Tulane linebacker Tyler Grubbs brings production, intensity to new team

Tulane junior Tyler Grubbs meets you with a wide, friendly smile and a firm handshake. Looking into his eyes, you see the spirit of an old school linebacker ready to strap on the helmet and destroy anyone carrying a football.

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound product of Holy Cross was a tackling machine as a four-year starter for the Tigers, accumulating 469 career stops.

“The coaches at Holy Cross were hard on us to succeed,” Grubbs explained. “Even during lunch time they would get us over to watch film. School began at 8:15 a.m. we would arrive at 7 and watch film. That was mandatory, but it separated us from other schools.”

Grubbs carried the habit of intense film study to Louisiana Tech where he was one of the leading tacklers in the nation during the fall of 2020 with 99 stops, earning Freshman All-American honors. The extra attention to detail allows the game to slow down.

“It comes naturally, but you have to focus on your eye placement and your footwork. You have to rely on your keys. If you don’t work on it consistently it can get lost. You have to sharpen your tendencies so it will come naturally to you. When you’re in a game you don’t want to have to think about this key or this read. You want it to just roll at game time.”

And roll it he did.

During his three seasons in Ruston, despite separating his collarbone in the fifth game last season against UTEP, Grubbs tallied 242 tackles, 26 pressures and 18 hurries with the Bulldogs.

With two seasons of eligibility remaining, the New Orleans native was seeking an opportunity to elevate his game. It didn’t take long to realize that Tulane would be an ideal fit.

“I wanted to go somewhere I could prepare to get to the next level,” said Grubbs about his criteria for a new school while in the transfer portal. “I was visiting Tulane and it just felt like the right spot. Tulane has guys going to (NFL) at LB, the coaches here are amazing. Some thought that I was visiting Tulane just because they’d just had a good season. But everyone here has been a great friend. Everyone here is so outgoing, so helpful. The players and coaches changed my entire outlook when I stepped on campus.”

It’s a microcosm of the culture and program that Green Wave head coach Willie Fritz has cultivated since his arrival and through the past seven seasons on Willow Street.

“I think it is all a credit to this program and it starts with Coach Fritz, the way he handles things. Everyone is held accountable no matter who you are, big or small. It’s a team. It’s a credit to Coach Fritz. He holds everyone to the same standard.”

The staffs at Louisiana Tech and Tulane share similarities in regard to preparation. Implementing schemes are slightly different. Grubbs lays it out in technical terms.

“At Tech We were a four-down set. It’s a modified three-down here. We can take the Dog linebacker and put him off the edge. Within 20 hours (time players and coaches share each week), some want to teach more than others. Some strategize.”

If there’s an area where Grubbs looks to improve specifically, it’s trying to avoid being overly aggressive. It’s not always easy to ask a defender to tone it down.

“Making the big hit is great. Sometimes the best plays are not the ones that you actually make, but when you allow (teammates) to make that play. If you prepare and know what’s going to happen , it feels good that you had a hand in the play whether you made the tackle or not.”

Grubbs rarely takes a false step, recognizing the play quickly. He has fluid hips and good range. On third downs, he demonstrates outstanding awareness in space for pass coverage. He models his game after one of the best and fiercest linebackers of all time.

“Ray Lewis, 100 percent,” he declared. “That’s why I’ve always worn jersey No. 52. It’s a special number. His aura and the way he handled things in games, inside and outside of the arena. His mentality was so special. The way that he prepared for a game and the way that he played with so much emotion.”

During his time at Louisiana Tech, Grubbs faces some of college football’s best quarterbacks, including Zach Wilson (BYU, Jets), Will Rogers (Mississippi State), D.J. Uiagalelei and Cade Klubnik (both at Clemson). He feels like Tulane’s Michael Pratt is special. “I get to see what Michael does on a daily basis. He is so detailed, so loving of his teammates. For as well recognized as he is, he is just so humble.”

South Alabama, Tulane’s season opening opponent, will offer a stiff challenge to the Green Wave. Grubbs understands that the Jaguars, coming off of a 10-3 mark last season, are hungry for the national attention that could come with a win over a Top 25 opponent like the Wave. An advantage for Tulane’s defense in preparation is the similarities between South Alabama’s and the one he sees in practice everyday.

“They do a lot of motion similar to us. They do a lot of ’11’ personnel. They will come out in different formations. Getting used to seeing what our offense does everyday will prepare us for South Alabama,” Grubbs explained.

There’s irony in his first opponent with the Wave. Grubbs faced the Jags in what would be his final full game appearance at Louisiana Tech, suffering a season-ending injury against UTEP the following week. He recorded eight tackles against the Jaguars and feels like he has a personal score to settle Sept. 2 at Yulman Stadium after coming out on the short end of a 38-14 loss to South Alabama last fall.

“It will be my first game since 2022,” Grubbs said with a tinge of excitement building up in his voice. “I’m excited to see how we all mesh together in a game for the first time. I want to get some revenge on a team that I lost to while at Tech last year.”