Tulane Football's Scrimmage Shows Program Has Real Troubles at Quarterback
Tulane already knew coming into the offseason that there would be a downgrade at quarterback.
Darian Mensah, who was sensational in his freshman year, transferred out of the program and signed with the Duke Blue Devils to become their next signal caller.
Jon Sumrall, after two other quarterbacks also entered into the portal, was aggressive to shore up that room by landing three new transfer additions of their own -- TJ Finley, Donovan Leary and Kadin Semonza.
At first glance, it seemed like Finley would be the starter.
Not only does he have vast experience based on the upcoming season being his sixth in college football, but he's also performed well at times during his career that suggested he'd have the leg up in this battle.
However, Finley was arrested and promptly suspended, putting his availability in question pending the investigation.
That now pushed Leary and Semonza into the forefront as the Green Wave got ready for their second spring scrimmage.
And based on the results, there is a major problem in New Orleans at the quarterback position.
Maddy Hudak of Tulane Green Wave On SI was on site for the scrimmage, and she reported that it was anything but a clean showing from either of the two options.
"Neither competitor had a day that pushed them ahead in the race or that would quell any concerns for head coach Jon Sumrall about that position being finalized on the roster ... Sumrall's assessment lined up with the consensus that the quarterback play was a mixed bag on Saturday. There were a few drops, a few missed throws, and a few missed opportunities by both," she wrote.
That's concerning.
Semonza has more experience than Leary.
Last year, as the starter at Ball State, he had 2,904 yards passing, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on 64.4% completion percentage.
Leary, meanwhile, has completed just two passes on five attempts in his college career.
For Semonza not to outright grab this job is a bit alarming, especially with the unknowns surrounding Finley and the future of him with the program.
There is still more time for development during the spring and summer, but for a Tulane team that has aspirations of winning another American Athletic Conference title, the issues they have at the most important position in sports is worrisome.
