TU football notebook: Win-streak beards
BY BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
Thursday, October 04, 2012
10/04/12 at 2:42 AM
When the University of Tulsa opened its season with a Sept. 1 defeat at Iowa State, sophomore guard Jake Alexander was clean-shaven. Since that day, the Golden Hurricane has rolled to a four-game win streak and Alexander hasn't shaved.
Joining in the beard movement were Alexander's teammates on the offensive line - center Trent Dupy, guard Gabe Moyer, guard Stetson Burnett and tackles Jared Grigg and Brian DeShane.
TU quarterback Cody Green now is involved, having gone two weeks without shaving.
"Last time we trimmed it or shaved it, we lost," Green explained. "That's enough of that. We'll just ride with it. Make it ugly."
The least impressive beard, Green says, belongs to Alexander, a sophomore from Jenks.
"We make fun of him all the time," Green said. "It just looks nasty. He's got a little bit of a neck beard and then it's splotchy on the cheeks."
Green has designated Moyer, a junior who won a pair of Class 4A state championships at Oklahoma City's McGuinness High School, as TU's beard champion. "His stuff is awesome," Green said. "I'm very jealous."
Green's vision: Green wore eyeglasses during TU's Tuesday news conference. When asked whether they were Russell Westbrook fashion-statement glasses or actual prescription eyewear, Green replied, "These are legit glasses. If I took them off, I wouldn't be able to see you all."
Green wears contacts on the field. "Every now and then, one will slide to a certain side of the eye," he said. "The trainers probably have two (extra) pairs, and then I'll have a pair in a bag, just in case."
Hot Hurricane: In advance of Saturday's game at Marshall, the Golden Hurricane is 14-1 in its last 15 Conference USA contests. There have been six consecutive road victories.
"Being a player in the conference championship race is a big deal," Tulsa coach Bill Blankenship said. "We haven't won (the Conference USA title) since 2005. ... Every one of these games matters. Our guys like that."
Near perfection: There is no perfect football performance, but Tulsa was excellent during last season's 59-17 home rout of Marshall. The Hurricane totaled 380 rushing yards, completed 71 percent of its passes, had nearly 700 total yards and committed only two penalties.
"It was a very efficient game," Blankenship said. "The difference now is that we're playing in Huntington. We've got to have that same type of game."
Associated Images:
Alexander
Moyer
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