April 19, 2008

Watch the highlights in iTunes

Tulsa, Oklahoma - The Tulsa offense put up 58 points in the Annual Spring Game on Saturday in front of 3,700 fans at the Hardesty Practice Field, while the Hurricane defense scored 28 points. The offense racked up 795 yards of total offense and scored eight touchdowns.

Senior quarterback David Johnson completed 11-of-18 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns to pace the Hurricane offensive attack, as 10 different players had a rushing attempt and 14 players caught at least one pass. Sophomore Clark Harrell threw for 166 yards and two touchdowns, while completing 10-pf-13 passes. Fellow sophomore Jacob Bower, a transfer from Bakersfield Community College, completed 6-of-12 passes for 79 yards and also rushed for 53 yards and two TDs.

Two of Tulsa's three 1,000-yard receivers from last year, Brennan Marion and Charles Clay, were impressive again on Saturday. Marion caught four passes for 96 yards and one touchdown, while Clay had six receptions for 74 yards and one TD as well. Sophomore A.J. Whitmore led the rushing attack with 60 yards and two TDs on five carries.

"We've had a very good spring, and it was a good way to end up the spring game. It was great to get the fans involved. Overall, I think everyone had a great time and we were able to get a lot accomplished on the field," said Head Coach Todd Graham. The Tulsa Spring Game was fan interactive, as Coach Graham allowed fans to call plays again this year, and then fans were also called out of the stands to participate in some on-the-field contests - throwing a TD pass to Brennan Marion; catching a punt from Michael Such; kicking a field goal; catching a pass from David Johnson; and, throwing a wheel route to Charles Clay.

After the Tulsa defense started with a three-and-out on the first possession to take a 3-0 lead, the Hurricane offense scored on the next possession, as Johnson passed 24 yards to Brennan Marion for the touchdown, capping a five-play, 54-yard drive.

Harrell then took the offense back down the field 73 yards in five plays on the next possession, set up by 20 and 24-yard runs by Charles Opeseyitan and 15 and 23-yard Harrell passes to Ryan Sears. Harrell threw the final one-yard to Victor Pongonis for the touchdown. The defense secured another point though, as Ty Page blocked the extra-point-attempt.

After a defensive stop, the offense went 92 yards, but had to settle for a Jarod Tracy 23-yard field goal, making the score 16-5.

On two consecutive possessions, yet the third of Tulsa quarterbacks, Bower, got into the scoring column as he took the offense 68 and 67 yards for scores. The first culminated in seven plays, as Bower ran in from one-yard out for the score. On the next possession, Bower took the third play from scrimmage 49 yards for his second touchdown run, giving the offense a 30-5 lead.

The defense, though, scored 12 points on the next play, as Johnson's pass on the first play from scrimmage was picked off by senior Roy Roberts and taken 43 yards for a touchdown, thus giving the defense five points for the takeaway, six points for the touchdown and another point for the PAT. The defense sliced the offenses lead to 13 points, 30-17.

On the next series, Johnson took the offense 74 yards in eight plays, as Whitmore ran in for the touchdown from one yard out. The next possession with Bower at quarterback ended in a Matt Hulse 45-yard missed field goal, and the defense picking up another point.

Johnson marched back on the field and guided the offense on a six-play, 69-yard scoring drive, as he completed 4-of-5 passes covering 60 yards, and then carried nine yards for the touchdown to give the offense a 44-18 lead.

The defense scored seven points on the next three possessions, Two three-and-out series and a five-play defensive stop gave the Tulsa defense seven points, making the score 44-25, but the offense wouldn't stop scoring as 14 more points were put up on the scoreboard.

Harrell led the offense on a 95-yard, nine-play drive, and throwing 50 yards to sophomore transfer Andrew Norman for the first TD. On the final series of the game, Johnson threw the final 20-yards of the drive to Charles Clay, capping a eight-play, 80-yard drive.

Since the Friday workout was cancelled due to poor weather conditions, Tulsa will conclude spring drills with one more practice sessions on Tuesday.

FINAL SCORE:  Offense 58, Defense 25
Scoring Summary 	                                       Off-Def
D-3 points - 3 and out	                                        0-3
O- David Johnson 24 pass to Brennan Marion (Jarod Tracy PAT)	7-3
O- Clark Harrell 1 pass to Victor Pongonis (PAT Block)	        13-3
D- Blocked PAT by Ty Page	                                13-4
D- 1 point - series stop	                                13-5
O- Jarod Tracy 23 FG	                                        16-5
O-Jacob Bower 1 run (Matt Hulse PAT)	                        23-5
O-Jacob Bower 49 run (Matt Hulse PAT)	                        30-5
D- 12 points - Roy Roberts 43 INT Return (Matt Hulse PAT)	30-17
O-Whitmore 1 run (Derek Mimbela PAT)	                        37-17
D - 1 point - series stop - Hulse 45 FG No Good	                37-18
O-David Johnson 9 run (Jarod Tracy PAT)	                        44-18
D- 3 points - 3 and out	                                        44-21
D- 3 points - 3 and out	                                        44-24
D - 1 point - series stop	                                44-25
O-Clark Harrell 50 pass to Andrew Norman (Jarod Tracy PAT)	51-25
O-David Johnson 20 pass to Charles Clay (Jarod Tracy PAT)	58-25
Rushing (49-322 yds, 4 TD)
AJ Whitmore, 5-60-1 TD
Jacob Bower, 5-53-2 TD
Charles Clay, 3-46
Charlie Opeseyitan, 2-44
Clark Harrell, 4-43
Courtney Tennial, 10-33
Jamad Williams, 5-33
David Johnson, 4-14-1 TD
Andrew Norman, 1-5
Dion Toliver1/-9
Passing (28-of-44 for 473 yds, 4 TD, 1 INT)
David Johnson, 11-of-18 for 198 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Clark Harrell, 10-of-13 for 166 yds, 2 TD
Jacob Bower, 6-of-12 for 79 yds
AJ Whitmore, 1-of-1 for 30 yds
Receiving (28-473-4 TD)
Brennan Marion, 4-96-1 TD
Charles Clay, 6-74-1 TD
Jesse Meyer, 3-55
Slick Shelley, 3-54
Andrew Norman, 1-50-1 TD
Jake Borgsmiller, 1-43
Ryan Sears, 2-38
Jamad Williams, 1-23
Taylor Gleghorn, 1-13
Chris Ford, 1-11
Courtney Tennial, 2-12
Dion Toliver, 1-2
AJ Whitmore, 1-1
Victor Pongonis, 1-1-1 TD