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Q & A with the Coach

Jeff Quinn took time in late August to answer questions from alumni and other fans

Q. How would you rank the importance of the following characteristics when looking at a potential recruit?

• Difficulty of schedule
• Scholastic ability
• Athletic ability
• Character
• Coaches’ recommendations
• Goals of the potential recruit

A. In rank order: We look at character, coaches’ recommendations, scholastic ability, athletic ability, goals of the potential recruit and the difficulty of the player’s schedule.

Q: How have the Bulls transitioned to your system? And how do you build confidence in this system? Also, are the personnel at UB right for this system?

A: Repetition is the mother of learning. We did it at Central Michigan and Cincinnati, transitioning from a conventional offense to a fast-pace, no-huddle offense. It comes first with every single coach and player being “locked in”—having a tight-minded focus. Each play properly executed develops consistency, which, in turn, breeds confidence. The best type of players for my system are guys who are passionate and competitive every single day! We have guys who understand what I expect.

Q: You’re known for a fast, spread offense. How will our experienced offensive line and depth at running back (having strong multiple running backs) fit into that scheme?

A: Our offensive line has really stepped it up this summer with their efforts to drop body fat and develop their lean body mass. They are very excited to execute our offense this season. The running backs have a much more dynamic role in this offense; they are asked to be more developed skill-wise. We have a nice running back group and look for them to have a great year.

Q: What issues are you running into trying to install the spread offense with “inherited” players who weren’t recruited for such a system?

A: Conditioning is a big part of my offense—also being able to think quickly and display proper decision making without much time.

Q: Will UB be able to schedule some Big Ten or SEC schools in the future? And where do you see next year’s biggest recruiting need?

A: Yes, there are plans to play teams in both conferences. We are looking for recruits in the defensive secondary, where we have five seniors graduating.

Q: Coach, it’s nice to see that you are looking seriously at the local talent in Western New York. Do you have any plans to sponsor coaches’ clinics for those who are eager to learn a new system?

A: We will always begin our search for future Bulls in the Western New York area and fan out from there to the rest of New York State and our other areas of recruiting focus. We are always available to share ideas on the great game of football.