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Reeling Tulsa seeking rebound
Players hope to avoid trying to do too much.

TU's Kenny D. Sims (27) breaks up a pass to East Carolina's Alex Taylor (80) in Tulsa, OK, Nov. 15, 2009. STEPHEN PINGRY / Tulsa World
 
By ERIC BAILEY World Sports Writer
Published: 11/21/2009  2:20 AM
Last Modified: 11/21/2009  4:17 AM

 HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Tulsa's players remember when football used to be fun.

They remember the first time they put on football pads. Many were high school stars who always tasted success.

The players dug deep to recall those memories as they prepared for Saturday's road game at Southern Miss.

With each defeat during the five-game losing streak, coach Todd Graham said the team has pressed too much.

"Having fun is the goal," quarterback G.J. Kinne said. "But the only way you can have fun is to win. Losing is way overrated."

Graham has watched his players try to do too much at inopportune times. It can cause breakdowns, which have led to losses.

"When you face adversity and we've lost — especially in the close football games — people start operating outside of the system with all of the right intentions," Graham said.

"You wind up throwing an interception for a touchdown. You wind up making a mistake. We just have to be disciplined."

Kinne admitted he was placing too much pressure on himself in last week's 44-17 loss to East Carolina. The sophomore had three turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble) that were returned for touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

"(Playing outside the box) is natural when you're struggling and losing," Kinne said. "You want to spark the team and make a play. That's what we ran into at East Carolina.

"We just have to remember we can't play outside the system and need to do our part."

Junior linebacker Tanner Antle agreed.

"You don't want to go out and put too much pressure on yourself," Antle said. "If you have one bad play, you can't think about it because it will result in a chain of bad plays."

Tulsa (4-6 overall, 2-4 in C-USA) will face a Southern Miss squad that is playing for a lot.

The Golden Eagles (6-4, 4-2) are in a race for the C-USA East Division title. Southern Miss is perfect at home this season with five victories and will celebrate Senior Day against TU.

"They're very good," Graham said. "They're athletic and talented. They play very good defense.

"We're going to have to get our tails ready and play defense. You're not going to beat anybody if you play defense like we did (against East Carolina).

Southern Miss coach Larry Fedora sees a dangerous team in Tulsa.

"I look at it like a wounded animal, to be honest with you," said Fedora, a former offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State. "Their back is against the wall, and I expect them to fight with everything they've got.

"They have to win these next two, and I expect that Todd Graham will have them ready to go. They'll be biting at the bit to get back on that field Saturday."

Damaris Johnson was asked about the team's attitude heading into Hattiesburg.

"Our attitude is just to get the stink off of us," Johnson said. "We just need to win.

"That's all we're trying to do, just get a win."

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

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COMMENTS 
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14 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!
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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "COMING SATURDAY: Tulsa's goal is to have fun," which was published on 11/20/2009.
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (11/20/2009 1:00:46 PM)
Well then, go have fun TU.
Report Comment
Thunder196, Tulsa (11/20/2009 1:29:05 PM)
The statement "It's not if you win or lose but how you played the game", is way over rated too. It does matter. TU go out there and show Southern Miss how to have fun.
Report Comment
WhereIsThought, Raleigh (11/20/2009 2:06:43 PM)
I thought everybody was to have fun tonight.
Report Comment
r0rschach, (11/20/2009 2:56:00 PM)
sorry but football is a multi million dollar business. college is just the try outs. if graham wants to have fun he should coach pee wee ball.
Report Comment
GoldenDriller1, Out of Town (11/20/2009 4:09:21 PM)
Agreed r0rschach
Report Comment
gigglecurv, Oak View (11/20/2009 4:11:40 PM)
Nice comment r0rschach! with your picture and name you define loser. Leave this coach and team alone. They are doing the best hey can. Mistakes are made and they will be corrected.
Report Comment
houston, Tulsa (11/20/2009 5:52:12 PM)
I am a huge fan of TU and it has been a tough year. I really, really hope they win this game. Mistakes have been made this season and most of them have been by Graham NOT the players/kids. I hope Graham backs off, stops yelling and let's the OTHER coaches coach the players/kids so they can have a good game and hopefully a win. GO TU...
Report Comment
Hurricane4Lyfe, (11/20/2009 6:32:29 PM)
"Tulsa's Goal Is To Have Fun" - Eric Bailey what a catchy line for a column for a team that has lost it's last five games and may not even make a bowl this year.
GO TU - WIN THESE LAST TWO GAMES......
Report Comment
Guillermo, (11/20/2009 7:05:36 PM)
Emotions play an important part of any football game. Go to a game, sit behind the bench and listen and you will hear emotion played out by the players, coaches, etc.

Yelling is a natural part of the game, especially the dumb mistakes GJ has done this year, he is lucky he is not on the bench.

Yelling at the players is okay, it is part of football, Coach Graham yells, he is emotional, he is passionate, we are lucky to have him.

GO TU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Comment
gigglecurv, Oak View (11/20/2009 9:08:01 PM)
Guillermo good job! Graham is passionate! If he were not you would her complaints about that too. When it's heated it's hot!
Report Comment
yoneg, (11/20/2009 10:42:12 PM)
r0rschach, tulsa's is one of the few college were the football players primary objective is not to play football. their primary objective is to get an education. players who choose to go to tulsa to play football take their education seriously, as they know the staff of TU will hold them accountable to maintain good marks in their studies. if they do not, they know they will not play ball and risk their any scholarship they may have.

while being drafted for for the nfl is most likely a dream for each player, they value the reality of the dreams they will bring true with a good education. getting to play football while in school is just an added bonus.

if only our public schools in tulsa could follow this ethic when it comes to sports and academics.
Report Comment
FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (11/20/2009 11:41:52 PM)
HAVING FUN? They should be working on finishing the season on a positive note.
Report Comment
Elusive, Owasso (11/20/2009 11:48:31 PM)
It's no fun to lose.
Report Comment
Ignatz, A nice place where Democrats hold every office in the County. (11/21/2009 12:10:48 PM)
As Billy Martin said,"If winning isn't important why bother to keep score?"
 

 
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