By ERIC BAILEY Sports Writer on Feb 29, 2012, at 1:55 AM Updated on 2/29 at 1:55 AM
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Tulsa will enter spring football drills next week without wide receiver Ricky Johnson, a 26-year-old former Army Ranger turned quarterback with two years of eligibility left and eight quarterbacks trying for the vacant position.
A few notes released by TU with one week left until spring drills and my thoughts on each …
POSITION CHANGES –– Junior Cody Wilson has moved from linebacker to H-back . . . he has played linebacker the last two seasons for the Hurricane . . . Brian DeShane, who played guard last year, moves back to right tackle, the position he started during the 2010 campaign.
My take: Wilson is one of the team’s hardest workers and, while it may have not worked out at linebacker, he can be a “Michael Britton-type” player, a blocking H-back that has the athletic ability to catch a few passes. DeShane will start at right tackle, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t move back to right guard and Stetson Burnett takes over at right guard next fall.
IT’S ALL IN A NUMBER –– Some Tulsa players have changed numbers from last year . . . receiver Thomas Roberson moved from #7 to #26 and receiver Samuel Crabtree changes from #26 to #82 . . . OT Jared Grigg changed from #77 to #72 . . . OG Jake Alexander moved up one number from #76 to #77 . . . QB transfer Cody Green will wear #7.
My take: Cody Green will wear No. 7, which is what he wore in high school. Green was going to wear No. 17, but realized that was the number of former TU legend Jerry Rhome. After that, he got the OK to switch and take wide receiver Thomas Roberson’s former number.
LEAVING –– Receiver Brett Davis, safety Trent Wilkins and safety Cody Lambert, all with eligibility remaining, will not return to the Golden Hurricane after already graduating or graduating this May . . . senior-to-be receiver Ricky Johnson has quit the team and is expected to transfer . . . freshman walk-on defensive tackle Michael Peterson has left the team.
My take: Ricky Johnson had plenty of ability (he had 14 catches for 197 yards with four touchdowns last season) and his departure will be a hit to the wide receiver area. There were whispers that the reason Johnson didn’t play more last season was his work in areas away from just catching the ball.
MISSING SPRING, AND THE LIMITED –– Sitting out spring practice due to rehabilitation from injury is offensive guard Stetson Burnett, linebacker Zik Asiegbu, safety Marco Nelson and safety Kwame Sexton . . . linebacker DeAundre Brown will miss the first two weeks of spring drills, but will return to full practice after spring break . . . sophomore linebacker Mitchell Osborne will be limited to non-contact work during spring practice.
My take: Asiegbu was in a car accident during the off-season, suffering injuries that will keep him out of spring ball. Nelson will miss his second consecutive spring drills. Burnett is still working to come back following an ACL tear late last season.
FOUR-YEAR STARTERS –– Senior Trent Dupy will enter the 2012 season looking to start at center for the fourth consecutive season . . . he has started 36 career games at center . . . he has started all but two games in his career . . . he did not start at center two times as a freshman . . . Dexter McCoil has started since his true freshman season as well with 30 career starts . . . he started six games as a true freshman in 2009, 11 of 12 games in 2010 and all 13 games in 2011.
My take: Dupy and McCoil have been solid, dependable players since stepping on campus as true freshman. They played then out of necessity and there’s no doubt Blankenship wished the pair could have red-shirted the pair.
FROM ARMY RANGER TO TU QUARTERBACK –– Walk-on junior transfer quarterback Gabe Davis played his prep football at Wylie (Texas) High School and graduated in 2004. He attended Trinity Valley Junior College for two seasons and then joined the military. He was a member of the 1st Ranger Battalion in the Army and served 4.5 years in the military. He served two tours of duty in Iraq and two tours in Afghanistan . . . at age 26, Davis now has returned to school . . . he left the military in May 2011 . . . he spent last semester just as a student at North Texas, and transferred to Tulsa at mid-semester . . . said Blankenship “Here’s a young man that is quite a bit older and has some life experiences about him. He’s a natural leader. It will be interesting to see what he’s able to do with the opportunities he’s given this spring, but he’s certainly a great story.”
My take: Davis is the oldest player in recent memory to be a member of the TU football program. Shannon Carter was 25 years old and played through the 2004 season after a minor league baseball career. The only stats immediately available for Davis was his 2005 year at Trinity Valley, when he completed one pass in seven attempts for 12 yards. Davis’ story will be very interesting as it plays out.
BILL BLANKENSHIP ON THE QUARTERBACK CANDIDATES ––
Sophomore Kalen Henderson (6-0, 210) . . . Kalen has the most experience in our offense as he backed up G.J. all season and had some significant playing time and certainly has that edge . . . he saw his most extensive playing time against Oklahoma State, where he completed 6 passes for 104 yards and two TDs.
Junior transfer Cody Green (6-4, 247) . . . sat out last season after transferring from Nebraska . . . brings more playing time, but out of a different system at Nebraska . . . Cody did a great job leading our scout teams last year while sitting out after the transfer. I am excited to see him in our offense. He brings a lot to the table.
Red-shirt freshman Joseph Calcagni (6-1, 202) . . . We were fortunate to red-shirt Joe Calcagni last year and saw him develop. He actually practiced a lot of the time with our third unit, so we watched him grow in his understanding and ability to run the offense.
True freshman Dane Evans (6-2, 200) . . . Dane is intriguing for us because he comes in as a true freshman. He’s our one scholarship quarterback in the 2012 class and he was able to come at mid-semester and be a part of our offseason conditioning. He’ll be thrown into the mix and we’ll find out pretty quick how prepared he is, but I’m really excited about him. His upside is fabulous.
Junior Malachi Blankenship (6-1, 182) . . . a walk-on athlete . . . Malachi has done a good job as a walk-on quarterback for us. He’s done a wonderful job with the scout teams as well. He’ll be battling to get some consideration.
Junior Stephen Rouse (6-0, 202) . . . a walk-on athlete . . . Stephen got work most of the year as our third-team quarterback and had a little bit of playing time, and continued to develop. He, too, will battle to get some consideration.
Freshman Red-shirt Jeff Calvert (6-1, 182) . . . a walk-on athlete . . . Jeff came last year as a walk-on and is doing a good job.
Junior transfer Gabe Davis (6-2, 210) . . . a walk-on transfer . . . Gabe is an interesting story. He came out of Wylie, Texas, and went to junior college for a couple of years. He then joined the military and went on several tours to Iraq and Afghanistan as an Army. He came back and has two years to play, so he’s using some of his benefits to give himself an opportunity to play. Here’s a young man that is quite a bit older and has some life experiences about him. He’s a natural leader. It will be interesting to see what he’s able to do with the opportunities he’s given this spring, but he’s certainly a great story.
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