Poor grades force football team to let Piskorik go

The football team's quarterback situation, which was uncertain for much of last season, has grown even murkier, as the team's expected starter has been let go for academic reasons.

P.J. Piskorik, who played the better part of nine games for the Bulls in 2004, missed some time under center last year for his failure to meet academic requirements. Though the team has let Piskorik go, there still may be a chance the quarterback could return to the team next year.

"It was public knowledge that P.J. had missed two games, based on a violation of team policy regarding academics, and then subsequently, as the semester came to an end, I'm sure that he and we would have liked to see much better results," said Bulls' head coach Jim Hofher.

Hofher said Piskorik had a few chances to raise his grades, but the quarterback was unable to show Hofher as well as UB officials that he was making substantive progress.

"There have been ample chances, and there usually are ample chances for students to show that they are trying to work in a positive direction and unfortunately that didn't seem to be the situation," said Hofher.

The Buffalo News reported that Piskorik will not have his scholarship renewed, and Hofher would not specify whether or not the quarterback will be able to return to the football team his senior season.

With Piskorik out of the picture for now, the Bulls' quarterback situation gets more and more complicated with every passing day.

During Piskorik's two-game suspension this past season, Chris Moore and Datwan Hemingway stepped up for the Bulls along with Randall Secky. Since Secky is graduating this year, one would expect either Hemingway or Moore to step in and take the starting role for the Bulls in 2005.

Unfortunately, both players are sidelined for now - Hemingway for academics and Moore for an injury. Neither player is participating in the Bulls' spring workouts, and while Hofher expects them to come back, he acknowledges that by then, Hemingway and Moore might be behind the curve.

"Guys don't start where they finished, they start at the beginning," said Hofher. "There's a lot of time, there's a lot of change, their bodies change, and things in their life change."

Without Hemingway or Moore to step in at quarterback, the Bulls will look for an alternative. Their choices seem relatively limited, considering there are only two scholarship players at quarterback left: junior Stewart Sampsel and junior college transfer Tony Paoli.

Sampsel was in for a few plays his freshman year, but has not completed a pass in his collegiate career.

Paoli played for Palomar Junior College in California last season. He completed 23 touchdown passes.

The Bulls also have three walk-ons who will be trying out for the quarterback job next year.

The Bulls are not averse to giving playing time to walk-on players, as walk-on Aaron Sanders last year started at defensive end, and was somewhat a surprise to the coaching staff, recording a total of 47 tackles and leading the team with 6.5 sacks.

At this point, Hofher and the rest of the coaching staff do not have much information on their three walk-on quarterbacks: Josh Ramos, Robert Pitzonka and Rob Boyer.

"They all did a real nice job in our off-season program which was for eight weeks, the eight weeks of the semester that began back on Jan. 18," said Hofher. "They did a nice job doing everything that they're required to do in trying to develop."

Because of NCAA regulations, the team has not been able to practice in full pads, and they have only been practicing as a team for a few days.

"I've seen them in two days of practice doing individual work, working on their footwork and throwing to receivers making individual cuts," said Hofher. "I wouldn't say anything about evaluation of progress at this point."

In addition to Piskorik, the Bulls will not renew the scholarship of starting center Eric Weber because of academic reasons. Weber would have been entering his sixth season with the Bulls.

Hofher said the Bulls have several other options at center, however.

"We have Jamey Richard, a rising sophomore who started two games last year in Eric's absence, and Jeff Niedermier, a current freshman who would be a red-shirt freshman next fall," he said.

According to Hofher, the Bulls will be taking extra precautions to make sure they don't wear thin on their offensive line.

"We have to make sure to cross-train guards and tackles to make sure we have ample depth," he said.