2011 Tulsa Golden Hurricane Football Preview

The 2010 campaign was one to remember in Tulsa. Despite losing three of their first six games, the Golden Hurricane won seven straight to close the season, including a program milestone win in South Bend over Notre Dame and a surprising blowout of nationally-ranked Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl. Tulsa finished with 10 wins and a top 25 ranking in the final AP poll.

The secret to Tulsa’s success was indeed that win at Notre Dame. In past seasons, a midyear loss to a non-conference powerhouse (such as Boise State in a nationally-televised game) or a C-USA rival ( Houston, at home, on a 51-yard field goal at the end of regulation) took all the air out of the balloon for Tulsa. The team failed to show up in the games following those crushing losses. Much like Marshall against West Virginia last season, Tulsa had allowed one loss to defeat itself three or four additional times. Learning how to handle the mental grind of a 12-game season was something that the Golden Hurricane found very difficult to do. In 2010, though, this dynamic worked in favor of Tulsa. After struggling for the first two months of the season, the Notre Dame win – sealed on an interception in the end zone in the final minute of regulation – transformed the mindset in the locker room and on the practice field. Newly energized and supremely confident, the Golden Hurricane tore through the month of November and nearly stole the Conference USA West Division title. Only an overtime win by Southern Methodist at East Carolina on the final weekend of the season prevented TU from taking a division title. The max-out performance in the Hawaii Bowl – in what was a legitimate road game – only affirmed the good things this program did in the second half of the 2010 campaign.

Gone, however, is head coach Todd Graham, who pounced on the head coaching job at Pittsburgh when the Panthers’ first hire, Michael Haywood, had to abruptly resign just days after taking the job due to a domestic assault incident involving his wife. New Tulsa head coach Bill Blankenship, who was the associate head coach under Graham last season, certainly doesn’t have a lack of firepower during his first season at the helm. The Golden Hurricanes return the dynamic duo of quarterback G.J. Kinne and wide receiver Damaris Johnson. Kinne was the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year in 2010. Johnson, for his part, is the NCAA’s all-time leader in all-purpose yards. And he still has the upcoming season to add to his historical mark. The Golden Hurricane return 10 starters on offense. They will form a lethal unit to be sure. The defense returns eight starters and – like any other defense in Conference USA – just needs to be airtight in meaningful moments in order to make a significant impact.

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The schedule is going to be challenging for Tulsa, as the Golden Hurricanes travel to in-state rival Oklahoma in week one. Two weeks later Tulsa takes on its other Oklahoma rival, Oklahoma State. The following week, the Golden Hurricane travel to Boise State. It’s as difficult a September as one could imagine. Yet, if all those tough tests prepare this team for a big run in Conference USA, it will be worth it. A division title would be a smashing success this year, while Central Florida stands as the clear favorite for the league championship.