Photo by: BRETT ROJO, For the University o
GAME NOTES #8: Tulsa Hosts UTSA Saturday on Homecoming
10/22/2024 2:36:00 PM | Football
Tulsa-UTSA Kicks Off Saturday at 2:30 PM
Game Information
Date / Time: Saturday, Oct. 26, 2:30 p.m. (CT)
Site: Tulsa, Okla.
Stadium: Skelly Field @ H.A. Chapman Stadium (30,000)
TV: ESPN+
Talent: James Westling (pxp), Leger Douzable (analyst)
Radio: Big Country 99.5 FM / Sirius XM 387
Talent: Bruce Howard (pxp), Rick Couri (analyst), Jeremie Poplin (sideline)
Live Stats: TulsaHurricane.com
Series: UTSA leads 1-0
Last Meeting: Nov. 2, 2013, UTSA 34, @ Tulsa 15
FOR FULL GAME NOTES PACKAGE, CLICK HERE
WATCH COACH WILSON PRESS CONFERENCE, CLICK HERE
TULSA 2-5. 0-3 The American
Head Coach: Kevin Wilson, 2nd year
(North Carolina '84)
Career Record: 32-60 (8th year)
TU Record: 6-13 (2nd year)
UTSA 3-4, 1-2 The American
Head Coach: Jeff Traylor , 5th year
(Stephen F. Austin '90)
Career Record: 42-18 (5 years)
UTSA Record: Same
THE STORYLINES . . .
• This week's game is the fourth for both Tulsa and UTSA in American Athletic Conference play.
• Tulsa will be looking for its first AAC win, while UTSA is coming off its first league win with a 38-24 home win last week.
• Tulsa is in its 128th season of football with its first year coming in 1895, while UTSA is only in its 14th season of football, with its inaugural year in 2011.
• Tulsa is in its 11th season in the American Athletic Conference while UTSA is in its second year of AAC play.
• The Hurricane has a pretty balanced attack, averaging 203.9 yards and scoring nine touchdowns through the air, and rushing for 167.1 yards.
• For UTSA, the Roadrunners have been more effective through the air, throwing for 267.6 yards to rank third in the AAC, and ninth in rushing with 141.6 yards.
THE SERIES . . .
• This is the second meeting between Tulsa and UTSA.
• The two teams only other meeting came on Nov. 2, 2013, as the Roadrunners claimed a 34-15 victory at Chapman Stadium.
• The last meeting between the two teams was also on Tulsa's Homecoming.
ON HOMECOMING . . .
• Tulsa has posted an overall 54-41-3 record on Homecoming.
• Tulsa's first Homecoming game was in 1926 at McNulty Park against the Arkansas Razorbacks, defeating the visitors 14-7.
• Tulsa's first Homecoming game at H.A. Chapman Stadium (then called Skelly Field) was on Oct. 25 as the Hurricane defeated Phillips University, 25-0.
• The Hurricane has dropped its last two Homecoming games, losing 45-34 against SMU in 2022 and last year in overtime to Charlotte, 33-26.
• Since 2000, Tulsa has a 13-10 Homecoming record.
FIRST & TEN . . .
• Tulsa averaged 29.8 points in its four non-conference games, but in its first three AAC games has averaged just 12.3 points.
• RB Anthony Watkins scored his first career receiving TD, coming on a 63-yard pass play at Temple, while leading Tulsa in receiving with 73 yards on three catches.
• Tulsa has used three QBs in six of seven games this year … the only game not using three QBs came against LA Tech.
• Sixth-year TE Ethan Hall has played in the most games (55) and made the most starts (34) on the Tulsa roster.
• Redshirt freshman QB Kirk Francis has thrown for 1,217 yards and 7 touchdowns in the first seven games this year, while moving into fifth place on the all-time freshman passing chart.
• Graduate WR/PR Kamdyn Benjamin ranks first nationally for punt return TDs (1) and eighth for punt returns (15.5 ypg).
FOR GAME TICKETS . . .
• Tickets for Tulsa football games can be purchased online at www.tulsahurricane.com, by calling 918-631-4688 or stopping by the TU athletic ticket office at the Donald W. Reynolds Center.
• Single game ticket prices range from $20-50.
FORMER WALK-ONS TO KEY CONTRIBUTORS . . .
• On the 2024 roster, Tulsa has four former walk-ons making big contributions to the Golden Hurricane roster.
• WR Kamdyn Benjamin and OL Walter Young Bear had already earned their scholarships before the 2023 season, while QB Kirk Francis and SAF Dayne Hodge were put on scholarship after the 2023 season.
• This year, all four of these former walk-ons, are in starting roles.
• In his sixth year, Benjamin has a team-leading 500 receiving yards on 42 receptions with two TDs, while he ranks eighth nationally for punt returns with a 15.5 average on 10 returns … last year, Benjamin led Tulsa receiving yards (727) and receiving TDS (6).
• The junior Hodge leads the Tulsa defense with 44 tackles in his 7 starts, while adding three pass breakups, one interception and one forced fumble …last season, Hodge ended the year starting eight games and totaling 57 tackles, 1.5 TFL, one interception and has caused two fumbles.
• Young Bear has started all 7 games this year at left guard … a year ago, Young Bear played in all 12 games and started the final two contests at left guard as a sophomore.
• Francis saved his redshirt year as a true freshman in 2023, but did play in the final four games … this year, he has thrown for 1,217 yards and 7 TDs … a year ago, he completed 68-of-121 passes for 967 yards with 6 TDs, and just 3 INT, while throwing for the second-most yards in school history as a freshman with 345 yards at Tulane.
THE BA BOYS . . .
• Graduate transfer linebackers Gavin Potter and Zach Marcheselli were reunited this year returning to the area where the two were high school teammates at Broken Arrow High School.
• As prep seniors in 2018, Potter and Marcheselli helped lead Broken Arrow HS to the Class 6A-1 state championship, the school's first state title in 10-8 years of football … each were also state champion wrestlers.
• Before coming to Tulsa, Potter played four seasons at Kansas and a year at Arkansas State, while Marcheselli spent all his previous five seasons at TCU.
• On the year, Potter is ranked second on the team with 43 tackles, while Marscheselli is next with 28 stops.
• The duo made their Tulsa debut in the season opener by sharing the team lead with five tackles apiece … Marcheselli also had 2.5 TFL for -7 yards, while Potter had 1.5 TFL for -2 yards on top of a quarterback hurry.
• Potter also has a team-leading 8 TFL for -26 yards, while Marcheselli has 5.5 TFL for -11 yards.
YOUTH INVASION . . .
• This season, Tulsa has had 23 true freshmen and seven redshirt freshmen see playing time.
• Among the 23 true freshmen, five players have been in the starting lineup at least once on the year.
• DB Elijah Green has two starts (LA Tech, UNT), while DB Ashton Williiams, WR Joseph Williams (Army), RB Lloyd Avant (LA Tech) and OT Brody Duffel (Temple) have each started one game.
• On offense, RBs Lloyd Avant and Viron Ellison have combined to rush for 301 yards on 68 carries for 4.4 yards per carry.
• WRs Corey Smith, Joseph Williams, Jacob Emmers and Josh Smith have combined for 17 receptions for 237 yards … Smith leads the way with 9 catches for 127 yards and one TD.
• Two true freshman offensive linemen – Brody Duffel and Jack Tanner have appeared in five games each, while Duffel started at left tackle at Temple.
• Defensively, Tulsa has seen the most influx of freshmen in the secondary with Buddha Garrett, Ashton Williams, Zach Williams., Elijah Green, Dax Collins, Dedaunte Scott all seeing action.
• Garrett has 21 tackles and one pass breakup, Ashton Williams has totaled 15 stops, Zach Williams 14 tackles and one pass breakup and Green with 10 stops.
• LB Maruio White Jr. has totaled eight stops and defensive ends Will Smith and Jaxon Lee have three and two stops apiece.
THE RB CORPS. . .
• This season, 15 different Hurricane have carried the ball whether at running back, quarterback or wide receiver.
• Four running backs have carried the load for the Hurricane run game to average 167.3 yards per game.
• Graduate Anthony Watkins leads the way with a team-high 271 yards, 4.4 average and three TDs … he has gained 1,815 career rushing yards and 11 TDs on 351 carries for a 5.2 average at Tulsa.
• Junior Bill Jackson II is second behind Watkins in the ground game with 249 yards on 5.8 yards per carry … Jackson has 849 career yards and a touchdown on 165 carries for a 5.1 average.
• A pair of freshmen, Lloyd Avant and Viron Ellison Jr., have each gained over 100 yards per game with Avant rushing for 188 yards and Ellison 113 yards.
ELECTRIC KICK RETURNER . . .
• True freshman Lloyd Avant leads Tulsa for kick returns with 209 yards and a 29.9 average on seven returns this year.
• He began his career with a bang when he gained 127 yards on two kickoff returns in his first collegiate game against Northwestern State.
• Avant had a 100-yard house call in the fourth quarter and is one of 18 FBS players to take a kickoff back for a touchdown this season.
AIR BENJAMIN . . .
• Graduate wide receiver Kamdyn Benjamin has been a threat for the Tulsa offense this season, as well as ranking among the American Athletic Conference leaders this season.
• The former walk-on has caught a team-high 42 passes for 500 yards and two TDs.
• Benjamin is second in the AAC for receptions with a 6.0 average per game and fifth for receiving yards per game at 71.4.
• He also ranks third for punt return yardage (15.5 ypg) and eighth for all-purpose yards (96.0 ypg)… his 15.5 yards per punt return also ranks eighth nationally.
• Benjamin also had his first career punt reutrn for a TD with a 66-yard return against Northwestern State in the season opener and is one of just 36 FBS players to have a KOR for a touchdown.
THE GAME ON HIS FOOT . . .
• Graduate placekicker Seth Morgan played the hero in Tulsa's win at LA Tech, connecting on a clutch 45-yard field goal to send the game into overtime and then hitting the game-winner from 34 yards out.
• He finished the game 3-of-3 on field goals and knocked through his two extra points, making him responsible for 11 of TU's 23 points.
• He was named the Co-American Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts … Morgan joined graduate wide receiver/punt returner Kamdyn Benjamin in winning the weekly award this season.
• Morgan was also named a Lou Groza Award Star of the Week for Week 4, which highlights standout performances of three FBS Division I kickers each week.
• Thru seven games, Morgan has converted 8-of-10 field goals and is on a current streak of 7-for-7 … he has also made 17-of-18 free throws.
WEARING DADS NUMBER . . .
• On Oct. 27, 2018, Tulsa All-American offensive lineman Jerry Ostroski had his jersey No. 55 retired.
• Amongst his family at the ceremony was son Owen Ostroski, who later would sign with the Golden Hurricane to follow his dad's playing career at Tulsa.
• A junior defensive end, Owen, has worn No. 48 in honor of another former TU player – the late New York Jets defensive end Dennis Byrd.
• This year, the number 55 will be put back in action as the younger Ostroski will be wearing his dad's number.
• Through the first 7 games, Ostroski has totaled 20 tackles, 6.5 TFL for -29 yards, oen sack for -4 yards, two QB hurries and a 64-yard fumble return to set up Tulsa's winning touchdown vs. LA Tech.
MAKING THE MOVE TO DEFENSE . . .
• After spending his first four seasons at Tulsa as a receiver, senior Malachai Jones made the move to safety in spring drills.
• The secondary position is not foreign to Jones, as he played receiver, safety and cornerback at Houston Westfield HS.
• Jones earned the start in the season opener against Northwestern State and has started all 7 games this year.
• He has registered 27 tackles, three pass breakups and one fumble recovery.
• Jones had a career-high 7 tackles vs. Temple and added 6 stops at Arkansas State.
• After redshirting in 2020, Jones has played receiver for the next three seasons and caught 49 passes for 630 yards and 4 TDs.
Players Mentioned
RB
/ Football
Wide Receiver
/ Football
SAF
/ Football
OL
/ Football
RB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
Quarterback
/ Football
SAF
/ Football
CB
/ Football
Tight End
/ Football
Safety
/ Football
Running Back
/ Football
Wide Receiver
/ Football
JACK
/ Football
LB
/ Football
PK
/ Football
Defensive Line
/ Football
LB
/ Football
CB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
DE
/ Football
OL
/ Football
Running Back
/ Football
JACK
/ Football
SAF
/ Football
WR
/ Football
SAF
/ Football
Offensive Line
/ FootballTuesday, May 19
Tuesday, May 19
Tuesday, May 19
Monday, May 04