July 26, 2011

Tulsa, Okla. -

Adam Blankenship is in his first season at The University of Tulsa. He was named to the Golden Hurricane coaching staff on January 21, 2011, and coaches the defensive ends.

Blankenship comes to Tulsa after two seasons coaching in the Oklahoma High School ranks. He spent the past two seasons (2009-10) coaching the defensive line at two-time Oklahoma Class 6A state champion Union High School. He also served as a summer camp instructor at Tulsa Union High School for four years and Illinois State for three summers.

A former Union High School letterman and first-team all-state selection as a prep senior, Blankenship attended the University of Nebraska for two years (2004-05) before transferring to Illinois State. He earned three letters with the Redbirds and was team captain as a senior in 2008.

Blankenship started 28 career games at Illinois State and was credited with 60 tackles. He was named to the All-Valley Football Newcomer team in 2006 and served as team captain as a senior in 2008.

In his prep career, Blankenship earned first-team all-state honors from the Tulsa World and the Oklahoma Coaches Association (OCA) as a senior defensive end. Blankenship helped Union to a 12-1 record his senior season and a Class 6A state semifinal appearance. He finished with 85 tackles, had 10 sacks and recovered three fumbles as a senior. A year earlier, Union was a perfect 14-0 and captured the Class 6A state title in his junior season. Blankenship totaled 86 tackles, including eight sacks, and recovered four fumbles in Union's championship season.

Blankenship was inducted into the Tulsa Union High School Hall of Fame in January 2011.

Blankenship earned a degree in communication studies in December 2008 from Illinois State. He is the youngest son of Tulsa Head Coach Bill Blankenship.

Wednesday's "Get to Know the Coach" is Denver Johnson.