University of Massachusets Athletics
Football Travels To Toledo
September 20, 1999 | Football
Sept. 20, 1999
GAME DAY QUICK FACTS
The Teams: UMass (1-1, 1-1 A-10) vs. Toledo (1-1, 1-0 MAC)
Date: September 25, 1999
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Place: Glass Bowl (26,248), Toledo, Ohio
TV: None
Radio: UMass Football Radio Network (Bob Behler, play-by-play, Bob Pickett, color,
WHMP 1400 AM, Northampton, flagship)
WMUA 91.1 FM (UMass student station)
Toledo Radio Network (Mark Beier, play-by-play, Sean Baligian, color,
WSPD 1370 AM, Toledo, flagship)
Series Record: Tied, 1-1
Last Meeting: Toledo 45, UMass 13 (Sept. 10, 1983, Toledo, Ohio)
THE SERIES WITH TOLEDO: UMass and Toledo have met only twice before, with the all-time series tied at 1-1. The Minutemen won the first game between the two schools 28-14 at McGuirk Alumni Stadium on Sept. 11, 1976. The Rockets came back to win the second meeting 45-13 at the Glass Bowl on Sept. 10, 1983. UMass stands 7-6 all-time against current members of the Mid American Conference, including marks of 1-1 against Ball State and 5-4 against Buffalo.
SERIES QUICK FACTS
Overall Tied, 1-1 Whipple vs. Toledo 0-0 Most UMass points 28 (Sept. 11, 1976) Most Toledo points 45 (Sept. 10, 1983) Fewest UMass points 13 (Sept. 10, 1983) Fewest Toledo points 14 (Sept. 11, 1976) Largest UMass margin 14 (28-14, Sept. 11, 1976) Largest Toledo margin 32 (45-13, Sept. 10, 1983) In overtime n/a
ZULLO CONTINUES TO LEAD OFFENSE: Sophomore wide receiver Adrian Zullo (Pompano Beach, Fla.) had another big game last week against Villanova. He had 11 catches for 125 yards against the Wildcats, tying the school single-game record for receptions. The record was originally set by Tim Berra with 11 catches against Holy Cross in 1973, and was tied by Jimmy Moore with 11 receptions at Hofstra last season. Zullo also had a big day against New Hampshire in the season opener, catching five passes for 92 yards and four touchdowns. With the four scoring catches, he tied the UMass single-game record which was set by Jimmy Moore last season at Connecticut. Following that contest, Zullo was awarded the Bill Knight Trophy as the most valuable player of the game. He was also named the Atlantic 10 Conference Offensive Player of the Week, the ECAC / Budget Division I-AA Offensive Player of the Week and the WHMP / UMass Athlete of the Week, while receiving the Coca-Cola Gold Helmet as the Division I Player of the Week in New England. Only two games into the season, Zullo has now totaled 16 receptions for 217 yards and four touchdowns. The 1998 Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year, Zullo now has career totals of 45 catches for 696 yards and 12 touchdowns. After only 17 career games played, he is already tied for second on the UMass career list for touchdown receptions.
DEFENSE MAKES MORE PICKS: The UMass defense has forced opposing quarterbacks into a number of mistakes this season, making six interceptions in only two games. Last week against Villanova, both senior cornerback Jerard White (Fort Washington, Md.) and junior linebacker Kole Ayi (Nashua, N.H.) had key interceptions of Chris Boden to keep the game close. Ayi picked off Boden at the UMass 20-yard line with just under a minute remaining in the first half, stopping a Villanova drive and setting up an 80-yard scoring drive for the Minutemen. Early in the second half, White intercepted Boden at the UMass one-yard line, halting another scoring threat for the Wildcats. The previous week against New Hampshire, the Minutemen came up with four interceptions. White led the way with a pair of picks, while senior cornerback Willie Hemmer (San Diego, Calif.) and sophomore free safety Jeremy Robinson (Syracuse, N.Y.) had one interception each. The team total of four interceptions against New Hampshire was the most by UMass since Oct. 9, 1993, when the Minutemen picked off four passes in a 36-14 victory over Rhode Island. The school record for interceptions in a single game is six, set against Nevada-Reno on Dec. 9, 1978, in the NCAA semifinals.
BANKHEAD KEEPS CLIMBING THE CHARTS: Senior All-America quarterback Todd Bankhead (Escondido, Calif.) took sole possession of first place on the all-time UMass list for career touchdown passes during last week?s game at Villanova. Bankhead hit Marcel Shipp with a 39-yard scoring strike during the fourth quarter for the 39th touchdown pass of his career. He moves ahead of Peil Pennington, who tossed 38 touchdown passes from 1971-73. Bankhead also ranks in the UMass career top 10 in a number of other statistical categories. After connecting on 44 of 70 passes for 488 yards and five touchdowns in the first two games of the season, he now stands first in completion percentage (.583), second in completions (347) and efficiency rating (134.77), third in passing yards (4,407) and attempts (595), and fifth in total offense (4,223 yards). Last year, Bankhead completed 303 of 525 passes for 3,919 yards and 34 touchdowns. He set new UMass single season records for passing yards, touchdowns, completions, attempts and total offense (3,756 yards). Bankhead has already received preseason All-America honors from both The Sports Network and Teamlink.com, while being named the preseason A-10 Offensive Player of the Year by Street & Smith?s.
MINUTEMEN TAKE ON I-A FOE FOR FIRST TIME IN OVER 10 YEARS: When UMass faces Toledo this week, it will mark the first game for the Minutemen against a Division I-A foe since the 1988 season. In UMass? last game against a I-A opponent, Ball State posted a 44-17 victory over the Minutemen in Muncie, Ind., on Sept. 17, 1988. Since Division I-AA was formed in 1978, UMass has a record of 8-11 against I-A foes, with the last victory being a 26-10 triumph over Ball State on Sept. 1, 1984, at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. Here is a look at every game the Minutemen have played against Division I-A schools since the beginning of the 1978 season (Note: Dartmouth, Harvard, Holy Cross and Villanova are former Division I-A members which now compete in Division I-AA):
Year Opponent Score
1978 Villanova L, 21-25
at Harvard L, 0-10
Rutgers L, 11-21
at Holy Cross W, 33-8
Boston College W, 27-0
1979 at Villanova L, 7-35
at Harvard W, 20-7
Holy Cross L, 18-20
at Boston College L, 3-41
1980 Villanova W, 24-12
at Holy Cross W, 17-13
Boston College L, 12-13
1981 Holy Cross W, 13-10
Dartmouth W, 10-8
at Boston College L, 22-52
1982 Boston College L, 21-34
1983 at Toledo L, 13-45
1984 Ball State W, 26-10
1988 at Ball State L, 17-44
THE LAST MEETING WITH THE ROCKETS ? TOLEDO 45, UMASS 13 (9/10/83): The Minutemen opened the 1983 season on a down note by dropping a 45-13 decision on the road against Division I-A Toledo. UMass opened up the scoring in the first quarter, after cornerback Glenn Holden recovered a Toledo fumble at the Rockets? 25-yard line. Four plays later, fullback Richard Jenkins went in from one yard out to give the Minutemen a 7-0 lead. The next two quarters would be all Toledo, as the Rockets used a dominant rushing attack to take control of the game. All six Toledo touchdowns came on the ground, as the Rockets capitalized on four UMass turnovers to put the game away. Toledo had 397 total yards and 22 first downs in the game, while the Minutemen could manage only 207 yards and 13 first downs. The bright spot for UMass was wide receiver Bob Simeone with five catches for 88 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown reception from his brother Jim in the fourth quarter. On defense, nose guard Peter Tracy collected 12 tackles, five of them unassisted. Free safety Grady Fuller added 10 tackles, while Holden totaled nine stops.
UMASS ON THE 25TH: The Minutemen have an all-time record of 3-9-2 in games played on September 25, having lost the last four times. UMass last played on this date in 1993 when it lost at Boston University 28-9. In road games played on Sept. 25, UMass? all-time mark is 0-7-1, with the lone tie coming at American International College in 1937 (6-6). The only victories for the Minutemen on Sept. 25 came against Bates in 1948 (7-6) and against AIC in 1954 (32-27) and 1965 (41-0).
LAST-MINUTE MEN: In its 17 games since the beginning of the 1998 season, UMass has seen the outcome decided in the closing minute or overtime 10 times. The Minutemen have gone 6-4 in those nine games, all of which were decided by six points or less. Last year, UMass defeated Richmond 22-17, downed Hofstra 40-35, topped James Madison 28-26, knocked off New Hampshire 27-26, beat McNeese State 21-19 and defeated Lehigh 21-19. The Minutemen fell at Delaware 33-30 and to Connecticut twice (44-41 in overtime on the road and 28-27 at home) last season, and lost 26-21 at Villanova last week after having the ball on the Wildcats? 20-yard line in the final seconds.
WHITE PICKS OFF ANOTHER PASS: Senior cornerback Jerard White recorded his third interception of the season against Villanova last week, while also recording eight tackles. He picked off a Chris Boden pass at the UMass one-yard line early in the second half, ending a scoring threat by the Wildcats. The previous week against New Hampshire, White came up with two interceptions. His first interception came midway through the second quarter when the Wildcats were driving into UMass territory, while his second pick came in the third quarter when he deflected a Ryan Day pass into the air and then corralled it for the interception. The second interception was named the Compaq National Interception of the Week. White, who became the first UMass player to intercept two passes in a game since Jeremy Robinson accomplished the feat against Buffalo last season, now has five interceptions in his last four games (He also intercepted passes against Northwestern State in the 1998 NCAA semifinals and Georgia Southern in the championship game). White also ranks sixth on the team in total tackles with 13, and has broken up a pair of passes.
UMASS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS: The Minutemen are currently ranked second in the nation by The Sports Network and ESPN / USA Today, and first by Don Hansen?s Football Gazette. UMass has now been ranked in every national poll since Oct. 5, 1998, when it broke into the rankings for the first time since the 1995 season. The Minutemen finished last year on top of the Sports Network, ESPN / USA Today and Don Hansen?s Football Gazette polls, marking the first time the Minutemen had ever been ranked No. 1. Here is a look at where UMass has been ranked so far this season:
Poll Sports Network ESPN / USA Today Don Hansen Preseason 2 2 1 Sept. 6 2 no poll 1 Sept. 13 2 2 1
SHIPP KEEPS 100-YARD GAME STREAK ALIVE: Walter Payton Award candidate Marcel Shipp (Paterson, N.J.) enters this week?s game against Toledo with a streak of 14 straight games in which he has rushed for over 100 yards. In last year?s Northwestern State game, he broke the UMass record for consecutive 100-yard games. Shipp moved ahead of Jerome Bledsoe, who had 10 straight 100-yard performances in the final 10 games of the 1991 season. Garry Pearson has the third longest streak in school history with six straight 100-yard games at the end of the 1982 season. Here is a look at all the streaks of five games or more in UMass history:
Rank Name Streak Dates
1. Marcel Shipp 14 games 9/26/98-present
2. Jerome Bledsoe 10 games 9/14/91-11/23/91
3. Garry Pearson 6 games 10/16/82-11/20/82
4. Rene Ingoglia 5 games 11/20/93-10/1/94
Garry Pearson 5 games 11/14/81-10/2/82
SHIPP STARTS SEASON STRONG: Marcel Shipp turned in another impressive performance in last week?s game against Villanova. He rushed 22 times for 102 yards and a touchdown against the Wildcats, while also catching eight passes for 70 yards and another score. The previous week against New Hampshire, Shipp carried 35 times for 145 yards and a touchdown, while also catching a pair of passes. Only a junior, Shipp has already established himself as one of the top running backs in school history. He already ranks third all-time at UMass in career rushing yards with 3,545, trailing only Rene Ingoglia (4,624 yards / 1992-95) and Pearson (3,859 yards / 1979-82) on the all-time list. Shipp also ranks first all-time at UMass in rushing yards per game (131.3), third in carries (624) and all-purpose yards (4,555), and fourth in rushing touchdowns (24) and yards per carry (5.7). Last year Shipp set school single-season records for rushing yards (2,542), carries (428) and all-purpose yards (3,032), while earning All-America honors.
A TOUGH ROAD AHEAD IN 1999: The Toledo game is the second of six road contests for the Minutemen this season, with all six coming against schools that posted winning records in 1998. UMass dropped a close 26-21 decision to No. 22 Villanova in its road opener, and now must face Division I-A Toledo. Future road trips this season will send UMass to Richmond (9-3 in 1998), William & Mary (7-4), Delaware (7-4) and Maine (6-5). All told, eight of UMass? 1999 opponents had winning records last season. And the only A-10 school the Minutemen will not face (James Madison) finished tied for last in the conference last season.
HEALEY HAS BIG GAME AT VILLANOVA: Senior linebacker Dan Healey (Marblehead, Mass.) made a number of key plays for the UMass defense during last week?s game at Villanova. Healey reached double figures in tackles for the first time in his career, finishing the game with 10 total stops. Included among his tackles were a pair of sacks in the second half, when the Minutemen were mounting a comeback. Healey?s first sack came on second and 10 at the Villanova 34 yard line midway through the third quarter, forcing the Wildcats to punt one play later. He added his second sack in the fourth quarter on third and 10 at the Villanova 25, again forcing the Wildcats to punt. In two games so far this season, Healey has now totaled 13 tackles, including three tackles for loss.
AYI CONTINUES TO PLAY WELL IN THE MIDDLE: Junior Buck Buchanan Award candidate Kole Ayi had another outstanding game against Villanova last week. He once again led the team in tackles with 15, while also making his first interception of the season. His interception was a big one, coming at the UMass 20-yard line with just under a minute remaining in the first half. Ayi not only stopped a Villanova scoring drive, but he gave the ball back to the Minutemen and allowed them to march down the field for their first score of the game. A week earlier against New Hampshire, Ayi recorded a team-best 17 tackles, including 14 solo stops. He has now reached double figures in tackles 10 times in the last 17 games. Last year, Ayi set a school single-season record with 116 solo tackles. He broke Justin Riemer?s mark of 102 solo stops, set in 1996, during the NCAA quarterfinal victory over Lehigh. Ayi also concluded 1998 with 165 total tackles, the second-highest single season total in school history (John McKeown set the record in 1988 with 177 tackles).
HIGGINS HAS BIG DAY RECEIVING: Senior tight end Sean Higgins (Brewster, N.Y.) has turned in some solid performances for the Minutemen so far this season. He had the best game of his career against New Hampshire in the season opener, catching a team and career-high seven passes for 74 yards. Higgins came back at Villanova last week with four catches for 47 yards, including an 18-yard reception on third and 15 with less than a minute to go, as UMass attempted to drive for the go ahead touchdown. A transfer from Cayuga Community College prior to the 1998 season, Higgins is replacing Kerry Taylor in the starting lineup (Taylor is currently on the New England Patriots? practice squad).
SMITH MAKES BIG PLAYS IN SECONDARY: Junior strong safety Brian Smith (Wilmington, Del.) continues to show why he is one of the top defensive backs in the Atlantic 10. Last week against Villanova, Smith ranked second on the team in tackles with 12, including nine solo stops. A week earlier against New Hampshire, Smith ranked second on the team in tackles with 14, including two for loss (totaling a loss of 10 yards). He also came up with a key sack for nine yards when New Hampshire had fourth and five at the UMass 28 midway through the second quarter. Last season, Smith ranked third on the team in tackles with 133, while tying for the team lead in pass breakups with 15 and interceptions with three. He also had 94 solo stops last season, the fifth highest single season total in school history for solo tackles.
DAWSON ALL-AROUND LEADER ON DEFENSE: Senior linebacker Matt Dawson (Pepperell, Mass.), who is in the UMass starting lineup for the third straight season, has made a number of big plays in the first two games of the season. He made six tackles in the New Hampshire game, including three for loss (totaling a loss of 14 yards), while also recovering a fumble, breaking up a pass and recording a sack for nine yards. Dawson followed that up with a 10-tackle game in the Villanova contest. His strong performance should come as no surprise, as Dawson was also among the top all-around players on the Minuteman defense in 1998. Last season he ranked fourth on the team in total tackles (103), third in tackles for loss (12), tied for fifth in sacks (five), tied for first in interceptions (three) and tied for fourth in pass breakups (eight).
MINUTEMEN AMONG THE A-10 LEADERS: Several Minutemen rank among the A-10 leaders through games of Sept. 11. Adrian Zullo ranks first in scoring (12.0 points/game), first in receiving yards (108.5 yards/game) and first in receptions (8.0 catches/return), while Marcel Shipp stands third in rushing (123.5 yards/game), second in all-purpose yards (157.0 yards/game) and fourth in scoring (9.0 points/game). Todd Bankhead is first in pass efficiency (139.3 rating), second in passing yards (244.0 yards/game) and third in total offense (233.5 yards/game), while junior Troy Lockman (Newport News, Va.) ranks fourth in punt returns (9.4 yards/return) and fifth in kickoff returns (22.8 yards/return). Jerard White stands first in interceptions (1.5 picks/game), while freshman Doug White (Claremont, Calif.) is tied for the league lead in extra point percentage (100.0). Kole Ayi leads the conference in tackles (16.0 tackles/game), while Brian Smith ranks fifth (13.0 tackles/game). As a team, UMass ranks second in the Atlantic 10 in pass efficiency (132.6 rating) and net punting (37.0 yards/punt), while standing third in pass efficiency defense (101.8 rating).
ROBINSON STARTS SOPHOMORE SEASON STRONG: Sophomore free safety Jeremy Robinson appears to be well on his way to another big season in the UMass secondary. In the season opener against New Hampshire, Robinson ranked third on the team with 12 tackles, while also recording an interception and breaking up a pass. Last week against Villanova he recorded nine tackles, with one tackle for loss and a pass breakup. A year ago, Robinson ranked eighth on the team in tackles with 61, despite missing three and a half games due to injury. Robinson also totaled two interceptions, six pass breakups and three fumble recoveries in 1998.
WHITE, ZULLO NEAR TOP OF NCAA STAT LEADERS: Cornerback Jerard White and wide receiver Adrian Zullo head a list of six different UMass players who are ranked in the NCAA Division I-AA statistical leaders through games of Sept. 18. White is tied for second in the country in interceptions, while Zullo is in a tie for third in receptions.
Category NCAA Rank Player/Team No./Avg.
Interceptions 2 Jerard White 1.5
Receptions 3 Adrian Zullo 8.0
39 Sean Higgins 5.5
Receiving Yards 4 Adrian Zullo 108.5
Scoring 9 Adrian Zullo 12.0
34 Marcel Shipp 9.0
Rushing Yards 14 Marcel Shipp 123.5
All-Purpose Yards 15 Marcel Shipp 157.0
Pass Efficiency 21 Todd Bankhead 139.3
Total Offense 23 Todd Bankhead 233.5
Net Punting 25 UMass 37.0
Passing Yard 27 UMass 244.0
Kickoff Returns 29 UMass 22.7
37 Troy Lockman 22.8
Punt Returns 42 Troy Lockman 9.4
UMASS AGAINST RANKED TEAMS: The Minutemen faced a ranked team for the first time this season at Villanova last week, falling to the 22nd-ranked Wildcats 26-21. Since the beginning of the 1998 season, UMass now stands 6-4 against ranked opponents. Last year, the Minutemen posted wins over No. 5 Hofstra (40-35), No. 20 Villanova (36-26), No. 6 McNeese State (21-19), No. 13 Lehigh (27-21), No. 2 Northwestern State (41-31) and No. 1 Georgia Southern (55-43). The losses to ranked teams were against No. 3 Delaware (33-30), No. 15 Connecticut (44-41 in overtime) and No. 9 Connecticut (28-27). UMass? six victories over ranked opponents in 1998 set a school single-season record.
MINUTEMEN BRING IN ACADEMIC HONORS: A number of UMass players earned academic honors last season, led by offensive guard Mike Wynne (Somerdale, N.J.), who was a GTE / CoSIDA second team Academic All-American. In addition, both Wynne and strong safety Brian Smith were named to the 1998 GTE / CoSIDA Academic All-District I team and the Division I-AA Athletic Directors Association Academic All-Star Team. Wynne and Smith were also joined by quarterback Todd Bankhead, wide receiver Steve Ley and defensive end Dan Schneider on the Academic All-Atlantic 10 team, while a total of 27 Minutemen had grade point averages of 3.0 or higher during the spring 1999 semester. This year, Bankhead, Wynne and Smith should all be top candidates for Academic All-America honors. Bankhead enters the fall semester with a 3.33 grade point average in Sport Management, while Wynne has a 3.93 grade point average in Accounting and Smith carries a 3.31 grade point average in Computer Science.
UMASS LOOKS TO DEFEND NATIONAL TITLE: Last year, the Minutemen closed out the season with a 55-43 victory over Georgia Southern on Dec. 19, to claim their first ever Division I AA national championship. This season, UMass is attempting to become the first school to repeat as national champion since Youngstown State in 1993 and 1994. In addition to Youngstown State, the only other school to ever repeat as champion is Georgia Southern (in 1985-86 and 1989-90). Before last season, the only time UMass came close to a national title was in 1978, when it advanced to the championship game before falling to Florida A&M 35-28. For all sports, UMass owns three national championships. In addition to last year?s football title, UMass won the 1982 NCAA women?s lacrosse title and the 1973 AIAW women?s gymnastics crown.
UMASS FOOTBALL ON RADIO: All University of Massachusetts football games can be heard live on the UMass Football Radio Network, with WHMP 1400 AM (Northampton) serving as the flagship station. Bob Behler has taken over as the play-by-play announcer this season, while former UMass head coach Bob Pickett is in his second year as color analyst. Affiliates on the UMass Radio Network for this week?s game are WXKS 1430 AM (Boston), WHAI 98.3 FM (Greenfield), WUHN 1110 AM (Pittsfield) andWNEB 1230 AM (Worcester). In addition, WMUA 91.1 FM, the UMass student station, will carry the game.
THE MARK WHIPPLE SHOW: Head coach Mark Whipple?s weekly radio show, ?The Mark Whipple Show,? is on live from Rafter?s Sports Bar & Restaurant in Amherst each Thursday from 6:30-7:30 p.m. during the season on WHMP 1400 AM. Bob Behler serves as the show?s host. The show is open to the general public.
UMASS ON TELEVISION: The Minutemen will be making five live television appearances during the 1999 season. Last week?s game against New Hampshire was carried by the Atlantic 10 Television Network, and was shown on Fox Sports New England and WBGN TV (Pittsburgh, Pa.). UMass? other televised games this year will come against Hofstra, Maine, Delaware and Connecticut. The Hofstra game will be carried by Fox Sports New York, while the Maine game will be shown on WABI TV (Bangor) and WPME TV (Portland) in Maine. The Delaware game, on the A-10 Network, will be shown on Fox Sports New England, Comcast SportsNet, Home Team Sports, WBGN TV (Pittsburgh) and WDRL TV (Roanoke, Va.), and the Connecticut game will be carried by CPTV in Connecticut. The Minutemen have a record of 5-0 in televised games since the beginning of the 1998 season. Last year UMass defeated Hofstra, Rhode Island, Lehigh and Georgia Southern.
ABOUT THE ROCKETS: Toledo enters today?s game with an overall record of 1-1 and a 1-0 mark in the Mid-American Conference. The Rockets suffered a 35-12 loss against Syracuse in their season opener, but came back to win at conference-rival Ball State 23-10 last week. Toledo has rushed for 161.5 yards per game, led by tailback Chester Taylor with 156 yards on 31 carries and tailback William Bratton with 93 yards on 32 carries. Quarterback Dan Cole has completed 27 of 50 passes for 196 yards without an interception, with running back Lyle Green catching a team high nine passes for 74 yards. Defensively, the Rockets have surrendered 22.5 points and 338.0 yards per game. Linebacker Jason Lamar leads the way with 22 tackles and an interceptions, while linebacker Kevin Rollins has added 16 tackles and four sacks.
TOLEDO HEAD COACH GARY PINKEL: Gary Pinkel is in his ninth year at the helm of the Wildcat football program. He sports a 59-32-3 record during his time at Toledo, including six winning seasons in his first eight years. His career winning percentage of .644 is the best-ever at Toledo. Prior to his time with the Rockets, Pinkel spent 12 years as an assistant coach at Washington. He served as receivers coach his first five years, while taking over as offensive coordinator for his final seven seasons. A 1975 graduate of Kent State, Pinkel also spent two years as receivers coach at Bowling Green.
EXTRA POINTS: The UMass defense allowed Villanova to gain only 86 yards of total offense in the second half last week. The Minutemen did a particularly good job of shutting down quarterback Chris Boden, who completed only four of 15 passes for 25 yards with an interception after the break ? The Sports Network lists both Marcel Shipp (fourth) and Todd Bankhead (seventh) among its top 10 candidates for the Walter Payton Award. In addition, Kole Ayi is ranked fourth on the list of candidates for the Buck Buchanan Award.
