FOOTBALLmost experienced unit. The Bulls returnall four starters as well as three reservesth<strong>at</strong> saw significant action last season.Leading the way is safety KareemByrom (New Brunswick, NJ/New Brunswick).Last season, the senior captainranked third on the team in tackles with88 and his nine tackles for loss rankedsecond on the team. His four forcedfumbles tied him for second in the MAC.Byrom’s importance to this teamwas best exemplified when he was askedto move from the defensive backfield tolinebacker when the Bulls were hit withsome injuries. In Byrom’s first careergame <strong>at</strong> linebacker, he had seven tackles,including two for a loss, and a sack<strong>at</strong> n<strong>at</strong>ionally-ranked Boston College. Hefollowed th<strong>at</strong> performance with a 10-tackle, 2.5 tackle for loss outing againstKent St<strong>at</strong>e.Senior Jesse Imes (Cincinn<strong>at</strong>i, OH/Kings Mills) split time between safetyand cornerback last season. Although,he has more experience <strong>at</strong> the safetyspot with 14 career starts. Imes rankedseventh on the team in tackles with 48.He best asset was having a nose for theball as he tied a school record with fourfumble recoveries on the year.A pair of freshmen made some of themost significant impact on the defensiveside of the ball as Kendric Hawkins (UpperMarlboro, MD/DeM<strong>at</strong>ha C<strong>at</strong>holic)and Mike Newton (Pasadena, MD/CalvertHall) played more like seasonedveterans.Hawkins started 11 games andranked fourth on the team in tackleswith 70. He added eight tackles for lossand a sack. He had a team-best five passbreakups and a pair of interceptions. Hesaved his interceptions for the n<strong>at</strong>ionalstage as he had pick against Auburn andBoston College - both n<strong>at</strong>ionally-rankedteams. Hawkins was named to TheSporting News Freshman All-AmericaHonorable Mention Team.Newton started nine games <strong>at</strong> safetyand led the Bulls and tied for first inthe MAC in interceptions with five. Thefive picks were the most by a UB playersince Mark Graham had six in 2002 andthe second-highest total since the Bullsreturned to Division I-A in 1999. He alsototaled 60 tackles, including four for aloss.Another young duo th<strong>at</strong> contributedlast season was th<strong>at</strong> of freshmanSherrod Lott (Plant City, FL/Plant City)and sophomore Keon Perry (Brunswick,GA/Brunswick). Lott started six games<strong>at</strong> corner. He had 33 tackles, including22 of the solo variety. Perry played in 10games and started one and finished theyear with eight tackles.Junior Andre Evans (Cleveland, OH/Glenville) started the final three gamesof the season <strong>at</strong> cornerback last season.He had nine tackles in the seven gamesin which he played.Senior Ronald Sears (Brooklyn, NY/New Utrecht) and junior Gerald Jackson(Alexandria, VA/DeM<strong>at</strong>ha C<strong>at</strong>holic)add depth to the defensive backfield.“This is the most experienced partof our defense,” Gill said. “All starters areback and they will be working to improvetechnique and tackling,”Special TeamsSenior Ben Woods (Hermitage, PA/Hickory) returns for his fourth year asthe Bulls’ starting punter. He has been areliable weapon over his career and ashe enters his final season will likely finishhis career sitting <strong>at</strong>op the UB recordbook in every punting c<strong>at</strong>egory. Lastseason, Woods averaged 37.9 yards perpunt. He had 13 punts downed insidethe 20-yard line and six fair c<strong>at</strong>ches.Woods also handled the majorityof the kick-off duties. He had five touchbackson the season.With the gradu<strong>at</strong>ion of Adam Tanalskiand the departure of Taylor Packwood,who left the team for personalreasons, the kicking duties will lie on theshoulders of junior Gerry McGroarty(Wilkes-Barre, PA/Bishop Hoban) headinginto the spring. McGroarty didn’t seeany action last year, but did convert 2-of-5 field goal <strong>at</strong>tempts, including a 46-yarder, in 2005.“Punter Ben Woods is solid,” Gill said.“Gerry McGroarty will have a chance tosee if he is the kicker.”The kick return game was an area inwhich <strong>Buffalo</strong> struggled in recent years.Th<strong>at</strong> was until Naaman Roosevelt arrivedon campus. As a freshman, Roosevelt setthe school record for single-season kickoffreturn (25.9 ypr). On the first kickoffreturn of his career, Roosevelt darted94 yards up the center of the field for <strong>at</strong>ouchdown. It was the first kickoff returnfor a score by the Bulls since October 14,1989, a span of 178 games.However, if Roosevelt c<strong>at</strong>ches onas a quarterback, Gill may have to lookelsewhere for a return man.“Kick returners and punt returnerswill need to be found this spring ifNaaman becomes the QB,” Gill said. “Weneed to secure our punt protection.”2007 SPRING PROSPECTUSSPRING PREVIEWReturning LettermenThree Letters (7)LB Ollice Ervin ____________ Sr.LB LaRon Haymore ________ Sr.DB Jesse Imes _____________ Sr.OL Jamey Richard _________ Sr.LB Todd Robertson ________ Sr.DE Trevor Scott ____________ Sr.P/K Ben Woods ____________ Sr.Two Letters (20)WR Brad Beggs ____________ Jr.WR Terrance Breaux ________ Sr.DB Kareem Byrom _________ Sr.DB Jamal Chisam __________ Jr.OL Travis Coughlin _________ Jr.LB Chris Callahan __________ Jr.DB Andre Evans ___________ Jr.OL Jon Geddes ____________ Jr.WR Brett Hamlin ___________ Jr.DL Ronald Hilaire __________ Jr.WR Ernest Jackson _________ Jr.DE James Judges __________ Sr.OL Jeff Niedermier _________ Jr.OL Ray Norell _____________ Jr.WR Gary Rice ______________ Jr.FB Chris Scharon __________ Jr.DB Ronald Sears ___________ Sr.DE Andrae Smith __________ Sr.QB Drew Willy _____________ Jr.TE Robert Yealu ___________ Jr.One Letter (29)OL M<strong>at</strong>t Bacoulis __________So.OL Jon Burgio _____________ Sr.LB Tom Drewes ___________So.LB Josh Eagan ____________So.DL Labinot Hakanjin _______ Sr.RB Mario Henry ___________So.DB Kendric Hawkins ________So.LB David Hubbard _________ Jr.LB Larry Hutchinson _______ Sr.OL Chris Lauzze ___________ Jr.DB Sherrod Lott ___________So.DB Gerald Jackson _________ Jr.OL Jordan Jerrold __________So.TE Bryan Kisabeth _________ Jr.DL Bruno Lapointe _________So.RB Da’Von McCune ________So.P/K Gerry McGroarty ________ Jr.DL Anal Montanez _________So.FB Ike Nduka _____________So.DB Mike Newton __________So.WR Alex Pierre _____________So.DB Keon Perry ____________So.DL Frankie Pointer _________So.TE Jesse Rack _____________So.DL Dane Robinson _________So.DL Andrae Smith __________ Sr.RB James Starks ___________So.DB Chris Storr _____________So.DL Mike Thompson ________ Jr.
FOOTBALLBULLS BY CLASSSENIORBULLS OFFENSE - BY CLASSWR LT LG C RG RT TE QB WR TB FB PKTerranceBreauxJonBurgioJameyRichardTravisCoughlinKadePittmanBenWoodsJUNIORBrettHamlinRayNorellJonGeddesChrisLauzzeJeffNiedermierBryanKisabethRobertYealuDrewWillyErnestJacksonBradBeggsChrisScharonGerryMcGroartySOPHRSFROSHP<strong>at</strong>rickSmithJordanJerroldBrandonFlanaganBrianKellyM<strong>at</strong>tBacoulisAndrewWestPeterBittnerJesseRackKyleBreyNaamanRooseveltAlexPierreBrevonWilliamsSkylerHaggJamesStarksDa’VonMcCuneMarioHenryBrandonThermilusIkeNdukaFROSHOffensive line positionsto be determinedSolomonRichbergSkylarHarrisSENIORJUNIORBULLS DEFENSE - BY CLASSLE DT DT RE OLB ILB OLB CB SS FS CB PTrevorScottLabinotHakanjinRonaldHilaireMikeThompsonM<strong>at</strong>tAbdoKevinJohnsonJamesJudgesAndraeSmithToddRobertsonStephenNowakChrisCallahanAdekunleAkingbaOlliceErvinDavidHubbardLaRonHaymoreLarryHutchinsonJamalChisamRonaldSearsAndreEvansGaryRiceJesseImesKareemByromGeraldJacksonBenWoodsGerryMcGroartySOPHAnalMontanezBrunoLapointeFrankiePointerDaneRobinsonTomDrewesSherrodLottKeonPerryMikeNewtonChrisStorrMarcFariaKendricHawkinsRSFROSHTomCorradinoLucasWestFROSHAdekunleAkingba2007 SPRING PROSPECTUS
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