Position: K
Hometown: Columbus, OH
High School: St. Francis De Sales

It's often said that the center is the most unappreciated position in football but for my money nobody has it as bad as kickers. The center has to have a monumentally bad game (missing snaps) to get singled out by fans but if he is only having a marginally bad day picking up a blitz or opening up holes then he is usually not singled out from the rest of the line.

Kickers, on the other hand, can have a marginally bad day (say 3 for 4) and those lost three points are always singled out. Who do you remember more Kevin Dyson or Scott Norwood? Dyson took a pass in the closing seconds of Super Bowl XXXIV, he cut the route a yard too short and as a result came inches from winning the Superbowl. Scott Norwood pushed a 47 field goal to the right and cost the Bills a Superbowl.

Now the real culprit in the Bills loss was Jeff Wright who just got blown off the line on run after Giant run, but I digress.

UB's special Teams have been all around awful for two years. Some of the frustration with things like Kick Coverage, poor punting, and mediocre returning have all gotten heaped, and rather unfairly , on the shoulders of AJ Principie. For the record I know that yours truly also has been overly quick to criticize AJ over the years but he is a kicker, they deserve it ;).

AJ converted 9-of-13 (Long of 44) field goal attempts his senior year at St. Francis De Sales. He was was also  perfect on extra points that year. His performance was enough to get him named All-State (Honorable Mention), first-team All-League, and a spot in the Central Ohio All-Star Game.

In 2007 Principe joined the Bulls as a walk-on. By the end of his first camp had both earned a scholarship and secured the starting Job. During his freshman year AJ would break the single season record for points by a kicker (one he would go on to break his sophomore year). His 15-of-20 field goals for the season, including nine straight at one point was paired up with connected on 32-of-34 PATs to make what UB Athletics refers to as "the finest freshman season by a kicker in UB’s history"

His best game was a heartbreaking loss to Syracuse in which his 12 points (field goals) was all the scoring the Bulls could mange. For that he was named MAC East Special Teams Player of the Week. His overall work on the season got him named Sporting News Freshman All-America Honorable Mention.

He struggled at the beginning of the 2008 season including a Kick which found the goalpost in the waining moments of a game against defending MAC champion Central Michigan. In the tradition of great kickers Pincipie put his early season struggles behind him and converted nine of his final 11 field goals on the season including a game-winning 34-yard field goal in overtime against Army.

2008 also feature game winning field goals against Akron, converted on side kicks against Bowling green and a perfect showing against UConn in the international bowl. Last season (2009) he was 10 of 13 on field goals and  33 of 36 extra points. He was named MAC East Division Special Teams Player of the Week after accounting for all nine points in UB's season ending 9-6 win over Kent.

This past season Principie suffered along with the rest of the offense. Going just seven for eleven on field goals. His best performance of the season was his 49 yard field goal against Ball State, the only points UB would get.

Among the UB Records he holds:

Position: LB
Hometown: Bronx, NY
High School: Christopher Columbus

For the second straight day we say goodbye to a linebacker from the Bronx. While Housey was converted to the defensive line Akobundu remained a fixture as a linebacker during his three years at UB.

As a linebacker for head coach David Diaz at Christopher Columbus High School Akobundu tallied 83 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception his senior season. His performance earned him a spot on the All-Borough Team. In addition to Football Akobundu was a soccer player and a member of the track team running the third leg of a pretty respectable 4X200 squad.

After High School Akobundo went enrolled at Iowa Wesleyan where he was a two sport Athlete. He Ran sprints on the track team and played Linebacker for coach Jason Smelser. In his one season he recoded nineteen tackles and a half sack which was 13th on the team.

During the 2008 season at UB Akobundu played in 13 games, all of them starts. His 71 Tackles was good for fifth on the defense during its championship run. One of his best efforts was against the Cardinals in the MACC where he netted eight solo tackles.  He was also something of a ball hawk that season pulling in two fumble recoveries, one of which led to UB's first touchdown in the MAC Championship Game.

During his Junior season Raphael found himself in more of a supporting role, having started just two of the games. Still he was a key member of the defense who saw action in every game racking up 37 tackles. Against Pittsburgh in week two Akobundo's eight tackles marked a season high.

In Coach Quinn's first season the 3-4 defense meant more need for solid linebackers, a season ending injury to Scott Pettigrew and the departure from Darius Willis thinned out what was a very deep core of linebackers. Akobundu responded by nearly matching his 2008 season. Looking at tackles per game he actually bested his Sophomore year. In the loss to Ball State he was in on a career high eleven Tackles and he defended a pass.

Akobundu is one of several departing Linebackers who will be very hard for the Bulls to replace.

Position: DL
Hometown: Bronx, NY
High School: John F. Kennedy

Going into his senior season at JFK Housey was already a known factor:

Defensive tackle Semaj McCollum and linebacker Jerry Housey are expected to anchor an always tough, albeit thin depth-wise, defensive unit for JFK.-- PSAL Football Preview 2006

Even with the attention Housey spent 2006 punishing the opposition during for JFK coach Alex Vega. He racked up 83 Tackles, force three fumbles and recovered one. He also managed one interception.  His season earned him all First team Borough, First team All State, and a slot in the Governor's bowl (NY all stars versus New Jersey All Stars).

Housey never used a red shirt at UB, the needs at Linebacker were great and the athletic Housey made an immediate impact off the bench. Housey played in seven games, including five tackles against Ball State and two against Penn State.

While he would not crack the starting lineup in 2008 he would play a role in each game of the season. Housey played in every game tallying tackles in eight of the 14 contest, including the MACC and the International Bowl.

2009 was the season when Housey broke through into the starting lineup, as a defensive end. Starting the first five games and playing his hand in two more the Linebacker had his season abruptly ended when he suffered a concussion against Akron. He would still get some work in against WMU the following week but he never quite got back on track.

Housey started 2010 in reserves in the new system put into place by Coach Inge but was a key part of the line during the second half of the year including seven tackles against Eastern Michigan, fiv eof those were solo tackles.

Despite the fact that 2010, to fans, was a somewhat forgettable season it was the last for Housey a local(ish) player who was there for the rise, and then fall, of UB Football. He along with so many of the departing seniors are taking a culture of pride and winning with them that we can only hope will be replaced in upcoming seasons.

Position: DL
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
High School: T.L. Hannah

Kenny Scott was Jeff Quinn's 'Next Bull In' on the offensive line this season. Scott, a junior transfer from Georgia Military College saw spot work in 2009 as a defensive tackle. It was thought, going into camp, that Scott might be a good fit for nose tackle but injuries on the offensive line led the coaching staff to use him as depth on a thin line.

"With the season-ending injury to right tackle Matt Ostrowski, Quinn has made some adjustments on the offensive line.  Senior left guard Kenny Scott will back up senior Peter Bittner and sophomore Gokhan Ozkan will back up sophomore Graham Whinery at right guard and senior Jordan Jerrold at right tackle." - Rodney McKissic Buffalo News

Through two months of hard work Scott went from desperation backup to starter in both the EMU and Akron Games.

Scott played High school ball T.L. Hanna High School where he was a four-year letter winner and two-year team captain for the Yellow Jackets. He was offered a scholarship at Tulsa but opted to go to Georgia Military College instead.

As a Bulldog, during his 2008 season, he had 17.5 tackles (11.5 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks over nine games.

During the 2009 season Scott made appearances in nine games as a defensive lineman. This season he played in four games as an offensive lineman.

Position: DL
Hometown: Trumbull, CT
High School: Trumbull

2010 was a season when every member of the team was asked to make an adjustment. Bringing in a completely new offense and defense meant not only learning a few new plays or schemes but changing everything that had been drilled into your head during the course of your collegiate career.  Few players had more asked of them than Anel Montanez. Not only did he have to learn the new system, he had to play the role of mentor to some of the younger players.

I think guys look up to me automatically knowing that I've started for three years and been around for so long. I've seen the program grow a lot."-- Anel Montanez

Cutting over from a 4-3 to a 3-4, even a hybrid 3-4 means that the defensive tackles go from being one of four guys with pretty similar jobs to the guy responsible for owning the middle of the line. It means instead of suffering the occasional double team you are faced with a constant barrage of players hitting you. Aside from the QB few players have a bulls eye as big as the nose tackle.

"You see your life pass before your eyes about four times a game. The center hits you in the stomach, one guard gets you in the ribs, then the fullback drills you in the chest just as one of your own linebackers smacks you in the back. If you're mad at your kid, you can either raise him to be a nose tackle or send him out to play on the freeway. It's all about the same." -- Fred Smerlas, Nose Tackle Buffalo Bills

Montanez as the 'old man' on the line did his part on what would be one of the bright spots of 2010. The same work ethic that was key to Trumbull High and a conference title was key to the units success this season:

Position: OL
Home Town: Fairless Hills, PA
High School: Pennsbury

at 6-8 Jerrold has cast his shadow on the UB offensive line since the early days of the Turner Gill era. Coming out of high school he was All-Southeast Pennsylvania during a senior season in which he allowed no sacks.

Jerrold quickly became a force on the UB offensive line. After playing in just one of the first five games  he started the final seven games. His efforts on the line helped Turner Gill's first season as head coach propel James Starks to All-MAC status with a 174 yard punctuation mark at the end of the season against Kent.

The showing in 2006 moved Jerrold into the role of starter in 2007. That season the Bulls would earn a share of the east division as they set the stage for their 2008 run at the MAC. While the Bulls were running towards relevancy opposing teams started to take not of the offensive line, and Jerrolds name came up often:

Buffalo is anchored by Ray Norell, who is a three year starter. Peter Bittner is a letter winner and a starter since the first game of his redshirt freshman year. Jeff Niedermier, another senior, had 30 starts before this year. The junior starter, Jordan Jerrold earned his way into the starting lineup as a true freshman. -- Bleacher Report

Jordan missed the 2008 run. He was felled during the off season by knee injury that required surgery Jerrold would provide side line leadership and support as he was forced to watch UB Take its place as a team which could no longer be taken for granted in the Mid American Conference.

He came back in 2009 with a vengeance helping to create UB's most prolific offense (in terms of yards) of the modern era. This was despite the fact that Jerrold was moved to left tackle when Andrew West broke his hand.

Had UB managed to control turnovers he would have likely been able to get his bowl experience in before graduating. Gills turnaround of UB meant that he would be plucked and a new coach, and system, would take over for his senior year.

When Coach Quinn looked to implement his offense Jerrold did not fit the scheme. So after starting against Rhode Island he served as relief until Matt Ostrowski went down against UCF.

Jerrold was one of the many who admitted to breaking the '24 hour' limit of worry over UB center Matt Ostrowski. Just like he did in 2008, from the sidelines, Jerrold put his teammates first.

Position: K
Hometown: James Town, NY
High School: Frewsburg

Rachuna came over from ECC the same season as Kyle Brey, as such he was a member of the North East Champion Kats team of 2007. He transferred onto UB in 2008 and served as a redshirt on the Championship squad.

During his high school career the second stat all team kicker also served as a punter and wide receiver at Frewsburg High School.

While AJ Principie has been UB's main kicker for four years due to his accuracy inside of 40 Yards Coach Gill, and later Coach Quinn used Rachuna to augment the kicking game by using his ability to drive the ball. He showed off that leg in every game of 2009 and 2010 as a kickoff specialist.

Over the years Rachuna has also handled spot punting duty. His first ever Punt as a UB Bull came in 2009 against Western Michigan when Rachuna blasted a 71 yard punt which was downed at the seven yard line.

One rather unappreciated way in which Rachuna has contributed is with covering kickoffs. UB has had very poor kick coverage for the past couple of years. In 2010 Rachuna was key to stopping several run backs through the first few weeks, including two against Rhode Island.

His Two Year  Stats:

Position: TE
Hometown: Granger, IN
High School: Penn

Kyle Brey has an amazing sports pedigree. While he has never been the headliner in the Buffalo Offense his blood lines, and his future dreams will probably keep him in football.  His father a basketball coach at Notre Dame. His grandfather was a high school athletic director. And his grandmother a swim coach at George Washington.

Brey was a multisport athlete at Penn High School in Granger Indiana. Brey was All-State in football but also lettered in Basketball and Track.

During his career at UB Brey was used as a relief tight end.

But what the numbers don't show is *when* Kyle Brey made those catches and what i meant to UB. Against Temple in 2008 Brey made three receptions. One converted a tird down, sadly the drive you die. The second was a strike from Willy to get UB down to the 25 yard line on a drive that would put the Bulls up 7-6. The final reception took UB down to the ten yard line late in the third, UB would throw a pick a few plays later.

That second reception was part of the reason that Drew Willy was in a position to make the pass to Roosevelt, it was one of the unappreciated components to the 2008 championship season. One that Brey holds onto like most of the departing seniors.

One thing that UB has been missing, compared to schools who did not take 30 years off of division one football, is a pool of NCAA coaches who have connections to the University. Brey, against the better advice of his father, is going to pursue a career molding and mentoring athletes.

"Between watching my father coach, watching coach Quinn coach, watching coach Gill coach, all of that is valuable experience. Nothing negative can come from that because it's a different perspective. All of it's a different perspective to sports, to football to everything, the way you look at life.

With any luck the end of this year is not the last time we see Brey on the sidelines of a UB game.