Change in the Wind

"Steve has everything I look for in a head coach," said University of Louisville Vice President and Director of Athletics Tom Jurich. And just like that, the Kragthorpe era at the University of Tulsa came to an abrupt end on January 9.

In days gone by, when a successful, popular coach took off for bigger bucks and a higher profile job, University of Tulsa administrators, boosters, alums, city officials and fans would endlessly wring their hands, rag on the bum and wonder why Tulsa just can't seem to keep its most talented at 11th Street.

But the times, they may be a'chagin'.

Besides Kragthorpe's classy style and persona and his way of not having led local fans to believe he would be theirs forever, the man was honest and treated the question of moving on realistically. His popularity was based on success, to be sure, but his forthrightness won over a different breed of fan. His decision to take the Louisville job was met more congratulations than grapes of wrath.

And more importantly, the fans' period of mourning was significantly foreshortened.

Tulsa's savvy Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham swiftly moved in the only direction he could. In a matter of hours, he brought in former Golden Hurricane defensive coordinator Todd Graham, and Graham became the 27th head football coach of the Hurricane.

"It's really tough to leave a place after being there only one year," said Coach Graham of his short stint as head coach of the Rice Owls. But, it's a refreshing change to see TU play the role of shark rather than minnow.

"I knew when they offered (the job) to me I was coming back, but it was still hard to leave the place after being there only one year," he said of his decision to jump the south Texas ship and join the Hurricane on January 12.

Tulsa expeditiously acquired a replacement within three days. The astute Cunningham had the wherewithal to realize Coach K's time in Tulsa was coming to an end. His short list of possible replacements was finalized months in advance of Louisville hiring Kragthorpe.

Graham had his sight set on the vacant Tulsa job after the Keith Burns experience. He coveted the job after the 2002 season but would have to wait five years before earning the title of TU Head Coach.

The Rice gig was his initial foray into the head coaching ranks. Bitterness aside, due to his abrupt departure, fans down in Houston will tell you what an outstanding job he did in just one season.

He took the Owls to their first bowl game in 45 years. You could say they were mired in a bit of a slump. Graham resuscitated the football program from near death.

"We went through an awful lot last year as a football team, and I'm a guy who considers myself a players' coach. I'm very close to my players and ask a whole lot of them," said Graham.

His team also had to deal with the tragic death of one of its players last year.

Dale Lloyd was a freshman defensive back who collapsed during a workout one Sunday afternoon on the practice field.

Coach Graham earned his coaching stripes the hard way a year ago. There is no chapter in "Football for Dummies" on how to deal with this type of tragic event. Just ask the Drillers.

His deeply rooted faith was no doubt the main reason he was able to rally the team in such trying times. He lists the Bible as his favorite book to read.

Football 101

The 42-year-old Graham understands football in Oklahoma. His first college coaching job was with East Central University in Ada. The Tigers went from being a middle-of-the-road squad to NAIA national champions in three years.

He spent eight years on the West Virginia staff before joining Kragthorpe's ranks in 2003. He was the defensive coordinator at TU from 2003 to 2005. Those teams helped put Tulsa football back on the national stage.

People are often defined by the company they keep. You probably remember your parents telling you something similar. Perhaps you yourself recently warned your children about running around with the wrong crowd.

Coach Graham has done a bang-up job of positioning this team for success, and Keith Patterson, co-defensive coordinator, brings added stability to the coaching staff.

This is Patterson's fifth year at TU. He briefly left for Louisville before returning to the old gold, royal blue and crimson. He is joined by Paul Randolph on the defensive side of the ball.

Randolph was part of Graham's staff at Rice a year ago. Before that, he was coached at the University of Alabama where those Crimson Tide defenses were top-ranked in the nation.

Graham managed to assemble a phenomenal offensive staff. Gus Malzahn is well-known in these parts. He coached at the University of Arkansas last year, and, prior to his one-year stint with the Razorbacks, he dominated the high school ranks across the board as a head coach.

Malzahn is joined by Herb Hand on the offensive side of the ball. Hand and Graham go way back.

"Myself, coach Hand and coach Randolph all were on coach Rich Rodriguez's staff at West Virginia. We developed the off-stack (formation) there. The spread, no huddle comes from the same origins. If we're like anybody in the country, I think we are a lot like West Virginia," said Graham.

Like West Virginia? Let's break this down. In '06, the Mountaineers ranked third in offensive scoring in the nation, with almost 40 points per game. They ranked second in the nation in rushing with 303 yards per game and fifth in total yards at 461 yards per game.

Not a bad big brother to look up too. It could be a lot worse. What if he modeled the team after the Baylor blueprint?

Malzahn and Hand are implementing new schemes for the offense. More attacking and less bubble screens are scheduled for Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium. It reads as weird as it sounds, doesn't it.

Graham often refers to himself as a players' coach. Don't think he isn't involved in every aspect of the game.

"I'm hands-on in just about everything I do. I can tell you I let coaches coach. I'm very, very hands on in what we are doing on offense and what we are doing on defense," said the defensive-minded guru.

"I want to know everything we are doing. I'm going to dictate the passion in which we do things and I have my own style of doing it. I'm not a person to step back," said Graham.

Everyone Needs a Role Model

Some athletes embrace the fact people look up to them; other athletes loath it. However, we are all inspired by someone along the way.

"You know, if you ask me in my life who influenced me the most it would be Buddy Copeland," said Graham, "my 7th grade coach, who had a great deal of passion and enthusiasm in how he did things."

Coaches are a rare breed. I venture to say many of us cannot recollect the name of our 7th grade coach, but the detail-oriented Graham can recall the emotional charge generated by a mentor.

Off the field, his family drove his competitiveness. Being the smallest of four boys made him work hard from an early age. His mother also gave him a mental and physical lesson in toughness at an early age.

"I tell the story of when I laid down on the field, and I got up and ran off the field and everyone applauded. I thought she was coming down to check on me, but she came down and told me 'don't you ever embarrass me like that again. If you're hurt, you get up. If you're really hurt you'll fall back down,'" said Graham.

Between the hashmarks is where a coach earns his paycheck. West Virginia is now a Big East powerhouse. Coach Rich Rodriguez is one of the top minds in the collegiate game today. He thinks highly of TU's new gridiron leader.

"Todd brings a great deal of energy and experience to every coaching assignment. He knows what it takes to build a winner," said Rodriguez.

Graham attributes much of what he has learned to Rodriguez.

"Since I've been in college, Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia has had the greatest influence on me because of the physicalness and the passion. I think kids feed off your passion. They feed off your intensity. They're going to play like you coach them." said Graham.

It'll be interesting to watch the sideline persona of Graham this season.

I hate to keep revisiting the Kragthorpe comparison, but it's a natural and prevalent one. Coach K displayed a calm, cool demeanor the majority of the time.

He really chose his moments before unleashing a modicum of ferocity. Will Graham do the same? Something tells me we will see a much more animated coach kicking up chalk on the sideline.

Glad to be Home

"I can tell you the number one reason I (left Rice after one year) was because of the relationships that I had (at TU). Dr. Upham and the board of trustees and the commitment they have to winning and winning championships here and doing it the right way," said Graham.

TU's new general will walk into a great situation. The magnificent Case Athletic Complex finally came to fruition. The north end zone was once an eye-sore for TU'ers and national audiences alike.

Today, it is an attractive facility, one in which TU can actually point to when recruits are visiting with a certain amount of braggadocios.

Graham is also inheriting a quarterback hailed as the best in Conference USA. Paul Smith is the poster boy for TU football, Conference USA football and the entire region.

The field general was relieved.

"I think (getting Graham back) helped a lot. It couldn't have worked out much better. I had a relationship with him for the three years he was here. We kind of got to pick up where we left off," said the cerebral Smith.

Of course, Graham hangs his hat on the defensive side of the ball. Those guys are fired up as well.

"It's great. He was here when I first started. He taught me a lot. He taught me pretty much everything that I know. It's great to have him back," said Anthony Germany, starting defensive back.

"I'm pretty excited about (getting Graham back). He recruited me so I am looking forward to working with him again. We've been working great together. The team is also excited," said linebacker Nelson Coleman.

It's pretty unanimous across the board. The excitement started the day Graham's hiring was official.

"Todd's role in the rebuilding of the football program began four years ago when he became the Tulsa defensive coordinator. Continuity for our program will allow us to reach for even higher achievement," said TU A.D. Cunningham when introducing Graham this past winter.

Only time and wins will tell the story. Hopes are as high as they have ever been for Hurricane fans well-accustomed to these transition years. Can Graham keep the big "Mo" (momentum) on the side of the Hurricane? Will Tulsa rally around the new staff?

"The relationship with the city and the football team is what I like most about being (back in Tulsa) because it's a situation where the academic excellence and the reputation of the University of Tulsa (are great).

"It doesn't matter. Everybody in the city supports (the team). I like the sense of being in a place where people have pride in who they are and I think Tulsa has pride in who they are," said Graham.

While local experts where wishing for a coaching hire along the lines of Larry Cocker, Tulsa chose the path less traveled. Why hire a coaching retread? At least the thought process at TU proved to be a fresh one.

A challenging schedule and great expectations are the only roadblocks between Graham's being able to live up to the hype and keep the Golden Hurricane playing at a high level.

And, if he takes the team to a new level of success, what then?

Go ask Steve Kragthorpe.

Pigskin Prognostications

The summer sports months are insufferable to football fans. The heat, humidity and sporting lull are often offset by grillin', drinkin' and vacationing. This year was different. There have been so many subplots to our summer sports, we have barely caught our collective breath.

Many of the monumental stories are national, and several featured Tulsa twist. However, the time has come. It's time to gather around the television with your buddies or pack up the tailgating supplies. Football is here!

The great philosopher Bobby Boucher once said, "So that's what opening up a can of whoop-ass feels like." For the next five months, we will gawk as football players open up thousands of cans of whoop-ass each weekend.

Golden Opportunities

Our three teams are all on an upswing. In the not-so- distant-past, we were thrilled to see our teams obtain a bowl invite.

How the times have changed. The Sooners are expected to earn a BCS berth year in and year out. The Cowboys figure to challenge for a New Year's Day bowl game each year.

And how about TU, the little team that could? Being the smallest school in division one football, according to enrollment figures, hasn't slowed its progress.

The outlook is through the roof for the Golden Hurricane. New coach? No problem. You see, this is what going bowling three out of the last four years will do to a program's expectation level.

The Golden Hurricane gets a jump start on its in-state counterparts this season. TU revisits the ESPN2 network's Thursday night schedule on August 30 at 6pm. They take on Louisiana-Monroe on the road in what amounts to a litmus test for the following two weeks.

Is the bar set too high? Not a chance. What formula will Tulsa use to continue on the path to football prominence?

"You've got to have a quarterback and you have to play championship defense," said new head coach Todd Graham.

Who am I to argue with the expert? And when you think about it--he's dead-on in his assessment.

To be honest, this team will go as far as senior quarterback Paul Smith takes it. The 6'2", 193-pound signal caller has seen his face plastered in magazines across the nation this summer.

"I haven't seen it that many times--my helmet is usually on," Smith said with a sly grin. Of course, being the center of attention means UTW was probably one of many to ask him the same question nearly verbatim. He did oblige with his typical selfless answers.

"I think it's kind of neat. All it does is push me to meet those expectations. Not just for any magazine or publication but for this team," said the goal-oriented QB.

The team and coaching staff look to Smith for leadership and he delivers. What a phenomenal asset to have for a new coach.

"It's a great comfort to have someone with that kind of experience, that kind of character and those types of intangibles as a leader," said Graham of his field general.

"I think that's one of the things that gives me great confidence in the character of this football team. First and foremost, he's the guy who leads the way. He's not going to do things to beat you.

"He's like having a coach on the field. You've got to have that if you're going to win in division one college football," said Graham.

To say Smith is accurate and dependable is like saying Tiger Woods is a good golfer. He threw for almost 3,000 yards last year. His 66 percent completion percentage speaks volumes of his ability.

The Owasso product enters his final season this year, ready to put a final stamp on his collegiate career.

"It kind of changes my mindset because it's kind of now or never for me," said Smith.

He can't do it alone and by the looks of this team, he won't be asked for such Herculean feats. His backfield is stacked. Last year, the team averaged 161 yards on the ground per contest.

Courtney Tennial and Tarrion Adams form one of the nation's most explosive running back tandems. Once they get to the second level of the defense, its goodbye defenders, hello end zone.

But, they will be running behind an inexperienced offensive line. The unit lost size and leadership from a year ago. Don't panic just yet.

"I think a lot of people are underestimating how athletic they are," Smith said of the new and--dare we say--improved offensive line.

Coach Graham brought in running game guru, Herb Hand who was instrumental in developing one of the nation's most feared running attacks. His blocking schemes at West Virginia were outstanding.

"Coach Hand gives (the O-line) a lot of things in a short amount of time and they are adjusting well," said Smith. Lest we not forget the other offensive mind brought into the fold.

"Coach Malzahn obviously deals with me a little bit more being the quarterback coach," said Smith on the former Razorback coach.

Malzahn joined the TU staff when Graham was named head coach and plans to employ a spread-the-field, mismatch, gimmicky type of offense.

TU fans should expect the unexpected.

"It's been exciting. Those guys are both very intelligent at what they do. I'm just trying to be a sponge and soak it all up right now," Smith said.

The big question mark on offense is at receiver. The position proved to be a weakness last year. Smith managed the games well but was unable to develop a rapport or stretch the defense with any specific receiver.

"Coach Blankenship says he's got 17 receivers I believe right now. There's a lot to go through. There's a lot of competition. I think we are going to utilize a lot more than we have in the past.

"There are a lot of guys competing for those three or four spots on the field at any given time," said Smith, as he anxiously waits to see who will be on the receiving end of his spirals.

Stop, Collaborate and Listen

"Son, you just opened up a whole case of whoop-ass," said coach Klein to the Waterboy after a vicious hit. It's hard to say if Coach Graham will repeat those words precisely.

The defensive unit at TU returns six starters from the unit, which ranked first in Conference USA a season ago. The defensive specialist Graham will no doubt ratchet-up the intensity to new levels.

The team runs a 3-5-5 formation likely due to a distinct lack of size up front. The linebackers and defensive backs are athletic and experienced.

"I'm a little shocked that (my last season) is here because it has come so fast. I remember my first day on campus. It humbles you a little bit," said hard-hitting strong safety Anthony Germany.

He understands personal achievements are marked by wins in football over any other sport.

"I would love to make All-Conference but that comes with wins. If we win the conference championship and we are the number one defense in the nation, then those accolades will come," said Germany.

The consistency Paul Smith brings to the offense is equaled by Nelson Coleman on the defense. The 6'2", 235-pound linebacker is a tackling machine. He has 35 starts to his credit and has led TU in tackles for two straight years.

So what can he do for an encore?

"I guess continue to lead the team in tackles. Maybe push for the conference (lead). And maybe the national spotlight but continue to improve overall," he said.

National publications are smitten with the Golden Hurricane. Many polls predict another C-USA West Division Title. How does Coach Graham keep the team's ego in check?

"I don't think it's very hard. They understand the first game is on national television. It's our first game together as a team. Louisiana-Monroe is going to be very hyped up to be on national television and at home.

"We're going to have to go in there and take care of the ball and not beat ourselves. If we do that we'll be ok," he said, in typical coach-speak.

Not Sooner Enough

"You gonna add another championship trophy to the old case downstairs?" This question was posed by Lynn Swann in The Waterboy.

You know what makes this hilarious? It seems like an authentic exchange between Coach Bob Stoops and Lynn Swann. Even the answer in the movie is Stoops-esque.

"That's kinda like my old man told me one time, Lynn. The only thing better than a crawfish dinner, is five crawfish dinners."

The only problem with this analogy is the fact Stoops has been stuck on one crawfish dinner. Sure, he has been close. He's been in the same stadium as the BCS crystal ball, but each time his team has come up short.

Ask Stoops about a BCS title and he stays true to his word. He only focuses on the Big 12 Championship. Of course, this means he only has to focus on the Texas Longhorns.

Also, don't ask him about his quarterback situation. Joey Halzle, Sam Bradford and Keith Nichol form your veritable pu pu platter of quarterbacks.

Not a single guy has taken a live snap during live game action. Bradford seems to be the guy Sooners' fans are clamoring for. Of course, that probably means he is the wrong guy.

Whoever gets the final nod of approval will be well protected. The offensive line is once again a mammoth group. Oklahoma continues to thrive in the trenches. This leads to consistent productivity from the skilled positions.

We'll not know too much about Oklahoma until it hosts North Texas on September 1 at 6pm. The game will broadcast on FSN.

Losing Adrian Peterson hurts. However, Allen Patrick is more than capable of filling in, along with spring practice phenom, DeMarco Murray.

The QB will have several big-time pass catchers at his disposal. Malcolm Kelly is the new breed of receiver--big enough to bully the cornerbacks and fast enough to run by the safety.

Juaquin Iglesias and Joe Jon Finley should both find openings in the defense as teams are forced to deal with Kelly's jaw-dropping athleticism.

The Sooners' defense brings seven starters back into the fold. They lost several key playmakers at the linebacker position. However, they may be more athletic at the position this year.

Every year the defensive backs are hailed as one of the nation's elite groups. However, every year they seem to get burnt their fair share.

The starting defensive backs are Reggie Smith, Marcus Walker, D.J. Wolfe and Nic Harris. If they can eliminate the big plays, this team will once again vie for a BCS berth in the watered down Big 12 conference.

And last but certainly not least, Garrett Hartley. He is just a kicker. However, when your team has a new quarterback, the importance of field goals and field position increases ten-fold.

A calmer Bobby Knight is how B.R., my OU outsider, describes Bob Stoops. He's a straight shooter who doesn't play the media games. B.R. also admits the Longhorn clash will define the season.

We're Number Three

"You gonna lose all your fancy 'fools' balls' games! And you're gonna fail your big exam!" This time our lesson is brought to us via Mama Boucher from The Waterboy.

The Oklahoma State Cowboys are quite simply not at the level of OU and Texas right now. For years, the message emanating from OSU football has been "We are almost there" or "This is our year" or "We are headed in the right direction."

However, every year OSU manages to find a way to "Lose to Houston" or "Blow a game to Texas" or "Raise our ticket prices." This year, progress will be measured by finishing third in the Big 12 South. Anything less should be unacceptable.

Fans will find out very soon what Oklahoma State is made of this year when it travels to SEC country to take on the Georgia Bulldogs. The kickoff to their season begins September 1 at 5:45pm on ESPN2.

Honestly, the Pokes quarterback is ultra-talented. The running game is one of the most feared in the nation. Their receivers are big, fast and badass.

Quarterback Bobby Reid was jerked around a bit last year. The coaching staff should have learned its lesson this time around. Don't mess with the fragile psyche of a quarterback.

Just let him toss bullets to all-everything Adarius Bowman. Bowman racked up 60 catches for almost 1,200 yards and 12 TDs.

If the big man isn't open, Reid will be asked to scramble. He has shown a hesitancy to tuck the ball and run but this year should be different.

Dantrell Savage is the most exciting running back to wear the Cowboys jersey since Barry Sanders. It would be foolish to compare the two but, they are a lot alike.

They are both game breakers. They combine speed, jukes and great vision. Keith Toston is no slouch and should see ample playing time while the team gives the smallish Savage plenty of rest.

As has been the case since, well, forever, the defensive line is a bit thin. "We recruited 900 pounds of D-line," says J.B., our OSU outsider. They are light in the rear and quite frankly, they are not a very deep group.

Losing three starters off the D-line doesn't help. The Cowboys must pin their hopes on an incoming 900 pounds of fresh-meat.

Chris Collins and Patrick Lavine provide a glimmer of hope at the linebacker position. Both were highly touted in their freshman campaign and look to improve and take this defense to the next level.

The best defense down in Stillwater will once again be a high-scoring, ball-control offense. Can the seventh ranked scoring offense in the nation improve upon the 35 points per game from a year ago?

The heat continues to rise and by months end--we will have reached the boiling point. That's what mama says.

(sidebar)

Football Flicks

Sports movies generally rely on fans' perception of what it's like on the gridiron or parquet. Reality is often lost in the script rewrite or cutting room floor. We asked some TU football players to let us know their favorites.

Paul Smith, QB #12 -- Hoosiers

Dion Toliver, WR #15 -- Any Given Sunday

Nelson Coleman, LB #55 -- Friday Night Lights

Anthony Germany, DB #3 -- The Program

Tarrion Adams, RB #25 -- Remember the Titans

HYPERLINK "http://tulsahurricane.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/borgsmiller_jake00.html"; Jake Borgsmiller, WR # 87 -- Remember the Titans

Aaron Ringle, C #62 -- Rudy

Brandon Jones, NG #90 -- Any Given Sunday

Wilson Holloway, OT #71 -- Blue Chips

Wilson Garrison, DE #96 -- The Program

Jarod Tracy, K #29 -- Friday Night Lights

tes.