Published: October 20, 2009 11:06 pm      

UB NOTEBOOK: Bulls banged up in backfield

AMHERST — Turner Gill joked Tuesday that if any more Buffalo Bulls running backs got hurt, he’d see if the NCAA would grant him another season of eligibility.

“I never redshirted,” said the UB coach, who was a Heisman Trophy finalist for Nebraska almost three decades ago.

The Bulls top two tailbacks, Ike Nduka and Brandon Thermilus, both sustained high ankle sprains in the second quarter of Saturday’s win over Akron, and are questionable for this weekend’s game at Western Michigan.

With both players sitting out Tuesday’s practice, Mario Henry worked with the starters, and true freshman Jeffvon Gill saw a marked increase in his reps.

Of course, the Bulls came into the season with one of the nation’s top tailbacks, Niagara Falls native James Starks, but his decision to have season-ending shoulder surgery in August thrust Thermilus into a featured role.

After five games, Thermilus was benched in favor of Nduka, who rushed for 303 yards in his first two career starts.

Henry ran for 62 yards on 20 carries in the win over Akron, and Gill said he’s confident in his ability. However, with two major knee injuries in Henry’s past, Gill admitted he has durability concerns.

Jeffvon Gill, a 5-foot-11, 195-pound back from Euclid, Ohio, was a first-team all-state performer in his senior year of high school. The Bulls decided two weeks ago that he wasn’t going to redshirt this season, and began working him in on special teams.

“He has good size, good speed, good change of direction, and shows some burst when he sees a crease,” Turner Gill said.

Nduka or Thermilus would need to return to practice by Thursday for them to play on Saturday.

“I’ve got to see them out there at least one day to make me comfortable that they’re able to play a football game at the highest level,” Gill said.

Also on the injury front, offensive tackle Andrew West (broken hand) is doubtful for this week, Gill said, and defensive end Jerry Housey (concussion) is questionable. Reserve tight end Kyle Brey (shoulder) is out for at least two weeks.

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For the second time in four weeks, the Bulls will face one of the top quarterbacks in Mid-American Conference history.

Western Michigan’s Tim Hiller has thrown for 1,288 in his last four games, and is coming off a 410-yard effort in Saturday’s shootout loss to Central Michigan and their star passer, Dan LeFevour.

With his next touchdown pass, Hiller will break a tie with Byron Leftwich for second place on the MAC’s all-time list, and stand 10 touchdowns away from Chad Pennington’s record of 100.

Hiller’s first touchdown pass came in a 2005 game against UB, when he connected with current Green Bay Packer Greg Jennings.

Last year at UB Stadium, Hiller threw for four touchdowns and a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter and overtime of Western Michigan’s come-from-behind 38-34 win.

“We’ve got to play an excellent football game to slow them down,” Gill said. “They’re going to make some yards, and make some plays. We just don’t want them to make a whole bunch of them.”

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Hiller’s exploits are being promoted online at WhereIsTimHiller.com. Elsewhere on the Web, the Broncos’ right tackle, Phil Swanson, is blogging for NYTimes.com. Swanson also writes for the student newspaper, has interned with the local CBS affiliate, and hosts a late-night radio show.

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UB tight end Jesse Rack has been named to the John Mackey Award midseason watch list. He is the only player from the MAC on the 22-man list.

The senior from the downstate town of Maspeth has 15 catches and five touchdowns so far this season, and the Bulls regard him as a dominant blocker.

“He’s an all-around tight end,” Gill said, “and we’re glad he’s on our side.”

Contact reporter Jonah Bronstein at 282-2311, ext. 2258.