Saturday was an odd day for me. It started like most Saturdays, with my kids poking me in the eye (figuratively) wanting me to get up and feed/entertain them. When the wife spends her week caring for their needs giving up one morning a week seems fair enough. It was sometime after breakfast and before the end of PBS cartoons that I sat down to catch up on football.
When I saw that there were three more verbal recruits I saw the beginnings of a good day, then the officially unofficial word came out on Gill and I have been nose deep in coaching profiles since then.
After a day trying to white wash the notion of Turner Gill as the head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks out of my mind I noticed the one of the new recruits had found Bull Run and signed up to its face book page.
Molloy with his holder, Dan Formisano
Jack Molloy from Harrison New York is a solid kicker, something that I have stated UB needs to get in, this year, before AJ Principe graduates. I asked Jack if he would be willing to do answer a few questions about his experience as a recruit this season, he was kind enough to oblige.
To me kickers are the most overlooked players on the field, they have more pressure put on them then a Quarterback, they get little praise, and they have a hand in just about every score that goes on the board. In a way they are like Linemen in that if they are doing their job, and well, people will hardly notice they are there but a mistake or two in a game and they become the goat.
The first thing that struck me about Molloy were the kickoffs, getting the ball in the end zone 81% of the time is sick, and its something UB can defiantly use in the coming years. is that he is solid kicking and punting the ball, both enough so that he instantly adds depth to the roster just by keeping in practice.
--
I noticed that you were interested in schools like Duke, Maryland, Rutgers, and Syracuse. Is there a reason you made the commitment to Buffalo so quickly after an offer was extended?
Well before hand I’d just like to thank God and my parents for everything they did to help me in the recruiting process. My holder Dan Formisano, both Long Snappers Sammy Gioseffi and Brandon Bonistall for everything, and of course my line. I chose Buffalo mainly because of the opportunity to start as a freshman, which would be kicking off, and the great business school. A lot of the other schools were fooling with me one week they’d want to offer me the next they wouldn’t so I didn’t want to deal with that stuff so once I met the coaches at UB I was set. Buffalo just felt right.
AJ Principe has become a fixture at UB, he is a three year starter and the schools all time leading scorer. Have you had a chance to connect with him during the recruiting process. How do you feel about following him?
I haven’t really talked to him at all but he’s a great guy, great consistency, and good form, everything you look for in a good kicker. I’ll have some big shoes to fill but I’ll be fine once he graduates.
You play both the Kicker and Punter position for Harrison High school, do you see that dual role being pursued at Buffalo or do you feel you will only be called on to be a place kicker?
I can punt and placekick very well along with my kick offs. I can honestly do whatever for the team. My longest field goal is at about 55 Yards off the ground and my punts are what I’d like to think as my strong spot no wind(but that’s never the case in NY) I’d say I can hit them about 45 with 4.4 hangtime. My Kickoffs go 65-75 yards (5 or 5 deep in the end zone) so whatever Coach Barret or whoever is going to replace coach Gill wants me to do, I’ll do it.
With Turner Gill leaving a fair number of fans are wondering how much of a role Offensive Coordinator Danny Barrett had in the recruiting process this season. What effect does Gill leaving for KU have on your commitment to Buffalo and what were your impressions of the coaches involved in the recruiting process?
I personally have never spoken to Coach Barret I was recruited by Coach Stamn and Coach Dodson. Recruiting is more of a team effort because Buffalo recruits areas of the country first, position second. So I think if we get a new head coach in from another school and starts over with his own staff then I think you’d start to see some fallout from this upcoming class. The day I spoke to Coach Gill was the day I committed and he left for Kansas ironically. I committed to the University at Buffalo and I’m staying with the University at Buffalo
At six foot two and more than two hundred pound you have as much, if not more, mass than most defensive backs. When you don't manage to get the ball in the end zone on kickoffs (19% of the time) how would you rate your coverage.
I really never had a problem with this because when I didn’t get it in the endzone my kick off team was so good they’d usually tackle him before he even gets to the twenty. This year I didn’t have to make any last chance tackles so I can’t say much.
Finally did you visit Buffalo before committing and if so did you have a chance to meet any of the other athletes coming in next season? what are you impressions of them?
Yes I did visit about three weeks ago and I fell in love with everything about UB. I saw a few kids and met with the academic advisor and I came away very impressed.