Whenever or if the 2020 season ever starts, the quarterback position at the University of Tulsa should be a strength, perhaps harking back to the Dane Evans days of TU coach Philip Montgomery's first two years of 2016-2017.
"I think we're really fortunate," Montgomery said. "I said a year ago, and I'll say it again now. This is the best overall quarterback room we've had since I've been here."
With Zach Smith, along with Seth Boomer and Davis Brin returning, Montgomery has three quarterbacks in which he has high confidence. But it all starts with Smith.
"I think having a definite starter back in Zach -- we haven't had that since our second year with Dane, that makes a big difference," Montgomery said. "He's had a chance to get a year under his belt. Last year, he hadn't played in about a year and a half, trying to knock some rust off."
Smith, the heralded 6-foot-3, 224-pound transfer from Baylor, had a mixed debut season as Tulsa went 4-8 in 2019. But if Tulsa would have connected on a couple of potential walk-off field goals, the Golden Hurricane could have been 6-6 and bowling despite playing a brutal conference schedule.
A clear improvement over the quarterback play of the previous two seasons, Smith could be poised for an incredible senior season.
Possessing a cannon arm and NFL body, Smith can make any throw from the pocket. He does need to improve his mobility, pocket awareness and completion percentage, which are all things of which Smith is very cognizant.
Smith doesn't pat himself on the back over a 2019 season where he passed for 3,279 yards -- the seventh highest total in TU single season history. He had 19 touchdown passes and nine interceptions, and completed 57.3 percent of his passes.
"Last year, I'm pretty tough on myself, so I'd probably give myself a B minus," Smith said. "I just think I didn't have a very good year last year in my opinion. I turned the ball over too many times, and I held on to the ball a little long at some points, and that is going to cost you games.
"This off-season, I've really been working on ball security, keeping two hands on the ball. And maybe just extending the play, whether that is inside the pocket, or if I have to escape, maybe just getting out and dumping the ball off getting it to some of our receivers. I think those are some of the areas that I've really tried to improve on."
Montgomery is much more complimentary of the player he recruited in high school out of Grandview, Texas when he was offensive coordinator at Baylor.
"The dude had a tremendous year," Montgomery said of Smith. "He got hit a lot. We've got to do a better job of protecting him. We've got to give him more time. We've got to get his receivers open."
But Montgomery did echo Smith on some things that need to improve.
"He's got to do a better job of seeing some things, reading some things out, understanding how to manipulate the pocket a little bit more," Montgomery said of Smith, who was sacked 39 times for 242 yards. "Don't hold on to it too long, and when you see it, let it go.
"But he's a tremendous talent. I think he's a guy that's going to have an opportunity to play at the next level. He needs to have a good year to do that. But he's got the physical traits and abilities to have that happen for him. I feel good about him."
TU fans got chances, at times, to see how Smith was able to pass for 463 yards and four touchdowns for Baylor against Oklahoma. Smith's season ending 331-yard, five touchdown performance in a 49-24 win at East Carolina, where he completed 21 of 30 passes, was hopefully a glimpse of things to come.
Smith passed for 381 yards against Houston, 354 yards against Wyoming, 346 yards at SMU, 309 yards against Memphis and 283 yards at San Jose State.
In the off-season hiatus, Smith kept sharp working with high school receivers and his high school coach.
If Smith is not able to go at any time this season, the Golden Hurricane is in good hands with Collinsville product Seth Boomer.
A 6-3, 208-pound junior, Boomer brings his own set of skills to go with experience. Boomer started the last eight games of his redshirt freshman season, and clearly improved as that season progressed.
Tulsa's 34-31 victory over eventual 10-game winner UCF in 2019 showed what Boomer can do. Replacing an injured Smith midway through the game, Boomer completed six of 10 passes for 87 yards and a touchdown pass in leading TU back from a 28-17 halftime deficit.
Boomer was cool under pressure, and displayed his mobility and passing touch in his only extended playing time of the season. Montgomery was impressed.
"Seth came in and performed extremely well," Montgomery said. "He's a guy that I think continues to get better. He's shortened up his throwing motion, he's reading things better.
"He's obviously a little more athletic than what Zach is and gives you the ability to get out of the pocket and do a little bit more."
Davis Brin has played sparingly in two seasons with the Golden Hurricane, the first of which was as a redshirt year. The 6-2, 201-pound junior from Boerne, Texas intrigues Montgomery.
"Davis Brin has got a chance to have an unbelievable career here," Montgomery said. "He probably has the fastest release of any of our quarterbacks right now. He's a guy who is very intelligent. He's reading coverages, he's getting the ball out of his hands.
"It's about getting in games and making good decisions and protecting the football. Those are things that you don't know until you get into those live actions. In scrimmages, Davis has performed well. There's been some times in there that he could do a better job with his decision making, but he's learning from those. I think he's a tremendous talent. He's a guy I feel confident with in the game at any time."
Roman Fuller is the newest recruit at quarterback. The 6-4, 183-pounder from Decatur, Texas is a three-star recruit who enrolled early in January at TU.
Fuller passed for 8,556 yards and 86 touchdowns during his last two seasons at Decatur while playing for his father, Mike Fuller. He was one of 25 Mr. Texas Football High School Player of the Year semifinalists.
"Spring ball would have been important to Roman Fuller," Montgomery said. "He's got some growing to do, some learning to do. But right now, he doesn't have the pressure of it being on him. He's got three really quality guys ahead of him that he can learn from."
Brandon Marquardt and Carson Collins are the other two quarterbacks on the roster, and each has ability, despite being walk-ons. Marquardt and Collins are both 6-1, with Marquardt being a junior from Norman North, and Collins being a redshirt freshman from Lucas, Texas.
"I feel as good as I've felt in a long time about our quarterbacks," Montgomery said. "Now we've just got to step on the field and go get it done."
