Photo by: Parker Waters
Football Has 11 Earn Phil Steele Preseason All-AAC Selection
Jun 17, 2024 | Football
New Orleans – The Tulane football team totaled 11 selections on Phil Steele's 2024 Preseason AAC Team, the magazine announced recently.
Earning a spot on the first team was Makhi Hughes (running back), Mario Williams (wide receiver), Patrick Jenkins (defensive line), Jesus Machado (linebacker), Tyler Grubbs (linebacker) and Ethan Hudak (long snapper).
Hughes led the team and conference in rushing with 1,378 yards in 2023 on his way to earning First Team All-AAC and being named the AAC's Rookie of the Year. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry and totaled seven rushing scores.
Williams is in his first year at Tulane after transferring from USC for the spring 2024 semester.
Jenkins played and started all 14 games on the defensive line for Tulane in 2023. He totaled 35 tackles, a team-leading 11.5 stops for loss and 5.5 sacks. He was a First Team All-AAC by the conference.
Machado played and started all 14 games at linebacker for Tulane in 2023. He led the team with 98 tackles. He also totaled three tackles for loss, an interception and a pass defense. He was a Second Team All-AAC selection by the conference.
Grubbs played in 14 games with 13 starts at linebacker for Tulane in 2023. He ranked second on the team with 85 tackles. Grubbs also totaled 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery. He was a Third Team All-AAC selection by the conference in his first year at Tulane.
Hudak is in his fourth year as the team's primary long snapper. In 2023, Tulane ranked third in the AAC in net punting at 40.55 and led the league in field goal's per game (1.50).
The second team choices were Rashad Green (offensive line) and Bailey Despanie (safety).
Green played and started 12 games at right tackle where he helped pave the way for a Tulane offense to put up 26.4 points a game. The offense tallied 155.1 rushing and 215 yards passing a contest. Tulane topped 20 points in 11 contests with a high of 37 against South Alabama. He was also Third Team All-AAC by the conference.
Despanie played in and started all 14 games as a defensive back for Tulane in 2023. He ranked third on the team with 67 tackles. He also totaled 5.5 tackles for loss, an interception, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
The third team selections were Alex Bauman (tight end), Derrick Graham (offensive line) and Will Karoll (punter).
Bauman played in all 14 games with 10 starts at tight end for Tulane in 2023. He ranked second on the squad with 35 catches and five receiving touchdowns. He totaled 286 receiving yards and had a long of 39.
Graham is in his first year at Tulane after transferring in from Texas A&M in the summer of 2024 after playing at Troy University for the last three seasons.
In 2023, Karoll won the job as the team's primary punter and booted 43 times for 1894 yards for an average of 44.0 yards a kick with a long of 65. He had 14 kicks that went over 50 yards and placed 12 of his kicks inside the 20. Karoll an Honorable Mention All-AAC selection in his first year on campus.
Tulane finished the 2023 season with a mark of 11-3 and a perfect 8-0 record in the American Athletic Conference. The program concluded the campaign with the 16th bowl appearance at the GoBowling Military Bowl contest against Virginia Tech. It was the fifth time in the last six years that Tulane has appeared in a bowl game. The team is 23-5 over the last two seasons.
The school announced the hiring of Jon Sumrall as the 42nd head coach of the team on December 8, 2023. The Huntsville, Alabama native was one of the most successful head coaches in the country the last two seasons. He guided Troy University to a 23-4 record, two Sun Belt Conference championships and a pair of double-digit winning streaks. He was named Sun Belt Conference Coach of Year and was twice named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year honor. Sumrall returns to Tulane after serving as the Green Wave's Co-Defensive Coordinator for three years (2012-14). In 2013, he was a crucial part of Tulane's run to the New Orleans Bowl, the program's first postseason appearance since 2002 and third since 1988. Sumrall also was named a finalist for FootballScoop Defensive Line Coach of the Year.
Tulane's football team will start the 2024 season on Thursday, August 29, with a home contest against Southeastern Louisiana at Yulman Stadium. The program has home games against Kansas State (September 7), South Florida (September 28), Rice (October 19), Temple (November 9) and Memphis (November 28). The road games for the 2024 season include trips to Oklahoma (September 14), Louisiana (September 21), UAB (October 5), North Texas (October 26), Charlotte (October 31) and Navy (November 16).
TICKETS
Tickets for the upcoming football, volleyball, men's and women's basketball seasons can be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging on to TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow Tulane football on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram. Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
WE ARE NOLA BUILT
Tulane University is located in the city of New Orleans. It is a city built on tradition and resiliency. The lessons Green Wave student-athletes have learned through their connection with this university and city have BUILT doctors, lawyers, business leaders, conference champions, all-conference players, All-Americans, professional athletes and NCAA tournament teams. The city of New Orleans has shaped us into who we are today. We are One City. We are Tulane. We are NOLA BUILT. Check out our story at NolaBuilt.com.
- TulaneGreenWave -
Earning a spot on the first team was Makhi Hughes (running back), Mario Williams (wide receiver), Patrick Jenkins (defensive line), Jesus Machado (linebacker), Tyler Grubbs (linebacker) and Ethan Hudak (long snapper).
Hughes led the team and conference in rushing with 1,378 yards in 2023 on his way to earning First Team All-AAC and being named the AAC's Rookie of the Year. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry and totaled seven rushing scores.
Williams is in his first year at Tulane after transferring from USC for the spring 2024 semester.
Jenkins played and started all 14 games on the defensive line for Tulane in 2023. He totaled 35 tackles, a team-leading 11.5 stops for loss and 5.5 sacks. He was a First Team All-AAC by the conference.
Machado played and started all 14 games at linebacker for Tulane in 2023. He led the team with 98 tackles. He also totaled three tackles for loss, an interception and a pass defense. He was a Second Team All-AAC selection by the conference.
Grubbs played in 14 games with 13 starts at linebacker for Tulane in 2023. He ranked second on the team with 85 tackles. Grubbs also totaled 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery. He was a Third Team All-AAC selection by the conference in his first year at Tulane.
Hudak is in his fourth year as the team's primary long snapper. In 2023, Tulane ranked third in the AAC in net punting at 40.55 and led the league in field goal's per game (1.50).
The second team choices were Rashad Green (offensive line) and Bailey Despanie (safety).
Green played and started 12 games at right tackle where he helped pave the way for a Tulane offense to put up 26.4 points a game. The offense tallied 155.1 rushing and 215 yards passing a contest. Tulane topped 20 points in 11 contests with a high of 37 against South Alabama. He was also Third Team All-AAC by the conference.
Despanie played in and started all 14 games as a defensive back for Tulane in 2023. He ranked third on the team with 67 tackles. He also totaled 5.5 tackles for loss, an interception, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
The third team selections were Alex Bauman (tight end), Derrick Graham (offensive line) and Will Karoll (punter).
Bauman played in all 14 games with 10 starts at tight end for Tulane in 2023. He ranked second on the squad with 35 catches and five receiving touchdowns. He totaled 286 receiving yards and had a long of 39.
Graham is in his first year at Tulane after transferring in from Texas A&M in the summer of 2024 after playing at Troy University for the last three seasons.
In 2023, Karoll won the job as the team's primary punter and booted 43 times for 1894 yards for an average of 44.0 yards a kick with a long of 65. He had 14 kicks that went over 50 yards and placed 12 of his kicks inside the 20. Karoll an Honorable Mention All-AAC selection in his first year on campus.
Tulane finished the 2023 season with a mark of 11-3 and a perfect 8-0 record in the American Athletic Conference. The program concluded the campaign with the 16th bowl appearance at the GoBowling Military Bowl contest against Virginia Tech. It was the fifth time in the last six years that Tulane has appeared in a bowl game. The team is 23-5 over the last two seasons.
The school announced the hiring of Jon Sumrall as the 42nd head coach of the team on December 8, 2023. The Huntsville, Alabama native was one of the most successful head coaches in the country the last two seasons. He guided Troy University to a 23-4 record, two Sun Belt Conference championships and a pair of double-digit winning streaks. He was named Sun Belt Conference Coach of Year and was twice named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year honor. Sumrall returns to Tulane after serving as the Green Wave's Co-Defensive Coordinator for three years (2012-14). In 2013, he was a crucial part of Tulane's run to the New Orleans Bowl, the program's first postseason appearance since 2002 and third since 1988. Sumrall also was named a finalist for FootballScoop Defensive Line Coach of the Year.
Tulane's football team will start the 2024 season on Thursday, August 29, with a home contest against Southeastern Louisiana at Yulman Stadium. The program has home games against Kansas State (September 7), South Florida (September 28), Rice (October 19), Temple (November 9) and Memphis (November 28). The road games for the 2024 season include trips to Oklahoma (September 14), Louisiana (September 21), UAB (October 5), North Texas (October 26), Charlotte (October 31) and Navy (November 16).
TICKETS
Tickets for the upcoming football, volleyball, men's and women's basketball seasons can be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging on to TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow Tulane football on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram. Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
WE ARE NOLA BUILT
Tulane University is located in the city of New Orleans. It is a city built on tradition and resiliency. The lessons Green Wave student-athletes have learned through their connection with this university and city have BUILT doctors, lawyers, business leaders, conference champions, all-conference players, All-Americans, professional athletes and NCAA tournament teams. The city of New Orleans has shaped us into who we are today. We are One City. We are Tulane. We are NOLA BUILT. Check out our story at NolaBuilt.com.
- TulaneGreenWave -
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