Bull Run All Decade Team: Linebackers

As the Decade comes to a close it’s time to step back and take a look at the players who made this, on the whole, a very fun decade for UB sports fans

The Editors have picked the first and second team members, you the Bull Run community can name your choice for honorable mention in the comments below.

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Linebackers

First Team:

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Khalil Mack will be the least controversial pick on the all decade team. Given the UB Linebacker is probably the best linebacker in not just UB history, but the best ever to come out of the Mid-American-Conference.

He’s tied for first in tackles for loss in NCAA history and hold the outright record for forced fumbles. Drafted 5th overall in the draft Mack is a five time NFL pro bowl selection.

In addition to Mack, there is another Khalil, Khalil Hodge. Hodge transferred from City College of San Francisco as a sophomore and went right into the lineup and Hodge was a tackling machine.

Three of the top ten single season totals for tackles belong to Hodge, one for each season he played at UB. Overall Hodge finished 3rd all time at Buffalo, 40 tackles behind Davonte Shannon. There is little doubt that if Hodge had had four full seasons at Buffalo he would own the record.

Last but not least on the firt team is Lee Skinner. Skinner was a contemporary of Khalil Mack but despite sharing the field with Khalil, Skinner stood out in his own right as a fantastic linebacker.

Skinner is 7th all time in total tackles, ahead of Khalil Mack. He led the team in both tackles and sacks during the 2014 season, after Mack had graduated. For that he was named third team all conference.

Second Team:

Nick Gilbo Walked onto the team in 2012, as a sophomore, and spent his first year as a redshirt. He hit the lineup in 2013 and became an instant contributor. When Lee Skinner moved on after 2014, Gilbo took over in 2015, leading the team in tackles.

Nick’s 2015 campaign was seventh all time for UB in terms of total tackles and he was twice named academic all-conference.

Jarrett Franklin Came to Buffalo as a state champion wrestler in high school, he played on defenses with every first team linebacker, and was a solid contributor each season. He was twice named academic All-Conference.

James Patterson’s story is not done yet. He’s only just finished his sophomore season, and he has been a leader on the unit since day one.

He forced four fumbles in UB’s 2018 season, tied for 4th all time.

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So what do you guys think? Who should be getting honorable mention?