GAME PREVIEW: Tulsa Travels to Navy

Saturday, November 17

Annapolis, Md.

2:30 PM

Tulsa

Navy

Photo by: Brett Rojo

GAME PREVIEW: Tulsa Travels to Navy

11/16/2018 11:31:00 AM | Football

GAME 11: TULSA (2-8, 1-5 American) vs. NAVY (2-8, 1-5 American)
Date/Time:	Saturday, November 17, 2018, 2:30 p.m. (CT)
Site:	Annapolis, Maryland
Stadium:	Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (34,000)
Coaches:	TULSA – Philip Montgomery (Tarleton State '95), 4th year NAVY – Ken Niumatalolo (Hawaii '89), 11th year
TV:	CBS Sports Network
Talent:	John Sadek (pxp), Randy Cross (analyst), Amanda Balionis (sideline)
Tickets:	To purchase tickets, NavySports.com
Radio:	Big Country 99.5 FM or Online
Talent:	Bruce Howard (pxp), Rick Couri (analyst), Jeremie Poplin (sidelines)
Live Stats:	Live Stats
Series:	Navy leads 4-1-0
First Meeting:	Navy 29, Tulsa 0 (Sept. 18, 2004), Tulsa, Okla.
Last Meeting:	Navy 31, Tulsa 21 (Sept. 30, 2017), Tulsa, Okla.
Game Notes:	Tulsa \| Navy \| American Athletic Conference

ANNAPOLIS, Md. –– The nations' No. 3 ranked rushing offense will be the test for the Tulsa defense this Saturday as the Golden Hurricane are on the road for the final time this season against the Navy Midshipmen.

The Tulsa-Navy game will be played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium with a 2:30 p.m. (CT) kickoff that will be aired on CBS Sports Network. The two teams come into the game with identical 2-8 records and 1-5 league marks.

No previous Tulsa opponent this year runs the option attack that the U.S. Naval Academy has so perfectly mastered. Navy has rushed for an average of 295.6 yards per game to also rank first in the American Athletic Conference.

Not only will the run game pose problems for the Hurricane, Tulsa will be also fighting the emotion of Senior Day for the Naval Academy, a class comprised of 34 seniors.

Leading the way for the Navy ground attack is slotback Malcolm Perry, who has also doubled as quarterback at time. Perry has rushed for 951 yards, 7 TDs and a 6.1 average per carry in leading 9 other Midshipmen with over 100 rushing yards.

Fullbacks Nelson Smith and Anthony Gargiulo are second and third on the roster for rushing yards, combining for 606 yards, while slotback Tre Walker has rushed for 269 yards and a 7.3-yard average per carry.

Zach Abey and Garret Lewis have seen the most snaps at quarterback with Lewis gaining 252 yards on the ground and has passed for 398 yards, while Abey has rushed for 167 yards and a team-high 12 TDs, but has thrown just 9 times for 64 yards.

The offensive line is led by three seniors, while when the Midshipmen do throw the ball it's normally to a big receiver, standing 6'2" or above. Taylor Jackson, standing 6'3", leads the way with 11 catches for 198 yards, while 6'5" freshman Mychal Cooper has 5 receptions for a 19.2 average and one TD.

Tulsa counters with a defense that ranks among the top-5 in The American for passing (1^st), total defense (4^th) and scoring defense (5^th), but is 10^th against the run, giving up 235 yards on the ground to opposing offenses. The Hurricane holds opposing offenses to 410 total yards, 29.4 points and 176 passing yards.

Trying to slow down the Navy option starts up front with a Tulsa line that features two 300+ pounders on the interior in sophomore Tyarise Stevenson and junior Shemarr Robinson. The lone senior upfront is Myles Mouton at one end spot and junior Trevis Gipson mans the other defensive end position for the Hurricane.

Stevenson has started 9 games this year whether anchoring Tulsa's 3-man or 4-man fronts. Gipson and Robinson have tallied 36 and 23 tackles, respectively, to lead the front four, while Stevenson has 20 stops and 3.5 TFLs for -6 yards.

Linebackers Cooper Edmiston at MIKE, Zaven Collins at WILL and Diamon Cannon at the STAR position have been active for the Hurricane this season. Edmiston ranks among the nation's top-40 for tackles, fumbles forced, fumble recoveries, interceptions and interceptions per game. He has a team-high 92 tackles and three interceptions. Collins has added 76 tackles and a team-best 8.5 TFLs for -27 yards, while Cannon has tallied 46 stops for 2 TFLs for -14 yards and three pass breakups.

The secondary is led by senior safety McKinley Whitfield, who has 59 tackles and a team-best seven pass breakups on the season. Fellow safety Manny Bunch has 58 tackles and three pass break-ups this year.

When Tulsa goes to five players on the back-end, red-shirt freshman Bryson Powers and JC transfer TieNeal Martin get the call. Powers has started the last 5 contests and has 54 stops on the year, including two double-digit games.

Tulsa has used four cornerbacks interchangeably this season, and part of the reason has been due to injuries. True sophomores Allie Green and Akayleb Evans, junior Reggie Robinson and senior Keanu Hill have seen the majority of playing time this year.

Hill has 7 starts, Green 6, Evans 4 and Robinson has 3. The foursome has combined for 80 tackles and 14 pass break-ups.

The running duo of Shamari Brooks and Corey Taylor II, both of whom are still not 100-percent after each missing one game due to injuries, lead the strength of the Hurricane offense, the ground game. The Tulsa offense has averaged 210 yards per game, but it's been turnovers and an inconsistent passing game that has hampered the offensive attack.

Tulsa has turned over the ball 21 times, but over the last five games has just 6 turnovers. Opponents have turned those takeaways into 71 points, an average of 7.1 points per game, while Tulsa's margin of loss this season has been 6.1 points.

On the year, Brooks has gained 797 yards and 6 touchdowns, while Taylor has 748 yards and 7 touchdowns. In 18 career contests, Brooks has rushed for 1,484 yards, 16 TDs and eight 100+ rushing games. Taylor has 931 career rushing yards and 11 TDs in 17 career games.

Seth Boomer will be in the saddle at the quarterback position for the seventh straight game for Tulsa. The red-shirt freshman is getting more comfortable handling the signal-calling for the Hurricane. He has thrown for 921 yards and 8 touchdowns, including a freshman record 4 TD passes vs. UConn earlier this month. His first career appearance resulted in 13 completions for 227 yards at Houston, the second-most yards ever for a Tulsa freshman making their collegiate debut.

In the last 3 games, Boomer has completed 53-percent of his passes for 488 yards, 6 TDs with no interceptions, as compared to completing just 35.1 percent in his first three collegiate games.

All-conference center Chandler Miller will be starting his 49^th consecutive game since his first start as an opening day starter in 2015 as a red-shirt freshman. Right tackle Willie Wright has started 45 straight contests.

The offensive front took a blow when 31-game starter Tyler Bowling was injured late against USF and will miss the remainder of the season. Sophomore Dylan Couch steps in at left guard, junior Chris Ivy lines up at left tackle and Chris Paul has taken most of the snaps at right guard recently.

Three of Boomer's targets on the outside have each surpassed 300 yards receiving, as senior Justin Hobbs has hauled in 32 passes for 397 yards and 3 touchdowns, junior Keenen Johnson has 25 catches for 388 yards and 3 TDs, while true sophomore Keylon Stokes has 379 yards and 2 TDs on 29 receptions

The tight end position will see seniors Cole Neph and Chris Minter. Neph has caught 11 passes this year for 147 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Navy is ranked 10^th in the league for total defense, giving up 447 total yards. Opposing offenses have gained 198 yards on the ground and 249 yards through the air against the Midshipmen.

Linebackers Taylor Heflin and Hudson Sullivan lead the way for the Navy defense, totaling 76 and 71 stops, respectively. Heflin also leads the way with 6.5 TFLs for -26 yards. Nizaire Cromartie has 42 tackles and 3. Sacks for -33 yards from his outside backer position.

The three-man front for the Midshipmen is led by seniors Anthony Villalobos and Jarvis Polu on the outside with big 309-pound Jackson Pittman on the inside. Pittman leads the trio with 27 tackles, followed by Polu with 26 and Villalobos with 18 stops.

Navy's secondary is led by senior Sean Williams at safety and senior Jarid Ryan at one of the corner slots. Williams has 66 tackles and has forced five fumbles, while Ryan has a team-leading 6 pass breakups to go along with his 30 tackles.