Deneric Prince NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Tulsa RB
Apr 15, 2023
CINCINNATI, OHIO - DECEMBER 19: Deneric Prince #8 of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane runs the ball in the game against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the American Athletic Conference Championship at Nippert Stadium on December 19, 2020 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
HEIGHT: 5'11 5/8"
WEIGHT: 216
HAND: 9 1/4"
ARM: 31 1/4"
WINGSPAN:
40-YARD DASH: 4.41
3-CONE: N/A
SHUTTLE: N/A
VERTICAL: 35.5"
BROAD: 10'4"
POSITIVES
— Good top speed.
— Good acceleration and burst. Rips through the second level.
— Downhill runner with above-average strength. Not easy to bring down right away.
— Great understanding for how to minimize contact and maneuver tight areas. Stays upright no matter what.
NEGATIVES
— Inconsistent vision.
— Below-average lateral ability. Ability to cut and make people miss is underwhelming.
— Limited pass-catching experience; looked uncomfortable catching passes in small sample
— 3-star recruit in Texas A&M's 2018 class, transferred to Tulsa in 2020
— 12 career starts (all at Tulsa)
— Missed first five games of 2022 with undisclosed injury
OVERALL
Deneric Prince has the size and athletic tools to be an NFL starter, but he needs to find consistency in his vision and improve his pass-catching skills in order to meet his potential.
Prince comfortably checks the boxes when it comes to size and strength. At nearly 6'0" and 216 pounds, Prince has a thick frame that can handle an NFL workload. He is a tough downhill runner who plays with decent play strength and, better yet, impressive balance to stay on his feet while taking hits. On top of that, Prince has a knack for navigating tight spaces and finding ways to contort his body to minimize contact, allowing him to really squeeze the most out of each run and occasionally spring big runs.
Prince has the open-field speed to make good on those chances, too. Prince's burst and acceleration to and through the second level are quite good, especially for a back his size. He's got the top speed as well. Prince's 4.41 40-yard dash might be a hair generous compared to what he shows on film, but he's still got plenty of juice to rip off big plays if he gets a runway.
Inconsistency stunts Prince's game, however. Prince's vision is not bad on the whole, but he shows frustrating ups and downs. At times, he flashes great patience and allows the blocks to play themselves out. In other instances, however, Prince can be found completely ignoring potential cutback lanes or pitter-pattering his feet trying to decide between two rushing lanes. He would find greater consistency in his production if he could play a little faster.
Additionally, Prince is not a useful pass-catcher right now. Not only does he have very limited production in that area, but he looks uncomfortable doing it on film. In a limited sample, Prince double-clutched a couple passes and was not really asked to do anything beyond simple checkdowns. Prince very well could improve his hands, but that will have to be proven at the next level.
Prince is a worthwhile Day 3 swing on a potential starting-quality runner. His blend of size, physicality and speed are that of a real-deal NFL starter; he's just a little rough around the edges right now.
Tulsa's Zaven Collins Wins 2020 Chuck Bednarik Award
Jan 7, 2021
FILE - Tulsa linebacker Zaven Collins (23) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during an NCAA football game in Tampa, Fla., in this Oct. 23, 2020, file photo. Collins was selected to The Associated Press All-America first-team defense, Monday, Dec. 28, 2020. (AP Photo/Mark LoMoglio, File)
Tulsa linebacker Zaven Collins was named the winner of the 2020 Chuck Bednarik Award as the Defensive Player of the Year in college football on Thursday.
He earned the honor over finalists Patrick Surtain II from Alabama and Jeremiah Oswusu-Koramoah of Notre Dame.
Collins was one of the most impactful players in all of college football this season, tallying four interceptions on the year, including two returned for a touchdown.
One of his picks was returned 96 yards for a score in double overtime to seal a walk-off win over Tulane.
In addition to his play in coverage, Collins made an impact all over the field with 54 tackles, including 7.5 for loss, with four sacks in eight games.
The junior was a key part of Tulsa producing a 6-1 record in the regular season before suffering a narrow 27-24 loss to Cincinnati in the AAC title game. The Golden Hurricane finished with a defense that ranked 27th in the nation with 21.6 points allowed per game.
On an individual level, Collins had already won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and was named a first-team All-American by the Associated Press, potentially putting him in position to be a first-round NFL draft pick, as ESPN's Todd McShay projected.
It's been a major climb for a player who had only one Division I scholarship offer.
Collins becomes just the third player outside of the Power Five conferences to win the Bednarik Award since its creation in 1995, joining 2015 winner Tyler Matakevich of Temple and Notre Dame's Manti Te'o in 2012.
Tulsa Head Coach Search: Latest News and Rumors on Position
Dec 8, 2014
Former Baylor offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery is officially Tulsa's new head football coach, beating out candidates such as Oregon offensive coordinator Scott Frost, Utah State head coach Matt Wells and Maryland defensive coordinator Brian Stewart.
Continue for updates.
Thursday, Dec. 11
Tulsa, Baylor OC Philip Montgomery Officially Agree to Deal
Ralph D. Russo of the Associated Press reports the latest on Montgomery and Tulsa:
Wednesday, Dec. 10
Maryland DC Brian Stewart A Top Candidate
Matt Zenitz of the Baltimore Sun Media Group reported on another candidate linked to the Tulsa job:
USU HC Matt Wells on other job opportunities. This is probably the best answer a coach could give. pic.twitter.com/fboOfPUvyh
The Tulsa football program fired head coach Bill Blankenship following a 2-10 season and are searching for the next leader. Several candidates for the position have already been announced with two interesting names at the top of the list.
Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports noted two coaches reportedly being considered for the position:
Tulsa makes it official: Baylor's Philip Montgomery (one L in Philip) is new head coach. pic.twitter.com/hr2YuzhyZc
Frost, who has carved out a huge role with Oregon, jumps out as an intriguing candidate. His offense has the Ducks in the College Football Playoff led by Heisman candidate Marcus Mariota.
Along with Frost, Tulsa is also reportedly eyeing Utah State coach Matt Wells. Wells has led the Aggies to a 9-4 record this year but was recently throttled by Boise State, 50-19, to close the season.
He recently spoke about his thoughts on other job opportunities, per Scott Garrard of 97.5 The Zone:
Both coaches bring a wealth of experience at the college level, but Wells has two years of success as a head coach. For a Tulsa team that hasn't reached a bowl since 2012, the Golden Hurricane need a coach with the pedigree to win right away.
Following their major Conference USA championship game victory over UCF, the Golden Hurricanes look to finish their season on a high note against Iowa State in this year's Liberty City Bowl...
UTEP vs. Tulsa Football: Betting Odds, Preview and Prediction
Oct 11, 2012
After a season-opening defeat, the Golden Hurricane of Tulsa have won five games in a row.
And even though they face a 17-point spread at home, a majority of the betting public is backing Tulsa to cover the spread and it six straight wins.
Tulsa hosts the 1-5 UTEP Miners in a Conference USA bout Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET. This game normally wouldn't get bettors too excited, but it's one of just three games on the schedule tonight, so handicappers are busily learning all they can about C-USA's top team.
Can Tulsa continue its winning ways? Or do the Miners have an upset in them, despite going 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games?
Tulsa opened this season with a 38-23 loss at Iowa State, then won its C-USA opener, beating Tulane 45-10. The 'Cane then knocked off Nicholls State (FCS), 66-16, and Fresno State, 27-26, before continuing conference play with a 49-42 victory over UAB and a 45-38 win over Marshall.
Tulsa leads CUSA's West Division, already at 3-0.
UTEP, meanwhile, began its season with a 24-7 loss to Oklahoma. The Miners ran for 207 yards and only trailed the Sooners 10-7 heading into the fourth quarter, easily covering the spread as 29-point dogs.
UTEP then lost at Ole Miss 28-10, but picked up its lone victory of the season, beating New Mexico 41-28. The Miners went to Wisconsin and lost 37-26, but hung in that game, too. They only trailed 23-19 midway through the fourth quarter.
However, the Miners haven't been able to follow up that effort, losing 28-18 at East Carolina. Last week, they got shut out by SMU 17-0. UTEP is 0-2 in conference play.
Statistically speaking, the Miners have been outrushed this season by a 203-126 YPG margin, while Tulsa has outrushed foes, on average, 246-115.
Many college football betting outlets opened this game with Tulsa favored by 15 points. But as of Thursday morning, the lined moved up to 17 points at many books.
Last year, Tulsa went to El Paso and beat the Miners 57-28, covering the spread as 13-point road chalk.
Free Pick: Tulsa is a pretty clear favorite here, but the Miners played Oklahoma and Wisconsin fairly tough. In going against the public push we'll take UTEP and the points. (All odds courtesy of OddShark.com and PickShark.com.)
G.J. Kinne had a very solid career leading the Tulsa Golden Hurricane as their quarterback. As a three-year starter, he won 23 games, while throwing for more than 9,000 career yards and 81 touchdowns...
BYU vs. Tulsa: Game Time, Radio and TV Coverage Info for Armed Forces Bowl
Dec 27, 2011
The ninth annual Armed Forces Bowl will see the BYU Cougars try to get their third consecutive postseason victory when they challenge the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, who are looking for the eighth bowl win in school history.
The Cougars have been on a roll since a 1-2 start with eight wins in their final nine games. Granted, their schedule has not given them a lot of challenges since a loss to Utah in September, but you still have to win the games in front of you.
The Golden Hurricane had a seven-game winning streak until they ran into Houston in their regular season finale. Don't be fooled by their 8-4 record, though. This is a good team that challenged itself. Their losses came against Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Boise State and Houston.
Where: Gerald Ford Stadium in University Park, Texas
When: Friday, Dec. 30 at 12:00 p.m. EDT
Watch: ESPN; ESPN3.com
Listen: KBYU 89.1 FM (BYU); KRMG-FM 102.3 (Tulsa)
Betting Line: Pick 'Em
Key Storyline
We are going to find out just how good this Tulsa team really is. We know that they have won eight games this season, with all of their losses coming against teams ranked in the top 10 at the time of the game.
BYU has struggled against the few good teams that it played this season, and this will be the Cougars' best chance to prove themselves against quality competition.
BYU Injury Report
Questionable: OL Matt Reynolds (Shoulder)
Doubtful: DB Jray Galea'i
Out: TE Austin Holt (Knee), LB Austen Jorgensen (Shoulder), LB Jordan Pendleton (Knee), TE Richard Wilson (Knee), OL Ryker Mathews (Foot), RB Adam Hines (Academics), RB Iona Pritchard (Leg), TE Devin Mahina (Neck)
Tulsa Injury Report
Questionable: DE Tyrunn Walker (Leg)
Out: G Stetson Burnett (Knee), DB John Flanders (Academics), WR Damaris Johnson (Academics), DT Darrell Zellars (Academics)
What It Means For BYU
The Cougars only defeated one team that finished the season with a winning record (Utah State on September 30). This game is going to prove just how good they are, and how good they can be heading into 2012.
What It Means For Tulsa
The Golden Hurricane took on a lot of heavyweight teams this season and came up short each time. But when they took a step down in competition, they were undefeated. We are going to find out how much of their record was a product of beating lesser schools and how much they learned from those elite programs.
What They Are Saying
Throughout this article, I have mentioned BYU's lack of success against quality competition this season. Apparently the Cougars are hearing that from all corners of the world, because Jay Drew of the Salt Lake Tribune wrote an article about how they are looking for respect.
Here is what quarterback Riley Nelson said in the article:
“Man, you just want to finish off the season right,” said quarterback Riley Nelson, the team’s emotional leader. “On the line I guess is just the validation of our preparation, because we have worked really hard to get to a bowl game. Then once you are in a bowl game, you don’t want to lose just because it leaves a bad taste in your mouth all through winter.”
BYU Player To Watch: WR Cody Hoffman
It is hard to single out any one player from the Cougars offense because they spread the ball around to everyone. But Hoffman has been the most productive player for this team from start to finish, and he has the ability to take over a game if he wants to.
Hoffman led the team in receptions (53), yards (821) and touchdowns (7). Tulsa's defense is in the middle of the pack in points allowed, so the sophomore receiver has a chance to put up big numbers in this game.
Tulsa Player To Watch: RB Ja'Terian Douglas
Tulsa's offense works best when the running game is going strong, and Douglas has been the glue that has held the whole thing together. He has just 108 carries this season but ran for 884 yards and four touchdowns.
Douglas needs to get the ball more than 10 times. In the five games that he had double-digit carries, the Golden Hurricane went 4-1.
Key Matchup: RB Ja'Terian Douglas vs. BYU Defense
Douglas is going to be the difference maker for Tulsa. If he has a good game, the rest of the team will follow his lead. If he struggles, they will also follow his lead.
BYU has a solid defense, though a lot of their stats are skewed because of their lack of competition this season. If they want to prove themselves, this will be their chance to do so.
Prediction
Tulsa is stronger on paper and will get the best of BYU in this matchup.
Steve Kragthorpe was the one who turned this program around as he came into the 2003 season with absolutely no momentum, with the Golden Hurricane just 2-21 the previous two seasons under Keith Burns...
Can Duke go back-to-back?
Nov 17, 2010
The Duke Blue Devils are back on top of the college basketball world. They were the last man standing after March Madness this past year, the question is: can they do it again? There is no question that the Blue Devils lost some valuable leaders in Jon Scheyer, Lance Thomas, and Brian Zoubek. But I feel that they more than make up for it in terms of talent. The Blue Devils have added top high school PG Kyrie Erving and Seth Curry (younger brother of Stephen Curry) in addition to bringing back sophmores Andre Dawkins, Mason Plumlee, and Ryan Kelly. And let’s not forget about their leaders; Seniors Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith provide plenty of experience and swagger as they look to lead this new look Duke team back to the glory land. What the Blue Devils lost in experience they make up for in athleticism, shooting, and defensive prowess.
Last year’s national championship Blue Devil team was not the most talented in college basketball, but they were definitely the “best team” in terms of their chemistry and willingness to accept any role. After the departures of Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek, the Duke interior might seem rather weak. Thomas and Zoubek played a big role in Duke’s title run due to their rebounding (offensive and defensive) and post defense. But Duke faithful should not worry; Mason and Miles Plumlee are more then adequate to fill the void. Not only are the Plumlee brothers more athletic than their predecessors but they are just as physical and rebound with reckless abandon (as seen in their time on the court during the NCAA tournament). The Plumlee brothers along with Ryan Kelly should provide Duke with plenty of offensive ability and rebounding.
Kyrie Irving and Miles Plumlee will play big roles this season. Picture courtesy of Starnewsonline.com
The next big loss the Blue Devils suffered this past year was the graduation of Jon Scheyer. While Scheyer was not your prototypical point guard, he provided ball handling and great shooting. He wasn’t the quickest or the best ball handling point guard in Duke history but he was able to put the team on his back numerous times and bailed the team out with timely shooting. So how does Duke plan on replacing Scheyer? With top recruit Kyrie Irving, that’s how. Kyrie Irving is the first true freshman to start for Duke since Jason Williams back in 1999. Kyrie Irving has already displayed his court vision, flair, passing and scoring ability in his first two game at Duke. He is definitely something special and many say that he is the best player on Duke’s team (over Singler and Smith).
Seniors Smith (left) and Singler (right) are the heart and soul of the 2010-2011 Blue Devils. Picture courtesy of goduke.com
Speaking of Singler and Smith, don’t expect them to slow down much. While their numbers may decrease a little, that is more of a testament to how deep this Duke team really is. Their senior leadership and experience will go far in helping this Duke team attempt to repeat. With shooters like Andre Dawkins and Seth Curry knocking down big 3′s this Duke team only needs to answer one question this season. Can they put their egos aside, accept their roles, and gel as well as last year’s team? It remains to be seen, but as a Duke fan…my answer is no doubt about it as long as Coach K is in charge.
