Tulane Green Wave Head Coach Jon Sumrall Has High Praise for Westmoreland

The Tulane Green Wave faithful are more than thrilled with the job that head coach Jon Sumrall has done with the program in his first year. Finishing the 2024 season with a 9-5 record overall, a 7-1 record in American Athletic Conference play, and a bowl bid is a big accomplishment for a first-year coach, and with the work that Sumrall has done to improve for year two, the hype is palpable.

One key addition Sumrall has made to the roster this offseason comes from the transfer portal in edge rusher Mo Westmoreland. The incoming transfer nearly entered the NFL draft, but after Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia was granted another year of eligibility by a federal judge on December 18, Westmoreland decided he would give the collegiate level one final go, and took his talents to the Green Wave.

Westmoreland was a two-time JUCO All-American at Kilgore Community College before spending the last three seasons with the UTEP Miners. In that time, the edge rusher tallied 100 total tackles, 21 coming for a loss, 15 1/2 sacks, and two forced fumbles. Last year, Westmoreland led Conference USA with his eight sacks.

Jon Sumrall Gives Maurice Westmoreland High Praise

Sumrall is more than thrilled to have landed the 6'2, 250-pound rusher. The coach expects Moreland to be a big part of the defense in 2025.

“He can be an elite pass rusher,” Sumrall said, via Crescent City Sports. “Powerful as a rusher, learning the defense. He’s a pass rusher who can create problems. He’s got speed and power at the same time. He gives offensive tackles fits. He continues to grow and can be special. When he first got to Tulane, he was just trying to figure it all out. He has really taken off and excelled in spring drills.”

The coach compared Westmoreland to another player he helped develop in his first stop as a head coach with the Troy Trojans, Javon Solomon. Solomon tallied 50 tackles for loss in his collegiate career and 33 sacks before being selected by the Buffalo Bills in the 2024 NFL draft. Solomon recorded two sacks in his rookie campaign at the professional level.

Sumrall knows good defense and knows good edge rushers when he sees them. Comparing Westmoreland to Solomon is some of the highest praise the head coach could give to a player, and it is only making the expectations for the team in 2025 that much higher.

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