BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Pete Lembo returns to the Mid-American Conference as the University at Buffalo's 28th head football coach with a lot on his agenda, and he is looking to revamp the program.
"Consistency, I'm all about consistency and believe heavily in structure," said Lembo.
Lembo's resume speaks for itself, and his most recent stop was a success in South Carolina. With the Gamecocks, Lembo shaped up one of the best special teams units in the country.
"A lot of people think of special teams relative to a kickoff or a punt return, blocking a punt. Yes, those are important, but really, where it starts is in the fundamentals of the game," said Lembo.
With special teams knowledge mixed in with his years of experience as a head coach at Lehigh, Elon, and Ball State, Lembo understands the importance of leadership.
Lucky for Lembo, the Bulls were able to retain two key pieces on defense.
"Red Murdock did a great job leading our defense as a linebacker in the spring semester. I really like his focus and attitude, and he's embraced that role," said Lembo.
The Bulls also brought back fifth-year player Shaun Dolac after entering the transfer portal in December.
"He's a veteran guy who's played a lot of football as a linebacker as well, and he understands that a big part of his role is going to be developing leadership in that locker room," said Lembo.
Leading into the new season, is it enough for a team that has gone 14-23 in the last three seasons?
"If you have good morals and a tight-knit team, you have a chance to be successful, and that's what I see coming together," said Lembo.
