The Green Wave coach didn't have the strongest start to his tenure at Southern Miss, but he's looking to come out ready for a fight in his new role in Uptown.
Tulane Green Wave head coach Will Hall didn't a great start in his former coaching role with the Southern Miss Golden Eagles.
Hall struggled to a 3-9 overall record at the helm in Hattiesburg, with victories coming against the Grambling State Tigers, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and Florida International Panthers. Most games were easily forgettable, and two of his wins didn't come until the final games of the season.
It's a point that has garnered a bit of criticism and some speculation. Hall is one of a handful of first-year head coaches in the American Conference, and he's the one who had the toughest start at a previous school.
However, that doesn't mean his fellow fresh coaches won't potentially be in the same boat. Neal Brown, who is set to lead the North Texas Mean Green, had less-than-desirable results in previous stints with the Troy Trojans and West Virginia Mountaineers. There doesn't appear to be much confidence in him so far.
Charles Huff, who succeeded Hall at USM, put together a winning record in his first season with the Golden Eagles. He did much of the same with the Marshall Thundering Herd. Will his success translate to the American?
Meanwhile, UAB Blazers' coach Alex Mortensen and South Florida's Brian Hartline are in their first full seasons as head coaches. There's going to be a bit more pressure on them to produce immediate results.
However, the opportunities for Hall in Uptown appear truly endless. Tulane is entering the 2026 campaign fresh off of one of the biggest seasons in program history, and the team will be hungry to reach the College Football Playoff for the second season in a row. Hall also has quite a few more resources available to him when compared to his Southern Miss days, especially financially.
What's more, the program has maintained much of its recruiting momentum, picking up some potential difference-makers in the transfer portal and nabbing quite a few standout commitments from players in the Class of 2027.
There will be some growing points that undoubtedly come with having a first-year coach, but Hall has a golden opportunity to prove his critics wrong. He was a vital part of the 2025 staff, and he has what it takes to foster a winning culture.
The noise surrounding him -- and other American coaches -- is loud. It's going to make this season incredibly interesting. But if there's one thing that's true about the Green Wave, it's this: the program has been building itself into a powerhouse within the conference, and it's going to take a lot to stop that.
