What Is 2004 Tulsa Golden Hurricane football

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Last updated: April 15, 2026

Quick Answer: The 2004 Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team represented the University of Tulsa during the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season, finishing with a 6–5 record under head coach Steve Kragthorpe. They played their home games at Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium and were members of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

Key Facts

The 2004 Tulsa Golden Hurricane finished the season with a 6–5 overall record
Head coach Steve Kragthorpe led the team from 2003 to 2006
Tulsa played home games at Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium
The team competed in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in 2004
Quarterback Paul Smith started several games as a freshman that season

Overview

The 2004 Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team represented the University of Tulsa during the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. Competing in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), the team was led by second-year head coach Steve Kragthorpe and played its home games at Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Finishing the season with a 6–5 overall record and a 4–3 mark in conference play, the 2004 campaign was a transitional year for the program. Though the team did not qualify for a bowl game, it laid the foundation for future success, including the emergence of young talent like quarterback Paul Smith.

Overall record: The team finished with a 6–5 win-loss record, marking modest improvement from the previous season’s 3–8 performance.
Conference affiliation: Tulsa competed in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in 2004, facing teams like Hawaii, Fresno State, and Boise State.
Head coach:Steve Kragthorpe, in his second season, emphasized offensive development and player development during the 2004 campaign.
Home stadium: All home games were played at Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium, a 30,000-seat venue in downtown Tulsa.
Notable player: Freshman quarterback Paul Smith saw significant playing time, foreshadowing his future role as a multi-year starter.

How It Works

The structure and operation of the 2004 Tulsa Golden Hurricane football program followed standard NCAA Division I-A protocols, including recruiting, training, scheduling, and conference play. The season consisted of 11 regular-season games, with a mix of non-conference and WAC matchups.

Schedule format: The team played 11 games in 2004, including 6 home and 5 away contests, with no postseason appearance.
Offensive system: Tulsa ran a spread offense under Kragthorpe, emphasizing quarterback mobility and downfield passing.
Defensive scheme: The defense utilized a 4–3 alignment, focusing on aggressive linebacker play and secondary coverage.
Recruiting class: The 2004 signing class included 24 players, with several junior college transfers to boost immediate depth.
Strength and conditioning: The program followed a year-round training regimen supervised by dedicated strength coaches.
Game preparation: Weekly preparation included film study, practice drills, and scout team simulations to prepare for opponents.

Comparison at a Glance

Below is a comparison of the 2004 Tulsa Golden Hurricane with select WAC peers based on overall record, conference performance, and key statistics:

Team	Overall Record	WAC Record	Head Coach	Bowl Game
Tulsa	6–5	4–3	Steve Kragthorpe	No
Hawaii	8–5	5–2	Jerry Glanville	Yes (New Mexico Bowl)
Fresno State	8–4	6–1	Pat Hill	Yes (Silicon Valley Bowl)
Boise State	10–3	6–1	Chris Petersen	Yes (Seattle Bowl)
BYU	6–6	4–3	Gary Crowton	Yes (Las Vegas Bowl)

The 2004 season highlighted Tulsa’s mid-tier standing in the WAC. While not dominant, the team was competitive, finishing just outside the top half of the conference. Compared to powerhouses like Boise State, Tulsa lacked the win total for a bowl berth, but showed signs of growth under Kragthorpe.

Why It Matters

The 2004 season was a pivotal building block for the Tulsa football program, setting the stage for greater success in subsequent years. Though unremarkable in final standings, it contributed to long-term development in coaching, player recruitment, and program identity.

Program momentum: The 6–5 record marked improvement from prior seasons and signaled positive trajectory under Kragthorpe.
Quarterback development:Paul Smith’s early exposure in 2004 paved the way for his standout career from 2005–2007.
Recruiting boost: Competitive performances helped attract better talent, including junior college transfers and four-star recruits.
Conference relevance: Tulsa remained a competitive WAC member, influencing future realignment and conference decisions.
Facility upgrades: Continued use of Skelly Field highlighted the need for future stadium renovations and investments.
Foundation for success: The 2004 season laid groundwork for Tulsa’s 2005 and 2008 bowl appearances in later years.

While the 2004 Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team did not achieve national recognition, its role in the program’s evolution cannot be overlooked. It represented a step forward in competitiveness and organizational growth, contributing to Tulsa’s eventual rise in Conference USA and national visibility in the late 2000s.