ESPN: Graham Brings Rice Staff to Tulsa

[MrMustang1965]

TULSA, Okla. -- New Tulsa head football coach Todd Graham on Sunday tapped six of his former assistants at Rice to join him on the Golden Hurricane coaching staff.

Assistants Dean Jackson, Danny Phillips, Jason Jones, Jess Loepp, Bo Graham and strength and conditioning coordinator Yancy McKnight will follow Graham to Tulsa from Rice. Jackson is the only offensive coach coming from the Owl's staff.

In addition, longtime Oklahoma high school coach and former Tulsa quarterback Bill Blankenship and West Virginia's Herb Hand will join TU's offensive coaching staff, the university said.

"We're extremely excited about putting together what I think will be one of the best coaching staffs in Conference USA and the country," Graham said.

Graham was named Tulsa's head coach on Friday and replaces Steve Kragthorpe, the new head coach at Louisville.

Graham ran Kragthorpe's defense for three years at Tulsa before taking the Rice job last year. He turned around the Owls program, taking a team that had been 1-10 in 2005 and leading it to a 7-6 season and its first bowl game in 45 years.

Phillips will serve as co-defensive coordinator and linebacker coach, while Jason Jones will coach cornerbacks, Graham safeties and Jess Loepp the outside linebackers.

Offensively, Hand will serve as co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. Jackson will coach the Hurricane tight ends and Blankenship will coach the wide receivers.

Danny Phillips returns to Tulsa after one season as Rice's defensive line coach. Phillips spent three seasons at Tulsa, helping the Hurricane win the 2005 C-USA Championship.

Graham has two more coaching positions to fill at Tulsa.

[J.T.supporta]

although it may not seem like it, Rice will be rebuilding yet again.

[jkflamebo]

i'm kind of feeling a bit sorry for rice at this point, what kind of team spirit is there gonna be come spring time?

[mrydel]

Interesting there is no Malzahn mention. It is all over Arkansas and they have supposedly already named a new OC.