Will Hall introduced as new head coach of Green Wave football
Tulane University introduced Will Hall as its new head football coach Tuesday in a spirited celebration that reflected the soaring momentum surrounding Green Wave athletics.
A lively second-line parade, complete with cheerleaders, Riptide and a brass band, escorted Hall, his family and university leaders to the Jill H. and Avram A. Glazer Family Club.
The fans, alumni, staff and student-athletes packing the club greeted Hall with loud applause and a standing ovation. Hall’s enthusiasm for taking on the job was evident from the moment he stepped onto the stage.
“I know I wasn’t the first choice for some people here,” he told the crowd. “But I can tell you I am the best choice and the right choice for this place at this time.”
Hall spoke passionately about teaching and developing young men, continuing Tulane’s championship culture and building teams that play with physicality, edge and purpose. His excitement underscored his belief that Tulane is the ideal place for him — and for continued winning.
Tulane President Michael A. Fitts praised Hall and the hard work of Athletic Director David Harris and Senior Vice President Patrick Norton, noting Tulane’s rise in national prominence and ongoing investments in athletics facilities.
"The rise of Green Wave football — and our athletics program as a whole — very much reflect the state of the university as a whole," Fitts said. "With record-breaking student enrollment, stratospheric growth of our research enterprise and bold investments in innovation and infrastructure, we are truly a university on the rise."
Norton called Hall’s hiring “a moment of opportunity,” while Harris highlighted Hall’s proven track record, his strong connection to Tulane and New Orleans and his evident passion for leading the program.
“As we evaluated candidates, one name continued to emerge — and that was Will Hall,” Harris said.
Hall will take over a nationally ranked football program that reached the American Conference Championship Game for a record fourth time and earned a spot in the College Football Playoff for the first time in Tulane history.
Hall returned to Tulane in January 2025 after previously serving as Tulane's offensive coordinator from 2019-2020, where he helped rewrite the program's record books and guided one of the most explosive offenses in school history. Under his direction, Tulane ranked among the nation's top 25 in total offense and scoring, set a program record with 3,162 rushing yards in 2019 and posted multiple 500-yard games. Hall's innovative approach and player development skills were instrumental in elevating Tulane's offensive identity during that time.
Before his tenure at Tulane, Hall spent four seasons as head coach at Southern Miss and engineered a remarkable turnaround. He led the Golden Eagles to a bowl victory in 2022, their first since 2016, and built one of the Sun Belt's most competitive programs, highlighted by a school-record rushing performance and a defense that ranked among the nation's best in tackles for loss and turnovers.
A two-time Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year and former Harlan Hill Trophy winner as a player, Hall's coaching journey includes successful stops at Memphis, Louisiana-Lafayette, West Alabama and West Georgia.
Calling Tulane “a championship football program,” Hall expressed full confidence in where the Green Wave is headed. “This is about one thing — winning,” he said. “Tulane is going to continue to win because you just hired another great leader. Roll Wave.”
