8/17/2023 football Edit

Bryce Bray is back to bolster Tulsa offensive line

After missing 2022 due to academics, Tulsa OL Bryce Bray is excited to be back for his final season.

Larry Lewis

ITS Senior Writer

Everything is looking up for Bryce Bray. And that should be a big boost to the Tulsa offensive line in 2023.

The 6-foot-5, 306-pound Bray is a sixth-year senior from Bixby with basically two full years of college playing experience as a starter, first for OSU in 2019, then for TU in 2021.

Missing 2022 due to academics was a tough one for Bray to accept, but he made sure that wouldn't happen again.

After passing both of his summer school classes, Bray is now officially a TU graduate. He got the news one day before media day on Aug. 4. When he was called a TU grad during his interview on TU media day, Bray was clearly thrilled.

"It's awesome. Actually, it's the first time I've heard it," Bray said of being called a Tulsa graduate. "It kind of gave me chills right now. It's really exciting to be the first one in my family to be a graduate."

It's exciting for Tulsa fans to have Bray back in the fold this year. He is competing for a starting position at right guard. He started four games at right guard and four games at right tackle for the Golden Hurricane in 2021 after sitting out 2020 due to transferring from OSU.

As a redshirt freshman for the Pokes in 2019, Bray started 11 combined games at right tackle, left tackle, and left guard.

Positions aren't set in stone for Tulsa's offensive line, however. Bray was listed as the first team right tackle on the depth chart at the start of summer. New Tulsa coach Kevin Wilson, a former offensive lineman and OL coach, along with OL coach Ryan Stanchek, will play the best five players on the line.

Bray has learned from sitting out the 2022 season.

"It's always tough to watch your brothers who you've trained with all year long go out and compete while you've got to sit on the sidelines," Bray said. "But I think it's given me a little bit of a chip on my shoulder."

Coming out of Bixby HS, where he helped lead his team to three state titles and a state runner-up finish, Bray was a 4-star prospect by ESPN and a 3-star prospect by Rivals.

How Bray has developed over the previous five years is something that fans should be able to see.

"Honestly, I've seen an improvement in my body in how I move, so, just night and day, not only in how I move, but becoming more mature," Bray said. "I'd say it is night and day from Oklahoma State to here."

Wilson has a specific target weight for each player, with Bray's being 307 to 308. Bray started camp at 311, just because he anticipated dropping a few pounds once fall practice started.

"It's not so much the weight, but I think it's just to see if you're going to buy in to the culture and to the program," Bray said. "And it's one little step of that, which I really enjoy."

Bray has been impressed by Wilson, Stanchek, and the entire Tulsa coaching staff.

"There's a big difference, especially for me," Bray said of the coaches this season. "I think this is my fifth O-Line coach. Coaching changes are kind of familiar for me. As far as the change, I thoroughly enjoy it. It kind of takes me back to kind of the Bixby routine of getting down, getting grimy, getting after it."

Being able to play in home games in the Tulsa area is a plus for Bray.

"It's super exciting. I know some of my friends have grown up and moved away. But still having friends, friends of family, and family come to games so close, honestly, it's just exciting to see familiar faces in the stands," Bray said.

The long process of coming from Bixby to OSU to Tulsa has been one that Bray appreciates.

"I'm actually super excited about how everything has gone," Bray said. "I wouldn't trade it for the world.

"In 2020, I put my name in the transfer portal. I was just feeling around, immediately, when I put my name in the portal, Tulsa was one of my top two options. Whenever I got the call to say they wanted me here, it was kind of a no-brainer at that point."

It will be a big help to the Golden Hurricane if Bray has a standout senior season.