Interview: Tulane AD Troy Dannen talks importance of keeping Willie Fritz, building a bubble and more…

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — An extension for Tulane head football coach Willie Fritz could be signed and announced by the end of the week. However, on Tuesday WGNO Sports talked with Green Wave Director of Athletics Troy Dannen about a myriad of issues.

That chat will air in the WGNO Sports Zone on Friday night.

One of the topics – an indoor practice facility or bubble.

Dannen told Ed Daniels he hopes to have an indoor facility constructed on campus sometime in 2024. He said it will take about 10 months to build.

The location he would like – the field in front of the Reilly Center – the former 50-yard line at the old Tulane Stadium, the original site of the Sugar Bowl.

Dannen also said it was not only important to keep Coach Fritz at Tulane, but to limit the turnover in assistant coaches.

He said those coaches are now compensated in the top two or three in the new American Athletic Conference following the departure of Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston for the Big 12.

“Much like a restaurant in New Orleans, you can keep the name on the restaurant, but if you change chefs, you never know if the recipe is going to taste the same,” explained Dannen.

Dannen said Fritz had an incentive-laden contract. One that compensated him well during Tulane’s run to a conference title and Cotton Bowl victory.

WGNO asked Dannen “what if a school, or schools, would pursue Fritz a year from now?”

“There are things you can control and things you can’t control,” said Dannen. “If Notre Dame calls him to be the head coach [he shrugged]?!”

“But we have to make sure it is about equals, that we are not taking one equal over the other,” he continued. “We just have to keep the guy in position to win.”

Tune in to WGNO Sports Zone on Nola 38 (The CW) on Friday night at 10:30 p.m. for more of Ed Daniels’ sit-down interview with Tulane AD Troy Dannen.