Tulane Green Wave Shape Secondary Through Valuable Approach With Proven Results
The Tulane Green Wave elected to find their starting defensive backs in the portal last offseason under Jon Sumrall and replicated those efforts through important transfers this December.
Three players join the Tulane football team for their 2025 season in the secondary: KC Eziomume from the University of Albany, Isaiah Wadsworth from Wofford, and Tavare Smith from East Central University.
Both defensive coordinator Greg Gasparato and safeties coach Rob Greene played and coached at Wofford University.
Eziomume and Wadsworth come from the FCS subdivision of Division I college football, and Smith played in Division II. Intriguingly, none of them have experience at the FBS level. Neither did the Green Wave's starting cornerbacks last year.
Micah Robinson and Johnathan Edwards were both FCS transfers who were critical to the team's conference championship title run that fell short. Both players joined the program in the second transfer portal window over the summer.
It made their ascension and playmaking abilities that much more impressive with little to no time on task uptown.
Robinson is grabbing deserved NFL draft attention, and Edwards received an invite to the Hula Bowl in Orlando, Fla. for his efforts.
Last spring, Sumrall pleaded openly for experience in the defensive back room, and the quarterback competition that fall was better for it. Edwards and Robinson immediately upped the pedigree in coverage, and Darian Mensah emerged as a result.
Much like the team is replicating their efforts at quarterback in searching for Mensah's replacement, they're building back the team losses with a familiar philosophy.
Another significant loss in the secondary occurs at the spear role, or slot cornerback position. Caleb Ransaw was the most experienced defender on the team last season and will head to Mobile, Al. for the Reese's Senior Bowl.
However, they may already have the answer on the roster. Javion White played considerable snaps in relief for Ransaw as he battled a hamstring injury throughout the season. The freshman recorded starts as a result but likely would've played regardless.
Rotation and development were key trends in the Green Wave defense. White, along with backup returnees Rayshawn Pleasant and Lu Tillery, demonstrated this in the secondary.
That mindset trickled into the safeties group as well. Veterans Jalen Geiger and Bailey Despanie, the latter returning for a final season uptown, headlined the group. The room grew significant talent through Kevin Adams and Jack Tchienchou, both set to come back for Tulane.
After over 50 additions last offseason, the coaching staff is accustomed to molding new players with those already on the roster. And they've shown a clear ability to develop. This time, they have an entire offseason to cultivate the incoming secondary members and put forth a potent coverage unit.
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