It was a week of gut punches for Buffalo athletics, some figurative and some actual punches in the gut. Why not throw one more out there?
Matt already let you all know that UB running back coach Matt Simon has left the program to take up the position of offensive coordinator at Delaware. The longest standing UB coach, a coach who produced Branden Oliver, Anthone Taylor, and Jordan Johnson left the school.
If I were Allen Greene I would have offered Simon the offense and a raise to hold onto him. But I’m not Greene and perhaps even the position and money would not have retained Simon.
So the big question is, where do we go from here?
If recent history is any indicator then someone at athletics is thumbing through the “coaches” page on Wisconsin Whitewater’s home page.
But if I might suggest we start growing our own coaching tree...
What about former Buffalo running back Steven King?
If you’re old enough you’ll remember he was UB’s leading rusher in 2004 and 2005, preceding the James Starks era.
After graduating King served as the running backs and defensive backs coach at East Meadow High School from 2007 to 2011. In 2011 he also worked as the wide receiver coach at Nassau Community College on Long Island.
King spent the next two years at Wagner College working with their running backs. He helped Dominique Williams become a member of the 2012 College Sports Journal All-American team and a two-time All-Northeast Conference selection.
Williams has been in several NFL camps and practice squads. Most recently with the Jets.
UB fans saw his handy work up close in 2014 and 2015 as they took on the Nevada Wolf Pack. King spent two seasons as a grad assistant for Nevada.
So if were not going to “go big” let’s at least buy local.