Tulane Football Quarterback Endorsed by Team To Calm Waters Against Kansas State

Tulane football has a quarterback with rare energy that his teammates see as critical to tempering emotions on offense to beat Kansas State.

Credit: Parker Waters - Tulane Athletics

Tulane football enters a highly anticipated matchup against Kansas State with a quarterback who tempers the rest of the offense at peace.

For a redshirt freshman, that’s an almost unbelievable statement. It speaks to Darian Mensah's mentality and the way he has energized his teammates since taking the starting job.

The impact of a quarterback competition on the receivers and backs is often overlooked. Solidifying that question under center was key for the team to start the year. No one saw Mensah coming in the way he played last Thursday.

Wide receiver Yulkeith Brown caught Mensah’s first touchdown as the Green Wave’s quarterback. It was just Brown’s third touchdown reception since joining the team last season. Despite the slight underthrow, Brown told reporters on Tuesday that the team regularly practices underthrows, making it routine for him to return with his eyes on the ball.

You want 6? Just throw it up to Yulkeith Brown 💪#AmericanWay x @GreenWaveFB pic.twitter.com/B3BVornee6

— The American (@American_Conf) August 30, 2024

Brown's eyes lit up when he continued with his assessment of Darian Mensah.

“Darian Mensah, he’s a straight baller,” Brown said. “He's a young cat compared to all the others in the room, and he takes the challenge every day.”

When asked about the consistency that the receivers reap from having their guy at quarterback, Brown spoke fondly of Mensah's leadership qualities, which extend beyond a superficial level of reliability with the same player under center.

“It is smoother because you know who the leader is now, and he can take control of the offense. Just knowing we have a guy to look up to and talk to when you see something wrong in the play, it feels a little better. I say this honestly, because for a receiver, you want a quarterback you know is going to lead us into this battle. It feels pretty good.”

Much like all who watched the game, Brown was slightly blown away by the redshirt freshman’s first performance. He provided some veteran advice throughout the week of preparation, which Mensah took to heart.

"He surprised me a little bit." I say 'just a little bit' because I already knew he had that dog in him. But you know all freshmen in their first game; you never know how they're going to play. I stayed on him all week, saying, Do what you do best, just be you. He took that into his play because he really showed me he wasn't scared at all. No nerves.”

“He’s a baller; he’s going to let it dish to whoever’s open. He’s going to let it go. That’s why I like him.”

Running back Shaadie Clayton-Johnson made a similar assessment, pointing out that Mensah emerged as a confident presence as a weight lifted off their shoulders.

“Our whole thing in camp was, we just wanted to see who’s going to be the voice of the offense. When three guys are battling for a spot, they're also trying to take control of the offense. When you have that one guy that sets everything in stone, it flows so much easier. He’s doing a great job every day.”

“Just watching him, that dude doesn’t look like a redshirt freshman to me. He doesn’t look like the young cat that he is. The way he carried himself, I’ve never seen that from somebody in their first time stepping on the field at the collegiate level.”

His initial debut was overwhelmingly characterized by poise, a rare quality. Shaadie Clayton-Johnson thinks the more apt term is swag.

“I know people talk about his poise, his calmness. For me, it's his swag. I feel like to play quarterback, you’ve got to have some type of swag to you. He just brings that California swag man.”

Clayton-Johnson said Mensah is so relaxed under center that it reminds him he needs to calm down. A quarterback putting his teammates at ease is crucial. For that to be a redshirt freshman in his first start is simply unbelievable.

This Saturday, against Kansas State's coverage, will be Mensah's real test as a starting quarterback. Despite the talk about his inexperience, Mensah's natural leadership is evident and has already impacted his teammates after just one start.

Mensah's fundamentals at quarterback, characterized by poise and swag, perfectly encapsulate his ability to maintain composure under pressure. That quality, more than anything, will help Tulane traverse any adversity on the field against the Wildcats.