Things weren't perfect, but the Tulane Green Wave might actually learn something about themselves from this win.
New Orleans, La. – The Tulane Green Wave entered a Week 2 contest with a lot more riding on a non-conference game against the South Alabama Jaguars than one would think.
With what arguably felt like the season on the line – fairly or not – the Green Wave showed a really important trait in their 28-24 win: grit.
Anyone that thinks players don’t see and internalize what’s going on over social media is about a decade too late on that.
A lot of the criticism of their loss to the Duke Blue Devils was warranted. But with doubters and real dissension in the fan base, Tulane traversed the adversity and got it done.
Any team that has to come from behind late in the fourth quarter is one that has sticking power.
The stretch of play from the reversed fumble recovery for a touchdown to the game-winning drive on offense could be a season-defining moment for this group if they take it.
The Green Wave won ugly, and the defense really struggled at times to get off the field – except for on fourth down it seems. They really, really need to fix the tackling issues.
For one, the reversal on the fumble was nonsensical. Either the quarterback is mid-slide and then the hit by linebacker Dickson Agu to force it was a late hit, or the initial call was the right one.
That type of stuff can really deflate the sails. The team had already celebrated and given out the turnover beads.
Then the defense had to stuff that all down and head back out there to make a stop.
Then it was up to quarterback Kadin Semonza. That drive in which he went 3-for-3 for 63 yards and a touchdown pass to Destyn Hill solidified that this team has a quarterback.
That might be the most valuable takeaway from the victory.
He’s one who has guts. He admitted in postgame that it was an RPO play where he was supposed to hand it off but decided instead to go “win the damn football game.”
Now, if that hadn’t paid off, things might be really dire at quarterback for the Wave.
Instead, the gamble gives Tulane a quarterback with moxie and one who they can win because of, not just with.
In turn, the offense found complete lightning in a bottle with superback Jaylin Lucas, who was the first 200-yard rusher in Yulman Stadium history and the first Tulane back to rush for 200 yards since Tyjae Spears in the Cotton Bowl.
That says as much about Lucas as it does about the complete turnaround on the offensive line. That group of five is the right one.
The penalties went from 15 last weekend to just four on the evening.
Things weren’t perfect, but they showed promise. That premise felt near impossible this time last week.
