GAME DAY: Tulsa Ready For Independence Bowl

Most of the pre-game talk since the 2015 Camping World Independence Bowl match-up between Tulsa and Virginia Tech was announced three weeks ago has centered around Hokies head coach Frank Beamer coaching in his final game.
 
Beamer, who announced his retirement earlier this year, will be coaching in his 23rd straight bowl game and completing his 29th year as the Hokies head coach, while Tulsa's Philip Montgomery, in his first year with the Golden Hurricane, will be coaching in his first bowl game as a head coach. Beamer's consecutive bowl streak began at the 1993 Independence Bowl.  
 
The Hokies won three of their final four games to become bowl eligible with wins over Boston College, Georgia Tech and Virginia. Like the Hokies, Tulsa had control of their own destiny heading into the season finale as the Hurricane scored three touchdowns in the final 6:45 to claim a 45-34 victory at Tulane and its sixth win.
 
"We've got an outstanding opponent as you look at Virginia Tech and all the things they've done throughout the years with a Hall of Fame head coach at the helm. Coach Beamer is in his last game, and he's come full circle since he started here and finished here," said Montgomery. "We know we have our hands full. Virginia Tech is an outstanding football team that is very long and very athletic. They are good on both sides of the football, and obviously great on special teams."
 
With the Independence Bowl celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, it was Tulsa and McNeese State that played the inaugural game at Independence Stadium on December 13, 1976. Tulsa makes its third appearance in the bowl game, having also played here in 1989, while as for the series standing the Hurricane and Hokies have met four times before, all the meetings coming in the 1970's, with Tulsa holding a 3-1 edge.
 
This game will match strength against strength. Tulsa is ranked 11th nationally in pass offense, as Virginia Tech ranks ninth against the pass. Tulsa is ranked 14th for total offense and Tech is ranked 34th for total defense. Tulsa is 25th in the nation for scoring, while Virginia Tech is ranked 47th in scoring defense.
 
"When you look at the tape, defensively they are very good. You can look at the stats and say they've given up four yards per carry, but I don't see it on tape. I can't find it. They've done a great job defensively, and (defensive coordinator) Bud Foster has been with coach Beamer for so long, and he's done a great job. They are a great 1-2 punch," said Montgomery. "On offense, I watched Michael Brewer in high school, and he's an outstanding quarterback with a lot of veteran players around him. We know we've got our hands full, and we're excited to get on the field and see what we can do."
 
Tulsa's offense, averaging 502.8 yards and 35.9 points per game, is guided by junior quarterbackDane Evans, who has completed 63-percent of his passes, and has senior Keyarris Garrett leading the receiving corps. Evans has completed 278 passes for 3,958 yards and 22 touchdowns, while 88 of those passes have gone to Garrett for 1,451 yards.
 
Garrett ranks second nationally for receiving yards (1,451) and receiving yards per game (120.9), while fellow receiver Josh Atkinson has caught 65 passes for 932 yards and had a streak of five straight games of over 100 yards this year. With 42 passing yards, Evans will become just the third quarterback in school history to throw for over 4,000 yards, while Garrett will become just the third player to surpass 1,500 yards in a season with 49 yards. Atkinson can become the 17thplayer in school history to reach the 1,000-yard plateau in a single season with 68 receiving yards, giving Tulsa multiple 1,000-yard receivers in the same season for just the second time in school history.
 
Complimenting Garrett and Atkinson has been red-shirt freshman receiver Justin Hobbs and senior Conner Floyd, both of whom have become integral parts of the passing game since an injury sidelined 2014 leading receiver Keevan Lucas in the fourth game of the year. Hobbs has 29 receptions for 516 yards and a 17.8 average per catch, while Floyd has caught 44 passes for 438 yards and three touchdowns.

Tulsa goes into the Camping World Independence Bowl the healthiest it has been at the running back slot this year. Tulsa's top three rushers have each missed at least one game, but still has been able to be effective. The top three rushers – Zack Langer, D'Angelo Brewer, Ramadi Warren– have combined to gain 1,913 yards and 27 touchdowns on the ground.  Brewer has a team-high 732 yards and four touchdowns, while Langer has 714 yards and 17 touchdowns for the second-most rushing TDs in a single season for the Hurricane. Warren has gained 467 yards, as 307 of those yards and five TDs came in a two-game stretch against UCF and Cincinnati.
 
The Hokies defense has been known under Beamer's tenure as one that is opportunistic, creating sacks and turnovers. Since 1996, Virginia Tech has more sacks (744) and more interceptions (337) than any other Power Five program in the country. This year Tech has been credited with 77 TFLs, 21 sacks, 10 interceptions and 47 pass break-ups.
 
The Tech defense starts up front with an active defensive front as tackle Luther Maddy leads the way with 54 tackles, while the ends Dadi Nicholas and Ken Ekanem have tallied 40 and 37 stops, respectively, and have combined for 14 TFLs, while harassing opposing quarterbacks with 4.5 sacks and 11 hurries.
 
Virginia Tech will be without the services of second-leading tackler Deon Clarke, who was sent home on Thursday along with back-up receiver Kevin Asante after violating team rules. Clarke registered 77 tackles, 10.5 TFLs and three sacks for the Hokies this year.
 
Middle linebacker Andrew Motuapuaka has been credited with 66 tackles to rank third on the team and trailed Clark with 10 TFLs for -42 yards.
 
The secondary is always a strength of the Hokies defense and this year is no different as eight players from the secondary are among the top-16 tacklers giving Tech an abundance of depth. Tech is holding opponents to only 173 yards passing and 15 touchdowns.
 
Free safety Chuck Clark leads the way with a team-best 100 tackles and six pass break-ups. The corners, Adonis Alexander and Brandon Facyson have combined for 14 pass break-ups and 78 tackles. Alexander has a team-best four interceptions, while Facyson's 10 pass break-ups lead the Hokies.
 
The Hokies offense may not be the most prolific in this day-and-age of high scoring, fast-paced offenses, but they certainly can be effective, and now with a healthy Michael Brewer back at quarterback Tech has been consistent. Brewer missed five games after being inured in the first game against No.1-ranked Ohio State, and since his return the Hokies have won three of its last four games.
 
Brewer has thrown for 510 yards and four touchdowns in Tech's last two games and on the year has completed 58-percent of his passes for 12 TDs and 194.1 yards per game. The Hokies running game is led by Travon McMillan, who needs only 40 yards to reach 1,000 rushing yards this season, and fullback Sam Rogers, who has gained 227 yards on the ground.
 
Receiver Isaiah Ford looks to become the first Tech player in school history to reach 1,000 yards in a single season, as the outstanding sophomore has 937 yards and 10 touchdowns on 63 catches. Flanker Cam Phillips and tight ends Ryan Malleck and Bucky Hodges have also been solid in Tech's passing game. Phillips has 549 receiving yards, while the tight end duo have combined for779 yards and eight touchdowns.
 
Statistically, the Tulsa defense does not show well in the national stats – ranking near the bottom for scoring, rushing, passing and total defense – but it has also been a defense that has faced four of the nation's top-20 offenses – Oklahoma, Cincinnati, Memphis and Houston. Those four teams have currently put up 25,962 total yards and in a combined 50 games for an average of 519.2 yards per game.
 
The Hurricane defense has been opportunistic and has made key stops when needed at critical times this season. Tulsa has 22 takeaways this year with 10 of those coming in the last four contests.
 
Tulsa is led by safety Michael Mudoh, who leads the Hurricane with 126 tackles, while linebackersTrent Martin and Matt Linscott are next with 96 stops apiece. Linscott has collected a team-high 16 tackles for -62 yards, while Martin has 14 TFLs for -31 yards. Sophomore cornerback Kerwin Thomas leads Tulsa with 11 pass-breakups and two interceptions, including a 31-yard TD return against SMU.
 
The Hurricane front line is led by senior tackle Derrick Luetjen, who has recorded 47 tackles and 8.5 TFLs, while fellow tackle Jess Brubaker has collected 27 tackles. The ends – Derrick Alexanderand Jeremy Smith – have combined for 77 tackles and 15 TFLs for -51 yards.
 
It appears as though rain is in the forecast for Saturday's game, but temperatures are expected to stay in the high 60s to low 70s.