The Tulane Green Wave had an objective to set the tone in their win over the Northwestern Wildcats. As they head to take on the South Alabama Jaguars on the road Saturday, that goal will look a bit different.
That type of grit and toughness was necessary for the Green Wave, who were at a size disadvantage against the Wildcats hailing from the Big Ten with Power Four-sized players.
What Tulane lacked in body mass, they made up for with athleticism and speed. That was displayed on multiple sacks on Preston Stone, including one from the third level by safety Jack Tchienchou.
It was clear in each of the four interceptions that the Green Wave secondary players beat Northwestern not only in their understanding of the playbook but also in their burst and foot quickness to snag them over the heads of their receivers.
Leading receiver Omari Hayes was running circles around the Wildcats, and quarterback Jake Retzlaff outran every defender on the field in a 69-yard sprint for a rushing touchdown.
That speed on offense was critical to counteract Northwestern’s headliner defensive ends, Anto Saka and Aidan Hubbard.
Tulane won’t have that counterpunch in their first road matchup of the season against the South Alabama Jaguars, who share that as a strength.
I asked head coach Jon Sumrall during the team's media availability on Tuesday about the challenge their opponent, particularly on defense, poses in Week 2.
“This group's very athletic that we're getting ready to play,” Sumrall said. “I think the speed of this team we're getting ready to play kind of sticks out upfront, but also on all three levels of their defense.”
“They've got good athletes,” he continued. “They look fast, they look twitchy, they play hard. Well coached, they’ve got some good length. I think they’re a really athletic group. That's probably the thing that sticks out about this team we're going to play.”
The team’s performance last Saturday didn’t just add their first tally to the win column. It also instilled a crucial confidence in all three phases, most importantly in the offense under a new starting quarterback.
Hayes also spoke with reporters on Tuesday, and while he didn’t dismiss the Jaguars’ strengths in this matchup, he didn’t see too much change in the team’s preparation.
“It really doesn't change anything,” Hayes said. “I think we still want to do little things right, make it explosive, and limit their big players from making plays.”
A lot of that may come down to a footrace. However, most of the outcomes in Week 1 and largely in Week 2 are the result of execution or lack thereof by each respective team.
There were no procedural penalties for the Green Wave, no errant missed tackles, and no special teams mishaps—quite the opposite. Outside of the dropped passes, it was essentially a flawless opening performance.
When Hayes brings up the little things, that’s what happened on the field Saturday. Tulane did every little thing right.
When those are instilled and bought into in practice, that gives the Green Wave their edge to remain a formidable opponent on the road.