In their first conference matchup of the season, Tulane University handily defeated the University of Tulsa on the road 31-14. After last week’s blowout loss to the now No. 4 ranked University of Mississippi, getting back on track was crucial.
After losing star running back Makhi Hughes to the transfer portal, the Green Wave needed to find another workhorse running back. While he didn’t see much action in the opener versus Northwestern University, newcomer Javin Gordon is starting to turn heads.
The true freshman totaled 15 carries for 78 yards and three touchdowns in what was a breakout game for him. He was able to find holes in Tulsa’s defensive line and stay on his feet through contact.
It was refreshing to see a player completely dominate on the ground that wasn’t quarterback Jake Retzlaff. Gordon’s performance allowed Retzlaff to have an easier time throwing the ball, as the Tulsa defense struggled to guess what the Green Wave would do.
“That’s a beast right there,” defensive lineman Santana Hopper said when asked about Gordon. “There [isn’t] another word to describe that man.”
Considering the type of game Hopper had on the other side of the ball, he should also be known as a beast. He blew up Tulsa’s offensive line while going for six tackles, including 1.5 sacks and four tackles for loss. His name kept popping up on the broadcast due to his difference-making presence play after play.
“He’s a twitchy, physical, violent player. He plays with a great motor,” head coach Jon Sumrall said of Hopper. “During spring ball, he was really disruptive in our practices … I knew as we got into league play, I thought you would start to feel him even more.”
It wasn’t just Hopper who saw great success on the defensive side. Linebacker Harvey Dyson recorded two sacks, and defensive back Jaheim Johnson reeled in his second interception of the season.
However, starting linebacker Dickson Agu suffered a non-contact injury that required him to be carted off the field. Agu, who recorded a team-high ten tackles in the win versus Duke University, would be a huge loss for this Tulane defense.
“It looks [like a] pretty substantial [injury],” Sumrall said. “I’m not at liberty yet to give detailed information, but it looks pretty serious. It doesn’t look good.”
Hopefully, the 11-day break before their next game against East Carolina University will give the Wave time to heal up as they dive deeper into conference play.
The game will kick off on Thursday, Oct. 9, at 6:30 p.m. CST at Yulman Stadium.