TU football notebook: Impressive
BY MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer
Sunday, April 08, 2012
4/08/12 at 6:49 AM
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Impressive: Head coach Bill Blankenship has been raving about Keyarris Garrett in spring drills, and the 6-foot-4 sophomore receiver from Daingerfield, Texas, showed what he could do Saturday, catching two passes for 81 yards. Garrett teamed with Cody Green for the third score of the scrimmage, catching a short pass from the 33, speeding between blocks by Trey Watts and Willie Carter, and racing untouched along the sideline for a 67-yard score.
"I feel a lot more comfortable out here than I did last year," Garrett said. "It comes from understanding the offense better."
Garrett played in seven games as a freshman, totaling two catches for 10 yards.
On again, off again: Senior defensive end Cory Dorris said he had to rekindle his emotional flame after play was stopped for a lightning strike early in the scrimmage.
"(Blankenship) said he was gonna throw us some curves, but I didn't know it was gonna be a (37-minute) rain delay," Dorris said.
"We went back into the locker room and got calmed down, and I wasn't in the same place when we came out for the second go-round, but I was able build it back up and get some things done," he said.
Dorris finished with two sacks and one forced fumble, tormenting the offense for the second straight week. He had three sacks and two forced fumbles against the first-team offense in last week's scrimmage.
"He's been a dominant player all spring. I think he's raised his game to another level," Blankenship said.
Outside communications: TU's players did what most 20-something athletes do while cooped up in close quarters, as they were during the rain delay. They tweeted.
"Oklahoma State all over again LOL," quarterback Kalen Henderson sent out over the social media site. He meant, of course, the lightning-delayed, after-midnight start against the Cowboys in Chapman Stadium last September.
Out of action: Starting defensive end Jared St. John sat out the final three quarters and athletic trainers worked on his left knee for part of that time, but Blankenship said he didn't think the injury was serious.
Something different: Cody Wilson said he's "had a blast" transitioning from linebacker to H-back in spring drills. Circling out of the backfield to splatter would-be tacklers seems an ideal alternative for the 6-foot, 232-pounder who led Lincoln Christian with 168 tackles as a high school senior.
"I think it was a great move. I love working with (tight ends coach Scott Downing) and those offensive guys, after fighting with them for the past two years," he said.
Wilson also played H-back in high school and caught 13 passes as a senior. He caught a 10-yard pass from freshman quarterback Dane Evans in the scrimmage.
"I told them when I came here that I was a little more athletic than they thought I was," he said with a chuckle.
Associated Images:
TU Blue wide receiver Keyarris Garrett (right) battles for position with TU Gold cornerback Justin Skillens during Tulsa's spring game Saturday. CORY YOUNG / Tulsa World
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