Tulane Green Wave Shapes Staff With Latest Promotion for New Offensive Line Coach
The Tulane Green Wave continues to take new form between incoming players and coaching hires, with the latest promotion coming from within the current staff.
After spending one season as the co-offensive coordinator and co-offensive line coach for Tulane football, Evan McKissack is the team's new run game coordinator and offensive line coach.
While no announcement has been made, McKissack presumably takes duties over for coach Dan Roushar, who has led the unit since 2023.
His replacement as assistant is another important hire for the Green Wave. Former offensive guard Kanan Ray is returning to uptown as the assistant offensive line coach. Ray began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Tulane and spent last season as an assistant for the LSU Tigers.
McKissack was one of the coaches who came over from the Troy Trojans with head coach Jon Sumrall, where he was the tight ends coach. He was a former All-Sun Belt offensive lineman for the Trojans and began his career as a walk-on. He ascended to starting center his senior year after previously playing in two games on special teams.
As have many of the Green Wave coaches, McKissack began his coaching career at Kentucky as a graduate assistant from 2017-19, with Sumrall arriving on the Wildcats staff in 2019. He has coached tight ends, running backs, and offensive linemen. In his first season coaching the tight ends unit at Troy, their reception and yardage totals were the most by the position in Troy's Sun Belt Conference history.
McKissack assisted in coaching an offensive line that received a mid-season nomination for the Joe Moore Award, which recognizes the nation's best unit.
Tulane finished the 2024 campaign ranked No. 25 in college football in rushing offense, averaging 195.6 yards per game and running in 32 touchdowns. They finished one spot higher at No. 24 in sacks allowed, conceding 18 last year. That was a massive jump up from No. 60 in the 2023 season, where they allowed 10 more on quarterback Michael Pratt.
Their ability to protect Darian Mensah and provide stellar run-blocking for Makhi Hughes and the running back room bodes well for the upcoming season under McKissack.
Whether it's TJ Finley, Donovan Leary, or Kadin Semonza, the unit will be responsible for providing pass protection for the new quarterback.
It's not yet clear who the featured back will be, but the room has a lot of talent returning in Arnold Barnes and Jamari McClure, transfers Maurice Turner and Zuberi Mobley, and freshman Javin Gordon, who is in the top 30 highest-rated recruits in program history on 247Sports.
McKissack and his new assistant Ray have a lot of work on their plate with three departing starters.
Longtime right guard and right tackle Josh Remetich and Rashad Green are departing alongside center Vincent Murphy, with Remetich declaring for the NFL draft.
That leaves Derrick Graham at left tackle, with backup Reese Baker next to Shadre Hurst at guard, backed up by Elijah Baker. The team has five incoming transfers and two freshman linemen.
According to Pro Football Focus, transfers Jude McCoskey and Jordan Hall played snaps at left tackle, as did freshman Juelz Baptiste. Transfers Jack Hollifield and John Bock slot in at center, with Bock having collegiate experience at right guard.
Robbie Pizzolato is an important add at right guard as well, with only backup Landry Cannon returning at the role. Freshman tackle Gresham Perry starts on the left side but has the versatility to play both tackle spots.
The Green Wave build their offense on a strong rush attack, now under McKissack's vision in the trenches for the 2025 season.
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