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New QB takes charge
Johnson leads TU to a 23-point win in the season opener.

Tulsa's Tarrion Adams celebrates over UAB defender Will Dunbar after scoring one of his two touchdowns Saturday at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala. Butch Dill/Associated Press

 
By ERIC BAILEY World Sports Writer
Published: 8/31/2008  2:53 AM
Last Modified: 8/31/2008  5:30 AM

Johnson leads TU to a 23-point win in the season opener.



BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — David Johnson waited five years for this moment.

The Tulsa quarterback, making his first start, led his team to a 45-22 victory at UAB on Saturday afternoon.

Johnson guided six scoring drives. The fifth-year senior was 20-of-24 passing for 332 yards and three touchdowns in the Conference USA win.

"He did a tremendous job," said Tarrion Adams, who capped two TD drives with scoring runs of 3 and 9 yards. "He's stepped into the role. There were a couple of times where he took a couple of shots. I said, 'Are you good?' and he said, 'I'm fine.'

"He took charge of the offense today."

It may be sometime before TU fans forget Paul Smith, but Johnson put up numbers like his predecessor.

"The numbers are the numbers, but at the same point, I'm happy that we won," said Johnson, Smith's backup the last three seasons. "We played well in all phases. Our defense came out and held them to only two touchdowns.

"It's like a dream right now."

Graham had a lighthearted "told-you-so" attitude during his postgame press conference.

"I wasn't worried about David Johnson," said Graham, who has coached TU to 11 wins in 15 games over two seasons. "He's a good quarterback. He has a lot of talented guys to throw to. Offensively, it was kind of what I expected."

Jacob Bower, who battled Johnson for the starter's spot, was in for only four plays. He had an 11-yard run to the UAB 1 in the third quarter, and ran out the clock in TU's final series.

Tulsa's defense was the biggest question mark entering the season, and had to survive a sluggish start.

The unit spent much of the day chasing UAB's Joe Webb. The athletic quarterback finished with 305 yards of total offense, with 136 of those coming on the ground.

TU gave up a touchdown drives on the Blazers' first two series, but surrendered a field goal after that point.

"Anytime you can go out and do that in Conference USA, it's a banner day," Graham said. "I was pleased with our defense."

Tulsa's defense gave up 414 yards, but only 133 after intermission.

"We just came out and we got a feel for how they were," cornerback Roy Roberts said. "We regrouped and touched up on a few things. We had to man up and go against them."

UAB scored on its opening drive, chewing up seven minutes before Webb hit Frantrell Forrest with a 32-yard touchdown pass.

Tulsa quickly responded on Johnson's first drive. Sparked by a 48-yard run on a reverse by true freshman Damaris Johnson, David Johnson connected with Jake Collums for a 10-yard score to tie the game.

"There were a little jitters (on the first play), but during that first drive, I started to settle in," said David Johnson, who completed his first nine passes. "It was football. We went out there, had fun and executed."

UAB took a 13-7 lead when Joe Webb threw a 9-yard TD pass to Jeffery Anderson and TU answered with a David Johnson-to-Charles Clay 5-yard scoring play.

TU extended its lead to 21-13 when Adams had the first of his TD runs, but UAB closed out the half with nine points.

Forrest took the ensuring kick 90 yards for a score, and Swayze Waters connected on a 32-yard field on the final play before halftime to give UAB a 22-21 edge at intermission.

The halftime locker room was similar to last year's at Louisiana-Monroe, when the Hurricane trailed 17-14 at the break. TU would score 21 unanswered points to win 35-17.

TU would have a similar outcome in 2008, holding UAB scoreless after intermission while the offense continued to roll.

"We knew we had to match them scoring points," UAB coach Neil Callaway said. "We just didn't get it done the second half offensively."

Adams and Courtney Tennial — in his first action since the 2006 season — had third-quarter touchdown runs, and a scrambling David Johnson fired a 73-yard TD pass to Clay in the fourth period. Kevin Fitzpatrick's 41-yard field goal completed scoring.

Tulsa had 601 yards of offense, 361 passing and 240 rushing.

"Tulsa is one of those teams you just really have to be prepared for," UAB safety Will Dunbar said. "If you're not in the right spot, you're going to get burned, and that's what they did today."



Eric Bailey 581-8391
eric.bailey@tulsaworld.com
By ERIC BAILEY World Sports Writer

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4 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!
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Frank Bumgarner, Tucson (8/31/2008 5:12:30 PM)
a Win's a win, but the O and D have to play much better to match last years 10 win total. Goooooooooooo TU!
Report Comment
manofGod, tulsa (8/31/2008 5:36:41 PM)
im a sooner fan who will always root for the home team, way to go TU, great job guys
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sbtulsa, tulsa (8/31/2008 7:51:41 PM)
I have to post a mia culpa. I really thought TU would win by less than 10 points while the defense got in to a rythm. I did not think rythm would come after two quarters. This will be a 10 win season. Look out Arkansas.
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T!ger,, Owasso (9/1/2008 2:17:44 PM)
manofGod,
Im also a sooner fan! im a big one to!
Great Job TU!!
 

 
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