2009 Buffalo Bulls football team
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Buffalo Bulls football team represented the University at Buffalo
in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS college football season
.
was a year of milestones for the UB Bulls: first winning season since rejoining FBS (formerly Division IA), first outright division championship, first conference championship and first bowl game
appearance (2009 International Bowl
). It was a season of close wins and close losses with six games being decided on the last play or in overtime. UB won four of those games and lost two.
UB stunned observers when they decisively defeated Ball State
42-24 in the 2008 MAC Championship Game
. They went on to lose the International Bowl to Connecticut
38-20.
Head coach Turner Gill
signed a contract extension with the Bulls after being courted by Syracuse
and Auburn
.
his first year at UB, he will not be able to play again for the Bulls.
Buffalo's offense struggled to overcome the loss of Starks and the up-and-down play of new starting quarterback Zach Maynard while the defense continued to have a hard time stopping opposing teams and could not generate as many turnovers as they did in 2008. Buffalo was out of MAC championship contention midway through the season, but did finish with two straight wins on the road. After the season was over, Turner Gill accepted an offer to coach Kansas
. Gill was replaced by Jeff Quinn
.
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, also commonly known as the University at Buffalo or UB, is a public research university and a "University Center" in the State University of New York system. The university was founded by Millard Fillmore in 1846. UB has multiple campuses...
in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS college football season
2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the...
.
Notable players
- Naaman RooseveltNaaman RooseveltNaaman Roosevelt is an American football wide receiver with the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League...
, Wide ReceiverWide receiverA wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, 2008 First Team all-MAC. - James StarksJames StarksJames Darell Starks is an American football running back for the Green Bay Packers. He was selected in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, .-High school:James attended high school in Niagara Falls, New York...
, Running backRunning backA running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
, 2008 First Team all-MAC. - Davonte Shannon, Strong Safety, 2008 First Team all-MAC.
- Mike NewtonMike Newton (American football)DeJuan Michael Newton is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Buffalo.-Indianapolis Colts:...
, Free Safety, 2008 Second Team all-MAC. - Justin Winters, LinebackerLinebackerA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
, 2008 Third Team all-MAC.
Previous Season
20082008 Buffalo Bulls football team
The 2008 Buffalo Bulls football team represented the University at Buffalo in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. 2008 was a season of firsts for the Bulls. With a 40-34 double overtime win over Bowling Green on November 21, the Bulls won the MAC East division and gained a berth...
was a year of milestones for the UB Bulls: first winning season since rejoining FBS (formerly Division IA), first outright division championship, first conference championship and first bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
appearance (2009 International Bowl
2009 International Bowl
The 2009 International Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game between the Connecticut Huskies and the Buffalo Bulls at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on January 3, 2009. The game was the final contest of the 2008 NCAA Division I-Football Bowl Subdivision football...
). It was a season of close wins and close losses with six games being decided on the last play or in overtime. UB won four of those games and lost two.
UB stunned observers when they decisively defeated Ball State
2008 Ball State Cardinals football team
The 2008 Ball State Cardinals football team represented Ball State University in the Mid-American Conference during the 2008–2009 college football season. Brady Hoke, in his sixth season at Ball State, was the head coach until December 15, when he resigned to become the head coach at San Diego State...
42-24 in the 2008 MAC Championship Game
2008 MAC Championship Game
The 2008 Marathon MAC Championship Game was played on December 5, 2008 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. The game featured the winner of each division of the Mid-American Conference. The game featured the Ball State Cardinals, of the West Division, and the Buffalo Bulls, of the East Division...
. They went on to lose the International Bowl to Connecticut
2008 Connecticut Huskies football team
The 2008 Connecticut Huskies football team represents the University of Connecticut in the 2008 college football season as a member of the Big East Conference...
38-20.
Head coach Turner Gill
Turner Gill
Turner Hillery Gill is an American football coach who most recently served as the head coach at Kansas from 2010-2011, and was one of 11 African-American head coaches in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision at the time of his hiring.-College:Gill graduated from Arlington Heights High...
signed a contract extension with the Bulls after being courted by Syracuse
Syracuse Orange football
The Syracuse Orange football program is a college football team that represents Syracuse University. The team is a member of the Big East Conference, which is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I conference that is part of the Football Bowl Subdivision...
and Auburn
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
.
Recruiting
| Name | Position | Height | Weight | Hometown |
| Jevin Colbert | Defensive Back Defensive back In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of... |
6'1" | 170 | Arlington, TX |
| Alex Dennison | Quarterback Quarterback Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line... |
6'2" | 210 | Irwin, PA |
| Jibrille Fewell | Defensive Tackle | 6'1" | 270 | Rock Hill, SC |
| Peter Gagliardi | Fullback Fullback (American football) A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback... |
6'3" | 235 | Miami, FL |
| Jeffvon Gill | Running back | 5'11" | 195 | Euclid, OH |
| Jimmy Gordon | Tight End Tight end The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be... |
6'4" | 250 | Patchogue, NY |
| Matt Hornbuckle | Defensive Line | 6'1" | 270 | Colleyville, TX |
| Jeremy Johnson | Offensive Line | 6'5" | 310 | Springfield, OH |
| Bunduka Kargbo | Safety | 6'1" | 205 | Albany, NY |
| Carlos Lammons | Cornerback Cornerback A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position... |
5'9" | 185 | Pahokee, FL |
| Fred Lee | Wide Receiver | 6'1" | 200 | Chester, SC |
| Khalil Mack | Linebacker | 6'3" | 220 | Fort Pierce, FL |
| Alex Neutz | Wide Receiver | 6'3" | 190 | Grand Island, NY |
| Branden Oliver | Running back | 5'8" | 185 | Miami, FL |
| Rick Perez | Center Center (American football) Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense... |
6'2" | 275 | Miami, FL |
| Jake Reeder | Tight End | 6'4" | 250 | State College, PA |
| Kenny Scott | Defensive Line | 6'1" | 300 | Anderson, SC |
| Nick Sizemore | Fullback | 6'2" | 235 | Lititz, PA |
| Albert Sparks | Defensive Tackle | 6'3" | 310 | Irving, TX |
| Darius Willis | Linebacker | 6'3" | 240 | Houston, TX |
| Pat Wilson | Offensive Line | 6'5" | 270 | East Aurora, NY |
Schedule and results
2009 got off to a bad start for the Bulls as star running back James Starks injured the labrum in his left shoulder in a pre-season scrimmage. It was determined that he would need surgery and miss the whole year. Because he was redshirtedRedshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
his first year at UB, he will not be able to play again for the Bulls.
Buffalo's offense struggled to overcome the loss of Starks and the up-and-down play of new starting quarterback Zach Maynard while the defense continued to have a hard time stopping opposing teams and could not generate as many turnovers as they did in 2008. Buffalo was out of MAC championship contention midway through the season, but did finish with two straight wins on the road. After the season was over, Turner Gill accepted an offer to coach Kansas
Kansas Jayhawks football
The Kansas Jayhawks football program is the intercollegiate football program of the University of Kansas Jayhawks. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference....
. Gill was replaced by Jeff Quinn
Jeff Quinn (American football)
Jeff Quinn is a college football coach who is the head coach of the University at Buffalo football team. He is the 24th head coach in University at Buffalo football history...
.