Tulane Green Wave Adopt Fresh Perspective To Overcome Adversity
The Tulane Green Wave refused to stop fighting in back-to-back losses to Kansas State and Oklahoma, and their response in real time to adversity mirrors their head coach's philosophy.
When challenges hit this football team, there's a universal response: good.
It's an important word as the Green Wave and coach Jon Sumrall seek their first win since the season opener, starting 1-2 for the first time since 2021. It's one the players have uttered over the last two weeks on the sidelines. While 1-0 was the team mantra under Willie Fritz, that didn't account for hardships that hit in the middle of the football game.
1-0 is an important perspective on both wins and losses, but Sumrall's outlook on adversity has given the team a chance to get it right in the moment. The word philosophy isn't clearly defined when it comes to that of a head coach, but it has roots in these types of phrases, their core values, and blue-collar mentality.
Repeated phrases instill notions in players' minds, but each game presents an individual set of challenges. Weekly preparation is not on a standardized scale. Just as each opponent necessitates a unique approach, so does the team's mindset.
On Tulane's Welcome to Uptown special on ESPN+, the episodes released covering the team's losses were titled "Do Your Job" and "Keep Showing Up". To do their job, they must play to the standard of Tulane football. While their game against Kansas State wasn't mistake-free, they set a standard of controlling the controllable no matter the opponent, and that they'll fight till the final snap.
It's easier said than done to brush off a harsh loss, experience disruption from a hurricane, and head to a hostile environment where the deficit before half reached 21-0. One of those scenarios could lead less mentally tough teams to crumble slightly. If they were still operating under "Do Your Job," that mindset wouldn't have hit the same. After an opening victory with poor play in all three phases of the game, they bounced back and set a standard to follow.
"Keep Showing Up" couldn't have been more timely ahead of Oklahoma. That's exactly how the team got back in the contest. It provides the players a real-time goal to strive for when times get tough. The last two weeks have certainly been tough for the Green Wave.
When things go wrong, culture matters more—and its absence is most noticeable. While seasons can spiral into a losing streak, as Tulane did in the 2-10 season, this team continues to show up with a winning mentality. The Green Wave are well-positioned to make a strong stand ahead of conference play with a road win against the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns.
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