Last season, Tulsa running backs Shamari Brooks and Corey Taylor II combined for 1,813 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns.

That pair will be counted on again in 2019 to keep the Golden Hurricane offense humming.

“Shamari and Corey are getting quite a few reps right now, but as camp gets towards the middle we’ll see where we are as reps go for them,” TU coach Philip Montgomery said this month. “Some of the younger guys still need more reps, so as we adjust those young guys will get more of it.”

Montgomery said Brooks and Taylor have even gotten better from a year ago.

“I think they’ve improved quite a bit. Technique-wise they’re so much better. We’ve put in some new stuff where we’re making them expand their abilities and they’ve done a really good job of handling that,” said Montgomery. “Just their mature approach to the game right now is really good. They’re locked in, focused, seeing things, knowing when they need to bounce outside, knowing when they need to stay inside. I’m really proud of what we’re getting out of those two guys.”

Brooks started all 11 games last year, gaining 967 yards with seven touchdowns, while Taylor had 846 yards and led the Hurricane with 11 touchdowns.

“Sham and Corey give us the whole package. They give us a ton of experience, work ethic and leadership. They’ve helped set the tone as soon as we get onto the practice field and what the expectation is for each day,” said running backs coach Justin Hill. “They bring their own skill set. Sham is hard to tackle in a phone booth, and with Corey being as strong and powerful as he is, they complement each other very well. They’re both home run hitters. They both have the ability to make big plays and that’s really important for an offense.”

Two freshmen, TK Wilkerson, a red-shirt freshman, and true freshman Christian Lovick, will be called on to provide depth in the running game.

“TK and Christian are both catching on and doing what they’re supposed to do,” Hill said. “We’ll give them an opportunity to show a little more, and at the same time make sure we’re taking care of Sham and Corey.”

Hill was encouraged at the depth at running back.

“TK is coming in as a redshirt freshman. He’s going to be good. He still has a lot to learn and has to be able to use his body and run behind his pads and remain physical. Christian is really versatile and very smart. He’s still learning how to apply what’s being taught in the meeting room to the practice field. That’s just going to take time. It’s going to reps, and the further we get into camp, the better he’s going to be.”

With relaxed redshirt rules a year ago, Wilkerson was able to see action in three games and still keep his redshirt status. In his first carry from scrimmage, Wilkerson burst out for a 79-yard run against UConn and finished that game with 95 yards on six carries.

Lovick finished his prep career in 2018 at Tomball Memorial (Texas) High School with 3,643 yards and 47 touchdowns.

Montgomery was pleased with his team’s effort in a scrimmage Saturday.

“I thought our defense did a great job of coming out and establishing the momentum and then just held on to it,” Montgomery said.  “Defense did a great job establishing and holding onto the momentum,” said Montgomery. “We have to do a better job offensively of coming out and executing. We had things there. We just didn’t execute –– didn’t put it in the right spot, didn’t take advantage of some of the things we needed to. It’s a learning process.

“Usually defenses are always ahead this time of year and offenses are going to keep growing and getting better and that’s where we’re at right now.”