Tulane Sends New Leaders to Represent at AAC Media Day
Finding leaders is perhaps the Tulane Green Wave football team's most pressing task under coach Jon Sumrall.
Two players will represent the new era at the American Athletic Conference Media Day: defensive tackle Patrick Jenkins, and center Vincent Murphy.
Jenkins is no stranger to this; he accompanied Michael Pratt to Arlington, Texas, for last year's media day. However, that defense was full of audible veteran leaders. There is a void this year.
In Pratt’s absence, grad transfer Vincent Murphy is the next man up. People might skip over a center on a cursory glance, but the decision to bring Murphy makes a lot of sense.
It shows incoming players, be it through the portal or on the recruiting trail, that the opportunity at Tulane is there—and equal.
Murphy arrived in the middle of spring, amidst attempts to find a center that further displaced linemen. Initial snap issues improved, but Murphy put the starters back in position.
Skill players and quarterbacks make the headlines, but Murphy is potentially the most critical piece of the new offense. He brings a level of experience to the role that’s as important to the offensive line as it is to the quarterback competition.
While that battle continues, his importance grows as he learns to work with both quarterbacks. That relationship can easily be the deciding factor in Tulane's offensive prowess.
Not only does he play a central role on this year's team, but he was one of the first players to openly admit in the team's "Welcome to Uptown" series on ESPN+ that they have yet to find an identity. It felt astute coming from a player who had only been in New Orleans for weeks.
I often find that there are three ways to see that identity: the full team and each side of the ball. The former is what will propel the Wave through times of adversity and hardships that extend beyond the field. The latter is, frankly, what wins football games.
The defense has had numerous leaders over the last three years. Nick Anderson is someone who transcends football. Veterans like Lance Robinson picked up the charge, notably gathering the entire defense in the middle of the season opener. Coaches deferred to the player-led team.
For programs with goals like the Green Wave's this season, a player-led team is required. How those leaders shape up remains to be determined.
But Jenkin's presence on the field leaves no question marks. While best known for his game-altering safety in Tulane’s 46-45 Cotton Bowl victory, Jenkins has produced on the defensive line at a level not usually seen on the interior. It's fitting that media day has brought Jenkins back to the scene of his biggest play two years running.
Last season, several new teams joined the conference, and Tulane was the hunted. Half the teams in the AAC had a new head coach last season. This season, the Green Wave find themselves on that side of the coin.
And with all the turnover, they're about as unfamiliar a conference opponent as the teams they faced last year.
That spells both opportunity and challenge for the Wave. They’ll be able to work a bit in silence while building out the new roster that doesn’t have a starting quarterback. Early conference teams gave Tulane headaches last season with plays that were unseen on film. Now they have the advantage.
This only matters if their heads are in the game and they can weather the storm of adversity, from which no team is immune.
That starts with players stepping up on each side of the ball. Jenkins and Murphy will get the first chance to set the tone.
MADDY HUDAK