Bull Run

Three Point Shot: Bye-Bye Bye

2012-02-23T03:55:29Z

The Bulls just passed up one of the Biggest gifts Charlie Coles will ever give them. By Letting Ohio come into Alumni and smack them around in the paint UB put themselves into a three way tie for second, with tie breaking advantages all going to the Bobcats.

It's the same story every year. UB looks good, if not great, early in their conference games only to fall apart late in the season. This year, with a double bye on the line, it's going to hurt more than most.

Despite themselves UB was beginning to make a late run until an awful call by the Refs gave UB a technical and within moment the Bulls went from down six to down ten. They tried to balance it out with another borderline technical on Ohio several minutes later but by that point the damage had been done.

The Bigs had pretty big nights but McCrea's 15 and Watt's 19 was not enough to make up for sloppy work on the defensive boards and terrible shooting from beyond the arch.

Final - 2.22.2012	1	2	Total
Ohio Bobcats	37	51	88
Buffalo Bulls	32	45	77

Complete Coverage >

Point One) There is persistent, stubborn, and stupid.

For the love of Pete, if you are 3-19 from beyond the Arch *STOP SHOOTING FROM BEYOND THE ARCH*. Well before the first period was over UB had displayed this was not their night from long range. They might hit one but miss the next four.

Still the number of times they ran down the floor and took the first so-so opportunity they got was baffling. This was a night when our Guards really let us down. Yet for some reason coach Witherspoon let them keep throwing garbage up hoping that something might land.

Point Two) This team can't win a game if they don't win on the boards

No pressure on the guys down low but if UB gets out rebounded they lose nine out of ten games. If they get out rebounded by 10, and give up 21 offensive boards, well they will lose those games ten out of ten times.

It was like the South Dakota game part duex. Nobody blocked out the Bobcats down low and great defensive efforts were rewarded by giving Ohio another shot down in the paint on what should fave been a fairly easy rebound.

Point Three) Credit where Credit is due

Buffalo was 18 of 23 from the line, definitely a fine game at the stripe for a team that typically struggles.

GameThread for Ohio Bobcats at Buffalo Bulls

2012-02-22T23:00:08Z

Watch on MAC Sports

Listen on WECK

Buffalo (Home)

Ohio (Road)

Wed February 22nd

Temple looks to the Big East

2012-02-22T19:31:32Z

Temple looks to the Big East

After dominating ..err.. winning the MAC ..err.. East ..errr.. in a tie, three years ago, Temple looks to triumphantly return to the Big East

Have Fun Owls, and don't foget who saved your FBS football Program!

Can UB right their ship?

2012-02-22T14:51:45Z

Miami of Ohio did the Bulls a huge favor last night. The Redhawks defended their home floor against Kent and, in the process, gave UB a half game leg up for the number two seed. The win means that all UB needs to do to secure a double by is to take care of their home floor throughout the remainder of conference play.

That home defense starts tonight when DJ Cooper the Ohio Bobcats come to Alumni Arena attempting to sweep the Bulls this season.

Cooper and the Cats are running on a two game winning streak including a bracket buster win (over UNC Asheviile) which set them apart from the other top MAC team's who all tripped up during the bracket busters. He and Walter Offutt are each putting up more than ten points a game.

	Team	W-L	Conf
1	Akron	19-8	11-1
2	Buffalo	16-8	9-3
3	Kent State	19-8	9-4
4	Ohio	21-6	8-4
5	Bowling Green	14-12	7-5
6	Emich	11-16	6-6
7	WMU	11-16	5-7
8	Miami (OH)	9-17	5-8
9	Ball State	13-12	4-8
9	Toledo	13-14	4-8
11	CMU	8-18	3-9
12	NIU	3-22	2-10

Six foot eight forward Reggie Keely is the main threat OU brings in the paint. He is averaging five rebounds a game.

Buffalo is the better shooting team, particularly from the outside. The Bobcats have at times really made a go of it from beyond the arch but it always seems like thats not a strong aspect of their game.

They make up for those troubles on defense where they nearly double UB in steals per game. They are also far better when it comes to not turning the ball over.

Tournament Seeding Implications:

If Ohio Wins:

Buffalo is not the only team that can use this game as a way to get an inside track on the number two spot. If the Bobcats win they leapfrong both Buffalo and Kent.

All three teams will be 9-4 but the cats will have swept Buffalo and will hold a 1-0 advantage over Kent. After UB two of their next three are on the road, including Kent, so that position is important.

If UB Wins:

Buffalo will put Ohio two games back and put Kent one game back. Their lone road game remaining is against Akron who, in all honesty, might be too far ahead for anyone to overtake at this point.

Other games to watch:

Bowing Green takes on Akron, at Akron. A loss there, and a UB win, would secure a top four seed for Buffalo (if the Bulls win).
NIU at EMU. If Northern Illinois pull the upset than EMU Than the Bulls can not finish behind the Eagles. Basically UB could then do no worse than the 5 seed in conference.

It's official

2012-02-21T15:45:54Z

It's official

Lou Tepper, newly hired defensive coordinator, will coach the Bulls' linebackers, Jappy Oliver will continue to coach the UB defensive line while Mike Dietzel will coach the safeties and serve as co-special teams coordinator. Quarterback coach Don Patterson has been tabbed as recruiting coordinator, a position that Jones had held since joining the UB staff with Quinn in 2010.

Talking Bull: Fine Dining in a Two Star Defensive Backfield

2012-02-21T15:43:45Z

Forget the five star joints, Ill take a Big Mack

Oklahoma's Dominique Whaley leads All Two-Star (And Fewer) team - Andy Staples - SI.com
Former Buffalo coach Turner Gill had to beat out Liberty to secure a commitment from Mack, who probably would start for all but a handful of schools in the country. As Tennessee prepared to face the Bulls last year, Volunteers coach Derek Dooley warned his offensive players repeatedly about No. 46. "He's a hard worker," Tennessee offensive tackle Ju'Wuan James told the Knoxville News-Sentinel. "Coach Dooley said he's a guy that's on the wrong team." Mack finished third in the nation with 20.5 tackles for loss, and the 6-3, 248-pounder's ability to disrupt an offense makes him perpetually fearsome. How fearsome? Mack even seems terrifying as he strums a Jason Mraz tune.

With a 12 month recruiting calendar a list like this is useful. It reminds us that sometimes that guy with one offer from an FCS school will be the next great force on the field.

A new measure of Quarterbacks

This off season I'm going to try and dig into the SBNation site "Football Study Hall" Which does a fantastic job not only explaining conventional football stats but creates some nifty ones of their own.

Here is one:

Using the QB Score to Rank College Quarterbacks' Efficiency in 2011 - California Golden Blogs
The rest of the MAC QBs were no slouches, either. Ohio, Western Michigan, Miami (Ohio), and Toledo all had excellent quarterback play. In fact, you could argue that these QBs played better than most SEC quarterbacks. Oh right, SEC DEFENSE.

Bulls Hoops

The ever entertain Tsuj's Ten over at Buffalo.Com

Tsuj’s Ten: College basketball, 2/20 - Blog - Buffalo.com
I’ve already detailed the UB vs. South Dakota State game, and it’s time to turn the page and move on for Bulls fans. The exhausting BracketBuster trip was not worth it for Buffalo, especially considering the delays the teams faced on Sunday. Initially scheduled to depart Brookings at 6 a.m., here’s Zach Filzen’s series of ensuing tweets.

And the Buffalo news on UB's last, and next matchup

Hoopsweek: Busted UB out to regain focus - Colleges - The Buffalo News
The University at Buffalo was back at practice Monday, back into their routine, after a "South Dakota Vacation" that should have starred Chevy Chase. The Bulls arrived in the Mount Rushmore State around 11 p.m. Thursday and, thanks to flight snags, didn't back it back to Buffalo until 9 Sunday night. All that for a 21-point loss in a BracketBuster game that has absolutely nothing to do with the NCAA bracket but nonetheless was jammed into the stretch run of the Mid-American Conference schedule

Buffalo gets "Mo" coaching!

2012-02-20T21:17:58Z

So far this season Buffalo has had three big positions open up. The first was when Coach William Inge was snatched up by the Buffalo Bills, the Second was when Ernest Jones hooked up with Notre Dame, and the third was when UConn hired Warde Manuel. While replacing Manual might take some time UB has now made their second coaching hire of the offseason.

The Position was left open when Defensive Backs coach and recruiting coordinator Ernest Jones departed a couple of weeks ago. Footballscoop.com is reported last night that JMU defensive backs coach Maurice "Mo" Linguist has accepted a job with Buffalo.

If true UB Athletics will be releasing a press note on it with its usual run this afternoon. Check them out to see if it's already out there.

Linguist played football at Baylor where he was named the Bears Defensive Most Valuable Player as a strong safety in 2006, he also garnered honorable mention as an All-Big 12 player. During his career he started 24 games racked up 176 tackles and three career interceptions.

He will get a chance to face off against his Alma Mater when UB takes on Baylor in 2013 and 2014.

His first coaching job after Baylor, where he spent one year as a GA, was with Valdosta. An assistant coach at the Georgia school in 2008 he was charged with developing coaching the program's defensive backs and directing its special teams. That season Valdosta State in 2008 finished 9-3 and ranked 12th nationally in Division II.

After that stop he was picked up by JMU. Once again he was given responsibility over the safeties and special teams. He is also JMU's Primary Recruiter in D.C. and it's surrounding areas in Maryland. Those areas have been fruitful for UB in recent history and the relationships he will bring to the staff may only tighten Coach Quinn's focus on the Mid Atlantic.

JMU's defensive backfield usually ranks in the top third of FCS schools, and towards the top of their conference. At Buffalo Linguist will take over a rather young backfield, one that struggled though a year that saw four new starters. He will do so under first year defensive coordinator Lou Tepper.

This is the Fifth coaching change of Jeff Quinn's two year tenure at Buffalo. Last season the Bulls lost or let go of their Running Backs, Quarter Backs / Offensive Coordinator, and Wide Receivers coach. This season the Bulls have lost their Linebackers Coach / and Defensive Coordinator, and Defensive Backs coach.

Unlike the last four hires Coach Linguist is not a seasoned veteran but a young up and coming coach, much like the staff that Quinn had initially brought in. Resume wise he is nearly a match for what we lost and his ties into the DC area could be very beneficial in trying to fill the recruiting void left by Jones.

Talking Bull: LAX anyone?

2012-02-20T17:08:30Z

Why Not LAX?

The kingdom of lacrosse on SBNation, also known as "In Lax We Trust" is talking about expansion of lacrosse in division one college sports.

Why Buffalo Should be the Next Team to go to Division-I - In Lax We Trust
The University at Buffalo is a decent sized school, with a student body of 28,601 people. The school fields 11 different men's and women's sports. Its the largest school in a hot bed for lacrosse, however the team is not at the highest level of college lacrosse. The team is one of 213 members of the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association. They have experienced success in the league recently, winning CCLA South Division in 2010 and the PCLL championship in the 2011 after switching conferences. They currently play in the PCLL with Boston College, Boston University, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Nebraska, and New Hampshire. The Buffalo Bulls are ranked tenth in the MCLA.

Generally, if the university could add anything, I'd like to see Hockey. I am aware that adding hockey is not and might never be financially viable (unless some big donors come through). So maybe Lax, another solid regional sport could be a solid add for Buffalo.

Do not Cross go do not collect 200 dollars

Former Fiesta Bowl chief to plead guilty to felony charge - ESPN
The former top executive of the Fiesta Bowl has reached a plea deal with Arizona prosecutors to settle allegations related to a political donations scandal.

It's a start at cracking down on the cronyism and corruption that is slowly killing the best amateur sport on earth.

Now the politicians need to be dealt with.

Rundown on the Beatdown in South Dakota

MAC BracketBusters Review: The Afternoon Games - Hustle Belt
This went from "obvious loss" to "decisive thrashing" in quite a hurry. At no point were the Bulls able to get any sort of decent run back into the game, or if they did, they were already far out of reach. Javon McCrea was limited to 24 minutes of action, not really factoring into either side before fouling out, and the SDSU guards of Nate Wolters and Griffan Callahan combined for 43 points. For Buffalo, Mitchell Watt led with 15 points but swatted nary a shot, Zach Filzen was decent from the 3-point line to finish with 13 points and Tony Watson II had some nice minutes to end up with 11.

Jackrabbits pounce on Bulls, 86-65 - Blog - Buffalo.com
The University at Buffalo Bulls men’s basketball team did not look prepared for its first national television audience of the year, falling 86-65 to the confident, efficient South Dakota State Jackrabbits of the Summit League on ESPN BracketBuster Saturday.

Bulls Bullied by Jackrabbits - Sports - The Spectrum - University at Buffalo
"South Dakota State took us to the woodshed today," Witherspoon said. "We weren't physical at all. We weren't aggressive enough."