The Tulane Green Wave kick off the 2024 season against SE Louisiana on Thursday, August 29, 2024. In the lead-up to the first game of the Jon Sumrall era, however, the quarterback situation remained a bit of a question mark all the way up until kickoff.
With three quarterbacks likely to play, including Darian Mensah, the biggest question that arose from Tulane’s fall camp was simply: Why?
Darian Mensah Impresses, Starts Season for Tulane
Sumrall inherited a roster made up of several key components, but certainly void of talent at Tulane. Most top-tier players followed former head coach Willie Fritz to Houston and former starting quarterback Michael Pratt left for the NFL.
Kai Horton remained, however, and after starting multiple games a season ago in place of Pratt, assumptions were made that he would have the advantage toward earning the starting role for 2024.
MORE: Simulate the entire season for Tulane using the College Football Network Playoff Predictor
After fall camp, however, it was named that Darian Mensah w as the starter for the Green Wave’s season opener. But the question wasn’t quite answered as to the long-term solution at the quarterback spot for Tulane going forward.
“They all are going to have a role,” Sumrall said. “I’m not going to sit here and project when they play and all that publicly, but there’s a situation where all three could play in game one.”
Mensah, a redshirt freshman from Saint Joseph High School in San Luis Obispo, California, hasn’t logged a snap in his brief college career to date. Looking back at his high school data, however, and it’s clear that he’s a talented athlete with the ball in his hands.
It runs in the family, after, as his twin sister also plays soccer for Oregon.
But on the field, Mensah was apparently so impressive during fall camp that Sumrall felt it right to give him the keys to the car to start the season for Tulane. At 6’3″, 200 pounds, Mensah’s dual-threat ability has been documented, but his accuracy was reportedly what stole the show this fall.
And yet, it may not have been enough to keep Horton or Ty Thompson from seeing action this season, according to Sumrall.
“We may be in a position where every one of them has to win us a game at some point,” Sumrall said. “What does that look like? I don’t know. I can’t predict the future. They all need to be ready to have their number called. I’ve told all three I believe in them.”
It’s one thing to have proverbial coach-speak around your athletes, but Sumrall sounded convinced that he’d send each of the three quarterbacks onto the field, at least in Week 1. Who plays the best, and who ultimately plays the most during Sumrall’s first season in the Big Easy still remain a mystery.
Each quarterback, however, is talented in their own right, so it’s clear they want to pit to the strengths of each quarterback to possibly give them an advantage this season.
College Football Network has you covered with the latest news and analysis, rankings, transfer portal information, top 10 returning players, the college football season schedule, and much more!