Bulls head to 'Cuse seeking first Win

After a long, quiet trip home from a deflating defeat at the University of Connecticut last week, the UB football team hopes to return from the Carrier Dome on Saturday with a lot more joy and even a win, as the Bulls take on the Big East's Syracuse Orange.

Last Thursday, UB (0-1) was shut out in its season opener against UConn, another Big East team, 38-0. Head coach Jim Hofher faulted the team as whole, admitting that there are many areas in which the team needs to improve.

"We can look at the final score and man, we can find all kinds of ways to really be critical," Hofher said. "It was not one particular side or the other. It was UB, period."

While the score was lopsided and crushing to the Bulls, who went into the game with a renewed confidence after last season's 2-9 finish, Hofher sees the loss as a learning tool.

"Certainly the first ball game showed there's plenty of work to do," Hofher said.

Buffalo was unable to make substantial progress at Rentschler Field in almost any aspect. The Bulls offense only tallied 137 yards while the Huskies dominated the field with 422 yards on offense. Junior quarterback Stewart Sampsel completed six of 17 for 51 yards in his first starting appearance for the Bulls.

Hofher sees ample opportunity for development on all fronts against Syracuse (0-1).

"There's still lots and lots of time in the season for improvement. That clearly has to be our focus: become an improving football team," Hofher said. "(Improvement) will certainly give us a better chance to have victory but it won't happen without improvement in almost every phase."

Hofher may know the key to finding success for his oft-beaten team, but he also knows the remedy isn't an overnight process.

"There is no magic to it. There really isn't," Hofher said. "And you can't (say), 'Oh I hope I get better next time.' It's not like that. You go back to work, you look at tape with a critical eye, and you work to get better."

One area in which UB needs to improve is the running game. The Bulls registered just 77 yards rushing in a game in which their opponents ran for 290. UB's leading rusher was junior Steven King, who netted 56 yards in 11 attempts.

"With us, we need to be able to run the ball fairly effectively, if not really effectively," Hofher said. "I'm very confident that we can and that we will."

Confidence was in full force in front of a sellout crowd at UB Stadium when the Bulls opened at home against the Orange last season. Buffalo led Syracuse for just over two minutes in regulation in the second quarter but the success ended there.

Syracuse won, 37-17, thanks in part to now-senior Anthony Smith's two blocked punts that were later converted into touchdowns.

Punt protection may have been an issue last year, but return coverage was a bigger issue for the Bulls against UConn.

"We protected our punter just fine. We just didn't cover worth a darn," Hofher said. "Our guys have seen it and they can't like it. Shame on us for not having been more aggressive, but I think we got on eggshells pretty quickly because of (UConn punt returner Larry Taylor). We've got to learn to play with more confidence and go get the guy."

Hofher also recognizes the talent the Orange will have lining up against the Buffalo offense. Syracuse only has one new starter on the defensive side of the ball, returning six to their starting lineup including senior James Wyche. Wyche lines up at defensive end and is a 2005 Lombardi Award and All-America candidate.

"(Syracuse is) very experienced certainly in the defensive front but really experienced defensively overall," Hofher said. "I think they have lots of range, lots of height. They did a terrific job intentionally working to strip against the ball carrier and they did it very well."

Not only does Buffalo have to prepare for the opponents on the field, but the Bulls will also have to contend with the Carrier Dome faithful, tallying 49,000 plus.

"It's an enclosed place and it is tough," Hofher said. "We know it'll be loud. It's still 11 on 11."

Saturday's contest will be the seventh time the two teams meet, dating back to 1896. Syracuse has won the past two games with UB's last victory coming in 1899.

"I don't know that we can suggest that it's a rivalry until both sides have success against each other," Hofher said.

If UB is successful in Syracuse on Saturday, it will be the first time the Bulls have won at the Carrier Dome. The last time Buffalo headed to the venue, the Orange was unrelenting, winning 63-7.

UB and Syracuse are scheduled to kickoff at 3:30 p.m. with local radio coverage on WGR-550 AM.