Colonels travel to New Orleans for second-ever meeting with Tulane Green Wave

Nicholls had an extra week to prepare for its game against Tulane at 6 p.m. Saturday at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans with the Colonels having had an open date only three weeks into the season.

Some of that time was necessary to prepare for two Green Wave quarterbacks.

Redshirt sophomore Kai Horton got the start in Tulane’s 21-3 win last week over Southern Miss, starting in place of Michael Pratt. Horton was 12 of 19 passing for 186 yards in the Green Wave’s victory over the Golden Eagles.

“Kai Horton has come in and I thought he’s done a fantastic job running the show. He can really throw it. He can pull it down and run it. He knows what to do with it,” said Nicholls coach Tim Rebowe, whose team is 0-2 on the season.

Pratt’s status for the Nicholls game was up in the air as the Colonels were preparing earlier in the week for the Greenies. On Thursday, Tulane coach Willie Fritz announced Pratt would be back in the starting lineup against the Colonels.

Pratt, who helped lead Tulane (2-1) to a national ranking and a victory over USC in the Cotton Bowl a year ago, picked up this season where he left off in 2022. He was 14 of 15 passing for 249 yards and four touchdowns in a 37-17 season-opening win over South Alabama.

The senior injured his left knee in the game and didn’t play in Tulane’s Week 2 loss to Ole Miss or last week against USM.

The Colonel staff is familiar with Pratt on more than just film.

“I had the pleasure of seeing Michael Pratt the last couple of years here on campus for the Manning Passing Academy. He’s got a big arm. He can throw it. He will pull it down and run with it,” Rebowe said.

When it comes to getting ready for the Green Wave offense, Rebowe said, it’s about more than just who might be playing quarterback.

“I think you have to prepare for Tulane’s offense. They have so many weapons they can beat you with,” the Nicholls coach said.

Among the weapons are receivers Lawrence Keys III and Jha’Quan Jackson. Through three games, Keys has 268 reception yards while averaging 20.62 yards per catch.

Jackson has 230 yards and is averaging 25.56 yards per catch.

“Big, explosive plays – I think that’s the name of the game nowadays, both trying to prevent explosive plays and us trying to create some,” said Rebowe.

The quick and elusive Jackson is coming off a game against Southern Miss in which he turned a short pass into a 35-yard touchdown catch.

“You saw that the other day. He took a short pass and took it up the sideline, broke a couple of tackles and outran some guys,” Rebowe said of Jackson’s effort against USM. “He can take the top off. He can go and get it.

“They’ve got a couple of receivers that can go and do that. You throw what Jha’Quan does in the return game, you better get a lot of hats on him and try to hit him.”

Buy time for the Tulane quarterbacks to hook up with their receivers is an offensive line that features a pair of transfers in left tackle Cameron Wire and left guard Prince Pines. Wire came to Tulane from LSU after playing in high school at East Ascension, while Prince Pines, who prepped at Tara in Baton Rouge, is a transfer from Sam Houston State,

“They’ve got a couple of local guys that came back, and they are playing at a high level. They do a good job up front. They protect the quarterback well. They have some size to them. They can move you off the ball,” Rebowe said.

Makhi Hughes paces the Tulane ground game with 216 yards on 45 carries. Shaadie Clayton-Johnson has rushed for 109 yards on 23 attempts.

“They go three, four deep at that position. I think they kind of go with who has the hot hand. They have good size with them. They are physical. They will try to run you over. I think they can all catch the ball out of the backfield,” said Rebowe.

The Colonels are particularly aware of one Tulane defender, cornerback Jarius Monroe, who played his first two years at Nicholls.

“Big, physical,” Rebowe said in describing Monroe. “He’s a guy they love to put into the boundary. He’s one of their cover guys. He’s big, physical, tackles. He likes to get his hands on you. We have to try to shake free a little bit.”

The Greenies have amassed 12 sacks through three games.

Three of the sacks have been recorded by junior defensive lineman Patrick Jenkins.

“Patrick Jenkins is a guy right out of New Orleans. He went to John Ehret and away to TCU and came back. He’s a big, physical presence in the middle of the field,” said Rebowe.

Kameron Hamilton also has three sacks for Tulane.

The Green Wave also have another top defender, according to Rebowe.

“Tyler Grubbs is a good player, a linebacker. He’s another one. He’s a Holy Cross product that came back home from Louisiana Tech. He’s a good football player,” said Rebowe.

Tulane also has quality players in the secondary besides Monroe.

“Bailey Despanie out of Lafayette area in Carencro, he’s that safety in the middle of the field. He’s kind of a ball hawk, a guy that can run the alley both ways. Lance Robinson is a De La Salle product that transferred back from Kansas State,” Rebowe said.

The teams have met once before in 2018 when Nicholls lost 42-17 in New Orleans.

Based on the 2018 encounter, Rebowe said he expects a lot of Colonel fans to be in the stands at Yulman Stadium.

“Some of the things I’m hearing is the guys are excited. Everybody loves a road trip, and everybody loves to go to New Orleans.  Being a 6 p.m. game, people can go down to the city, tailgate a little bit, and come watch us play. I’m excited about the crowd. I think we will have a good one.”