The Tulane defense just got stronger with the news of this return.
In the age of NIL and the transfer portal, it’s not expected that schools will be able to keep their core of players. In fact, from the Power Four to the Group of Five, every competitive program is traversing the difficulties of roster retention in the current landscape of college football. It’s turned return announcements into a thing, when it used to just be presumed in the past. But the timing of those announcements can bring a boost when the news has mostly been about departing players. The Tulane Green Wave have seen more of the latter this last week. However, the players announcing the former are strong ones to this team’s core.
Linebacker Chris Rodgers was the first to announce that he was returning for the Green Wave via his X account. That was an important one for the defensive core of this team. Tulane’s linebacker coach Tayler Polk is now the team’s defensive coordinator – the youngest in the FBS sport – and so that retention at his position group matters. Polk had to do a lot of developing this last season, and Rodgers was an impressive one.
When the team lost Dickson Agu one game into conference play for the season, it made the hole initially vacated by Tyler Grubbs feel rather large for the rest of the year. The Green Wave had enjoyed more depth at the role the season prior. In 2025, Rodgers had to step up into a starting role opposite Sam Howard. He ended up as the second-leading tackler on the team in solo and total tackles.
Rodgers recorded 51 solo tackles, 80 total, seven tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, an interception returned for a touchdown, one pass breakup, two quarterback hits, and a forced fumble in 14 games played.
Now, Rodgers didn’t start the season prior, but he did play in 13 games, and only recorded 16 solo tackles, 24 total, 1.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, one interception, and two pass deflections.
Then Howard had to miss back-to-back games against Army and UTSA this season. Tulane went 1-1 in those matchups. But it thrust Rodgers into a greater role in leadership and on the field more than ever, and the team saw true growth from that room as a result. As Rodgers’ position group coach takes on the entire defense for next season, he’ll do so with a core leader returning that shined with the next man up mentality.