January 7, 2011

Three Former Bulls in NFL Playoffs

BUFFALO, NY – Three former Buffalo football standouts will be a part of the first weekend of the National Football League playoffs.

Former Mid-American Conference all-stars James Starks, Jamey Richard and Mike Newton are expected to see action this weekend representing the Green Bay Packers and the Indianapolis Colts. It marks the most Bulls competing in the NFL playoffs in history. Last season, Richard and former quarterback Drew Willy both were with the Colts and advanced to the Super Bowl.

Starks, the school's all-time leader in rushing and touchdowns, is expected to see action at tailback for the Green Bay Packers when they face the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon. Starks has seen action in three games for the Packers after being activated late in the season. In the first action of his NFL career, Starks rushed for 73 yards on 18 carries in a win over San Francisco. He had 29 carries for 101 yards and two receptions for 15 yards on the season.
Richard and Newton will be at home with the Indianapolis Colts as they face the New York Jets on Saturday night. Richard, a three-year NFL veteran, has already seen action in three post-season NFL games, including Super Bowl XLIV. Richard has seen action in 13 games this year, starting four for the defending AFC Champions.
 
Newton, a rookie, was activated from the practice squad early in the season after making the Colts as an undrafted free agent.  He ended up appearing in 11 games, recording four special teams tackles, two tackles on defense and recovering a fumble versus Cincinnati on Nov. 14. 

The Bulls had a total of five active roster players in the NFL this year, an all-time school record. Joining Richard, Starks and Newton were three-year NFL veteran Trevor Scott, of the Oakland Raiders, and rookie Naaman Roosevelt with the Buffalo Bills.

Scott had 23 tackles and two sacks before suffering a knee injury that ended his season in week 11. Scott has 90 tackles and 14 sacks in his three-year career. Roosevelt, meanwhile, also an undrafted free agent, started the final game of the year with the Buffalo Bills and saw action in six games, recording nine receptions for 139 yards (15.4 per catch).