Keith Burns plans to lead from the front this season. Tulsa's third-year head coach has hired a new defensive coordinator and secondary coach: himself. Tulsa hopes to attack
UH survives scrimmage
WAC at the pass
Warrior Notebook SEVENTH OF 13 PARTS
PREVIEW OF HAWAII OPPONENTS
By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comBurns was good enough to fill those roles at USC, so he figures he can do it for the Golden Hurricane and resurrect them after last year's 1-10 campaign.
"I've always been a secondary coach. I love it. It's me against the best players in this league. Everybody has one, the top guys that play in this league play receiver. To shut them down is a challenge," Burns said.
The 41-year-old former Arkansas safety sounds like he wants to get out on the field himself. He said he especially relishes going up against Hawaii's run-and-shoot Oct. 26 at Aloha Stadium. The Warriors scored 33 consecutive points in belting the Hurricane 36-15 last year in Tulsa.
By the time UH and Tulsa play, Burns hopes to have true freshman Kedrick Alexander (6-0, 188) ready for action. The strong safety was one of the top recruits from the Dallas area.
Junior cornerback CJ Scott (5-7, 160) needs to rebound to his level of play as a freshman in 2000. He missed three games last year as he dealt with a hamstring injury.
Senior rover Keithan McCorry (6-0, 181) is a veteran leader. He has started 30 games for the Hurricane and made 176 tackles.
Senior Michael Dulaney (6-2, 231) is smart and tough, and is Burns' kind of player.
"His nose is always bleeding, he's always cut up," Burns said gleefully.
The transfer from Oklahoma was in on a team-high 93 tackles in his first Tulsa season last fall. He leads a group of veteran linebackers.
Another senior, defensive tackle Sam Rayburn (6-3, 303), is expected to lead the front four.
Offensive coordinator Dan Lounsbury wants balance in the attack, and sophomore Tyler Gooch (6-0, 188) is the kind of quarterback who might be able to provide that. Less than a year out of Tulsa's Union High School last fall, Gooch took over the starting duties and displayed flashes of potential. He was intercepted seven times compared to five TDs passing, but he's a rushing threat, running for 140 yards against Rice and 102 against San Jose State.
Gooch will have to stay healthy, as sophomore backup James Kilian (6-3, 200) underwent surgery Friday for a broken left foot and will miss at least the first four games.
Gooch will operate behind a line led by senior center Anthony Taylor (6-1, 287), but with many question marks, as two expected returnees had their careers ended by injuries.
Junior tailback Eric Richardson (5-10, 170) rushed for 469 yards on 131 carries with five touchdowns while battling a neck sprain most of 2001.
Receiver Darrell Wimberly (6-0, 196) caught 23 passes for 253 yards last year, and will try to help fill the void left by the outstanding Donald Shoals.
Shoals last year was one of the best receivers in the WAC, a league that Burns correctly pointed out is full of good receivers.
"When you coach secondary you want to coach in a league where they throw. It's no fun in a league where they wear those big neck rolls," Burns said. "It's what I have a passion for."
All-time record: 512-395-27 Tulsa
Against Hawaii: 2-3
Now you know: Tulsa punter Cort Moffitt underwent special heart testing because of chest pains, but was cleared by doctors and went back to practice last week. "I've talked to the Wizard of Oz and he hooked me up," Moffitt said. "Whatever it was wasn't serious." Moffitt said he has no history of heart problems. ... Next time you pick up your electronic phone messages, think of Tulsa: That's where Gordon Matthews, the inventor of voice mail, went to college.
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