Keep Eye On Tulane Green Wave Electric Playmaker Mario Williams in AAC Championship
The Tulane Green Wave’s chances of making the College Football Playoff likely went up in smoke when they lost to the Memphis Tigers on Thanksgiving night in the regular season finale.
But, they still have plenty to play for, as a spot in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game was already clinched.
Unfortunately, that loss to the Tigers also means traveling. They now have to go on the road to face the Army West Point Black Knights in frigid New York instead of hosting them in New Orleans at Yulman Stadium.
It will be a shock to the system at first, but you can count on Jon Sumrall having his players ready to go. They will put the Memphis loss behind them, and all of the power conference rumors surrounding him, and focus on the task at hand.
Army has been excellent this season with an incredibly efficient offense led by quarterback Bryson Daily. He has been shredding teams with his rushing ability and hurting them through the air as well.
Slowing down their potent ground attack and winning in the trenches will be key to coming away with their second AAC Championship in the last three campaigns. Tulane knows a thing or two about how beneficial time of possession and controlling the line of scrimmage can be.
They didn’t do it against the Tigers and it cost them dearly. During their eight-game winning streak, it was a key component to their success.
Playing off of their running game, led by Makhi Hughes, was their game plan. But, they have turned into quite a dynamic passing offense with redshirt freshman quarterback Darian Mensah playing incredibly well.
One of the reasons he has succeeded is that he is surrounded by very good weapons. Wide receiver Mario Williams is his leading receiver and the most interesting player to keep an eye on in the matchup against the Black Knights in the opinion of Jordan Reid of ESPN.
“Tulane is Williams' third school, as he started at Oklahoma in 2021 and played at USC from 2022-23 before joining the Green Wave this season. He has quickly become their go-to receiver. The quick and shifty Williams (5-foot-9, 178 pounds) does most of his work from the slot, leading Tulane in receptions (48) and receiving yards (831) while also scoring four touchdowns. Fresh off a season-high 130 yards against Memphis on Nov. 28, Williams is seen as a Day 3 talent by scouts. But like others on this list, a good outing on Friday could increase his draft stock.”
Shifty slot receivers are an integral part of a passing attack in the NFL. It helps open up the middle of the field for the running game, as defenses cannot commit as many players in the box to slow things down on the ground.
He is a big play waiting to happen every time the ball is in his hands, averaging a career-high 17.3 yards per reception. Williams picked a great time to have his most productive collegiate season, as he has a chance to break the 1,000-yard mark and put himself on the map for scouts.
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.