start and end the showcase respectively.

The 6'2" man out of John Curtis here in New Orleans seemed like an afterthought heading into Spring. There was almost zero consideration for him to gain the starting job, and the same was said for Trace Johnson. But what Bruno (and Johnson) did was turn just about every head to get people to look at what they were doing.

Bruno looked surgical during the Spring, so we're curious if the walk-on can keep that same level of consistency heading into the fall, but if his Spring showing is anything to go by, we believe we're in for a heck of a QB battle come Fall.

The Vegas Leaders

We're sure that if you were to put a bet on who the starting QB would be for Tulane come September, the odds-makers would probably put Kadin Semonza and Zeon Chriss-Gremillion as your two favorites to win the job.

And if it wasn't the odds-makers making that decision, it'd be us before the Spring as well, because no one saw Dagan Bruno, let alone Trace Johnson forcing their way into the bout. However, we'd like to emphasize, we're not looking at Dagan and Trace because the QB play from Zeon and Kadin has been unimpressive, but it's because Dagan and Trace gave us something to be impressed by.

Needless to say, the two frontrunners have aspects of their game that are just as solid as the two aforementioned gun-slingers.

After battling for the starting spot last year, only for the position to be swiped by BYU transfer, Jake Retzlaff, Semonza patiently waited one more year for his shot at the starting spot.

Kadin began his time in NOLA in 2025, after transferring from Ball State and winning the MAC Freshman of the Year award in 2024. Semonza was great at Ball State, and he's shown a ton of promise during Spring as well. Although a bit inaccurate at times, Semonza boasts good decision-making and a thorough understanding of the Tulane system, even with the head coaching change.

Lighting Up the Field

Kadin's legs won't be as much of a threat as this next guy, but his arm is certainly something that can't be trifled with. 2026 Houston transfer Zeon Chriss-Gremillion is our final contestant in this four-way bout. The Baton Rouge native had his best year in 2023, where he recorded 1,714 all-purpose yards and 17 total TDs. Just like that number suggested, Zeon's ultimate weapon is his legs. Zeon's Spring was lit on fire by the way he ran.

Zeon is crazy athletic, stopping on a dime and splitting defenders despite his long structure. He's blazing quick, and having a QB who can run is vital in today's game. Having that option opens up your offense to more possibilities in different formations. Designed QB runs are going to see a ton of success with Zeon, but his arm leaves a bit to be desired.

Zeon had a bad habit of staring down receivers during practice, but we should also factor in that Zeon is coming from a completely different offense in Houston, and he may have needed the summer to completely learn the plays and progressions.

Regardless, Zeon has built a connection with his Greenie teammates despite transferring this year. He managed to connect with "Fat" Hill on the last play of the Spring Showcase for a 20-yard TD strike that would ultimately end the game and their Spring.

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