In a season where the football team's success will be dictated by a plethora of returning stars, there is at least one new face on campus who will look to make an impact.
Soon-to-be-junior Blake Bean is the only newcomer practicing with the team this spring. The rest of the Bulls' recruiting class will join the team in the fall when they enroll in classes.
Bean - who played at Butler Community College (BCC) in Kansas - enrolled in classes in January after completing his second season for the Grizzlies.
Bean led the Grizzles to a 22-2 record and made it to the Junior College National Championship game in 2012.
Bean was originally verbally committed to the University of South Florida, but when the coaching staff was fired, he decided to find a new destination.
After the USF coaching staff had been let go, the former defensive coordinator had a conversation with UB head coach Jeff Quinn and defensive coordinator Lou Tepper and tipped them off to linebacker prospect.
Tepper called Bean and set up his official visit, which was a little unorthodox.
Bean came to Buffalo during winter break while the campus was empty and no other recruits were around. One of the highlights of his visit was seeing Niagara Falls for the first time.
The adjustment to Buffalo hasn't been too difficult, according to Bean. He said the school is bigger and it takes longer to get around, but practicing football hasn't been much of a change.
He credits the strong program at BCC for preparing him and believes he has found a good fit with the Bulls. He was looking for a program that was close-knit - almost "family-like" - and he said he thinks he has found that.
Quinn is excited about Bean because of his history of athletic success. Along with his successful junior college football career, Bean was a two-time state champion in wrestling in high school - once in Oklahoma and once in Kansas.
"I'm excited about having a young man that understands leadership," Quinn said. "He understands what it takes academically every day, and he has certainly done a good job in the initial job of his development in spring ball."
Bean will continue to learn the Bulls' system and he hopes to earn playing time as the football team continues to practice through the spring and summer.
The Blue-White spring game will take place April 20.
Email: sports@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Ryan Hagen | UB Athletics
Photo: Paul Hokanson / UB Athletics
