He's only four games into his UCO career, but redshirt freshman running back Josh Birmingham has already shown me -- and many others -- that he can be a special player. I had seen Josh in scrimmage situations during his redshirt year and it was pretty easy to see he had exceptional talent, which has been showcased in many ways already this season.
Quick feet, explosive speed, stronger than he might appear. Makes defenders miss, darts through creases in a blur and is capable of going the distance anytime he touches the ball, whether it be on a handoff or a reception or a kick return.
UCO has had dozens of great backs over the years and I've seen many of them in my 23-plus years. Pinkey Hurley from the late 1980s was under-rated, a tough inside runner with good speed who was a dangerous all-around threat. Joe Aska from '93 and '94 had amazing speed and was a third-round NFL draft pick. Reggie Donner from 1997-99 could run through a brick wall and still outrun most people, a player I felt could have played in the NFL if it weren't for the knee injury that curtailed his career.
It's early - just four games, remember - but Birmingham has a legitimate chance to rank among those all-time greats by the time he's done.
The UCO volleyball squad is off to a great start at 12-4 overall and 4-1 in the conference following Tuesday's road sweep of Southwestern Oklahoma. Senior outside hitters Zuela Adom and Kristen Wilson pace the Bronchos, but there are plenty of good, young players on this team and it will be interesting to see how they continue to progress throughout the rest of the season.
Next Monday and Tuesday will be the only chance for UCO golf fans to see the women's team in action close to home when the Bronchos host their own tournament at Lincoln Park East. The team has a good mix of young talent and veteran experience, with head coach Michael Bond harboring high hopes for his group.
Speaking of golf . . . the men's team had another strong outing this week in Lawton, finishing second at The Oklahoma Collegiate with a 33-under-par total. That's two wins and a second in three fall tournaments for the Bronchos, who have three individuals (Colby Shrum, Josh Creel and Dillon Rust) averaging under par.
Don't look now, but it's almost time for basketball and wrestling. The wrestling team got on the mat last week, while basketball is going through conditioning drills now and is just a couple of weeks away from starting practice.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
On A Roll
Kudos to the UCO men's golf team, which captured its second straight tournament of the fall season Tuesday at the NSU Golf Classic in Muskogee. Head coach Dax Johnston has long told me that the fall campaign is just as important as the spring season and his team is rapidly building momentum for a storybook year.
Check out some of these numbers from the first two tournaments.
The Bronchos are 13-under-par as a team, having won their opening tournament on Abilene Christian's home course at minus-9 and at NSU's home-away-from-home at minus-4. UCO's five starters have been under par in 10 of their 20 combined rounds, with five rounds in the 60s. Three players are under par through four rounds -- Colby Shrum (minus-7), Dillon Rust (minus-4) and Josh Creel (minus-1).
Colby, a two-time All-American from the golfing mecca of Perry, Oklahoma that we both call home, has shown no rust from a self-imposed redshirt year taken in 2009-10. In fact, the senior star may be better, which is downright scary.
Dillon has taken his game to a new level after a successful redshirt freshman year that gave him additional confidence. Josh is a sophomore transfer from the University of Colorado who has already made a huge impact, having won the OGA stroke play title this summer and then tying for medalist honors at the NSU tourney in his second outing with the Bronchos.
And that's not even talking about Andrew Green, the extremely tall (6-7 or 6-8, depending on who you ask) and gifted junior who has scuffed along at two-over-par through the first two tournaments. Or junior Baer Aneshansley, who also redshirted last year after starting in 2008-09.
And this team has depth. UCO took two teams to Muskogee, one winning it and the other - with just four players instead of the normal five - finishing ahead of nine other teams in the huge 23-team field.
Dax has had incredible success during his tenure at UCO. The Division II national champion in 1996 while playing for the Bronchos, Dax has now won 39 titles and finished in the top-five in 91 of 116 tournaments as head coach. Remarkable numbers.
This has the makings of a special team at UCO, so keep an eye on this group as they go through the rest of their five-tournament fall schedule and into next spring. They have a big goal - that of winning the national championship in May 2011 - and I for one am not gonna bet against them.
Check out some of these numbers from the first two tournaments.
The Bronchos are 13-under-par as a team, having won their opening tournament on Abilene Christian's home course at minus-9 and at NSU's home-away-from-home at minus-4. UCO's five starters have been under par in 10 of their 20 combined rounds, with five rounds in the 60s. Three players are under par through four rounds -- Colby Shrum (minus-7), Dillon Rust (minus-4) and Josh Creel (minus-1).
Colby, a two-time All-American from the golfing mecca of Perry, Oklahoma that we both call home, has shown no rust from a self-imposed redshirt year taken in 2009-10. In fact, the senior star may be better, which is downright scary.
Dillon has taken his game to a new level after a successful redshirt freshman year that gave him additional confidence. Josh is a sophomore transfer from the University of Colorado who has already made a huge impact, having won the OGA stroke play title this summer and then tying for medalist honors at the NSU tourney in his second outing with the Bronchos.
And that's not even talking about Andrew Green, the extremely tall (6-7 or 6-8, depending on who you ask) and gifted junior who has scuffed along at two-over-par through the first two tournaments. Or junior Baer Aneshansley, who also redshirted last year after starting in 2008-09.
And this team has depth. UCO took two teams to Muskogee, one winning it and the other - with just four players instead of the normal five - finishing ahead of nine other teams in the huge 23-team field.
Dax has had incredible success during his tenure at UCO. The Division II national champion in 1996 while playing for the Bronchos, Dax has now won 39 titles and finished in the top-five in 91 of 116 tournaments as head coach. Remarkable numbers.
This has the makings of a special team at UCO, so keep an eye on this group as they go through the rest of their five-tournament fall schedule and into next spring. They have a big goal - that of winning the national championship in May 2011 - and I for one am not gonna bet against them.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Big Win For Bronchos
Last Saturday's 37-21 Lone Star Conference football win over Tarleton State was huge for the Bronchos in more ways than one.
Obviously, it was big to get in the win column after dropping the opener to Pittsburg State two weeks earlier when five turnovers doomed UCO. But, perhaps more importantly, the win gives the youthful Bronchos a shot in the arm confidence-wise and that could be an even bigger factor going forward.
I counted 34 underclassmen who played in Saturday's game against Tarleton. That's 34 of the 50 players who saw action on the field. And that's an amazing stat to me, especially when you look at how big a role some of those young guys played.
You want some examples? I've got plenty.
Redshirt freshman running back Josh Birmingham - 97 yards and two TDs rushing, 46 yards receiving. Sophomore quarterback Ethan Sharp - 19-of-24 passing for 190 yards and two TDs, 25 yards and one TD rushing. Sophomore receiver Dolphin Davis - three receptions, 49 yards, two TDs. Two sophomore linemen - Justin Pruitt and Cody Hughes - who helped a unit that didn't give up a sack for the second straight game.
Not enough? There's more on defense, which gave up just 295 yards in the win.
Redshirt freshman linebacker Kerry Wallace, making his first start - a team-high 10 tackles. Sophomore strong safety Keno Meadows - six tackles. Redshirt freshman cornerback Randy Stanley - four broken up passes. Sophomore Creadell Pennon - an interception and 32-yard return late in the game that led to UCO's clinching touchdown.
So now the Bronchos go on the road for the first time, with the team set to travel to San Antonio this Saturday for a first-ever meeting with Incarnate Word. It will be another challenge for a young team that doesn't have a lot of depth, but UCO is heading in the right direction with this squad.
And now a quick look at our other fall sports teams . . .
• UCO will finally play its first home volleyball match Tuesday at 7 p.m. when the Bronchos host Dallas Baptist. The Bronchos are off to a solid 6-3 start, including a big win last weekend at the Angelo State Invitational over a Lubbock Christian team that was ranked No. 12 in NAIA and had ended West Texas A&M's 46-match winning streak the week before. Look for this team to keep getting stronger as the season progresses.
• Alina Istrate breezed to the individual title to lead the Broncho cross country team to a championship in its own UCO Land Run last Saturday morning. The senior wasn't even breathing hard after her win and is ready to lead the Bronchos to a banner year as she rebounds from an injury-plagued junior season. A 3-4 finish by freshmen Katie Kerns and Tess Lackey in last week's meet was also a good sign of things to come.
• UCO evened its soccer record at 2-2 Sunday with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Oklahoma City at soggy Tom Thompson Field. The Bronchos are playing without several key players because of injury, but continue to battle hard and found a way to pick up a much-needed win over the Stars. UCO will be back at home again this week, with games Friday and Sunday afternoon.
• And finally, the fall golf season gets underway Monday and Tuesday for both the men and women. UCO's men expect to be national contenders next spring and are in Abilene, Texas to open their season, while the women have high hopes of their own and open up at a tournament in Springfield, Mo.
Obviously, it was big to get in the win column after dropping the opener to Pittsburg State two weeks earlier when five turnovers doomed UCO. But, perhaps more importantly, the win gives the youthful Bronchos a shot in the arm confidence-wise and that could be an even bigger factor going forward.
I counted 34 underclassmen who played in Saturday's game against Tarleton. That's 34 of the 50 players who saw action on the field. And that's an amazing stat to me, especially when you look at how big a role some of those young guys played.
You want some examples? I've got plenty.
Redshirt freshman running back Josh Birmingham - 97 yards and two TDs rushing, 46 yards receiving. Sophomore quarterback Ethan Sharp - 19-of-24 passing for 190 yards and two TDs, 25 yards and one TD rushing. Sophomore receiver Dolphin Davis - three receptions, 49 yards, two TDs. Two sophomore linemen - Justin Pruitt and Cody Hughes - who helped a unit that didn't give up a sack for the second straight game.
Not enough? There's more on defense, which gave up just 295 yards in the win.
Redshirt freshman linebacker Kerry Wallace, making his first start - a team-high 10 tackles. Sophomore strong safety Keno Meadows - six tackles. Redshirt freshman cornerback Randy Stanley - four broken up passes. Sophomore Creadell Pennon - an interception and 32-yard return late in the game that led to UCO's clinching touchdown.
So now the Bronchos go on the road for the first time, with the team set to travel to San Antonio this Saturday for a first-ever meeting with Incarnate Word. It will be another challenge for a young team that doesn't have a lot of depth, but UCO is heading in the right direction with this squad.
And now a quick look at our other fall sports teams . . .
• UCO will finally play its first home volleyball match Tuesday at 7 p.m. when the Bronchos host Dallas Baptist. The Bronchos are off to a solid 6-3 start, including a big win last weekend at the Angelo State Invitational over a Lubbock Christian team that was ranked No. 12 in NAIA and had ended West Texas A&M's 46-match winning streak the week before. Look for this team to keep getting stronger as the season progresses.
• Alina Istrate breezed to the individual title to lead the Broncho cross country team to a championship in its own UCO Land Run last Saturday morning. The senior wasn't even breathing hard after her win and is ready to lead the Bronchos to a banner year as she rebounds from an injury-plagued junior season. A 3-4 finish by freshmen Katie Kerns and Tess Lackey in last week's meet was also a good sign of things to come.
• UCO evened its soccer record at 2-2 Sunday with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Oklahoma City at soggy Tom Thompson Field. The Bronchos are playing without several key players because of injury, but continue to battle hard and found a way to pick up a much-needed win over the Stars. UCO will be back at home again this week, with games Friday and Sunday afternoon.
• And finally, the fall golf season gets underway Monday and Tuesday for both the men and women. UCO's men expect to be national contenders next spring and are in Abilene, Texas to open their season, while the women have high hopes of their own and open up at a tournament in Springfield, Mo.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Soccer, Volleyball On Deck
Football got the 2010-11 sports year started for Central Oklahoma last weekend and now it's time for soccer and volleyball to take center stage.
Both teams kick off their season this weekend, with soccer at home and volleyball on the road. Coach Mike Cook's squad hosts the Broncho Invitational, with UCO set to take on Nebraska-Omaha Friday and Truman State Saturday. Coach Jeff Boyland and his spikers go to the West Texas A&M Invitational for four matches, playing two each on Friday and Saturday.
There are no seniors on the soccer roster, but the Bronchos are brimming with young talent and should continue to build on a championship tradition. This weekend's games will also be a good indicator of where UCO stands in regards to the top teams in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Assocation, a league the Bronchos will join in 2012-13.
Look for an aggressive, pressing offensive attack and strong defensive play by UCO this weekend at Tom Thompson Field.
Four seniors are ready to lead the volleyball team that is looking to bounce back strong from two consecutive sub-par years. A rash of injuries in both 2008 and '09 severely limited the Bronchos, who are certainly capable of being one of the top teams in the LSC if they stay healthy.
UCO has plenty of offensive firepower and should get the season off to a good start in Texas.
A LOOK BACK: Though UCO lost its football season opener to Pitt State 31-20 last Saturday, there were a lot of positive things that went on at Wantland Stadium. First and foremost was the great crowd -- nearly 8,500 -- that ranks as the biggest in at least 10 years.
The retro uniforms worn by the Bronchos looked great, dozens of former players came from near and far for a pre-game cookout before being recognized at halftime and the game atmosphere was simply fantastic.
And on the field, the Bronchos showed many promising moments both offensively and defensively before losing out to Pitt State's fourth-quarter surge. A win would have obviously been the best topper to the night, but all in all it was a great start to the season.
Both teams kick off their season this weekend, with soccer at home and volleyball on the road. Coach Mike Cook's squad hosts the Broncho Invitational, with UCO set to take on Nebraska-Omaha Friday and Truman State Saturday. Coach Jeff Boyland and his spikers go to the West Texas A&M Invitational for four matches, playing two each on Friday and Saturday.
There are no seniors on the soccer roster, but the Bronchos are brimming with young talent and should continue to build on a championship tradition. This weekend's games will also be a good indicator of where UCO stands in regards to the top teams in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Assocation, a league the Bronchos will join in 2012-13.
Look for an aggressive, pressing offensive attack and strong defensive play by UCO this weekend at Tom Thompson Field.
Four seniors are ready to lead the volleyball team that is looking to bounce back strong from two consecutive sub-par years. A rash of injuries in both 2008 and '09 severely limited the Bronchos, who are certainly capable of being one of the top teams in the LSC if they stay healthy.
UCO has plenty of offensive firepower and should get the season off to a good start in Texas.
A LOOK BACK: Though UCO lost its football season opener to Pitt State 31-20 last Saturday, there were a lot of positive things that went on at Wantland Stadium. First and foremost was the great crowd -- nearly 8,500 -- that ranks as the biggest in at least 10 years.
The retro uniforms worn by the Bronchos looked great, dozens of former players came from near and far for a pre-game cookout before being recognized at halftime and the game atmosphere was simply fantastic.
And on the field, the Bronchos showed many promising moments both offensively and defensively before losing out to Pitt State's fourth-quarter surge. A win would have obviously been the best topper to the night, but all in all it was a great start to the season.
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