Tulsa World: TU Notebook: Autograph session

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TU Notebook: Autograph session

Ricky Johnson

By MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer
Published: 11/15/2009 2:29 AM
Last Modified: 11/15/2009 7:32 AM

Former TU quarterback Paul Smith will be signing autographs in Thomas Plaza (west of the stadium) from 6:30 to 8 p.m., sponsored by U.S. Cellular.

A free photograph will be provided for autographs.

A three-year Hurricane starter (2005-07), Smith finished as the school's all-time leader in passing yards (10,936) and TD passes (83). As a sophomore in 2005, he led the Hurricane to the Conference USA title and a win over Fresno State in the Liberty Bowl.

Smith was signed as an undrafted free agent by the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars in 2008 and spent most of last season on the team's practice squad before being signed to the active roster on Dec. 23. He was cut by the Jaguars in August after battling in training camp for the backup quarterback job.

He recently took a job on TU's campus as assistant chaplain at Sharp Chapel.

Crossover dominance: Playing teams from Conference USA's East Division is usually a good experience for the Hurricane.

Tulsa is 12-3 against the East Division and has lost just one regular-season game to a crossover opponent since joining C-USA in 2005.

Sunday's game is the first of three against East Division foes to end the regular season. The Hurricane visits Southern Miss next Saturday and hosts Memphis on Nov. 27.

Tulsa won all six games from East Carolina, Southern Miss and Memphis during the 2005 and 2006 seasons and went a combined 5-1 against Central Florida, Marshall and Alabama-Birmingham the past two years.

TU's only regular-season loss to an East Division foe came at Central Florida in 2007. The Hurricane lost again to the Knights in the 2007 C-USA championship game in Orlando and lost to East Carolina in last year's title game at Chapman Stadium.

Alumni alert: Former Hurricane receiver Romby Bryant is averaging 20.3 yards per catch in the seven games since he was traded from the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers to the Calgary Stampeders.

The defending champion Stampeders open the playoffs Sunday by hosting Edmonton in the Western Conference semifinal.

The 6-foot-1 Bryant led the Hurricane in receiving in each of his two seasons (2002-03), totaling 96 catches for 1,341 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Sense of urgency: Freshman receiver Ricky Johnson has his own reason for wanting to break TU's four-game losing streak.

"I didn't want the seniors going out this way, so we're trying to contribute as much as we can," said Johnson, who logged his first collegiate TD reception last week against Houston.

TU might need to win its final three games to play in a bowl for the fifth straight year. By MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer

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