A Look at the Offense

A Look at the Offense

7/31/2018 11:40:00 AM | Football

THE OFFENSE
Explosive is what Tulsa football became accustomed to in the first two seasons under head coach Philip Montgomery, and as the Golden Hurricane enter the 2018 season looking to get back into Bowl contention Montgomery wants to see that explosiveness return on the offensive side of the ball.

QUARTERBACK
Montgomery is looking for his offense to be more explosive and balanced than it was a year ago, and that starts at the quarterback position.

"We're still really young at the quarterback spot, that hasn't changed, but we're more mature than we were last year," said Montgomery.

Tulsa heads into fall camp looking to settle on a signal-caller as sophomore Luke Skipper (6-2, 211) and junior Chad President (6-2, 226) shared the quarterbacking duties last year, and red-shirt freshman Seth Boomer (6-3, 205) has entered into the mix to claim the starting spot in 2018.

"We're looking for a guy who can consistently move the chains, make the right decisions, operate within the offense, but also continue to push us to another level," added Montgomery.

In 2017, President began the first six games, and Skipper started the next five contests. President rushed for 429 yards, nine touchdowns and threw for another 921 yards and three TDs, while Skipper completed 56-percent of his passes for 1,141 yards and three TDs.

While President missed the spring after suffering an ACL injury in the final game of the 2017 campaign, Skipper and Boomer rose to the top during spring drills. Boomer completed 7-of-9 passes for 102 yards and one touchdown in the spring game, while Skipper completed 9-of-15 passes for 88 yards and one TD.
"In today's game, the quarterback position is vitally important. I don't care if you're talking about high school, college or the NFL. Teams that have quarterbacks who can operate are the teams winning, so our quarterbacks must operate at a high level, said Montgomery.

True freshman Davis Brin (6-2, 195), who came to school in January and participated in spring drills, junior Will Hefley III (6-5, 207), who saw his only action in the 2017 season finale, and walk-on Brad Marquardt (6-1, 201) add depth at the quarterback position. Junior Zach Smith (6-3, 228) will sit out the 2018 season after transferring from Baylor.

RUNNING BACK
Despite losing the school's all-time rushing leader D'Angelo Brewer to graduation, the Hurricane running back situation has quality from top to bottom and a healthy backfield in 2018 will go a long way to Tulsa ranking among the top-15 nationally in rushing for a third consecutive season.

"Losing D'Angelo is big. You're talking about the career leader at Tulsa. He was such a great competitor and asset to what we did offensively, so those are big shoes to fill," said Montgomery.

But, the stable is not empty.

Sophomore Shamari Brooks (5-9, 193) set Tulsa's true freshman rushing record last year with 687 yards and 10 TDs in just nine games. Had Brooks not been sidelined with an injury suffered in the ninth game, he most likely would have joined Brewer as a 1,000-yard rusher.

Brooks burst on to the scene in the third game as he gained 141 yards and scored three touchdowns against Toledo, and in his only start for an injured Brewer he rushed for a season-high 164 yards and two TDs against UConn.

Fellow sophomore Corey Taylor II (5-10, 218) showed his potential when he ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener against Oklahoma State, but his season abruptly ended with an injury a week later. Taylor rushed for 179 yards, a 5.3 average and four TDs in his only two games.

"I thought Shamari as a true freshman played unbelievably well. We expect him to carry much more of that load, and to be able to step-in and get it done, and Corey will be back and ready to go," said Montgomery. "Not having Corey for most of last year was tough on us. He's that bigger, stronger back who weighs more and runs heavier but still has the speed to take it the distance."

Three players who did not play in 2017 – senior Ramadi Warren (5-9, 210), junior Javon Thomas (6-2, 237) and red-shirt freshman Reed Martin (6-1, 205) – will all compete for playing time.

Warren last saw playing time in the 2015 season when he rushed for 475 yards, a 6.7 average per carry and six touchdowns. Thomas played in just one game in 2016, while Martin redshirted last year as a true freshman.

Newcomer T.K. Wilkerson (6-2, 210), from nearby Skiatook High School, will have a chance to see playing time as a true freshman just as Brooks did a year ago. Wilkerson totaled 1,785 yards and 24 touchdowns as a prep senior.

In addition, senior Brandon Workman (5-10, 185), a walk-on, adds depth.

WIDE RECEIVERS
"We have more experience at the receiver position, but we're still young at that spot," said Montgomery. Tulsa returns three starters to the receiving corps.

Senior Justin Hobbs (6-4, 230) leads the group and comes into the 2018 season with 2,066 career yards and nine touchdowns after catching 55 passes for 830 yards last year.

"Justin really came on in the mid-part of the year, but we have to be more consistent at the other 3-4 spots depending upon what sets and formations we're in. Justin has to continue to raise his game, and so do those guys around him," added Montgomery.

Keenen Johnson (6-1, 200), having played as a true freshman in 2016, enters his junior season with the Hurricane after starting all 12 games last year. He caught 44 passes for 539 yards, including three receptions of 50+ yards. Sophomore Josh Stewart (6-2, 211) started nine games a year ago and caught 13 passes for 162 yards.

Sophomore Keylon Stokes (6-0, 190) also brings youthful experience, having played as a true freshman in 2017, as he saw more and more playing time as the season progressed. He completed the year with six receptions for 143 yards.

Junior Jarion Anderson (5-9, 179) returns to the field after missing the 2017 season. Although he hasn't seen much playing time at receiver, Anderson returned punts in 2016.
Outside receivers Avery Gragg (6-2, 209) and Andrew McKinnis (6-0, 194), both walk-ons, are the only other returnees to see any type of playing time.

Johnson, Stokes and Anderson return to the inside receiver position and will be joined by red-shirt freshman JuanCarlos Santana (6-1, 175) and true freshman Marquez Perez (5-10, 180).

Santana sat out last year after catching 43 passes for 843 yards and 13 TDs as a prep senior, while Perez will be making the transition from a high school quarterback. Perez, however, did catch 14 passes for 260 yards and three touchdowns in his prep career.

Junior David Snelling (5-10, 190) and red-shirt freshman Cannon Montgomery (5-10, 175), both walk-ons, add depth on the inside.

Sophomore Jordan Brown (6-2, 218), a trio of red-shirt freshmen – Sam Crawford (6-1, 205), Malik Jackson (6-2, 205) and walk-on Joseph Breedlove III (6-1, 198) – and true freshman Imiee Cooksey (5-11, 185) will compete for playing time on the outside.
Cooksey caught 40 passes for 837 yards and 14 touchdowns as a prep senior at Haltom (Texas) High School.

TIGHT END
The tight end position has been critical to the Tulsa run game the past three seasons.

Two-year starter Chris Minter (6-3, 253) returns for his senior season, as does Cole Neph (6-3, 240) to anchor the tight end spot. Minter has been an important cog in the Tulsa offense since first stepping on the field as a true freshman in 2015, while Neph added solid depth last year after transferring from Oklahoma State.

Minter has also made some big receptions over the last two years, as four of his 10 career catches have gone for touchdowns.

Sophomore David Fitzwater (6-4, 245), who has seen most of his previous playing time on special teams, will be in the mix for action at tight end.

Tulsa added two newcomers, true freshmen James Palmer (6-3, 230), from Westmoore (Okla.) High School, and Dalton May (6-4, 240), from Jones (Okla.) High School. Palmer was credited with 28 receptions for 448 yards and eight touchdowns in 10 games as a prep senior, while May caught 16 passes for 273 yards and three TDs.

OFFENSIVE LINE
Three seniors return to anchor Tulsa's offensive line, it's a line that has paved the way for an offense to rank among the nation's top-15 for rushing in each of the last two seasons.

Tulsa's three seniors have 97 of Tulsa's 100 starts among offensive linemen. A two-time all-conference center, Chandler Miller (6-3, 297) has started 37 games, Willie Wright (6-3, 296) has 35 starts at right tackle and two-time all-league selection Tyler Bowling (6-6, 327) has started 25 career games at left guard.

"I really feel that the offensive line has to be another strength for us this season, as we bring back three of the five starters," said Montgomery.

Miller has started every game since his first start as a red-shirt freshman in 2015, while Bowling has started every game in each of the last two seasons. Wright missed two starts due to injury in 2016 after taking over as a starter in his red-shirt freshman season of 2015.

"I think Chandler is the most talented center in our league. He'll be a four-year starter for us at center," said Montgomery. "Tyler will be a three-year starter. I thought he really came into his own, and really dominated some guys last year. His physicality really showed up. I see nothing but really good things with those two guys as our anchors."

"The guy who is probably our best vocal leader of our football team is Willie, and he'll also be going into to his fourth year as a starter. That's a lot of experience and snaps from those three guys," said Montgomery. "I expect great things from Willie, Chandler and Tyler."

The other returning offensive lineman with starting experience is sophomore left tackle Waahid Muhammad (6-5, 294). Muhammad started three games in 2017 for an injured Evan Plagg on the left side.

Muhammad missed spring drills, and junior Chris Ivy (6-3, 291) took advantage of the increased playing time to turn in a solid spring season. Ivy comes into the fall as the starter at left tackle.

The other open spot left vacant by graduation is at right guard, where sophomore Tiller Bucktrot (6-4, 325) came out of spring practice as the projected starter. Bucktrot lettered last year, but all of his playing time came on special teams. Two lettermen, who have seen most of their playing time on special teams, junior Tristan Wyatt (6-4, 299) and sophomore Clay Greathouse (6-5, 302), will compete for playing time at the right guard slot.

50029 — Chandler Miller and Tyler Bowling

On the left side, Bowling will be backed up at guard by red-shirt freshman Dante Bivens (6-3, 320)

At right tackle, Wright holds down the starting position for a fourth straight year, while red-shirt freshman Chris Paul (6-4, 302) settled into the back-up role during spring drills. True freshman X'Zauvea Gadlin (6-4, 290), a three-year starter from Mansfield Summit (Texas) High School, adds depth

Junior college transfer Judge Hartin (6-3, 290) backed up Miller at the center position during spring practice, and could see playing time at guard this fall as well. Red-shirt freshman Gerard Wheeler (6-3, 315) and true freshman Josh Owens (6-4, 275), from nearby Bixby High School, are listed at the center position as well, but could provide versatility needed to fill in at other spots along the offensive front.