THE 2022 BUFFALO BULLS, FROM AHMED TO ZIMMER: PART 1
THE 2022 BUFFALO BULLS, FROM AHMED TO ZIMMER: PART 1
The University at Buffalo football team mystifies MAC prognosticators. Let's meet the guys—we'll get through Louisville transfer Justin Marshall today.
Will UB Football Improve on a 4-Win 2021 Season?
Image from ubbulls.com
Ed. note — here’s Part 2 when you’re ready.
What do you see when you look at this schedule?
Sept. 10 - Holy Cross (FCS)
Sept. 17 - At Coastal Carolina (#83)
Sept. 24 - At Eastern Michigan (#116)
Oct. 1 - Miami (#96)
Oct. 8 - At Bowling Green (#125)
Oct. 15 - At UMass (#129)
Oct. 22 - Toledo (#70)
Nov. 1 - At Ohio (#122)
Nov. 9 - At Central Michigan (#95)
Nov. 19 - Akron (#126)
Nov. 26 - Kent State (#115)
If you’re going straight FPI chalk, the University at Buffalo football team (#94) should win nine games, including eight against FBS competition and seven in the Mid-American Conference.
That would be a hell of a rebound from 2021’s four-win campaign.
The Mid-American Conference Preseason Media Poll has the Bulls in third place in the East Division, receiving the sixth-most points in the conference overall. That would probably mean a bowl spot in 2022.
Others are nowhere near as optimistic, dropping UB football down near the conference basement. I’ve seen predictions go as low as two MAC wins, damning the team with the faint praise that they may be better than last year, and still end the college football season with a worse record.
So—without further ado—let’s share some information that will help all of us make our own decisions about the direction Head Coach Maurice Linguist (pictured above) is driving the Buffalo football program.
Image from ubbulls.com
Well, just slightly more ado. Some quick notes before we get going:
Star linebacker James Patterson is on the Butkus and Nagurski Watch Lists.2 Patterson (pictured above, #41), a native of the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. region, will celebrate a homecoming when the Bulls open their season at Maryland. He’ll return to the DMV as one of the top 51 linebackers in the country, and one of two from the MAC up for consideration for the Butkus Award. This honor is reserved for “…linebackers who consistently play off the ball on their feet in a two-point stance in traditional form.” The Nagurski Trophy is the national defensive player of the year award, as voted on by the Football Writers Association of America.
Ron Cook, Max Michel, Daymond Williams, and Quian Williams are also on award alert. More UB football players are hunting hardware. Wideout Quian Williams is on the Biletnikoff Award list for college football’s most outstanding receiver. Defensive tackle Daymond Williams appears among Outland Award Watch List candidates for the top interior lineman in college football. Ron Cook, Jr. is on the Paul Hornung Preseason Watch List as most versatile player in major college football. Defensive end Max Michel is up for a spot on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, an honor given to student-athletes who are also champions in their community.
Coach Linguist got a contract extension. Athletic Director Mark Alnutt is apparently quite pleased with Maurice Linguist’s leadership of the UB football program, despite the 4-8 record in 2021. After bringing in the highest-rated recruiting class in school history, Alnutt extended Linguist’s deal an extra year through 2026. “His and his staff's ability to fully engage in the recruiting calendar, develop our team in the offseason through winter and summer workouts and spring football, emphasize academic excellence and community engagement is proof that our program is headed in the right direction,” Alnutt noted in a statement. Read more on Coach Mo and his mega-confident Media Day performance from Clevis Murray of The Buffalo News.
In case you were wondering: The Buffalo News also reports Linguist’s buyout, should he be convinced to leave town before Dec. 15, is $1 million. The coach’s obligation drops to $700,000 in subsequent years.
Meet the 2022 Buffalo Bulls Football Squad
Alright, then—let’s get down to it (cue “Sandstorm”).
Ladies and gentlemen, your Buffalo Bulls!
Image from niagara-gazette.com
Tajay Ahmed (RB, #25, Sr.)
More will be expected in 2022 from Tajay (pictured above), a former walk-on from nearby Lockport, N.Y. who earned a scholarship this past spring. He has a strong pedigree—Ahmed was the Niagara Gazette Player of the Year as a high schooler at Starpoint. During his time at UB, Tajay’s been a special teams cog, and while he’s only carried the ball seven times, he’s scored touchdowns on two of them.
Caleb Arena (S, #31, R-Soph.)
Another local recruit, Caleb went to Pittsford Mendon High School outside Rochester, N.Y., where he also played basketball. His favorite NFL team is the Lions, he is inspired by John 3:16 and Vince Lombardi, and he enjoyed reading The Hunger Games. How do I know? Thirteen-year-old Caleb put it on his website!
Chandler Baker (WR, #88, Sr.)
Chandler was a member of three Section V championship football teams at Batavia (N.Y.) High School and played two seasons of juco ball for Erie County Community College in Buffalo before catching on with the Bulls in 2021. His former Batavia quarterback, Jerry Reinhart, now plays baseball at Akron.
Cameron Ball (TE, #80, Fr.)
A 6’6, 235-pound three-star freshman from Washington, D.C., Cameron was one of six student-athletes from legendary Gonzaga College High School to commit to college football programs in 2022 (see Robbie Mangas below for a good Gonzaga note). Three of the recruits, including Ball, are headed to the FBS.
Jackson Balter (P, #14, Sr.)
He’s kicked, he’s punted, and, like the footballs he boots, Jackson’s had his ups and downs. That said, he’s maintained a role as a consistent contributor since he joined Buffalo in 2019 out of Orlando’s Bishop Moore High School. He’s a member of The Birds, “elite” (the quotes are theirs) UB athletes trained in the art of kicking, holding, and snapping.
Image from ubbulls.com
Solomanie Bambara (DE, #24, R-Fr.)
Solomanie (pictured above) is a 6’6, 215-pound defensive end out of Philadelphia and a former All-Philadelphia Public League and All-Catholic League honoree. He was also a star tight end in high school, and may be a diamond in the rough. Bambara played in three games last season as a freshman, and retained his redshirt.
Tadd Barr (WR, #83, Jr.)
Tadd’s a transfer from Division 3 Moravian College, where he played football and ran track. He was a three-sport athlete—and a basketball star—at Pen Argyle Area High School in eastern Pennsylvania.
Jaylon Bass (DT, #0, Jr.)
Pretty excited to see what Jaylon can do! He was first-team All-State at Clay Central High School in Lineville, Alabama, and a star defensive lineman at Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Kansas. Bass was an important member of a Dragons squad that won two consecutive KJCCC titles and played in what appears to be the final Salt City Bowl. He’s a solid three-star recruit at a position where Linguist’s already struck gold with 2021 juco transfer Daymond Williams.
C.J. Bazile (DE, #53, Jr.)
There wasn’t a ton of talk about C.J. before last season. That’s changed after a a 30-tackle performance in 12 games as a sophomore. Bazile provided key depth at a position ravaged by injuries in 2021, and his field goal block/85-yard touchdown scamper was critical in the Bulls’ nail-biting 35-34 win over Old Dominion.
Desmond Bessent (OL, #75, Grad.)
Desmond is a three-star transfer from Mountain West stalwart San Diego State, where he played in 20 games. He’s a big man—6’7, 305 pounds—and Phil Steele has him as the projected starter at left tackle. The UB line’s been torn apart the past couple seasons by transfers and graduations, and lost starters Jake Fuzak (left tackle), Jack Klenk (guard), Bence Polgar (center), and Deondre Doiron (right tackle) from a 2021 bunch that put up 408 yards of offense (62nd in Division 1) and 195 rushing yards, good for 31st in the nation. Bessent’s an important get.
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Elijah Blades (CB, #2, Grad.)
What a grab. Here’s the 2018 247 Sports scouting report on Elijah (pictured above), a four-star transfer from Florida3:
Tall, long, athletic cornerback prospect with a terrific frame and a physical demeanor on the field. Long and lean with space to continue to add bulk. Despite height, slight of frame and must add some bulk to maximize strength at the next level. Considered the top JUCO cornerback prospect in the country. Shows toughness as a tackler and will provide the big hit when available. Impressive press coverage ability thanks to length, aggressiveness, and instincts. Very athletic. Light on his feet. Flashes impressive breaking athleticism and redirecting ability in coverage. Possesses turn-and-run ability to track receivers in the vertical passing game. At times sacrifices tackling technique while hunting for the big blow. Can get overly aggressive defending perimeter runs/screen game and get himself out of position. Athleticism and skills to contribute immediately at the high-major level. Should be a mid-round draft pick, but potential for early-round ceiling.
Can’t wait to watch him in Blue and White, especially in a secondary that allowed 11.75 yards per completion and was tied for second-to-last in D1 with just three interceptions.
Trevor Borland (TE, #34, Jr.)
A road grader, Trevor did have a touchdown catch last season. He’s played in every game in which he’s suited up for Buffalo. Borland drew attention from Big 10 schools, and plays by a credo that fits the blue collar football mentality: “I’m a fearless competitor, I will lineup in front of anyone and I’ll give them everything I got and I hate losing more than anyone. I don’t take any plays off. I’m a hard worker on and off the field and in the classroom. I also try to be the best student of the game that I can be. I’m willing to do anything if it meant my team could win. And I keep good character with everything that I do.”
Solomon Brown (S, #7, Jr.)
Solomon, like his namesake, is a wise man—he’s a member of National Honor Society—which may be why he decided to leave the University of Minnesota with nearly 20 other transfers after last season. A three-star defensive back and high school track star from the Tampa-St. Petersburg region, he played in seven games over three seasons for the Gophers.
Jonathan Capo (S, #19, Fr.)
As a high school student, Jon displayed the traits needed to be an excellent student-athlete. “I studied a lot of film and there are a lot of things I want to work on, like man coverage,” he told the Poughkeepsie (N.Y.) Journal when his Ketcham High football team resumed a normal schedule in the summer of 2021. “Also, I have to be a leader. Last (season), I wasn’t as much of a leader as I should’ve been, so I know I have to be more vocal and more encouraging.”
James Carrington III (OL, #54, Soph.)
James is a Buffalo native and spent the 2020 season at Allegheny College after graduating from St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute. He’s big—6’3, 290—and played both tackle and defensive tackle for the Marauders.
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Casey Case (QB, #7, Soph.)
The 6’6 signal caller from Winter Haven, Florida (pictured above) is the dark horse in a three-way battle for QB1 with veteran Bulls backup Matt Myers and Rutgers transfer Cole Snyder. The Orlando Sentinel noted Casey “threw for 1,235 yards…and had a completion rate of 60 percent (92-of-153) while also throwing 18 touchdown passes in an offense that also relied on it’s running game” as a senior. He took over for former Winter Park quarterback Gino English, currently a walk-on at Florida State.
Brennan Clasgens (S, #35, Fr.)
A new face from Brighton High in Rochester, where, as a quarterback, he led the Bruins to an undefeated regular season in 2021 before falling short of the Section V title with a loss to UPrep in the Class A1 sectional finals. Not bad for a young man who hadn’t played under center before his senior season.
Jibrahn Claude (S, #32, R-Fr.)
Jibrahn played in two games for UB last season, and made six tackles while forcing a fumble in a start against Miami. He’s a three-star recruit from Loganville, Georgia, where his exploits in the defensive backfield earned him second-team All-State honors. An intriguing player.
Ja’Mori Coard (DT, #20, Fr.)
Ja’Mori was a Sumpter (South Carolina) 1st Team All-Area Defensive Selection. The Crestwood High grad also played in the annual Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl—formerly the North-South Game—the premier Palmetto State high school all-star showdown.
Keyshawn Cobb (S, #3, Jr.)
A former first-team All-Georgia selection as a high schooler, Keyshawn was also an All-American juco star while at Northeast Mississippi Community College. A three-star talent, he’s a potential Power 5 talent who’s certain to shore up UB’s rough secondary along with a bevy of other high-profile recruits.
Image from ubbulls.com
Ron Cook, Jr. (RB, #2, Sr.)
If you watched UB football last season, you’re familiar with Ron (pictured above). A recruit out of Washington, D.C. high school powerhouse St. John’s College, Cook is one of the conference’s top return men—a third-team All-MAC selection for the second consecutive season, averaging 21 yards per kickoff return. He’s also a dangerously fast and deceptively jacked running back in a way that belies his 5’9 frame, racing his way to 672 total yards and four touchdowns out of the Buffalo backfield in 2021.
Javien Cuff (WR, #19, Jr.)
Not a ton of action for Javien in 2021—a catch vs. Wagner, an appearance against Western Michigan. He’s a three-star receiver out of Vero Beach, Florida, and made the Treasure Coast Newspapers Super 11 as a high school senior. “We don’t have a bunch of three-year starters at Vero,” his high school coach, Lenny Jankowski, told Joe Santucci in 2018. “I believe his best football is in front of him. I’m really excited for him. He’s an awesome kid and he’s definitely deserving.”
Demarco Cuffey (CB, #21, R-Fr.)
Demarco is a three-star defensive back from Waldorf, Maryland—another DMV player (D.C.-Maryland-Virginia) on the Bulls’ roster. He hasn’t made an impact yet, but Cuffey is a graduate of the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, where he played on a high school national title winner. Keep an eye on this young man.
Boobie Curry (WR, #5, Grad.)
Another Power 5 transfer who adds excitement to the rebuilding UB squad. Curry comes to the Queen City from the University of Arizona, where he caught 37 balls for 390 yards over three seasons. A four-star (!) recruit, 247 described Boobie as a “big-bodied outside receiver with impressive height and overall build.” Scout Gabe Brooks also noted Curry has a lot of room to improve—could this be the season he tightens it up in anticipation of a shot at the next level?
Evan Davie (OL, #64, Fr.)
Evan is a Kenmore West (Kenmore, N.Y.) grad and another local Buffalonian to sign on with Coach Linguist’s bunch. Davie was the 2021 Michael P. Kinney Memorial Award for Dedication/Spirit/Loyalty winner for the hometown Blue Devils, and part of the wrecking crew that sprung junior running back Jermaine Atkins for seven touchdowns in a 62-36 win over North Tonawanda.
Image from ubbulls.com
Evan Davis (LS, #37, Sr.)
At 5’10, 197 pounds, Evan (pictured above) isn’t a guy you’d expect to find on the offensive line of a D1 football team. Davis has, however, been deep in the pits as a long snapper in every UB game since 2019. Snapping guru Chris Rubio predicted the future when, in 2018, he wrote “…thick, strong long snapper who throws a very tight and catchable ball. When Evan trusts his form and snaps as hard as he can, he is lights out. Great kid with an awesome personality and attitude. Will have great success at Buffalo next year!”
Shaun Dolac (LB, #52, Jr.)
Shaun is a 4th-Team Phil Steele Preseason All-MAC defender, the latest accomplishment for a West Seneca East alum and one-time Buffalo News High School Player of the Year. A former walk-on, Dolac collected 37 tackles, six tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks in 2021. What’s next for the former Trojan (WSE, not USC)? We’re excited to see.
Tyler Doty (OL, #78, Soph.)
Tyler’s another Western New York native, a St. Joe’s grad with a lot of promise on a UB offensive line that needs all of the help it can get. Doty’s 6’5, 320 pounds, and has an impressive resume: he brought home All-USA New York First Team, Trench Trophy, and Jim Dombrowski Award honors (the last two given to the most outstanding offensive lineman in Western New York). Tyler’s also a high school shot put and discus champ who broke the Monsignor Martin shot put record with a toss of 61’7 feet.
Floyd Dozier (DT, #96, R-Fr.)
A three-star All-District First-Team defensive lineman (and captain) from Palmetto High School in Palmetto, Florida, Floyd had his pick of 18 Power Five schools—including legit powerhouses Cincinnati and UCF, as well as MAC rivals like Kent State, Bowling Green, and Ohio. His Tigers were district and regional champions during his time at Palmetto. A winner and a leader? Nice.
Ray Embry (TE, #85, Sr.)
Rayvante comes to the Bulls from Division 2 East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma. He played in 11 games in 2021, snagging 16 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns. He was a second-team All-Great American Conference selection. Nice pickup for the Bulls—more production never hurts.
Cornell Evans (DT, #99, Fr.)
Cornell comes out of Baltimore, where he was a key contributor at Saint Vincent Pallotti (former alums include Jaret and James Patterson, you may have heard of them) and, later, St. Frances Academy. His St. Frances squad, dubbed “The Toughest in the Nation,” beat up #13 Max Preps High School IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida last season en route to a #7 national ranking of their own.
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Pershaun Fann (DB, #15, Fr.)
Pershaun (pictured above) was a strong commit for UB this past offseason. A three-star nickel back from Moultrie, Georgia, he was an All-Region First-Teamer who racked up 131 tackles, seven sacks, and a pair of interceptions over his junior and senior seasons. “Fann, who will forgo his senior season on the Packers baseball team, where he was a fine outfielder/pitcher, played what is known as the field-side linebacker,” wrote Wayne Grady of The Moultrie Observer when Pershaun committed to Buffalo last December. “As most offenses prefer to run to the field side, or wide side of the field, that linebacker is crucial…An outstanding student, Fann will leave next month for Buffalo where he will enroll early and begin his football career and his commitment to earning a master’s degree in psychology. He already has two semesters worth of college credit as he prepares to pack some fleece and flannel and head north.” Fann-tastic!
Ali Fisher (WR, #16, R-Fr.)
“I believe I’m the best receiver in (Michigan),” Ali told MLive.com in May 2020. “What separates me is how hard I work, and it not just being a habit. I actually want to work hard.” A three-star receiver who posted monster numbers in high school, Ali—whose father played for Eastern Michigan—received offers from Kentucky, Ohio, Eastern Michigan, Army, Eastern Kentucky, Liberty, Central Michigan, Ball State, Toledo, Bowling Green State, Akron, Western Michigan, Northern Colorado. In a packed receiver room, it’ll be exciting to see how Ali rises to the occasion in his first real season of collegiate action.
Daishon Folsom (DT, #98, Jr.)
Daishon made an impact at UB last season following his transfer from Hutchison Community College (home of Jaylon Bass!). He posted 19 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, and 4X—the 6’2, 285-pound Pensacola, Florida lineman’s nickname—will look to make a bigger splash up the middle in 2022.
Nicholas Fronczak (TE, #81, R-Fr.)
Nick’s a Rochester-area product and a big man, indeed—6’6, 270 pounds, and growing. Expect some edge rushers and d-backs cheating up to the line to get pancaked by the Victor High product on sweeps this season. In fact, he was an All-Greater Rochester offensive line selection in 2021 as a tackle.
Marcus Fuqua (S, #10, Jr.)
Marcus recorded 59 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and three pass breakups as part of Buffalo’s distressed secondary last season. Here’s what I like about Marcus, though—he likes to hit, and he hits hard. You can teach scheme, you can’t teach aggression! The two-star recruit out of Southfield, Michigan will have to fight for playing time this season with an influx of defensive backfield talent, and that could be just what he needs to step up.
Image from ubbulls.com
Jamari Gassett (WR, #18, Soph.)
Jamari (pictured above) is a three-star player from Tampa, Florida, who posted 1,066 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 45 catches at Tampa Bay Tech in his senior season. Last year, he played in 12 games for the Bulls as a true freshman, grabbing 20 catches for 270 yards and a touchdown (including a 95-yard performance in a win over Akron). He’s also a legit burner who ran a 10.92-second 100-meter dash, a 23.12-second 200-meter sprint, and long-jumped 19’9 feet as a track star in high school— as a junior.
Joseph Giggie (RB, #30, Fr.)
Joe was a dominant high school athlete in the Rochester region, putting up numbers in both football and lacrosse—his Fairport lax squad won the Class B Section V title this past June. Giggie was also an All-Greater Rochester football selection for his skills toting the pill.
Devin Grant (S, #23, Fr.)
A jack of all trades for Holy Cross High School in Elmont, N.Y., Devin is a remarkable athlete who played wide receiver, quarterback and defensive back, excelling in each role. Grant’s a three-star commit who turned down offers from Albany, Army, Fordham, and James Madison to don the Blue and White.
Artese Gregory (OL, #76, Jr.)
Meet Big Tizzle, a transfer from FCS Southern Utah and former Plainfield (Illinois) East High School Athlete of the Year. A 6’3, 305-pound mountain of a man, Artese started 11 games for the Thunderbirds and was a member of the All-Big Sky team. Gregory was also named twice to the Big Sky All-Academic Team. Love that Coach Linguist emphasizes the “student” in student-athletes.
Liam Hamilton (OL, #68, Fr.)
At 6’3, 300 pounds, Liam is already a big man on campus. This guy could crank out 15 reps of 225 pounds on the bench as a high school junior, which is awesome—embrace the weight room, everyone. Hamilton’s a former All-League lineman at Ossining (N.Y.) High School and a multi-sport athlete. Go get it, Liam.
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Willie Hampton (LB, #30, Grad.)
A three-star linebacker from West Palm Beach, Florida and a transfer from FCS Western Carolina, Willie will add depth to a linebacking corps that lost Tim Terry to MAC rival Akron and Kadofi Wright to NFL dreams. He started nine games for the Catamounts last season and collected 44 tackles. This isn’t his first taste of D1 football—Hampton redshirted for Nebraska in 2017.
Cole Harrity (WR, #82, Jr.)
It’s the fourth school since 2018 for this wandering cowboy from Nevada County, California. Cole’s a transfer from New Mexico State, where he caught 30 balls for 238 yards and a touchdown in 2021. Harrity’s got a stocky build for a receiver—6’0, 205 pounds—which suggests he’s going to be a hard-nosed special teamer or a shockwave-absorbing, over-the-middle man for the Bulls.
Nick Hartnett (G, #65, Sr.)
Nick played three seasons for the Virginia Military Institute, where he was a two-time All-Southern Conference selection. He’ll look to anchor an o-line that was left with a series of gaping holes after a solid 2021. Nick was already selected as a fourth-team All-MAC lineman by Phil Steele this preseason, so he’s off to a good start.
Jack Hasz (OL, #62, Sr.)
A 6’4, 290-pound junior, Jack has the two things every good blocking corps needs (besides a healthy appetite and love for the weight room): versatility and experience. Hasz, who clocked some time in the starting lineup last season, can play both center and guard. In fact, 2021 was a hell of a year for Hasz—he played in eight games for 7-1 Iowa Western Community College in the spring, transferred to UB, and appeared in another 12 games in the fall. Jack is projected as starting center in 2022.
Joey Hawryschuk (DL, #92, Fr.)
They grow ‘em big out in Victor—Joey, like Nick Fronczak, is another large man (6’3, 240 pounds) from the Rochester (N.Y.) exurb. Hawryschuk logged minutes at guard, defensive end, and defensive tackle for the Victor Central Blue Devils while posting a 4.0 grade point average. He was a Spectrum Local Athlete of the Week in September 2021:
A multi-sport athlete, Joey is a three-year starter on the football team.
His football coach, Geoff Mandile, says Hawryschuk is a tireless worker, and a great leader on and off the field.
“[He's a] great representative of our football program, our community and his family,” Mandile says. “He's just been a great leader for us. He's captain this year and it's well earned.”
Joey is also very involved in youth programs, and says it is rewarding to help younger players prepare for their next level of competition.
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Nick Hemer (LS, #51, Fr.)
Nick (pictured above) comes to Buffalo as a former long snapper and wide receiver for Seneca Valley High School in Harmony, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh. A graduate of Jaime Kohl’s kicking camps, Hemer’s reviews were strong: “Hemer…displayed what he is truly capable of. He snapped with confidence and clean rotation throughout the entire weekend. Hemer finished with an average snap time of .69 seconds. Hemer has long levers and the frame to put on quality weight. He has polished mechanics and all the attributes a coach is looking for in their snapper.”
Al-Jay Henderson (RB, #22, R-Fr.)
Al-Jay is a three-star recruit from Irvington, New Jersey, where he was a first-team All-Conference back for Irvington High School in his senior season. Henderson rushed for over 1,000 yards and averaged nearly 10 yards per tote. Not bad! Al-Jay’s expected to fight for time in the backfield rotation suffering a major hit with the loss of Dylan McDuffie to Georgia Tech.
Blake Hiligh (CB, #29, Fr.)
Blake went to high school near the home of UB In 5—Alexandria, Virginia—attending St. Stephen & St. Agnes High School, a prep school on tony Seminary Hill (Gerald Ford’s old hood). Hiligh previously attended Dematha Catholic, the Hyattsville, Maryland school better known as the basketball academy that produced NBA stars like Victor Oladipo and Markelle Fultz.
Tre Hines (WR, #13, Jr.)
Another of the exiting wide receivers in the UB program, Tre is a three-star player who put up 585 yards on 44 catches over two juco seasons at the College of San Mateo (California). He also threw for nearly 1,800 yards and rushed for another thousand while collecting 25 touchdowns as a senior at Dublin (Cal.) High School.
James Hook (P, #95, Jr.)
James tied for 100th in Kohl’s 2019 National Punter Ratings. His scouting report: “He is a tall athletic young man with a great frame to do some good things as a punter. Working on setting his ball will help see more confidence in his leg swing which will help gain the distance and hang time needed to compete at the next level. He has the frame to compete at the next level.” Hook served as a holder in the Spring Game, and could give Jackson Baltar a battle for the starting punting job.
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Logic Hudgens (CB, #9, Jr.)
Logic (pictured above) appeared in the first four games of the 2021 season for the Bulls, logging serious minutes and making some big plays (a touchdown breakup vs. Coastal Carolina) and got roasted on some others (WMU quarterback Kaleb Eleby had his number). Yet another D.C.-region recruit, Hudgens was a star football, rugby, and track athlete at Archbishop Spalding High School in Severn, Maryland.
Damian Jackson (DE, #38, Grad.)
What’s the most interesting fact about graduate transfer Damian Jackson? That he was a Navy SEAL? That he never played football before making the Nebraska roster as a walk-on? That he earned the Armed Forces Merit Award? That he rocks a beard that would make a grizzled 19th-century prospector jealous? Highly recommend reading and viewing this great Navy.com profile on perhaps UB’s most intriguing new student, much less athlete.
Marlyn Johnson (WR, #11, Jr.)
Marlyn is a three-star athlete who’s been on campus since 2019, and he’s still looking for a breakout moment. It won’t be easy—there’s a lot of competition for snaps—but Marlyn has the advantage of a full season in Coach Linguist and offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery’s system. His new wide receivers coach, Kevin Sherman, turned Virginia Tech’s Jarrett Boykin into a Hokie legend and an NFL wideout.
Ibrahim Kante (DE, #18, Grad.)
Ibrahim is another option to give Buffalo the edge attack its lacked since Malcolm Koonce went to the pros and Taylor Riggins was healthy. Kante’s a three-star transfer from North Carolina State who posted three sacks in 2021. Ibrahim was recruited by the Bulls before landing with the Wolfpack, and he holds a degree in sports management.
Andrew Kerwin (OL, #60, Soph.)
A young man from the Buffalo suburb of Clarence—a short drive up the Millersport Highway from UB Stadium—Andrew attended Canisius High School in the heart of the Nickel City, where he wrapped up a state championship-winning season in 2019 before walking onto the Buffalo roster in 2021. He spent quarantine pumping his guns, according to Spectrum Local News, and measures in at a hard 6’4, 280 pounds.
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Isaiah King (CB, #4, Grad.)
This is Isaiah’s sixth season on campus, and he’s been through good times and the bad. King played in a bowl game for a nationally-ranked Bulls squad, and he was on the field as UB’s defense disintegrated in front of friends and family in his hometown of Norfolk, Virginia against Old Dominion last season. Named to the Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List in 2021, Isaiah has talent, but will be hard-pressed by an influx of three- and four-star athletes in the defensive backfield to maintain his position on the depth chart.
Konrad Krzyston (OL, #59, Fr.)
A local student out Frontier High School (Hamburg, N.Y.) and a man you would not want to fight for the last cookie in the dining hall. Konrad was 37-2 as a high school wrestler in his senior season and went to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association championships this past winter. He’s listed as 240 pounds on the Buffalo website, but wrestled at 285 pounds. Wrestlers are a different breed; while he’s not touted as a “name” recruit, keep an eye on this guy. The Buffalo News reported Krzyston was “…the first state wrestling place winner for the school since Gene Tundo was second in 1975.” Tundo, of course, became the legendary Orchard Park High School football, lacrosse, and wrestling coach.
Khamran Laborn (WR, #0, Soph.)
Kept waiting for Khamran to break out last season, and it didn’t quite happen—he finished with seven catches for 56 yards—but the talent is there. Khamran was a monster at Maury High School in Norfolk, Virginia, where he scored 44 touchdowns while displaying hands, balance, and the speed to absolutely roast defenses. Would love to see him get more time returning kicks, coming out of the backfield, and lining up outside—a kind of Ron Cook 2.0.
Kyler Laing (DE, #55, Junior)
The man from Tallahassee, Florida with the Serenity Prayer tattooed on his left arm is anything but serene on the gridiron. Kyler’s 3.5 sacks in Buffalo’s win over Akron last season was a school record, the high point in a season that marked a bit of a breakout for the 6’1, 236-pound edge rusher. Laing stepped in for the injured Taylor Riggins and recorded 39 tackles, including 8.5 for a loss, in nine games. It’ll be interesting to see how new defensive coordinator Brandon Bailey, a disciple of Mike Elko and his crowd-the-line, rattle-the QB philosophy uses Kyler this season.
Troy Little (LB, #42, Fr.)
Troy is a grad of Whitesboro (N.Y.) High School, where he was a member of the football, lacrosse, and wrestling teams. He’s a bit of a cypher—there’s almost no info about this Class of 2019 grad online. We’re going to need to do some homework on Troy.
Image from ubbulls.com
Robbie Mangas (TE, #21, Grad.)
Robbie (pictured above) hails from Chantilly, Virginia. He attended Gonzaga College, where he was first-team All-Washington Catholic Conference. It probably helped that his quarterback was Caleb Williams, the Oklahoma-turned-USC Heisman Trophy candidate, described a “15-year-old who could throw 75 yards.” A grad transfer from Dartmouth, Robbie was a team captain who averaged 20 yards per catch over four seasons with the Big Green. His first collegiate catch was a 27-yard touchdown in a win over Sacred Heart.
Justin Marshall (WR, #1, Grad.)
A three-star prospect from Conyers, Georgia and a top-300 prospect on the Class of 2017, Justin posted 544 receiving yards in 20 games over the past three seasons with a rebuilding Louisville squad. His top performance in 2021 was a three-reception, 66-yard performance in a Cardinals loss to North Carolina State. He’ll be a versatile addition to the Buffalo air corps—in an interview with SI.com in 2020, he described himself to Matthew McGavic as a jack of all trades "I feel like I bring more size and speed to the big picture. With my play style I can run short routes, I can run intermediate, I can run deep routes, I can block, I can do anything you need me to do. I feel like I can help (Louisville) win a lot of ball games." We’re hoping the same for UB.
Epilogue
All right! We’re through Part 1. Part 2 coming later this week.
We’re not especially into The Basketball Tournament, the gang at @BULLetPoints716 are very into it—and covering it in real time better than anyone else in Buffalo. Looks like UB’s team, @BlueCollarUTBT, is in the Finals and playing for a million bucks—championship game is on Tuesday at 8 p.m. on ESPN. Horns up, men.
According to ESPN.com, the FPI “measures a team’s true strength on a net points scale; expected point margin vs. an average opponent on a neutral field.” The average opponent this season is #64 Tulane, whose expected point margin is 0.0. Maryland, at #38, has an expected point margin of 6.9. UMass, at #129, has an expected point margin of -18.8. UB’s expected point margin is -6.9. ESPN.com also estimates the Bulls will have 7.1 wins.
His resume from 2021, courtesy of UBBulls.com: Started all 12 games at middle linebacker… led the Bulls and ranked second in the MAC in tackles with 116… added a team-best 13 tackles for loss as well as 4.5 sacks… named first-team All-MAC… had 12 tackles at Nebraska (9/11)… had 11 tackles against Coastal Carolina (9/18)… had eight tackles, a sack and an interception at Old Dominion (9/25)… had 14 tackles against Western Michigan (10/2)… had a season-high 15 tackles, including a tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry against Ohio (10/16)… named the MAC East Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts… had five tackles and two tackles for loss at Akron (10/23)… had seven tackles, two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks against Bowling Green (10/30)… had nine tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack at Miami (OH) (11/9)… had 11 tackles, including a season-best 3.5 tackles for loss against Northern Illinois (11/17)… had 10 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss at Ball State (11/23).
He also played a season for Texas A&M, and previously committed to USC before opting to spend time at junior college.