Rarely has TU had such an accomplished and deep group of receivers returning as does the 2021 Golden Hurricane.
Not only is every receiver who caught a pass in 2020 returning, but the returnees can flat out play.
Is this the year where Tulsa's passing game puts up astronomical numbers again?
Yes, new starting QB Davis Brin will have a lot to do with that, as well as the offensive line, which is intact as well. And the running game, which should again be a strength, needs to take pressure off the passing game.
But it is the receivers, led by fifth year senior Keylon Stokes, who will go a long way to determining whether the 2021 Golden Hurricane passing game goes down in history as one of the school's greatest.
"We've got a really experienced group of receivers that are coming back home with the ability to go down the field and catch the football and be explosive," said TU coach Philip Montgomery.
"I think we have done a good job in the last two years and will continue with Davis just being able to spread that ball around and get a lot of guys a lot of different touches. That gives us the ability to go make plays, but you start with Keylon."
The 6-foot, 194-pound Stokes, who led Tulsa again in 2020 with 46 catches for 644 yards in TU's abbreviated nine-game season, has 2,402 yards on 155 catches and is only 942 yards away from surpassing the great Howard Twilley's TU career receiving yards record of 3,343 yards, set 56 years ago.
If "Sleep" Stokes equals his production in his last full season - 12 games in 2019 where he had 62 receptions for 1,040 yards, he will easily surpass Twilley's mark.
"Keylon is just that kind of go-to type guy you know, when things are on the line, he's the guy that always shows up big," Montgomery explained. "Whether you're throwing it to him, or handing it to him, putting him on punt teams, he just does so much for us.
"He's a great blocker, great route runner, has got good speed, he goes across the middle and catches the football. He's just an all-around receiver and a great leader for us. He was one of our captains last year."
Stokes needs 86 catches to pass his brother, Keevan Lucas, for second place in total catches, and 107 receptions to pass Twilley and have the most in school history. Stokes needs 65 catches to pass Keyarris Garrett to go into third place in catches.
Lucas, whose number 2 is worn by Stokes, has career numbers of 240 catches for 3,250 yards (third place), so Stokes needs 849 yards to surpass his brother in yards, and needs 899 yards to pass Dan Bitson (TU's Director of Player Personnel and Development) to go into second place.
Besides Stokes is Sam Crawford (6-1, 209, Jr.), who has 87 receptions for 1,151 yards in his career, and is a legitimate and accomplished threat to defenses in his own right. He caught 59 passes for 777 yards in 2019, and had 28 catches for 374 yards last season.
"We're excited to have Sam back. He's a different type of guy," Montgomery said. "He's got really good top end speed. We wanted to get him more production last year. Hopefully he is going to have that type of production this year.
"He's a guy who is strong, physical. He catches the ball down the field and has been a really good deep threat for us."
Josh Johnson (5-11. 171, Jr.), whose number will change from 13 to 4, has had two strong years since transferring from Iowa State. He had 38 catches for 499 yards and six touchdowns last year after catching 44 passes for 495 yards in his TU debut year of 2019, giving him career totals of 72 catches for 994 yards.
"I thought Josh Johnson had a tremendous year for us last year," Montgomery said. "I expect him to do better and bigger things for us this year. One of the best route runners we have. Has really improved his hands. Gets in and out of cuts.
"I think Josh understands what we are trying to accomplish, offensively. A guy who can take the top off and catch the deep ball. He can catch the ball underneath. He does a really good job in our receiver screens. Just an all-around exceptional player."
JuanCarlos Santana, also known as J.C. Santana, had a breakout year last year, and caught the most memorable pass of the year, the Hail Mary from Brin on the last play of regulation against Tulane that sent the game into overtime, setting up the memorable double-overtime win for TU.
On the Hail Mary play, he went up for the ball in the back right corner of the end zone, outjumping and outfighting Tulane for the ball. One of the great plays in TU history.
"J.C., I thought was a really bright spot for us last year," Montgomery said. "He really started coming into his own. I feel like he has a chance to even do more next year. He's one of the fastest guys we've got. He did a really good job of making big plays at times.
