Elijah Green is an example of what may be coming for Tulsa football this season.
If the veterans aren't cutting it, second-year Tulsa coach Kevin Wilson won't hesitate to play his younger players, even if they are true freshmen. Especially since his recruiting class was rated as one of the best in school history.
"I was excited to get Elijah Green out there," Wilson said. "I kept saying, hey, your old guys are getting beat, play the puppy, play the young guys.
"Elijah Green was recognized as one of the defensive players of the game. And I kept telling the (coaches), play the young guys. And all of a sudden at corner, you've got two true freshmen standing out there."
Green (6-2, 183, OKC Classen SAS) is a talented, 3-star recruit, true freshman cornerback from Midwest City, who intercepted 8 passes in high school.
Since No. 13 ranked OSU was torching more experienced DB's for much of the ill-fated 45-10 whipping last Saturday afternoon, it is not surprising Green got to play. Deduante Scott (6-0, 170, Fort Worth Kennedale HS) is the other true freshman CB that Wilson talked about who got playing time.
That doesn't mean Wilson is giving up on the veterans. But make no mistake. The vets are being put on notice. Time to produce.
There is no better time for Tulsa's veterans and young players to produce than at Louisiana Tech on Saturday night at 6 p.m. at Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston.
Wilson has been around long enough to know that a loss to a better opponent is not going to define the season. He knows that losses, like losing at Arkansas State in week 2, are more damaging. He knows TU can't afford many more of those types of losses.
"Arkansas State hurt because I thought we gave that one away," Wilson said. "I thought we didn't play hard in the second half (at Arkansas State). I thought we played hard in the second half (against OSU)."
It's time for Tulsa (1-2) to move on, and perhaps, move on with some younger players.
"It's my responsibility, utmost, but then the staff, you've got to put guys in good positions," Wilson said. "And if the guy can't get the job done, you've either got to help him, or find someone else."
Bouncing back after getting trounced by a ranked opponent is not easy. But TU only needs to look to last season to realize that bouncing back after a big loss at home can be done. And decisively.
After Tulsa was demolished 66-17 at home by No. 19 OU in 2023, the Golden Hurricane came back and won 22-14 at Northern Illinois. The same Northern Illinois who won at Notre Dame this season.
An older, but still relevant example came in 1982 when Tulsa got beat 38-0 at 13th ranked Arkansas. TU responded and defeated Jimmy Johnson's OSU 25-15 the next week at Skelly Stadium.
As for which true freshmen will get the most playing time, it is not all certain. But the leading contenders, besides Elijah Green and Deduante Scott, include leading rusher Lloyd Avant, running back Viron Ellison, receivers Joseph Williams, Jacob Emmers and Corey Smith, offensive tackles Brody Duffel and Jack Tanner, tight ends Jackson Ford and Jewlyen Roberts, as well as defensive ends Will Smith and Jaxon Lee, defensive linemen Mason Fleming and Will Upshaw, linebacker Maruio White, and safeties Ashton Williams, Zach Williams and Buddha Garrett.
"I appreciate the young guys getting out there," Wilson said. “That was good for them, and good for us. And a good opportunity for those guys. We played a lot more young guys this week than we did against Arkansas State. And it was against a better opponent, and it was a better atmosphere.
