Tulsa football: More from Bill Blankenship

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“I do know, we’re getting more comparable in the way we appear,” Blankenship said. “We’re some bigger kids, faster kids.”

* Entry into the new American Athletic Conference in 2014 should be good for Tulsa. Many of the same faces from Conference USA, but some of the sleepy southern schools have been replaced by Cincinnati,

Connecticut and South Florida.

“Conference USA has been great for us,” Blankenship said. But C-USA changed. Coming into the league are North Texas, Louisiana Tech, Texas-San Antonio, Florida International, Florida Atlantic and Middle Tennessee.

“There’s a big difference, going to Orlando (Central Florida) and New Orleans (Tulane) and Memphis, then we’re going to Ruston (La.) and wherever. From a recruiting standpoint, it was a big deal.”

Actually, the new C-USA members come from some big markets. Miami, Dallas, San Antone, Nashville. But the caliber of competition will be better in the new conference.

Blankenship said conference upheaval really doesn’t affect players. And on the recruiting end, the effect is “probably moreso with parents,” he said.

“The best thing I can do is help our team win. I just want us to grow.”

* Tulsa went 11-3 last season. Lost at Iowa State 38-23, lost 19-15 at Arkansas and lost 35-27 at SMU.

“Five or six plays (difference), we could have been in the Orange Bowl,” Blankenship said. “Five or six or the other way, we could have been in no bowl.”

Don’t laugh. He’s right. Northern Illinois made the Orange Bowl with a 12-1 record and a weaker schedule. And TU did skate by with some narrow wins: 27-26 over Fresno State, 49-42 over Alabama-Birmingham, 45-38 at Marshall, 28-24 over Rice, 23-21 and 33-27 in overtime against Central Florida.

Read more: http://blog.newsok.com/berrytramel/2013/04/09/tulsa-football-more-from-bill-blankenship/