Defensive end and bandit (a combination of rush end and outside linebacker) are the only two positions for which Tulane has four players on its roster ahead of Thursday’s opener against Southeastern Louisiana at Yulman Stadium.
This is where the similarities end.
Coach Jon Sumrall couldn’t be more optimistic about the possibilities at end, where UL-Monroe transfer Adin Huntington leads a fearsome quartet. First-team All-American Athletic Conference tackle Patrick Jenkins spent some time double-training at end during spring practices, but there shouldn’t be any reason for a repeat during the season.
Huntington, Gerrod Henderson, a redshirt sophomore, Angelo Anderson, a fifth-year senior, and DeShaun Batiste, a redshirt freshman from New Orleans who transferred from Troy, all made a splash in training camp.
“It’s exciting to see that we can put four guys in the game and feel like they can do it,” Sumrall said. “Any one of them could play 20 snaps and be really fresh and play those snaps as fierce and hard as they can. You need depth on offense because of the physicality and the wear and tear in the trenches.”
Sumrall knows the downs won’t be evenly distributed. Huntington, who returned this week after missing several practices with a minor knee issue, will take the brunt of it.
“Adin is back on the road,” Sumrall said. “I sometimes feel sorry for the guys on the scout team who train against him.”
Southeastern coach Frank Scelfo is certainly aware of this.
“He’s a great player,” Scelfo said of Huntington. “Everyone knows that. You have to have a game plan for a guy like that, and that’s what we did.”
The outlook at Bandit – the spot shared by Devean Deal and Darius Hodges last year – is different. The Wave will likely use four unproven players at the position to see what combination works best.
Their different body types are fascinating.
Terrell Allen, who had 60 tackles and 13½ sacks for FCS-level Tennessee State last season, is 6’1″ and 275 pounds. Right behind him are fourth-year junior Michael Lunz (6’3″, 250 pounds), redshirt freshman Matthew Fobbs-White (6’3″, 230 pounds) and senior Shi’Keem Laister (6’2″, 230 pounds).
Laister is a converted defensive back who excelled on special teams a year ago but is now being used as a pass-rushing specialist at Tulane.
“His speed is a problem on the edge,” Sumrall said of Laister. “He’s played mostly nickelback and a little safety and he’s a big guy for those positions. As an edge rusher, he might not be the biggest, but he can cause problems for offensive tackles. He actually blocks a little better than I expected.”
Sumrall expects Laister to play 8-12 snaps per game, while the other three will see the majority of the time. All four have different skill sets.
“If you’re a 1990s baseball fan, it’s like I’m going up against John Smoltz, Tom Glavine or Greg Maddux,” Sumrall said. “The speed is different, the movements are different, the physicality is a little different. A tackle looking across the line of scrimmage has to figure it out.”
Although many of the pass rushers are new, the interior linemen have been with the program for a long time. Jenkins and nose tackle Eric Hicks, a senior, are entering their third season as starters. Hicks’ backup, Adonis Friloux, started in 2021 before a serious knee injury in preseason practice set him back in 2022. Kameron Hamilton, who plays behind Jenkins, had three sacks in the Wave’s first two games last season.
“We’ve all been together for two or three years,” Hicks said of the central defense. “We rotate a lot and play in a way that doesn’t cause a drop in performance by coming into practice every day and playing as a unit. That’s all we can do.”
Lagniappe
Sumrall did not announce his quarterback order after Tuesday’s practice, but added that he would like to see all three (Darian Mensah, Ty Thompson and Kai Horton) play Thursday. He added that the final decision would depend on how the game goes. … Sumrall said only two of Tulane’s full-time coaches would be in the press box at games since reviewing plays with iPads on the sidelines is now allowed, reducing the need for eyes in the press box. Co-offensive line coach Evan McKissack and defensive assistant Rob Greene will move up. Offensive coordinator Joe Craddock and defensive coordinator Greg Gasparato will be on the sideline, where they could “look the players in the eye and bring some energy,” according to Sumrall.
