Tulane Football Military Ties Run Deep
Jan 3, 2020 | Football
FORT WORTH, Texas– The Tulane University football team is the perfect fit for the 2020 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, as the team's players, coaches and staff members have a deep connection with the United States service branches. The Green Wave has at least one connection with the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard.
"In our meeting room when we found out we were playing in this bowl game, I had the guys stand up that have parents or family that had served and nearly the whole room was standing up," head coach Willie Fritz said. "We are honored to be here. My father is a World War II vet, and it is big for us."
Below is a list of Tulane players, staff and coaches that have a family connection with the United States military branches.
Sorrell Brown – Wide Receiver
-Grandfather Gail Bird served in the Navy from 1968-69.
Joey Claybrook - Offensive Line
-Great grandfather Frank Musumecci served in the Army and fought on D-Day.
-Uncle David Claybrook served in the marines and fought in Haiti, Iraq and Afghanistan.
JT Cleveland – Defensive Graduate Assistant
-Father James Eggleston served in the Army.
Troy Dannen – Tulane Director of Athletics
-Daughter Emily served in the Army.
Jamaal Fobbs – Running Backs Coach
-Wife Leslie served in the Navy.
Willie Fritz - Head Coach
-Father served in the Navy and fought in World War II.
Lawrence Graham - Linebacker
-Father retired from the Navy.
-Cousin played linebacker at West Point.
Sean Harper – Defensive Back
-Father served in the Army.
Jeremiah Hernandez – Defensive Lineman
-Great grandfather John Allen Hudson Jr. served in the Army during World War II.
Cameron Jackel – Offensive Lineman
-Father served in the Air Force for 24 years and retired as a Captain.
Tyrick James – Tight End
-Grandfather William C. James Jr., served in the Army.
-Uncle William C. James Jr. served in the Army.
-Cousin Benjamin Smith served in the Army.
-Cousin Christopher James served in the Navy.
-Cousin Kendall R. James is an active member of the Army.
Patrick Johnson – Defensive Line
-Grandfather James Johnson served in the Army and fought in Vietnam.
-Grandfather Jerry Fitzgerald served in the Army and fought in Vietnam.
Johnny Jernigan – Defensive Analyst
-Grandfather James Ross Williams served in the Air Force and fought during World War II.
-Wife's father Will Ewing served in both the Army and Navy.
-Wife's aunt Jewel Goodloe served in the Army.
-Uncle served in the Army.
Donn Landholm – Director of Player Development
-Father Willard Landholm served in the Army in World War II.
-Uncle Earl served in the Marines and fought in World War II.
-Wife's grandfather Clayton Brandenburg served in the Army and Air Force and fought in World War II.
-Uncle Jay Long served in the Navy and fought in Korea.
-Uncle Garry White served in the Air Force for 20 years.
-Uncle Ronald Brandenburg served in the Army National Guard for 20 years.
-Nephew Theodore West served in Army and fought in Iraq.
-Nephew Craig Landholm served in the Army and fought in Afghanistan.
Monica Lebron - Deputy Athletic Director/COO
-Mother Marta Ortiz-Rodriguez works for Lockheed Martin Space on the Fleet Ballistic Missile team.
JJ McCleskey – Secondary Coach
-Father Tommy McCleskey served in the Army.
Justin McMillan - Quarterback
-Both parents served in the Army.
Mike Mutz – Linebackers Coach
-Grandfather Roy Weldon Gann served as a Sargent in the Army and fought in Korea. He was later awarded two purple hearts.
-Father Sylvester Mutz served in the Army reserves for four years.
Tim Shafter – Offensive Line
-Cousin Andrew Severson served as a first lieutenant in the Army.
-Cousin Patrick Severson served as a seaman in the Coast Guard.
-Cousin Matt St. Marc served as a staff Sargent in the Army.
-Uncle Jim Sullivan was a submarine officer in the Navy.
-Grandfather is a retired Marine Corps major.
Kyle Speer – Strength and Conditioning Coach
-Grandpa Kyle Speer served in the Army and fought in World War II.
-Grandpa WJ Sapp served in the Navy and fought in World War II.
-Uncle Harold Alford served in the Army and fought in Vietnam.
-Father in law Max Harding served in the Navy and fought in Vietnam.
Jake Stone – Defensive Graduate Assistant
-Grandfather served in the Marines.
-Great uncle was a lieutenant colonel in the Army.
-Brother is currently serving in the Army.
-Step dad is a former Navy Seal.
-Step brother served in the Air Force.
Caleb Thomas – Offensive Line
-Brother Richard Cabigon served 10 year in the Navy and was stationed in Maryland, Washington and Greece where he served as a firearms instructor in the military.
Ryan Wright – Punter
-Grandfather spent 27 years in the Navy as a Command Master Chief.
"In our meeting room when we found out we were playing in this bowl game, I had the guys stand up that have parents or family that had served and nearly the whole room was standing up," head coach Willie Fritz said. "We are honored to be here. My father is a World War II vet, and it is big for us."
Below is a list of Tulane players, staff and coaches that have a family connection with the United States military branches.
Sorrell Brown – Wide Receiver
-Grandfather Gail Bird served in the Navy from 1968-69.
Joey Claybrook - Offensive Line
-Great grandfather Frank Musumecci served in the Army and fought on D-Day.
-Uncle David Claybrook served in the marines and fought in Haiti, Iraq and Afghanistan.
JT Cleveland – Defensive Graduate Assistant
-Father James Eggleston served in the Army.
Troy Dannen – Tulane Director of Athletics
-Daughter Emily served in the Army.
Jamaal Fobbs – Running Backs Coach
-Wife Leslie served in the Navy.
Willie Fritz - Head Coach
-Father served in the Navy and fought in World War II.
Lawrence Graham - Linebacker
-Father retired from the Navy.
-Cousin played linebacker at West Point.
Sean Harper – Defensive Back
-Father served in the Army.
Jeremiah Hernandez – Defensive Lineman
-Great grandfather John Allen Hudson Jr. served in the Army during World War II.
Cameron Jackel – Offensive Lineman
-Father served in the Air Force for 24 years and retired as a Captain.
Tyrick James – Tight End
-Grandfather William C. James Jr., served in the Army.
-Uncle William C. James Jr. served in the Army.
-Cousin Benjamin Smith served in the Army.
-Cousin Christopher James served in the Navy.
-Cousin Kendall R. James is an active member of the Army.
Patrick Johnson – Defensive Line
-Grandfather James Johnson served in the Army and fought in Vietnam.
-Grandfather Jerry Fitzgerald served in the Army and fought in Vietnam.
Johnny Jernigan – Defensive Analyst
-Grandfather James Ross Williams served in the Air Force and fought during World War II.
-Wife's father Will Ewing served in both the Army and Navy.
-Wife's aunt Jewel Goodloe served in the Army.
-Uncle served in the Army.
Donn Landholm – Director of Player Development
-Father Willard Landholm served in the Army in World War II.
-Uncle Earl served in the Marines and fought in World War II.
-Wife's grandfather Clayton Brandenburg served in the Army and Air Force and fought in World War II.
-Uncle Jay Long served in the Navy and fought in Korea.
-Uncle Garry White served in the Air Force for 20 years.
-Uncle Ronald Brandenburg served in the Army National Guard for 20 years.
-Nephew Theodore West served in Army and fought in Iraq.
-Nephew Craig Landholm served in the Army and fought in Afghanistan.
Monica Lebron - Deputy Athletic Director/COO
-Mother Marta Ortiz-Rodriguez works for Lockheed Martin Space on the Fleet Ballistic Missile team.
JJ McCleskey – Secondary Coach
-Father Tommy McCleskey served in the Army.
Justin McMillan - Quarterback
-Both parents served in the Army.
Mike Mutz – Linebackers Coach
-Grandfather Roy Weldon Gann served as a Sargent in the Army and fought in Korea. He was later awarded two purple hearts.
-Father Sylvester Mutz served in the Army reserves for four years.
Tim Shafter – Offensive Line
-Cousin Andrew Severson served as a first lieutenant in the Army.
-Cousin Patrick Severson served as a seaman in the Coast Guard.
-Cousin Matt St. Marc served as a staff Sargent in the Army.
-Uncle Jim Sullivan was a submarine officer in the Navy.
-Grandfather is a retired Marine Corps major.
Kyle Speer – Strength and Conditioning Coach
-Grandpa Kyle Speer served in the Army and fought in World War II.
-Grandpa WJ Sapp served in the Navy and fought in World War II.
-Uncle Harold Alford served in the Army and fought in Vietnam.
-Father in law Max Harding served in the Navy and fought in Vietnam.
Jake Stone – Defensive Graduate Assistant
-Grandfather served in the Marines.
-Great uncle was a lieutenant colonel in the Army.
-Brother is currently serving in the Army.
-Step dad is a former Navy Seal.
-Step brother served in the Air Force.
Caleb Thomas – Offensive Line
-Brother Richard Cabigon served 10 year in the Navy and was stationed in Maryland, Washington and Greece where he served as a firearms instructor in the military.
Ryan Wright – Punter
-Grandfather spent 27 years in the Navy as a Command Master Chief.
Players Mentioned
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