Sometimes all it takes for a revolution is one person's determination, desire and vision. The football fans here in Buffalo have head coach Turner Gill to thank for their team's fast turnaround.
Raised in Fort Worth, Texas, Gill began his life in football as the quarterback at Arlington Heights High School. From there, he was recruited by the University of Nebraska to play both football and baseball.
Gill started as Nebraska's quarterback for three seasons in which he led the Cornhuskers to an impeccable record of 28-2. In 1983, Gill was a Heisman Trophy finalist, losing to teammate Mike Rozier. He was later selected as the starting quarterback to the Big Eight '80s All-Decade team.
Before landing in Buffalo, Gill began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Nebraska. Gill then spent one season at both North Texas University and Southern Methodist University before he returned to Nebraska as a quarterback coach from 1992-2003. In 2004, Gill was moved to Nebraska's wide receiver coach.
Gill won three National Championships while at Nebraska and coached quarterback Eric Crouch to a Heisman trophy in 2001.
In 2005, the Green Bay Packers hired Gill as the Director of Player Development where he taught young players certain life skills and strategies needed throughout a career in football. Gill prepared these players for life during football, but more importantly, life when football is over.
If Gill had not followed the road of coaching, he said he would have liked to been some kind of minister, instructing young men about life, much like he did while in Green Bay.
"No regrets for me," he said. "I'm in a win-win situation here."
At the end of 2005, Buffalo signed Gill as the head coach with hopes that he would turn around a football program that had a hard time getting out of the Division-I gutter.
Since Gill began as the Bulls' leader, the team has grown as a competitor, both in the Mid-American Conference and the collegiate level as a whole. In 2006, the Bulls finished with a record of 2-10 while the team record for most points scored in a season since joining the MAC.
The following year, the Bulls' run got even stronger, finishing out the season with an overall record of 5-7 (5-3 Mid-American Conference). Gill was named the 2007 MAC Coach of the Year and Buffalo rewarded him by extending his contract through 2012.
Gill is very excited about the Bulls' success and loves the community that he has become a part of since joining Western New York.
"My favorite thing about living in Buffalo would have to be the people here in the Western New York area," Gill said. "Everybody is community related and help out in the neighborhoods and come out and form a kind of family outside the family."
The atmosphere Gill described applies to both the area surrounding the University of Buffalo as well as the school itself.
"I love the diversity of the school. I love the leadership of the school with President John Simpson and what he is all about," Gill said. "I love that we're starting a program athletically that is getting the student body excited about athletics and football. It's been great to get established here in what is also a great academic institution."
When asked about his goals for the rest of the 2008 season, Gill replied without hesitation.
"We want to win a MAC Championship and go to a bowl game," Gill said. "Furthermore, I would like to win a MAC Championship every year as head coach and see every player on our roster graduate in four and a half years or less with a degree."
Gill strongly feels that academics are the key to success while here at the university
Although he doesn't get much of it, Gill likes to spend his leisurely time by reading the Bible, enjoying the company of his wife and two daughters, or out golfing. Gill said that the person that has influenced his life more than anybody and made him into the person he is today is Jesus Christ.
Gill expressed his gratitude for the support he has received from his fellow faculty, staff, and students at the university.
"I greatly appreciate the every part of the student body," he said. "The True Blue group, the fans, the cheerleaders and everybody that's coming out to the games. We really appreciate it and hope everybody continues to come out and cheer on the team and support Buffalo football."
One can only expect the crowds to increase at UB Stadium as the season progresses and the support to pour down on Gill and his Bulls. With school spirit at the highest it's been in a long time, the Bulls can expect to have a lot of energy to feed off of as they continue their quest to a 2008 MAC Championship with Gill on the sidelines.
Staff Writer Matt Weber contributed to this article.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
