Buffalo State Football

I can remember meeting coach Boyes from Buffalo State, he was a rookie head coach, for the first time in the coaches office at CW Baker high school in B'ville NY. He was an energetic guy and strait to the point come play for me and there's a chance you play as a freshman. This was different than all of the other schools that me and the other recruits talked to. And, this guy seemed for real there had to be a catch. Well, there there was the team was horrible. But, Buffalo was a cool town and I had already visited Canius College and had a good time so I agreed to visit Buff State. Well it was quite a visit way better than Canius I got taken to the Spanish Ballet. If you are from Buffalo you know what this is it's the Canadian Strip Clubs in Niagara Fall Canada. The drinking age is eighteen and the clubs were full naked. Oh boy my eyes were wide open. So maybe taking a chance on a crappy team with a chance to start wasn't that bad after all. I committed shortly thereafter. I remember talking to some older guys about going to play college football in the B'ville weight room in the summer before I left for preseason camp and a former teammate that was already playing college football gave me some advice. He told me that just like B'ville the first day with pads was gonna be a big deal and there surely would be some kind of one on one drill. He went on to tell me I could expect the upper classmen to cherry pick the freshmen as to set the tone. He then said win the battle if you can but if you can't get into a fight. There's gonna be 120 guys not 45 like I was used too. And to get noticed you you needed to do something big to get you there. Well he was right there were a lot of guys there at camp and they were all good real good. Bigger and stronger too. Also I came from a team with only two black guys there were at least half of the guys being black. I was a little intimidated. The first three days was in just shorts and it was a lot more than I was used too. I was playing defense at this point. Outside linebacker was what I wanted to be. I wasn't sure I belonged there those first three days. Well sure enough the first day of pads came and it was time to see if I could hang with the big boys. The drill came at the end of the first morning practice it was called the BENGAL CAGE!!!!

Just like my buddy said the lines formed a one on one drill one runner one blocker one defender. Here we go babydoll!!At this time I was 6'0" 235lbs and the guy I drew was a offensive guard 6'3 280lbs and a senior. His name was Hamid. I remember thinking he's enormous, I don't want to fight this guy. So I will just have to beat him. And, as luck would have it that's just what I did with what some might call a cheap shot to the chin. But, none the less I got him turned around and made the tackle for a loss, and the place erupted. The team was separated defense had black jerseys and offensive had white. The black jerseys were jumping around and hooting and hollering it was the best feeling I had ever had in football up to that point. Then the whistle started blasting loudly it was the offensive line coach. Coach Zinni make him do it again he said it was a penalty. Hell ya let's go again I was thinking. So we lined up and I remember seeing a face I would get to know well after that Sandy the trainer. Hamid knocked me out cold I was in the training room. After this injury Coach Boyes sat me down and told me I had to think about playing and Sandy thought I was to prone to concussions he offered me the team manner job. I refused and begged to stay on the team reluctantly with the help of my dad and my high school coach we made a deal and I was allowed to continue on the team. But, the hazing I was getting from being knocked out was pretty bad. I also was pretty pissed about the coach wanting to dump me. But, I couldn't get that feeling out of my head of how it felt to beat Hamid. So I started working harder. And my work got noticed I did everything full speed. If I was on the scout team you can bet I was knocking heads. Well soon I was promoted to second string outside linebacker as a freshman. I was on the travel squad and I was hooked. But, still those offensive linemen ragged on me for getting knocked out. It just motivated me and I would go harder with every word till one day while we were conditioning in what supposed to be a three quarter speed drill with the linemen I snapped and blasted the second string center. He was done for the season. Oppps!! Well that was a mistake at the time but ended up changing my whole football life. Cause the next day when I got to practice and opened my Locker door there was a white jersey hanging in it my black jersey was gone. I looked around thinking it was a joke. But, it wasn't There was coach Zinni standing there and he said we will see what you are made of now quackenbush your ass is mine now you are a center. Then within a week the starting center was hurt and I was the starting center for the Buffalo State Bengals. Coach Boyes was correct you could start as freshman at Buffalo State.