Willie Fritz said Tulane needed to get bigger at linebacker on the February signing day, and he followed suit during the five practices of spring ball, with the two biggest linebackers (6-0, 240-pound Oklahoma State grad transfer Kevin Henry and 6-2, 230-pound Marvin Moody) working on the first team. Junior Nick Anderson (5-10, 230) who capped off a middling season as a sophomore Juco transfer with an outstanding Armed Forces Bowl performance against Southern Miss, and true sophomore Dorian Williams (6-1, 210) worked on the second team. True freshman Jesus Machado (6-1, 205) a spring enrollee, usually practiced with the third unit but got some reps higher up, too.
The Green Wave will miss Lawrence Graham, who led the linebackers with 67 tackles 7 1/2 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and six quarterback hurries last year, but the depth will be better in 2020. Graham, Moody and Anderson were basically the only guys who rotated at the two linebacker spots, with Williams (nine tackles) getting spot duty. Next fall, all five scholarship linebackers who participated in spring drills figure to have significant roles, although none of them are proven big-time performers.
Henry, a former LSU DB commitment who switched to linebacker when he ended up at Oklahoma State, looked good in the spring, moving around well and getting his hands in the way of a few passes. He was never a regular starter at Oklahoma State but was a popular backup and is very experienced, entering his sixth year after being granted an extra season of eligibility due to an ACL tear in 2017. He also has to be happy he is away from the whackadoodle utterings of Cowboys coach Mike Gundy, too. He made a career-high 23 tackles in 2019, when he was fully recovered from the ACL injury.
It's fair to say Moody has underachieved in his Tulane career even though he has made 127 tackles in the last two years, including a total of 71 in 2018 that was the third-highest total on the team. He can do everything but is undisciplined and has hurt the defense with mental errors and by getting out of his gap at times. Maybe this fall it will all come together for him as a senior. If he lives up to his potential, it will make a huge difference.
Anderson looked good in the spring, too. I expected him to make a bigger impact as a sophomore than he did, but it may have been a case of needing a year to adjust to the system. He had a season-high five tackles against Southern Miss and was all over the field, and I expect him to build on that performance whether he starts or not. HIs height is a detriment, but you don't have to go back far in Tulane history to find a big-time linebacker who was shorter than that.
I did not get as good a read on Dorian Williams, who had five tackles in his debut against FIU but only four the rest of the way. He is athletic but likely needs to put on some weight to get a bigger role.
Machado was impressive in the spring. He deflected a pass that turned into an interception in one of the practices and looked active throughout. The question is how well he digests the system as a true freshman, but the coaches are optimistic he will be a quick learner.
The lone incoming freshman, Matthew HIghtower, is an athletic player who likely will be redshirted as he gets into the weight room to become stronger.
I see Moody, Henry and Anderson rotating as the top three at linebacker, with Machado and Williams getting a chance to show what they can do, too. The key is Moody. If he plays like he can, with two seniors and a junior getting the bulk of the downs, Tulane should be solid at this position.
The Green Wave will miss Lawrence Graham, who led the linebackers with 67 tackles 7 1/2 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and six quarterback hurries last year, but the depth will be better in 2020. Graham, Moody and Anderson were basically the only guys who rotated at the two linebacker spots, with Williams (nine tackles) getting spot duty. Next fall, all five scholarship linebackers who participated in spring drills figure to have significant roles, although none of them are proven big-time performers.
Henry, a former LSU DB commitment who switched to linebacker when he ended up at Oklahoma State, looked good in the spring, moving around well and getting his hands in the way of a few passes. He was never a regular starter at Oklahoma State but was a popular backup and is very experienced, entering his sixth year after being granted an extra season of eligibility due to an ACL tear in 2017. He also has to be happy he is away from the whackadoodle utterings of Cowboys coach Mike Gundy, too. He made a career-high 23 tackles in 2019, when he was fully recovered from the ACL injury.
It's fair to say Moody has underachieved in his Tulane career even though he has made 127 tackles in the last two years, including a total of 71 in 2018 that was the third-highest total on the team. He can do everything but is undisciplined and has hurt the defense with mental errors and by getting out of his gap at times. Maybe this fall it will all come together for him as a senior. If he lives up to his potential, it will make a huge difference.
Anderson looked good in the spring, too. I expected him to make a bigger impact as a sophomore than he did, but it may have been a case of needing a year to adjust to the system. He had a season-high five tackles against Southern Miss and was all over the field, and I expect him to build on that performance whether he starts or not. HIs height is a detriment, but you don't have to go back far in Tulane history to find a big-time linebacker who was shorter than that.
I did not get as good a read on Dorian Williams, who had five tackles in his debut against FIU but only four the rest of the way. He is athletic but likely needs to put on some weight to get a bigger role.
Machado was impressive in the spring. He deflected a pass that turned into an interception in one of the practices and looked active throughout. The question is how well he digests the system as a true freshman, but the coaches are optimistic he will be a quick learner.
The lone incoming freshman, Matthew HIghtower, is an athletic player who likely will be redshirted as he gets into the weight room to become stronger.
I see Moody, Henry and Anderson rotating as the top three at linebacker, with Machado and Williams getting a chance to show what they can do, too. The key is Moody. If he plays like he can, with two seniors and a junior getting the bulk of the downs, Tulane should be solid at this position.