Tulane Season Preview Part 4: The Offensive Line
Hurst, Green, Remetich welcome exciting newcomers to the lineup
Photo Credit: Parker Waters
Welcome to Part 4 of our 9-part series getting you ready for the 2024 season and introducing you to some of the exciting names, both new and old, on this roster.
Rashad Green, Right Tackle, #69
Believe it or not, Green enters his 4th season as a starter for the Wave, having gutted out over 750 snaps in each of 2021, 2022, and 2023, despite playing through injuries, notably at the conclusion of last season. He was clearly not himself in losses to end the year against SMU (2023 conference championship game) and Virginia Tech (the Military Bowl), but it speaks volumes that he would play hurt, even in the bowl game, and commit as hard as he did to rehab, this offseason. He actually had the highest run blocking grade of his career and highest grade overall, in 2023, by PFF. Joe Craddock will hope that with health comes some of that stability on the right side in pass protection that fans became accustomed to during the 2022 season. Should he regain his form, that would allow the Green Wave offense to play with open edges perhaps more than they could, last year, thanks also in part to the addition of newcomer Derrick Graham.
Derrick Graham, Left Tackle, #76
Joey Claybrook was a name that likely wouldn’t have immediately come to mind, if a casual fan had been asked about the biggest personnel losses off of the 2022 Cotton Bowl team. Spears, Anderson, Williams, Keys, Brooks, likely all would have rolled off the tongue, but perhaps not Claybrook, the Green Wave’s primary left tackle from 2019-2022. When the prior Tulane staff went out and acquired Cam Wire to play left tackle in 2023, it likewise didn’t receive a ton of fanfare, but it was an important addition. Now, Sumrall and Heard called on an old friend to step in and replace Wire as Tulane’s third left tackle in as many seasons. Enter Derrick Graham, who was Sumrall’s starting left tackle at Troy during the 2023 season, logging 971 snaps and 14 starts on the left side. Graham spent several months at Texas A&M this spring, after portaling there in December, before finding his home uptown once the portal re-opened in April. Graham is of course intimately familiar with Craddock’s scheme, and should fit like a glove next to returning left guard Shadre Hurst. Sports Information Solutions named him to the preseason all-AAC offense, along with Vincent Murphy.
Shadre Hurst, Left Guard, #56
It’s one of the amazing things about college football, and how quickly things can change. A year ago, Shadre Hurst wasn’t in the lineup — he was stuck behind established veteran starters Prince Pines and Josh Remetich, both of whom had been mainstays on the Cotton Bowl team. But a September injury to Pines opened the door, and by November and December, there were not many players on the Tulane offense having more success than Hurst. He was the Green Wave’s second highest graded pass blocker by PFF, behind only Sincere Haynesworth, and notably, his play didn’t tail off as his snap count continued to rise, week after week. He ended up starting all 10 games after the Pines injury, some on the left, some on the right, and totaled 717 snaps for the season. An exciting, ascending player that by multiple reports took on a vocal leadership role within the locker room and program, this offseason.
Josh Remetich, Right Guard, #68
Remetich enters his third season as a primary starter for the Green Wave, after accumulating over 1,500 snaps since his debut during the 2020 season. While the second half of his 2023 campaign was dominated by and plagued by injuries, he was having his strongest season to date, prior to the close of October. He struggled as a run-blocker at times, but likewise displayed elite pass-blocking for the majority of the season. Pro Football Focus assigned pass-blocking grades of 85.5 and 82.9 (out of 100) in the two games before his injury that forced him to miss November matchups with East Carolina and Tulsa. The senior from Holy Cross decided to stick with the Green Wave and run it back for one last ride, in 2024.
Vincent Murphy, Center, #64
Sincere Haynesworth was one of the best offensive linemen Tulane has had this century, both in what he produced on the field and the manner in which he commanded the locker room and his teammates’ respect. It went underreported by the media, but there was a tremendous void of influential and respected voices in the Green Wave locker room following Nick Anderson’s departure for professional football after 2022. Haynesworth was one of the men who stepped up and helped lead the Tulane program through some choppy waters and close calls throughout the 11-win 2023 season. Replacing him was never going to be an easy task, but Vincent Murphy has appeared to be up for it. Murphy is a 6th-year transfer, most recently from Western Kentucky (2022-2023) after spending three seasons at the University of South Carolina (2019-2021). Murphy amassed an astonishing 1,861 snaps over the past two seasons at WKU, having started every game at right guard in 2022 and every game at center in 2023. The expectation uptown is that he will be the Wave’s opening day center. Remarkably, in 1,246 career pass-blocking snaps, he has allowed a total of just 21 pressures and 0 sacks, per PFF. Sports Information Solutions named him to the preseason all-AAC offense, along with Graham.
Caleb Thomas, Center/Guard, #58
Some may not remember, but after not seeing the field much in 2022 or 2023, Thomas started 10 games at right guard in 2021 and 4 games at guard (3 at right, 1 at left) in 2020 for the Wave, accumulating 986 snaps across those two seasons. Now a fifth-year senior, Thomas is a critically important and versatile swingman on the offensive line, capable of filling in most anywhere. It’s an important role, especially given the potential for injury at the position. Remember that as discussed above, Shadre Hurst wasn’t even a starter 12 months ago, but was ready and willing when injury befell Prince Pines and his number was called.
Dominic Steward, Tackle, #55
Steward was one of the members of the class of 2024 that enrolled early and participated in spring practices. 247 ranked Steward the 29th best offensive tackle in the nation and the 41st best player in the class of ‘24 from Georgia. It’s quite evident that Steward was determined to play for Jon Sumrall and only Jon Sumrall. He decommitted from Troy on December 8, 2023, the very same day that Sumrall accepted Tulane’s head coaching position. He came to Tulane for a visit during Sumrall’s first weekend uptown and signed four days later, on December 20, 2023, before enrolling in January. Steward selected the Green Wave over offers from Troy (obviously), Missouri, UCF, Cincinnati, East Carolina, UAB and others. His athleticism was readily apparent from what we observed in the spring, and has a bright future if he continues to refine his technique and add weight and muscle.
Tristen Fortenberry, Tackle, #52
Forenberry, another member of the class of 2024, was ranked by 247 as the 71st best offensive tackle in the nation and the 22nd best player in the class of ‘24 from Mississippi. He chose Tulane over offers from Ole Miss, Memphis, Liberty, Boston College, and others. While the path to the field may prove difficult with veteran starters at the bookends, he could be an important part of the future of this Tulane offense.
Gabe Fortsen, Interior OL, #62
Fortsen, a member of the class of 2023, comes to Tulane after spending one season at Georgia Tech. Prior to signing with the Yellow Jackets, the now redshirt-freshmen held offers from Ole Miss, Missouri, Tulane (when the prior staff was here), Troy (when Sumrall was there), North Carolina, Mississippi State, Duke, USF, UCF, and NC State. In that class of 2023, he was 247’s 63rd highest rated interior offensive lineman in the country and the 75th highest rated player from Georgia.
Jayce Mitchell, #71
Mitchell, a true freshman, was the right tackle for Destrehan High School as a senior, last fall. While he signed with the Wave in December of 2023, he did not elect to graduate early and thus was not on campus for spring practice. Mitchell was the 48th best player in the class of 2024 in the state of Louisiana, according to 247, and chose the Green Wave over Cincinnati, Cal, Memphis, UTSA and Georgia Tech, among others.
Reese Baker, #78
Baker is yet another member of the class of 2024 (is it becoming clear that finding athletic, talented high school offensive linemen was a priority for this new staff, upon arrival?), hailing from Madison Academy in Madison, Alabama. Baker selected the Green Wave over offers from West Virginia, UAB, Appalachian State, Cincinnati, East Carolina, and of course, Troy, prior to Sumrall’s departure. Baker was also offered by the former Tulane staff, now set to run a program at a commuter school named after a city, it is worth noting. Like Mitchell, he did not enroll early and is therefore getting his first practice reps this month.