In looking at this 2014 class and last year's 2013 class, I believe Tulsa now has the most balance and depth at all positions than it ever has in previous years. TU has put together some very good classes in past years and past successful football seasons attest to that. But there was always an imbalance, that is, positions weak in depth. DT and DE were two positions that always seemed to lack depth over the years. Tulsa's most recent success on the football field is that it could play physically. Previously, TU was a finesse team on both offense and defense. Last year, TU Coach Ben Blankenship, commenting on the 2013 class, stated we added a little more strength and a little bit more speed. That trend continues with this 2014 class.
TULSA FOOTBALL INKS 23 PLAYERS
SIGNING DAY REWIND FROM TULSA RIVALS BOARD
2014 TULSA GRAYSHIRTS (ENROLL JANUARY 2015)
OFFENSE:
Tyler Bowling (OK), OT, 6-5, 295 (Oregon St, Wyoming, UNT, UTSA, Texas St, Ohio)
Isaac Johnson (AR), OT, 6-6, 275 (Memphis, LaTech, Arkansas St, ULM)
Mildren Montgomery (OK), OT, 6-4, 245 (Texas Tech, Iowa State, UNT)
Chandler Miller (OK), OC, 6-2, 285 (Kansas, Memphis, New Mexico, ULM, Harvard, N. Colorado)
Payton Prince (OK), TE, 6-4, 237 (Okla St, Illinois, Memphis, New Mexico)
Jabe Burgess (AR), QB, 6-2, 200 (Illinois, Memphis)
Tavarreon Dickerson (TX), RB, 5-9, 185, JUCO (HS Offers: Pitt, Indiana, Kanas, Tulsa, Utah St, UNT, LaTech, Texas State)
Ramadi Warren (TN), RB, 5-9, 173 (North Carolina, Memphis, Middle Tennessee, UAB, Arkansas St.)
D'Angelo Brewer (OK), RB/WR, 5-9, 180
Terrance Ivery (TX), WR/KR, 5-8, 175
Bishop Louie (OK), WR/KR 5-10, 155
Justin Hobbs (KS), WR, 6-4, 195
Nigel Carter (OK), WR, 6-3, 185
Broderick Umblance (TX), WR, 6-1, 180
DEFENSE:
Michael Rios (KS), DT, 6-3, 280 (LaTech, UTEP, Texas State, Lamar, Sam Houston St)
Earl Rollins (TX), DT, 6-3, 275
Willie Wright (TX) DT, 6-3, 280 (Iowa St, Houston, Fresno St, Tulane, Nevada, La Tech, Texas St, NM St)
Myles Molton (TX) SDE, 6-3, 230 (UNT, UTSA, Lamar, Grambling)
Jeremy Smith (OK), WDE, 6-4, 230 (Oklahoma, Memphis, Colorado St)
Tim Quickel (AR), ILB, 6-2, 215
Petera Wilson (TN), OLB/DE, 6-2, 220, (Alabama, Florida, LSU, Florida St, Tennessee, Mississippi St., Texas Tech, UCLA, USC)
Jordan Miller (OK), Safety, 6-2, 180 (Navy, Ohio, Utah State)
Jordan Dennis (AR), Safety, 6-1, 180 (Arkansas St, Illinois St)
Tulsa has 8 commitments in the 2014 class that do not have a IA competing offer.
LB Tim Quickel was voted to Scout's All-Sleeper Defense team at the Dallas Nike Football Training Camp. Scout National Recruiting Analyst Greg Powers subsequently wrote that Quickel should be receiving much more recruiting notice.
QBs are often the most athletic player on a high school team but, at the same time, may not be a gifted passer. Tulsa has consistently targeted this type of player over the years and has two QBs in the 2014 class that will not be QBs at Tulsa, RB/WR D'Angelo Brewer and RB/WR Terrance Ivery. Ivery was also hurt November in his senior season and did not play after the injury. This surely scared other schools away or these schools lost interest.
WR Nigel Carter suffered a concussion and ankle injury and played in only 5 games his senior year. Like RB/WR Ivery, the injuries probably caused other schools to lose interest or were scared to offer.
Justin Hobbs was a skinny 6-4 TE weighing 195 pounds at the high school level and obviously did not draw interest or impress at TE. But Tulsa saw him as a big WR and offered.
WR/KR Terrance Ivery did not have much of a chance to shine as a WR because his high school coach asked him to play QB his senior year. In his junior year, Ivery led the state of Texas in kick returns and was an outstanding receiver.
Like WR/KR Terrance Ivery, speedy WR/KR Bishop Louie will also return kicks.
WR Broderick Umblance was a high school teammate of a currently highly regarded TU WR. Umblance did not have much of a chance to shine as a WR because his high school team was not very good and he got over looked.
Earl Rollins is ranked #18 DT among Top 25 Texas High School DTs by 247 Sports and #146 DT Nationwide. No other detailed info was found for DT Earl Rollins. Undoubtedly, more info will be forthcoming on signing day and I will put it here. Rollins is not shown as a UNT prospect on either their rivals or scout board. However, UNT fans on one of the boards contained a thread bemoaning the fact that Rollins signed with Tulsa. So I am guessing UNT was pursuing Rollins...hopefully, more solid info will become available in the next few days.
Of TU's current 22 verbals, 8 are from Oklahoma; 6 from Texas, 4 from Arkansas, 2 from Kansas, and 2 from Tennessee (Memphis). Obviously, TU is located in a fertile recruiting area that allows TU to play much stronger than its itty bitty enrollment of 4,167 students infers, the official bean count.
The usual caveat is in order. I do not subscribe to any paid recruiting service so undoubtedly I have some misinformation and errors in the above. KTUL, as part of their signing day coverage, is reporting that OC Chandler Miller received an offer from Kansas and DE Jeremy Smith had an offer from Colorado State. Otherwise, KTUL agreed 100% with everything above. I have made those two changes based on KTUL signing day report.