Tulsa running back Trey Watts returns to help lead the Golden Hurricane offense. Credit: Brett Deering / Getty Images.
The Orlando Sentinel has ranked all 120 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in the country. We’ll take a closer look at a new team daily, counting backward from No. 120 to our projected No. 1 team. We will not be including the four teams the NCAA lists as still reclassifying to the Football Bowl Subdivision level.
Today at No. 50: Tulsa
Coach: Bill Blankenship (8-5, entering second year)
2011 record: 8-5 (7-1 in Conference USA , second place in C-USA Western Division)
Look back: Bill Blankenship, who had deep ties to the Tulsa program, replaced Todd Graham as the Golden Hurricane’s head coach shortly after the 2010 season. Blankenship inherited a strong team led by Texas transfer quarterback G.J. Kinne, who made sound decisions on the field and had no trouble running Tulsa’s rapid-fire offensive attack.
It was easy to overlook Tulsa early in the 2011 season because the Golden Hurricane struggled with a brutal schedule. The team opened the year with a 47-14 loss at national powerhouse Oklahoma. Tulsa bounced back with a 31-3 win at Tulane, but the next two games were much tougher. Tulsa suffered a 59-33 loss against Oklahoma State and a 41-21 loss at Boise State.
The Golden Hurricane regrouped, winning seven of its final eight regular season games. Tulsa rolled to a 41-24 win against North Texas, a 37-20 win over UAB, a 38-20 win at Rice, a 38-7 win against SMU, a 24-17 win at UCF, a 59-17 win against Marshall and a 57-28 win at UTEP.
Houston, led by prolific passer Case Keenum, proved to be a major road block for the Golden Hurricane. Tulsa was overmatched in the contest, falling 48-16 at home against Houston. The Cougars appeared to be headed to a BCS bowl, but Houston lost to Southern Miss in the Conference USA title game.
Tulsa shifted its focus to preparing to face BYU in the Armed Forces Bowl. The Golden Hurricane held a 21-17 lead late in fourth quarter when the Cougars mounted a rally. BYU quarterback Riley Nelson connected with Cody Hoffman for a two-yard touchdown pass with 11 seconds left in the game, securing a 24-21 win over Tulsa.
Offensive starters lost/returning: 5/6
Defensive starters lost/returning: 4/7
Key losses: QB G.J. Kinne, OL Clint Anderson, OL Tyler Holmes, K/P Kevin Fitzpatrick, OL Matt Romine, LB Curnelius Arnick, LB Alan Dock, DB Milton Howell, DE Tyrunn Walker, TE Clay Sears
Top returnees: DE Cory Dorris, S Dexter McCoil, S Marco Nelson, RB/KR Trey Watts, TE Willie Carter, C Trent Dupy, OL Stetson Burnett, DT Derrick Jackson, LB Shawn Jackson
Strengths: Cody Green led his team to a 42-0 win in the Tulsa spring game, indicating he could help the Golden Hurricane offense continue to put up big numbers. Blankenship also praised fellow quarterback Kalen Henderson for his performance during the spring and said both signal callers are capable of helping the Golden Hurricane win a conference title.
Trey Watts proved to be a major playmaker for Tulsa last season and should help bolster the offense next season. Watts was part of a potent Golden Hurricane rushing attack that ranked No. 26 nationally last season with 191.69 yards per game. He also is a strong kickoff return threat, averaging 24.10 per return in 2011.
The new quarterback will have strong options in H-back Willie Carter, who earned second team All-C-USA honors after leading the team in receiving last season, and receiver Bryan Burnham, who had a team-high nine receiving touchdowns last year.
Weaknesses: Kinne was a smart, strong quarterback who won’t be easy to replace. He ranked No. 24 nationally in passing efficiency (147.43 rating per game) and No. 28 in total offense (268.85 yards per game). Blankenship called Kinne a special player and a strong leader on and off the field. While Kinne gets the most attention, it also will be tough to replace linebacker Curnelius Arnick. He was a defensive leader who ranked third nationally with 12.23 tackles per game. It appeared Tulsa might have had a shot at bringing back one of its most dynamic playmakers whose career was cut short by personal mistakes. Demaris Johnson, who broke the NCAA record for career all-purpose yards, resolved his legal issues that sidelined him for the 2011 season and was on track to return to Tulsa for the 2012 season. However, Johnson opted to pursue a spot in the NFL. He was not drafted, but he signed a free agent agreement with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Outlook: While it will be tough to replace Kinne, he was part of an elite crop of Conference USA quarterbacks that have exhausted their eligibility and most teams are in rebuilding mode. Tulsa’s new starting quarterback will be surrounded by talented playmakers and the team should once again compete for a Conference USA title and a bowl invitation.
2012 Schedule
Sept. 1 At Iowa State
Sept. 8 Tulane
Sept. 15 Nicholls State
Sept. 22 Fresno State
Sept. 29 At UAB
Oct. 6 At Marshall
Oct. 13 UTEP
Oct. 20 Rice
Nov. 3 At Arkansas
Nov. 10 At Houston
Nov. 17 UCF
Nov. 24 At SMU
Rest of the countdown:
