A new breed

Saying sophomore quarterback Zach Maynard has big shoes to fill is somewhat unfair.

That presumes that an inexperienced starter can fill the vast void left by Drew Willy, Buffalo's all-time passing leader.

But Maynard, a 6-foot-3, 185-pound gunslinger from Greensboro, N.C., will hold the key to the Buffalo offensive hybrid this season. After throwing just three passes and attempting eight runs last season, Maynard will be expected to take an offense that scored over 30 points a game in 2008 and help it maintain its production level.

Head coach Turner Gill has placed his coaching chips on his new starting quarterback. Gill has seen Maynard work hard during the offseason and is confident the speedy Maynard will bring a new, more exciting look to his offense.

'The added dimension Maynard will add is that he is going to be able to create some things that are natural as far as his instincts to take off to run when the opportunity presents itself, and throwing the ball on the run a little bit more,' Gill said. 'He's going to be a pretty good threat for the defense. No matter how they try to contain him, they're going to have a challenge.'

Even though Maynard is a quarterback that can take off on any occasion, he downplays his running ability. He wants to be viewed a guy that can effectively deliver the ball to his corps of receivers and tight ends: not an occasional thrower that will take off and run whenever possible.

'I can run a little bit and get outside the pocket when I need to, but I always look to pass first,' Maynard said. 'If the pass is there I'm going to throw it, if I'm in trouble I'll look for my checkdown, then I'll run if necessary.'

While backing up Willy for nine games last season, Maynard used every opportunity to observe the efficient signal caller work and pick his brain.

'Leadership wise, he was a senior and played here for four years,' he said. 'He showed me some things on offense like knowing where my checkdown was, telling me I don't have to force the ball every time I throw, and showing that I could get outside the pocket and throw out of bounds.'

Last year was not the only time Maynard needed to dedicate endless hours to learn about the quarterback position. He spent most of his off-season in Buffalo working with his teammates, reviewing the playbook with his new offensive coordinator Danny Barrett, and expanding his muscle mass in the weight room.

Two teammates Maynard worked with were senior wide receivers Naaman Roosevelt and Brett Hamlin. Both receivers had an extensive bond with Willy and combined for 142 catches, 1,861 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Maynard started building the same kind of relationship with both receivers over the summer.

'[Roosevelt, Hamlin and I] connected really well during spring ball and in the fall. They let me know what's going to be in front of me, when they're going to get open and when they're going to be stepping inside or outside,' Maynard said. 'There is a lot of chemistry there between us.'

Maynard is more confident in the offensive system than he was midway through last year. Originally planning on redshirting the rangy quarterback, Gill was forced to burn Maynard's redshirt when Willy was hurt during Buffalo's game at Central Michigan.

All of the sudden, Maynard became a Division I quarterback. Although Maynard only took part in one play that day, he would make appearances in Buffalo's next seven games despite his overall knowledge.

Now after eight games and an entire offseason of Quarterback 101, Maynard's self-confidence is high.

'I feel a whole lot better about the offense right now. I've learned a lot through camp and spring ball,' he said. 'Experience is key when you play top football in college and I'm figuring that out now.'

For Gill, it's now about going out this season, which starts against UTEP on Saturday, and executing.

'When the spotlight's on you, the question is ‘how do you perform,' he said. 'I really like his demeanor and his body language. He has a pretty good understanding of the offense and he knows what to do, but he needs to execute, that's the bottom line.'