The Tulane Green Wave took practice to a grass field Friday to get important reps ahead of their away game on grass at Duke.
New Orleans, La. – The Tulane Green Wave finished up their last day of “mock week” before game prep week officially starts ahead of the season opener this Friday with a bit of a field trip.
It was over to the New Orleans Saints practice facility, but rather than take advantage of their indoor space, they took advantage of something that they have outdoors: a grass field.
The Green Wave will open their season against the Duke Blue Devils in Raleigh, NC., on Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium. That stadium features natural Bermuda grass.
Previously, Tulane would practice at the old rugby facility next to the facility on Airline Drive, but that’s all being torn up and replaced now. With the Saints away for the preseason, that left the perfect opportunity for the Wave to grab some critical time on a natural grass field.
It’s always been important for the program to replicate those conditions ahead of the season, and with it being the season opener, getting those reps in on Friday were essential.
The team has settled in well to mock prep, with the hourlong practice session mainly focusing on special teams work and scout work to prep for the Blue Devils.
That starts with the small situational details, like having scout team quarterback Cade Scott switch from wearing No. 7 to No. 2, replicating the number that Duke quarterback Walker Eget will dawn next Saturday against the defense.
Running back Gabe Mocek did a solid job replicating the challenge that will be Blue Devils running back Nate Sheppard from Mandeville, La.
But, while they’ll be down last year’s quarterback in Darian Mensah and his top target, Cooper Barkate, Duke still has a solid receiving core that saw the scout work for defense dropping bandits into coverage.
It wasn’t a heavily insightful practice, and this work week ended pretty light with an hourlong walkthrough in the indoor practice facility bubble Uptown with the players in tennis shoes.
Managing that workload ahead of game prep week has been a point of emphasis and likely looking to prevent injuries this close to the season with no one seemingly going down during Friday’s work.
Quarterback Zeon Chriss-Gremillion has had a heightened sense of poise and command to him since winning the QB1 job for the season opener. Perhaps there’s a real psychological component to the quarterback competition that has now dissipated, as his accuracy and touch have both improved this past week.
Now, the team will officially turn the page from training camp and this transitional week to game prep as the season opener gets closer and things officially feel real.
