
After three years of having been a University of Tulsa backup, Davis Brin appears to be the frontrunner to become the starter at quarterback.
Although a small sample size, Davis Brin’s performance in the University of Tulsa’s double-overtime win against Tulane last season showcased his potential.
Rallying the Hurricane in the fourth quarter to force overtime, Brin made a series of incredible throws under pressure, finishing with 266 passing yards and three touchdowns.
“I believe Davis was ready before the Tulane game,” receiver JuanCarlos Santana said. “We were practicing with him a lot (while Zach Smith was out for COVID-19 reasons) and he was ready. It was only a matter of time before he proved himself.”
With Smith having moved on to pursue his NFL dream and with Seth Boomer recovering from an injury that occurred in the Tulane game, Brin has received the majority of the quarterback reps during spring practice. He picked up where he left off and didn’t need any time to generate chemistry with his receivers.
“We walked out Day 1 and those guys were on page, on time,” coach Philip Montgomery said. “The ball’s coming out of his hands, they’re coming out of breaks — some really, really good stuff. We’re going to keep building and keep growing.”
During a scrimmage Saturday at H.A. Chapman Stadium, Brin appeared at ease in the pocket, connecting with Santana, Keylon Stokes and Josh Johnson on perfectly thrown passes.
“I’ve got to tell y’all: Davis is something else,” Santana said. “He’s just it right now. He’s (clicking) with everybody.”
Everyone else is back on the offense except Smith and running back Corey Taylor II, and Tulsa also will have running back Shamari Brooks after he missed last year with a knee injury. Although Brin has limited on-field experience, he is a fourth-year junior familiar with the playbook.
“He’s been consistent,” Montgomery said. “He’s seeing things really well. He’s delivering the ball and being accurate and that’s what we need out of him. … For him, there’s a lot of experience around him, so let those guys work with him.”
Brin’s anticipated development also is a boost for the Hurricane receivers, a group loaded with weapons. Four players caught at least 28 passes last season, taking turns having big plays.
“The receiver room, everybody’s just really hungry,” Santana said. “We’re at a small school and we just want to get big.”
Season in review: Was the 2020 season a success for Tulsa?
Season in review: Was the 2020 season a success for Tulsa?
Watch Now: Kelly Hines on a wild, but successful 2020 season for TU football
Can the 2020 season be considered a success?

In a word: Yes. The Hurricane, coming off three consecutive down years, was picked to finish ninth out of 11 teams in the American. Despite winnable contests being removed from the schedule because of COVID-19, TU prevailed in an improbable six conference games in a row after dropping the season opener at Oklahoma State while not at full strength. The conference championship game at undefeated Cincinnati came down to a walk-off field goal that went in the Bearcats' favor, and the season ended with a 28-26 loss against Mississippi State in the Armed Forces Bowl.
Offensive MVP: Corey Taylor II

In his final season, Taylor continued to put his team on his back, churning hard-fought yardage and giving maximum effort. Taylor was limited by injuries but finished with 544 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 5.2 yards per carry.
Defensive MVP: Zaven Collins

Zaven Collins. Emerging as the top defensive player in the country, Collins was a dominant playmaker who anchored the Hurricane defense. He totaled 53 tackles including 11.5 for lost yardage and four sacks, four interceptions, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and safety.
Assistant coach of the year: Joseph Gillespie

In addition to overseeing a unit that ranked 19th nationally in total defense, Gillespie coached an excellent linebacker corps that featured Collins in addition to breakout tackling sensation Justin Wright.
Offense grade: B

Although it was a step in the right direction, the offense was often painful to watch, particularly in the first quarter. Some of that can be attributed to the start-and-stop nature of the season, and the Hurricane typically gained rhythm as the games wore on. Quarterback Zach Smith completed 55.9% of his passes with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The offensive line was solid and the run game was productive. Four receivers caught at least 28 passes including JuanCarlos Santana, who developed into a primary weapon. In terms of production, TU finished outside the top 50 in college football with 410.4 yards per game.
Defense grade: A

Statistically, this was the Hurricane's best defense since 2006. Despite a schedule that included games against several elite offenses, TU allowed only 21.6 points per game and was excellent against the pass, giving up 189.6 yards per game. Collins and Wright were among a wealth of playmakers including defensive linemen Jaxon Player and Anthony Goodlow; cornerbacks Allie Green IV and Akayleb Evans; and safeties Kendarin Ray, Cristian Williams and TieNeal Martin. The well-coached defense was the primary reason the team produced a turnaround season.
Special teams grade: B

After several seasons of underwhelming placekicking, Zack Long won the job and proved to be clutch on field goals, making 12 of 15 including several crucial ones that led to victories. Lachlan Wilson, a freshman from Australia, had 14 punts land inside the 20-yard line. Where TU struggled was on punt and kickoff returns, where its coverage was problematic. The Hurricane ranked among the worst nationally in opponent punt returns, giving up an average of 15.6 yards.
Top three wins of 2020

Tulsa’s third quarterback of the game, Davis Brin looks for room against the Tulane defense during their game at H.A. Chapman Stadium in Tulsa on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020.
Worst three moments

1. Bowl brawl: Immediately after ending the season with a hard-fought loss against Mississippi State, TU made national news for the ugly scene on the field. The fight that broke out went off the rails on the Hurricane sideline, with players throwing punches and swinging helmets. Suspensions for TU players are likely but haven't been announced, pending a review from the university and the conference.
2. Cincinnati drama: The most-anticipated game of the season was scheduled for mid-October at Chapman Stadium but was postponed to December because of the Bearcats' COVID situation. When game week finally arrived, Cincinnati again had positive results and contact tracing, resulting in the game being canceled and TU not being able to play for a chance to host the conference title game, which the Hurricane lost by a field goal.
3. Missed opportunity: The opener at No. 11 OSU was pushed back a week to give TU more time to prepare, having lost a significant portion of fall camp because of COVID. Several key players were coming out of quarantine and not quite properly conditioned for the game, and Collins missed most of the second half. The Hurricane offense struggled and failed to score in the second half, leading to a 16-7 defeat.
Top question entering 2021: Can TU again contend for a conference title?

There is a good chance for the success to continue. TU will retain a great deal of talent including running back Shamari Brooks, who missed the season with a knee injury. After showcasing his ability against Tulane, Brin is the likely heir at quarterback. The defense has at least seven starters expected back in 2021, boosted by the return of at least a few seniors: Green, Martin and Tyarise Stevenson. The program appears to be trending in the right direction, and this team earned respect nationally and within the conference.
Players from both teams exchanged blows following the game.
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