Catching the Legends

When Marcus Rivers arrived at UB it was the beginning of the Naaman Roosevelt. Rivers, of Lackawana New York, got to watch another local recruit rewrite the record books. In 2008, the year the Bulls won the MAC Championship, Rivers was firmly entrenched as UB's fourth receiver.

The only problem was that the Turner Gill offense rarely used more than three receivers. During Buffalo's run to the MAC championship Rivers only managed to play bit roles in 13 of UB's 14 games that season.

In 2009 Rivers had his chance to break onto the roster. Turner Gill, trying to replace Earnest Jackson, gave him ample opportunity to play . Rivers struggled, dropping several key passes, some of which may have been the difference between a winning or losing season.

Then, coach Gill left, coach Quinn came and the offensive carnage started. Quarterback Zach Maynard left, the offensive line was decimated by injuries, and what was left of the line was ineffective on coach Quinn's System.

Throughout the 2010 off season he worked on improving his concentration and was among UB's most reliable receivers. He alone accounted fro more than a third of UB's receiving yards and was tied for the team lead in touchdowns. In "the lost year" of UB's offense Marcus Rivers was one of the few things worth watching.

Now, in his senior season Rivers has a chance to put his name in the Buffalo Record Books. For the first time in his career there is a healthy Quarterback, a healthy line, and he is one of the primary targets.

Rivers is a bit behind the eight ball but there are three categories in the UB Record Books where he may crack the top 10.