Will Hall, Tulane’s head football coach, wasn’t reading too much into the energy of Wednesday morning’s preseason practice. As he put it, "everybody in the country has a lot of energy on the first day." Without pads, the workout felt like "playing basketball without a ball." Yet beneath that cautious assessment, Hall sees a team with real promise. The two-hour-and-15-minute session at Yulman Stadium brought back four players who missed spring drills — a group that changes the Green Wave’s outlook entirely.

Jack Tchienchou, the team’s leading tackler, took the field after fracturing a fibula in the third quarter of Tulane’s College Football Playoff loss at Ole Miss. He tried to wrap it up and return before realizing the severity. The injury sidelined him until June, forcing him to miss spring practice. "It was hard," Tchienchou said. "We’re bringing in new guys, and I wanted to show them the ropes and be the guy they lean on. A lot of times they didn’t even know I play football. I was on a scooter for half the semester and then wore a sling for the rest." Wednesday marked his first chance to lead on the field. "The standard at Tulane is the defense sets the tone," he said. "We don’t plan on letting that drop at all. We are all hungry. We have points to prove, and this year is going to be a good show."

Dickson Agu, a senior linebacker who had a team-high 31 tackles in just four games last season, returned after tearing a patellar tendon last September. He was held out of contact during the spring. "It feels great to be back, I’m not going to lie," Agu said. "I’ve just been waiting. The coaches were holding me back, saying you don’t win a ring in the spring, so now that we’re finally going, it’s amazing to be out there with the guys." He heard stories about players never fully recovering from such injuries, but those concerns are gone. "I feel way better. The left leg I hurt is testing stronger than I was before the injury. I feel like I’m coming back even better than I was." Agu joins a linebacker room loaded with experience: senior Chris Rodgers, who had 65 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss after replacing him; senior Makai Williams with 40 tackles; transfer Dalton Hughes, who matched Williams’ 40 tackles at South Alabama; and fourth-year junior Jean Claude Joseph, who made strides in the spring. "We probably have one of the most experienced groups that’s been at Tulane for a long time," Agu said. "There’s a lot of guys that have played here and know how to win championships. Having that experience is crucial to running it back this year."

TJ Smith, a Division II transfer from East Central who earned third-team All-American Conference honors as a return specialist last year, lined up at first-team safety alongside Tchienchou. Smith made 24 tackles as a reserve nickelback last season. Hall praised his offseason transformation after shoulder surgery. "He’s put on a lot of muscle and a lot of weight. He looks like a grown man now instead of just an athlete. I’m really proud of him for how he attacked the offseason. He had a plan to improve his body. We’ll move him around. He’s got a chance to be a really good player."

Jamauri McClure, who emerged as Tulane’s feature back in the final five games as a sophomore and showed 1,000-yard potential, returned after undergoing double-shoulder surgery. He attacked his rehab with the same intensity. "He’s made himself into a great player," Hall said. "He’s really changed his body composition. We’ve built this (program) on guys getting into year 3 and becoming superstars." McClure feels ready. "I feel great. I’m ready to play right now. I don’t know if it’s just the playbook is easier or I’ve just matured, but I have a better mindset of how to learn things. Whatever it is, it’s working. I feel like we (the running backs) are the best position for this team. We are going to be the leaders." The running back room is the deepest on the roster, with Maurice Turner, Jaylin Lucas, Johnnie Daniels, and DH Dugar (held out Wednesday with an ankle injury) all possessing big-play potential. McClure will likely lead the pack.

In other notes from practice: Quarterback Zeon Chriss-Gremillion took the first series in 11-on-11 drills, followed by Dagan Bruno, Kadin Semonza, and Trace Johnson. Lucas ripped off a sizable gain on the opening play. The team will put on full pads Friday. Tchienchou is on the preseason watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Award, given to the nation’s best defensive player.