The Tulane Green Wave football team is beginning to form chemistry in spring camp they can count on come September.
New Orleans, La. -- When the pads come out on Thursday, it’ll give the best glimpse at the Tulane Green Wave football team and what they’re working with ahead of the 2026 season under new head coach Will Hall. It’s noteworthy that, despite all the turnover, and need for a daily roster, the group of football players out there for the Green Wave in spring practice through March and April will be the same ones come training camp in August, and the start of the season in September. With the elimination of the second portal window, it does take a bit of a sense of urgency off the spring practice period.
But it arguably gives a better opportunity for coaches to really dig in and develop knowing that they aren’t wasting time, energy, and resources that not only could be poured into players taking the field this season, but also aren’t efforts they’ll have to start over with a new group of spring portal guys. It is refreshing in a way. Out of all the position groups, it stands to really show whether the one portal window is helpful or not when it comes to Tulane’s next starting quarterback.
That decision will be made between the guys taking snaps out at Yulman Stadium on Monday and Tuesday: Kadin Semonza, Zeon Chriss-Gremillion, Cade Scott, Jay Beamon, and early enrollee Trace Johnson. Semonza is leading the race a little – especially with Chriss-Gremillion only taking stationary reps due to a hamstring injury – one that should feel familiar to him this time around. In contrast from last season, he doesn’t have to worry about multiple quarterbacks creeping up over the summer and fall and sending him abruptly down the depth chart.
Semonza acknowledged the difficulty of that after Monday’s practice, especially after spending the previous year as a full-time starter at Ball State. To go from starting signal caller to not even the backup is jarring to say the least. It was a fair shake. But this competition might feel a little more surmountable for Semonza, especially with a year in the system and some poise.
The team also doesn’t have to worry about a bunch of pass catchers forming chemistry with the competition quarterbacks and suddenly departing, forcing everyone to start over. The lack of time on task with Jake Retzlaff last season and his receivers was palpable. This year, those important relationships will start in March and take the field come September.