The UB Bulls football program officially began their 2008-2009 season with the annual Kickoff Luncheon at the Millennium Airport Hotel on Friday. Over 300 supporters including alumni, UB administrators and athletic coaches came to show their support.

The Bulls finished last season 5-7 overall, that's UB's best record since becoming a division 1-A team. After such a groundbreaking season, there is a lot of expectation for the team. There will also be lot of exposure for the team since all the Bulls games will be televised locally on the Time Warner Cable channel. Their November 4 home game against Miami (Ohio) will also be televised nationally on ESPN2.

WIVB-TV sports personality, Paul Peck, served as the master of ceremonies for the luncheon. He will be teaming up with former Bills kicker Steve Christie to call the games on the new radio home of UB football, WECK 1230.

The keynote speaker of the luncheon was Hall of Fame Bills quarterback Jim Kelly whose nephew, Brian Kelly, is a sophomore offensive lineman on the team. Kelly talked about his first games as a collegiate quarterback with the University of Miami and gave UB quarterback Drew Willy some advice on leadership: "It's not always what you say but the way you say it."

Turner Gill, who received the honor of Mid - Atlantic Conference coach of the year last season, is entering his third year with the team. He gave a short preview of the upcoming season and talked about his expectations: "The maximum goal this season," Gill said, "is to be undefeated at home."

Gill is signed on at UB through the 2012 season and talked about his long term goals: "Overall for the team and the program, hopefully within that four or five year period we have an opportunity to play in the Bills stadium, because we can't hold all our fans at our own stadium."

Senior quarterback Drew Willy also gave his assessment of the upcoming season which begins at UB Stadium on August 28 against the University of Texas at El Paso: "I would like to win the MAC championship and be all MAC," said Willy who is one of 26 candidates on this season's list for Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award which goes to the nation's top senior collegiate quarterback.

Willy also agrees with coach Gill on the importance of winning at home: "You have got to defend your turf. A lot of teams don't like coming to Buffalo because of the winds and the cold weather. I think it's a realistic goal and it's a great goal to have."

Each year at his football camp Jim Kelly asks the children where they dream of playing college football. Kelly noted that this year, for the first time, more campers wanted to play for the UB Bulls than for Miami, Penn State or Notre Dame. Perhaps this is a good sign for the future of the Bulls program and for college football in Western New York.