Yes. This season was a disappointment. Going in, 5-7 was probably right in the wheelhouse for predictions. The disappointment is how they got there. The way the schedule played out, this team should have had at least 6 wins. But, such is the life of a UB fan. The offensive play-calling was weak. The defense was terrible. Yes, it was terrible. They got turnovers and ran them back. That was all that they did well. That's a big thing, but they got gashed by almost everyone. Keep some of those INTs out of the endzone, and this defense is almost as bad as Teppers. But, there is hope.

This year had an entirely new staff with an entirely new system. Were there mistakes? Absolutely. But, we all believe that Leipold can coach. We all know the record. You can't just fall into 106-6. You have to know what you're doing. Is it possible they were overwhelmed? Sure. Could they have been behind the curve? Yup. Were there plays that worked in D-III that didn't in D-1? Absolutely. However, I have faith. They've got 8 months to sit down and figure out what went wrong and what didn't. The hallmark of a good coach is the ability to make adjustments.

Now, I'm not savvy enough to relate the plays to the ability of the players. Is it possible that they were trying to run an offense, but the personnel wasn't up to it? How about the opposite, that they tried to tailor the offense (and defense) to the players they had, but it's not the style that they're best at? This is why new coaches have to be given 3-4 years. They have to be given the chance to bring in the players that meet their needs. This year they had the dregs that Quinn brought in. For all of Quinn's faults, recruiting was probably the worst. Sure this team has some talent. All teams do. But how good were these guys? How many players on UB were the other MAC teams saying 'Boy, I wish we had that guy'. Grassman? Weiser? Ross? Every game I watched, there were guys on the other side that was so much better than everyone on UB at some positions. How about a big WR with speed? The MAC has a bunch of these beasts, but never on UB. As Quinn's players graduate, the talent level should go up.

That brings up recruiting. Last years class seemed decent, with Jackson as the big prize. Small class this year, but there are a bunch of 3 stars. More than I remember at UB. Could UB be getting some of that high end talent we've been hoping for? And, not only should these players be solid, but they should fit the design that the coaches are looking for. Seems like a plus there.

Where are we for 2016? Starting with the losses, Grassman will hurt. Gilbo and Alozie are gone, but the defense was terrible anyway. Licata regressed so much, that I'm not disappointed to see him go. Three offensive lineman are gone. Does that hurt the team? Tough to say. I don't know that the O-line was so great with them. Willoughby and Weiser are gone. Weiser turned into a very nice player, but I think Schreck could be just a good (if he can hold on to the ball). Willoughby (sorry Ron) was overrated. Alex Neutz, he was not. Taylor is gone, but Johnson is just as good. How much is this team really losing to graduation? And if the biggest loss is the punter, how bad can the losses really be?

The big question is, of course, QB. Jackson or Merchant? Either way, we're getting a QB with zero college experience. Merchant seems capable, but Jackson has the bigger upside (plus they're mobile, which will be a nice change). Jackson is probably the best QB recruit UB has ever had. If the QB can have a good year, this team becomes very promising. Competent, athletic QB, with Johnson at the RB? That's a good start.

I can spend time harping on negatives, but I don't need that in my life. They've got what I believe to be a good coach, with a year under his belt. They've got a very good running back. They've got new QBs, but ones with nice upside. They've got a defense that can only get better. They've got a class with some high-end recruits coming in. This team was a play or two away from going to a bowl game. There are schools in much worse shape. Let's see what Leipold can really do. Go Bulls.