Tulane’s Week 1 plans took a hit this week, with starting running back Jamauri McClure dealing with a foot injury that puts his status for the Duke opener in doubt.
McClure is not expected to play against the Blue Devils, according to the reporting from The Times-Picayune’s Guerry Smith. First-year Tulane coach Will Hall said McClure should be back “early in the season” but “not necessarily in the opener against Duke,” Smith reported.
It’s a notable setback for a Green Wave offense that was counting on McClure after he broke out in 2025. The sophomore finished with 540 rushing yards on 83 carries, averaging 6.5 yards per attempt, and drew American All-Conference buzz as a Pro Football Network Second Team selection.
His production came in a strong late-season push. After a quiet start, McClure finished with a 121-yard game in the American Championship Game, helping Tulane edge North Texas 34-21. He also scored the touchdown that put Tulane ahead for the first time in that game.
The injury also comes after McClure opted to stay with Tulane following the departure of then-head coach Jon Sumrall for Florida, a move that only added to the offseason optimism around his role.
Still, Tulane may have some cover at the position. Running back is described as the team’s deepest spot, and Florida State transfer Jaylin Lucas is expected to see a bigger workload while McClure is sidelined. Lucas, a Houma, Louisiana native, averaged 5.9 carries last season on 27 total carries.
Even with McClure out, Tulane has already shown it can survive against Duke without much from its backs. In last year’s meeting in New Orleans, Tulane beat the Blue Devils without a meaningful contribution from McClure. Arnold Barnes III led Tulane’s backs with just 27 rushing yards, while quarterback Jaek Retzlaff did most of the damage on the ground with 111 yards.
Duke and Tulane are scheduled to meet in Durham on Sept. 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET. Duke is listed as a 9.5-point favorite at DraftKings, and the game will stream on ACC Network.
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