Tulsa Spring Football Preview

[HuffyCane]

Does Keyarris Garrett sign with Tulsa out of high school in this offense? *crickets*

I’m less concerned about two 1000 WRs than 6 600 yard receivers of the quality of Charles Clay and Trae Johnson and Jesse Meyer.

But I hear you and deseperately hope you are right.

 

[JesseTU]

This is the same offense that it has been. There hasn’t been some huge philosophical shift like there was with the defensive structure. The offense is running variations of the same plays it has for the last four years. I don’t think it’ll take long this spring or in the fall to understand that sometimes you just need those last couple pieces to click for something special to happen. [emphasis added]

How's that been working out for us lately? Saying we will do the same thing we've been doing is not uplifting. If a team has all the pieces and they are all clicking, it should be fairly easy to win. To me, the difficulty is making sure you have as many pieces clicking as possible OR working around those weaknesses when you don't.

After watching 12 games last year, we had a lot of things not clicking (pass blocking/sacks, drops, passing in general, fumbles/turnovers, first down offense, red zone offense, defensive pressure behind the line [sacks/tackles for loss], rushing defense, punt coverage). I'm not confident that we can get enough "pieces to click" in one off season to cure all of them. So we dang well better learn to work around the ones that are left or it may be really hard for even this die-hard fan to sit through UCF or Houston kicking our butt in November.


2018 -
Total offense - 90th
Passing - 109th (completion percentage: 108th, efficiency 109th, sacks allowed 121st)
Rushing - 35th
Total Defense - 76th
Winning % - 105th

2017 -
Total offense - 44th
Passing - 109th (completion percentage: 114th, efficiency: 110th, sacks allowed: 73rd)
Rushing - 14th
Total Defense - 127th
Winning % - 116th

2016 -
Total offense - 4th
Passing - 30th (completion percentage: 53rd, efficiency: 35th, sacks allowed: 47th)
Rushing - 8th
Total Defense - 75th
Winning % - 12th

2015 -
Total offense - 13th
Passing - 11th (completion percentage: 38th, efficiency: 27th, sacks allowed: 116th)
Rushing - 61st
Total Defense - 125th
Winning % - 71st
http://stats.ncaa.org/rankings/ranking_summary

P.S.
Someone let me know if I've become the board hater. I feel so negative...

 

[TU_BLA]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The offense works. The difference between 2016 and the last 2 seasons is Monty's confidence in the QB and aggressiveness in play calling because of said confidence. Yet, we come out throwing against SMU and it was probably our best game of the season on the offensive side...We have all complained about how predictable the offense and the play calls were the last 2 seasons. You have to throw the ball on 1st and 2nd downs occasionally to back the safeties off the LOS. A couple swing screens to WRs or RBs keeps the LBs lined up a little wider. IT ALL OPENS RUNNING LANES. There's a reason we had 2 guys rush for an avg of 1500 yds each in 2016....it's because we threw the ball on 1st down a lot more than we did last year. The OL did a fine job but they were only trying to block 4-5 guys instead of 8 and then the RB only had to make 1 guy miss or break 1 tackle to turn a 2-3 yard gain into a 5-6 yd gain (or longer).

 

[HuffyCane]

How's that been working out for us lately? Saying we will do the same thing we've been doing is not uplifting. If a team has all the pieces and they are all clicking, it should be fairly easy to win. To me, the difficulty is making sure you have as many pieces clicking as possible OR working around those weaknesses when you don't.

After watching 12 games last year, we had a lot of things not clicking (pass blocking/sacks, drops, passing in general, fumbles/turnovers, first down offense, red zone offense, defensive pressure behind the line [sacks/tackles for loss], rushing defense, punt coverage). I'm not confident that we can get enough "pieces to click" in one off season to cure all of them. So we dang well better learn to work around the ones that are left or it may be really hard for even this die-hard fan to sit through UCF or Houston kicking our butt in November.


2018 -
Total offense - 90th
Passing - 109th (completion percentage: 108th, efficiency 109th, sacks allowed 121st)
Rushing - 35th
Total Defense - 76th
Winning % - 105th

2017 -
Total offense - 44th
Passing - 109th (completion percentage: 114th, efficiency: 110th, sacks allowed: 73rd)
Rushing - 14th
Total Defense - 127th
Winning % - 116th

2016 -
Total offense - 4th
Passing - 30th (completion percentage: 53rd, efficiency: 35th, sacks allowed: 47th)
Rushing - 8th
Total Defense - 75th
Winning % - 12th

2015 -
Total offense - 13th
Passing - 11th (completion percentage: 38th, efficiency: 27th, sacks allowed: 116th)
Rushing - 61st
Total Defense - 125th
Winning % - 71st
http://stats.ncaa.org/rankings/ranking_summary

PS.
Someone let me know if I've become the board hater. I feel so negative...

No chance when you are up against HateyCane.

 

[Rjjackson4]

How's the WR group look in spring practice?

 

[Rjjackson4]

@Chris Harmon Who are starting Defensive secondary and Offensive Lineman players in spring practice?

How's the QB look in team and 7 on 7

 

[Chris Harmon]

How's the WR group look in spring practice?

@Chris Harmon Who are starting Defensive secondary and Offensive Lineman players in spring practice?

How's the QB look in team and 7 on 7

I finally got the spring roster info I needed, so we'll be addressing this stuff soon. We have some write-ups (snapshots of offense and defense) that we'll be pushing out soon. I'll also have a spring roster analysis article as usual.

 

[Gmoney4WW]

I finally got the spring roster info I needed, so we'll be addressing this stuff soon. We have some write-ups (snapshots of offense and defense) that we'll be pushing out soon. I'll also have a spring roster analysis article as usual.

Yay!!!

 

[quincy101]

Thanks Chris, we sure don't get much info from the local rag, nor tulsahurricane.com for that matter. What's with the cone of silence over our football team?

 

[alchemy]

I agree with Quincy, the lack of information from camp is not the way to build community interest in the program. Very strange?

 

[Rjjackson4]

I finally got the spring roster info I needed, so we'll be addressing this stuff soon. We have some write-ups (snapshots of offense and defense) that we'll be pushing out soon. I'll also have a spring roster analysis article as usual.

Thanks Chris.

 

[HuffyCane]

I finally got the spring roster info I needed, so we'll be addressing this stuff soon. We have some write-ups (snapshots of offense and defense) that we'll be pushing out soon. I'll also have a spring roster analysis article as usual.

Better late than never!!

 

[Raisin_Cane]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The offense works. The difference between 2016 and the last 2 seasons is Monty's confidence in the QB and aggressiveness in play calling because of said confidence. Yet, we come out throwing against SMU and it was probably our best game of the season on the offensive side...We have all complained about how predictable the offense and the play calls were the last 2 seasons. You have to throw the ball on 1st and 2nd downs occasionally to back the safeties off the LOS. A couple swing screens to WRs or RBs keeps the LBs lined up a little wider. IT ALL OPENS RUNNING LANES. There's a reason we had 2 guys rush for an avg of 1500 yds each in 2016....it's because we threw the ball on 1st down a lot more than we did last year. The OL did a fine job but they were only trying to block 4-5 guys instead of 8 and then the RB only had to make 1 guy miss or break 1 tackle to turn a 2-3 yard gain into a 5-6 yd gain (or longer).

+1.

Haven’t looked at the actual numbers against SMU in terms of number of passes compared to the other wins or the rest of the season, but one thing to note is that it was one of those games where Hobbs just made catches. It was also one of those games where Keenen was able to get free. When Keenen can find space, good things happen. Remember the beginning of the Houston game this year? He’s just probably not ever going to be best used as a straight vertical guy. He wins battles on slants, go routes, or anything else that allows for a hitch. If Stewart can get himself in order (seems like he has missed significant time the last two years) and/or Crawford can show a consistent ability to win one on one aerial battles, that will take significant pressure off Keenen to have to run those vert routes that space out the secondary.

 

[Raisin_Cane]

Thanks Chris, we sure don't get much info from the local rag, nor tulsahurricane.com for that matter. What's with the cone of silence over our football team?

Not really sure what’s going on but I saw in one of Kelly’s articles the other day that DT, who runs football media relations, is the NCAA basketball tournament director for Tulsa. I believe that was the title listed in the article. Gotta imagine that’s a lot of work. And if I’m not mistaken from the website and game notes (that I read way too often to be healthy), the second football media relations person is also the main basketball person! As always, the workings of the tulsa world are a mystery.

 

[old.guy]

No mystery, really. The TW has made such deep cuts in its staff that it no longer has enough people to cover all the things it used to cover.

 

[TU_BLA]

No mystery, really. The TW has made such deep cuts in its staff that it no longer has enough people to cover all the things it used to cover.

Hines is in Memphis covering the tournament for as long as TU is in it.

She was at a couple of the practices after they started.

You're not hearing much out of anyone in terms of Spring practices. In the middle of the most exciting part of college basketball season, just before Spring break, and literally every NFL team in the state scouting OSU, OU, and TU the past 3 days, it's not hard to see why the media is not focused on any spring practices right now especially considering when you're on day 4 or 5 out of 15. You will get more after Spring break and college basketball in OK is done for everyone. Obviously OU's Spring game is going to be a media fiasco. I'm hoping TU has nice weather for theirs.

 

[Chris Harmon]

Hines is in Memphis covering the tournament for as long as TU is in it.

She was at a couple of the practices after they started.

You're not hearing much out of anyone in terms of Spring practices. In the middle of the most exciting part of college basketball season, just before Spring break, and literally every NFL team in the state scouting OSU, OU, and TU the past 3 days, it's not hard to see why the media is not focused on any spring practices right now especially considering when you're on day 4 or 5 out of 15. You will get more after Spring break and college basketball in OK is done for everyone. Obviously OU's Spring game is going to be a media fiasco. I'm hoping TU has nice weather for theirs.

Years ago, back when Jimmie Tramel and I were allowed at every minute of every practice, there was coverage on ITS, TW and TU site after every session. But that faded away as access to practice disappeared. With that said, I don't understand why TU isn't putting info out on their website.

 

[HuffyCane]

They will cover what clicks.

They will consider covering anything that is presented to them from a reputable institutional source that is publication ready.

Taking the time and money to figure out what’s going on with Tulsa spring football then prep it for publication isn’t worth the number of clicks.

Years ago, back when Jimmie Tramel and I were allowed at every minute of every practice, there was coverage on ITS, TW and TU site after every session. But that faded away as access to practice disappeared. With that said, I don't understand why TU isn't putting info out on their website.

This. No comment at all makes you long for the days of ol’ paranoid TG fretting out on camera a growling “No Comment” when asked if the walk on kickers had trouble with the wind today.

 

[Chris Harmon]

Thanks Chris.

After analyzing the 2019 Tulsa Football Spring Roster, we look at departures, new arrivals and positions changes.

LINK: 2019 Spring Roster Analysis

 

[TU1NNJ]

FYI on Hefley; I understand that he graduates in May and will start Medical School at Vanderbilt in the fall. Unfortunate his playing career didn’t pan out the way many hoped but he appears to be making the best of his education.

 

[TulsaFan2000]

FYI on Hefley; I understand that he graduates in May and will start Medical School at Vanderbilt in the fall. Unfortunate his playing career didn’t pan out the way many hoped but he appears to be making the best of his education.

Wow Vanderbilt med school is extremely difficult to get into. Good for him. Also should show future Tulsa recruits that a Tulsa education can you get into top programs around the country.

 

[TU4ever2]

How's that been working out for us lately? Saying we will do the same thing we've been doing is not uplifting. If a team has all the pieces and they are all clicking, it should be fairly easy to win. To me, the difficulty is making sure you have as many pieces clicking as possible OR working around those weaknesses when you don't.

After watching 12 games last year, we had a lot of things not clicking (pass blocking/sacks, drops, passing in general, fumbles/turnovers, first down offense, red zone offense, defensive pressure behind the line [sacks/tackles for loss], rushing defense, punt coverage). I'm not confident that we can get enough "pieces to click" in one off season to cure all of them. So we dang well better learn to work around the ones that are left or it may be really hard for even this die-hard fan to sit through UCF or Houston kicking our butt in November.


2018 -
Total offense - 90th
Passing - 109th (completion percentage: 108th, efficiency 109th, sacks allowed 121st)
Rushing - 35th
Total Defense - 76th
Winning % - 105th

2017 -
Total offense - 44th
Passing - 109th (completion percentage: 114th, efficiency: 110th, sacks allowed: 73rd)
Rushing - 14th
Total Defense - 127th
Winning % - 116th

2016 -
Total offense - 4th
Passing - 30th (completion percentage: 53rd, efficiency: 35th, sacks allowed: 47th)
Rushing - 8th
Total Defense - 75th
Winning % - 12th

2015 -
Total offense - 13th
Passing - 11th (completion percentage: 38th, efficiency: 27th, sacks allowed: 116th)
Rushing - 61st
Total Defense - 125th
Winning % - 71st
http://stats.ncaa.org/rankings/ranking_summary

P.S.
Someone let me know if I've become the board hater. I feel so negative...

Not to put too fine a point on it. But just looking at the numbers our defense was good enough for ten wins last season (look at our 2016 rank, which faced an arguably easier schedule). Our passing game was not.

Would have been interesting to see how good the defense could have been facing just fewer turn overs, or same turnovers but better field position from an adequate passing attack.

Bowl eligible? Maybe.

 

[quincy101]

Despite the cone of silence still hovering above our team, the only mention from Monty after practices resumed was that the D is still ahead of the O. Not surprised.

 

[TU_BLA]

Chadwick just tweeted this out:

Defense going into 2019:
CB: 6-4, 215
CB: 6-2, 200
S: 6-1, 205
S: 6-4, 200
S: 6-1, 210
LB: 6-4, 255
LB: 6-3, 245
LB: 6-2, 230
DE: 6-5, 265
DL: 6-3, 310
DL: 6-0, 295
DE:6-3, 265

Damn....we've got a pretty big defense. Are they fast enough to produce. And now can the offense score enough points to take a little of the pressure off?

 

[quincy101]

Are they fast enough to produce

Why not. All of these guys are starters or played. You know they're working hard against the run. The secondary can produce-they did it last yr. Wish Monty would lift the cone of silence around who's doing what to whom.. Don't understand it.

 

[rusty-c]

Chadwick just tweeted this out:

Defense going into 2019:
CB: 6-4, 215
CB: 6-2, 200
S: 6-1, 205
S: 6-4, 200
S: 6-1, 210
LB: 6-4, 255
LB: 6-3, 245
LB: 6-2, 230
DE: 6-5, 265
DL: 6-3, 310
DL: 6-0, 295
DE:6-3, 265

Damn....we've got a pretty big defense. Are they fast enough to produce. And now can the offense score enough points to take a little of the pressure off?

That's nearly a ton and a half of beef. If the nasty is there that will be a menacing group of men coming at the opposing offense.

 

[Rjjackson4]

The defense played well when they had time to rest. This year defense should be able to hold some of the more explosive offense below average numbers this year.