Tulsa, OK - The University of Tulsa has hired former Rice
University head coach Todd Graham to become their head coach, the school
announced on Friday.
Graham, a former Tulsa assistant, returns to the Golden Hurricane after
leading the Owls to a 7-6 record and a bowl berth in 2006, the school's first
in 45 years.
'We're extremely pleased to have Todd Graham return to the University of Tulsa
as our football coach,' athletic director Bubba Cunningham said at a press
conference. 'There's no question that Todd fits the two main attributes we
were looking for in a head coach, the ability to recruit and the right fit for
our University. Todd's enthusiasm is infectious and his football knowledge and
coaching ability is evident.'
Graham replaces the departed Steve Kragthorpe, who left Tulsa after four
seasons at the helm to take over as head coach at Louisville.
The 42-year-old Texas native spent three seasons (2003-2005) as assistant head
coach and defensive coordinator under Kragthorpe. He takes over a program
which has won 29 games in the past four seasons and received three bowl
invitations in that span.
'I'm very excited for my family and thrilled about this opportunity to be the
head football coach at the University of Tulsa,' Graham said. 'To be able to
return to a program that you helped to rebuild, and now have the chance to
take it to an even higher level is exciting.'
Prior to his time in Tulsa, Graham was an assistant under Rich Rodriguez at
West Virginia, also coaching at the NAIA and high-school levels.
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