Who Was the Greatest Defensive Lineman in TU History?
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2026 is the 100th anniversary of the opening of old Tulane Stadium in Uptown. This Summer, we are bringing you a series looking back at who we, at On SI Tulane, believe were the best to perform there or other venues for the Greenbacks. From running back to linebacker to wide receiver to quarterback, we will look at who shined the most for the Green Wave in its storied history. A month ago, we gave our take on who we think was the greatest quarterback in the long line of outstanding QBs in Tulane history. Then, the On SI Tulane choice for best halfback. Two weeks ago, who we think was the greatest Wave receiver of all time. This week, our choice for the greatest defensive lineman in the 100-plus years of Tulane football.
Mr. Everything (and Mr. Colorful): Donnie Joyce
Don Joyce was a mountain of a man. Standing over 6' 3" and weighing in at 260 pounds, the Ohio native towered over most linemen of his day. He played both offensive tackle and defensive tackle at Tulane, was a member of the last SEC championship team for the Green Wave in 1949, and an All-American defensive end for the Wave. Joyce was also the team's placekicker. He was selected to play in the 1950 Blue Gray Game, and the second annual Senior Bowl, held in January 1951. In his senior year, Joyce received votes in the Atlanta Constitution's poll of SEC coaches as both the best offensive and defensive tackle. During his free time Uptown, he also threw the discus and shot put for the Tulane track team.
Joyce was picked in the 2nd round by the Chicago Cardinals. He went on to play for the Baltimore Colts, Minnesota Vikings, and Denver Broncos. Known as one of the meanest players in the NFL, Joyce was ejected from a few games in his career for fighting, but not in the 1958 NFL Championship game, often called the Greatest Game Ever Played. He recovered a Frank Gifford fumble in regulation that led to a touchdown in the Colts' sudden-death overtime victory.
Joyce also dabbled in professional wrestling in the off-season near where he and his wife and four boys lived in Baltimore. Believe it or not, this NFL mean guy was usually the face, or good guy. Joyce was inducted into the Tulane Athletics Hall of Fame in 1979.
Warrior, Non-Stop Engine: Mark Olivari
Standing 6-feet tall and weighing in at just over 200-pounds, some expect the exact opposite from Mark Olivari than what they saw of the aforementioned Joyce. Joyce was huge and intimidating. Olivari was neither of those. So, those who had the expectation of anything but dynamite were in for a rude awakening.
Olivari was a fitness disciple. His workout regimen was legendary. That, along with his intellect and incredible instincts put him squarely in the Tulane record books.
The Jesuit High School product was part of that December 1, 1973, team that shutout LSU in Tulane Stadium, 14-0. His nine-yard sack of Tiger quarterback Mike Miley in the 2nd half was enough to push LSU out of field goal range and preserve the shutout. That was just one of Olivari's fourteen sacks that season, which still stands as the most ever by a Tulane player in one year. He stands second all-time in Wave history for a season in the Tackles for Loss in a season, piling up 22 in that same year. He was inducted into the Tulane Athletics Hall of Fame in 1992.
Two-Time All-American: Charlie Hall
On the same defensive front as Olivari, Charles Hall was a towering 6' 6", 260-pounds. Though listed as a defensive tackle, Hall could play end as well, and did so regularly. The Lake Charles native made history at Tulane when, in 1971, he and three others crossed the color barrier in Uptown to become the first blacks to play football for the Green Wave.
Hall led a fierce Tulane defense in one of the most memorable seasons in Green Wave football history, 1973. The Tulane D had three shutouts that season, including that whitewashing of LSU in the regular-season finale. That same defense held two other teams to six points or less.
Hall had 71 tackles, seven sacks and two interceptions in 1973 despite missing three full games and parts of two others with a knee injury. He was voted 1st team All-American in 1973 and 2nd team in 1975. Hall was a fourth-round draft pick of the New Orleans Saints in 1975 and had a brief career in the World Football League before becoming a coach. He was an assistant at Tulane from 1977-82. Hall was a 1981 inductee into the Tulane Athletics Hall of Fame.
Sack Leader, Disruptive: Patrick Johnson
After serving as a reserve outside linebacker as a freshman in 2017, Patrick Johnson became a starting edge rusher going into his sophomore year for the Green Wave.
The 6' 3", 255-pounder was named second-team All-American Athletic Conference after leading the team with 10.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles in his sophomore season. As a junior, Johnson was named second-team All-AAC after recording four sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss with four passes broken up. The Chattanooga native was named first-team All-AAC after finishing his senior season with 39 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and two forced fumbles. He was also named a second-team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, The Sporting News, and the Football Writers Association of America. Johnson owns the record at Tulane for most sacks in a career with 24.5.
Others Earning Recognition
Tulane defensive linemen have made their mark on the Green Wave record books:
- Kenan Blackmon, DE 1999-2002, before Patrick Johnson, held the Tulane record in sacks at 22.5.
- Floyd Dorsey, DE 1999-2002, All-C-USA Freshman team, second all-time in sacks with 21.5
The On SI Tulane Choice: Mark Olivari
As long-time Tulane followers, we've always had a special place in our hearts for the underdog.
Yes, Patrick Johnson's sack record is incredible; Charlie Hall's All-American honors are for all time; but Mark Olivari was just special.
Olivari had one of the highest motors you will ever see from a defensive lineman. Though outsized in every situation along the defensive front, he found a way to disrupt a run, get a hand on a football or a quarterback.
Fifty-plus years later, he still is at or near the top of the Tulane record book in multiple categories:
- Still holds the single season record for sacks at 14, set in 1973,
- Ranks sixth all time in career sacks for Tulane,
- Top three in tackles for loss at 42 in his career,
- Made critical plays at critical times in critical games over and over again, to wit, the 1973 shutout of LSU.
For us, the On SI Tulane greatest defensive lineman in Green Wave history is Mark Olivari.
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Doug has covered a gamut of sporting events in his fifty-plus years in the field. He started doing sideline reporting for Louisiana Tech football games for the student radio station. Doug was Sports Director for KNOE-AM/FM in Monroe in the mid-80s, winning numerous awards from the Louisiana Sports Writers Association for Best Sportscast and Best Play-by-Play. High school play-by-play for teams in Monroe, Natchitoches, New Orleans, and Thibodaux, LA dot his resume. He did college play-by-play for Northwestern State University in Natchitoches for nine years. Then, moving to the Crescent City, Doug did television PBP of Tulane games and even filled in for legendary Tulane broadcaster, Ken Berthelot in the only game Kenny ever missed while doing the Green Wave games. His father was an alumnus of Tulane in the 1940s, so Doug has attended Tulane football games in old Tulane Stadium, the Superdome, and Yulman. He was one of the 86,000 plus on December 1, 1973, sitting in the North End Zone to seeTulane shutout the LSU Tigers, 14-0. He was there when the Posse ruled Fogelman and in Turchin when the Wave made it to the World Series. He currently is the public address voice of the Tulane baseball team.