TU Talking points
BY BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
Tuesday, December 04, 2012
12/04/12 at 5:52 AM
The most important play: Watts' punt-return touchdown
Combining snaps from scrimmage, kickoffs and punts, there has been a 13-game total of 2,333 plays in the University of Tulsa football season. For some teams, it might be difficult to identify one play as having been the most important. For TU, it's easy to distinguish one from the other 2,332.
With five minutes remaining in the Conference USA championship game and Central Florida leading 27-21, the Knights punted. A member of the UCF team batted the bouncing ball downfield. While most players relaxed, believing the play had ended, an alert Trey Watts realized that the whistle had not blown. He scooped the loose ball and raced down the Hurricane sideline for a 54-yard touchdown. Watts' heroism pushed the contest to overtime, and TU emerged as a 33-27 champion.
The most spectacular play: Douglas' 75-yard run vs. Rice
Trailing Rice 24-21 with less than three minutes remaining, the TU offense began a possession at its own 20. With Cody Green and Watts sidelined with injuries, the Hurricane had struggled all afternoon. There was no reason to believe that TU could successfully execute a hurry-up drive. Instead, there really wasn't a drive at all. There was a run for the ages by junior tailback Ja'Terian Douglas.
On the first play of the possession, Douglas took a handoff and ran to his left, then cut back to the middle of the field, then veered toward the west sideline at H.A. Chapman Stadium. When he was finally dragged down at the Rice 5, Douglas had popped free for a 75-yard gain. During the process, he escaped seven legitimate tackle attempts. Alex Singleton got the winning TD on a 1-yard surge.
In reference to the Douglas play, TU guard Jake Alexander said, "That was the most amazing run I've ever seen in my life."
The most valuable player: linebacker DeAndre Brown
A 5-foot-11, 215-pound Hurricane senior, Brown opened the season by making three starts at weakside linebacker. After Shawn Jackson returned from a suspension, Brown returned to his more natural position - starting at strongside linebacker against Fresno State. And when Trent Martin sustained a leg injury, Brown was pressed into duty as Tulsa's starter at middle linebacker.
On Wednesday, the All-Conference USA individual awards will be announced. Brown has had a player-of-the-year type of season. He by far is TU's leader in tackles (125) and unassisted tackles (81). He totaled nine tackles at Iowa State, eight against Tulane, nine against Fresno State and 11 against Rice. In two victories over Central Florida, he had a combined total of 17 tackles. Brown finished the season also with nine sacks and eight pass break-ups.
A lot of Tulsa players had a very nice season, but no one could match Brown for versatility and unwavering productivity.
BY THE NUMBERS
1,000: If the ground game really cooks in the Liberty Bowl against Iowa State, TU could wind up with two 1,000-yard rushers. Trey Watts needs 41 yards to reach 1,000. Ja'Terian Douglas needs 143.
197: Tulsa averages 83 offensive plays per game. During its loss at SMU and C-USA championship victory over Central Florida, the Hurricane had a combined 197 offensive plays.
11.5: Entering his senior season at TU, defensive end Jared St. John had a career total of 1.5 sacks. Through 13 games this season, he has a Conference USA-leading total of 11.5. TU's program record is 12, set in 1996 by Salifu Abudulai.
5,990: Through 13 games, the TU offense has 5,990 total yards. The 13-game total in 2011 was 5,725.
3,123: Through 13 games, the TU ground game has produced 3,123 yards. The 13-game total in 2011 was 2,492.
TU STATISTICS
|
TLS |
OPP |
| Scoring |
455 |
314 |
| Per game |
35.0 |
24.2 |
| First downs |
301 |
238 |
| by rushing |
158 |
97 |
| by passing |
122 |
119 |
| by penalty |
21 |
22 |
| Rushing yards |
3123 |
1576 |
| Avg. per game |
240.2 |
121.2 |
| Passing yards |
2867 |
3025 |
| Avg. per game |
220.5 |
232.7 |
| Offensive plays |
1077 |
945 |
| Total yards |
5990 |
4601 |
| Avg. per play |
5.6 |
4.9 |
| Avg. per game |
460.8 |
353.9 |
| Kick returns-Yds |
32-876 |
42-763 |
| Punt returns-Yds |
29-254 |
22-216 |
| Interceptions-Yds |
10-67 |
12-194 |
| Fumbles-Lost |
26-11 |
23-14 |
| Penalties-Yds |
54-513 |
79-664 |
| Punts-Avg. |
72-37.8 |
93-43.0 |
| 3rd downs |
86-220 |
82-217 |
| 4th downs |
20-35 |
6-20 |
| Sacks by-Yds |
48-340 |
9-59 |
Individual leaders
Y/A=Yards/attempt; Y/G=Yards/game
| RUSHING |
No. |
Yds |
Y/A |
Y/G |
TD |
| T. Watts |
161 |
959 |
6.0 |
79.9 |
3 |
| J. Douglas |
129 |
857 |
6.6 |
65.9 |
7 |
| A. Singleton |
187 |
765 |
4.1 |
58.8 |
21 |
| C. Green |
68 |
225 |
3.3 |
18.8 |
3 |
| Z. Langer |
35 |
181 |
5.2 |
13.9 |
2 |
| PASSING |
C-A-Int |
Yds |
Y/G |
TD |
| C. Green |
217-396-10 |
2499 |
208.2 |
17 |
| K. Henderson |
16-46-2 |
294 |
58.8 |
1 |
| RECEIVING |
No. |
Yds |
Y/A |
Y/G |
TD |
| K. Garrett |
64 |
826 |
12.9 |
63.5 |
9 |
| W. Carter |
48 |
363 |
7.6 |
27.9 |
3 |
| J. James |
40 |
565 |
14.1 |
43.5 |
2 |
| T. Watts |
30 |
326 |
10.9 |
27.2 |
0 |
| T. Roberson |
27 |
454 |
16.8 |
34.9 |
4 |
| B. Burnham |
9 |
90 |
10.0 |
90.0 |
0 |
| PUNT RETURNS |
No. |
Yds |
Avg. |
TD |
| T. Watts |
20 |
154 |
7.7 |
1 |
| KICK RETURNS |
No. |
Yds |
Avg. |
TD |
| T. Watts |
17 |
503 |
29.6 |
1 |
| J. Douglas |
6 |
125 |
20.8 |
0 |
| D. Nelson |
5 |
175 |
35.0 |
0 |
| KICKING |
FG-A |
Long |
PAT |
| D. Schwarz |
11-17 |
45 |
48-55 |
| DEFENSE |
Tackles |
TFL |
Sacks |
INT |
FR |
| D. Brown |
125 |
17.0 |
9.0 |
1 |
0 |
| D. McCoil |
85 |
1.5 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
| S. Jackson |
79 |
8.5 |
3.0 |
0 |
1 |
| D. Nelson |
78 |
4.0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| L. Rose |
53 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
| C. Dorris |
49 |
10.0 |
6.0 |
1 |
1 |
| J. St John |
48 |
14.0 |
11.5 |
0 |
1 |
| D. Bufford |
41 |
8.5 |
4.5 |
0 |
1 |
| D. Jackson |
37 |
7.0 |
2.0 |
0 |
0 |
| M. Osborne |
35 |
3.0 |
2.0 |
0 |
2 |
| T. Martin |
32 |
2.0 |
1.0 |
0 |
0 |
| D. Jennings |
28 |
6.5 |
2.0 |
0 |
0 |
| J. Flanders |
27 |
1.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| M. Mudoh |
23 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| B. Todd |
19 |
8.0 |
1.0 |
0 |
1 |
SCHEDULE
Sept. 1: at Iowa State L, 38-23
Sept. 8: vs. Tulane W, 45-10
Sept. 15: vs. Nicholls St. W, 66-16
Sept. 22: vs. Fresno St. W, 27-26
Sept. 29: at UAB W, 49-42
Oct. 6: at Marshall W, 45-38
Oct. 11: vs. UTEP W, 33-11
Oct. 20: vs. Rice W, 28-24
Nov. 3: at Arkansas L, 19-15
Nov. 10: at Houston W, 41-7
Nov. 17: vs. UCF W, 23-21
Nov. 24: at SMU L, 35-27
Dec. 1: vs. UCF (C-USA champ.) W, 33-27, OT
Dec. 31: vs. Iowa St. (ESPN) (Liberty Bowl) 2:30 p.m.
UP NEXT
Tulsa vs. Iowa State
at Liberty Bowl
2:30 p.m. Dec. 31
TV: ESPN-25
Radio: KRMG am740, fm102.3
Associated Images:
TU's Trey Watts runs back a punt for a touchdown during the second half of Saturday's Conference USA championship game against Central Florida at Chapman Stadium. TOM GILBERT / Tulsa World
TU's Ja'Terian Douglas cuts back off the block of guard Gabe Moyer (left) against UCF linebacker D.J. Williams during Saturday's game. BRETT ROJO / for the Tulsa World
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