July 26, 2006

A year ago, Tulsa wasn't on the map when it came to talking about the nation's top teams, but by seasons' end the Hurricane had proven to the country that this private school in Oklahoma could play football. Picked to finish in fourth-place in the Conference USA West Division in 2005, Tulsa posted a 9-4 record, won the C-USA West title and the Conference USA Football Championship with a 44-27 win over Eastern Division Champion UCF.

Tulsa went on to hand Fresno Sate a 31-24 defeat in the 2005 AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

That was great. But a new season is here.

In 2006, Tulsa returns 43 letterwinners, including 17 on offense, 24 on the defensive side of the ball and two specialists.

Offensively, Tulsa loses All-America tight end Garrett Mills to graduation, but other than finding a replacement and more ways to make up for the loss of Mills' production, the Hurricane offense returns some solid weapons.

"I really believe we have an opportunity to be an explosive offense that has the capabilities of making big plays and yet still maintain consistency that we have to have to sustain drives," said fourth-year Head Coach Steve Kragthorpe.

Tulsa returns seven starters to an offense that averaged a league-leading 33 points per game and amassed over 400 yards in total offense. A year ago, Tulsa's offense passed for 237 yards per game and rushed for another 165 yards. The Hurricane ranked 23rd nationally in scoring offense, 39th in total offense, 40th in rush offense and 41st in passing offense.

"We return four of five starters on the offensive line as well as our quarterback, Paul Smith, and back-up quarterback, David Johnson, who has proven to be a very good player in the opportunities that he's been given to play," said Kragthorpe.

Last year, Smith completed 62-percent of his passes for 2,847 yards while compiling a 142.9 pass efficiency rating and throwing 20 touchdowns to just six interceptions.

Tulsa's offensive front is the most experienced in college football with 95 career starts between the four returning starters. Senior Jeff Perrett, a preseason candidate for the Outland Trophy, anchors the offensive front.

Tulsa's stable of running backs adds up to three talented players who will compliment each other in the 2006 campaign, and give the Hurricane perhaps its deepest position on the field.

Senior Brandon Diles has gained 1,115 career yards in three seasons, while sophomore Tarrion Adams gained 574 yards and eight TDs as a red-shirt freshman a year ago.

"Our running back depth is the best it's been with quality players from top to bottom. Although we graduate Uril Parrish, we gain a healthy Brandon (Diles), and an experienced Tarrion (Adams) and transfer Courtney Tennial," said Kragthorpe.

Tennial will see his first action at running bck for the Hurricane in 2006 after transferring from the University of Oklahoma.

Tulsa will have to make up for the loss of Mills at tight end, but Kragthorpe expects the entire offense to be improved.

"Garrett was an awesome football player," said Kragthorpe. "To say that we'll replace Garrett Mills at that position is a tough statement, and yet I think we can be significantly better at all offensive positions and be a very good offense overall.

"We have a solid group of tight ends who provide us a lot of flexibility in our offensive system, and a group of wide receivers that I think will explode this year," added Kragthorpe.

Tulsa returns five lettermen to the wide receiver position, and has an influx of wide-outs joining the Hurricane roster for preseason camp. "We felt like we needed more depth at the wide receiver positions, so we did address that with some immediate help from the junior college ranks to supplement a group that I thought was much improved throughout the spring," said Kragthorpe.

The Hurricane defensive unit appears to be stocked with solid talent and depth. The defense has 10 returning starters, including two that shared starting assignments.

It's a defense that ranked among the nation's best in the 2005 campaign -- ranking third nationally in interceptions and turnovers gained, 11th in pass efficiency defense, 17th in pass defense, 40th in total defense and 43rd in scoring defense.

Tulsa loses just two starters on the defensive side of the ball, but returns two players who missed most of the 2005 season -- safeties Kedrick Alexander and Steve Craver.

"I like the experience level of our defense and feel that we return a number of players who have been through the battles," said Kragthorpe. "I feel better about our defensive depth than I have at any time prior to this season. We are continuing to recruit not only size, but speed that should help us continue to be an aggressive attacking defense.

Tulsa's defensive line possesses a lot of size, depth and talent. Tulsa has eight returning letterwinners on the defensive front, including six of whom started at least one game.

Senior Robert Latu and junior Chadd Evans each started six games last season for the Hurricane. Evans is the leading returning tackler from the front line with 34 stops a year ago. At nose guard, Tulsa has three returning players who shared time in the starting lineup last year.

Tulsa's linebacker corps is the pacesetter for the Hurricane defense.

"When I think of Nick Bunting, Nelson Coleman and Chris Chamberlain, the first thoughts that come to my mind is toughness, consistency and tremendous effort," said Kragthorpe.

Bunting has been named to the preseason watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, given to the nation's top defensive player. Coleman, a second-team all-C-USA selection, was Tulsa's leading tackler from his middle linebacker spot with 117 total tackles last year, while Chamberlain was third on the team with 88 tackles.

Tulsa returns 10 lettermen to the defensive secondary, including four of whom missed all or most of the 2005 campaign. The Hurricane comes into the 2006 season with consideration as one of the best secondaries in the nation.

Tulsa returns first-team all-Conference USA selection Bobby Blackshire at free safety, while second-team performer Nick Graham returns at cornerback. SPUR Anthony Germany is another returning starter, while cornerbacks Roy Roberts and Julian McGowan shared time as starters last year.

"The good thing in the secondary is the athleticism of our players. When we're playing teams like we're going to play in Conference USA, playing with a lot of five and six defensive back sets and the depth we have will be able to help us," said Kragthorpe.

Tulsa will have to find some replacements on special teams. "We lose some weapons on special teams with Brad DeVault, but I liked the spring that Jarrod Tracy had," said Kragthorpe.

Tulsa will also have a number of players vying for playing time in the return game. "There are a number of excellent athletes that possess big-play abilities not only on the offensive and defensive side of the ball, but also in the return game," added Kragthorpe.

THE OFFENSE
QUARTERBACK
Tulsa returns two quality quarterbacks to the offensive unit in the likes of junior Paul Smith (6-2, 193) and sophomore David Johnson (6-2, 217).

The battle-tested Smith, who returns as the Hurricane starter, was named the MVP of the 2005 AutoZone Liberty Bowl when he completed 18-of-27 passes for 234 yards and one touchdown, and also rushed for 45 yards and one TD.

On the season, Smith completed 62-percent of his passes for 2,847 yards while compiling a 142.9 pass efficiency rating. Smith threw for over 200 yards in 10 games, and had just six interceptions while finding the end zone 20 times through the air.

Johnson also put up impressive numbers in a reserve role last year. He completed 68-percent of his passes for 236 yards in five contests. Johnson filled in for an injured Smith during the season opener against Minnesota and completed 20-of-30 passes for 172 yards and one touchdown.

Freshman red-shirt Drew Westling (6-3, 215) sat in the wings last year learning the Hurricane offense. He threw for nearly 3,000 yards and 28 touchdowns as a prep senior at Aliso Niguel High School in California.

True freshman Clark Harrell (6-2, 190) also brings outstanding credentials from the prep ranks, as he completed 69-percent of his passes for 3,924 yards and 39 touchdowns his senior season at Ennis (Texas) High School.

RUNNING BACK
Despite losing rushing leader Uril Parrish to graduation, the running game appears to be in solid shape with the return two letterwinners and a transfer from the University of Oklahoma.

This combination adds up to three talented running backs that will compliment each other in the 2006 campaign, and give the Hurricane perhaps its deepest position on the field.

Senior Brandon Diles (6-0, 215) has gained 1,115 career yards in three seasons sharing the rushing load. Hampered with an injury last season, Diles managed to gain 247 yards for a 6.2 average per carry and scored three TDs. Sophomore Tarrion Adams (6-1, 204) gained 574 yards and eight touchdowns as a red-shirt freshman a year ago, while also catching 24 passes for 273 yards.

Adams had a knack of breaking lose for a big gain in his first campaign. He had a 64-yard touchdown run just before halftime against Memphis, and broke away for a 63-yard touchdown scamper in the Liberty Bowl.

Adams finished with a career-best 102 yards and one TD rushing in the Liberty Bowl, while Diles had a career-high and the school's 16th-best rushing performance in school history with 202 yards and three touchdowns against Nevada as a junior in 2004. He had a 128-yard performance in 2005 against North Texas.

Tulsa loses Parrish, but adds Courtney Tennial (5-9, 214), a transfer from Oklahoma, to the running back corps. The 2002 Oklahoma High School Player of the Year, Tennial showed his talented running ability during spring drills the past two years.

Tennial hasn't seen much action since his senior year of high school when he was the Oklahoma High School Player of the Year after rushing for 3,426 yards and 36 touchdowns as a senior.

Sophomore walk-on Aaron Johnson (5-9, 190) adds depth to the position, while true freshman Dexter Taylor (5-10, 180) brings outstanding credentials from the prep ranks.

Although he was a high school quarterback, Taylor brings tremendous skills as a runner to the Hurricane. He was named Indiana's Mr. Football after leading his Warren Central High School team to three straight state titles. As a senior, Taylor rushed for 2,116 yards and 29 touchdowns.

OFFENSIVE LINE
Consistency on the offensive line was one of the ingredients of Tulsa's success offensively in 2005. This year, although returning just five lettermen, four starters are back up-front for the Hurricane.

Tulsa's offensive line enters the 2006 season with the distinction of being the most experienced front in college football with 95 career starts between the four returning starters.

Fellow Conference USA member UCF has an offensive line that has combined for 93 career starts, followed by Oregon State of the Pac-10 with 91.

Three of Tulsa's starters up-front have started on the same offensive front for the past two seasons. Senior right tackle Jeff Perrett (6-7, 329) was a third-team all-Conference USA selection a year ago and will enter the 2006 campaign having started 35 straight contests.

Perrett is a preseason candidate for the nation's top lineman award, as he was named to the Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List.

The offensive front returns both starters on the left side of the ball in the likes of guard Jon Hameister-Ries (6-6, 308) and tackle Mike Mengers (6-4, 280). Mengers is a two-year starter, while Hameister-Ries saw his first collegiate action last year and became a force for the Hurricane.

Senior center Aaron Danenhauer (6-5, 302) is a versatile player, who started at guard in 2004 and was the starting center last season.

Perrett has 37 career starts, followed by Danenhauer's 26, Mengers' 19 and Hameister-Ries with 13 starting assignments.

There may not be as much game experience with the rest of the players on the offensive front, but Tulsa coaches are pleased with the depth and talent to pick from. Not only does the front line have depth and talent, but size as well with 10 of the 15 players tipping the scales of over 300 pounds

The right guard slot, vacated by the graduation of all-conference performer Jesse Stoneham, will see red-shirt freshmen Jody Whaley (6-3, 302) and Curt Puckett (6-3, 305) battle for the starting spot in preseason drills. In addition, sophomore Rodrick Thomas (6-4, 347) will have a chance to compete for playing time at right guard, while true freshman Brandon Washington (6-3, 330) is another player who brings great size to the offensive line.

Backing up Perrett at right tackle is junior Wade Whitlow (6-4, 310), who returns from an injury that sidelined him for most of the 2005 campaign. Whitlow had starting experience as a red-shirt freshman in 2004, as he started and played most the game against Oklahoma State and Navy.

Red-shirt freshman Kevin Lane (6-5, 333) sat out his true freshman season with an injury, while fellow freshman red-shirt Travis Wike (6-4, 279) makes the move from tight end to tackle.

At center, junior college transfer Justin Morsey (6-2, 282) was able to get a lot of snaps during spring drills and will back-up Danenhauer in the middle.

On the left side of the offensive front, senior Jeff Bryant (6-3, 316), also returning from an injury, will back-up Hameister-Ries at guard and can also play the center spot. Puckett can also play on the left side.

At left tackle, Whaley, who will also get a chance to start at right guard, will back - up Mengers.

Junior Blair Frederick (6-5, 265), who started his career on the offensive front but moved to tight end last year, has returned to the left tackle position. Freshman Ronnie DeWitt (6-5, 260) adds depth to the left side of the line.

TIGHT END
Who will replace All-America tight end Garrett Mills? Good question. The answer will be found in an array of tight end talent.

Three returning letterwinners -- Charles Ramsey (6-4, 254), Aaron Roupoli (6-2, 244) and Ted Curtis (6-1, 242) -- received quality playing time in 2006, but combined for only three receptions for 51 yards.

Ramsey, Roupoli and Curtis have been solid blockers for the Hurricane, but will have to show their consistency on the receiving end in 2006.

Red-shirt freshman Jake Collums (6-4, 236) showed during spring drills that he can be productive on the receiving end. As a prep senior at Enid (Okla.) High School, Collums caught 29 receptions for 414 yards in his career.

Sophomore walk-on Jacob Frank (6-1, 233) adds depth, as does two newcomers that joined the Hurricane in the spring -- Kyle Nelson (6-2, 226) and Josh Myshak (6-0, 241). True freshman Logan Cawyer (6-4, 234) brings great size and production as a prep star to the tight end position. Last year, Cawyer totaled 41 receptions for 603 yards and 13 touchdowns his senior season.

Another possibility at tight end is sophomore transfer Zach Snider (6-3, 240), who comes to Tulsa from the University of Arkansas. Snider, expected to sit out the 2006 season after his transfer, is awaiting a waiver from the NCAA that would allow him to suit up this season.

Snider played in 10 games last year on defense for Arkansas, but will make the move to tight end for the Hurricane.

WIDE RECEIVER
The receiver position may have been a little low on numbers during spring drills, but preseason camp will see an influx of newcomers invigorate the position.

Tulsa returns the exciting Idris Moss (5-10, 180) to one of the receiver slots. A junior college transfer last year, Moss caught 22 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns and returns as Tulsa's leading target from the wide receiver position.

Fellow seniors Ryan Bugg (6-0, 195) and Donnie Johnson (5-9, 208) will have the opportunity to catch more passes in 2006. Bugg caught seven passes for 61 yards last season, and had a knack for being in the right place at the right time. Against Minnesota, Bugg scored on a four-yard TD pass in the end zone off of a deflected pass, while against Oklahoma, he recovered a fumble at the OU one-yard line after a 10-yard pass took the ball to the one.

Johnson did not catch a pass last year, but has always been a solid blocker for the Hurricane from his wide-out slot.

Red-shirt freshman Jesse Meyer (6-3, 198) is a big target with good hands and speed, and showed the ability to make plays during spring drills.

Junior Cauvey Jackson (5-10, 188) made the switch from running back to receiver during spring drills, and gives the Hurricane great versatility. Jackson has the ability to make defenders miss in the open field and has great quickness. Last year, he caught 11 passes for 111 yards out of the backfield.

Junior Kyle Grooms (6-3, 205), who saw playing time on special teams last year, will get an opportunity to play a role at wide receiver.

Four junior college receivers -- Cameron Clemons (5-11, 180), Nick Henderson (6-0, 175), Corey Kizer (6-2, 210), Dion Toliver (5-10, 160) -- bring solid credentials from the junior college ranks. The quartet combined to catch 115 passes for 1,761 yards and 14 touchdowns a year ago.

Clemons caught 21 passes for 341 yards and four touchdowns in his sophomore season at Santa Ana (Calif.) Junior College, while in his only season at Coffeyville Community College Nick Henderson caught 11 passes. Kizer was a first-team all-conference selection after catching 48 passes for 876 yards and eight touchdowns at Coahoma (Miss.) Junior College in 2005. Toliver had 35 receptions for 480 yards and two touchdowns in his final season at Riverside (Calif.) Junior College.

In addition, two true freshmen put up solid numbers as high school seniors. Daniel Morrell (6-1, 186) caught 70 passes for 1,051 yards and 13 TDs at Blanchard (Okla.) High School, while Stephen Polk (6-1, 195) had 49 catches for 672 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior at Dallas Pinkston High School.

Walk-on Corey Heinz (5-11, 161) will add depth to the position.

THE DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE
When Steve Kragthorpe was named head coach in 2003 the defensive line was one with little depth and size. Now, the Hurricane front has great depth, size and talent. Tulsa has eight returning letterwinners on the defensive front, including seven who saw considerable playing time a year ago, and six of whom started at least one game.

The Hurricane has the ability to go three-deep at each position in Tulsa's 3-3-5 alignment, as well as being capable of lining up in a four-man front. Tulsa's depth will once again allow the Hurricane to alternate players up-front and keep the big bodies fresh.

At nose guard, five of Tulsa's seven players listed at the position tip the scales at over 297 pounds. On the outside, Tulsa possesses players with good size and speed to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

Brandon Jones (6-2, 297) and Walter Boyd (6-2, 317) came out of spring practice as co-starters heading into preseason drills at nose guard, while returning starter Terrel Nemons (6-4, 345) will also compete for the starting spot.

Jones tallied 14 tackles last year, while Boyd, who also saw playing time at end, had 13 stops on the season. Nemons clogged up the middle, starting the final six games and totaling eight tackles on the year.

Sophomore Tommy Daniels (6-2, 338) also saw considerable playing time last season and was credited with 10 tackles.

True freshmen Jon Bell (6-1, 255) and Kenny Scott (6-1, 324) will add depth in the middle of the defensive front for the Hurricane, as will freshman red-shirt walk-on Skyler Taylor (6-0, 269).

One of just two starters the Hurricane lost to graduation comes at end in the likes of Brandon Lohr, but Tulsa has four lettermen back on the outside.

Senior Robert Latu (6-2, 271) and junior Chadd Evans (6-4, 265) will battle for the starting spot at one end slot, while sophomore Moton Hopkins (6-3, 275) and senior Kinny Spotwood (6-1, 232) will anchor the opposite side.

Latu and Evans each started six games last season for the Hurricane. Evans is the leading returning tackler from the front line, as he tallied 34 tackles and seven stops for 38 lost yards. Latu was credited with 21 stops and three tackles for -15 yards.

Hopkins, a C-USA all-Freshman Team selection last year, totaled 28 tackles as a true freshman. In the off-season, Hopkins added a lot of size and now pushes the scales at over 270 pounds. He had an outstanding spring season for the Hurricane.

A pair of red-shirt freshmen Popsie Floyd (6-1, 250) and Cedric Godfrey (6-1, 243) will also compete for playing time at defensive end. Junior walk-on Alex Detwiler (6-1, 217) adds depth, while newcomers Anthony Egbuniwe (6-4, 220) and Tyler Scarbrough (6-3, 240) bring solid credentials from the high school ranks.

LINEBACKER
The linebacking corps returns intact as two of the three returning starters earned all-conference honors a year ago. Tulsa's linebacker corps is an extremely active group and sets the tone for the Hurricane defense.

Tulsa senior Nick Bunting (6-1, 230) tallied 85 tackles last year and comes into his final campaign with 252 career tackles. He enters his final season needing just 20 tackles to move onto the school's top-10 list for tackles.

Bunting, who has been named to the preseason watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, given to the nation's top defensive player, is one of the leaders on the Hurricane defense.

A pair of juniors, Nelson Coleman (6-2, 235) and Chris Chamberlain (6-2, 225), return to the starting lineup.

Coleman, a second-team all-C-USA selection, was Tulsa's leading tackler from his middle linebacker spot with 117 total tackles last year, and added 6.5 stops for lost yardage and four quarterback sacks.

He had six double-digit tackle games a year ago, including a career-best 19 stops against Rice.

Chamberlain was third on the team with 88 tackles last season including 11 stops for -46 yards. He corralled a career-high 11 tackles against Fresno State in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. Chamberlain missed most of spring drills with an injury.

When those three are out, Tulsa appears to be in solid hands with three returning letterwinners waiting in the wings. Junior Alain Karatepeyan (6-1, 250), who saw considerable playing time last year after transferring from a Pierce Junior College, had an outstanding spring campaign. Last season, Karatepeyan tallied 11 tackles and 2.5 stops for -17 yards.

Cody Madison (6-3, 239) backs up at middle linebacker, but has seen playing time on the outside throughout his career. He had 11 stops and two fumble recoveries a year ago. George Clinkscale (6-0, 241) saw playing time as a true freshman last year when he totaled 12 tackles.

Two newcomers could also jump into the mix of seeing playing time at linebacker in the likes of sophomore transfer Jeph McAlester (6-3, 225) and freshman Mike Bryan (6-1, 215).

McAlester transfers from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and will have three years of eligibility remaining, while Bryan comes from great bloodlines. McAlester was an honorable mention All-America selection last year. Bryan had 627 career tackles and last year tallied 248 stops at Coweta (Okla.) High School.

Freshman Tanner Antle (6-4, 200), who left high school early and enrolled at Tulsa for the 2006 spring semester, brings depth to linebacker. He had 120 tackles, five sacks and three interceptions as a prep senior.

Red-shirt freshman walk-on Kody Thomas (6-2, 205) also adds depth at linebacker.

DEFENSIVE SECONDARY
Tulsa returns all but one player to the secondary, as the Hurricane returns a total of 10 lettermen but five of whom missed all or most of the 2005 campaign.

The Hurricane secondary comes into the 2006 season with consideration as one of the best units in the nation.

First-team all-Conference USA selection Bobby Blackshire (6-3, 205), who handles the free safety position, totaled 99 tackles and six pass breakups a year ago. Anthony Germany (6-1, 211), who took over a starting spot after an injury sidelined the starter, totaled 49 tackles and a team-leading 13.5 stops for 65 yards and eight pass breakups. The junior will begin the season manning the SPUR position.

Returning to the BANDIT position is Kedrick Alexander (6-2, 210), who missed all but the Liberty Bowl game last year, and Steve Craver (6-1, 212), who suffered an injury against Oklahoma and missed the remainder of the season. Alexander and Craver will battle for the starting spot, while either player is also versatile enough to make a move to one of the other safety positions.

Alexander had 155 tackles in his first two seasons at Tulsa, and against Fresno State in last season's Bowl game tallied six tackles in the first game he had played in over two seasons.

Before suffering an injury last year, Craver was in the starting line-up against Oklahoma and collected five tackles, 1.5 stops for -19 yards, forced one fumble and had a 29-yard interception return.

Red-shirt freshman James Lockett (5-11, 192) will back-up at the BANDIT position, while Ty Page (6-2, 220) and Jonathan Penelton (6-0, 214) will compete for playing time at SPUR. Both Page and Penelton sat out the 2005 season, after lettering as true freshmen a year earlier.

Behind Blackshire at free safety is sophomore Josh Burris (5-10, 186), who saw playing time last year as a true freshman, and newcomer Donald Gobert (6-3, 180).

Senior Nick Graham (5-11, 191) anchors the cornerback slot. Last year, Graham finished the season ranked eighth nationally with six interceptions and totaled 12 passes defended on the year. He was Tulsa's fifth-leading tackler with 72 total stops, including 51 solos.

Two returnees who shared the starting spot at the other cornerback slot -- Julian McGowan (6-0, 165) and Roy Roberts (5-11, 205) -- gives the Hurricane solid experience at the corners.

Roberts came out of the spring as the starter opposite Graham, while McGowan missed most of spring drills and will go into preseason camp as the back-up to Graham.

In 2006, Roberts registered 33 tackles, four pass break-ups and three interceptions while being named to the C-USA all-Freshman Team. McGowan totaled 24 tackles, six pass break-ups and four interceptions while playing in only nine games.

Sophomore Randy Duncan (6-2, 188), who lettered in the 2004 campaign but sat out last year, will compete for considerable action at cornerback. Duncan made the move from safety to cornerback during spring drills.

Two returning corners, Terrance Thomas (5-10, 175) and Marchon Tatmon (6-1, 207), will seek playing time as well.

Newcomers Charles Davis (5-9, 155), Kenny Sims (5-11, 189) and Jamad Williams (5-9, 193) bring solid credentials from the prep ranks, and will compete to add depth at cornerback.

THE KICKING GAME
A year ago, Tulsa's kicking game proved to be a valuable weapon for the Hurricane. Gone from last year is place-kicker Brad DeVault, who fell one point shy of becoming the school's all-time leading scorer, and NCAA kick-off return record-holder Ashlan Davis.

Sophomore Jarrod Tracy (6-0, 165) appears to be the frontrunner to take over the kick-off, field goal and PAT chores. In 2004, Tracy saw some playing time in place of an injured DeVault, converting 8-of-8 PATs.

Tracy showed consistency during spring drills, while fellow sophomore Matt Schultz (6-0, 154) will also be given an opportunity to handle one of the kicking areas.

Senior Chris Kindred (5-11, 205) is the returning punter, but will get pushed by Paul Jurado (6-1, 195), who sat out last season after transferring from Citrus Junior College, and walk-on Alexander Bridge (5-10, 205).

A year ago, Kindred averaged 37.9 yards on 63 punts and had a long of 67 yards against Houston while also turning in his best day against the Cougars with a 44.7-yard average on seven punts.

The deep snapping duties will be up for grabs between junior Kyle Grooms (6-3, 205), freshman Kyle Nelson (6-2, 226) and sophomore transfer John Warren (6-0, 215).

A number of players will get an opportunity as return specialists, but at the top of the list will be Idris Moss (5-10, 180). Last year, Moss returned 11 punts for 102 yards and had six kickoff returns for an 18.8 average.