.png&width=22&height=22&type=webp)
Paul Peck's Bull Session: NIU
11/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Each week, Voice of Bulls Football Paul Peck will preview the upcoming game.
Buffalo (5-4, 3-2) vs. Northern Illinois (6-3, 4-1)
4th & 19 and the Joe Jump Pass. Those two plays from the game-winning touchdown drive against Kent State have already taken their place in UB football history. The fourth quarter comeback against the Golden Flashes would not have occurred without those two memorable moments. They were a combination of what good teams need to win: smarts, execution and luck.
The 4th & 19 conversion was all three. Marcus McGill beat his defender deep, Joe Licata knew there was single coverage, and the official threw a flag for pass interference. Additional luck came from the fact that the player trying to cover McGill was a freshman defensive back who was on the field because Kent State starter Jordan Italiano was ejected for targeting. Licata's winning touchdown pass to tight end Matt Weiser also had all three elements. Joe had the smarts to see an opening and made the decision to run. Weiser kept his eye on his QB even as he began to block on what he thought was a run. Licata executed the jump pass (prompted by a basketball shooting session between the teammates two nights earlier) and Weiser caught it. The luck came from the same freshman who fouled McGill trying to cover Weiser. It was a huge win, and the kind that gives a team confidence. As this season moves closer to a bowl game, those two plays will be a big reason why.
Tonight, if the Bulls want to beat Northern Illinois, they'll need more smarts, execution and luck. The Huskies are the class of the MAC. Their 62 wins since 2010 trail only Alabama, Oregon and Florida State. They've won 20 straight November games. They've also won 21 of their last 22 games against the MAC East.
Bullseye on: Buffalo Offense
Tonight, Licata has a chance to make UB history. He needs just 167 yards to pass Drew Willy and become the school's all-time leading passer. It will be a special moment for a player who has been a UB standout on and off the field. Licata is two touchdowns away from the MAC's all-time top ten.
Weiser's first catch will set a new UB record for catches by a tight end in one season. Weiser has 45, tied with the record held by Chad Bartoszek. Weiser continues to lead the Bulls in catches, one of the few tight ends in the NCAA to have that distinction. Ron Willoughby's consecutive catch streak is up to 20 straight games. He has a touchdown reception in four of this last five games.
Another key to the comeback win against Kent State was the running of Anthone Taylor. He had 27 yards in the fourth quarter, and appears to be fully recovered from his ankle injury. The Bulls offensive line went through some upheaval against Kent State. With guards Dillon Guy and Brandon Manosalvas out, the Bulls used two different combinations. They started with Andy Fidler at left guard and Roubbens Joseph at right guard. Then, at other points. Bobby Blodgett would move from right tackle to left guard and Tyler O'Henly would play right tackle. For one play, when John Kling lost his helmet, Blodgett played his third position of the night by moving to left tackle.
The Huskies lead the MAC in interceptions, and their leader is cornerback Shawun Lurry. His 7 picks are second in the nation. Seven other NIU players have one interception. Lurry has 19 passes defensed, and that leads the nation. The Bulls' Boise Ross is second with 18. Safety Marlon Moore leads the team in tackles with 67. He made his first career start against UB in 2012, and had 2 interceptions of Alex Zordich in that 45-3 win. The Huskies defense has forced 37 three-and-out series. They have given up only 13 red zone touchdowns in 28 opponent trips inside the 20. Those are the second-fewest red zone TD given up by any MAC team.
Bullseye on: Buffalo Defense
For the third straight week, the Bulls defense will face a freshman quarterback. They beat Miami's Billy Bahl and Kent State's George Bollas, and now they face NIU's Ryan Graham. He's starting because of an Achilles injury to Drew Hare. Hare had been the MAC's seventh-ranked passer. Graham came in last week against Toledo, and led the Huskies to the big win. He did it by running for 41 yards (including a 38 yard scamper) and completing 9/12 passes. Tonight will be his first career start. At one point, Graham was fifth on the NIU QB depth chart, but had been the third-stringer for most of the season. Hare's original backup, Anthony Maddie, is already out for the season. Graham is more of a runner, who was a successful option QB in high school. He's also got good bloodlines. His father Dan played for the Huskies and in the NFL. His uncle Kent played at Notre Dame and for 10 years in the NFL with the Steelers, Giants & Cardinals.
Graham has excellent weapons at receiver, although it looks like he'll be missing one of them. Kenny Golladay is a six-foot-four, big play wideout who is fifth in the MAC in catches. He's had three 100 yard games, including 213 yards against UNLV. Because of his height and athleticism, he'll be a challenge for Boise Ross and Marqus Baker.
It looks like speedster Tommylee Lewis will miss the game with a knee injury. He's the perfect complement to Golladay, and had over 100 yards receiving against Toledo in the first half before he was hurt. Huskies backup wide receiver and punt returner Chad Beebe is the son of former Bills receiver Don Beebe. Chad was born in Buffalo in 1994 while his father was still with the Bills. NIU tight ends Desroy Maxwell and Shane Wimann have combined for six touchdown catches, four by Wimann and two by Maxwell.
The real star of the Huskies offense is running back Joel Bouagnon. He's 51 yards away from 1,000 for the season, and that leads the MAC. Bouagnon's 15 touchdowns lead the conference and are fifth in the NCAA. He's a big reason NIU has scored 27 touchdowns on their 37 trips inside the red zone. Northern Illinois has a veteran offensive line. Center Andrew Ness & guard Aiden Conlon have both started 51 straight games.
The Huskies have 25 drives of less than 2:00, and 18 drives of five plays or less…The Bulls still lead the nation in defensive touchdowns with six. But their edge over Arkansas State and Oklahoma State is down to one.
Here's the most impressive stat about the Buffalo defense. They've given up more than 30 points only once, to Central Michigan. That includes holding a Bowling Green team averaging 46 points, to just 28. NIU is averaging 36 points per game. The Bulls defense held Kent State to justnine yards in the fourth quarter. That includes two three-and-out series with the game on the line. Okezie Alozie had 12 tackles, a sack and 4 tackles for loss against the Flashes. His 10 tackles for loss are tied for sixth in the MAC.
With three games left, the Bulls have allowed 39 plays of 20 yards or more. Last season, in 11 games, the UB defense gave up 67 of those long plays…Backup cornerbacks Cameron Lewis and Brandon Williams have seen more playing time in the nickel and dime defense, and both have been impressive.
Bullseye on: Tyler Grassman
For the second straight week, the Bulls punter and kickoff man was named the MAC East's Special Teams Player of the Week. Against Kent State, Grassman averaged 40.7 yards and put six of his eight punts inside the 20. All four of his kickoffs were touchbacks. That's a big stat heading into this week's game. NIU returner Aregeros Turner leads the MAC with a 26 yard average. He took a kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown against Boston College. "Touchback Tyler" has 23 touchbacks this season, almost half of all his kicks this year. That is the fourth highest total in the MAC.
Please join me, color analyst Jim Kubiak, sideline reporter Scott Wilson, game host Brad Riter and postgame host Bob Gaughan for the broadcast on the Bulls Football Network. Our pregame show starts at 7:00pm. You can hear it in Buffalo on ESPN 1520 (www.espn1520.com), in Rochester on Sports 1280 WHTK (www.foxsports1280.com).
