Tulane Green Wave Lands MAC Freshman of Year to Crowded Quarterback Room
The Tulane Green Wave are not yet finished with their efforts in the transfer portal, as they have attracted another notable quarterback.
Matt Zenitz with CBS Sports and 247 Sports reported that starting quarterback for Ball State, Kadin Semonza, is transferring to Tulane to compete for the job as successor to Darian Mensah, who departed for the Duke Blue Devils.
Semonza adds immense experience to a room brimming with potential and talent that includes Western Kentucky's TJ Finley and Donovan Leary from Illinois.
Semonza was the Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year as he led the league with 2,904 passing yards and 25 passing touchdowns to 10 interceptions. He completed 64.4% of his 427 pass attempts in his 2024 campaign. On the ground, Semonza recorded one rushing touchdown but lost more than he gained with negative 85 net yards.
While the Cardinals finished 3-9 last season, Semonza led the MAC with his efforts and brings considerable starting experience to Tulane's quarterback room. The competition for the starting role for next season is now a three-man race between the transfers.
The signing signifies how serious head coach Jon Sumrall is about reloading and retooling to compete next season and remain players in the NIL era of college football. It also demonstrates the program's learning experience by bringing in players under center with college experience.
While Mensah ascended as a redshirt freshman with no playing time, the team quickly learned how that lack of playing time in a transfer may or may not translate with the outing by Ty Thompson against the Florida Gators in the Gasparilla Bowl.
It may not be fair to judge Thompson on one starting experience, but it speaks to the lack of starts in the room last season, with the three total coming from Michael Pratt's backup, Kai Horton, who also departed for the portal.
The quarterback room continues to meld as the additions of players trickle in, and it became that much more competitive with the inclusion of Semonza.
Maddy Hudak is the deputy editor for Tulane on Sports Illustrated and the radio sideline reporter for their football team. Maddy is an alumnus of Tulane University, and graduated in 2016 with a degree in psychology. She went on to obtain a Master of Legal Studies while working as a research coordinator at the VA Hospital, and in jury consulting. During this time, Maddy began covering the New Orleans Saints with SB Nation, and USA Today. She moved to New Orleans in 2021 to pursue a career in sports and became Tulane's sideline reporter that season. She enters her fourth year with the team now covering the program on Sports Illustrated, and will use insights from features and interviews in the live radio broadcast. You can follow her on X at @MaddyHudak_94, or if you have any questions or comments, she can be reached via email at maddy.hudak1@gmail.com