Tennessee, Clemson, Washington: Turner Gill Should Be on Your Short List!

The University of Buffalo's head football coach Turner Gill should be on everyone's short list. He isn't really a coach, but a miracle worker, at the least. 

Any school with a coaching vacancy should immediately talk to him. Gill, in two short years, is doing the unthinkable...winning at the University of Buffalo.

In 2006, after being looked over for the head coaching job at his alma mater, Nebraska, Gill took over as the coach of the Bulls. 

In the seven years prior to Gill's arrival at Buffalo, the Bulls were 10-69. Competing in the Mid-American Conference since 1999, the most games they won in a season was three, in 2001.

Gill's first year (2006) wasn't much better, as he went 2-10. However, things were starting to change. 

In 2006, the Bulls were becoming more competitive. They scored twice as many points as they did the preceding season and although they ended up 2-10, three of the losses were to Auburn, Boston College, and Wisconsin.

Last year things really changed for Buffalo Football...it finished 5-7. The non-conference schedule wasn't easy...losses to Rutgers, Baylor, Penn State and a close, 20-12 loss to Syracuse.

Then 2008 comes along. The Bulls are currently 6-4 and bowl eligible for the first time since moving up to Division I. This season they gave Pittsburgh a scare in a 27-16 loss,  trounced UTEP, 42-17, and were not embarrassed against Missouri.

Gill has done a remarkable job and he's mostly done it with local one- and sometimes two-star athletes. His recruiting area is starting to spread and he is also getting a higher-rated recruit, which is amazing...Do you know hard hard it is to convince a kid to come to Buffalo?

It's cold and it snows in Buffalo almost every day from Nov. 15 to April. At least Syracuse has a dome stadium, where its games are played and their practices are held.

Gill has done an incredible job and, unfortunately for the University of Buffalo, it is probably going to lose him to a bigger program...sorry!

Any school in the country would be making a big mistake to let this guy slip away. I'm talking about the Tennessees, the Clemsons, the Washingtons and every other bigtime program that needs a coach.

In two years, Turner Gill has accomplished more than anyone could have ever imagined.