It isn't often when a returning player is already one of a school's best of all time.
That is the case with Thomas Bennett, whose prowess as a punter is perhaps the best kept secret in Tulsa football history.
Bennett's 46.6-yard punting average in 2018 is the second highest in TU history. Only the great Glenn Dobbs and his 48.3 average in 1942 exceeds what Bennett did last year.
Dobbs, a terrific passer and defensive back at TU who finished ninth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1942, was a standout quarterback, punter, punt returner and defensive back in the AAFC - a pro league from 1946-1949 which merged with the NFL in 1950.
A first round NFL draft pick of the Chicago Bears, Dobbs had an incredible 49.1 average for the Los Angeles Dons in 1949, and averaged 46.4 yards for his four year AAFC career with the LA Dons and the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was a first team AAFC player, and led the league in passing yards, punt returns and punting average.
While no player will do all of those things these days, any improvement in Bennett will result in his being the equal in college performance with Dobbs. He is already ahead of where Dobbs was at a similar career stage. Dobbs averaged 37.1 yards as a junior, while Bennett averaged 42.3 yards per kick as sophomore.
"Thomas has a chance to be a guy that plays at the next level," said fifth year Tulsa coach Philip Montgomery. "He’s got a chance at the end of the year to be in all of those award ceremonies."
It would be an accomplishment if Bennett, in his senior year, can improve on his 2018 season. A similar type of season in 2019 should get him a shot at kicking in the NFL. Bennett's net average was 41.4 last year.
The last time Tulsa had a punter in the NFL was 1979 New England Patriots fourth round draft pick Eddie Hare, who averaged 43.1 yards per kick as a senior. He was Tulsa's punter from 1976-1978, and played a year for the Patriots.
Hare had taken over for Rick Engles, whose 46.5 average in 1975 is the only other season since 1942 that any Golden Hurricane punter has averaged within two yards of what Bennett did last year. Engles was a third round draft pick of the expansion Seattle Seahawks in 1976, and played three years in the NFL.
The last TU punter to even make it to an NFL camp since Hare was Steve Cook, who punted in the exhibition season of 1983 for the Dallas Cowboys. Cook's best average as TU's punter from 1979-1982 was 41.5.
Bennett is proof the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. His father, Darren Bennett, punted in the NFL for 11 years, the first nine with the San Diego Chargers, and had a career average of 43.4 yards. He was named to the NFL All-Decade team of the 1990's, and is in the Chargers' Hall of Fame. He played Australian Rules Football for six years before his NFL career.
Montgomery believes there is room for improvement for 6-3, 182-pound Thomas Bennett, who came to TU in 2017 as a walk-on transfer from Baylor. Bennett is from Carlsbad, California.
"He’s been consistent. He’s got to be more consistent," Montgomery said. "He’s been a guy who has done a tremendous job for us across the board. He works very, very hard at his craft.
"I think this year has probably been the most dedicated I’ve seen him as far as training goes and what he has done in the weight room. I thought that really showed up as we went through spring practice. I hope we don’t have to use him a lot, but I know he’s going to be ready, and I’m excited and glad we’ve got him."
Although the punting game is a known strength for Tulsa, the kicking game is not. Tulsa's two kickers from last year, Nate Walker and John Parker Romo, are gone. Walker graduated and Romo transferred to Virginia Tech, although he kicked in the spring game at TU. Both were walk-ons.
The performance of the kickers was sub-par in 2018. Walker was 10 of 16 on field goals before being replaced by Romo, who went two of five on field goals. Walker officially missed all five field goal attempts at Texas and Arkansas, combined, and missed another one at Texas that didn't count due to a penalty. That led to him being replaced by Romo, who also handled kickoffs all season. The two combined to make 34 of 35 extra point attempts.
The leading candidate this season is Drake graduate transfer Danny Donley, originally from Jenks, Oklahoma. Inside Tulsa Sports first mentioned the possible addition of Donley back in December after he completed his senior season with the Bulldogs. He made all 10 of his field goal attempts last season, and 37 of 40 extra points.
"I plan on bringing leadership and confidence to the special teams unit," Donley said. "I can already tell this group of guys is ready to make an impact on the field. Personally, I believe that I can help the team out with accurate place kicking and kickoffs."
The top candidate besides Donley is Jacob Rainey, who attempted and made both of Tulsa's extra points in the spring game. Rainey is a 5-11, 180-pound redshirt freshman walk-on from Beaumont, Texas. Also in the mix is junior walk-on Zack Long (Pacific, Missouri) and sophomore walk-on Kevin Neitzke (College of Canyons JC/San Alarita California).
"It’s going to be a little bit up in the air," said Montgomery of the battle for the kickers. "I like what we’ve got coming back. Those guys are going to have to continue to keep battling. We haven’t named who is going to be our field goal and extra point or kickoff guy, so that competition will continue as we get into fall camp."
At least Tulsa has an accomplished and experienced deep snapper in junior Adam Higuera. He carries on the family tradition at TU, following in his brother Rey Higuera's footsteps. Rey Higuera was Tulsa's deep snapper from 2012-2015.
"Adam now has two years of experience under his belt. He’s done a fantastic job for us the last couple of years," Montgomery explained. "We have a tremendous amount of faith in him. He’s snapped on big stages, snapped in bad weather, snapped in all kinds of adverse deals. Has done a really good job of taking care of that for us. I feel very fortunate to have him."
Also, sophomore Cannon Montgomery returns for his second year as the holder on place kicks.
"Cannon loves it," Montgomery said of his son. "He did a really good job for us last year, and he’ll continue to hold that spot down for us. It’s good to have that combination (of Cannon Montgomery and Higuera) back."
