Old Dominion
Bulls Close Out Non-Conference Play at Old Dominion on Saturday
9/21/2021 2:08:00 PM | Football
Buffalo (1-2, 0-0 MAC) at Old Dominion (1-2, 0-0 CUSA)
September 25, 2021
S.B. Ballard Stadium - 6:00 pm
Radio
Buffalo - ESPN 1520
Rochester - Fox Sports 1280
Television
ESPN+
Storylines
• This is the first meeting between Buffalo and Old Dominion.
• Three members of the UB football team hail from Norfolk, VA, including running back Kevin Marks (Norview), cornerback Isaiah King (Norview) and wide receiver Khamron Laborn (Maury).
• Taylor Riggins has 17.5 career sacks, good for seventh in program history. He is a half sack behind Dave May (1983-86) and Malcolm Koonce (2017-20) for sixth place and a full sack behind Steven Means (2009-12) for fifth place.
• Kevin Marks is two rushing touchdowns shy of tying Branden Oliver (2010-13) for third in school history with 33.
• Alex McNulty (139) is eight points shy of Dallas Pelz (2000-03) for fourth place in program history in career scoring by a kicker.
• UB is one of only two teams in the country to not allow a sack this season (SMU). Quarterback Kyle Vantrease has only been sacked twice in the last 17 games.
• The Bulls lead the MAC in scoring offense (32.3) and scoring defense (21.0).
• Kevin Marks is 158 yards shy of becoming just the sixth player in program history to rush for 3,000 career yards.
• Tight Ends coach Ron Whitcomb was the quarterbacks coach at Old Dominion from 2008-19.
Bulls Close Out Non-Conference Play at Old Dominion on Saturday
The University at Buffalo football team will conclude non-conference play when they play at Old Dominion on Saturday night.
Buffalo is coming off a hard-fought 28-25 loss to #16 Coastal Carolina last Saturday. Defensive end Taylor Riggins led the Bulls with seven tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss and two forced fumbles.
Old Dominion is 1-2 on the season and is coming off a 45-17 loss at Liberty last Saturday. The Monarchs are led by running back Elijah Davis who has rushed for 235 yards and two touchdowns on the season.
This is the first meeting between the schools.
Welcome Back Taylor
After a breakout season in 2019, Taylor Riggins missed the entire 2020 campaign with an injury. The Bulls' defensive end is now healthy and returning to his All-MAC form.
Riggins was a first-team All-MAC selection in 2019 after posting 50 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. He ranked second in the conference in sacks in 2019.
Riggins is tied for the MAC lead with four sacks through three games. He now has 17.5 career sacks - good for seventh in school history. He was named the MAC East Defensive Player of the Week following his standout performance against Coastal Carolina.
Johnson Stepping Up
Since making the move from quarterback to wide receiver prior to the 2019 season, Dominic Johnson is enjoying his best season at his new position. Johnson was originally recruited as a quarterback and played the position from 2016-18. But with a crowded quarterback room, the athletic Johnson was given the opportunity to get on the field as a wide receiver.
Against Coastal Carolina, the sixth-year senior had six catches for 66 yards - both career highs. His six receptions were one more than he had all of last season.
He is the Bulls' second leading receiver with 11 catches for 120 yards. His 11 receptions are one more than the total fom his first two seasons playing the position.
Buffalo vs. C-USA
The Bulls are 6-8 all-time against schools from Conference USA. The Bulls beat Charlotte in the 2019 Bahamas Bowl, are 2-0 against Florida Atlantic (2015, 2017) and 2-0 against UTEP (2008, 2009). Buffalo is 1-8 against Marshall. However, those nine meetings were all before the Thundering Herd joined C-USA, with most coming as Mid-American Conference foes.
Homecoming for Three Bulls
Saturday's game will be a homecoming for three Bulls who hail from Norfolk, VA. Running back Kevin Marks, cornerback Isaiah King and wide receiver Khamron Laborn are all from the Mermaid City.
Marks and King were teammates at Norview High School. Marks rushed for 2,364 and 36 touchdowns his senior season. King, who played wide receiver for Pilots, had 523 receiving yards and seven touchdowns his senior season.
Laborn, a graduate of Maury High School, scored 44 touchdowns over his career.
Ball Control
Through three games this season, the Bulls have run more plays and won the time of possession against each opponent.
The Bulls ran 28 more plays than Wagner, 22 more plays than Nebraska and seven more plays than Coastal Carolina.
In terms of time of possession, the Bulls were +8:08 against Wagner, +4:00 against Nebraska and +3:08 against Coastal Carolina.
Moving the Chains
The Bulls lead the MAC and rank 12th nationally in third down conversions at 54.9 percent (28-of-51). Buffalo was 8-of-13 against Wagner, 11-of-22 against a Nebraska and 9-of-16 against Coastal Carolina.
Neon Quian
There were a lot of question marks surrounding the wide receiver position entering the 2021 campaign. Enter Quian Williams - a graduate transfer from Eastern Michigan.
Williams was the Bulls' leading receiver in each of the first two games. He had five catches for 96 yards in the opener against Wagner and followed that up with a 8-catch, 93-yard performance at Nebraska.
He is the Bulls' leading receiver with 15 catches for 212 yards.
In two seasons at Eastern Michigan, Williams had 76 catches for 983 yards and eight touchdowns.
Bulls Win Big in Linguist Debut
It was an impressive debut for head coach Maurice Linguist on September 2 as the Bulls easily disposed of Wagner, 69-7.
UB scored on each of its first 11 possessions of the game. The Bulls were in victory formation on their 12th possession. It was the third most points ever scored by a UB team and the most ever in a season opener.
The Bulls rolled up 569 yards of offense - 320 yards rushing and 257 yards passing. It was first time since 2014 against Akron that the Bulls rushed for 300 yards and passed for 200 yards in the same game.
Defensively, UB only allowed 97 yards of total offense, its fewest allowed since giving up only 84 yards against Hofstra on Oct. 24, 1992.
On Your Marks
UB running back Kevin Marks is in his first season as the Bulls' starting running back after splitting time with All-American Jaret Patterson over the last three seasons.
Despite only starting seven games over his career, Marks ranks fifth in program history in career rushing yards with 2,7842 and fourth in program history in career rushing touchdowns with 31. An All-MAC Third Team selection in 2020, Marks is 1,209 yards shy of breaking Branden Oliver's school record of 4,049 career rushing yards.
Marks was on the preseason watch list for the Maxwell and Doak Walker Awards.
Home Sweet Home
The Bulls have built quite the home field advantage over the last few seasons. UB is 16-3 in its last 19 games played at UB Stadium.
Vantrease Using His Arm and Leg
In UB's game at Nebraska, quarterback Kyle Vantrease lined up in the shotgun formation and surprised the Huskers by punting the ball. All he did was boot the ball 81 yards - tying the second longest punt in program history. It was three yards shy of the program record. It was also the fourth longest punt in the history of Memorial Stadium.
Winning Ways
Since the 2017 season, the Bulls have more wins than any other school in the Mid-American Conference. Buffalo has 31 wins over that span. Toledo is second with 29 followed by Ohio which has 27.
Linebacker U
UB has had a number of standout linebackers in recent years, most notably Khalil Mack who was an All-American and now an NFL All-Pro.
The Bulls have had 12 linebackers named All-MAC over the last 10 years, including each of the last 10 seasons. Buffalo has two All-MAC linebackers on its current roster. James Patterson was named to the first team in 2020 and Kadofi Wright was a second team selection in 2019.
Rounding out the list are Khalil Hodge (2018, 2017, 2016), Brandon Berry (2015), Okezie Alozie (2015), Lee Skinner (2014), Adam Redden (2014), Khalil Mack (2013, 2012, 2011).
Nice to Meet You
The Bulls have three opponents on their schedule this season they are playing for the first time. Following the opener against Wagner, an opponent they haven't faced since 1987, the Bulls will play Nebraska, Coastal Carolina and Old Dominion - all first-time matchups.
Back for a Sixth Year
The Bulls have six players on the roster who took advantage of their extra year of eligibility due to Covid and are playing their sixth year.
Offensive linemen Jake Fuzak and Jack Klenk, tight end Jake Molinich, wide receiver Dominic Johnson, linebacker Kadofi Wright and defensive end Taylor Riggins are all in their sixth year.
To quote Fuzak; "We are playing under our third president."
Vantrease Back Under Center
The Bulls will have a veteran presence under center again this season as Kyle Vantrease will be the Bulls' starting quarterback for the third straight season. After entering the starting lineup midway through the 2019 campaign, Vantrease has started the last 15 games at quarterback for UB.
The Stow, OH native threw for 1,193 yards and eight touchdowns in 2019 and 1,326 yards and seven touchdowns in a Covid-shortened 2020.
Last season, he threw for 353 yards against Miami (OH) and 365 yards against Ball State, becoming just the second quarterback in UB's FBS era (since 1999) to throw for 350+ yards twice in the same season (Joe Licata was the other in 2014).
In the opener against Wagner, Vantrease was 15-for-19 for 231 yards and a touchdown and was named the MAC East Offensive Player of the Week.
International Flavor
The Bulls have six international players on this year's roster.
Buffalo has four players who hail from Canada, including Dominic Johnson (Ontario), Cole Burniston (Ontario), Gabe Wallace (BC) and Deondre Doiron (Ontario). In addition, the Bulls have two players from Europe, Fabian Weitz (Germany) and Alain Schaerer (Switzerland).
Klenk Named Campbell Trophy Nominee
Sixth-year offensive lineman Jack Klenk is a nominee for the William V. Campbell Trophy. Given annually to college football's top student-athlete, the Campbell Trophy is also known as the Academic Heisman.
Klenk graduated Summa Cum Laude with degrees in communication and social science interdisciplinary. He posted a 3.823 grade point average. He is a currently working towards a masters degree in real estate development.
He is a two-time Academic All-MAC selection and earned the Mid-American Conference Medal of Excellence in 2021.
On The Airwaves
Again this season, University at Buffalo football can be heard locally on ESPN 1520, a 50,000-watt station with one of the strongest signals in the nation. The Bulls can also be heard on 1280 AM in Rochester.
Calling all the play-by-play action of Bulls football for his 22nd year, and 14th consecutive, will be Paul Peck. Scott Wilson is back for his fifth season as analyst. Brad Riter also returns as game host.
New this season, the UB Football postgame show will take place at The Anchor Bar on Maple Road with host Bob Gaughan.
