Predicting Tulane’s starters for Week 1

We’re finally less than two months away from the start of the 2016 college football season. And though fall camp has yet to begin, we’ve already got a solid idea of how Tulane’s starting depth chart might look once the Willie Fritz era begins come Week 1 at Wake Forest.

Let’s predict the Green Wave’s Sept. 1 starting lineup for both sides of the ball:

The Offense

Quarterback: Darius Bradwell
Running back: Sherman Badie
Wide receiver: Devon Breaux, Tristan Cooper, Larry Dance III
Tight end: Charles Jones II
Offensive line: Todd Jacquet (LT), Chris Taylor (LG), Junior Diaz (C), Kenneth Santa Marina (RG), John Leglue (RT)

It wouldn’t be all that much of a longshot to see the freshman quarterback Darius Bradwell starting with the team come Week 1. Back in May when AAC Fever caught up with head coach Willie Fritz he told us that both Bradwell and Glenn Cuiellette were both competing for the starting position and, while it wouldn’t be a surprise to Bradwell winning the job, Cuiellette could just as easily be taking some snaps Week 1 as well.

The receiving corps is a whole other can of worms. We can expect that the senior Devon Breaux would probably get the nod however, the predicting the rest could be a chore. Larry Dance III, another senior, along with junior Tristan Cooper should also be ready to get the call. Again, this is another position where, because of wanting to work out the kinks early, starters could be on a carousel.

Now to a position with perhaps the most stability, the backs. Sherman Badie will undoubtedly get the start when September rolls around and Dontrell Hilliard will most likely be by his side. Guys like Lazedrick Thompson and Josh Rounds will be right there in the mix, though, too and will play just as big a role.

Then there’s the matter of the offensive line. The team’s depth chart has us believing we can see the freshman John Leglue at right tackle and Charles Jones at tight end. As far as center goes, it could be either be Keyshawn McLeod or Junior Diaz. This group will also have an important niche in keeping whoever we see at QB upright and opening up space for the running backs.

The Defense

Defensive line: Quinlan Carroll (DE), Tanzel Smart (DT), Sean Wilson (NT), Ade Aruna (DE)
Linebackers: Nico Marley, Eric Thomas
Defensive backs: Roderick Teamer, Donnie Lewis Jr., Richard Allen, Parry Nickerson, Jarrod Franklin

We’ll start with the line. A big part of Tulane’s defense will be getting to opposing quarterbacks and stuffing the run to set a tone. Guys like defensive end Ade Aruna will play a part in this. Tanzel Smart, a senior, and first-year junior Sean Wilson will most likely get the call also when the regular season gets here.

If those guys do a decent job at their positions then the next bunch should have an easier task at hand. Tulane’s secondary will have a lot of eyes, and thus pressure, on it this season. Perhaps the most up to the job will be safeties Roderick Teamer and Jarrod Franklin. The sophomore Donnie Lewis Jr. could just as easily find himself in a starter’s shoes though too.

Parry Nickerson should get the start at corner along with senior Richard Allen. That’s not to say that Richard Allen isn’t a name that should be on some radars though. Allen is a senior with tremendous starting potential.

The linebacking corps may be easier to take a stab at with Nico Marley and Eric Thomas. Last year both Marley and Thomas were forces to be reckoned with. Freshman Eric Bowie will also have a chance to claim a spot in that Green Wave linebacker squad, even if he doesn’t start Week 1.

Special Teams

PK: Steven Logan
P: Zachary Block
KR: Sherman Badie
PR: Devon Breaux

We’ll even take a shot at special teams (although the options are a lot more limited). Steven Logan could easily be Tulane’s star foot this season while Zachary Block should have punting duties. We should expect to see Badie and/or Breaux as the return specialists. Whoever it may be, though, every Wave fan is praying for a dramatic improvement in this department. Last year Tulane ranked among the lowest in all of Division I football in terms of special teams.

Predicting a team’s starting lineup in the offseason is a big guessing game. Depth charts and roster updates are hints that keep us on our feet and, as summer goes on, things usually gain at least a little clarity. This is indeed the case for Tulane and yet some things are just as fuzzy as when Willie Fritz joined the team. What we can say for sure is that nothing is for sure but the guys named here have the best chance at representing the team you see on the field in Wake Forest.

Disclaimer: The first publication of this column featured a few errors due to the usage of a non-updated depth chart. The errors have since been fixed in this publication. Thank you for bearing with us.