Practice Report #15: Tulsa Hits the Two-Week Mark from the First Game; Previewing the Specialists

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Coach Lowry Interview

TULSA, Okla. –– The Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team had good energy on a humid morning for the 15^th practice session of preseason camp on Thursday at H.A. Chapman Stadium.

"We had good humidity, good energy today. I thought at times, offensively, we operated at a good level. In certain situations, we have to do a better job. I think our defense is really flying around and being very aggressive," said Tulsa head coach Philip Montgomery. "Everything we're doing right now on both sides of the ball is very competitive. We're in good shape. We just need to get through this week, stay healthy and start getting ready for Oklahoma State."

The Hurricane is two weeks out from its season opener against the Cowboys of Oklahoma State on Thursday, August 31.

"We're working at a good rate, a good pace. We're continuing to get better. We have a lot of young guys who are trying to learn and grow. When you're dealing with young guys, from a maturity standpoint, sometimes you don't attack practice the way you should. I think overall, though, we are where I thought we'd be. We just have a lot of work to do still," said Montgomery.

"Schematically we have a lot of stuff in, both sides of the football. For the most part we're completely installed at this stage, and now at this it's fine-tuning and getting better at them," added Montgomery.

PREVIEWING THE SPECIALISTS
Tulsa has some experience and also a lot of newness to the specialist positions entering the 2017 season.

Place-kicker Redford Jones, a former walk-on athlete, has handled placements for the last two years and is on the verge of becoming the school's all-time scoring leader. With 239 career points, Jones enters the 2017 season needing 60 points for the career record.

Jones also handles kick-offs for the Hurricane.

Walk-ons Nathan Walker and Tristan Lacey back-up Jones.

"Red handled all of our kicking duties last year and will do the same this year," said Montgomery. "It's great to have a guy like him back, a guy who's been through the wars and has made some big kicks for us. Red is probably one of the best athletes we have on the team. He's done a great job, and I'm excited he's back with us and I'm looking forward to what he's going to do this year."

The school's career leader for punting, Dalton Parks, has graduated and the punting chores in 2017 will be up to newcomer Thomas Bennett.

"Thomas has a lot of pop off that leg. He can really get it up in the air, so I'm excited to see how he handles it. We haven't been under the lights with him, but he's a kid who has been around it is his whole life, and is a great competitor, so I don't see any issues there," added Montgomery.

Junior Sam Gottsch returns as the holder on placements for Jones, while the responsibility of getting the ball to Gottsch will be in the hands of a first-year snapper. Bennett can also handle the holding duties on placements.

Freshman Adam Higuera comes to Tulsa as a heralded deep-snapper as his older brother, Rey, did a few years earlier.

"Adam has done a really nice job snapping. Starting another true freshman. We did it last year, and now doing it again this year. It's always nerve racking when you're going into the season with a true freshman snapper, but Adam is very talented and does a great job. He's really handled it well so far this year, Montgomery said.

Tulsa's coverage and return teams will once again be key components in the success of the Golden Hurricane this year.

Practice Report #15: Tulsa Hits the Two-Week Mark from the First Game; Previewing the Specialists

Players Mentioned

Thomas Bennett

Adam Higuera

Redford Jones

Tristan Lacey

Dalton Parks

Nate Walker