Preview 2019: Previewing and looking ahead to the Tulsa Golden Hurricane season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Tulsa Previews 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2018 Record: 3-9 overall, 2-6 in AAC
Head Coach: Philip Montgomery, 5th year, 21-29
5. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE TULSA OFFENSE
– The offense was supposed to work, and didn’t. The passing game was ineffective, the big plays weren’t there, and the O only averaged 378 yards and 24 points per game. However, the running game was terrific at times thanks to the 1-2 punch of Shamari Brooks and Corey Taylor.
– The pass protection has to be stronger and the quarterbacks have to be better. With Luke Skipper returning, it’s between Seth Boomer and Baylor transfer Zach Smith to try getting the attack going. They need time to work, but if the spring game was any indication, Smith and top receiver Keylon Stokes have the upside to make the passing game go.
– G Tyler Bowling is gone from an okay offensive front that needs help at tackle and needs to be far, far better in pass protection. The running game is there – the Golden Hurricane averaged 200 yards per game on the ground – but the quarterbacks weren’t given nearly enough time to work. The O moved the ball, but now the deeper passes have to come.
NEXT: What You Need To Know About the Defense, Top Players, Keys to the Season, What Will Happen
4. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE TULSA DEFENSE
– The Tulsa defense has players. It has veterans – nine starters are back – and now they know what they’re doing in the 3-3-5 alignment that had a few positives. But now the production has to come, especially against the run. The pass defense was the best in the American Athletic Conference, but that’s a technicality – the run D was pounded on for 233 yards per game.
– It starts with a pass rush that was non-existent at times and didn’t do nearly enough on third downs. It’s up to senior Trevis Gipson and sophomore Zaven Collins to become fixtures in opposing backfields, but everyone has to do more for a D that only came up with 14 sacks.
– The secondary is good, but again, there needs to be more of a pass rush to help the cause. LB Cooper Edmiston led the team in interceptions, but S Manny Bunch leads a solid group that will make plays, but just won’t do enough to take the ball away. The defensive backs won’t be the issue if the defense struggles again.
NEXT: Top Players, Keys To the Season, What Will Happen
3. TOP TULSA PLAYERS
Best Tulsa Offensive Player
RB Shamari Brooks, Jr.
The passing game might take center stage in terms of needing an improvement, but the combination of Brooks and Corey Taylor will handle most of the work early on. Brooks led the team with 967 yards and seven scores, but the 5-9, 193-pounder has the quickness and skills to bust out more big runs. He’ll get the ball in his hands more than 200 times, but he’ll still be fresh thanks to Taylor.
2. RB Corey Taylor, Jr.
3. QB Zach Smith, Jr.
4. WR Keylon Stokes, Jr.
5. WR Keenen Johnson, Sr.
Best Tulsa Defensive Player
LB Cooper Edmiston, Sr.
The defense might have been a rumor way too often, but it had a few nice performances from a group that returns loaded with veterans. It starts with Edmiston, the 6-3, 237-pound man in the middle who led the team with 113 tackles with 7.5 tackles for loss. He not much of a pass rusher or a playmaker in the backfield from his spot, but he’s got range and is terrific in pass coverage with four picks. A volume tackler, he came up with double-digit stops seven times.
2. LB Zaven Collins, Soph.
3. DE Trevis Gipson, Sr.
4. P Thomas Bennett, Sr.
5. S Manny Bunch, Sr.
NEXT: Keys to the Season, Prediction & What Will Happen
2. KEYS TO THE SEASON
Biggest Key To The Tulsa Offense
The passing game has to work. The Golden Hurricane have the running backs to balance things out, but the defense is going to be mediocre enough that the offense has to be able to keep up in shootouts. The passing attack hit the 200-yard mark just three times and only put up multiple touchdowns just two times. Baylor transfer Zach Smith has to be a difference-maker.
Biggest Key To The Tulsa Defense
Get nastier. It starts with a pass rush that has to generate far, far more than the 14 sacks of last season, and it continues with a front that has to be far, far better against the run. The Tulsa D was hit for over 190 rushing yards ten times, in 12 games. The two times it didn’t – the opener against Central Arkansas and the season-ender against SMU – the Golden Hurricane won.
Key Player To A Successful Season
QB Zach Smith, Jr.
Or sophomore Seth Boomer. Smith started out his career with Baylor and cranked up the offense, but he was banged up and ended up losing his job to Charlie Brewer after the program changed coaches. He’s got the passing chops to be exactly what the offense needs – he’ll push the ball deep. If he’s not great, then it has to be Boomer who utilizes the decent receiving corps to make the Golden Hurricane more dangerous.
Key Game To The Tulsa Season
Wyoming, Sept. 21
It’s the tone-setting game for the rest of the season. The Golden Hurricane will lose at Michigan State to start things out, and they’ll drop the date with Oklahoma State. Assuming a win over San Jose State on the road – a must-win if the program is going to move forward – then it’s up to the Wyoming game to get out of September 2-2. The AAC part of the schedule is manageable, but lose to the Cowboys and all but forget about a bowl game.
– Tulsa Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2018 Tulsa Fun Stats
– Sacks: Opponents 39 for 241 yards – Tulsa 14 for 109 yards
– 4th Down Conversions: Tulsa 18-of-31 (58%) – Opponents 4-of-11 (36%)
– Field Goals: Opponents 19-of-21 – Tulsa 12-of-21
NEXT: What Will Happen
1. TULSA WIN TOTAL PREDICTION: WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Schedule Analysis
This should be a far better team that starts to look and play like more of a factor in the American Athletic Conference race.
The defense will never be Alabama, but there’s too much experience returning to not be better. It did enough last season to at least stay in games, and now the offense has to do its part, too, with more scoring, more big plays, and more stress put on opposing defenses.
The expected upgrade in quarterback play will make a big difference, but the O line has to be strong right away, and there can’t be a major rash of injuries. If the starting 22 can stay in one piece, this could be the AAC’s surprise team. However …
Set The Regular Season Win Total At … 4
Tulsa has to come up with the wins somewhere, and the schedule isn’t much help. East Carolina and San Jose State are winnable games, but they’re on the road. UCF, Houston, Memphis, Oklahoma State are all coming to Tulsa, but they’re all problems.
There’s enough experience returning to push for close to six wins and bowl eligibility, but it’s going to take a few upsets to get there. The Golden Hurricane will be better than the three-win team of last season, but they’ll need a few breaks to get to six wins.
