Conference: AAC
Coach Stats
Why should this nominee be considered for the Broyles Award?
One, Coach Gillespie portrays the values consistent with what is good in college athletics with an emphasis on developing the complete student-athlete. Talk about a guy who is your next door neighbor – cares about you, enjoys your company – that’s the way he is with the student-athletes he coaches .He coaches them hard and loves them just as much.
Coach's Past Performance
Since Joe Gillespie took over as Tulsa’s defensive coordinator in 2018, Tulsa’s defensive numbers have seen drastic improvement since the year before in 2017 to the current season in the 3-3-5 scheme. It’s an improvement of 198.8 yards in total defense, 118.3 yards in rushing, 80.5 passing yards and 17.6 points per game.
Team Record and Standings
Tulsa has a 6-1 overall record … losing to #11 Oklahoma State (16-7), and defeating #11 UCF (34-26) and #19 SMU (28-24) … Tulsa is 6-0 in the American Athletic Conference and plays Cincinnati in the AAC title game … it has happened in a season that has seen 5 games postponed during the season after 2 games were cancelled before the season started – it started on Sept. 19 and the last scheduled game is on Dec. 19 … 5 Saturday’s have been skipped when a game was scheduled.
Team/Unit Stats
The Tulsa defense allows only 19.9 points per game (21st in NCAA),330.1 total yards (20th in NCAA),and also nationally ranks 15th in passing efficiency defense, 15th in fewest passing yards allowed, 27th in red zone defense and 50th in rushing defense. Tulsa has had 59 TFLs for -194 yards, 17 sacks for -86 yards, 26 PBUs, 6 INTs including 2 returned for TDs, 8 fumble recoveries.
Individual Player Stats
LB Zaven Collins has become one of the nation’s top linebackers in 2020. He has won the Chuck Bednarik, Walter Camp and Bronko Nagurski Defensive Player of the Week awards in 3 separate weeks, as well as earning the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week 4 times. Collins has 51 tackles, 11.5 TFLs, 4 sacks, 4 INTS for 152 return yards and 2 TDs, 2 PBUs, 1 fumble recovery and one fumble forced. As a whole the starting LBs had 131 tackles, 23.5 TFLs, 6.5 sacks and 5 INTs.
