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PREVIEWING THE TULSA DEFENSE
8/6/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 6, 2011
Tulsa, Oklahoma - The Tulsa defense has switched from its 3-5-5 formation of the past to a traditional 4-3 under new defensive coordinator Brent Guy. Tulsa coaches came out of the spring impressed with the play of the defense, especially with a front seven that was dominant at times.
"The biggest difference you'll see is that four guys will have their hand on the ground. If you go back to last year, you'd notice that the last half of the season we were in a four-man front the entire time. It's just that one of the guys rushing the passer was standing up. I don't think structurally there's as much difference as what people want to make it out to be when you're talking a 4-3 vs. 3-4. This allows us to really set the edges of the defense with two big physical defensive ends, whereas a three-man front you have to use a linebacker to be that extra guy," said Blankenship.
"With a 4-3 format, you'll have a little more of a traditional linebacker set with three guys and then four defensive backs. I think that will allow us to play sound fundamental defense and be technique conscious," added Blankenship.
Overall, the Hurricane defense returns seven starters. The front seven is pretty solid with ends Tyrunn Walker and Cory Dorris and tackles Derrick Jackson and Daeshon Bufford anchoring the front four.
At linebacker, senior Curnelius Arnick tallied a team-high 115 tackles last year and had four interceptions, two of them returned for touchdowns. Arnick is joined by Freshman All-American Shawn Jackson, who totaled 88 stops and led the Hurricane in tackles for lost yardage and quarterback sacks last year.
The defensive secondary returns three full-time starters in the likes of safeties Dexter McCoil and 2010 Freshman All-American Marco Nelson and cornerback John Flanders. Junior Lowell Rose, a transfer from UCLA, saw valuable experience last season at cornerback as a part-time starter.
Tulsa will face a daunting September schedule when the Hurricane visits Oklahoma to kick-off the season, faces Oklahoma State at home after a Conference USA road date to open the league season at Tulane, and ends the month at Boise State. Later in the year, Tulsa will get the top two challengers in the C-USA West Division, SMU and Houston, at home.
DEFENSIVE LINE
The defensive front possesses good size and experience, but lacks depth. Tulsa coaches are hoping that the depth issue will see relief when five true freshmen compete for playing time in preseason drills.
Tulsa returns both starters at defensive end in the likes of senior Tyrunn Walker (6-3, 273) and junior Cory Dorris (6-4, 275). The tandem can be dominant as the Hurricane moves to a four-man front from a three-man front in previous years.
Dorris totaled 46 tackles and 5.5 stops for -18 yards last year, while Walker was credited with 43 stops and a team-best 12 tackles for -67 yards in his first season with the Hurricane.
"I love the fact that Cory and Tyrunn are our two anchor points on the defensive line. Both of those guys are veterans. They're big and physical and give us a chance to actually physically stand in there against everyone we play," said Blankenship.
"I think our first unit on the defensive line is really strong with Cory and Tyrunn on the outside and Derrick and Daeshon at tackle. I think these four are really, really quality players," said Blankenship. "The concern we have is that the proven depth is not there. In our recruiting class, we signed five defensive linemen, and the reason for that was we knew numbers-wise we needed some immediate help. I expect that there will be young players getting significant playing time on the defensive line, especially inside."
Seniors Durrell Finch (6-5, 232), a junior college transfer last year, and Rashad Robinson (6-1, 252) add depth on the outside for the Hurricane. Both players provide explosiveness and pass rushing ability off the edge. Robinson played in 12 games last year and Finch saw playing time in 11 contests.
Former walk-on Jared St. John (6-2, 248) turned in a solid spring and put himself in a position to contribute at defensive end this season.
Newcomers Derrick Alexander (6-2, 257) and Brentom Todd (6-3, 222), both starring at Tulsa High Schools, will be given an opportunity to compete for playing time immediately. Alexander brings tremendous credentials from Tulsa's Booker T. Washington High School, where he was named the state's Player of the Year after his senior campaign. He totaled 151 tackles and 14 quarterback sacks while leading his team to the Class 5A state title a year ago.
Todd brings outstanding athletic ability after starting three seasons at Tulsa Union High School and helping the Redskins win two consecutive state titles. He registered 60 tackles, six sacks and recovered three fumbles as a prep senior.
Junior Derrick Jackson (6-2, 293) brings the beef to the interior of the line and the most experience at the tackle position. He totaled 18 tackles in 13 games, while starting two contests as a sophomore last year. Daeshon Bufford (6-3, 272), who has seen most of his previous playing time at end, has added size and strength to team with Jackson as the starting tackles.
Bufford has played in 20 career games and saw action in 12 games last season. Sophomore Jack Jewell (6-5, 287) possesses great size, but will need to stay healthy to contribute for the Hurricane this season. Fellow sophomore Alex Pace (6-3, 254) is a walk-on athlete and will vye for playing time. Senior Darrell Zellars will sit out the upcoming season.
Three true freshmen, all from the state of Oklahoma, will be given every chance to compete for playing time this year. Derrick Luetjen (6-3, 270), from Hennessey, Oklahoma, brings the most credentials after having been named first-team all-state as a prep senior. He totaled 107 tackles, 14 stops for lost yardage and 12 quarterback sacks a year ago.
Nick Hall (6-3, 259) had a team-leading 83 tackles, including 50 solos, from his defensive line position at Broken Arrow High School last year. Gary Lee (6-5, 277), who brings great size and ability, was an all-metro selection at Victory Christian High School.
LINEBACKER
Despite the graduation loss of Tanner Antle, the linebacker corps is in the steady hands of senior Curnelius Arnick (6-1, 230) and sophomore Shawn Jackson (6-0, 238), both starters from a year ago.
Arnick was credited with a team-high 116 tackles last season, while totaling 197 stops in 39 career games. He demonstrated his ability as a playmaker last year when he returned a blocked PAT more than 80 yards for two points against Notre Dame, and took back two interceptions for 106 yards and one touchdown against Hawaii in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl to close out the 2010 campaign.
In 2011, Arnick moves over the MIKE linebacker position and is joined in the starting lineup by Jackson at WILL linebacker.
As a gray-shirt freshman a year ago, Jackson received Freshman All-America accolades after finishing the season second to Arnick in tackles with 88 stops and was also one of five Golden Hurricane newcomers to earn C-USA all-freshman team merits. He led the Hurricane with 15.5 tackles for -74 yards and 8.5 sacks for -55 yards.
Returning to the lineup after sitting out last season is Tulsa's 2009 leading tackler, DeAundre Brown (5-11, 211), who came out of spring drills listed as the starter at the outside CANE linebacker position. He totaled 102 tackles as he had four double-figure tackle games in 2009 from his safety position. Brown made a smooth transition to linebacker during spring drills and shook off the cobwebs early in drills from missing a full season.
"I'm very excited about the first unit at linebacker. We're bringing three guys back that have all had a significant number of starts and success," said Blankenship. "Curnelius is the leader of the defense and then being surrounded by DeAundre and Shawn gives us three playmakers in the starting lineup. We also have depth behind them."
A total of five returning lettermen return behind the three starters in 2011.
Senior Alan Dock (5-10, 207) has played in 29 career games and provides versatility at the linebacker position for the Hurricane. A major special teams contributor, he played in all 13 games last year with three tackles and two pass break-ups.
Dock is listed as Brown's back-up at the CANE position on the preseason depth chart, while sophomore DeWitt Jennings (5-10, 200) will compete with Dock for playing time. Jennings moves over from safety, the position he played a year ago. Jennings compiled 31 tackles while playing in 12 games as a true freshman.
Newcomer Zik Asiegbu (6-0, 195), who gray-shirted last year and joined the Hurricane roster in January, will add depth at the CANE slot.
Sophomore Cody Wilson (6-0, 229), a C-USA all-freshman team selection last year after playing 12 games and totaling 20 tackles, will back-up Arnick in the middle. Sophomore walk-on Jake Sizelove (6-0, 180), and a pair of newcomers could compete for valuable playing time as reserve linebackers.
Both newcomers bring great size to the position. True freshman Trent Martin (6-2, 220) comes from Jenks (Okla.) High School, where he had a team-leading 75 tackles last year. Red-shirt freshman Chris Hummingbird (6-2, 240), attended school a year ago at Tulsa, but did not compete for the Hurricane.
Hummingbird played his prep football at Tahlequah Sequoyah High School, where he was a four-year letterman and helped that school post a four-year record of 42-5. He was credited with 75 tackles and five sacks as a senior and also had 65 tackles as both a junior and sophomore.
At the WILL linebacker position, returning sophomore letterwinners Donnell Hawkins (6-1, 217) and Mitchell Osborne (6-2, 210) will back-up Jackson. Hawkins and Osborne each lettered last year as true freshmen, while Hawkins was credited with 22 tackles and Osborne registered 12 stops, including 10 solos.
Sophomore walk-on Colbert Nelson (6-1, 195) adds depth at the WILL position.
DEFENSIVE SECONDARY
The defensive secondary returns three full-time starters that led a Tulsa defense ranked No. 1 in the nation for interceptions with 24 pick-offs and third for turnovers gained with 36. A total of nine returning letterwinners are back in the secondary for the Hurricane.
The starting safeties are returning holdovers, Dexter McCoil (6-4, 222) at bandit and 2010 Freshman All-American Marco Nelson (6-0, 192) at free safety.
McCoil, who has the great height, has bulked up to 222 pounds. He totaled 56 tackles a year ago and tied fellow safety Nelson for the team-lead with six interceptions.
Along with his six pick-offs, Nelson corralled 86 tackles and six pass break-ups as a true freshman starter in 2010. He was named the Walter Camp Foundation FBS National Defensive Player of the Week when he had seven tackles and three interceptions deep in Tulsa territory against Houston.
Nelson was also named to the Football Writer's Association of America Freshman All-America team. He was a first-team all-Conference USA selection and comes into the 2011 campaign as a preseason candidate for the Thorpe Award, given to the nation's top defensive back.
Red-shirt freshman Luke Snider (5-10, 175) returns from an injury that kept him from playing as a true freshman a year ago. He will back-up McCoil at the bandit position, while junior Cody Lambert (6-0, 199) and true freshman Kwame Sexton (5-11, 170) add depth to the position.
Sexton was probably more noted for his offensive production at Holland Hall (Okla.) High School, but was solid on defense as well. He totaled 28 tackles and four interceptions from his cornerback position last year, but will move over to bandit at least for the start of his collegiate career.
James Roberson (6-2, 195), who saw valuable time a year ago in 11 games, had eight tackles for the Hurricane. Junior Trent Wilkins (5-11, 200) brings a great deal of experience to the safety position after playing in 24 games and tallying 22 tackles the last two seasons. Both Roberson and Wilkins will see playing time at free safety.
Sophomore walk-on Marcus Pate (5-11, 173) and true freshman Derek Patterson (6-0, 175) add depth at free safety. Patterson brings outstanding athletic ability to the Hurricane defense. He was the three-year starting quarterback at Kingfisher (Okla.) High School and also totaled 53 tackles and four interceptions in his prep career.
"The thing that's exciting is how much good young talent we have in the secondary. With the two quality safeties we have in Dexter and Marco, they give you peace in knowing you have two guys that are the quarterbacks of the defense. But, what I like is that we have guys behind them that are good players. I think we have some depth at the safety spot with quality guys," said Blankenship.
With the opposing offenses and some of the nation's top receivers that the Tulsa defense will face this season, the cornerback position will be tested week-in and week-out.
John Flanders (5-10, 175), one of the hero's of the Notre Dame victory a year ago with his interception in the end zone to end the game, is expected to lock down one cornerback position, but gets great support from senior Milton Howell (6-0, 180) and junior college transfer J.D. Ratliff (5-9, 174).
Flanders has started 22 games in his career and is coming off of a season that saw him total 45 tackles and five pass break-ups. Howell played receiver last year, but was most notably known for his play on special teams. Ratliff was a first-team NJCAA All-America selection as a freshman in 2009 when he recorded 40 tackles and 10 interceptions, and last year totaled 38 tackles and eight pass break-ups.
Sophomore walk-on Austin McDaniel (6-0, 175) will add depth, as will true freshman Dwight Dobbins (5-9, 173). Dobbins had 50 tackles, nine pass break-ups and three interceptions as a senior at Midwest City's Carl Albert (Okla.) High School.
Junior Lowell Rose (6-0, 186), a transfer from UCLA, saw valuable experience last season at cornerback as a part-time starter and enters preseason drills atop the depth chart opposite Flanders. Rose totaled 22 tackles and two pass break-ups in 12 games, while starting six of those contests.
Fellow junior Justin Skillens (5-9, 180) spent last year at cornerback after playing his true freshman season at receiver. Skillens totaled 12 tackles and two pass break-ups a year ago. Fellow senior Reid Singleton (5-10, 180) also backs up Rose at cornerback, and is expected to see a lot of his playing time on special teams. Sophomore walk-on Jonathan Chavira (5-8, 179) adds depth, while true freshman Darrell Williams (5-10, 179) will look to come in and compete for playing time this year.
After missing his junior season with a broken leg, Williams returned to Westfield (Texas) High School last year and tallied 48 tackles and nine pass break-ups.
"It's exciting to have a veteran guy like John Flanders, who is a true, physical corner, then coming out of spring Lowell looked like a dominant player at the corner position. I think we have a contrast with John being the more physical, aggressive guy and Lowell being more of the finesse, speed player. I like the guys behind them as well. I think we have at least five corners that will get good playing time," said Blankenship.
