Tulane Green Wave Tackles Challenge to Secure Run Blockers in Transfer Portal
The Tulane Green Wave had a top 25 rushing attack in college football last season, and they need to replace more than running back Makhi Hughes for that trend to continue.
The offensive line led the charge for the Tulane football team as they finished the season with 32 rushing touchdowns. As critical as Hughes was to the team's campaign, he wouldn't have made it far without their blocking on the line of scrimmage.
It's unsurprising that one of the top ground games graded 13th in the nation on Pro Football Focus with a 90.8 overall run-blocking grade.
While departing skill players receive more attention, the offensive line is perhaps the most crucial position group for the Green Wave and head coach Jon Sumrall to rebuild in the transfer portal.
Their haul in the trenches has brought in Indiana State tackle Jude McCoskey, Liberty Flames tackle Jordan Hall, Nicholls guard Robbie Pizzolato, FIU guard/center John Bock, and Appalachian State center Jack Hollifield.
The group, along with the developing younger players on the roster, must replace center Vincent Murphy, right guard Josh Remetich, and right tackle Rashad Green. Versatile backup guard Caleb Thomas is an underrated departure. Left tackle Derrick Graham and left guard Shadre Hurst are returning for Tulane.
Thomas actually graded highest among the linemen in run blocking with a 79.8 overall grade. Importantly, Hurst followed with a 78.7 grade on PFF. Hurst was followed by Green, Murphy, and Graham, with tight end Reggie Brown finishing with a higher grade than Remetich.
Another critical position group to watch in their retooling efforts is the tight end group. While Alex Bauman was a considerable red zone threat, leading the team in receiving touchdowns last season, he was the lowest graded offensive player in run blocking with an overall 40.4 grade on 332 snaps.
That room has brought in Maryland Terrapins transfer Leron Husbands, whose limited 56 run-blocking snaps had a 57.4 grade, and Justyn Reid from Southern Miss, with more experience in 198 snaps but a lower 41.4 grade.
Among the incoming offensive linemen transfers, Hall finished with a higher season grade than every Tulane player at the position. Hollifield, who looks to slot in at center for Murphy, is the second-highest, finishing above Graham.
PFF grades are not the ultimate measure. However, even coaching staff employ the grades as a weighted and measurable tool. While they allow for a standardized look at players, they ultimately don't account for enough context, such as blocking schemes, surrounding teammates in double blocking, and team talent.
The Green Wave coaching staff will make those assessments as they put together a rushing attack for the 2025 season.
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