By Jonah Bronstein
Since the last time the Buffalo Bulls played at UB Stadium, they’ve claimed a Mid-American Conference championship, played in a bowl game and won a road game to open the season for the first time in 29 years.
They’ve also changed starters at quarterback, tailback, receiver and three spots along the offensive line.
UB’s rebuilt-on-the-fly offense will face perhaps its stoutest opposition of the season in Saturday’s home opener against Pittsburgh.
Coach Dave Wannstedt’s defense has seven starters back from a unit that ranked among the nation’s top 30 in six statistical categories last season. Over the final five games of 2008, the Panthers gave up an average of 12.6 points. In Saturday’s 38-3 win over Division I-AA Youngstown State, they allowed just 159 yards.
“Their front seven is probably the best we’re going to face,” UB coach Turner Gill said Tuesday. “Size and strength ... those are the first two things that stand out. They’re able to rush the passer and play the run very well.”
Pitt didn’t blitz at all in its opener, Wannstedt said, but is prepared to put pressure on Zach Maynard, the sophomore quarterback who will make his second start for UB. The Bulls made blitz preparation a priority for Maynard in training camp, due to his inexperience as well as the pressuring scheme used by their first opponent, Texas-El Paso.
Gill said right guard Rob Colpoys (Niagara-Wheatfield), center Matt Bacoulis and left tackle Matt Ostrowski performed well in their first career starts, but that returning left guard Peter Bittner was the most impressive offensive lineman against UTEP.
“That was the best game he’s played,” Gill said of the redshirt junior who has started 27 straight games. “He was a little more aggressive. He wasn’t tentative. He did some good things right on the line of scrimmage. He pulled great, good pass protection.”
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UB lost 27-16 at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field in the second week of last season, but it was a one-point game for more than three quarters.
“We left some plays out there on the field last year,” senior tight end Jesse Rack said. “Certain plays, if they would’ve went our way, you never know what the outcome would’ve been.”
Though the Panthers have been installed as 11-point favorites, Rack said the Bulls aren’t embracing the underdog role.
“Last year playing them, we felt like an underdog,” Rack said. “But after winning the MAC championship ... we feel like we can compete with them.”
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The Bulls did a decent job against current Philadelphia Eagle LeSean McCoy last year, holding him to 93 yards.
This year, they’ll have to contend with Dion Lewis, a true freshman from Albany who rushed for 129 yards and three touchdowns against Youngstown State. Lewis’ yardage total was the highest ever by a Pitt freshman. The previous record was set in 1973 — by Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett.
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A sore calf may keep receiver Naaman Roosevelt (St. Joe’s) from practicing in the early part of this week, but Gill said he will play Saturday.
Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Ghokan Ozkan is also ready to return from a knee injury that kept him out of the season opener, Gill said.
No other injuries were reported.
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The only notable change on the Bulls depth chart is true freshman Darius Willis now being listed as the starting strong side linebacker. Willis was beaten out by Imani Chatman in training camp, but started Saturday after the team announced Chatman had been ruled academically ineligible.
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UB has distributed more than 16,000 tickets for Saturday’s game, and is expecting more than 5,000 students to attend. Sales were brisk Tuesday, and athletic department officials are hopeful that the attendance figure will approach stadium capacity of 25,500.
E-mail reporter Jonah Bronstein at jonah.bronstein@niagara-gazette.com
