May 16, 2011 - 9:28 AM
---After a rocky first season, former UB coach Turner Gill hopes to jump start Kansas, while new coach Darrell Hazell is trying to do the same at Kent State.
---Here's a 2011 preview on Central Michigan.
---Although coaches and administrators here expressed varying degrees of optimism on the future of college athletics, the consensus was that in order to change the sport’s polluted culture, the NCAA needs to adopt stiffer penalties for its cheaters.
---Rodney McKissic
May 15, 2011 - 8:33 AM
---Zach Maynard, who transferred from UB after the 2009 season, was named as Cal's No. 1 QB by coach Jeff Tedford in a move that wasn't much of a surprise. The left-hander - with two years of eligibility left - was picked to start the Sept. 3 season opener against Fresno State but said he looked at his promotion as a step in a process.
"I'm still working for a job," he said.
In spring practice he beat out senior Brock Mansion and sophomore Allan Bridgford, who will be co-listed at No. 2 on the depth chart going into the opening of training camp Aug. 6.
Here's a transcript of Maynard's press conference.
---Rodney McKissic
May 12, 2011 - 9:00 AM
---Maybe former UB quarterback Zach Maynard, who wouldn't even be at Cal if not for his brother's skills and Turner Gill's coaching success, can restore the Bears' quarterback play to the high standards of the past.
---Scout.com previews UB's 2011 season.
---In a series of video interviews Mark Mangino, the man Gill replaced at Kansas, opens up about his time with the Jayhawks and his future.
---Rodney McKissic
May 4, 2011 - 6:01 PM
---The Justice Department wants to know why the NCAA doesn't have a college football playoff system and says there are "serious questions" about whether the current format to determine a national champion complies with antitrust laws. In a letter this week, the department's antitrust chief, Christine Varney, asked NCAA president Mark Emmert why a playoff system isn't used in football, unlike in other sports; what steps the NCAA has taken to create one; and whether Emmert thinks there are aspects of the BCS system that don't serve the interest of fans, schools and players.
---Rodney McKissic
May 2, 2011 - 10:20 AM
---This may make UB fans cringe considering the team's quarterback woes of last season, but former Bulls QB Zach Maynard took every rep with the first team during a controlled scrimmage Saturday, and will likely enter training camp as Cal's starter. The play of Maynard has already caused one QB to leave the school.
Maynard, you may recall, transferred from UB shortly after Jeff Quinn was hired as Turner Gill's replacement. Maynard attended a junior college before enrolling at Cal where his half brother, Keenan Allen, set a Cal single-season record for true freshmen for receptions with 46.
Maynard earned the starting job at UB as a sophomore in 2009, completing 57.5 percent of his passes for 2,694 yards, 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Maynard also had 455 rushing yards before transferring to Cal, where he could give a coach Jeff Tedford's offense a dimension it hasn't had since he coached Akili Smith at Oregon in 1998-99.
---Rodney McKissic
April 29, 2011 - 9:57 AM
---Opportunity brought God's Gift Achiuwa, pictured left with his coach Alex Nwora from his home in Nigeria to ECC and that's what will take him next year to St. John's. Here's more stories about Gift from the New York Post and Daily News. Meanwhile, Washington is scrambling after losing out on Gift.
---Adam Zagoria expects Iona's Mike Glover to have a breakout year.
---Jonathan Givony, evaluates all of the early entrant decisions, while Andy Katz reacts to the new names released on the NBA draft list.
---Kevin Ware has decomitted from UCF.
---Gary Parrish believes that despite the addition of Colorado and Utah, the Pac 12 will remain the weakest power-six conference.
---John Rothstein provides a list of teams on the rise next season.
---Rodney McKissic
April 28, 2011 - 2:46 PM
---God's Gift Achiuwa, a 6-foot-8 forward at ECC, officially signed a national letter of intent with St. John's this aftertoon.
Achiuwa, who also considered Cincinnati and Washington, was one of the top remaining big men in the country. His decision to attend St. John's has been rumored since Monday after he returned from an official visit. In the process St. John's coach Steve Lavin beat out close friend Lorenzo Romar for Achiuwa's services. Lavin and Romar were assistants under Jim Harrick during the 90s at UCLA.
"Gift' is a talented frontline player who possesses tremendous size, strength, speed and skill," Lavin said in a statement released by ECC. "He is an ideal fit for our baseline-to-baseline attacking style of play. The maturity Gift gained from two years of junior college basketball with a combined 55-6 record will make him a nice complement to what will be the youngest roster in the country next season. He is fundamentally sound and comes from a program with a tradition of winning, where a strong work ethic, playing hard and discipline is demanded on a daily basis."
---Rodney McKissic
April 28, 2011 - 7:13 AM
The New York Post is reporting that ECC forward God’s Gift Achiuwa will select St. John's over Cincinnati and Washington. Achiuwa has scheduled a press conference today at ECC to announce his decision.
St. John's already has one of the nation's top ranked recruiting classes and the addition of Achiuwa could push the Red Storm near the top. The latest ESPN.com rankings list St. John's third behind Kentucky and Duke. Achiuwa averaged 22.3 points, 11.7 rebounds and 2.2 blocks last season for ECC.
---Rodney McKissic
April 27, 2011 - 9:06 PM
---ECC's God's Gift Achiuwa will announce his college choice at 2 p.m. Thursday at the school.
"He's going to announce his decision based on the three schools he visited: St. John's, Cincinnati and Washington," ECC coach Alex Nwora said.
Kentucky also expressed interest in Achiuwa, a 6-foot-8 forward, who visited St. John's last weekend.
---Rodney McKissic
April 27, 2011 - 9:14 AM
With the NFL Draft is approaching, Rivals.com put together a chart of draftees by conference dating back to 2000. Miami (Ohio) leads all teams in the Mid-American Conference with nine draft picks and the league had four first-round draft picks in the last decade, including Northern Illinois' Larry English, pictured above, in 2009.
UB had four draft picks since 2000 in Drew Haddad (2000), Trevor Scott (2008), Jamey Richard (2008) and Niagara Falls native James Starks (2010). CB Josh Thomas is expected to be drafted on the third day of this week’s draft. I re-arranged Rivals MAC chart to show in order of number of draftees:
Miami (Ohio)
Draft picks: 9
Last first rounder: Ben Roethlisberger, QB, 2004
Northern Illinois
Draft picks: 7
Last first rounder: Larry English, LB, 2009
Central Michigan
Draft picks: 7
Last first rounder: Joe Staley, OT, 2007
Toledo
Draft picks: 6
Last first rounder: Dan Williams, DE, 1993
Temple
Draft picks: 6
Last first rounder: Paul Palmer, RB, 1987
Akron
Draft picks: 6
Last first rounder: None
Western Michigan
Draft picks: 5
Last first rounder: Jason Babin, LB, 2004
Ball State
Draft picks: 5
Last first rounder: None
Kent State
Draft picks: 5
Last first rounder: None
Eastern Michigan
Draft picks: 4
Last first rounder: L.J. Shelton, OT, 1999
Bowling Green
Draft picks: 4
Last first rounder: Bernie Casey, WR, 1961
Ohio
Draft picks: 4
Last first rounder: Art Lewis, T, 1936
UB
Draft picks: 4
Last first rounder: None
Also from that story, is the list of the most draft picks among all schools:
1. Ohio State 73
2. USC 69
3. Miami 67
4. Georgia 61
5. Tennessee 60
6t. Florida 59
6t. Florida State 59
8. LSU 55
9. Virginia Tech 52
10t. Michigan 49
10t. Oklahoma 49
The most first-rounders:
1. Miami 26
2. Ohio State 16
3. USC 15
4t. Florida State 14
4t. Texas 14
6t. Florida 12
6t. Oklahoma 12
6t. Tennessee 12
9. Georgia 11
10. Penn State 10
---Rodney McKissic
Western New York native Bob DiCesare covers UB football, Big 4 basketball and writes an occasional column. He still holds a grudge against Chris Ford who, he's convinced, cost St. Bonaventure the 1970 NCAA basketball championship.
Rodney McKissic began his journalism career in 1989 after graduating from the University of Cincinnati and has worked for The Buffalo News since 2001. A proud father of four children, he enjoys reading in his spare time.
Amy Moritz, a native of Lockport, hhas covered colleges for The Buffalo News since 1999. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism/mass communication from St. Bonaventure University and a master’s degree in humanities from the University at Buffalo. An endurance athlete, she has completed several triathlons, half marathons and marathons.
