Darian Mensah will make his return to Tulane on Saturday as Duke’s quarterback after transferring this past offseason. It’s a big game for both sides, with Tulane entering at 2-0 and Duke looking to bounce back from a lopsided loss to Illinois.
On Tuesday, Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall spoke about the challenge of facing his former star quarterback and the status of his team heading into Week 3.
What Did Jon Sumrall Say About Darian Mensah’s Return to Tulane?
Mensah was productive for Tulane last season, completing 65.9 percent of his passes for 2,723 yards, 22 touchdowns, and six interceptions, posting a passer rating of 166.7.
Mensah’s departure wasn’t entirely unexpected. entirely unexpected. After a winning season at Tulane, Mensah received an $8 million NIL deal and the opportunity to play in a Power Four program.
Sumrall said there was no love lost between him and Mensah.
“I love Darian to death — I’ve said this publicly. If you play one snap, 100 snaps, 1,000 snaps for me, I’ll love you for the rest of my life. I care about him, wish him well. … I’ve got nothing but love for Darian,” Sumrall said.
Despite Duke’s rough loss last weekend, Mensah has elevated his game through the first two weeks of the 2025 season. He is 50-for-68 (73.5%) for 723 yards with five touchdowns and one interception, good for a 184.2 passer rating. He currently has the 15th-best passer efficiency in the nation.
His talent and familiarity with Sumrall’s system present a unique challenge. “I think there’s familiarity on both sides, right? We know Darian well. He knows us pretty well, too.” Sumrall said. “This type of thing happens all the time in pro football, college, it’s probably a little bit newer with the era we’re in.
Tulane’s bigger issue may be avoiding mistakes. The Green Wave outgained Illinois 438-419 last week but lost 34-10 after committing five turnovers.
Sumrall’s Quarterback Luxury Problem
With the departure of Mensah, Sumrall turned to the transfer portal to find his replacement and brought in four transfer quarterbacks, including Jake Retzlaff and Brendan Sullivan. Retzlaff, a BYU transfer, has been the primary starter and has played turnover-free football but has just two passing touchdowns.
Sullivan has started to see more action, logging three pass attempts and one rush last week. Sumrall said before the game that both quarterbacks would play.
“I feel like we have two starters. That’s an extreme luxury to have,” he said.
Narratives aside, Saturday’s matchup features two motivated programs trying to build momentum. Duke enters as a 1.5-point favorite. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m.