Quinn forgoes sleep to savor win

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DAN CAPPELLAZZO/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Amherst - University at Buffalo head coach Jeff Quinn on the sidelines as his team faced Rhode Island.

September 3, 2010

By Thomas Baldwin Niagara Gazette The Tonawanda News Fri Sep 03, 2010, 11:02 PM EDT

AMHERST — Jeff Quinn did not sleep on Thursday night.

A person who even only remotely knows Quinn would think, “Really? What a shock.”

All one needs is to be around the guy for 30 short seconds and an obvious question arises.

Does the guy ever sleep?

Needless to say, the University at Buffalo’s first-year football coach was pretty pumped — and that’s putting it mildly — after his club bludgeoned Rhode Island 31-0 Thursday for his first ever NCAA victory as a head coach.

What made the victory extra sweet is he waited a long time for it — 26 years. And after, the former Cincinnati offensive coordinator celebrated his long-awaited first head coaching victory with family and close friends from Chicago, Michigan and Cincinnati.

“It was interesting because I had about 30 text messages and e-mails this morning,” Quinn said after Thursday’s triumph. “It kind of got me a little more fired up because of all the people that have been a big part of my past and a part of my present.”

Needless to say, the mood was blissful at Quinn’s gathering after the game.

“They all came up to see the Buffalo Bulls play our opening game,” he beamed before departing for the festivities. “I am sure they are happy for me, and I can’t be more proud of the support I have been getting.”

One conversation that probably meant the most to Quinn was one with former Cincinnati and current Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly, who he has a close relationship with.

“Coach Kelly and I spoke a couple of times,” Quinn said. “It was great just to hear from him. We have a very close group of people. When you do all the things you do as college football coaches ... families move, husbands leave, wives and kids stay back. They have to lean on each other because we are not from those areas. It was great to hear from Coach Kelly.”

But the nature of coaching is this — no matter how enjoyable the triumph — the joy does not last very long with another game looming. The Bulls play at Baylor next Saturday.

“From my standpoint as a head football coach, you get 24 hours to enjoy this one,” Quinn said in the bowels of UB Stadium. “It is hard to win these football games.

“No matter what, to get a 31-0 victory is a great feeling, and for me as a head football coach, you know, I will put this one to rest. I probably won’t have 24 hours to enjoy it, because I will be thinking about Baylor.”

So, the enthusiastic Quinn enjoyed his first head coaching victory for less that 24 hours.

What a shock.

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