After taking more vacation time in one summer than in any other year of my life, I am back and will not be going anywhere (other than, hopefully, multiple Tulane road games) through Christmas. If you want to email me about what was going on in my life, feel free to do so and I will give a full reply, but my family needed time away after a very rough COVID year (not as much for me as for my wife's side of the family). There are two commitment spotlights up on the front page (the interview with Jackson Long was conducted over the phone poolside at a San Antonio motel), representing my sole content over the past few weeks.
Tulane's opener with Oklahoma is 41 days away. And, of course, Oklahoma also is in the news along with Texas for a reported imminent decision to join the SEC that could have dramatic effects on college football in general and Tulane specifically, with the top teams in the AAC being raided by the remnants of the Big 12 or, more hopefully, the reverse, with Big 12 teams joining the AAC (I think the former is more likely than that the latter, but let's see how it plays out). The best case scenario for Tulane in my view would be for this all to turn into posturing and the ultimate decision of Oklahoma and Texas to remain in the Big 12, as unlikely as that may appear at this point. Tulane still is not in any position to call any shots in conference realignment and would be at the mercy of others. Having Mike Aresco as conference commissioner is a huge plus, though, because he is really good at his job and will give the AAC the best possible chance in any free-for-all that happens. The problem is all the AAC schools that have been looking to jump at the first opportunity all along. There's no historical connection between any of the teams like there is in the remainder of the Big 12.
I wanted to do an interview with Fritz before I left town for three weeks on July 4, but I ran out of time. That should not be an issue going forward. I have a good relationship with the coaches and the SID staff.
Tulane's early recruiting class is rated considerably higher this year than last, with seven 3-star guys out of nine as compared to eight out of 17 from the finished 2021 class and with the Green Wave beating out higher caliber programs for their services. I credit Chip Long's presence for a lot of it, with five of the seven 3-star prospects on offense. His cache as a successful former Notre Dame coordinator is paying dividends. Cleary, Tulane has momentum, but it will not be easy for a breakthrough in the AAC with Cincinnati and UCF (the projected top two teams) on the schedule and Navy and Temple (a potential bottom feeder and the consensus pick for last place) falling off. The Wave will have to be much better than it was the last three years to contend in 2021 (EDIT: I wrote 2022 originally, but it only seems like I've been gone for more than a year), which is possible but not easy.
Tulane's opener with Oklahoma is 41 days away. And, of course, Oklahoma also is in the news along with Texas for a reported imminent decision to join the SEC that could have dramatic effects on college football in general and Tulane specifically, with the top teams in the AAC being raided by the remnants of the Big 12 or, more hopefully, the reverse, with Big 12 teams joining the AAC (I think the former is more likely than that the latter, but let's see how it plays out). The best case scenario for Tulane in my view would be for this all to turn into posturing and the ultimate decision of Oklahoma and Texas to remain in the Big 12, as unlikely as that may appear at this point. Tulane still is not in any position to call any shots in conference realignment and would be at the mercy of others. Having Mike Aresco as conference commissioner is a huge plus, though, because he is really good at his job and will give the AAC the best possible chance in any free-for-all that happens. The problem is all the AAC schools that have been looking to jump at the first opportunity all along. There's no historical connection between any of the teams like there is in the remainder of the Big 12.
I wanted to do an interview with Fritz before I left town for three weeks on July 4, but I ran out of time. That should not be an issue going forward. I have a good relationship with the coaches and the SID staff.
Tulane's early recruiting class is rated considerably higher this year than last, with seven 3-star guys out of nine as compared to eight out of 17 from the finished 2021 class and with the Green Wave beating out higher caliber programs for their services. I credit Chip Long's presence for a lot of it, with five of the seven 3-star prospects on offense. His cache as a successful former Notre Dame coordinator is paying dividends. Cleary, Tulane has momentum, but it will not be easy for a breakthrough in the AAC with Cincinnati and UCF (the projected top two teams) on the schedule and Navy and Temple (a potential bottom feeder and the consensus pick for last place) falling off. The Wave will have to be much better than it was the last three years to contend in 2021 (EDIT: I wrote 2022 originally, but it only seems like I've been gone for more than a year), which is possible but not easy.
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