The Tulane Green Wave bolstered their skill group Monday with the additions of former USC wide receiver Mario Williams and former Alabama wide receiver Shazz Preston.
The two receivers will join head coach Jon Sumrall, who was named the next head coach of the Green Wave after former head coach Willie Fritz left to fill the vacant role with the Houston Cougars.
Sumrall was 23-4 as the Troy head coach over the past two seasons, and he will look to keep Tulane in the mix as one of the top teams outside the Power 5 conferences.
Williams and Preston are both former top-75 recruits. Williams spent one season at Oklahoma before he transferred to the Trojans to join head coach Lincoln Riley.
In three college seasons, Williams caught 104 passes for 1,316 and added 11 receiving touchdowns. He racked up 29 receptions for 305 yards and two touchdown catches in the 2023 season at USC.
@CoachCarterTU pic.twitter.com/AlEZiUsxPz
— Mario Williams (@Lootrunnermario) January 15, 2024
Preston featured primarily on special teams for the Crimson Tide and has yet to record a reception in college.
BREAKING: Former Alabama WR Shazz Preston has Committed to Tulane, he tells @on3sports
The 6’1 200 WR was ranked as a Top 50 Recruit in the ‘22 Class (No. 6 WR) 👀
Will have 3 years of eligibility remaining https://t.co/pxaHvDGCU4 pic.twitter.com/wWniuSLhYy
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 15, 2024
Williams and Preston are the latest transfers as Sumrall overhauls the Tulane offense. On Jan. 5, Tulane added former Oregon quarterback Ty Thompson to be the team’s new signal caller.
Thompson, a former top-50 recruit, spent two seasons with the Ducks. He’s thrown for 456 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions on a 64% completion percentage in limited action for Oregon.
With SMU leaving for the ACC, the path for Tulane to get back to the American Athletic Conference Championship and compete for a College Football Playoff spot has become more reasonable.