This Summer, On SI Tulane has taken a look atthe Tulane quarterbacking situation, the Green Wave running back room, Wave receivers, the offensive front, the defensive line, the linebacking corps, the defensive backfield, andthe kicking gamegoing into 2026. This week, a look at the Wave return game.
The Return Game = Two Words
There’s a reason Tulane went out to get an All-American to return home. Jaylin Lucas attended Terrebonne High School in Houma for three years before transferring to Edna Karr after his family was forced to relocate due to Hurricane Ida. A three star recruit, Lucas originally committed to play college football at Tulane, before flipping to Indiana.
As a freshman, Lucas served as a rotational running back and as a punt/kick returner, and was the only player in FBS football with multiple kick returns for touchdowns in the 2022 season. At the conclusion of his freshman season, he was named the Big Ten Rodgers–Dwight Return Specialist of the Year, a member of the first team All-Big Ten as a return-man, and made first team All-American.
The Houma native didn’t get as much running back time as he would have liked in Bloomington, so he entered the portal after his sophomore year to try things at Florida State. Different location, same result: not as much playing time as he would have hoped. So, Lucas decided to try the place he meant to the first time around, transferring to Tulane for his senior season…