An open letter to Athletic Director Danny White

Dear Danny White,

I need to apologize.

I wrote a column on Oct. 14, 2012 titled "Get real" following the football team's 45-3 loss against Northern Illinois, calling for the job of head coach Jeff Quinn.

I realize now that was unfair. There were plenty of other losses last season that warranted the same response, but that wasn't one of them. Northern Illinois is on another level.

The Huskies proved that Wednesday night with a 48-27 statement victory over Ball State, leaving the Huskies as the lone team with an undefeated Mid-American Conference record.

In a Nov. 8 editorial, The Spectrum emphasized the importance of the 2014 football recruiting class because of the success of this year's team. If you want to see a program that has gone through that process, look at Northern Illinois.

Though the school has won more than half of all its football games, Northern Illinois historically doesn't have a great program. From 1996-2007, the Huskies went 63-76, making only two bowl games.

But the Huskies' success since 2008, and particularly since 2010, is undeniable.

Buffalo should be where they are in the next five years.

Let's recount the Huskies' successes. They haven't lost a game at Huskie Stadium since 2009. They haven't lost a conference game at home since 2008. They've played in the last three MAC Championship games, winning the last two.

They've lost one conference game since 2010.

Most impressively, the team has gone through three head coaches in that time. The two coaches before the Huskies' current head coach, Rod Carey, were hired by bigger programs - Minnesota and North Carolina.

But Northern Illinois' dominance is merely a side effect of my main point. The Huskies have done a great job of sustaining their accomplishment.

It's rare for mid-major programs to play at such a high level for so many years. Three straight - and probably soon to be four - 11-win seasons is a remarkable feat.

If you don't look closely, you could chalk up the Huskies' success to a few fluke recruits panning out, but that wouldn't be accurate.

The Huskies won two games in 2007. There was a head coaching change and then quarterback Chandler Harnish took his first snap for the Huskies. They have lost only six conference games since then.

From 2008-11, Harnish terrorized MAC opponents. He was without argument the best quarterback in Northern Illinois history at the time of his graduation. He graduated with 8,944 passing yards, 68 passing touchdowns, 2,983 rushing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns.

In 2012, the MAC was finally released from Harnish's reign of terror, but there wasn't much respite. Jordan Lynch took the reins last season and led the Huskies to a 12-2 record, passing for 3,138 yards and 25 touchdowns and rushing for 1,815 yards and 19 touchdowns. The Huskies went to a BCS bowl.

And now, even as they're under a new coaching staff, the Huskies look even better this season.

So you see the big shoes you have to fill, Mr. White. You see why your extension of Jeff Quinn drew such criticism.

Former NIU coach Dave Doeren did in two years what Quinn has needed four to get close to.

You preach to us that you are building "America's next BIG-TIME College Athletics Brand," and I believe you. I see the same things you do in this university - the large endowment, vast alumni base and expansive room to grow.

But another MAC school is outgrowing you. The Huskies' football facilities - minus their stadium - have all been built within the past seven years. The Huskies' Yordon Center - built in 2007 - includes academic support areas, athletic training areas and a 12,500-square-foot strength and conditioning center. This past offseason, Northern Illinois completed an indoor field house.

Buffalo's newest athletic structures are 20 years old. They are artifacts from the school's Division I-AA era. Buffalo has done remarkably well with the outdated facilities, but you're not looking for remarkably well, are you?

This athletic department needs new buildings. The East Club is a great step and I hope it will help to fundraise for the things Buffalo's athletes need. But I haven't even seen a plan yet.

I've followed this program very closely over the past two seasons, but I have yet to see anything but a conceptual picture in passing.

Where are the big plans to pitch to donors? Why aren't you pitching these things to recruits? Why aren't you pitching UB Athletics' growth to potential students? That is how you show people the potential of this university. That is how you get freshmen and applicants excited about being part of Buffalo's athletics program.

You've already done many things to go in an upward direction. The pregame concerts and new tailgate atmosphere are unlike anything I've seen on campus before. The student section at the Ohio game last week was a proud representation of this school. Plus, the overall rising trend of attendance numbers this season cannot be denied.

I don't take some particular cruel pleasure in watching my classmates suffer through losses. I do not root against the Bulls. But when all I hear is talk and I see no action when comparable schools are actually taking steps forward, I have no option but to criticize.

Mr. White, give me reason to stop criticizing, and I will.

Sincerely,

Ben Tarhan

email: ben.tarhan@ubspectrum.com