Editor’s Note: Because the Mid-Major writers of our own staff our too lazy, we have outsourced a few previews to certain generous posters from the Something Awful forums. Today “drunk leprechaun” teaches us about his Adopted Mid-Major, Tulsa:
When Tulsa moved from the WAC to Conference USA in 2005, Tulsa was expected to contribute more to basketball, not football. However, Steve Kragthorpe’s squad took the conference by surprise and won the conference in their first year. Kragthorpe has moved on to Louisville, but the Golden Hurricane has brought in several great coaches. Todd Graham was Tulsa’s DC from 2003-05 when he left for the head coaching job at Rice. He lead the Owl’s to their first bowl game since 1961, and has now come back to help Tulsa become a dominant program in CUSA West. He is joined by Gus Malzahn, the former OC of Arkansas who was part of the Springdale drama-bomb. This year he is supposed to implement his no huddle spread offense, but we all know how that went down at Arkansas. Herb Hand comes from WVU to be co-OC and o-line coach. It will be interesting to see what Tulsa can do with these shifts in the coaching staff, and if they can avoid any drama related to Springdale, Malzahn, and Arkansas.
Seriously that is a Golden Hurricane? It looks more like the offspring of Superman and a carrot.
Team: Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Location: Tulsa, OK
Stadium: Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium - Capacity 35,542
Coach: Todd Graham
2006 Record/Finish: 8-5, 3rd in CUSA West. Lost to Utah 25-13 in Armed Forces Bowl
2007 H2DN Prediction: 9-3, 1st in CUSA West
Top Returner: QB Paul Smith
Biggest Loss: WR Idris Moss
ESPN Incessant Talking Point: MALZAHN!! MUSTAIN!!! ARKANSAS!!! SPRINGDALE!!! OMG DRAMA BOMB!!! When there is an entire section on the college football part of ESPN.com about that resulting shit that has gone down there in the off season it is sure to spread to Malzahn’s new home. Plus, ESPN isn’t going to do any legit research into a small school like Tulsa.
Key Offseason Event: Coaching changes. Kragthorpe left for Louisville, and Graham came back home to Tulsa in hopes of a CUSA championship. Malzahan’s move from Arkansas will also prove interesting, especially since the offense will have to adapt to a totally new offense. His co-OC Herb Hand came from WVU and brings his zone blocking scheme to TU’s offensive line. Graham also brought his DC from Rice with him to revert back to the 3-3-5 defense they used when Graham was there. Wait a team running a no huddle offense with zone blocking on the o-line and a 3-3-5 defense? Holy crap, I think I just found WVU west.
Additional Notes: Tulsa got a favor from the scheduling powers - they play SMU and Houston at home this year. However, they need to avoid a repeat of their three-game losing streak in the critical part of the conference schedule to make a run at the Liberty Bowl. Oklahoma will have it in for them as Tulsa is the first mid-major opponent post-Fiesta Bowl. Look for Tulsa to possibly appear in the 20-25 range in the preseason polls after breaking into BCS standing for the first time last season.
With Houston breaking in a new QB, and Tulsa returning veteran Paul Smith, they look poised to make a run at the CUSA championship, and appear to have the West division sewed up. The only thing that would prevent this from happening is if the offense cannot work under the new no huddle spread offense. The defense looks to be solid again, lead by senior linebackers Nelson Coleman and Chris Chamberlain who last season combined for 149 tackles. Really, TU is going to be the team to beat in CUSA West, and should be able to give the mighty BYU a decent game if they have figured out their offense by that point of the season.
Fun Fact: Tulsa was blown out by Houston 100-6 in 1968. The anchor of that amazing defense? Middle linebacker Phil McGraw, whom you may know as that guy your girlfriend doesn’t shut up about.
