​2025 record: 11-3 (7-1 American)2025 postseason: defeated North Texas in American Championship Game, 34-21; lost to Ole Miss in College Football Playoff First Round, 41-10It was the dynasty nobody saw coming at the turn of the 2020s decade. Tulane is now the face of the American Conference, having qualified for the league’s title game in four-consecutive years — hosting the event three times and winning it twice. The Green Wave’s laundry list of accomplishments over the past four years include a No. 9 AP Poll finish and Cotton Bowl victory in 2022 and a College Football Playoff berth in 2025.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHowever, remaining atop the American in 2026 might be Tulane’s most challenging task this decade. Head coach Jon Sumrall accepted a position at Florida, and former offensive coordinator Will Hall steps in. In addition to head coaching regime shift, Tulane lost a bevy of players to the portal and graduation. Nine of the Green Wave’s 12 all-conference selections must be replaced, with only a free safety, return specialist, and long snapper returning. Five starters return through this coaching transition, hoping to sustain Tulane’s winning culture which has prevailed throughout the 2020s.Willie Fritz built it. Jon Sumrall sustained it. Now it’s Will Hall’s turn to take the baton.Will Hall is no stranger to New Orleans. The newly-appointed head coach first served on staff in 2020 as the Green Wave’s offensive coordinator. By leading Tulane to the 22nd-ranked scoring offense that year, he landed a head coaching gig at Southern Miss. However, Hall’s 4-year tenure in Hattiesburg didn’t unravel as planned. Although he won the 2022 LendingTree Bowl at 7-6, he recorded a 14-30 record and was ousted after a 1-6 start to the 2024 season. Hall returned to Tulane last season as the passing game coordinator before his internal promotion to serve as Jon Sumrall’s successor.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFor a new head coach, Hall retained an impressive portion of Tulane’s coaching staff. Tayler Polk replaces Greg Gasparato as the defensive coordinator after previously serving as the co-defensive coordinator/inside linebackers coach. Quarterbacks coach Collin D’Angelo, running backs coach Brock Hays, wide receivers coach Carter Sheridan, tight ends coach Tyler Spotts-Oregeron, and cornerbacks coach J.J. McCleskey (the longest tenured position coach on staff) all remain in their same roles for 2026. Cody Kennedy, who was offensive line coach during Hall’s first stint at Tulane in 2020, is back in New Orleans after spending the past few seasons at Arkansas and Mississippi State.Hall made two new coordinator hires. Russ Callaway moves in the opposite direction as Sumrall by moving to Tulane after spending four seasons on Florida’s staff, holding the offensive coordinator position last fall. Chris Forestier prepares for his first special teams coordinator role after holding special teams assistant and