Buffalo Countdown to Kickoff 1977

• Position - Kicker/Punter
• Class - Freshman
  
• Hometown - Pittsburgh, PA
  
• High School - Kiski Area
• Size - Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 190
  

Mitcheson comes to UB after kicking 75% in his senior season including a 50-yard kick. As a punter, he averaged 41 yards per punt.

With Patrick Clarke in his final year as UB kicker, and UB's punter Tyler Grassman entering his junior year, Mitcheson provides depth and has a chance to develop into UB's starting kicker in 2015.

Following a six year hiatus, football returned to UB with a four game schedule. UB tied RIT in their first game, only to lose their final 3 contests to finish the season 0-3-1.

1977 was the eighth winless season in UB history, breaking a 28 season streak (over 38 years) of winning at least one game.

Coach - Bill Dando

Bill Dando was a member of the '51 Dons at USF, and after USF dropped football, he joined the Marines, then returned to play for the University of Detroit Titans.

As a coach, Dando replaced Buddy Ryan as UB defensive coordinator, and was an assistant at Buffalo until the program died in 1971. Dando revived the program in 1977 as head coach and rebuilt the Bulls winning 8 games in 1983 for the first time in 24 years, and in 1986, he lead UB's only 9 win team.

Dando coached for 13 years and ended with 59 victories, the most wins by a head coach in UB history.

In the wake of the Watergate scandal, Carey upset incumbent Republican Malcolm Wilson in 1975 and became the first Democrat Governor of New York in 16 years. With New York close to bankruptcy, Carey cut taxes and funded building projects to stimulate the State's economy. One building project he championed was the building of a stadium for a private college, Syracuse's Carrier Dome. Finally, Carey increased awareness of environmental issues and helped the Love Canal area of Niagara Falls become a Federal Disaster Area.

1977 saw a pop culture change, the premiere of Roots brought the horrors of slavery to 130 million homes, while Star Wars brought sci-fi to the mainstream. Elvis died at the age of 42 while disco was defined by the Travolta hit Saturday Night Fever.