Northwestern coach David Braun said his program meant no disrespect in denying Tulane's request to wear white uniforms for Saturday's game in New Orleans, which the Green Wave wanted to do to honor the 2005 team and mark the 20-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
"Certainly not a gesture of disrespect, but the timing of the request did impact our ability to honor the request," Braun said Monday.
After Tulane's 23-3 win over the Wildcats, Green Wave coach Jon Sumrall made several pointed remarks about his team being denied the chance to wear their white uniforms. Typically, the road team wears white and the home team wears its primary color.
"Don't disrespect New Orleans, ever," said Sumrall, who noted Northwestern's decision as a source of motivation to win the season opener.
Tulane wore white uniforms for its delayed 2005 opener against Mississippi State. The site of the game was relocated to Shreveport, Louisiana. The Wave on Saturday did wear the green helmets from 2005 but also played in their traditional home green uniforms.
"It got denied by [Northwestern], that's their prerogative, but when you show disrespect to the city of New Orleans, that's what's going to happen to you," Sumrall said. "You're going to run into a team like this -- they had a chip on their shoulder."
On Monday, Braun said Sumrall's comments caught him off guard and that he reached out to the Tulane coach on Saturday night. The two connected Sunday.
"Which I appreciated," Braun said.
Northwestern received Tulane's uniform request Aug. 17, but already had prepared its white uniforms and decals for the game to New Orleans. Uniform change requests are usually made several months in advance.
Braun acknowledged Tulane played "inspired football" Saturday and that Sumrall effectively turned rejection into motivation.
Braun recalled a trip he made to New Orleans during his playing days at Winona State. In May 2006, he and a group of teammates traveled from Minnesota to the New Orleans area to help rebuild homes impacted by Katrina.
"I don't pretend to understand what the city of New Orleans has been through, but what I can tell you is this university and myself have a tremendous amount of respect for the impact that Hurricane Katrina had on New Orleans and that region," Braun said. "I had an opportunity to see it firsthand ... it was devastating.
"Having a chance to return to New Orleans for the first time since that trip, where that city's at right now is a reflection of the people that call it home," Braun said.