AMHERST — Sure, the Buffalo Bulls missed James Starks’ big-play ability last season, but they didn’t have much trouble rushing the ball. The tailback position gained 1,672 yards on the ground and rushed for 17 touchdowns in 12 games.

The three most productive tailbacks — Ike Nduka, Brandon Thermilus and Jeffvon Gill — combined for more than 1,400 yards and all returned for this season.

Yet, when the UB offense takes the field for tonight’s season opener against Rhode Island, it will start redshirt freshman Branden Oliver in the backfield.

New coach Jeff Quinn said he “cleared the slate” when he took over in January, and opened every starting position up to competition.

“Branden has done a tremendous job of preparing and performing and just his effort and his mental ability to lock in,” Quinn said. “You see him hustling from one play to the next. Half the time he is running down the field, 30, 40 yards and he’s already set up, ready to run the play when half the other guys have barely gone two yards. You can tell his energy and enthusiasm for the game is genuine.”

The 5-foot-7, 194-pound Oliver is related to Buffalo Bills wide receiver Roscoe Parrish, and while he laughed when asked if he was as quick as his cousin, Oliver has the same shifty style of running.

“Bo is pretty close to James Starks as one of the top running backs I’ve played against,” Bulls safety Davonte Shannon said. “Once he gets in the open field, you see the lane open up and its you and him. You’ve got to take your chance, you’ve got to shoot your gun. He cuts up the defense pretty regularly during practice. I’m excited to see what he can do against other teams.”

Oliver’s ascension to the top of the depth chart certainly raised eyebrows. It means last year’s leading rusher, Nduka, was now the third tailback in a one-back system. Thermilus, the son of former NFL player Alonzo Highsmith, was touted by Mel Kiper Jr. earlier this summer as the top draft prospect on the UB roster. Gill was set to redshirt last season before ankle injuries to Nduka and Thermilus caused the coaching staff to decide that he, not Oliver, should be activated. He went out and, like Nduka, averaged more than six yards per carry.

“We’re going to try like heck to see every one of them get in there and compete,” Quinn said. “Obviously, we want them to understand its a competitive situation and every day, every moment is an opportunity for that other guy to step up and show that they’re a complete player at each respective position.”

When the other backs relieve Oliver, it won’t happen during drives, because substitutions will slow down the Bulls’ up-tempo offense.

“When you change personnel, the referees will slow down the game to allow the defense to change personnel,” Quinn said. “As soon as (the umpire) gets out of the way, I want the ball snapped. That umpire has to move fast. That’s what I’m going to talk to him about.”

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Two years ago, the Bulls played their home opener against UTEP on the same night that the Bills played a home preseason game. UB athletics director Warde Manuel and then-Bills general manager Russ Brandon said the scheduling conflict couldn’t be avoided, but wouldn’t happen again.

Lo and behold, UB opens the season tonight while the Bills play a preseason game in Detroit. 

“Russ and I have talked about that, we knew they were going to be away around that time,” Manuel said. “In the future we’re going to try and coordinate and if we can, we will, and if we can’t, we understand that we have to do what’s best for our schedule.”

Manuel said that if UB has a home game scheduled for the first week, it prefers to play on Thursday night because so many students will leave campus on Friday for Labor Day weekend.

That the Bills are on the road tonight and not hosting one of their popular Kids Day games like in 2008 should help the Bulls maximize attendance.

The 2008 game against Baylor drew an announced crowd of 16,656.

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Quinn put the Bulls through a very physical training camp that did not result in very many injuries. Freshman offensive lineman Jeff Veinotte had season-ending knee surgery last month, and starting defensive end Jerry House (knee) is doubtful to play tonight. 

GAME NIGHT

UB vs. Rhode Island

• WHERE: UB Stadium

• WHEN: 7:30 p.m.

• RADIO: WECK 1230 (Paul Peck, Jim Kubiak, Nick Mendola)

• TV: TW-13 (Howard Simon, Ruben Brown)