Tulane Playmakers Emerge As Fall Camp Reaches Week Two

New Orleans, La. – The Tulane Green Wave always have a bit more juice when they had to the indoor practice facility for the New Orleans Saints, and that was palpable on Day 5 of camp on Monday as they took a break from the heat.

It’s a bigger space than the bubble, so these planned out practices ensure that the full team can get their work in while taking a necessary reprieve from New Orleans in August.

Some playmakers in the secondary and at the skill positions are starting to stand out a bit.

It feels like Anthony Rodgers from Nicholls came out of nowhere to take over first team reps opposite E’zaiah Shine at cornerback.

Josh Moore is also someone to keep an eye on as they try to settle him into a position, with him seeing time behind Jack Tchienchou at free safety and some reps at the spear position that is still a battle.

That position battle would’ve expected to see TJ Smith back there after backing up Javion White last season, but he’s been a bit interesting to watch take some snaps opposite Tchienchou in the strong safety role.

Head coach Will Hall noted his muscle growth this offseason and how well he attacked it, avoiding what he calls as “BCD” or blame, complain, defend.

“He took a hold of it and he used it to improve his body and his body composition,” Hall said. “He should be able to withstand more blows this year because of that, the physicality of this game. He'll play more than one spot. We'll move him around. You saw that because the more we can do with him, the more we can do with it.”

Then there’s figuring out the wide receiver corps and their makeup – mainly, who will replace the production, size, and physicality of Shazz Preston.

Preston was 6-feet tall and 206 pounds. Two guys measure up in physical stature at wide receiver: Destyn Hill and Bredell Richardson.

Hill is 6-foot-1, 191 pounds, while Richardson is 6-foot-1, 197 pounds.

Richardson stuck out on Monday in one of his better days since arriving on campus over from the UCF Knights.

Then there’s the quarterbacks, who are still in a bit of a deadlock. Kadin Semonza was having one of his better days until he threw a pick straight to the defender. But he then had a solid touchdown to Hill who he’s been connecting with while being hit on the throw.

It just feels like that group needs the number of reps that Saturday’s scrimmage will provide to really be able to separate from the pack.

Having four quarterbacks split two team periods and get about four reps or so each doesn’t offer much insight into who’s pulling away.

But importantly, the team is starting to come together around that moving part, and some playmakers are beginning to emerge at the start of week two.