A Look at the Rockets' Ninth Opponent - Buffalo
8/26/2003 12:00:00 PM | Football
Written by Buffalo Sports Information Office.
Aug. 26, 2003
Buffalo, NY - The University at Buffalo football program was the youngest in the nation in 2002 - starting 11 freshmen in the season finale at Ball State.
Now a young program, with young players, is a year older and head coach Jim Hofher and his staff are ready to see signs of maturity in 2003.
Although Hofher knows the core of his team is still in its college football infancy, he is confident that they are taking the right steps towards what will be a highly-competitive program in the rugged, and getting tougher, Mid-American Conference East Division. He has also been impressed with the work of a senior class ready to start enacting change in UB's football fortunes.
After excellent work in the spring, Hofher says he has more players ready to make an impact than in his two previous seasons at Buffalo.
"I think we had a very good spring, a very physical spring," Hofher said. "We probably pushed ourselves to the limit with what we chose to do with live scrimmage work. We got 300 plays of live scrimmage work, which is approximately the equivalent of four college football games. Nobody could hide during the spring.
"We have, and will continue to have, great work from guys who are starting to earn starting spots," he noted. "We have more answers than questions, but that doesn't mean we have starters at every position. We likely do have more alternatives than what we've had."
Here is a position-by-position look at the Bulls before fall practices begin for the 2003 season:
QUARTERBACK
In the span of a year, this went from Buffalo's most inexperienced position to one that has a solid returnee and several backups ready to challenge.
Last spring, Randall Secky (Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove) was the only quarterback that had taken a snap in live game action, with just 35 passes under his belt. Last fall, he started all 12 games for the Bulls and set a school record with 421 pass attempts through a productive year, in which he completed 204 passes (third-best for a single season) for 2,015 yards (ninth all-time) with 12 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The junior had several strong outings, including going 18-of-34 for 201 yards and three touchdowns in UB's monumental win at Rutgers and tossing three touchdowns and throwing for 350 yards in a heartbreaking 34-32 loss at Ohio. He has a live arm, an excellent ability to read defenses and showed great toughness in starting each game.
Also in the mix at quarterback will be sophomore P.J. Piskorik (Swoyersville, PA/Wyoming Valley West) and redshirt freshman Stewart Sampsel (Howard, PA/Bellefonte).
Piskorik brings great athletic ability to the quarterback position. After sitting out last season to concentrate on his academics, Piskorik showed no rust in spring ball and will challenge for the starting nod when fall practices begin. Sampsel redshirted last season and has a good arm and mobility.
OFFENSIVE LINE
This unit did not graduate a single player and is a key to Buffalo's offensive improvement. As this group continues to mature both physically and mentally, the Bulls offense will continue to improve.
The group is led in experience by senior Jeff Mills (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Coughlin) and junior Erik Zeppuhar (Allison Park, PA/Shaler), who have both started 23 straight games at tackle and guard, respectively. Zeppuhar is slated to battle redshirt freshman Mike Schifano (Webster, NY/Webster), who started the final two games last season, for the right guard position. The center position will be a battle between two veterans with excellent experience. Junior Eric Weber (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua), who started all 11 games in 2001 as a redshirt frosh before a shoulder injury shelved him for all of last season, and senior Kevin Dunn (Mission Viejo, CA/Mission Viejo), who started all 12 games in '02. Weber has displayed excellent abilities when healthy and Dunn has gotten better each year with hard work and strong fundamentals.
Also returning at a tackle spot is sophomore Zachary Love (Wallingford, PA/Strath Haven) who was dominant at times last year as a freshman.
The other guard position will be up for grabs between junior Dan Minocchi (Canton, OH/Central Catholic), who started seven games at that spot last year, and senior Alex Alvarez (Los Angeles, CA/Bell-Jefferson), who also got the nod three times. That duo, along with redshirt freshman Tim Schmidt (Apalachin, NY/Owego Free Academy) give Buffalo great depth at the guard position.
Others to watch include a trio of tackles - mid-year transfer Luke Johnson (Wayzata, MN/Wayzata), who comes to Buffalo from Bakersfield (CA) Junior College, junior Terrance Miles (Buffalo, NY/McKinley), who got snaps last year, and redshirt frosh Gerry Weissinger (Webster, NY/Webster).
All three players bring great size to the table with Johnson at 6-7, 308, Miles at 6-5, 290 and Weissinger at 6-5, 301.
TIGHT END
The Bulls will have their hands full trying to replace two-time All-MAC selection Chad Bartoszek, who became the first Bull since 1963 to play in a post-season All-Star game, catching a touchdown pass in the Rotary Gridiron Classic in January before signing a free agent contract with the Indianapolis Colts. Redshirt freshman Chad Upshaw (Southport, CT/St. Joseph's) shows excellent promise and he will be joined by several new recruits this fall.
Senior Tom Shaughnessy (LeRoy, NY/LeRoy) also played this spot in the spring and has proven himself a capable blocker at fullback in his career. Junior College standout Brian Miller (Santa Clarita, CA/Valencia) comes to UB from the College of the Canyons and could provide immediate help.
WIDE RECEIVERS
This is another area struck hard by graduation as the Bulls need to replace the explosiveness of receiver/return man Andre Forde as well as Maurice Bradford and Dan Lindsay, who also excelled on special teams. Forde, who was the team's MVP last season, had a team-best 54 catches for 748 yards and scored seven touchdowns through the air, while returning a punt for a score as well. He went on to sign a free agent contract with the Indianapolis Colts.
While UB looks for one player to emerge as a gamebreaker, it will most likely spread the wealth between a corps of youthful players as this unit features just two seniors.
Sophomore Tim Dance (Erie, PA/Cathedral Prep) leads the wideout returnees with 16 receptions for 167 yards and a pair of touchdowns, both versus Kent State last year. Dance has excellent speed and improving hands.
Also back is junior Matt Knueven (Cincinnati, OH/LaSalle) who suffered through a debilitating set of injuries in '02 that limited him to seven games and eight receptions and a touchdown. He looks to return to the form he showed as a true freshman when he snared 35 balls for 443 yards and two scores.
Gabe McClover (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Coconut Creek), who has good size and strength, will look to make a bigger splash in '03, having caught five passes for 47 yards last season in spot duty.
Among the newcomers, expect redshirt frosh Brian Watson (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) to get an oppotunity to showcase his athletic 6-5, 218-pound frame. Adam Johnson (Alta Loma, CA/Etiwanda) provides depth and stability, and also served as UB's long-snapper last season, while Derrick Dyer (Rochester, NY/Marshall) is an athletic player at 6-2, 190 pounds who joined UB from Hudson Valley JC this spring.
RUNNING BACKS
The Bulls return nearly 94 percent of their production from this unit in 2003, including Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year Aaron Leeper (Jamestown, NY/Jamestown) and a host of other talented youngsters.
All Leeper did in his first year on the field was set new Buffalo freshman records for yards rushing (917), all-purpose yards (1,267) and touchdowns (10) while becoming the first Bulls' player to earn one of the conference's major awards. Leeper led Buffalo in rushing and finished third on the team with 27 receptions for 132 yards. He missed most of spring drills after twisting a knee but will be full go this fall.
Leeper was complemented nicely, particularly late in the season, by Dave Dawson (Camp Hill, PA/Bishop McDevitt), another redshirt freshman. Dawson finished second on the team with 362 yards on 61 carries for a team-best 5.9 yard rushing average. Dawson also scored two touchdowns on the season. At Marshall, both Leeper and Dawson went over 100 yards rushing, the first time a UB duo had done that since 1996.
At fullback senior Tom Shaughnessy, who has excelled at special teams for Buffalo during his career, is a solid blocker and receiver and will battle with redshirt frosh Jared Patterson (Belvidere, NJ/Belvidere) for playing time.
Patterson joins a talented group that includes fellow redshirt freshmen Steven King (Hempstead, NY/Uniondale) and Chris McDuffie (Amherst, NY/Williamsville North) who are capable of being contributors this fall.
Patterson (6-1, 204) and King (6-0, 200) both have excellent size while McDuffie (5-10, 188) is a slasher with excellent strength. The competition should be fierce for playing time when fall drills open at this position.
DEFENSIVE LINE
This position exemplified Buffalo's youth movement last season as three freshmen started all 12 games for the Bulls. Despite these neophytes seeing the majority of the action, the Bulls ranked in the top half of the MAC in sacks with 27 - and like the offensive line - Buffalo doesn't lose a single player from this unit to graduation.
That's not to say that Buffalo doesn't have some veterans up front as well. Senior Demetrius Austrum (Coral Springs, FL/Taravella) had 29 tackles and three sacks last year, while junior Anthony Andriano (Howard Beach, NY/Christ The King) had a unit-best 41 tackles and 11 tackles for loss, as well as four sacks.
The freshmen trio - defensive tackle Rob Schroeder (East Rochester, NY/East Rochester), defensive end Phil Jacques (Farmington Hills, MI/Brother Rice) and nose tackle Bill Meholif (Parma, OH/St. Ignatius) - each started all 12 games for the Bulls and made major contributions. Schroeder paced the Bulls with 41/2 sacks and added 37 stops, Jacques had 36 tackles and a pair of sacks, while Meholif accumulated 28 tackles, a sack and six tackles for loss. Meholif, however, will most likely miss the entire season after suffering a torn ACL during spring workouts.
Others returning who made significant contributions last year are senior Rashad Clark (Los Angeles, CA/Ontario), who made 11 tackles and added a sack, and junior Casey Russell (Lafayette, NY/Lafayette), a capable veteran reserve.
Buffalo will also gauge the progress of sophomores Kirk Berry (Norristown, PA/Norristown), Ken Soltis (Boca Raton, FL/Coconut Creek) and Aaron Sanders (Clarence, NY/St. Joseph's) as well as redshirt frosh Leonard Washington (Akron, OH/Copley), all who primarily play defensive end, although Berry can also move down to tackle. All showed promise during spring drills.
LINEBACKERS
Another youthful unit that saw the graduation of only one significant contributor last season - outside backer Ryan Buttles - this group features a mix of veterans and youthful players who have gotten significant game experience.
Senior inside linebacker Lamar Wilcher (Ossining, NY/Ossining), a captain for the second straight season, has been a two-year starter and is one of the MAC's most ferocious hitters. Wilcher was second on the team with 69 tackles (34 solos) last year, despite playing with a cast on his left hand for a majority of the season.
Also emerging in the middle last season was sophomore Rich Sanders (Miami, FL/Coral Reef), who made the most of his time on the field. Sanders came off major knee surgery to make 15 tackles and showed a knack for the big play with two fumble recoveries and an interception. UB also has senior Obadiah Harris (Chillicothe, OH/Chillicothe) in the middle providing capable backup.
On the outside, junior Rodney Morris (Pahokee, FL/Pahokee) and sophomore Bryan Cummings (Cincinnati, OH/Madeira) had breakout seasons.
Morris, a starter for the first time, ranked fourth on the team with 62 tackles (41 solos), added six tackles for loss, recovered a fumble and broke up two passes. Cummings, meanwhile, was the surprise of the season, assuming a starting role as a true freshman, and despite missing most of three games to injury, ranked fifth on the team with 54 tackles, while adding two sacks. Both have excellent athleticism that allows them to make plays all over the field.
The Bulls got a highly-productive spring from senior Chris Clifton (Amherst, NY/Amherst Central), a transfer from Erie Community College last season. Clifton had 18 tackles last year, and also recovered a fumble, but appears to be ready to make much more noise this fall.
Another redshirt freshman who could see time is James Vann (Downingtown, PA/Downingtown), who has excellent quickness and likes to mix it up. Providing depth and hoping to make an impact in the lineup will be junior Hank Pirowski (Lackawanna, NY/Lackawanna) and redshirt frosh Jeff Bublavi (Norwood, PA/Interboro).
DEFENSIVE BACKS
This is the only unit on the defense affected by graduation as the Bulls will get younger this season in the defensive backfield. Three-year starter Mike Lambert, who had 42 tackles and 14 passes defended last season, and Dahnel Singfield, who had 27 tackles and totalled 11 passes defended, both graduated.
Without that pair, the pressure will be even greater on All-MAC candidate Mark Graham (Monroe, MI/Monroe), who made a seamless transition from corner to free safety last season. Graham has started a team-best 28 straight games heading into his final season.
In his first year as the quarterback of the secondary, Graham led the Bulls in tackles (89), solo stops (65), interceptions (6) and passes defended (13). He also forced a fumble and added two sacks in an excellent campaign. He is a three-year starter who will be the leader of the UB secondary again in 2003. Also returning at the safety position is junior J.J. Gibson (Amherst, NY/Sweet Home).
Gibson was third on the team in tackles with 68, broke up six passes and had his first career interception. He has recorded 176 tackles in his first two seasons, after setting a UB freshman record with 108 in 2001. Buffalo also brought in junior college transfer Eddie Robinson (Los Angeles, CA/Reseda) during the spring as a strong safety. Robinson, an excellent athlete, moved from tailback to safety and helped College of the Canyons to the junior college national championship game last year.
Also looking to make an impression at either free or strong safety will be redshirt freshman Ryan Sherwood-Ericsson (Erie, PA/McDowell) and senior Terrence Reynolds (Cambria Heights, NY/Bayside). Sherwood-Ericsson was having an excellent camp last fall before breaking his hand and being redshirted.
Gemara Williams (Oak Park, MI/Brother Rice), who started six games at strong safety last season, moves back to corner this spring. He came on strong after redshirting in '01, finishing sixth on the team with 43 tackles and adding six passes defended, one interception, four tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
The UB coaching staff was very happy with the play of its young corners this spring, sophomore Angel Baines (Syracuse, NY/Henninger), who moved over from flanker, as well as redshirt freshmen Delando Bradford (Franklin, MI/Groves), Brandon Smith (Miami, FL/Coral Reef) and Michael Arroyo (Seymour, CT/Seymour).
KICKING GAME
The Bulls have good experience at the placekicker position but will be seeking to fill the shoes of two-year starter Scott McMahan at the punter position.
Senior Dallas Pelz (Holland, NY/St. Francis) has done both duties for the Bulls, but has not punted since his freshman season. Last year Pelz had an up-and-down campaign, connecting on 9-of-13 field goals but inexplicably converting just 8-of-13 extra points. He eventually gave way to sophomore Mike Baker (Jamestown, NY/Jamestown), who made all eight of his PATs and hit 1-of-2 field goals. Expect the two to be competing right through fall camp for the placekicker position.
Buffalo returns long-snapper Adam Johnson, who did a nice job last year in his first year in that role, while the holder is expected to be Randall Secky.
The return game will be looking to replace the exploits of departed senior Andre Forde, who averaged 8.5 yards per punt return and a team-best 20.9 yards per kickoff return. The Bulls don't have a player on the roster who returned a punt last year, but expect Matt Knueven, Dave Dawson and Gemara Williams to get quite a bit of work there. Dawson excelled on special teams last year, recording a team-best 17 tackles on kick and punt coverage.
Aaron Leeper was second on the team last year with 13 kickoff returns, but the Bulls will also likely use Tim Dance and a host of others.
