Tulane Green Wave Must Match Grit of Ruthless Rice Owls Front
For the Tulane Green Wave to secure their third conference win against the Rice Owls, they need to conquer a formidable defensive front that is one of the nation's best at getting in the backfield.
Only six programs in the country have more sacks than Rice, who lead the American Athletic conference with 20 this season. Their 49 tackles for loss also land in the top 10 of college football.
Through their first six games, the only opponent to protect their quarterback from being sacked was Army. The Green Wave haven't allowed a sack on Darian Mensah since their loss to Oklahoma.
Teams win and lose games on the line of scrimmage. The victor of that battle should leave with the consequent final score. A strong pass rush typically translates to well-coached teams, and Rice is no exception. Despite not having standout talent, the Owls are a formidable opponent who are starting to gel.
Tulane may have the stronger 4-2 record, undefeated in conference play, but the 2-4 Rice Owls are a missed 40-yard field goal from back-to-back AAC wins.
"Their front plays really hard," Sumrall emphasized after practice Wednesday. "They've had some second level sacks from the linebackers too. We need to be clean in protection. Sometimes, sacks occur because guys aren't getting open downfield in their routes. Rice has done a good job of covering people up and just giving up cheap, open windows in the passing game. They’re efficient, on time."
The lackluster effort Sumrall felt the team gave on Tuesday won't beat a well-coached defensive front. He thought their desire and demeanor noticeably improved Wednesday following his critical remarks, evident in his own disposition. The Green Wave head coach clearly respects the competition his team will face this Saturday.
"When you turn on their tape, their guys play incredibly hard. I'm not just saying that. It's not coach speak. I'm watching the tape, and I love the way their front plays. I love it; I respect it. They play really hard and they strain. It is an impressive style of play, and I got a lot of respect for how they play up front."
It will be crucial for Tulane to stay on schedule, maintain efficiency, and avoid third and longs. This is a proven and tested offense, and it will come down to Mensah's poise and ability to get the ball out quickly.
"It just comes from my preparation," Mensah told me when I asked where he gets his confidence and calmness. "I prepare week in, week out. It doesn't matter the opponent. I prepare my way and I know that's where the confidence really comes from, just being confident in my preparation week in and week out.
Despite the Green Wave's desperation to dominate, the outcome of this game may depend on their grit and perseverance. For a team that aims to have a blue-collar mentality under Jon Sumrall, their play in the trenches is essential Saturday.
Maddy Hudak is the deputy editor for Tulane on Sports Illustrated and the radio sideline reporter for their football team. Maddy is an alumnus of Tulane University, and graduated in 2016 with a degree in psychology. She went on to obtain a Master of Legal Studies while working as a research coordinator at the VA Hospital, and in jury consulting. During this time, Maddy began covering the New Orleans Saints with SB Nation, and USA Today. She moved to New Orleans in 2021 to pursue a career in sports and became Tulane's sideline reporter that season. She enters her fourth year with the team now covering the program on Sports Illustrated, and will use insights from features and interviews in the live radio broadcast. You can follow her on X at @MaddyHudak_94, or if you have any questions or comments, she can be reached via email at maddy.hudak1@gmail.com