Michael Peters
Tulsa World TU Sports Reporter
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Tulsa had its worst offensive and defensive overall grades of the season in its 42-23 loss to Navy according to Pro Football Focus.
Pro Football Focus, through the website PFF.com, analyzes every play of every game to grade team and individual performances. For the rest of the season, we’ll provide some of the highlights of the website’s grades.
PFF graded the TU offense at 54.5 after a 62.6 performance against New Mexico State and a 72.8 mark against Abilene Christian. The TU’s defensive performance was more in line with the first two games of the season — 81.1 against Navy, after 86.5 and 84.1 performances the first two games.
But where the Hurricane really stumbled against the Midshipmen was in pass blocking and tackling. TU’s pass blocking grade of 42.5 was more than 30 points worse than its previous low of the season, as was its tackling grade (49.6).
Against Navy, the Hurricane had eight players grade at 50 or below in tackling. TU had only five total in the first two games.
As far as TU’s pass blocking is concerned…
TU makes change at offensive line
Hunter Erb, a 6-foot-6, 330-pound junior transfer from Texas A&M, is now listed as the starting right guard for the Hurricane. He replaces Ender Aguilar, the only returning starter on the offensive line.
“We’re going to shuffle some guys around this week on the front and see how they do,” Lamb said during his Monday radio show. “The right guard position has been a concern and it got exposed a little bit Saturday night.”
PFF’s snap count chart shows the links to which TU tried to manage its pass blocking problems against Navy. Four different players took snaps at right guard, including starting center Simon Wilson (11). Erb played seven snaps at the position in the game. Codie Hornsby, who is listed as the back up left guard, played 17 snaps at right guard against the Midshipmen. Hornsby, 6-3, 330, transferred from Syracuse this spring. He didn’t play at Syracuse in 2024, but started 11 games for Grambling in 2023.
Aguilar, a 6-5, 305 senior from California, played 39 snaps against Navy after 66 against NMSU. He allowed four pressures, three hurries and one sack against the Midshipmen.
Lamb expects Hayes, Francis to both be available
Lamb said Monday he expects to have both of his top two quarterbacks available for Friday’s game against Oklahoma State.
Kirk Francis, who started the first two games, missed the Navy game with a concussion. Lamb said Monday he was hoping Francis would be able to practice Tuesday. Participating Tuesday and passing his final concussion test would clear Francis for action Friday.
“The plan is for me to practice both guys and see who has the best week of practice,” Lamb said. “If you ask me today, I have no clue who we are going to start. I’m going to reward the reps to the guy who moves the ball in practice.”
Baylor Hayes, the redshirt freshman from East Tennessee State, played the second half against New Mexico State and started against Navy. Hayes was 22-of-37 for 189 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He was 0-for-6 in throws of 20 or more yards.
“I thought I started off pretty hot, pretty comfortable, bringing juice to our offense,” Hayes said. “I thought as the game went along I kind of lacked in execution, especially on the deep ball. I thought that’s a huge part of our offense and for us to be explosive that’s a really essential thing that we need.”
Hardiman enjoying time at Tulsa
Defensive lineman Tim Hardiman joined the Hurricane in the spring after spending the last four years at Arkansas State.
The 5-10, 290-pound senior from Spring, Texas, helped the Red Wolves go from 2-10 in his freshman year of 2021 to 8-5 and a bowl game victory last season — a season that included a 28-24 win over TU.
Hardiman sees some of the same attitudes with the Hurricane as he saw in the turnaround at Arkansas State.
“It’s right there,” Hardiman said. “Keep in mind, I’ve been part of a losing program where I was 2-10 and that whole vibe was way different.”
Hardiman is also enjoying his different role at TU. After playing more than 1,200 plays over the last two years, Hardiman is averaging 40 per game so far this season. He’s tied for fourth on the team in tackles with 14 despite his rotational role.
“I’m an older guy and played like 1,500 snaps before I got here, so my body was tore up,” Hardiman said. “I feel good going into game day. By this time last year at my other spot, I felt like it was Week 9
“So I actually feel good playing here. It’s allowing me to play faster.”
Tulsa Schedule
Aug. 30: TU 35, Abilene Christian 7
Sept. 6: New Mexico State 21, TU 14
Sept. 13: Navy 42, TU 23
Sept. 19: at Oklahoma State, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Sept. 27: Tulane, TBA
Oct. 4: at Memphis, TBA
Oct. 16: at ECU, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Oct. 25: Temple, TBA
Nov. 8: at Florida Atlantic, TBA
Nov. 15: Oregon State, TBA
Nov. 22: at Army, 11 a.m., CBSSN
Nov. 29: UAB, TBA
sports@tulsaworld.com
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Michael Peters
Tulsa World TU Sports Reporter
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