Tulane Head Coach Will Hall didn’t mince words after his team’s rough 17-3 loss to Duke on September 6, 2026, straight up calling it a “really poor performance” and admitting he was “really disappointed” in how things went down. This was a messy game, and from Hall’s perspective, his squad definitely brought the messiest parts themselves.
15 Penalties and “Self-Inflicted Wounds”: What Was Going On?
Seriously, 15 penalties? That’s just wild for an early season game. Hall pointed to these critical flags as a huge part of the problem. We’re talking two pass interference calls on crucial defensive conversion downs where his players just “panicked,” even when they were in position. On offense, it was even more brutal, with penalties hitting at the worst possible moments. Remember Johnnie Daniels breaking a run into the red zone? Yep, holding call. Kadin Semonza’s big completion to Bredell Richardson in the second half? Illegal chop block wiped it out. And then, to cap it all off, a fumble in the red zone. Hall nailed it when he called them “self-inflicted wounds.” Add in some drops from players who are normally reliable and a defense that struggled with tackling early on, and you’ve got a recipe for a tough night. Duke’s punter, credit to him, was also a nightmare, flipping field position all night with his cross-kicking rugby style.
Semonza Brought the Spark, But Tulane Still Has a Lot to Fix
When you’re down, sometimes you just need a spark, right? Hall felt they needed one at halftime, pulling starting QB Zion because his “eyes were dancing” and he didn’t feel his focus was there on some plays. Enter Kadin Semonza, and Hall said he provided exactly that. Semonza apparently played “really well from the jump,” showing great pocket movement and delivering some good scrambles. He was “on time with his throws” and got the offense moving, driving them down the field every time he was in. But even with Semonza’s spark, the same old problems of penalties and fumbles (things he couldn’t control) killed those drives. Defensively, after a rough opening drive where Duke converted five-for-five third downs, Hall actually sounded pleased with their “effort,” but those pass interference calls and the offense’s inability to stay on the field wore them out.
Look, Hall gives credit to Coach Diaz and Duke for playing a way less sloppy game. But for Tulane, it’s clear the big message from the head coach is simple: “Most of it can be fixed, but it’s got to be fixed. It’s got to be fixed on Monday, and it’s going to be fixed on Monday.” Specifically, he promised the offense “is going to get fixed quickly.” That’s a strong statement to kick off the season. Every team has early struggles, but Hall is putting his foot down right now. The Green Wave better be ready for some serious work, because if they don’t clean up these penalties and execution errors, it’s gonna be a long season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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