The University at Buffalo football team’s split squads have been drafted. The stakes – and the steaks – have been set for UB’s spring game.
When the Bulls kick off their spring game at 1 p.m. Saturday at UB Stadium, they’ll be playing for plates. Split into two squads, players on the winning team of the spring game will get a catered steak dinner, while the losing team’s players will nosh on something a little less sophisticated: hot dogs.
Dining trophies aside, the spring game means that UB will complete its first set of spring practices under the direction of head coach Maurice Linguist, who was hired nearly one year ago.
The benefit of an organized spring game is that UB’s players and coaching staff will get a much better sense of the progress they’ve made during the offseason, and how the roster could look when preseason practices – and the competition for starting spots – begin in August.
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Admission to the spring game is free. Here are five things to watch:
1. Holes left by graduation and transfers
Consider the spring practices and the spring game an audition for multiple players at multiple positions.
The Bulls brought in options through the transfer portal and with junior-college players, but among the areas where UB needs players to immediately plug holes, due to graduation and transfers are quarterback, offensive line, running back and in the secondary.
Players need to maximize a limited window to earn a spot in the lineup after camp begins in August, but spring practices are a chance for players to impress coaches and solidify habits that help them get a leg up on their competition.
2. Quarterbacks
The quarterback will be the focal point of UB’s offense – well, of any offense – but the Bulls have four to choose from this spring: Matt Myers, Cole Snyder, Brian Plummer and Casey Case.
Myers, Snyder, Plummer and Case have appeared in a combined 28 college games. Myers, who played at Bishop Timon and at West Seneca West, has the most experience of the four quarterbacks, having played in 18 games over the last four seasons for the Bulls. Snyder is a transfer from Rutgers who has played in nine games.
The spring game will give UB a chance to see the quarterbacks in game situations, and gives the staff a live evaluation of Snyder, the former Southwestern standout.
3. Incoming transfers
At least 23 UB players entered the transfer portal after a 4-8 season, including quarterback Kyle Vantrease, cornerback Aapri Washington and defensive lineman Eric Black. UB’s coaching staff, though, made use of the transfer portal and of junior-college recruits to fill the holes.
UB will see how the skills and experience of its transfers translate to its schemes. Among the incoming transfers to watch: Snyder, safety Jahmin Muse (Boston College), wide receivers Justin Marshall (Louisville) and Boobie Curry (Arizona), tight end Robbie Mangas (Dartmouth) and offensive lineman Sidney Walker (Connecticut).
4. Running back
One hole the Bulls couldn’t plug with a transfer in time for spring practices was at running back, following the departure of Dylan McDuffie, who will transfer to Georgia Tech.
Running back, though, is now an area where each candidate is in position to thrive. It’s also an area that isn’t worrying Linguist.
Kevin Marks Jr. missed time during the 2021 season due to a leg injury, which opened the door for McDuffie to have a 1,000-yard rushing season, and Linguist is confident another back will capitalize on the opportunity to play and to produce. The only question: Which player? It could be Ron Cook, Al-Jay Henderson, Mike Washington, Caron Robinson, Tajay Ahmed or Jackson Paradis.
Cook is UB’s leader among its returning rushers, with 617 yards and four touchdowns on 126 carries in three seasons.
5. Offensive line
The offensive line was depleted by graduation and transfers. The most recent came Wednesday, when longtime recruiting analyst Mike Farrell reported that tackle Deondre Doiron, who started 10 games at right tackle last season, entered the transfer portal. Starting center Bence Polgar is now at Missouri, while starters Jack Klenk (guard) and Jake Fuzak (tackle) exhausted their eligibility after last season.
The Bulls have only one returning starter on the offensive line in Gabe Wallace, who started 12 games at right tackle or at guard. The Bulls will be able to utilize Wallace’s versatility, but that still leaves four spots to fill. Expect either Walker, a transfer from Connecticut, or Jack Hasz, who joined the Bulls last summer as a transfer from Iowa Western Community College, to get more playing time at center, while Dom Polizzi will switch from defensive line to offensive line.
UB and the NFL draft
The NFL draft continues Friday with the second and third rounds, but don’t expect to see a player from UB drafted on the second day. Instead, anticipate that the Bulls will have players either selected in the late rounds Saturday or sign with NFL teams as undrafted free agents.
Among the Bulls’ NFL hopefuls are running back Kevin Marks, linebacker Kadofi Wright, cornerback Ja’Marcus Ingram, defensive end Taylor Riggins and defensive tackle Josh Rogers.
DraftScout.com projects Marks and Wright to sign as undrafted free agents.
Fifteen players from UB have been drafted by NFL teams. Last year, the Las Vegas Raiders selected UB defensive end Malcolm Koonce in the third round, at No. 79 overall.
