Tulane’s star freshman quarterback Darian Mensah transferred to play for Duke this season. The Green Wave spent the offseason trying to fill their new void at quarterback.
Mensah was incredibly efficient in 2024, throwing for 2,723 yards, 22 touchdowns, and just six interceptions.
A good quarterback is a catalyst for an offense. A poor quarterback can derail the whole operation. So the potential for Tulane’s season may lie in the hands of the starting quarterback.
Using the transfer portal Tulane initially brought in TJ Finley, Kadin Semonza, and Donovan Leary. According to Coach Jon Sumrall, Finley took the advantage in the competition.
Finley ultimately transferred out after being suspended following an arrest involving a stolen vehicle. Finley had plenty of experience at the collegiate level with stints at LSU, Auburn, Texas State, and Western Kentucky. His 2023 season with Texas State was his by far his best, throwing for 3,439 yards, 24 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.
With Finley out of the equation, the Ball State transfer, Semonza, seemed well positioned to be the starter. Semonza is fresh off an impressive freshman season with the Cardinals, throwing for 2,904 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
The concerns regarding Semonza were two fold: Ball State won just three games last season with him at the helm and he threw 10 interceptions.
The Green Wave decided to add Brendan Sullivan to the competition. Sullivan transferred in from Iowa and despite three years of Big 10 experience, two of which at Northwestern, he is not concern-free either.
Sullivan threw for 475 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions last season with the Hawkeyes. There was a silver lining to Sullivan’s season — he had a 150 yards on the ground and four rushing touchdowns. Tulane could potentially utilize these running skills if Sullivan becomes the starter.
Leary, a redshirt junior Illinois transfer, is in the mix as well, but he does not have the experience that Sullivan and Semonza bring to the competition.
Leary went 2-5 for 29 yards over the entirety of his college football career. But, as Mensah proved a season ago, the most experienced quarterback might not necessarily win the job, and the inexperienced quarterback may go on to do great things.
Who the Green Wave ultimately chose to be their quarterback this season remains a question. But Tulane needs either Semonza, Sullivan, or Leary to be their answer.
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