Campus Watch

Will Regan has always been a leader. Once in grade school, Regan was in charge of picking teams for a game and selected a classmate first who was not a good athlete and who was usually selected last. Then at Nichols School, Regan, a 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward who is headed to Virginia, was awarded the Headmaster’s Award during his graduation ceremonies. As the first signee on Tony Bennett’s vaunted six-member class, Regan is expected to lead once again.

Joining Regan at Virginia is Billy Baron, the son of Rhode Island coach Jim Baron, the former St. Bonaventure coach. Sounds like the term "gym rat" runs in the family.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

---Ch. 2's Stu Boyer caught up with Williamsville South quarterback Joe Licata, pictured left, who gave a verbal committment to attend UB on Monday. Licata and his family walked into coach Jeff Quinn's office and said, "I want to be the next Bull in."

---It's becoming tougher and tougher to decode Jim Harbaugh's Tweets.

---The state of Florida could add a Rooney Rule.

---TSN countdown is up to No. 66: Bowling Green.

---Health issue won't keep Penn State's Joe Paterno off the field.

---Where do the top college basketball programs find their head coaches? Here's a closer look.

---Caulton Tudor writes that defending champion Duke could win it again in 2011.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

David Santiago, who played at American University in Puerto Rico last season, will transfer to Canisius College a source told The Buffalo News tonight.

The 6-foot-4 Santiago will sit out the 2010-11 season and have three seasons remaining. He comes to Canisius with the reputation as a shooter and as you can see by the video above, Santiago is very athletic. The Griffs have six seniors to replace after next season and Santiago is a good head start.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

UB received its second verbal commitment in as many days on Monday afternoon by landing Williamsville South quarterback Joe Licata.

Licata, who attended the Bulls Jr./Sr. Camp at UB Stadium on Sunday, walked into coach Jeff Quinn’s office on Monday and informed the first-year coach he would attend UB.

“It felt right, everything felt right,” Licata told The Buffalo News on Monday. “I liked the coaching staff, it’s a really good place. It was the best fit for, especially because I’ll be able to play in front of my family and friends.’’

Licata, who selected UB over Akron, initially had an offer from Syracuse University but Licata said the Orange pulled the offer off the table because he wouldn’t commit early.

Licata passed for 2,462 yards, 36 touchdowns and nine interceptions last season as a junior at Williamsville South, a team that runs a version of the spread offense similar to UB’s.

Licata’s commitment comes the day after the Bulls landed Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., defensive tackle , Patrick Williams of University School Of Nova Sout who gave the staff a verbal commitment on Sunday. Quinn and his staff, led by recruiting coordinator Ernest Jones, has now received four verbal commitments with offensive linemen John Kling from Depew and Cincinnati's Jesse Back.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

---Utah has finished unbeaten twice in the last six seasons, with two BCS bowl wins, making it an attractive school for membership into the Pac-10. Utes' rise into the Pac-10 all started when it hired Urban Meyer away from Bowling Green.

---Niagara's Ed McLaughlin will chair the NCAA hocket rules committee. As chair, McLaughlin will coordinate and run all committee meetings, conference calls and presentations to coaching associations, administrators and officiating groups.

---Turner Gill's recruiting touch has carried over to Kansas. And thanks in part to Gill, more minority coaches are getting shots at the big stage in college football. 

---It's hard out here for Bobby Gonzalez.

---Jake Locker's Heisman Trophy campaign hits the Big Apple.

---Canadian football prospects are making their way south. 

---A new AD at Maryland could mean higher expectations.

---A Big Ten title game? Not so fast my friend.

---Jeffrey Jordan, son of you know who, is transferring to UCF.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Patrick Williams, a 6-foot, 275-pound defensive tackle from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., told The Buffalo News that he gave the Bulls' staff a verbal commitment after UB's JR/SR Camp at UB Stadium on Sunday.

True freshman cornerback Dwellie Striggles was a high school teammate of Williams. 

"I was going to wait but I might as well say it, I'm coming to Buffalo," Williams said. "A lot of people from Fort Lauderdale don't know about Buffalo but it's a good school with a great staff. My major is going to be International Business and Buffalo has one of the top business programs in the country."

An Army All-American Game nominee, Williams is the third prospect who has given a verbal to the Bulls after offensive linemen John Kling from Depew and Cincinnati's Jesse Back. Williams was among 150 prospects who attended Sunday's JR/SR Camp, and ran a 4.86 in the 40.

He also drew interest from Florida State, Alabama, Michigan and Syracuse.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

St. Bonaventure coach Mark Schmidt is bringing in another guard in Toronto's Matthew Wright, who accepted a grant-in-aid.

The 6-foot-3 Wright, who attended Martingrove Collegiate Institute, led his team to a 34-9 record and the Toronto District School Board Triple-A title last season, averaging 23 points, 7.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game. He was named to the Toronto Star's "Starting Five" as one of the top five players in the greater Toronto area. Schmidt brought in Sam deHaas from the Netherlands two weeks ago. 

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

I ran into former UB defensive tackle Dane Robinson who told me he agreed to a contract for next season with the Columbus Lions of the Southern Indoor Football League. Listed on the Lions roster is linebacker Melvin Parris, who played at Buffalo State.

Robinson started six games last season and finished with 13 tackles.

"I'm just trying to take the same path as (former UB players) Jeff Niedermeier and Ray Norell who are playing arena football," Robinson said. "Hopefully it will work out."

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic) 

---Lazar Hayward, pictured left, being selected in the first round of Thursday's NBA Draft was a surprise to several observers including Hayward himself. But the former Traditional and Marquette forward was paid off for his hard work. and became the first Marquette player picked in the first round since Dwyane Wade.

He'll join Niagara Falls native Jonny Flynn, former Syracuse All-American Wesley Johnson, who was drafted with the No. 4 pick by the Wolves, on a revamped roster in Minnesota. Many predict Johnson will blossom into a star, but was he the right pick with center DeMarcus Cousins still on the board?  LeBron James might not be headed to the New York Knicks, but former Syracuse sharp shooter Andy Rautins is. And it's never too early to start talking about the 2011 NBA Draft.

---UB's football game at Baylor on Sept 11 will be broadcast on Fox College Sports. The station can be found on Time Warner and DirecTV.

--North Carolina State is expected to hire Maryland AD Debbie Yow. UB AD Warde Manuel was believed to be a candidate for the job.

---Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt believes in his team's potential.

---Collegefootballnews.com previews Syracuse as well as Akron who plays against at home on Nov. 26

---Michigan State mattered to Tom Izzo more than money.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)