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Ten years ago this week, the final game of the Keith Burns era
Published: 11/19/2012 9:52 AM
Last Modified: 11/19/2012 9:52 AM

Ten years ago this week, the University of Tulsa football team prepared for the final game of the 2002 season – a WAC contest at SMU. As it turned out, it also was the final game for Keith Burns as the Golden Hurricane coach.
Memories of a significant period for TU football were pulled from the Tulsa World archives.

Published on Nov. 24, 2002:
The 2001 University of Tulsa football team no longer bears the unfortunate distinction of having had the school's worst football record since 1954. That burden has been dumped on the 2002 Golden Hurricane, which closed another miserable season with a 24-21 WAC loss to Southern Methodist. The Hurricane finished 1-11 overall, 1-7 in the conference. Last year's TU squad was 1-10. The 1954 Hurricane was 0-11.
Hurricane athletic director Judy MacLeod acknowledged that she and TU President Dr. Robert Lawless have scheduled an evaluation meeting with coach Keith Burns.
“We'll talk about the season and talk about the future,” MacLeod said. “I don't have anything to say, other than that.”
Through three seasons at TU, Burns' record is 7-28. In its last 22 contests, the Hurricane is 1-21.
“Last year, there was a sense of relief when the season was over,” said Burns, who has two years remaining on his contract. “Today, there is a sadness.”

Published on Dec. 3, 2002:
Keith Burns, who was 7-28 in three seasons as the University of Tulsa's head football coach, tendered his resignation Monday.
Athletic director Judy MacLeod said Burns' resignation would be accepted.
Burns had two years remaining on a five-year contract, but job security became the subject of speculation because TU won just one game each of the last two seasons.
“For three years, I got to live a dream and be a head coach in Division I-A college football,” he said. “There are only 117 of those guys and I was one of them. I have been blessed and I'm real fortunate to have that opportunity.”

Published on Dec. 3, 2002:
The list of possible TU candidates includes former OU coach Gary Gibbs, Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Mike Gundy, St. Louis Rams defensive coordinator Lovie Smith, Texas A&M receivers coach Kevin Sumlin and Buffalo Bills quarterback coach Steve Kragthorpe.

Published on Dec. 18, 2002:
Buffalo Bills quarterback coach Steve Kragthorpe will be named the next football coach at the University of Tulsa. University officials were not available for comment, but a source close to the search indicated that the 37-year-old Kragthorpe will accept the job.

Published on Dec. 20, 2002:
Introduced on Thursday as the University of Tulsa's new head football coach, Steve Kragthorpe was given a five-year contract and will be paid only slightly more than was his predecessor, Keith Burns.
Burns' annual compensation was believed to be $300,000, with $220,000 coming from the university and the rest from outside sources. TU officials would not confirm details related to Kragthorpe's contract, but it is believed that the new coach has secured a total-package deal worth about $325,000 a year. About $250,000 of that comes from the university.

Published on Dec. 8, 2003:
Now, it's absolutely official: Tulsa will play Georgia Tech in the ESPN-televised Humanitarian Bowl, scheduled Jan. 3 in Boise, Idaho.
Tulsa, which went 8-4 overall and finished in a second-place WAC tie with Fresno State, will play in a bowl game for the first time since beating Marshall Faulk-led San Diego State in the 1991 Freedom Bowl.
First-year TU coach Steve Kragthorpe engineered the biggest turnaround in Division I-A this season. TU went 1-11 last year.

-- Bill Haisten



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Tulsa World Sports Writer Bill Haisten was named the 2010 Oklahoma Sportswriter of the Year. He is the World's only staff member to have covered OU, OSU, TU and ORU sports on a beat basis. He was on the OSU beat from 2004-2012. A Texas native, he has covered two Super Bowls and two national championship football games for the World.

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