Players scattered across the field catching passes, engaging in blocking drills, one-on one, head-to-head, one group of young men against another.

Bodies rippled and divergent patterns emerged as the 100 odd players moved in concert against one another and with one another all in pursuit of the same goal — a winning season and bowl game for Tulane University’s Green Wave football team.

This was the scene at the Green Wave’s first day of football practice for the season Wednesday afternoon.

On one sideline a group of defensive lineman practiced pass rushing against offensive linemen. On a particularly striking play, one of the younger defensive ends churned his legs, speedily slipping off a block and rushing towards a coach standing in as a quarterback and prepared to deliver a crushing blow before slowing down and simply reaching out his hand and touching the coach in a mock sack.

Running out the play to the back of the group, the player motioned toward a defensive line coach.

“Thanks for the opportunity coach,” the defensive end said as he passed by, an obvious nod to their recruiting relationship.

“You earned it,” the coach said.

The Green Wave are looking to rebound this year. It is head coach Curtis Johnson’s fourth year as the leader of the team. Last year the team struggled, putting in a 3-9 performance and playing three quarterbacks along the way due to a host of injuries. While most of the games they played could have easily swung their way with a big play on either side of the ball, they didn’t. And it is the bottom line that matters, and what everyone remembers, not ‘what ifs.’ The team’s last bowl year was in 2013 when they posted a 7-6 record and lost to University of Louisiana — Lafayette in the New Orleans Bowl. Johnson is determined this year to get the team back on track.

Johnson, a former standout prep wide receiver at St. Charles Catholic, is well known throughout the River Parishes. This year 11 of his 85 scholarship players are from the River Parishes, a contingent he is banking on leading the team to their second bowl appearance under his reign.

Some key positions are filled by River Parish players. On the offensive side of the ball, quarterback Tanner Lee, a redshirt sophomore who played at Jesuit and hails from Destrehan, and former St. Charles Catholic running back Lazedrick Thompson look set for breakout years. Speedy Hahnville alum Rickey Preston joined the program late in the season, signing in May, and looks to see playing time as a true freshman.     

Preston was widely recruited last year and at one point committed to Washington State and was offered by Nebraska before settling on Tulane.

“I don’t know how we got him,” Johnson said. “But I’m glad we did. He is going to make an immediate impact.”

On the defensive side of the ball the former East St. John player Darion Monroe enters his fourth year as starting free safety, where he will be joined by fellow Wildcat junior Leonard Davis. A whole host of other former River Parish players will see time in secondary roles and on special teams for the Green Wave.

While Tulane may not get the kind of following as local SEC teams do, they have a River Parishes contingent of players that should not be overlooked, which I, for one, will eagerly anticipate watching as this season unfolds.

Kyle Barnett can be reached by phone at 985-652-9545 or email at kyle.barnett@lobservateur.com.