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IRVING, Texas (reprinted with permission) – Some of the nation's top college football players and coaches, including Tulane's head coach Jon Sumrall, linebacker Sam Howard and offensive lineman Shadre Hurst, will convene in Charlotte, North Carolina, for the 2025 American Kickoff, which will be held Thursday and Friday, July 24-25 at the Charlotte Convention Center.
And once again, the American is inviting fans to participate in the annual event to start the college football season.
Twenty-eight student-athletes are scheduled to attend this year's Kickoff, which will be held in Charlotte for the first time. Media sessions will begin at 12 p.m. CT (1 p.m. ET) on Thursday and will continue Friday morning with press conferences with the 14 head coaches. Commissioner Tim Pernetti will deliver his remarks Friday at 7:15 a.m. CT (8:15 a.m. ET).
In addition to the Friday press conferences, student-athletes and coaches will be available for breakout sessions during specified times on Friday and upon request during their scheduled Thursday afternoon block.
Fans will be able to experience the 2025 Kickoff in-person to gain unprecedented access to players and coaches. Fans will have the opportunity to sit in on press conferences, take part in photo opportunities and enjoy meet-and-greets with the student-athletes and coaches.
Fans who wish to attend the 2025 Kickoff can register at www.TheAmerican.org/Kickoff
Six of the 28 attending student-athletes attending this year's Kickoff earned all-conference honors last season, including Hurst, Memphis defensive lineman William Whitlow Jr. and Navy defensive lineman Landon Robinson, who were first-team all-conference picks in 2024.
Eight of the American's 14 teams will have their projected starting quarterbacks in attendance. The six returning starting quarterbacks in attendance include Navy's Blake Horvath, who rushed for 1,246 yards and 17 touchdowns last year; UTSA's Owen McCown, who had 25 touchdown passes as the Roadrunners' starter in 2024; East Carolina's Katin Houser, who led the Pirates to five wins in their last six games of last season; UAB's Jalen Kitna, who started the last eight games for the Blazers and threw 17 touchdown passes; Tulsa's Kirk Francis, who has 2,552 passing yards and 15 TD passes in 15 career games; and Temple's Evan Simon, who threw for 2,032 yards and 15 TDs in 2024.
The attending quarterbacks also include two talented transfers. Memphis' Brendon Lewis earned All-Mountain West honorable mention accolades after registering 3,065 yards of total offense at Nevada last year. Florida Atlantic's Caden Veltkamp, meanwhile, was the 2024 Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year at Western Kentucky after passing for 3,108 yards and 25 touchdowns last year.
Live coverage of the American Kickoff will air Friday, July 25, at 8 a.m. ET/7 a.m. CT on ESPN+ as Maria Trivelpiece, Rene Ingoglia and Leger Douzable interview coaches and student-athletes from all 14 teams.
ATTENDEES LINEUP
subject to change
UAB
Head Coach Trent Dilfer
Jalen Kitna QB
Denver Warren DT
Army
Head Coach Jeff Monken
Kalib Fortner LB
Andon Thomas LB
Charlotte
Head Coach Tim Albin
Ja'Qurious Conley DB
Jonny King OL
East Carolina
Head Coach Blake Harrell
Ryheem Craig OLB
Katin Houser QB
Florida Atlantic
Head Coach Zach Kittley
Bryce Langston DT
Caden Veltkamp QB
Memphis
Head Coach Ryan Silverfield
Brendon Lewis QB
William Whitlow Jr. DL
Navy
Head Coach Brian Newberry
Blake Horvath QB
Landon Robinson DL
North Texas
Head Coach Eric Morris
Gabe Blair OL
Fatafehi Vailea DL
Rice
Head Coach Scott Abell
Micah Barnett TE
Ty Morris LB
South Florida
Head Coach Alex Golesh
Cole Best C
DeShawn Rucker CB
Temple
Head Coach K.C. Keeler
Sekou Kromah DL
Evan Simon QB
UTSA
Head Coach Jeff Traylor
Owen McCown QB
Owen Pewee LB
Tulane
Head Coach Jon Sumrall
Sam Howard LB
Shadre Hurst OL
Tulsa
Head Coach Tre Lamb
Kirk Francis QB
Chris Thompson Jr. LB
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The Tulane football team (9-5) ended the 2024 season playing in the program's third consecutive bowl game. It was also the sixth time in the last seven years that Tulane had been selected to play in a bowl game (2018 – Cure Bowl, 2019 – Armed Forces Bowl, 2020 – Famous Idaho Bowl, 2022 – Cotton Bowl, 2023 – Military Bowl and 2024 – Gasparilla Bowl). Overall, it was Tulane's 17th bowl appearance (1932 – Rose Bowl, 1935 – Sugar Bowl, 1939 – Sugar Bowl, 1970 – Liberty Bowl, 1973 – Astro Bluebonnet Bowl, 1979 – Liberty Bowl, 1980 – Hall of Fame Bowl, 1987 – Independence Bowl, 1998 – Liberty Bowl, 2002 – Hawaii Bowl, 2013 – New Orleans, 2018 – Cure Bowl, 2019 – Armed Forces Bowl, 2020 -Famous Idaho Bowl, 2022 – Cotton Bowl, 2023 – Military Bowl and 2024 – Gasparilla Bowl) with the program sporting an all-time record of 7-10 in bowl games.
Tulane also made the team's third straight AAC Championship Game appearance. The program sports a 32-10 record over the last three seasons. The team's 32 wins is the fourth-most nationally. The team placed first or second in the AAC in 10 different categories including leading the league in third down conversions (52.5), defensive touchdowns (6), completion percentage (65.6), scoring offense (37.2) and passing efficiency defense (111.65). The team was the national leader in defensive touchdowns with six.
The team had a league-high 18 players selected All-AAC last season including 2025 returners Derrick Graham (First Team – offensive tackle), Shadre Hurst (First Team – offensive guard), Sam Howard (Second Team – linebacker), Bailey Despanie (Second Team – defensive back) and Kameron Hamilton (Third Team – defensive line)
The Green Wave's football team was chosen for third in the 2024 AAC Preseason Media Poll with 362 points plus two first-place votes at the annual conference media day.
The school announced the hiring of Jon Sumrall as the 42nd head coach of the team on December 8, 2023. The Huntsville, Alabama native has been one of the most successful head coaches in the country the last three seasons with a record of 32-9, two Sun Belt Conference championships and a pair of double-digit winning streaks. He was named Sun Belt Conference Coach of Year and was twice named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year honor. Sumrall returned to Tulane after serving as the Green Wave's Co-Defensive Coordinator for three years (2012-14). In 2013, he was a crucial part of Tulane's run to the New Orleans Bowl, the program's first postseason appearance since 2002 and third since 1988. Sumrall also was named a finalist for FootballScoop Defensive Line Coach of the Year.
TICKETS
Tickets for the upcoming football and volleyball seasons can be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging on to TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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WE ARE NOLA BUILT
Tulane University is located in the city of New Orleans. It is a city built on tradition and resiliency. The lessons Green Wave student-athletes have learned through their connection with this university and city have BUILT doctors, lawyers, business leaders, conference champions, all-conference players, All-Americans, professional athletes and NCAA tournament teams. The city of New Orleans has shaped us into who we are today. We are One City. We are Tulane. We are NOLA BUILT. Check out our story at [NolaBuilt.com](https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftulanegreenwave.com%2Fsports%2F2019%2F7%2F16%2Fnola-built.aspx&data=05%7C01%7Cjprisco%40tulane.edu%7C05da42d471b34f42e83208da8e2af7fc%7C9de9818325d94b139fc34de5489c1f3b%7C0%7C0%7C637978612617623301%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=BHKcEzVmArVw75y9WZDpAhi23Hli9yzrZyfuQ3BgGaw%3D&reserved=0 "Original URL:
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