Exclusive: Tulane Green Wave Quarterback’s Edge Lies in Rare Poise and No Panic

Tulane Green Wave star quarterback sat down with Tulane on SI to discuss his unwavering mentality and confidence to lead his team to beat the Navy Midshipmen.

Credit: Parker Waters - Tulane Athletics

The Tulane Green Wave are at the crescendo of their season with a chance to lock in a conference championship berth by defeating the Navy Midshipmen.

Games of this magnitude focus the spotlight on a team's starting quarterback, and Darian Mensah has proved to not be scared of the moment. 

A team's buy-in is about as effective as its quarterback. Mensah's confidence in himself carried Tulane through tough losses against Kansas State and Oklahoma to an opportunity players live for with a win at Navy. 

His moxie busted open a quarterback competition he wasn't in the running for. In tandem with his poise, he provides a cerebral sense of calm that will prove critical in Tulane's fight for a spot in the AAC championship. 

Darian Mensah sat down with Tulane on Sports Illustrated to discuss his mentality that emulates his mentor, Michael Pratt, how his preparation and approach are as crucial to a win at Navy as they were in securing him the starting role, and how he cultivated invaluable chemistry with his teammates. 

Credit: Parker Waters - Tulane Athletics

The last time Tulane took a trip to Annapolis, new head coach Jon Sumrall was in attendance. He arrived at the Military Bowl following an intriguing conversation with the quarterback who changed school history, Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie Michael Pratt. 

Sumrall wanted to see if his successor was already in the building. Michael Pratt told him to watch out for Darian Mensah, the freshman who had something special about him. 

Quietly, Pratt mentored Mensah in his final year at Tulane. Mensah looked to him like an older brother and nagged him like a little one hungry for knowledge.

Mensah soaked in every moment behind Pratt, learning how he operated and approached the little things. He seized the opportunity to emulate Pratt in any reps he could get.

Much like Brock Purdy made a case against the San Francisco 49ers starting defense, Mensah developed confidence through operating the scout team.

In doing so, he developed a mentality that focused on what he could control. Almost eerily calm, Mensah is unwavering in his confidence.

"Since my freshman year, I have always focused on controlling what I can control and being where my feet are. Tom Brady said it: If you’re getting three reps, make those the best three. Keep making plays, and keep myself grounded. That was my mentality.”

He referenced a great perspective from Brady, who at the time was struggling to establish himself on the field as a backup and was viewed as nothing more than the No. 199 overall pick.

That mentality won him the starting quarterback job in a competition he broke into; stole the keys; and never gave them back. It was crucial following back-to-back losses against Kansas State and Oklahoma. 

"My confidence stayed the same. Knowing who I am and having the belief in myself, you can't let that waver. Going into the season, you have to know who you are and what you do when it comes to playing ball. The biggest takeaway was that we can play anyone in the country when we play complete games."

Mensah detailed what weekly preparation looks like for him, starting with base downs and explosive passes to see how teams attack the defense. He sharpens his film study on Wednesdays and Thursdays, watching third downs and red zone plays, but importantly, he keeps Friday free for himself. 

"You see a lot; you'll see nothing. You see a little; you'll see everything. Then on Saturday, I just go out and play free."

Credit: Parker Waters - Tulane Athletics

That ability to play free comes from confidence in his offensive line, his relationship with center Vincent Murphy, and his backup quarterback, Ty Thompson. 

While Mensah described his rapport with Michael Pratt as constant nagging, he and Murphy fought like brothers to start off. 

"It's funny; earlier in the spring, we would kind of go at it with each other. He thought I was just the young freshman, and I would come right back at him—no, that wasn't on me. I'm just competing. The relationship we've built upon that, it's a straight brotherhood. I wouldn't be where I am right now without him playing center."

The addition of iPads and helmet communication has been fascinating to watch from the sidelines. Mensah and Thompson immediately convene with a tablet. There are times where it's hard to surmise what Thompson is dissecting on film with his processing speed. 

"He has an amazing IQ. He knows what he's looking at sometimes even more than me. He'll give tips on what the defense is doing and what I'm going to get. I take that into my next drive and that knowledge is extremely helpful. It's a great feeling having him in my corner rooting for me. It would be the same if I was the backup."

The conversation surrounding Tulane's matchup at Navy has focused on shutting down their offensive attack. Mensah knows the challenge on his side lies with how the Midshipmen run zero blitz and disguise out of that coverage. 

However, he's already attacked historically good defenses like Kansas State. He has mastered his weekly routine of film study and preparation. That doesn't change with the importance of this weekend, but Mensah enters it treating it like the championship game. 

In the end, he credits it all to his head coach who believed in him, and has mastered the art of motivation in a way that really resonates with his starting quarterback and team as a whole. We discussed Sumrall's mentality following adversity: good. 

"When he talks, people listen. We go into every week knowing that we have to do our job. If something bad happens, saying 'good' really does have a psychological effect. The game of football is about the next play. When you have a good or bad play, it doesn't matter. You have to play the next play."

Mensah's closing remarks all but summarize his journey to taking the reins at quarterback for the Green Wave. He emulates Pratt as a leader you can't count out as the team takes on the Navy Midshipmen to put their season destiny in their hands.