[Postgame Thread] Duke Defeats Tulane 17-3

[u/CFB_Referee]

Box Score provided by ESPN

Team	1	2	3	4	T
Tulane	0	0	0	3	3
Duke	7	3	0	7	17

[u/TigerWave01]

Welp…it was a good run Greenies. Back in the basement for us…

[u/JKess207 → u/TigerWave01]

Those 4 years were incredible.

Now back to our regularly scheduled “let’s just try to get 6 wins”

[u/Gusanito99 → u/JKess207]

Waves go up and then they go down. It's kinda their whole thing

[u/sfzen → u/Gusanito99]

Hey man, you can't explain that.

[u/saintsfan92612 → u/sfzen]

Maybe its Thor on top of Mt. Olympus thats making the tides go in and out

[u/Lilies_of_Edelweiss → u/saintsfan92612]

Uh... this is hurting my inner mythology nerd

[u/NorskChef → u/Gusanito99]

I thought Green Waves went up forever.

[u/Plinnion → u/JKess207]

Let's just try to get 6 points.

[u/Pan_TheCake_Man → u/JKess207]

Your wave period is uh 2020-1950 =70 years? 2096 I’m all in on Tulane

[u/djsquilz → u/JKess207]

i wore my "BEAT TULSA" shirt from 2013 yesterday. i definitely cursed the team. sry yall.

[u/2-59project → u/[deleted]]

My friend we do not need to insert ourselves in every conversation about program success

[u/Yams-502 → u/2-59project]

I genuinely tried to sound uplifting. I apologize

[u/TigerWave01 → u/Yams-502]

It’s OK, I appreciate the sentiment. But I also think we’ll have to go back down to the doldrums before we come back up, at least if Hall’s at the head :(

[u/2-59project → u/Yams-502]

All good homie it’s just a bit like a guy who won the lottery consoling his broke friends haha

[u/LonesomeCaretaker → u/TigerWave01]

Now now there is no shame in losing to the (checks notes) "Defending ACC Champions".... (rubs eyes)........ "Defending 2025 ACC Champions"

[u/djsquilz → u/LonesomeCaretaker]

tbh this might have been one of the worst next season games between two returning conference champs in quite some time. i hate it here.

[u/OkieClipper → u/TigerWave01]

If LSU gets kicked out of the SEC the invite is still open Green bois

[u/cornbreadearle]

All aboard the Nate train

[u/TigerWave01 → u/cornbreadearle]

gg on the win, like seriously. Watching Nate Sheppard go crazy was truly the only enjoyable part of this game

[u/AnotherUnfunnyName → u/cornbreadearle]

Wrap him in bubble wrap. He is really really really good. But we can't force feed him close to 40 touches every week.

The backup also actually looked shifty.

[u/mbd1mbd1 → u/AnotherUnfunnyName]

Yes this. I don’t want Nate to turn to dust by October. Mahan looked decent on his feet and brings a nice change of pace.

[u/Material-Audience487 → u/cornbreadearle]

If he is still running by mid October we havent run him enough to win games

[u/Dodson-504 → u/Material-Audience487]

Why would a K play RB too?

[u/Material-Audience487 → u/Dodson-504]

My bad running 

[u/TigerWave01 → u/Material-Audience487]

Tbf “kicking” works too, but in a “I hope he’s alive” kinda way

[u/rogozh1n → u/cornbreadearle]

You're either on the train or you're under the train.

[u/JKess207]

I knew the Will Hall hire would be bad. I didn’t think it would be anywhere near this bad.

[u/Plinnion → u/JKess207]

Hey, maybe Duke is just the best team in the nation.

[u/Gusanito99 → u/Plinnion]

How can a P4 conference champion be getting so little respect smh my head

[u/imtiredboss28 → u/Plinnion]

At minimum best looking coach in the nation

[u/MisterPenguiner → u/imtiredboss28]

I miss him.

[u/marcab00 → u/Plinnion]

Can’t be sure, until they play UMass.

[u/HaveYouEver21 → u/JKess207]

I thought it was absolutely bizarre that they hired him after his run at Southern Miss.

[u/No_Owl_578 → u/HaveYouEver21]

No one left after Blake Baker balked at the last second (like on campus night if the CCG to sign the contract and left). Cheering for a small school can suck sometimes.

[u/TigerWave01 → u/No_Owl_578]

More reason we need to find some way into the ACC, but I can’t lie I really don’t know how we’ll still look desirable in the off chance that a spot does open in a few years

[u/Cameronam → u/TigerWave01]

Tulane would’ve fit like a glove in the ACC over the last couple years with its academics, geographic location, and football being a perennial G5 contender

The basketball team probably being a bottom dweller would be the only downside

[u/mufflefuffle → u/JKess207]

It was such a bad hire. You can outspend most G6 and your crew picks a perennial loser.

[u/JKess207 → u/mufflefuffle]

We can. emphasis on the can. Doesn’t mean we do or want to. University admin loves to balk at the concept of giving the athletics department money

[u/djsquilz → u/JKess207]

much like scotty c, you can bet your ass fitts will be out on the sidelines hyping up the student section. but once his ass gets back to his office, wilson is an afterthought.

[u/raptorbpw → u/JKess207]

I was keeping up with the Tulane game and even after living through Hall I was shocked to see how much Tulane resembled USM under him.

It’s just bad, bad football, almost impossible to watch.

[u/mustard_buzzard → u/JKess207]

I had an inkling. . .

[u/AnotherUnfunnyName]

That was certainly something, but mostly not good football.

Nate Sheppard is 1 - 0 and he is a fucking menace. Pray for his health. He was by far the best player on the field.

Walker Eget should be 0 - 1, he can't complete a screen and they don't trust him to do so, he missed 3 TDs and most of his passes weren't even close to on target.

OC also not great. Can't build anything off his playcalling or get the ball into space in the hands of Duke players. Got bailed out by a great RB.

Blocking was actually pretty good. Defense was (mostly) actually tackling well and got movement both in rush and pass game. That looked pretty good, but the challenge also wasn't the best.

Refs should also be 0 - 1 to be honest, that was not good, called out false downs, the "review" of the "backwards pass", missing quite a few flags.

Tulane, this season also might be a struggle, besides the putrid QB play, the O-Line didn't look good at all. You might see more option the next few games, that actually produced some offense early.

But 1 - 0.

[u/theiwc0303 → u/AnotherUnfunnyName]

Mensah, Barkate and Sheppard saved Brewer’s job last year. He’s an awful playcaller who doesn’t understand how to use players correctly.

[u/AnotherUnfunnyName → u/theiwc0303]

Yeah, Mensah made him right if so and he had his part in a few losses in both of the last two seasons and still hasn't found a single way to get to ball into space or find anything secondary off the good plays that work. In the Murphy season, Duke gave up about 10 sacks in the regular season and still could not find any way to run the ball with any consistency.

[u/cameroncrazy278 → u/AnotherUnfunnyName]

When Simmons "caught" the ball at the 9 late in the 3rd with Duke up 10-0, the offense decided to huddle for 30 seconds rather than snapping the ball after a dubious catch. That one idiotic decision could've cost Duke the game. Fortunately, our defense bailed out the offense, and Tulane's offense is awful.

[u/sixdaysintheswamp]

well it was a fun couple of years. still have no idea what this administration was thinking with the will hall hire.

[u/thewaterisboiling11 → u/sixdaysintheswamp]

Yeah there was nothing from his USM tenure that made me think he was in any way desirable

[u/Supercal95 → u/sixdaysintheswamp]

If they wanted a coach who wasn't going to be poached, they probably got one. Typically it's good for our coaches to be poached though, means we win.

[u/No_Owl_578 → u/sixdaysintheswamp]

No one left after Baker backed out. Every other decent coach was signed or virtually signed.

[u/Johnny_Kilroy_84 → u/sixdaysintheswamp]

Tulane does not care about football

[u/legend023]

This team quite obviously has no offensive identity or even a QB yet. We have a lot to figure out against South Alabama.

I wasn’t expecting a win because of the adjustments we’d have to make with such a new roster, and I don’t think our run defense will be as bad as it was today.

But neither of the QBs who played today look like they can carry this team to a 8-9 win season. The South Alabama and USM games will be huge in deciding if they can be effective in AAC play.

[u/dlaugh → u/legend023]

This team quite obviously has no offensive identity or even a QB yet.

This is how I felt about USM's offense the whole time he was our head coach. His only "success" on offense was when we ran out of QBs and he was forced to put it in Frank Gore Jr at QB. 

[u/raptorbpw → u/dlaugh]

It’s eerie how much this already resembles his USM tenure. That he’s already doing the QB carousel bullshit is stunning.

[u/theiwc0303]

We all knew it before today but Mensah’s decision to leave on the last day of the portal killed this season’s ceiling. We just did not have any options for a legit QB at that point. There’s a reason Eget was still available at that point, he was a meh QB for one of the worst teams in the country last year.

[u/wichee → u/theiwc0303]

looking at our schedule its quite soft even with a lesser qb the team could still rattle off 8 wins. acc aside from miami looks quite average.

but with mensah gosh double digits did seem guranteed.

[u/theiwc0303 → u/wichee]

We’re going to be underdogs in at least 6 games, I’d be shocked if we won 8

[u/Plinnion]

This Tulane offense couldn't fight their way out of a piss-soaked beignet bag.

[u/Blue-Inspiration → u/Plinnion]

Out of a what???

[u/stormstopper]

Nate Sheppard is really good. The defense played well, minus a couple explosive plays. I'm not confident how much of that was genuine improvement from last year and how much was Tulane's offense struggling. We're going to need to get something out of the QB position if we're going to defend the Victory Bell and the state championship this year, let alone the ACC.

However, 1-0 is 1-0 and we know from experience that Tulane is no pushover, so I'm happy for that.

[u/wichee → u/stormstopper]

idk a two possession win is nice and 3 points allowed is always great. but i have a feeling this tulane team is gonna be like a 4-8 or max 6-6 squad in the american. good thing theres time to improve and starting a season off with a win against a fbs team is always nice.

[u/AnotherUnfunnyName → u/wichee]

Remember, Duke lost the ball on downs three times, missed a chip shot and Eget missed a few open TDs.

[u/bretticus733]

I still don't understand what Tulane saw in Will Hall to make them go "hey, let's make him the head coach"

[u/TigerWave01 → u/bretticus733]

I really think it was 1. because we put all of our eggs in the Blake Baker basket which 2. made the administration just not care anymore and go for the safe option for its “stability”.

And tbf, I do think more players would’ve transferred if we went with someone else, but I truly think it would’ve been worth it to avoid…this

[u/Jonjon428 → u/TigerWave01]

I could see them secretly thinking this is basically a punt year and will try and get Baker again next year

[u/TigerWave01 → u/Jonjon428]

I hope so. Even if we don’t get Baker, I’ll take pretty much anyone else as long as they have SOME proven success

[u/wichee → u/Jonjon428]

i have a strong feeling baker is gonna get a p4 job right of the gate. the time for tulane to get him was last december and its unfortuante they couldn't. also loweky i am curious whether billy napier wouldve fit at tulane considering his success at ull. probably not tbh.

[u/ProposalSilent4582]

ACC Champions looking to repeat 

[u/Game-rotator]

where was this defense last year

[u/rogozh1n → u/Game-rotator]

We rarely have our best offenses and defenses in the same season. Seems like this year will be the same.

[u/JKess207]

15 penalties for 114 yards, and that’s not including numerous uncalled holds. What the HELL was this staff doing all summer

[u/Milflover69cbb]

2 takeaways

Eget is just as bad as I knew he would be

The new pants look fucking stupid go back to stripes

[u/basic_skin → u/Milflover69cbb]

I been telling everyone the same thing about the pants.

Also, in general, while I'm glad they are trying to build a brand but you can't mix gothic font with normal font with the athletic logo "D" font. And then sometimes throw in the cursive script. Too busy. Need a unified theme for alternate jerseys.

[u/Milflover69cbb → u/basic_skin]

Honestly think we should have just rebranded the unis years ago for something more fun but that’s not it just throwing the inside of the D on the pants

It looks like a blue blob on the pants

[u/basic_skin → u/Milflover69cbb]

Agree. The basketball team has it figured out with the brotherhood jerseys.

[u/Milflover69cbb → u/basic_skin]

And the baseball team they have awesome unis, football should combine the two a little, a shoulder design and just clean blue and white. Nothing too fancy just keep it sleek the way basketball and baseball do

[u/djsquilz → u/basic_skin]

the mix of fonts was weird, but the gothic font is cool as hell.

[u/YodaForceGhost]

At least Tulane will have that Mardi Gras game soon

[u/Future_Tyrant]

Good thing Nate Shepard exists. The passing game was nonexistent. Decent turnout considering the lightning delay.

[u/HullabalooRayRay]

Fire Will Hall, fire David Harris. Abject disaster of an offseason and no vision whatsoever to capitalize on the legacy of Sumrall/Fritz and cement this program as the class of the G6. Disappointed is an understatement.

[u/djsquilz → u/HullabalooRayRay]

do you trust fitts/the BoA to follow up after dismissing harris and hall, though?

[u/ThisKidIsAlright]

Will Hall is who we thought he was.

[u/jticks]

Tulane fans, is it any consolation that you looked fly as hell doing it

[u/agk927]

Sickos

[u/Few-Improvement9978]

RePlAcE LsU w/ TuLaNe iN SeC

[u/BosqueBravo]

That game was still muggy as heck even after the storm. I wonder if that had any effect on the passing game.

[u/CptHA86]

'“Most of it can be fixed, but it’s got to be fixed," Hall said. “It’s got to be fixed on Monday, and it’s going to be fixed on Monday."'

I've heard that before.

[u/mchris185]

Fire Will Hall

[u/ColombianInIowa24]

Please let us have a functional quarterback by conference play. Start the other guy or may Eget just drastically improve. Our offense can't win with one trick... Our OC also needs to put some actual effort for once now that we don't have the talent to run whatever.

[u/polaremu]

We won, Nate is amazing, offensive line looked good, defense was good too. Eget was rough- I hope it was just first game post injury issues for him, but may just be that our QB room isn’t very good, guess we’ll find out against Illinois next week.

[u/Kimber80]

Tulane did not show much today

[u/djsquilz]

shit from a butt

[u/NYtoNOLA]

Should’ve hired Coach O and just dealt with all that comes with that. Recruiting, transfers, coordinators, fans all would be much more invested

[u/NoleJawn]

Sweet Revenge for The Blue Satans!

[u/Austin_LSU_Fan22]

Tulane stink again. Really should’ve had a Tiger Rag at least once the last few years

[u/TigerWave01 → u/Austin_LSU_Fan22]

Would’ve been an absolutely banger game if LSU played Tulane in either 2022 or 2023

[u/Separate_Start_3365]

Oh no.. we suck again!