Bill Blankenship Hires Three Assistants

The new head coach has started to fill out his new coaching staff.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 12:09 pm

By: News On 6

Originally Published: Jan 18, 2011 6:21 PM CDT

Gerald Goodridge
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

TULSA, Oklahoma -- New Tulsa head coach Bill Blankenship announced Tuesday that he had hired three members of his new coaching staff. Former TU lineman Denver Johnson, Scott Downing and Greg Peterson will all be part of the Golden Hurricane coaching staff in 2011.

Peterson will step in as offensive coordinator and receiver coach, Downing will be the assistant head coach and Johnson will coach the offensive line.

Peterson has been a collegiate coach for 26 seasons, spending the 2010 season as the offensive coordinator at Northern Colorado. Last season, the Bears scored more points and had the highest rushing total since moving to Division I and the school’s second-highest total all-time for total yards and passing yards.

“Greg was absolutely the best recruiter to ever come through Union High School in the 14 years that I was the head coach,” said Blankenship. “Greg has quality experience as an offensive coordinator in the Big 12 and Mountain West Conferences and as a receiver coach he’s one of the best in the nation.”

Johnson, who graduated from Tulsa in 1981, returns to TU after spending the last 25 years in the coaching business. The former Golden Hurricane linemen spend the previous two seasons as the offensive line coach at Colorado. Previously, he spend 12 seasons as a head coach at two FCS schools, nine seasons at Illinois State and three at Murray State.

“Denver is absolutely the most outstanding offensive line coach that I know,” said Blankenship. “As an alum, Denver has deep roots in Tulsa and Oklahoma and has multiple years of experience in recruiting Oklahoma and Texas.”

The longest-tenured coach of the three, Downing has spent 31 years as a collegiate coach before coming to Tulsa.

“Scott has the whole package. He has been an assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator in some of the largest conferences in the country,” said Blankenship. “I think Scott is the ideal assistant head coach to help a first-year college head coach in navigating and transitioning into this initial year. I will lean on him heavily.”