TEN QUESTIONS WITH...

The Sporting News ranked your 2002 recruiting class as being fourth best in the Mid-American Conference. What are some of the highlights of the incoming class?
We are thrilled with the composition of our class. It is the maximum allowable limit of 25 scholarship athletes, and we are really impressed with the walk-on candidates that are being invited to training camp. This class is our staff’s first class that we evaluated in the spring of their junior year, recruited throughout the season and signed on the national signing date. Last year’s incoming freshmen only came to our staff’s attention two months before the signing date.

Walk us through what you and your staff have been doing from the day the 2001 season ended up until now.
Since our final game, we have worked very hard in December, January and February with recruiting. We then continued in February, overseeing our players’ offseason development, and doing research and development with our offense, defense and special teams. We also planned all of our spring practices – which are in March and April. In May, we conducted off-campus underclassmen evaluations in high schools, produced our playbook, training camp schedules and scripts in June (for preseason camp in August). At the end of June, we conducted youth football camps before catching our breaths with some vacation time in July. Of course, we start the whole process all over again as our coaches have now reassembled. The freshmen/newcomers report to campus August 4th, the returning players come in on August 6th, and two-a-days start the on August 8th.

Aside from the incoming freshman class, a number of red-shirt freshmen will be a significant part of this year’s team. Talk about some of those players.
Coming out of spring practice, our fans should expect to see many new faces. Among them are defensive end Phil Jacques, tailback Aaron Leeper, defensive tackle Bill Meholif, offensive lineman Mike Schifano, defensive tackle Rob Schroeder, and defensive back Gemara Williams. Obadiah Harris is a newcomer as a junior college linebacker who was redshirted last season. There will also be other new faces that I know will also play roles on our team.

Chad Bartosek had the second-highest number of catches (42) for a collegiate tight end in the nation last year. How important is the tight end in the UB offense, and what does Chad do to the opposing defense?
A dominant tight end in the passing game is like a devastating fullback in the running game. It makes the defense play honest football in the middle of the field because they have to respect his whereabouts. The corollary to that is that wide receivers will face fewer combo, gimmick and double coverage situations.

Aside from your tight end returning, four-fifths of your offensive line are, as well. What does that experience and time together on the field do for that unit?
The offensive line is a subgroup within a unit (offense). Having more experienced players returning than what we had returning a year ago will obviously help with the continuity of our offense in its second go-‘round this season. The players will simply be that much more familiar with the offensive plan, and will have developed physically in the past year superior to what they were a year ago.

There was a lot of progress in 2001 – aside from strictly in the win column. Where are you looking to improve most from last season, and what goals have been set for the upcoming season?
Our team goals don’t change from season-to-season. They are very simple because they address winning games and championships. To get there, we must improve in all phases of the game. We were weakest in 2001 with our offensive production – as compared to special teams and defensive performance – so we must get much better there.

How crucial was the 26-19 upset on the road at the U.S. Military Academy for UB football?
It was significant last year because it created a winning streak for one thing – but of course, Army is a recognized institution as well as a storied football program. To win on the road in an exciting, very biased environment, indicated a level of mental toughness and physical style of football that is needed to compete for championships. We need to be able to play like that every game to accomplish our goals – but like a popular sports drink, we have it in us to do it.

Central Florida has been added to the MAC and will play alongside UB in the East Division. What does the presence of a team like UCF do to not only the MAC, but to UB?
UCF started play in 1996 at the Division I level. They are however, well respected and will bring high quality players and coaches onto the playing field in the MAC East. Their coach has already been quoted saying they should be undefeated in the league. I guess we will all find out together!

One of the MAC’s top two teams will face a Big Ten school in the 2002 Motor City Bowl. Does this mean that the MAC is beginning to get some national recognition?
The MAC has always been respected as a competitive football conference and has posted some wins in the past few years against Big Ten teams. It simply has now become a contractual agreement by the bowl sponsors and the two leagues to pit a MAC team against one from the Big Ten in a bowl game – which has a nice geographic fit for fans.

Having coached as an assistant in the Atlantic Coast Conference (North Carolina), BIG EAST (Syracuse) and South Eastern Conference (Tennessee), where exactly does the MAC stand in comparison to level of play in the Bowl Championship Series Conferences?
In my opinion, the best teams in the MAC will compete very favorably with the majority of the teams in those conferences. The top of the Bowl Championship Series conferences however, is a little higher than the top of the MAC. An SEC, Big Ten, ACC, or BIG EAST champion is a favorite in a game versus a MAC champion. The bottom of the MAC is probably a little less talented than the bottom of a BCS conference, as well.

-The ‘10 Questions with…’ feature is compiled by Geoff Nason.