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Tulsa Football Team Gets Ready for Another Season
7/31/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
July 31, 2006
Tulsa, Oklahoma -
On Tuesday: A Look at the Tulsa Offense
A year ago, Tulsa wasn't on the map when it came to talking about the nation's top teams, but by seasons' end the Hurricane had proven to the country that this private school in Oklahoma could play football.
Picked to finish in fourth-place in the Conference USA West Division in 2005, Tulsa posted a 9-4 record, won the C-USA West title and the Conference USA Football Championship with a 44-27 win over Eastern Division Champion Central Florida.
Tulsa went on to hand Fresno Sate a 31-24 defeat in the 2005 AutoZone Librty Bowl.
That was great. But a new season is here.
In 2006, Tulsa returns 43 letterwinners, including 17 on offense, 24 on the defensive side of the ball and two specialists.
Offensively, Tulsa loses All-America tight end Garrett Mills to graduation, but other than finding a replacement and more ways to make up for the loss of Mills' production, the Hurricane offense returns some solid weapons.
"I really believe we have an opportunity to be an explosive offense that has the capabilities of making big plays and yet still maintain consistency that we have to have to sustain drives," said fourth-year Head Coach Steve Kragthorpe.
Tulsa returns seven starters to an offense that averaged a league-leading 33 points per game and amassed over 400 yards in total offense. A year ago, Tulsa's offense passed for 237 yards per game and rushed for another 165 yards. The Hurricane ranked 23rd nationally in scoring offense, 39th in total offense, 40th in rush offense and 41st in passing offense.
"We return four of five starters on the offensive line as well as our quarterback, Paul Smith, and back-up quarterback, David Johnson, who has proven to be a very good player in the opportunities that he's been given to play," said Kragthorpe.
Last year, Smith completed 62-percent of his passes for 2,847 yards while compiling a 142.9 pass efficiency rating and throwing 20 touchdowns to just six interceptions.
Tulsa's offensive front is the most experienced in college football with 95 career starts between the four returning starters. Senior Jeff Perrett, a preseason candidate for the Outland Trophy, anchors the offensive front.
Tulsa's stable of running backs adds up to three talented players who will compliment each other in the 2006 campaign, and give the Hurricane perhaps its deepest position on the field.
Senior Brandon Diles has gained 1,115 career yards in three seasons, while sophomore Tarrion Adams gained 574 yards and eight TDs as a red-shirt freshman a year ago.
"Our running back depth is the best it's been with quality players from top to bottom. Although we graduate Uril Parrish, we gain a healthy Brandon (Diles), and an experienced Tarrion (Adams) and transfer Courtney Tennial," said Kragthorpe.
Tennial will see his first action at running bck for the Hurricane in 2006 after transferring from the University of Oklahoma.
Tulsa will have to make up for the loss of Mills at tight end, but Kragthorpe expects the entire offense to be improved.
"Garrett was an awesome football player," said Kragthorpe. "To say that we'll replace Garrett Mills at that position is a tough statement, and yet I think we can be significantly better at all offensive positions and be a very good offense overall.
"We have a solid group of tight ends who provide us a lot of flexibility in our offensive system, and a group of wide receivers that I think will explode this year," added Kragthorpe.
Tulsa returns five lettermen to the wide receiver position, and has an influx of wide-outs joining the Hurricane roster for preseason camp. "We felt like we needed more depth at the wide receiver positions, so we did address that with some immediate help from the junior college ranks to supplement a group that I thought was much improved throughout the spring," said Kragthorpe.
The Hurricane defensive unit appears to be stocked with solid talent and depth. The defense has 10 returning starters, including two that shared starting assignments.
It's a defense that ranked among the nation's best in the 2005 campaign -- ranking third nationally in interceptions and turnovers gained, 11th in pass efficiency defense, 17th in pass defense, 40th in total defense and 43rd in scoring defense.
Tulsa loses just two starters on the defensive side of the ball, but returns two players who missed most of the 2005 season -- safeties Kedrick Alexander and Steve Craver.
"I like the experience level of our defense and feel that we return a number of players who have been through the battles," said Kragthorpe. "I feel better about our defensive depth than I have at any time prior to this season. We are continuing to recruit not only size, but speed that should help us continue to be an aggressive attacking defense.
Tulsa's defensive line possesses a lot of size, depth and talent. Tulsa has eight returning letterwinners on the defensive front, including six of whom started at least one game.
Senior Robert Latu and junior Chadd Evans each started six games last season for the Hurricane. Evans is the leading returning tackler from the front line with 34 stops a year ago. At nose guard, Tulsa has three returning players who shared time in the starting lineup last year.
Tulsa's linebacker corps is the pacesetter for the Hurricane defense.
"When I think of Nick Bunting, Nelson Coleman and Chris Chamberlain, the first thoughts that come to my mind is toughness, consistency and tremendous effort," said Kragthorpe.
Bunting has been named to the preseason watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, given to the nation's top defensive player. Coleman, a second-team all-C-USA selection, was Tulsa's leading tackler from his middle linebacker spot with 117 total tackles last year, while Chamberlain was third on the team with 88 tackles.
Tulsa returns 10 lettermen to the defensive secondary, including four of whom missed all or most of the 2005 campaign. The Hurricane comes into the 2006 season with consideration as one of the best secondaries in the nation.
Tulsa returns first-team all-Conference USA selection Bobby Blackshire at free safety, while second-team performer Nick Graham returns at cornerback. SPUR Anthony Germany is another returning starter, while cornerbacks Roy Roberts and Julian McGowan shared time as starters last year.
"The good thing in the secondary is the athleticism of our players. When we're playing teams like we're going to play in Conference USA, playing with a lot of five and six defensive back sets and the depth we have will be able to help us," said Kragthorpe.
Tulsa will have to find some replacements on special teams. "We lose some weapons on special teams with Brad DeVault, but I liked the spring that Jarrod Tracy had," said Kragthorpe.
Tulsa will also have a number of players vying for playing time in the return game. "There are a number of excellent athletes that possess big-play abilities not only on the offensive and defensive side of the ball, but also in the return game," added Kragthorpe.
