CAMP UPDATE: The Linebacker Position

TULSA, Okla. –– Experience returns to the linebacker corps for the Golden Hurricane with six lettermen back for the 2022 campaign.

Two graduate players and one senior hold down the three starting spots.

Senior Justin Wright (6-2, 244) shared the team-lead a year ago with 82 tackles and added 5.5 TFL and one interception for a touchdown, while forcing one fumble and recovering another.

Wright will be flanked by graduates Grant Sawyer (6-2, 220) and Jon-Michael Terry (6-3, 247) in the lineup.

A fifth-year player, Sawyer has played in 46 career games with eight starts and has tallied 70 tackles and 12 stops for -44 yards. Terry, who transferred from Oklahoma in the spring of 2021, played in four games and totaled eight tackles and two TFL before suffering a season-ending injury a year ago.

"When you start talking about Justin, Jon-Michael and Grant. Those guys have gotten a ton of reps and have been in starting roles. We have a lot of faith in them. They know what each other is doing and thinking and they play well off each other. They do a great job of communicating. They can all run. All three are physical and they communicate our defense in a really good way," said Tulsa Head Coach Philip Montgomery.

"The group behind them have gotten considerable playing time last year and some the year before. The consistency level has to continue to grow with that group, just knowing that you'll get out of them each and every rep, each play and making sure they do their assignment," Montgomery added.

That group Montgomery references include junior Dorian Hopkins (6-0, 236) and seniors Mitchell Kulkin (6-0, 213) and Brian Johnson (6-1, 198). Hopkins had 26 tackles and three TFL a year ago, while Kulkin tallied 13 and Johnson six stops.

"Behind that second group, we get really young," said Montgomery. "Those guys have to come on and grow, but that's part of the process and we'll keep giving them opportunities to do that."

Bershard Glaspie (6-2, 209) and walk-on Trevor Reh (6-2, 229) have seen playing time for the Hurricane, but mainly on special teams. They are joined by red-shirt freshman Jaden Moore (6-3, 220) and walk-ons Seth Bullock (6-2, 219) and Sam Clayton (6-0, 205) A pair of freshmen, Eli McWilliams (6-3, 225) and Zach Neilsen (6-1, 222) add depth to the position as well.

CAMP UPDATE: The Linebacker Position

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Players Mentioned

Seth Bullock

Sam Clayton

Dorian Hopkins

Brian Johnson

Mitchell Kulkin

Eli McWilliams

Jaden Moore

Zach Neilsen

Trevor Reh

Grant Sawyer

Jon-Michael Terry

Justin Wright

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