Chriss-Gremillion beat out Ball State transfer Kadin Semonza for the initial starting role.
After much speculation and a preseason quarterback battle that wasn't fully decided through fall camp, the Tulane Green Wave has its starting signal-caller.
According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Zeon Chriss-Gremillion will earn the starting nod as the team opens up its season on the road against the Duke Blue Devils. The news broke ahead of the official release of the Green Wave's depth chart, which is set for some point on Monday.
Chriss-Gremillion ultimately beat out redshirt junior Kadin Semonza for the starting spot. Semonza transferred to Uptown after an impressive freshman year with the Ball State Cardinals, but he didn't receive any playing time last season. Meanwhile, Chriss-Gremillion made the move to New Orleans following Tulane's historic 2025 campaign and has been in contention for the starting spot from the jump.
The redshirt senior brings plenty of experience to the program. Chriss-Gremillion started his collegiate career with the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns, spending two seasons in Lafayette before joining the Houston Cougars for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
During his 2022 freshman season, Chriss-Gremillion received just a bit of playing time, ultimately finishing the year going 9-of-15 passing for 109 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also ran for 33 yards. Meanwhile, 2023 would prove to be a breakout year for the signal-caller. Chriss-Gremillion completed 66.7-percent of his passes for 1,222 yards with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also carried the ball 73 times for 492 yards and six touchdowns.
Things took a bit of a turn for Chriss-Gremillion after he transferred to Houston. In 2024, he passed for 824 yards with just four touchdowns to eight interceptions, but he did manage to rush for 388 yards and four additional scores. The next year, he saw significantly less playing time and finished the year 10-of-21 passing for 108 yards, one touchdown and one pick.
While Chriss-Gremillion has struggled as a passer in recent years, he does have the potential to clean up that aspect of his game. It's hard to overlook just how fast and athletic he is on the ground, and he adds a new layer to Tulane's already run-heavy offense. The program's rushing attack is looking stacked, but will it be enough to offset less production through the air? Or, will Chriss-Gremillion and the Green Wave surprise some people with a balanced offensive approach?
There is still potential for Semonza or even freshman quarterback Trace Johnson to receive some playing time this year, especially if the program doesn't get off to the start it wants. However, as it stands now, Chriss-Gremillion looks to be the best fit for head coach Will Hall's scheme, and his years of experience are very much needed.
Chriss-Gremillion and his team will suit up in the Olive Green and Sky Blue against Duke on September 5th at 2:30 p.m. CT.
