Quinn Named 24th Buffalo Head Football Coach
12/22/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
BUFFALO, NY – Jeff Quinn was introduced as the 24th head coach in the history of the University at Buffalo football program by Director of Athletics Warde Manuel today.
Quinn, who will start at Buffalo on January 3rd after serving as the interim head coach at Cincinnati in their Sugar Bowl matchup with Florida, has produced record-breaking offenses throughout his 27-year college coaching tenure and has won conference and national championships at his last three stops, including five conference crowns in the past eight seasons. He replaces Turner Gill, who left Buffalo with a 20-30 overall mark when he took the head coaching job at Kansas on December 14.
Said University President John B. Simpson, "I am very pleased that Jeff Quinn will be joining the University at Buffalo. His extensive coaching experience and proven leadership skills make him a great choice as our program continues to gain national stature. From my conversations with Jeff, I know that he shares UB's institutional commitment to excellence and that he will work hard to help our student-athletes succeed in the classroom as well as on the playing field.
"I commend Warde Manuel for assembling a strong, competitive pool of candidates, and I enthusiastically endorse his choice of Jeff Quinn as UB's next head football coach," said Simpson.
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"I am elated to welcome Coach Quinn to Buffalo and look forward to the continued growth of our program under his leadership," said Manuel. "We have proven that this program can win championships and with Coach Quinn's pedigree and track record of success, that should become an annual expectation for our football team.
"I believe that we have hired one of the sharpest offensive minds in all of college football and someone who will bring great excitement to our program," said Manuel. "In addition, Coach Quinn has proven himself as an outstanding recruiter both nationally and within the Mid-American Conference. He has coached and won at every level and truly cares about the development of student-athletes as young men and football players. For all these reasons and more, I am anxious to see what the next chapter of UB football brings."
As offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Cincinnati for the past three seasons, Quinn has helped the Bearcats compile a 33-6 record, including a 12-0 record this year and a national No. 4 ranking heading into the Sugar Bowl meeting with defending national champion Florida.
Quinn was named one of five finalists for the 2009 Broyles Award, which is given to the nation's top assistant coach. Unranked in preseason polls, Cincinnati's undefeated regular season catapulted the Bearcats to No. 3 in the BCS standings and earned them an invitation to the Allstate Sugar Bowl, the school's second consecutive BCS game. UC set numerous school records in 2009, including those for wins (12), road wins (6), consecutive regular season wins (18), points (495), passing yards (3,844), fewest fumbles (10) and fewest turnovers (10).
Behind Quinn's offensive line, the Bearcats have had an individual top the 100-yard plateau in six of the last eight games and eight out of 12 games overall. UC has topped 200-yards rushing on three occasions and has set the school record for points and touchdowns. Offensive tackle Jeff Linkenbach was a midseason selection to the SI.com all-America squad.
UC leads the nation in passing efficiency (166.19) despite using five different quarterbacks through the course of the season. The Bearcats rank sixth in passing offense (320.3), scoring offense (39.8), and total offense (464.3) and 10th in sacks allowed (0.9) behind Quinn's coordination of the offense.
Eleven UC student-athletes were honored as all-BIG EAST selections, including four out of Quinn's five starting offensive linemen. Chris Jurek (1st), Alex Hoffman (2nd), Jason Kelce (2nd), and Linkenbach (2nd) earned all-BIG EAST honors in 2009.
No stranger to the Mid-American Conference and its recruiting footprint, Quinn served as associate head coach and offensive coordinator at Central Michigan prior to his stint at Cincinnati and helped lead the Chippewas to the 2006 MAC title. He served as interim head coach for Central Michigan's 31-14 victory over Middle Tennessee in the 2006 Motor City Bowl prior to joining the UC staff.
He arrived at CMU in 2004 after 15 seasons at Grand Valley State. He was part of the staff that led the Lakers to back-to-back national championships in 2002 and 2003. The 2001 Laker offense averaged 600.8 yards and set an NCAA record by averaging 58.4 points per game.
During his career, Quinn has coached 12 offensive linemen who have played in the professional ranks, including first, fourth, fifth, and seventh round NFL Draft choices, as well as 22 players who have earned All-America status. In 2008, Quinn mentored Offensive guard Trevor Canfield, who was an Associated Press Second-Team All-America selection, the first UC offensive lineman to earn a spot on the AP team since Bill Shalosky in 1952.
He is a 1984 graduate of Elmhurst College where he was a two-sport standout in football and wrestling. Quinn was twice named Student-Athlete of the Year at Elmhurst. He was inducted into Elmhurst's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993.
Quinn earned a master of arts degree from DePauw in 1986 and an educational leadership master's degree endorsement from GVSU in 2000. He and his wife Shannon have two sons, Kyle and Ryan. Kyle serves as the undergraduate student representative to the UC Board of Trustees.
The Jeff Quinn File
Personal Information
Date of Birth: Sept. 26, 1962
Wife: Shannon
Children: Kyle and Ryan
Education: Elmhurst (1984), B.A. in Education
DePauw (1986), M.A. in Educational Leadership
Grand Valley State (2000), M.Ed. (Endorsement)
Coaching Experience
Years Positions School
1984-85 – Graduate Assistant, DePauw
1986-88 – Offensive Line, Ohio Northern Head Wrestling
Coach
1989-2003 – Associate Head Coach/Offensive Line/Offensive
Coordinator, Grand Valley State
2004-05 – Associate Head Coach/Offensive Line, Central
Michigan
2006 – Associate Head Coach/Offensive Line/Offensive
Coordinator, Central Michigan
2007-09 – Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line,
Cincinnati
2010 – Head Coach, Buffalo
What They Are Saying About Jeff Quinn
"Buffalo has got an experienced, talented and prepared
head football coach in Jeff Quinn. He has been very choosy in his
desire to be a head football coach and he felt Buffalo was just a
great fit. I wish him the best and expect great things at the
University at Buffalo from Jeff Quinn."
-Brian Kelly
Head football coach, Notre Dame
"Jeff Quinn was a pivotal part of the tremendous coaching
staff built over the years at the University of Cincinnati, and was
an important player in the success enjoyed by the UC Bearcats. It
is my hope that same magic follows Jeff to the University at
Buffalo."
–SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher
President of University of Cincinnati (2003-09)
"We have followed Coach Quinn's Cincinnati offense
quite closely here in Indianapolis. They have been up-tempo,
exciting, and exceptionally productive. I'm certain UB
students, alumni and fans will be very happy with the Bulls'
squad Coach Quinn will produce."
–Bill Polian
President, Indianapolis Colts
"Jeff Quinn is one the most enthusiastic, passionate
football coaches I have ever known. His knowledge of football is
second to none and his wide-open brand of football will bring
excitement to all UB fans. The other coaches in the MAC will have
their hands full preparing for our UB football team."
–Jim McNally
UB Class of '62
Long-time NFL offensive line coach
