Tulane Football Safeties in Fearless Battle to Compete at Oklahoma

Tulane football saw competitive play from multiple safeties against Kansas State, and they must find the right pieces in coverage on the road at Oklahoma.

Credit: Tulane Athletics / Football

Tulane football employed four different sets of safeties against Kansas State, and while they’re still finding their footing in coverage, the players battling for time in the role were an intriguing watch. It will be a critical role at Oklahoma.

Initially, Bailey Despanie started at strong safety for a second season alongside transfer Jalen Geiger from Kentucky at free safety. They have the most experience, and that is important when it comes to lining up correctly and communicating.

However, they only lined up together for six coverage plays against the Wildcats. The duo who saw the most playing time was Despanie and freshman Jack Tchienchou. Tchienchou was competing for time with Geiger in training camp with his gritty play and nose for the football. He sustained an injury and fell out of step. After missing the season opener, Tchienchou made his snaps on the field Saturday count.

In his first snap in coverage in a college game, Tchienchou made a solo tackle with no yards after the catch. He was smooth in his backpedaling, mirrored the receiver's movements well, and showed good ability to read the quarterback's eyes and routes with good timing to make plays on the ball. He took good angles to tackle in space, and at 5-foot-10 and 181 pounds, his tackling was sounder than his stature would suggest.

Before their Big 12 opponent, Tchienchou had never played in a game. On Saturday, he tied for third-highest on the team with a total of five tackles. He rotated with different players at strong safety in critical moments as the game wound down.

One of those players was sophomore Kevin Adams, though Adams mostly saw time opposite Geiger. In his first snap Saturday, Adams recorded a tackle for loss. When out there with Tchienchou, their inexperience showed in coverage. But their playmaking ability stood out when their counterparts were seasoned veterans.

The existence of any question at all can be attributed to intense competition within the position. Every player at safety had a moment in Saturday’s game where they proved critical. Ultimately, the youngsters showed a lot of promise and potential.

Oklahoma has stronger wide receivers and will likely rely more on the passing game than Kansas State. Jackson Arnold is less of a threat on the ground than Avery Johnson. But the SEC will be a real test for that coverage, and finding the right players to employ together is a key answer for the coaching staff.