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Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Current season:
AmericanFootball current event 2023 Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Tulsa Golden Hurricane NCAA-AAC-Tulsa Golden Hurricane Gold Helmet
First season 1895
Athletic director Derrick Gragg
Head coach Philip Montgomery
6th year, 25–37 (.403)
Home stadium Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium
Stadium capacity 30,000
Stadium surface FieldTurf
Location Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
Conference The American (AAC) (2014–present)
Past conferences Independent (1895–1913)
Oklahoma Collegiate Conference (1914–1928)
Big Four Conference (1929–1932)
Missouri Valley Conference (1935–1985)
Independent (1986–1995)
Western Athletic Conference (1996–2004)
Conference USA (2005–2013)
All-time history
Tulsa Golden Hurricane Historical Teams
1895 1896 1897 1898 1899
1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909
1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929
1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
All-time record 625–509–28 (.550)
Postseason bowl record 10–11 (.476)
Conference titles 35
Rivalries Houston Cougars (rivalry)
Oklahoma State Cowboys (rivalry}
Consensus All-Americans 2
Current uniform
NCAA-AAC-Tulsa Golden Hurricane uniforms
Colors Old Gold, Royal Blue, and Red

                     

Fight song Hurricane Spirit
Mascot Captain Cane
Marching band The Sound of the Golden Hurricane
Outfitter Adidas
Website tulsahurricane.com

The Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team represents the University of Tulsa located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Golden Hurricane are a member of the NCAA FBS American Athletic Conference and play their home games at Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium in Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane are currently coached by Kevin Wilson. The University of Tulsa has the smallest undergraduate enrollment of all schools that participate at the FBS level.[1]

Seasons[]

2020s[]

Season Coach Record
2024 Kevin Wilson
2023 Kevin Wilson 4-8
2022 Philip Montgomery 5-7
2021 Philip Montgomery 7-6
2020 Philip Montgomery 6-3

2010s[]

Season Coach Record
2019 Philip Montgomery 4-8
2018 Philip Montgomery 3-9
2017 Philip Montgomery 2-10
2016 Philip Montgomery 10-3
2015 Philip Montgomery 6-7
2014 Bill Blankenship 2-10
2013 Bill Blankenship 3-9
2012 Bill Blankenship 11-3
2011 Bill Blankenship 8-5
2010 Todd Graham 10-3

2000s[]

Season Coach Record
2009 Todd Graham 5-7
2008 Todd Graham 11-3
2007 Todd Graham 10-4
2006 Steve Kragthorpe 8-5
2005 Steve Kragthorpe 9-4
2004 Steve Kragthorpe 4-8
2003 Steve Kragthorpe 8-5
2002 Keith Burns 1-11
2001 Keith Burns 1-10
2000 Keith Burns 5-7

1990s[]

Season Coach Record
1999 David Rader; Pat Henderson 2-9
1998 David Rader 4-7
1997 David Rader 2-9
1996 David Rader 4-7
1995 David Rader 4-7
1994 David Rader 3-8
1993 David Rader 4-6-1
1992 David Rader 4-7
1991 David Rader 10-2
1990 David Rader 3-8

History[]

Early Years, 1895-1907[]

File:Henry Kimball football 1895.JPG

The first football team represented Henry Kendall College (now Tulsa) in 1895, and defeated the Bacone Indians in their only game of the season.

Tulsa was known as Henry Kendall College until the move from Muskogee to Tulsa was completed in 1907.[2] It was during this time that the first football team would represent the University.[3] The team would go 1-0, defeating the Bacone Indians.[4] Both the exact date and score of the game were not recorded.[4] Over the next twelve years, Kendall would play 17 games, going 8-8-1, but not fielding a team for four years (1903, 1904, 1906, 1907).[3] The most common opponent was Arkansas, who met with Tulsa four times.[4]

Move to Tulsa, 1907[]

File:Henry Kendall 1914.JPG

The Kendallites in 1914 game action.

Now established in Tulsa, the football team began to grow. In 1913, Kendall went 5-2 under George Evans.[3] Sam P. McBirney, who coached the 2-3 1908 squad, would then return to coach the team in 1914.[4] His first two years back would both be successful, a 6-2 record in 1914 and 6-1-1 the following year, but the undefeated 1916 squad would bring national recognition to Tulsa. The 1916 Hurricane outscored its opponents 566-40, including an 81-0 defeat of Cumberland (TN) and a 117-0 drubbing of Missouri–Rolla.[3][4] There were rumors of playing Notre Dame for the Mid-America Championship, but the two teams never met.[3]

Francis "Close the Gates of Mercy" Schmidt, 1919-1921[]

File:Henry Kendall 1920.JPG

1920 8-0-1 Henry Kendall Kendallites.

Kendall College would return to form after World War I, to go 8-0-1 under Francis Schmidt. The new coach was known as "Close the Gates of Mercy" Schmidt because of his efforts to run up the score on inferior teams.[5] Under Schmidt's three-year tenure, Kendall defeated Oklahoma Baptist 152-0, St. Gregory 121-0, and NE Oklahoma 151-0, as well as a 92-0 defeat of East Central Oklahoma and 10 other victories by 60+ points.[4] The 1919 season gave Kendall their first defeat of the Oklahoma Sooners, but a 7-7 tie with Oklahoma A&M would prevent a perfect season.[4] Ultimately, Schmidt's style would cost Tulsa their coach, as he attracted the attention of University of Arkansas boosters with a 63-7 defeat of the Razorbacks in 1919. Schmidt would sign with and coach the Hogs from 1922-1928.[6]

Howard Archer and "The Golden Hurricane"[]

Howard Archer would leave his mark on the program in two ways. Tulsa did not miss a beat after Schmidt's departure, and went 8-0 in 1922.[4] This included a 13-6 defeat of Schmidt-coached Arkansas in Fayetteville.[4] Archer also gave the newly-named University of Tulsa an athletic identity.[7] Previously, the team had been referred to as "Orange and Black", "Kendallites", "Presbyterians", "Tigers", and "Tulsans".[8] Archer put a vote to the team to replace Golden Tornadoes, which belonged to Georgia Tech.[9] The vote resulted in "Golden Hurricane", which it has remained ever since.[7] The coach would not have the staying power of his nickname, however, and was ousted after three years, when he was replaced by Gus Henderson. TU gave Henderson a large contract to leave the mighty Trojans of USC and coach the Golden Hurricane.[9]

"Gloomy Gus" Henderson and Skelly Stadium[]

The Hurricane had great success on and off the field under Henderson, going 62-17-3 in his first nine years, winning four Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference championships.[7] Henderson also played an integral part in building a home for his football team. The team played in McNulty Park, a 90-yard baseball field where the teams had to drive the length of the field before bringing out the ball to the ten yard line and put the ball in the endzone again.[9] This facility shortcoming meant that officials had to make a judgment call whether the player could've scored or not.[10] Many fights resulted from what other schools thought was favoritism by the officials on these calls.[10] Skelly Field, named for oil tycoon William Skelly, was completed in 1930.[7] Tulsa won the first game in the stadium, 26-6 over Arkansas.[9] Tulsa also scored on the first offensive play in the stadium, after Arkansas fumbled the opening kickoff.[11]

Henderson brought the University of Tulsa into the Missouri Valley Conference for the 1935 season.

Frnka takes Tulsa bowling[]

File:Henry Frnka 1942.jpg

Frnka before the 1943 Sugar Bowl.

Tulsa signed their thirteenth head coach, Henry Frnka, who was coaching at a high school in Greenville, Texas. Under Frnka, Tulsa roared through the 1941 season, finishing 7-2 and receiving their first bowl invitation.[12] It was the help of Glenn Dobbs, considered the best player in Tulsa history, that Frnka could take the Hurricane to new heights. Tulsa defeated Texas Tech in the Sun Bowl because of a Glenn Dobbs pass to Sax Judd with little time remaining, the only score of the game.[13] Tulsa improved in 1942, going 10-0, including wins against Oklahoma (23-0), Oklahoma A&M (34-6), and Arkansas (40-7).[7] This netted the Golden Hurricane an invitation to the 1943 Sugar Bowl against Tennessee. Tulsa lost the game and argument for national champion on a late Volunteer touchdown.[14] Tulsa was instead ranked fourth to end the year, the highest in school history.[15]

Missouri Valley Conference (1935-1985)[]

Notable in Tulsa football tradition are the Missouri Valley Conference teams of 1964 & 1965 which compiled records of 9-2 & 8-3 & played in the Bluebonnet Bowl of both years; the passing attack famously featured Jerry Rhome to Howard Twilley, both of whom achieved lengthy careers in professional football; Rhome polled 2nd in the 1964 Heisman Trophy; Rhome & Twilley are in the College Football Hall of Fame. The 1952 Missouri Valley Conference team with its 8-2-1 record climbed to 11th in the AP Poll & was invited to the Gator Bowl, then 1 of only 5 post-season bowl games, although not one of the 4 major ones. Steve Largent was another talented Tulsa receiver who graduated to a long NFL career (1976-1989 Seattle), was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame because of numerous enduring records as a receiver, served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1994–2002, and then ran as one of the two major candidates for Governor of Oklahoma in 2002. The Golden Hurricane won 25 Missouri Valley conference football titles the most of any school that competed in that league.

Tulsa was the only team to play in five consecutive New Year's Day Bowl games. The Golden Hurricane also was handed one of the worst defeats in college football history when they were beaten in regular season play by Houston Cougars 100-6 on November 23, 1968.[16] Dr. Phil McGraw played for TU at the time.[17]

On November 2, 1985, Tulsa became the first NCAA football team to get two 200-yard rushing performances from two running backs in the same game. Gordon Brown rushed for 214 yards, and Steve Gage rushed for 206 in a 42-26 win over Wichita State.[18]

Independent (1986-1995)[]

The Missouri Valley dropped football after the 1985 season. Tulsa, by this time the MVC's only Division I-A member in football, became an independent.

Over the next four years, Tulsa had three head coaches. Eight-year veteran John Cooper left for Arizona State after the 1984 season, and was succeeded by Don Morton, who in turn left after only two years for Wisconsin. George Henshaw led the team in 1987, but left after only one year for the NFL. David Rader took over in 1988.

Rader led Tulsa to a school-record 10 wins in 1991, but it turned out to be the school's last hurrah for more than a decade. According to Rader, school officials dropped health/PE as a major early in the 1990s; at one point, 56 percent of the players were health/PE majors. Combined with an aging Skelly Stadium, this made it difficult to attract competitive players.[19] Rader never won more than four games in a season again, and was fired midway through the 1999 season.

Western Athletic Conference (1996-2004)[]

Tulsa joined the Western Athletic Conference in 1996, becoming that 16-team league's easternmost member at the time. However, they only had one winning record in nine years of WAC play. Steve Kragthorpe was hired to replace Burns as Golden Hurricanes head coach in 2003.[20] In his first season at Tulsa, Kragthorpe guided a program that had won just two games during the previous two seasons to an 8–5 record and its first bowl game appearance since 1991.[21]

Conference USA (2005-2013)[]

In 2005, Tulsa won the Conference USA championship and then went on to beat Fresno State in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. Kragthorpe left Tulsa after four seasons to accept the head coaching position at Louisville.[22] When the Tulsa head coaching position was vacant following the 2002 season, Todd Graham sent in his application. But it was not until five years later, when Steve Kragthorpe left for Louisville, that Graham would take over the reins as the Golden Hurricane head coach.[23] After serving three years as Tulsa defensive coordinator and one year as Rice head coach, Graham was introduced as Tulsa's 27th head football coach on January 12, 2007.[24]

Tulsa finished the 2007 season with a 10-4 season, concluding with a 63-7 win over Bowling Green in the 2008 GMAC Bowl. This was the largest margin of victory ever recorded in any bowl game. Tulsa also became the first team in NCAA history to have a 5,000-yard passer (Paul Smith), a 1,000-yard rusher (Tarrion Adams) and two 1,000-yard receivers (Brennan Marion and Trae Johnson) in a single season. Additionally, Smith became the NCAA record-holder for most consecutive games in one season (14) with over 300 yards passing.

With an annual salary of $1.1 million Graham was the second highest-paid coach in Conference USA, behind SMU's June Jones in 2010. For his offensive coordinators, Graham turned to his good friend Gus Malzahn, then offensive coordinator at Arkansas,[25] as well as then WVU tight ends coach Herb Hand.[26] He also hired former Tulsa quarterback and Tulsa Union HS coach Bill Blankenship as wide receivers coach. In his final season at Tulsa, the team reached a 10–3 record that included a 28–27 upset at Notre Dame and 62–35 win over No. 24-ranked Hawaii in the 2010 Hawaii Bowl.[27] Graham left Tulsa after four seasons to accept the head football coach position at Pittsburgh.[28]

After a brief search, former Golden Hurricane quarterback Bill Blankenship was named Tulsa's new head coach on January 14, 2011, receiving a promotion from special teams coordinator, wide receivers and running backs coach.[29] Blankenship's first two seasons as head coach were marked by success, including a conference championship and Liberty Bowl victory in 2012. But over the next two seasons, Tulsa won a total of only five games, and Tulsa fired Blankenship on December 1, 2014.[30]

The American (AAC) (2014–present)[]

On April 2, 2013, Tulsa announced that in July 2014 it would leave C-USA for the league then known as the Big East Conference.[31] The following day, the conference announced its new name of the American Athletic Conference,[32] which took effect once the non-FBS schools broke from the league and formed a new Big East Conference.


Baylor offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery accepted an offer from Tulsa to become their head coach on December 11, 2014.[33] Montgomery brought with him an exciting, up-tempo, pass-oriented offense he helped install as offensive coordinator at Houston and Baylor under head coach Art Briles.

In Montgomery's first season at the helm, the Golden Hurricane improved to 6–7, with a loss in the Independence Bowl to cap the year.[34] In Montgomery's second season, Tulsa finished 10–3,[35] but fell to 2–10 in 2017.


Conference affiliations[]

Tulsa has been a member of the following conferences.[36]

Logos/Uniforms/Helmets[]

Image gallery

Championships[]

Conference championships[]

Tulsa has won 35 conference championships, 29 outright and six shared.[37]

Year Coach Conference Overall Record Conference Record
1916 Sam P. McBirney Oklahoma Collegiate Conference 10–0 4–0
1919 Francis Schmidt Oklahoma Collegiate Conference 8–0–1 5–0–1
1920 Francis Schmidt Oklahoma Collegiate Conference 10–0–1 6–0–1
1922 Howard Acher Oklahoma Collegiate Conference 8–1 4–0
1925 Gus Henderson Oklahoma Collegiate Conference 6–2 4–0
1929 Gus Henderson Big Four Conference 6–3–1 4–0–1
1930 Gus Henderson Big Four Conference 7–2 3–0
1932 Gus Henderson Big Four Conference 7–1–1 3–0
1935 Gus Henderson Missouri Valley Conference 3–6–1 3–0
1936 Vic Hurt Missouri Valley Conference 5–2–2 3–0
1937 Vic Hurt Missouri Valley Conference 6–2–2 3–0
1938 Vic Hurt Missouri Valley Conference 4–5–1 3–1
1940 Chet Benefiel Missouri Valley Conference 7–3 4–0
1941 Henry Frnka Missouri Valley Conference 8–2 4–0
1942 Henry Frnka Missouri Valley Conference 10–1 5–0
1943 Henry Frnka Missouri Valley Conference 6–1–1 1–0
1946 Buddy Brothers Missouri Valley Conference 9–1 3–0
1947 Buddy Brothers Missouri Valley Conference 5–5 3–0
1950 Buddy Brothers Missouri Valley Conference 9–1–1 3–0–1
1951 Buddy Brothers Missouri Valley Conference 9–2 4–0
1962 Glenn Dobbs Missouri Valley Conference 5–5 3–0
1965 Glenn Dobbs Missouri Valley Conference 8–3 4–0
1966 Glenn Dobbs Missouri Valley Conference 6–4 3–1
1973 F. A. Dry Missouri Valley Conference 6–5 5–1
1974 F. A. Dry Missouri Valley Conference 8–3 6–0
1975 F. A. Dry Missouri Valley Conference 7–4 4–0
1976 F. A. Dry Missouri Valley Conference 7–4–1 2–1–1
1980 John Cooper Missouri Valley Conference 8–3 4–1
1981 John Cooper Missouri Valley Conference 6–5 5–1
1982 John Cooper Missouri Valley Conference 10–1 6–0
1983 John Cooper Missouri Valley Conference 8–3 5–0
1984 John Cooper Missouri Valley Conference 6–5 5–0
1985 Don Morton Missouri Valley Conference 6–5 3–0
2005 Steve Kragthorpe Conference USA 9–4 6–2
2012 Bill Blankenship Conference USA 11–3 7–1

† Co-championship

Division championships[]

Tulsa has won the following division championships.[36]

Year Division Coach Opponent CG result
2005 Conference USA – West Steve Kragthorpe UCF W 44–27
2007 Conference USA – West Todd Graham UCF L 25–44
2008 Conference USA – West Todd Graham ECU L 24–27
2010 Conference USA – West Todd Graham N/A lost tie-breaker to SMU
2012 Conference USA – West Bill Blankenship UCF W 33–27OT

† Co-championship

2014 Bill Blankenship 2-10
2013 Bill Blankenship 3-9
2012 Bill Blankenship 11-3
2011 Bill Blankenship 8-5
2010 Todd Graham 10-3

References[]

  1. https://tulsahurricane.com/news/2019/11/8/tulsa-football-to-host-oklahoma-in-2023-as-part-of-new-3-game-series.aspx
  2. "History of the University of Tulsa." Site. Retrieved on February 7, 2009.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Bonham: 9
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 ESPN: 900
  5. "Francis A. Schmidt." Hall of Fame Profile. College Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved on February 7, 2009.
  6. "Francis Schmidt Coaching Profile." Profile. Retrieved on February 7, 2009.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 ESPN: 898
  8. ESPN: 897
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Bonham: 10
  10. 10.0 10.1 Rutland, Robert. "The Golden Hurricane: Fifty Years of Football at the University of Tulsa, 1895-1945." Tulsa Quarterback Club. (1953) OCLC: 3337415
  11. "Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium" Stadium Page. The University of Tulsa Official Athletic Site. Retrieved on February 7, 2009.
  12. "Henry Frnka." Article. Retrieved on March 7, 2009.
  13. "Sun Bowl History." Website. Retrieved on March 7, 2009.
  14. ESPN: 1466
  15. Bonham: 25
  16. http://www.phys.utk.edu/sorensen/cfr/cfr/Output/1968/CF_1968_Games.html Retrieved on 09-06-2008.
  17. The Making of Dr. Phil: The Straight-Talking True Story of Everyone's Favorite Therapist; Sophia Dembling, Lisa Gutierrez; John Wiley and Sons, 2003. p. 247
  18. National Sports Review - The Best and Worst of the '80s: Stories & Anecdotes, Quotes & Lists & Hypes, Passions & Amusements, published 1989, Preview Publishing and InfoSports, p.88
  19. Faith Keeps David Rader in Game of Life, GTR Newspapers, October 27, 2010 (retrieved October 8, 2011).
  20. https://tulsahurricane.com/news/2003/1/7/Tulsa_s_Kragthorpe_Names_Football_Coaching_Staff.aspx
  21. Steve Kragthorpe Coaching Record.
  22. Louisville hires Tulsa's Kragthorpe (9 January 2007).
  23. Todd Graham Resigns as TU Head Football Coach.
  24. Todd Graham. Tulsa University Athletics.
  25. Gus Malzahn Leaves Arkansas.
  26. Hand Leaves West Virginia For Tulsa.
  27. Todd Graham. University of Pittsburgh Athletics.
  28. Third time's a charm? Pitt hires Tulsa's Graham (10 January 2011).
  29. Eric Bailey, "Bill Blankenship named new Tulsa football coach", Tulsa World, January 14, 2011.
  30. Bill Blankenship Coaching Tenure at Tulsa Concludes. University of Tulsa (December 1, 2014).
  31. Template:Cite press release
  32. New Name in College Sports – Current BIG EAST Enters New Era as 'American Athletic Conference' (April 3, 2013).
  33. Tulsa hires Baylor OC Montgomery as coach.
  34. 2015 Tulsa Golden Hurricane Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com.
  35. 2016 Tulsa Golden Hurricane Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com.
  36. 36.0 36.1 http://www.tulsahurricane.com/documents/2017/8/1//TU_FB17_MG_web_.pdf
  37. https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/tulsahurricane.com/documents/2019/7/29/TU_FB19_MG_WebOpt.pdf

External Links[]

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