Offensive Players to Watch as Tulane Green Wave Faces Southeastern Louisiana
The Tulane Green Wave is hoping to get the 2024 college football season off to the right start when it hosts Southeastern Louisiana on Thursday at Yulman Stadium.
Tulane was one of the best teams in the American Athletic Conference a year ago, led by quarterback Michael Pratt. He helmed the Green Wave’s run to the AAC title game for the second straight year.
Pratt is now with the Green Bay Packers and Tulane is working its way through finding a new quarterback. But whoever gets the keys will have plenty of tools to work with.
Southeastern Louisiana is coming off a 3-8 season in the Southland Conference and is led by former Tulane assistant Frank Scelfo.
Here are the offensive players to watch for both teams entering Thursday’s game, which kicks off at 7 p.m. central on ESPN+.
Tulane
RB Makhi Hughes
The sophomore can make the quarterback’s life much easier, especially if he takes the next step after an exceptional 2023. The redshirt sophomore was the AAC Rookie of the Year and an All-AAC First-Team selection last season after he rushed for 1,378 yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games. He also caught 11 passes for 67 yards. He missed the 2022 season due to an injury and used his redshirt. He’s locked in as the starter.
WR Mario Williams
The former USC Trojan joins a wide receiver room that doesn’t have a returning starter from last year. There are other transfers, including former Alabama recruit Shazz Preston, and Yulkeith Brown returns after catching 33 passes a season ago. But Williams could be the top receiver by season’s end. He has 104 career catches with 1,316 yards and 11 touchdowns in three college seasons. He’s that dynamic receiver that can break the game open.
T Rashad Green
The two-year starter enters his fifth season of college football as the entrenched starter on the right side. He was selected to Phil Steele’s All-AAC preseason second team earlier this summer. A solid pass protector, he’ll give the Green Wave a nasty blocker when backs like Hughes decide to bound the ball outside.
SE Louisiana
WR Darius Lewis
He was selected preseason All-Southland Conference at three positions — wide receiver, punt returner and kickoff returner. He is the Lions’ single most dangerous player. Last year he caught 48 receptions for 568 yards and four touchdowns. Last year was his breakthrough season. This year could be a year to get him on the radar of NFL scouts.
QB Eli Sawyer
Quarterback appears to be an open question in fall camp, but Sawyer should be the starter for the opener, at the minimum. He has played 21 games with the Lions and has passed for 3,030 yards, 17 touchdowns and six interceptions. Junior college transfer Tanner Murray and Alabama State transfer Damon Stewart have been pushing him. Similar to Tulane’s QB situation, fans could see all three in the opener.
RB Harlan Dixon
Like Lewis, Dixon is a multiple performer for the Lions. In his first season with SE Louisiana (after transferring from LA Tech), he earned All-Southland Conference honors. He rushed for 426 yards and a team-high five touchdowns while also finishing second with 35 catches for 408 yards. He must be accounted for.
