STORYLINES
Tulsa has reached double digits in wins four times since the 2007 season, most recently in 2012, when the Golden Hurricane went 11-3 and won the Conference USA title. In 2011, Tulsa went 8-5 against a schedule that included four top-10 teams.

Tulsa has not had back-to-back losing seasons since 2002.

The Hurricane face two opponents (Oklahoma, UCF) that were ranked in the top 10 of the final Associated Press poll last season.

OFFENSE
Tulsa returns four offensive starters from last year, but will get a boost from the return of WR Keyarris Garrett, who had 845 yards and nine touchdowns in 2012. Garrett missed all but the first two games of last season  with a leg injury.

Only one offensive lineman started all 12 games at the same spot last year. The Hurricane has three regular starters back on the line in 2014, however, as OT Garrett Stafford, OT Davis Walton and C Dylan Foxworth all return.

QB Dane Evans made five starts last season and is the most experienced of the Tulsa quarterbacks. Evans threw for 898 yards and four TDs in 2013.

DEFENSE
DB Michael Mudoh, a second-team All-Conference USA selection last year, leads a group of 10 returning defensive starters for Tulsa. The only starter not returning is LB Shawn Jackson, the 2013 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year.

Mudoh led the Hurricane with 133 tackles and had one interception.


S Demarco Nelson is a former all-conference selection who returns to the lineup as a fourth-year starter. Nelson missed the 2013 season for academic reasons.

Tulsa returns all four starters on the defensive line and two of its three starting linebackers from last year.

SPECIAL TEAMS
K Carl Salazar was named to the Lou Groza Award preseason watch list after he was 16-for-19 in field goal attempts last season.

P Dalton Parks averaged 39.5 yards per punt last season.

The Hurricane will go with new faces at the kickoff and punt return spots following the departure of last year’s regulars.