Grade Report for Buffalo at Western Michigan

It's a good time to be a UB fan.

Yesterday Buffalo let Western Michigan stay a little too close for comfort through the first half. It was a nerve racking two quarters but the Bulls never seemed to lose their focus or intensity. UB's first half was rather undisciplined football but the players never seemed phased by adversity, even when it was of their own making.

This begining to look like a break through year for Quinn and the Bulls. After three long years of struggles Jeff Quinn has the Buffalo Bulls off to their best start since 1996. UB is beating the teams they should beat and in their wins Buffalo is dominating both sides of the Ball.

Quarterbacks A-

Joe Licata did not play the most impressive game of his career but much of that is owed to the fact UB seemed intent to do what everybody does against Western Michigan. Run the ball as much as possible. The lack of yards is due to so few attempts and his completion percentage is owed largely to how the pass game was used.

No drive was powered by the pass. When the ball was thrown it was put deep to make sure UMass stayed honest. Licata's deep ball looks like it has a bit more zip on it than we have seen. He did manage three touchdown strikes, on the whole a very good day.

Tony Daniel got his first significant work during garbage time and looked Zordich like. Great running the ball but his passes, both of them, were off the mark. One was caught by Malcolm Robinson who had to stop and reach behind him.

Running Backs A

Oliver, Potts, Murie, and Taylor all averaged more than five yards a carry. Western Michigan might just be the worst running defense the Bulls see all year and Quinn went deep into his stable to prove it.

Wide Receivers B

Couple of drops, and a couple of times where they should have been able to muscle a catch down but could not. It's good to see Fred Lee become a game after game contributor. UB Opponents might soften up on Neutz if Lee keeps this up.

Offensive Line C

Way too many tackles for loss allowed by this unit and a couple of painful holding penalties.

Defensive Line A+

Colby Way with three sacks and the Bronco's were held to 1.4 yards per carry. You can not ask a whole lot more of a defensive line than that.

Linebackers A

Turnovers created and pressure applied. Everything that this unit has been doing since after the Baylor game.

You can triple team Mack and all you will do is (1) antagonize him and (2) free up space for Colby Way and Adam Redden on the other side.

I missed seeing Blake Bean out there but the unit still held up very well.

Defensive Backs B+

Way too many penalties. Some of them were "necessary" but most were not. The lack of discipline was the only blemish on an otherwise great game. The Marqus Baker interception was a thing of beauty. You won't see it on too many highlight films but I will take a DB wrestling the ball away from a guy over a circus catch any day.

Special Teams B

The kick out of bounds and awkward punt return moments were balanced out by a monster 51 yard field goal from Patrick Clarke which made it a two score game.