Rush defense was a huge component in the University of Tulsa’s 2012 football success.
By the end of an 11-3, Conference USA championship season, the Golden Hurricane was 16th nationally in rush defense. TU allowed only 119.6 yards per game and 3.3 per attempt.
Tackles Derrick Jackson and Daeshon Bufford, ends Cory Dorris and Jared St. John, middle linebacker DeAundre Brown – all were seniors last season. They wound up with a combined total of 154 career starts. Jackson and Bufford were both good and durable, with each having started every game in 2011 and 2012.
Considering the physical punishment common for an interior lineman, Jackson and Bufford were iron-man stars.
TU has new personnel on the defensive front. The starters for last week’s Colorado State game were sophomore end Derrick Alexander, first-year freshman tackle Jesse Brubaker, sophomore tackle Derrick Luetjen and junior end Brentom Todd. In advance of Saturday’s 11 a.m. contest at Oklahoma, Alexander, Brubaker, Luetjen and Todd have a combined total of seven starts. Rotating at tackle are redshirt freshman Jerry Uwaezuoke and first-year freshman Lionel Phillips.
Outfitted last year with one of the more experienced units in college football, Tulsa now has a really young defense. On Saturday, in an 11 a.m. contest at Norman, the Hurricane contends with Oklahoma’s strong run game.
Tulsa currently is 93rd nationally in rush defense. Bowling Green ran for 233 yards in the opener. Colorado State ran for 178, averaging 5.1 per attempt.
Saturday’s key match-up is obvious – the Tulsa run defense against the Sooner ground game. At 310.5 yards per game, Oklahoma is 13th nationally in rushing offense.
-- Bill Haisten
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