Graf, Burcham Step Up to Give OU Depth

As the OU cross country men prepare to finish the 2014 season, big improvements in race finishes have proven that they are a team on the rise.

In its second year under associate head coach Jason Dunn, the team has utilized a group of veterans to make quick improvements this season.

“I'd say that honestly everybody has improved,” said Dunn. “Everybody that's running this year, over last year, has gotten better.”

Racing through a tough slate this season, the team finished second at the Big 12 championships for its highest finish in the race since 2011.

With impressive and steady finishes from Sooner standouts Abbabiya Simbassa and Brandon Doughty during the 2013, Dunn looked to his third, fourth and fifth place finishers to make big improvements in their times to help lift the team to higher overall team finishes in 2014.

“Up front, guys probably don't have as much progress to make based on how high they placed last year,” said Dunn. “ But our three, four and five runners have made huge improvements over where they were a year ago.”

Across the board, Dunn has been pleased with the team's improvement.

“I've definitely seen maturity in the way they've approached things as a group,” said Dunn. “That's going to be really important to us in the weeks to come ? that leadership and how well people step up.”

Among those Dunn watched for improvements, a pair of sophomores ? Jacob Burcham and Eric Graf ? have stepped up to the challenge.

The two West Virginia natives have been key contributors for the Sooners this season, with all five of Graf's finishes and all four of Burcham's finishes counting toward final team scores.

“I'd say that honestly everybody has improved,” said Dunn. “Everybody that's running this year, over last year, has gotten better.”

Jason Dunn, Associate Head Coach

Graf was a third-place finisher for the Sooners in the first three meets of the season, and fifth for the Sooners at the Wisconsin adidas Invitational. He finished 19^th at the Big 12 championships to improve 11 places from his 30^th-place finish at the race in 2013.

Graf attributes his improvements to the efforts of Dunn in his second season.

“Having coach Dunn for more than a year is kind of an improvement in itself,” said Graf. “He's a great coach. He talks us through workouts. He's put me at higher mileage and realized what helps me out and wants what is best for me.”

For Burcham, he made his debut for the Sooners as a freshman in last year's Big 12 Championships, finishing 42^nd overall.

“It was a last-minute decision to run him at the conference meet last year,” said Dunn. “We were going to redshirt him, but he was making good strides in his training last fall so we ran him.”

This year, Burcham was poised to take on the race a second time and even surprised himself as he finished third for the Sooners and 13^th overall at the 2014 Big 12 Championships to earn All-Big 12 honors ? improving 29 places from his finish a year ago.

“It did surprised me,” said Burcham. “Just based on where I finished last year, it was surprising. But I definitely think I was a little more prepared and had more confidence going into it for the second year.”

To lead up to the impressive Big 12 finish, Burcham finished first for the Sooners and third overall a the Missouri Southern Stampede, fifth for the Sooners (42^nd overall) at the University of Washington Invitational, and third for the Sooners (112^th overall) at the Washington adidas Invitational.

Burcham found his motivation in a renewed passion for the sport after adjusting to the atmosphere his freshman year.

As many of the runners have little time off between track season and cross country, one might assume it would be difficult to switch gears. But for Burcham, he found the transition from track season to be the most helpful in his adjustment toward a successful season.

“First getting here last year, it was difficult to get acquainted in a new town with new people and balancing athletics and school. I was really kind of tired of the sport,” said Burcham. “Getting into track season, I had a lot of fun and it really motivated me going into cross country this season. I think that helped me the most.”

Dunn agreed with Burcham about the impact that the transition from track season into summer cross country workouts had on the team's improvements.

“I think they just get a little more hungry coming off of track season,” said Dunn. “Putting a little more work in during the summer can really lead to great results. I think that's definitely where we are right now in terms of making good progress.”

In 2013, the team went unranked until week five when it was ranked 27^th in the nation, according to the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Association. The stay in the poll was a brief one as OU dropped out of the next poll and didn't return to the top 30 in 2013.

This season, the Sooners were immediately recognized in the national poll as they entered week one of competition ranked No. 28 overall. Since then, the men have maintained a top-30 national ranking all season, climbing as high as a 20^th.

Dunn and his team, though, realize that the national rankings aren't as important as the end result.

“That's the thing about our sport,” said Dunn. “The rankings can be what they are, but ultimately, you are judged by the end result at nationals.”

In 2013, the Sooners' quest for the national meet came to a halt with a fourth-place finish at the regional meet, a finish that did not qualify the team for nationals.

This year, Dunn is hopeful that his student-athletes' improvements will help lift the Sooners back into the national race and a top-15 finish in the country.

“That's where we have set our sights this season,” said Dunn. “Obviously, we've got to carry it through over the next few weeks. They have to run like we're prepared to do and I think we'll have a good chance at that.”

Under Dunn's leadership, the team is focused to prove themselves on the national stage.

“Coach Dunn has been getting it into our head that he really believes we can do it if we run the way he knows we can,” said Graf. “I have never seen this team so focused. Although we've always been motivated, you can just really see the focus going into these next few weeks.”

The team's impressive finish at the Big 12 Championships on Nov. 1 resulted in three All-Big 12 honorees and will thrust the team into this weekend's regional competition with momentum.

“To have competed so well at Big 12s helps,” said Burcham. “If we can just carry that over and race the same, I think we can get into the national race and really perform well. That's the big dance and we really just want to go out and prove ourselves.”

By Cecily Tawney, OU Athletics Commuications Intern