Three Big Questions: Buffalo Bulls
A look at each FBS program heading into 2023, alphabetically
Author’s note: This is one of two articles today, as I missed yesterday to celebrate my fiance’s graduation. Enjoy the double-article Sunday and we’ll be back to daily posts starting tomorrow!
On this double-article Sunday, let’s stay in the MAC with the Buffalo Bulls. The Bulls have been a MAC title contender year-in and year-out for the past five seasons. They’ve played in four bowl games since 2018, winning three. This is one of the MAC’s best football programs, and look to keep that same title heading into 2023.
Team Information
School: Buffalo Bulls
Conference: Mid-American (East)
2022 Record: 7-6 (5-3)
Bowl: 23-21 win over Georgia Southern in Camelia Bowl
Coaching Staff:
Head Coach: Maurice Linguist, third season
Offensive Coordinator: DJ Mangas, first season
Defensive Coordinator: Robert Wright, first season
1. Which Buffalo is the real Buffalo?
Let’s take a look at the Bulls’ 2022 season. They opened the season 0-3 following losses to a much improved Maryland and a very good Coastal Carolina, alongside a questionable Hail Mary loss to Holy Cross (side note: Holy Cross throwing a Hail Mary to win the game seems borderline unfair).
Then, they rattled off five consecutive wins and looked like the best team in the conference, bar none. Four of those wins came over MAC opponents, including a multi-score win over Eastern Michigan and victories over both MAC Championship Game opponents Toledo and Miami.
Following that, the Bulls lost three straight and fell out of the conference’s top spot. This stretch included losses to Central Michigan and Kent State, which don’t look the best in hindsight.
Finally, the Bulls edged out a narrow win over a very bad Akron squad and their bowl win over Georgia Southern.
So, which team is the real Buffalo?
Looking at the box scores, I think the five-game win stretch Bulls are for real. They won in a variety of ways, from passing the ball as much as possible, to leaning on the run, to allowing the defense to just shut down the opposition.
But the losses look strikingly similar. There isn’t a ton of turnovers or anything else that leads to losses. It’s just stalled drives and lack of opportunism.
Which team shows up for 2023? We’ll have to wait and see.
2. Does Cole Snyder take the next step?
We’ve already talked about how far an elite quarterback can take a Group of Five team. Cole Snyder has the chance to become the next elite G5 signal caller.
In his first season as a starter, the sophomore threw for 3,030 yards, 18 touchdowns and only eight interceptions with a 58.8 completion percentage. While his counting stats look good, the advanced peripherals are a little rougher, with his 45.1 QBR ranking 99th in the nation.
Now, heading into his junior season, Snyder has the keys to the offense. New offensive coordinator DJ Mangas comes from LSU, where he was an offensive analyst for their historic 2019 season, and pass game coordinator in 2021. He should bring a Joe Brady-like approach that is very quarterback friendly.
It also helps that Snyder is getting two new receivers that rank in the top 10 prospects ever signed by the Bulls, according to 247 Sports. One comes from Micah Woods, who comes from JUCO Hutchinson Community College. In six games at Hutchinson a year ago, Woods totaled 17 catches for 234 yards and three touchdowns. Woods is the eighth-ranked JUCO wideout in the nation, and brings a long presence outside that can take advantage of undersized MAC corners. Buffalo also added high school prospect Jevell Ferguson from Lee County, Georgia. Ferguson chose the Bulls over other Group of Five schools like Liberty and Coastal Carolina and a few Power Five schools like Georgia Tech and Michigan State. He’s another long wideout that should be able to stretch the field and take over the conference.
With a new system and some new, dynamic pass catchers, everything is in Snyder’s hands. If he can improve on a very strong 2022, the Bulls can take over the conference. At the very least, they should expect him to play like last season. That’s good enough to run the conference, as long as he becomes more consistent than a year ago.
3. When does the talent show itself?
We’ve already talked about Woods and Ferguson, the seventh and eighth best players ever signed by Buffalo, but what about Linguist’s other heists?
The 2022 class saw Linguist add the number two and number four ranked prospect in Buffalo history. Cornerback Devin Grant, number two on the Buffalo rankings, saw action in five games last season, tallying five tackles. Junior cornerback Jayden Oliver, who signed as a JUCO transfer from New Mexico Military Institute, also hasn’t had a huge impact, appearing in four games and posting three tackles.
The number three prospect is JUCO transfer Jamarr Davis, who comes from East Mississippi Community College. The defensive lineman will join the Bulls shortly and looks to have an immediate impact plugging up the middle gaps of a strong defense.
There are plenty more highly-regarded prospects in the Bulls’ pipeline, but they haven’t had the opportunity to show their skills yet. In fact, of all the highly-touted prospects we’ve seen Buffalo pull in recent years, Grant and Oliver are the only ones to really see the field yet.
When will the talent rise to the surface?
It could be sooner, rather than later. Buffalo typically employs a very experienced squad, as seen by all the JUCO transfers we’ve already discussed. It takes time for the younger high school recruits to get playing time, but that time is coming shortly.
Will these prospects pan out? No, not all of them. No school only signs good college players, but they all sign good high school players. But, this is a Buffalo roster that’s more talented than ever before. They’ve done a lot with some lower-ranked prospects, but now let’s see how the Bulls play with talent at every position.
What are the expectations for Buffalo?
Buffalo should expect to improve on their strong season one year ago. They narrowly missed out on a MAC title berth following that late season collapse, and Linguist cannot allow that to repeat this season. All the pieces are in place, now’s the time for Buffalo to strike. This is a MAC title or bust season, and the Bulls should top eight wins on the season.