Tulsa football: Look for scoreboard to light up

BY BOB HERSOM

Published: September 30, 2008

TULSA – The scoreboard operator better be ready Saturday night when Tulsa hosts Rice in a Conference USA football game.

Last Saturday, Rice scored 77 points (all in the first three quarters) against North Texas, and Tulsa scored 62 against Central Arkansas.

"Rice has a great offensive football team,” TU coach Todd Graham said. "We'd better get our tails ready defensively, and I think our guys are going to do that.”

Rice (3-2) features Chase Clement, who is sixth in NCAA total offense; James Casey, who is second in NCAA receptions per game; and Jaret Dillard, who is second in NCAA receptions per game and fourth in scoring.

"That they scored 77 doesn't surprise me,” Graham said. "I watched them against Texas (a 52-10 loss) and they moved the ball all over Texas (for 318 yards). I know their quarterback, Chase, is a winner. Jaret is as good a receiver as there is in the country. James Casey is as good a tight end or H-back as there is around.”

Graham knows those players, and many others for Rice, because he was their coach for one year, 2006, before returning to Tulsa, where he had been defensive coordinator.

"They're going to be highly motivated coming in here,” said Graham, who was criticized by Rice fans for leaving after only one season — even though he took the Owls to their first bowl game in 45 years.

For the first time since the start of the 1920 season, Tulsa has scored 50 or more points in three straight games. The Golden Hurricane have scored 62, 56 and 56 the last three weeks after scoring "only” 45 in their season opener.

Tulsa (4-0) leads the NCAA in scoring (54.8) and total offense (600.8) this week, and quarterback David Johnson continues to lead the nation in passing efficiency.

"We're going to score points,” Graham said. "We've gotten better every single week. The only people who can stop us is us.”

Tulsa is off to a 4-0 start for the first time since 1978.

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