The Tulane Green Waves offense will look a lot different than last year, but there is still a lot to be excited about.
A key player who will Tight end Alex Bauman will be brought over from the previous regime. He was the best player at the position last season and will continue in that role under new leadership.
Bauman was recently named to the 2024 John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List in preparation for the upcoming football season.
The John Mackey Award is given each year to a college’s best tight end. Georgia Bulldogs standout Brock Bowers has won the award the past two seasons. Now that he’s in the NFL with the Las Vegas Raiders, the path is clear for someone else to take home the top prize.
Over the last five award-winning seasons, tight ends have averaged 910 yards and seven touchdowns (rounded up). While that wouldn’t be impossible for Bauman to repeat, a lot would have to change on offense.
The New Jersey native made it to the Green Wave as a three-star EDGE defender in the 2022 recruiting class, choosing Tulane over Buffalo, Coastal Carolina and UCONN.
Since his athleticism is obvious, moving to tight end was a sensible way for him to find his way on the field.
He didn’t do much other than block as a freshman, but a year ago he carved out a spot for himself as a threat in the red zone, finishing with 35 catches for 286 yards and five touchdowns.
The goal tally has been good but if he wants to win awards he will need to be a threat in passing all over the field. The progress he has made in blocking will give him more opportunities and he will have to work hard to convince the coaching staff.
The 6’5″, 240-pound athlete has had a good start in camp, demonstrating his previous chemistry with Kai Horton and building a new relationship with Ty Thompson.
When Jon Sumrall was poached by the Troy Trojans, he brought in Joe Craddock to run the offense for him again.
The bad news is that tight ends weren’t a real part of Craddock’s offense last year. The top receiver only managed 16 catches for 168 yards and four touchdowns. The coach came to Sumrall as a tight end specialist, so there’s still a lot to learn from him at that position.
Overall, it will be up to Bauman to make his presence felt early on in the offense so that Craddock can trust him enough to call plays that get him the ball.
