When Jeff Quinn was brought in to be the head coach of UB's football team in 2009, he was expected to do better than 9-27 through his first three seasons.
Despite Quinn's below-average start with his new program, first-year Athletic Director Danny White saw fit to give Quinn a five-year contract extension through 2017 - a highly debated decision on campus and in the Buffalo area.
"You look at the record and that's certainly not what we expected," Quinn said. "I know we were competitive in every game [last year], but down the stretch, there's two ways a team can go, and this team decided to come together. It demonstrated they had the fight and determination and passion to finish. And I think that was recognized by our new athletic director."
Quinn is referring to the team's spirited finish to last year's regular season - the Bulls won three of their last four games after starting the year 1-7 - that at least partially prompted his extension.
Placing the trust of UB football in Quinn's hands for the foreseeable future may have been a questionable decision at the time, but with a rise in academia, games scheduled to put the team in the national spotlight and a plethora of NFL caliber talent, it appears the program is making strides on and off the field.
The team's overall GPA has risen for three consecutive semesters and is currently at the highest it has been in Quinn's tenure - an accomplishment he thinks is paying off on the gridiron.
"I can see it taking place on the field because you can't win on the field until you win off the field and I think our kids understand that," Quinn said.
This upcoming season features games against power conference opponents Ohio State and Baylor, a home game played at the Bills' Ralph Wilson Stadium and Buffalo's final four games of the season being broadcast on the ESPN networks.
In April, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected former Bulls linebacker Steven Means in the fifth round of the NFL Draft. This year's team has three seniors who all have the potential to follow Means to the NFL - including Khalil Mack, who is regarded as one the best linebackers in the entire country.
"We get an opportunity to play a great schedule in 2013," Quinn said. "We had a guy drafted. There's a lot of things when you look at the total body of work that you see the program heading in the right direction."
Of course, the program's steps toward becoming a legitimate contender won't be solidified until the team proves itself on the field. The timing seems fitting, as this year's team has sky-high expectations.
"Certainly there's a sense of urgency to get the results that we need and I think this team is capable of that," Quinn said.
The Bulls return 17 starters from last season's team, including the core of the offense.
Sophomore quarterback Joe Licata went 3-1 last season as the team's starter, senior running back Branden Oliver is just 626 yards shy of breaking the school's all-time rushing record and senior receiver Alex Neutz was named to the All-MAC second team last season.
Six Bulls were named to Phil Steele's preseason All-MAC teams. Despite the anticipation for a turn-around, Quinn's mantra hasn't changed.
"Our destination will never change," Quinn said. "It's a process and every single year we set a very simple goal and that is to be extremely competitive every single game and get the results necessary. I've said I want every player to graduate with a degree from UB and to compete for MAC championships and this season is no different than it was last season."
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Photo: Courtesy of UB Athletics
