`06 recruit capsules.indd

University at Buffalo 2006 Football
Signing Day Recruit Information
ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE
UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO
175 ALUMNI ARENA
BUFFALO, NEW YORK 14260
(716) 645-6311 • FAX: (716) 645-6840 • WEB: WWW.BUFFALOBULLS.COM
Date: February 1, 2006
Contact: Paul Vecchio
BULLS RELEASE FOOTBALL SIGNEES
14 players, including WNY Player and Lineman of the Year, choose Buffalo
BUFFALO, NY – For a guy that had never set foot in Buffalo, New York before accepting the head coaching job at
the University at Buffalo in December, head coach Turner Gill’s first recruiting class has a decidedly Western New
York flavor to it.
Headlining a class of 14 players who have signed National Letter of Intents on the first day of the national
signing period are three players with strong Buffalo ties – quarterback Naaman Roosevelt, the consensus Western
New York Player of the Year, offensive lineman Peter Bittner, the WNY Lineman of the Year, and offensive lineman
Brian Kelly, a highly-recruited player from Richmond, VA who just happens to be the nephew of Jim Kelly, the most
famous Buffalo Bill of all-time and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“This is a quality group of student-athletes that have a passion for the game of football,” said Gill. “They are
a physical and athletic group of young men who we look forward to building the foundation of this program with.”
Gill went on to thank his coaching staff by saying, “this football program is so blessed to have such a phenonemal group of coaches at this University. They did an outstanding job of identifying players in such a short period of
time.”
The initial 2006 Buffalo football signees:
Name
Peter Bittner
Kyle Brey
Tom Drewes*
Richard Ferere
Brandon Flanagan
Skyler Hagg
Jordan Jerrold
Brian Kelly
Anel Montanez
Keon Perry
Patrick Pinson
Solomon Richberg
Naaman Roosevelt
Zack Williams
*enrolled in January
Pos.
Ht.
OL
6-4
TE
6-2
LB
6-1
LB
6-1
OL
6-2
WR
5-11
OT
6-8
OL/LS 6-6
DL
6-0
CB
5-9
LB
6-1
OL
6-4
QB
6-0
DL
6-3
Wt.
289
250
242
205
299
185
285
305
285
170
244
299
185
255
Hometown/High School/Previous School
Williamsville, NY/Williamsville North
Granger, IN/Penn HS
Dunmore, PA/Dunmore HS/Milford Prep
Brooklyn, NY/Saint Thomas More
North Reading, MA/Wakefield HS
Glendale, AZ/Ironwood HS
Fairless Hills, PA/Pennsbury HS
Richmond, VA/Monacan HS/Hargrave Academy
Trumbull, CT/Trumbull HS
Brunswick, GA/Brunswick HS/Coffeyville CC
Melrose Park, IL/Walther Lutheran
Queens, NY/August Martin
Buffalo, NY/St. Joseph’s Collegiate
Erie, PA/Cathedral Prep
2006 Recruiting Class Capsule Bios
PETER BITTNER
OL • 6-4 • 289
FR. • WILLIAMSVILLE, NY • WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH
A first-team Class AA All-State selection at nearby Williamsville
North where he earned the Jim Burt Award as the best defensive
lineman in Western New York...first-team All-Western New
York selection who had 89 tackles as a senior (35 solos) and four
sacks...broke UB teammate Chris McDuffie’s record for most
unassisted tackles in Williamsville North history for coach Mike
Mammoliti...a three-year letterwinner and one-year captain, who
has also competed in track and field...chose Buffalo because “it
was close to home and to be part of the program’s turnaround.”
KYLE BREY
TE • 6-2 • 250
FR. • GRANGER, IN • PENN HS
Big, strong H-back type who earned All-State honors in Indiana as
both a junior and senior...member of South Bend
Tribune “Dream Team”...outstanding blocker
who helped coach Cory Yeoman’s team to a
21-5 record in his final two seasons and a pair
of conference and sectional titles...son of Notre
Dame men’s basketball coach Mike Brey...teamhigh bench press of 355 pounds...has also lettered
in basketball and track and field...an Indiana
Football Coaches Association first-team selection...chose Buffalo
because “of the coaching staff and an opportunity to play.”
TOM DREWES
LB • 6-1 •242
FR. • DUNMORE, PA • DUNMORE HS • MILFORD PREP
Physical linebacker who enrolled mid-year after an outstanding
season at Milford Academy, where he led coach Bill Chaplick’s
team in tackles...a Top 50 prep school selection by Rivals.com...
an All-State selection at Dunmore High School where he led
the Bucks to an 18-4 record in his final two seasons...selected
to Pennsylvania “Dream Team”...also served as catcher on the
baseball team.
RICHARD FERERE
LB • 6-1 • 205
FR. • BROOKLYN, NY • SAINT THOMAS MORE
An All-New England selection who earned four letters for
coach Tim Riordan...racked up 85 tackles, seven sacks and five
forced fumbles as a senior...was also the MVP of his track and
field team...his favorite thing about Buffalo “is the great atmosphere.”
BRANDON FLANAGAN
OL • 6-2 • 299
FR. • NORTH READING, MA • WAKEFIELD HS
Dominating offensive lineman at the prep ranks who set school
record for pancake blocks while earning Reebok All-American
honors...a four-year letterwinner who led the
Warriors of Wakefield to a 9-1 record as a senior...
was the offensive line MVP at the Elite Combine
in New Jersey and was on recruiting guru Tom
Lemming’s All-East team...played in the High
School All-American Bowl Game in Shreveport,
LA...an All-State and All-New England selection
who recorded 132 pancake blocks as a senior and 101 as a junior...
was once coached in high school by Pro Football Hall of Famer
John Hannah...chose Buffalo for the coaching staff, atmosphere
and because “it’s a program on the rise.”
SKYLER HAGG
WR • 5-11 • 185
FR. • GLENDALE, AZ • IRONWOOD HS
Versatile athlete with outstanding speed who saw his senior season cut short by an injury...played both running
back and wide receiver in high school for head
coach Larry Allen at Ironwood HS...had a schoolrecord 99-yard touchdown run and earned four
letters...also participated in soccer and track...
also a capable punt and kick returner...as a junior, he led the Eagles with 15 touchdowns and
accounted for 1,380 yards – 654 yards rushing
(8.5 per carry) and 728 yards receiving (17.7 per catch) on 41
grabs...going into his senior season was ranked among the Top
25 recruits in the state of Arizona.
JORDAN JERROLD
OL • 6-8 • 285
FR. • FAIRLESS HILLS, PA • PENNSBURY HS
Long, lean offensive line prospect who did not allow a sack in his
senior season while earning All-Southeast Pennsylvania honors...
first-team Bucks County selection who also earned All-County
and All-Area kudos...helped his team to an 8-3 record as a senior
and a 7-3 record as a junior...also throws the shot and discus for
the track team.
2006 Recruiting Class Capsule Bios
BRIAN KELLY
OL • 6-6 • 305
FR. • RICHMOND, VA • MONACAN HS
HARGRAVE MILITARY ACADEMY
Big, strong lineman who comes from powerhouse Hargrave
Military prep school...benches 330 pounds and
squats 550...rated a three-star prospect by Scout.
com...earned three letters in football and four in
track and field for Coach Parsons at Monacan
HS...also an outstanding long snapper...nephew
of Buffalo Bill great and NFL Hall of Famer Jim
Kelly...older brother Sean plays at Richmond.
ANEL MONTANEZ
DL • 6-0 • 285
FR. • TRUMBULL, CT • TRUMBULL HS
Outstanding two-way player on both sides of the line of scrimmage at Trumbull High for coach Bob Nassei...led his team to a
10-2 record and a conference title as a senior while starting both
ways...racked up 65 tackles, six sacks and caused a pair of fumbles
as a senior while earning All-State honors...also an outstanding
wrestler who placed fourth at the New England Championships
as a junior...chose Buffalo because of the coaching staff.
KEON PERRY
CB • 5-9• 170
JR. • BRUNSWICK, GA • BRUNSWICK HS
COFFEYVILLE (KS) CC
Speedy transfer from Coffeyville Community College where he
spent one season, earning honorable mention
All-Region honors while helping his team to a
9-3 record and a conference title...an outstanding
two-way player at Brunswick HS in southern
Georgia...as a senior he picked off six passes and
had over 1,300 yards of all-purpose offense...
chose Buffalo for the great environment.
PATRICK PINSON
LB • 6-1 • 244
FR. • MELROSE PARK, IL • WALTHER LUTHERAN HS
Excellent all-around athlete who earned Chicago Sun-Times small
school All-State honors...helped pace his team to a combined
18-5 record in his final two seasons and earned All-Conference
honors all four years...earned PSL Linebacker of the Year honors
as a senior...was voted captain three times in his prep career...
chosen to play in the Illinois State All-Star game...had 76 tackles,
a sack and an interception as a senior...also plays basketball and
runs track.
SOLOMON RICHBERG
OL • 6-4 • 299
FR. • QUEENS, NY • AUGUST MARTIN HS
Athletic, young offensive lineman who earned four letters
for Coach Gibson at August Martin HS...twice selected to the
All-Borough teams for his efforts on the field and also earned
Academic All-Borough recognition...had 35 tackles as a senior,
while helping his team to the second-highest rushing total in
New York’s Public School League...also throws the shot for the
track team...chose Buffalo for the academics, the location and
the potential of the football program.
NAAMAN ROOSEVELT
QB • 6-0 • 185
FR. • BUFFALO, NY • ST. JOSEPHS
The New York State large school and Buffalo News co-Player
of the Year after a record-setting career at nearby St. Joseph’s...
amassed a staggering 3,452 all-purpose yards as a senior and set
a Western New York record by throwing 35 touchdown passes
in just 10 games, while leading his team to a No. 1 ranking in
Western New York and a No. 5 ranking in the state...winner
of the prestigious Connolly Cup, emblematic of Western New
York’s best football player...a three-time All-Conference selection in football and earned the same distinction in basketball as
a junior...chose Buffalo for the environment, the academics and
to be a part of turning the program around.
ZACH WILLIAMS
DL • 6-3 • 255
FR. • ERIE, PA • CATHEDRAL PREP HS
Dominating defensive end at Cathedral Prep where he helped
coach Don Holl’s team to a 10-2 record as a senior...had 18 tackles for loss, eight sacks, two pass breakups and 46 total tackles
while earning All-District and All-Region honors...helped his
team to the Western region semifinal...chose Buffalo because of
the coaches and players in the program.
‘06 CLASS BREAKDOWN
By State
New York .......................................................................................4
Pennsylvania .................................................................................3
Indiana ...........................................................................................1
Massachussets ..............................................................................1
Arizona ..........................................................................................1
Virginia...........................................................................................1
Connecticut ...................................................................................1
Illinois ............................................................................................1
Georgia ..........................................................................................1
By Position
Offensive Linemen.........................................................................5
Defensive Linemen ........................................................................2
Linebackers ...................................................................................3
Defensive Backs ............................................................................1
Wide Receivers .............................................................................1
Quarterbacks .................................................................................1
Tight ends ......................................................................................1
Running Backs ..............................................................................0
Punter/Placekickers .......................................................................0