Newly-appointed University of Tulsa Head Football Coach Keith Burns announced today the appointment of three assistant coaches -- Barry Lunney, Jr.,Dennis Allen and Brock Berryhill. Burns also indicated that Dan Sharp has been retained from the previous coaching staff.

At Burns' introductory press conference on Tuesday, he indicated that Barry Lunney, Jr., would be joining the Hurricane coaching staff. Lunney will coach the running backs.

Lunney, 25, has spent the past two years as a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater Arkansas. In his first season, Lunney was thrust into full-time duty in December when UA running backs coach Danny Nutt underwent brain surgery. After working with the scout team defense as well as assisting with the offense during the 1998 regular season, Lunney subbed for Nutt with the running backs in preparation for the Florida Citrus Bowl.

Lunney also gained valuable experience on the recruiting trails in January and February. He and Nutt worked together with the running backs in the spring and he was involved in May recruiting evaluation as well. For the 1999 season, Lunney returned for his second season as a graduate assistant.

As a player, Lunney quarterbacked the Razorbacks for four years (1992-95). During his career, he passed for a school record 5,782 yards and 33 touchdowns, while completing 476 of 856 passes. In his first career start as a freshman, Lunney directed Arkansas past fourth-ranked Tennessee. He earned his bachelor's degree from Arkansas in kinesiology in 1996. "Barry has all the intangibles to be a great coach. He is a leader and is a great people person. He is a first-class individual and football coach," said Burns. "The Lunney name is synonymous with great football names. He comes from a football family."

Dennis Allen spent the past four seasons on the coaching staff at Texas A&M as a graduate assistant coach working primarily with the A&M defensive secondary. He will coach the secondary for the Hurricane. A four-year letterman for the Aggies from 1992-95, Allen started 21 consecutive games and received all-conference mention as a junior and senior. He earned Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors after picking off two passes in a 36-14 victory over Oklahoma in 1994.

Allen, 26, earned his bachelor's degree in management in 1995 and a
master's degree in kinesiology in 1998. "Dennis is a great young coach," said Burns. "R.C. Slocum told me that he believes Dennis will be a star in the coaching ranks, and I believe that as well. He'll be a great addition to our coaching staff."

Brock Berryhill, 26, joins the Hurricane coaching staff from Cal Poly and will coach the outside linebackers. He spent one year as the defensive secondary coach at Cal Poly following one season as a defensive assistant at Arkansas.

Before his one-year stint at Arkansas, Berryhill was a defensive graduate assistant at Boise State in 1997 and an offensive graduate assistant in 1996. At Boise State, he assisted with coaching the defensive line and tight ends. From 1983-85, he was a student assistant coach at BSU.

He received his bachelor's degree in history and secondary education from Boise State in 1996, and later earned a master's degree in curriculum and instruction.
"Brock was with me at Arkansas as a defensive assistant, and I tried to get him to stay for this past year. He is intelligent and an extremely hard worker. Brock will be a great recruiter," said Burns.

Dan Sharp, 37, completed his second season on the Hurricane coaching staff in 1999 as the defensive ends coach. Sharp, who coached seven seasons at TCU before joining the Tulsa staff, will coach the tight ends under Burns. He spent the previous two seasons coaching the Hurricane defensive ends. At TCU, Sharp coached tight ends for five seasons and defensive ends for two years.

"I'm obviously happy to keep Dan," said Sharp. "The one thing that is consistent with Dan is that he is a tireless worker and recruiter. He's a guy I would try to hire regardless of where he was coaching. Dan gives us some stability in the recruiting process this year and the knowledge of our players. He will be a real plus."