Published: December 02, 2008 11:16 pm            

HS FOOTBALL: Starks set to become UB’s all-time leading rusher

AMHERST — James Starks was confused when he first arrived at the University at Buffalo. Recruited out of Niagara Falls High School as a quarterback, he was moved to defensive back while he redshirted his freshman season.

The next year, a bright young coach named Turner Gill came in and stripped Starks of a position.

“He told me I was an athlete, and I was going to be put in position to make plays,” Starks said this week. “When they put me at running back, everything just worked out.”

Now Starks is on pace to become UB’s all-time leading rusher during the biggest game in program history.

And he knows exactly what’s expected of him.

“I don’t really think about rushing yards,” said Starks, who is averaging more than 122 yards on the ground in the 10 games he’s played. “They come naturally. What I get is what I get. I go in the game focused on that game. If I prepare myself, I’ll have success on the field. The line blocks, the coaches put me in the right position, and I don’t pay attention to the yards.”

The Bulls meet undefeated Ball State for the Mid-American Conference championship Friday in Detroit. With 3,033 rushing yards in his first three regular seasons, Starks is 71 yards away from galloping past Anthony Swan in the Bulls’ record book.

“It’s exciting to be on the team with him,” said teammate Naaman Roosevelt, who has posted the best single-season receiving stats in UB history but still trails Drew Haddad in the major career categories. “Especially with him being a junior and having another year.”

Roosevelt is also impressed that Starks has had such success while learning a new position. Of course, Roosevelt was a star quarterback at St. Joe’s before switching positions at UB.

“But running back is a whole ’nother thing,” Roosevelt said. “You’re running through people, getting hit a lot. It just shows how great of an athlete he is.”

Starks already has set the single-season record with 1,226 yards. He missed two games this season due to injury, resting a sore hip in September when the Bulls went to Missouri, and sitting out a home win over Army because of toe pain.

“My toe is still sore,” Starks said. “But that’s how it’s going to be. It’s turf toe. I just wrap it up and play. I’ll rest it after the season. We’ve got a game to win.”

Starks has averaged more than 142 yards in the five games since, four of them Buffalo wins.

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



UB’s career rushing leaders (w/UB logo)

1. Anthony Swan (’94-97) 3,103

2. James Starks (’06-08) 3,033

3. Alan Bell (’89-92) 3,022

4. O.D. Underwood (’86-87) 2,062

5. Lee Jones (’65-67) 1,570

6. Willie Evans (’57-59) 1,559

        

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