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University at Buffalo Director of Athletics Nelson E. Townsend announced today that head football coach Craig Cirbus has received a contract extension through the 2001 season. That links the Bulls with Cirbus through Buffalo's all-important transition from Division I-AA to the Mid-American Conference and Division I-A football in the fall of 1999.

"We are pleased to complete a long-term agreement between all parties and thereby exemplify the commitment essential to building our football program under consistent and high-quality leadership," said Townsend. "Coach Cirbus has demonstrated to the University community that he is the man for the job in these exciting and changing times at UB."

Cirbus led his 1996 team to the school's most wins ever against Division I competition when UB finished 8-3. For those efforts he was named the NCAA I-AA Independent Coach of the Year by his peers. During his tenure the Bulls have had 11 players honored as All-Americans and two players - Ed Ellis (New England Patriots) and Craig Guest (New York Jets) - move onto the National Football League. He also led UB to its first-ever national Top 25 ranking and has a career mark of 13-20 at the helm of the Bulls.

Cirbus, a native of Cheektowaga and a 1980 graduate of the University at Buffalo, spent 11 years as an assistant under legendary coach Joe Paterno at Penn State before returning to his roots. Cirbus became the 22nd head coach in UB football history when he accepted the job in January of 1995.

During his tenure at Penn State, Cirbus coached 10 offensive linemen who moved onto the National Football League. Penn State set 10 school records and a Big Ten record for scoring in conference games (48.1 ppg) in his final year as offensive line coach when the Nittany Lions went 12-0.

Cirbus played football on UB's first intercollegiate team in 1977 after dropping the sport in 1970. He began his college coaching career at UB when he served as offensive line coach from 1982-83.