Tulsa Clobbers Memphis, 48-7
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Tulsa used a suffocating defensive effort and an overpowering offense to pick up a 48-7 road win at Memphis on a windy Saturday evening at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in front of 22,231 fans.
With winds blowing around 20 miles per hour throughout the game, the Golden Hurricane (3-2, 1-1 C-USA) held Memphis to 207 total yards and forced four turnovers on the way to its first road win since a 27-10 victory at Rice on Oct. 3, 2009. The TU offense went over 400 yards for the fifth time in as many games, and eclipsed 40 points for the third time this year.
The Tulsa defense continued where it left off last week, pressuring Memphis all game long, and forcing the Tigers into four turnovers. All four of the turnovers came in the first half, and helped the Hurricane build a comfortable lead. TU also recorded five total tackles for loss in the contest.
Curnelius Arnick and Tanner Antle led the defensive effort with nine tackles and one tackle for loss apiece.
G.J. Kinne completed 18-of-31 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns in the game. Six different players scored a touchdown, and four different receivers caught multiple passes for the Hurricane led by Charles Clay’s five catches for 32 yards and a score, and Damaris Johnson’s three receptions for 59 yards. Ja’Terian Douglas led Tulsa rushers with 46 total yards on five carries.
Tulsa scored 13 points off of four Memphis turnovers in the first half.
Marco Nelson grabbed his third interception of the year on Memphis’ first drive, and the Golden Hurricane turned the opportunity into seven points. Kinne capped the 48-yard drive with an eight-yard run, giving TU a 7-0 lead.
Memphis drove to the Tulsa 29 yard line on its second drive, but the field goal attempt into the wind went wide right. The Golden Hurricane took over and drove down to the UM 29, but missed a field goal of its own, wide right. It broke a streak of seven straight made field goals by Fitzpatrick.
After another Memphis punt, TU took over on its own 38 yard line. On the first play, Kinne hit Johnson for a 27-yard gain. Three plays later, Douglas scampered in from 18 yards out to put Tulsa up 14-0 with 35 seconds remaining in the opening period.
Memphis took the ensuing kickoff and drove 60 yards in seven plays, the scoring drive capped by a 22-yard run by Jerrell Rhodes, making the score 14-7, Tulsa.
The Hurricane’s next score came after a muffed punt return by Memphis. Shawn Jackson recovered the fumble at the UM 30, and five plays later Fitzpatrick kicked a 19-yard field goal to push the TU lead to 17-7.
Tyrunn Walker recovered another Memphis fumble, this time at the Tigers’ 27 yard line, which led to another Fitzpatrick field goal. The 23-yarder made the score, 20-7, in favor of TU.
On the following drive, the Tigers fumbled the quarterback-running back exchange and Derrick Jackson recovered. It was the third UM fumble and fourth turnover claimed by the Hurricane defense.
Tulsa led, 20-7, at the half powered by 13 points off of four Memphis turnovers. TU gained 233 total yards to Memphis’ 149 yards. The Hurricane rushed for 126 and Kinne passed for 107 yards in the half.
Tulsa took the opening kickoff of the second half and drove 74 yards in nine plays, adding seven points to make the score, 27-7. Kinne hit Charles Clay on a bootleg pass from two yards out. It was the first time this season TU has scored on its initial second half possession.
On its next possession, the Golden Hurricane took a punt from Memphis and drove 51 yards in just four plays and 1:21, scoring on a five-yard Alex Singleton run, to push the lead to 34-7.
Tulsa extended its lead to 41-7 on a five-yard touchdown pass from Kinne to Jameel Owens. The Hurricane drove 67 yards in 11 plays for the score.
Shavodrick Beaver entered the game in the fourth quarter and engineered a 49-yard drive, scoring on a 14-yard run to make the score, 48-7, Tulsa.
Tulsa returns to action Saturday, Oct. 9, at SMU at 7 p.m. TU returns home Oct. 16 for its annual Homecoming game against Tulane at 6 p.m. Tickets are available online at www.tulsahurricane.com and by phone at 918-631-GoTU (4688).
Head Coach Todd Graham Post-Game Quotes
Tulsa Head Coach Todd Graham
Opening Remarks
Naturally, I’m really pleased with how our guys played. I thought our guys came out and really, really focused. In the last two weeks, I feel like our guys have really taken to leadership and it’s taken control of the team. Our guys are really maturing in the last couple weeks. I thought we really dominated a team. I mean, I thought, we thought it would be a much closer battle after (Memphis) went out to UTEP and what (Memphis) did out there.
I’m really, really proud of our defensive team. James Roberson, another true freshman. Marco (Nelson) wasn’t able to play but a few series in the first quarter, and James came in and did a great job. I’m really pleased with how he played defensively and how our guys dominated the game defensively. The turnovers–that brings back fond memories of how you ought to play defense. I’m really proud of them. Naturally, there were a lot of mistakes–missed field goals, kicking the ball out of bounds. Stuff like that you can’t do. Lots of things we have to do better to improve. But, again, anytime you go on the road and are able to win and win decisively, you’re really pleased.
I’m proud of my staff and really proud of my players. They did a tremendous job. I’m really proud.
Talk about how your defensive dominated the second half.
Well, I think up front, we were able to do some things. We tackled really well, and we were really able to impact the quarterback. Coach Patterson and Coach Randolph did some things. We’re having to learn as we go. Every week it seems like we have a freshman starting. We have developed and found where we need to be and the things we have to do in order to give our kids a chance to win.
We were able to impact the quarterback. One of the things was how we responded. They had the one drive where they drove it down there and they had a scheme we hadn’t seen, and they didn’t panic. They made the right adjustments. That was a good game for us. We needed that kind of game against a quality opponent defensively. So I was really proud of the way our guys played.
SCORING SUMMARY Qtr.TimeTeamPlay Score 111:12TulsaG.J. Kinne 8 run (Fitzpatrick PAT) 7-0 100:38TulsaJa'Terain Douglas 18 run (Fitzpatrick PAT) 14-0 212:41MemphisJerrell Rhodes 22 run (Henriques PAT) 14-7 29:50TulsaKevin Fitzpatrick 19 FG 17-7 21:49TulsaKevin Fitzpatrick 23 FG 20-7 311:10TulsaG.J. Kinne 2 pass to Charles Clay (Fitzpatrick PAT)27-7 37:31TulsaAlex Singleton 5 run (Fitzpatrick PAT) 34-7 412:14TulsaG.J. Kinne 5 pass to Jameel Owens (Fitzpatrick PAT)41-7 42:57TulsaShavodrick Beaver 14 run (Fitzpatrick PAT) 48-7
Updated 10-03-2010
READER COMMENTS
