1979 Profile: Mario Clark

Cornerback
No. 29
Oregon
"Heady, steady ... Chuck Knox's description of Clark, entering his fourth year as a Bills' starter. He never has been a looker-on: he started all four years at Oregon, too.
Clark led Buffalo in interceptions last year with five. He has 14 interceptions in three pro seasons, with a high of seven in '77. This surpasses his college mark of 13.
He's one of the NFL's best young corners but may not get the recognition due him unless the Bills' woeful defense improves. Clark is a very good cover man who likes the challenge of man-to-man coverage, otherwise known as me-and-you, Jack.
Born in Pasadena, but if he wanted to play in a Rose Bowl in his hometown, he should have gone to USC or UCLA. Much closer, too."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1979 Edition

"The Bills' leading interceptor in 1978, Mario has started 43 of 44 games since joining the club in 1976. He tied a Bills record in 1977 with interceptions in four straight games.
One of Mario's majors at Oregon was architecture."

-1979 Topps No. 404

1979 Profile: Reggie McKenzie

Guard
No. 67
Michigan
"The other half of perhaps the league's finest guard pair. Only Bob Kuechenberg and Larry Little in Miami would be close.
Mac has played in 101 straight games dating back to 1972 when Buffalo made him its second draft pick. Mac and Joe D. are all that's left from the Electric Company, Buffalo's offensive line in the heyday of O.J. Simpson. Reggie was the juice's main man in Buffalo. Chuck Knox believes he will have his best year in 1979.
Born in Detroit, McKenzie was an All-American at Michigan. He's interested in politics, and also in pulchritude: he married Miss Massachusetts of 1974. He does charity work for the Bills and likes music, reading and racquetball."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1979 Edition

"Reggie's string of consecutive games, which dates to his rookie campaign of 1972, now stands at 101 straight contests as he enters the 1979 season. He has earned All-Pro and All-Conference honors during his career in Buffalo and he won the Wisconsin Pro Football Writers' Award as the NFL's Top Blocking Lineman during 1973.
Reggie has worked in public relations for a hotel."

-1979 Topps No. 468

1979 Profile: Joe DeLamielleure

Guard
No. 68
Michigan State
"Consensus All-Pro for the fourth straight season, even without O.J. to block for anymore. Terry Miller should buy Joe D. and Reggie McKenzie steak dinners whenever they ask. Joe D. had a preseason knee injury but didn't miss a game and now has played in 87 consecutive games for the Bills. He's built more like a duplex than an apartment building but, technically, is as fine a blocker as there is in the game.
Born in Detroit, Joe comes from a family of 10 children. He was a tremendous college lineman at Michigan State, the Bills' second first-round pick in 1973 and an instant starter in the pros. Joe works in a bank in the off-season and is part-owner of a restaurant."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1979 Edition

"Joe is a consensus All-Pro selection who has established himself as one of the most outstanding guards in pro football. A perennial Pro Bowl participant, Joe has started every game for the Bills for the past six seasons.
Joe earned invitations to the North-South and Senior Bowl Games after his college career. He spent one winter working in a sheriff's office."

-1979 Topps No. 190

1979 Profile: Reuben Gant

Tight End
No. 88
Oklahoma State
"Reuben G., Reuben G., just how good will you ever be? The answer could be this season.
Gant played three years behind Paul Seymour when the latter was needed as a blocking tight end for O.J. Simpson. O.J. left last year and so did Seymour. Gant had the job to himself for the first time and caught 34 passes for 408 yards (12.0) and five touchdowns. He caught 41 the year before as a reserve but for only two scores. The Bills are waiting for him to explode, and he will once the overall offense is stable again.
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Gant blocked for most of his college career at Oklahoma State. He was drafted No. 1 by the Bills in 1974.
Reuben likes to ride horses in the off-season- after breaking them."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1979 Edition

"A strong receiving threat from the tight end position for the Bills, Reuben enjoyed his best game for the club on November 6, 1977. He caught seven passes for 97 yards in a win against the Patriots.
Reuben looks toward a career in broadcasting."

-1979 Topps No. 358

1979 Profile: Bob Chandler

Wide Receiver
No. 81
USC
"Caught 44 passes, his lowest total in four years, but his 13.2 yards per catch was right around his career average. Captain of the NFL's All-Unsung team, Chandler caught 220 passes in four years but has never played in a Pro Bowl.
Perry Mason with a waistline; he will soon have a law degree after applying himself during the off-season. Born April 24, 1949, in Long Beach, California, Chandler has that Surf City look.
The player of the game in USC's 1970 Rose Bowl victory over Michigan when he scored the game's only touchdown, Chandler is a natural athlete who was a quarterback as a USC freshman. He was also on the track team and is a fine golfer.
Chandler runs precise passing patterns, relying on quickness and sure hands."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1979 Edition

"Bob currently ranks second to Elbert Dubenion in all receiving categories on the Bills' all-time list of pass catchers.
He attends law school during the off-season"

-1979 Topps No. 292

1979 Profile: Joe Ferguson

Quarterback
No. 12
Arkansas
"Watched Rome burn all around him while playing first fiddle for six years in Buffalo. Had a great offensive line to protect him at one time, not so great anymore. Same with his receivers and running backs. But Joe plays on.
'Like any quarterback, Joe will improve when he has a better surrounding cast,' says coach Chuck Knox. 'I'm not talking simply about the offense. When the defense can stop people, it won't put such a tremendous burden on the offense, the quarterback in particular. Joe's got a great arm and had some great games for us.'
Born in April 23, 1950, Alvin, Texas, Ferguson was one of Arkansas' great quarterbacks. He was sixth in the AFC in passing last year and fourth in touchdown passes (16)."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1979 Edition

"Ferguson has always been a passer. An underrated quarterback, he has had the misfortune of playing for some outmanned Buffalo Bills teams. With a virtual cast of youngsters and marginal players, Ferguson still finished among the top 10 in NFL quarterback ratings (10th), completing 53% of his passes. With his better supporting cast in 1979, Ferguson could come up a big winner."

-Joel D. Blumberg, Football Forecast 1979

"Joe has moved into second place on the Bills' all-time list in all passing categories.
He threw four touchdown passes in one game against the Patriots on November 23, 1975.
Joe hopes someday to be a coach."

-1979 Topps No. 23

1979 Profile: Terry Miller

Running Back
No. 40
Oklahoma State
"Instant offense. Miller rushed for 1,060 yards as a rookie, re-juicing the Bills' attack after O.J. left. Second to Earl Campbell in the Heisman race of '77 after two straight All-American years at Oklahoma State, some scouts believe that Miller will remain an effective pro longer than Campbell.
Miller's 1,060 was the sixth best ever by an NFL rookie, although accomplished in 16 games. He was one of 11 to crack 1,000 in the NFL last year. He did most of it in the second half of the season after a slow start, common for a rook. Miller's 208 yards rushing against the Giants was the league high.
He also caught 22 passes in '78 to top Bills' running backs.
Born January 7, 1956, in Columbus, Georgia, he has a college degree in finance."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1979 Edition

"One of the NFL's finest rookies in 1978, Terry became a 1,000-yard rusher during his initial campaign. The Bills' leading rusher last season, he ranked fifth in the AFC in that category.
Terry was a consensus All-America pick. He was also the Colorado schoolboy champ in the 60, 100 and 200-yard dashes."

-1979 Topps No. 511

1979 Profile: Chuck Knox

Head Coach
"Went to Buffalo- anything to get away from the late Carroll Rosenbloom. Knox produced five divisional titles in five years in Los Angeles but never made the Super Bowl, which turned off Rosenbloom.
A deal was arranged where Knox would get a promotion in Buffalo- football coach AND vice-president in charge of football operations. In other words, he runs the whole show. He didn't do too badly in his first year,  winning five games, or exactly the amount Buffalo had won over the previous two seasons.
The 47-year-old Knox didn't do too badly at the draft table, either, getting running back Terry Miller and defensive tackle Dee Hardison, now starters. With a slew of picks from the 49ers for O.J. Simpson, he should fatten the Bills' roster with talent.
Knox is a great organizer and teacher, a no-nonsense type whose only rap has been conservativeness."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1979 Edition

1979 Buffalo Bills Outlook

1979 Buffalo Bills Team Directory

President: Ralph Wilson

Vice-President, Football Operations-Head Coach: Chuck Knox

Vice-President-General Manager: Stew Barber

Vice-President: Patrick McGroder

Vice-President, Public Relations: L. Budd Thalman

Home Field: Rich Stadium (80,020)

-The Complete Handbook of Pro Football (1979 Edition)

OFFENSE
"The Bills' running game isn't bad with Terry Miller, Curtis Brown and Roland Hooks, who had long runs of 60, 58 and 66 yards respectively. But Brown weighs 203 pounds, which may weigh him down over 16 games if he continues to return kicks, pound through the middle of the line and also block for Miller. Brown certainly stood out last year, helping Miller rush for 1,060 yards and picking up 591 yards (4.6 average) himself.
Quarterback Joe Ferguson could use a burner at wide receiver to open up the Buffalo offense more. Bob Chandler is a tremendous technical receiver and ex-Steeler Frank Lewis had personal highs last year with 41 receptions and seven touchdowns. But Coach Chuck Knox doesn't consider either a deep threat. Maybe young Len Willis, the former Ohio Stater who was injured last year, could be that man. Reuben Gant has come on at tight end and is headed for his best year.
The line still has Joe DeLamielleure and Reggie McKenzie at guards. Willie Parker is the center, with Ken Jones and Joe Devlin the tackles. Devlin is becoming one of the better tackles in the AFC. Remember, Miller didn't do it alone."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1979 Edition

DEFENSE
"All together now: what defense? Certainly not against the rush, where Buffalo was last in the AFC with a 201-yard average. The front four of Ben Williams, Mike Kadish, Dee Hardison and Sherman White didn't frighten anyone. However, Phil Dokes had Kadish beat out until an injury and Hardison was thrown in as a rookie. Scott Hutchinson, also a first-year player in '78, could start this year ahead of either Williams or White. Knox would like to see his Bills cut 50 yards off their rushing yield- to make games fair.
Buffalo's pass defense ranked No. 1 but had a league-low 317 passes attempted against it. Since the Bills were giving up an astronomical 4.8 yards per rushing carry, who needed to throw? Buffalo's linebackers include the transient Tom Graham in the middle and Shane Nelson and Lucius Sanford on the outside. The secondary isn't weak by any means despite the way it earned its No. 1 ranking. Mario Clark, five interceptions, is a strong right corner and Tony Greene a capable free safety. Charles Romes had a good first year at corner, including an 85-yard interception return for a touchdown, longest in the AFC."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1979 Edition

KICKING GAME
"Curtis Brown returned a kickoff 102 yards and Keith Moody brought a punt back 82 yards, the longest punt return in football. Tom Dempsey drilled 10 of 13 field goal attempts in his latest re-emergence. Rusty Jackson's punting average dropped with the thermometer; he finished at 38.8. B-r-r-r-r."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1979 Edition

THE ROOKIES
"The Bills got rich- or at least richer- with Ohio State linebacker Tom Cousineau, the first player taken in the draft, and Clemson wide receiver Jerry Butler, the fifth. Boston College middle guard Fred Smerlas will also help that porous Bills defense inch towards respectability."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1979 Edition

OUTLOOK
"The Bills offense is good enough to win 10 games, but their defense is capable of losing more. Chuck Knox has lots of draft picks to build the future with. The future certainly isn't now for Buffalo, which will live in the cellar of the strong AFC East. Bring blankets, Chuck."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1979 Edition

"When the Buffalo Bills open their season against the Miami Dolphins on September 2, the mathematical odds will be in favor of coach Chuck Knox's outfit. On a hunch that a team that loses to the same opponent 18 straight times, just HAS to win sometime, the oddsmakers could almost give Buffalo some kind of an edge- something about the law of averages. Those 18 consecutive victories, two of which came last season, established a new NFL record for an all-time winning streak against the same opponent. So, how long can a string like that continue? A long time, maybe.

Except for the Dolphins, Buffalo doesn't meet up with any 1978 playoff-caliber teams [except New England on November 4] until the season's last four games. Then they tackle New England, Denver, Minnesota and Pittsburgh in that order, with the Broncos supplying the only home game. By that time, the Bills should know what the immediate future has in store for them if, by chance, they can survive that formidable four-game gauntlet.
As the Buffalo fans prepare for another season without O.J. Simpson, some interesting statistics have surfaced- figures that may indicate the shape of better things to come. The final total of five Buffalo victories in 1978, for instance, equaled the total number of victories for both 1976 and 1977. If that fails to start the adrenalin flowing, consider this: last season Buffalo lost seven of its games by margins of a touchdown or less. And for the first time since 1975, somebody else besides the Bills finished the season as cellar-dwellers in the AFC East.
The positive thinking factors don't stop there. The club's offensive production was up by 239 yards, even its overall offensive ratings in the NFL turned up slightly. The rushing yardage was especially encouraging, since it showed an increase of more than 500 yards over '77, with the NFL ranking improving from 18th place to 10th.
The biggest plus, however, would seem to be the club's defense against the pass. Here the Bills ranked at the very top of the NFL, permitting a per-game average of only 122.5 yards. Even so, those figures may be deceptive since NFL ball-carriers found Buffalo's defensive unit the easiest one to run through last season. In that department, the Bills ranked at the very bottom of the NFL- in 28th place- by allowing the opposition an average of 201.8 yards rushing per game.
But what about Buffalo's passing game and Joe Ferguson's receivers? Says coach Knox: 'Bob Chandler and Frank Lewis give us two excellent outside receivers, but our need is for a 'burner,' a speed merchant who can give us a deep threat. Lou Piccone provides a measure of depth and an added dimension with his blocking and performance on the special teams. Then, four receivers are coming off the injured reserve- John Holland, Len Willis, Willie Zachery and Dan Fulton. We had great hopes for Fulton in particular but he reported late last year, then he had foot problems that kept him out of practice all season.'
One problem that kept the Buffalo defensive unit off balance the first half of last season was the absence of defensive tackle Mike Kadish, the club's best defensive lineman. With Kadish out, and middle linebacker a weak spot, opposing ball-carriers found the going easy through the center of Buffalo's line. In fact, word got around that Buffalo probably had the weakest defensive middle in the league. Two first-rate rookies, linebacker Lucius Sanford and tackle Dee Hardison, tried to plug the gap as best they could, but it was rough going until Kadish finally settled a contract dispute with the front office and returned to action.
Terry Miller is going to be part of the Buffalo scene for years to come. In late November, he became only the fourth NFL rookie ever to rush for 200 or more yards in a game. He rolled 208 against the New York Giants with the Bills winning, 41-17. The three previous 200-yard rookies were Tom Wilson of Los Angeles, 1956; Cleveland's Jim Brown, 1957; and the incomparable Tony Dorsett of Dallas in 1977.
Will the Buffalo fans get used to the idea that O.J. is no longer around to make the big play? With Terry Miller in the lineup, they might, but still, the feeling lingers that there's only one Orange Juice. Knox recently revealed the reasons why he felt it necessary to send O.J. packing to San Francisco. It seems team morale was a factor.
'On a team that won two games one year and three the next,' said Knox, 'how do you justify giving $733,000 to one guy while the guy next to him gets $33,000?'"

-Herbert M. Furlow, The Pocket Book of Pro Football 1979

OFFENSE
"Quarterbacks: Ferguson set club passing records in 1977, but he couldn't match up to that performance in '78. This was reflected in Buffalo's ranking in team passing which was 12th in the AFC, with an average output of 140.5 yards per game.
Indestructible Bill Munson enters his 16th NFL season a young 38, his arm still effective when needed. He threw 43 times last season and completed 24 for a 55.8 average and four touchdowns. David Mays called a few plays but didn't impress that much.
Running Backs: Miller is the start of this company. He became the 10th rookie to gain a thousand yards when he ran for 123 against Baltimore in the season finale. His final total was 1,060. Even so, Curtis Brown turned in the best average yardage gain per carry with 4.6, slightly better than Miller's 4.5. Brown gained 591 yards on 128 attempts.
Mike Collier was on injured reserve and Steve Powell saw little action. Dennis Johnson showed some form as a rookie and may yet supply Knox with a powerful Miller-Johnson tandem.
If youth and yards are the same, this unit should travel far.
Receivers: Five members of this unit were injured reservists in '78- Fulton, Holland, Shipp, Willis and Zachery. Chandler fell short of 50 receptions for the first time since 1974 but still led Buffalo receivers with 44. A bad knee kept him out of three games. His sidekick Lewis caught 41 for his best year ever and may silence some critics who think the Bills should have a speed burner in his position. Reuben Gant caught 34 while Miller pulled in 22 running patterns from the backfield.
Interior Linemen: Buffalo ranked 13th among the 14 AFC clubs in the final total offense rankings, averaging 289.4 yards per game. This could indicate the aging of veterans such as Reggie McKenzie, Joe DeLamielleure and Willie Parker- or it might mean that young players like Ken Jones and Joe Devlin are not developing fast enough. Or both.
Devlin, Phil Olsen, Eric Smith and Connie Zelencik were injury-prone, with only Devlin seeing action.
Some observers believe the Bills need a bigger and stronger center than Parker as well as a tackle. Jones had some embarrassing moments last season in the first Jets game. He was caught holding four times, causing the recall of two long pass completions from Ferguson to Gant as the Bills lost, 20-21.
Kickers: Tom Dempsey did whatever was asked of him, making good on 36 of 39 PATs and 10 field goals out of 13 attempts. Five field goals were made from 30 or more yards out and he was perfect from up to 29 yards. The trouble was that the Bills didn't get close enough often enough to make field goals a viable scoring alternative. Or that touchdowns were needed most.
Rusty Jackson's punts averaged nearly 39 yards, with one going for 70 yards."

-Herbert M. Furlow, The Pocket Book of Pro Football 1979

DEFENSE
"Front Linemen: Buffalo allowed its opponents a total of 3,228 yards rushing last season. None of the other clubs were that generous. In fact, it was a bad year for Buffalo's defense on the ground, but in the air it was different. Much different. There, the Bills topped the entire NFL in defense against the pass, allowing opponents only 122.5 aerial yards per game. Even so, the Bills tied the Jets for the league's lowest number of quarterback sacks- a mere 22 which indicates a lack of pass-rushing capability in the line.
Kadish, the club's best defensive lineman, was unavailable for about eight games because of a contract dispute. Hardison starred at tackle all season and did fairly well. There's hope that Scott Hutchinson will prove a good end in time.
Linebackers: Lucius Sanford distinguished himself in his rookie year, so much so that his teammates considered any all-rookie team a joke if it didn't name him. Sanford also blocked two field goals in one game against Kansas City. Not bad for a 4th round draft choice.
Some critics think the middle linebacker spot could be in better hands than those of Tom Graham and Randy McClanahan. It isn't easy to please everybody.
Defensive Backs: This unit did much to put Buffalo's pass defense at the league's top. Although interceptions totaled only 14, opposing passers found it hard to find a suitable target in the secondary.
Mario Clark led the club's interceptors with five, while Tony Greene and linebacker Shane Nelson came up with three each. These defenders helped during a dreary defensive year for Buffalo, and they could again."

-Herbert M. Furlow, The Pocket Book of Pro Football 1979

"Another bountiful collegiate draft brought a ton of young talent to the Buffalo roster, all but ensuring continued progress in the club's rebuilding program. Chuck Knox has breathed new life into what had been a downtrodden franchise and expects to field an exciting, if inexperienced, football team in '79.
Knox went to the draft to improve a defense that had the worst record against the run (4.8-yard average yield/23 touchdowns) in the conference and came away with some blue-chippers who might allow him to switch to a 3-4 alignment. The top pick, All-American middle linebacker Tom Cousineau (6'3/228) of Ohio State, and second-round choice Jim Haslett (6'2"/225) of Indiana (PA) are outstanding athletes capable of stepping right into the linebacker unit which includes All-Rookie right linebacker Lucius Sanford and hustling left linebacker Shane Nelson. Randy McClanahan and Tom Graham are inside linebacker reserves while Dan Jilek, Tom Ehlers and Mario Celotto figure as outside backer subs.
A front wall that registered only 22 sacks was comprised of left end Ben Williams (6'3"/ 246), aggressive soph left tackle Dee Hardison (6'4"/270), standout right tackle Mike Kadish (6'2"/272) and right end Sherman White (6'5"/250), with soph end Scott Hutchinson (6'4"/245) and tackle Phil Dokes (6'5"/255) the key backups. Nose tackle Fred Smerlas (6'2"/260) of Boston College, a relentless and strong athlete, and Ken Johnson (6'3"/245) of Knoxville, a quick pass rusher, should provide competition for starting assignments.
A competent secondary unit has standout Mario Clark (five interceptions) and Charles Romes working the corners, with Keith Moody and Eddie McMillan as their reserves. Capable Doug Jones and brilliant Tony Greene will be joined by hard-hitting Bill Simpson, who came over in a preseason deal with the Rams. Steve Freeman and soph Marvin Switzer are holdover subs. All-American Jeff Nixon of Richmond is a super safety prospect and punt returner while Rod Kush of Omaha (Nebraska) seems suited for corner duty.
Knox prefers a conservative run-oriented offense and will again lean heavily on his gifted trio of ball carriers: explosive Terry Miller who darted for 1,060 yards (seven touchdowns) from tailback, shifty fullback Curtis Brown (591 yards) and swing reserve Roland Hooks (358). Backup fullback Dennis Johnson (222), Steve Powell and Mike Collier complete the backfield.
The run lanes are opened by All-Pro right guard Joe DeLamielleure  (6'3"/248) and longtime left guard partner Reggie McKenzie (6'5"/245) plus tackles Joe Devlin (6'5"/254), Ken Jones (6'5"/252), Elbert Drungo (6'5"/264) and center Willie Parker (6'3"/245). Well-regarded rookie tackle Jon Borchardt (6'5"/245) of Montana State and guard Mike Burrow (6'4"/260) of Auburn join key reserve guard Bill Adams, tackle Eric Smith and center Will Grant to add depth.
Mobile quarterback Joe Ferguson responded well to Knox's discipline, cutting his interceptions from 24 in 1977 to 15 in 1978 while passing for 16 touchdowns and 2,136 yards. Rookie Dan Manucci (Kansas State) will compete with veteran Bill Munson and David Mays for backup quarterback jobs.
Key receiver Bob Chandler managed 44 receptions (five touchdowns) despite constant double coverage which should be alleviated this year by the addition of super-talented wide receiver Jerry Butler of Clemson, who was rated the top college flanker by most NFL scouts. Frank Lewis (41 receptions, seven touchdowns) will be the swing reserve, with John Holland, Len Willis, Danny Fulton, Willie Zachary, Lou Piccone and Larry Walton battling it out for the remaining wide receiver jobs. Reuben Gant (34 receptions, seven touchdowns) is set at tight end where Mike Franckowiak and Joe Shipp serve as emergency reserves.
Veteran place kicker Tom Dempsey converted 36 of 38 extra points and 10 of 13 field goal attempts for 66 points while punter Rusty Jackson posted a 38.8 average on 87 attempts. Versatile Keith Moody was outstanding returning punts at a 12.6-yard clip while also averaging 20.6 on kickoff runbacks. Curtis Brown and rookie Nixon will assist Moody on the return teams this season.
Steady improvement can be expected by the youthful Bills as their young players gain game experience, but the high-powered AFC Eastern Division, unfortunately, offers little chance for advancement. The Bills appear at least a year away from playoff-contending status.
'79 Forecast: 5th Place"

-Football Forecast 1979, published by Lexington Library, Inc.

"Many NFL insiders felt that in addition to tabbing Cousineau, the Bills had the best draft of the league's 28 teams. Buffalo got nine of the first 118 players available and most of them were quality personnel.
The first pick, Cousineau, came in the trade with the San Francisco 49ers in which O.J. Simpson went to San Francisco a year ago. They also picked up a fourth-round pick in the same deal- and started the fourth round with the selection of defensive end Ken Johnson of Knoxville.
In between Cousineau and Johnson, the Bills, on their own, picked up four other players. They were Jerry Butler, a wide receiver from Clemson, Fred Smerlas, a defensive tackle from Boston College, Jim Haslett, a well-scouted college linebacker prospect from Indiana (PA), and Jon Borchardt, an offensive tackle from Montana State."

-Norm MacLean, Football Forecast 1979

1979 BUFFALO BILLS ROSTERS

1979 Bills Preseason Veteran Roster

Head Coach - Chuck Knox

Assistant Coaches: Tom Catlin, Jack Donaldson, Steve Moore, Elijah Pitts, Ray Prochaska, Kay Stephenson, Jim Wagstaff, Willie Zapalac

60 Bill Adams (G) Holy Cross 

52 Doug Becker (LB) Notre Dame

47 Curtis Brown (RB) Missouri 

58 Mario Celotto (LB) USC

81 Bob Chandler (WR) USC 

29 Mario Clark (CB) Oregon 

35 Mike Collier (RB) Morgan State

68 Joe DeLamielleure (G) Michigan State

6  Tom Dempsey (K) Palomar Junior College

70 Joe Devlin (T) Iowa 

85 Phil Dokes (DE) Oklahoma State 

79 Elbert Drungo (T) Tennessee State

56 Tom Ehlers (LB) Kentucky

12 Joe Ferguson (QB) Arkansas 

84 Mike Franckowiak (TE) Central Michigan 

22 Steve Freeman (CB-S) Mississippi State

Rockne Freitas (T) Oregon State

88 Reuben Gant (TE) Oklahoma State

55 Tom Graham (LB) Oregon

53 Will Grant (C) Kentucky

43 Tony Greene (S) Maryland 

74 Dee Hardison (DT) North Carolina

76 Craig Hertwig (T) Georgia

80 John Holland (WR) Tennessee State

25 Roland Hooks (RB) North Carolina State 

78 Scott Hutchinson (DE) Florida

 4  Rusty Jackson (P) LSU

51 Dan Jilek (LB) Michigan 

39 Dennis D. Johnson (RB) Mississippi State

75 Dennis L. Johnson (DT) Delaware

24 Doug Jones (S) Arizona State, Cal State-Northridge 

73 Ken Jones (T) Arkansas State

71 Mike Kadish (DT) Notre Dame 

82 Frank Lewis (WR) Grambling

10 David Mays (QB) Texas Southern

54 Randy McClanahan (LB) Louisiana-Lafayette

67 Reggie McKenzie (G) Michigan 

41 Eddie McMillan (CB) Florida State

40 Terry Miller (RB) North Carolina State

46 Keith Moody (KR-CB) Syracuse 

 9  Bill Munson (QB) Utah State

59 Shane Nelson (LB) Baylor 

Phil Olsen (C) Utah State 

61 Willie Parker (C) North Texas State 

89 Lou Piccone (WR) West Liberty State

23 Steve Powell (RB) Northeast Missouri State

26 Charles Romes (S) North Carolina Central 

57 Lucius Sanford (LB) Georgia Tech

Bill Simpson (S) Michigan State

21 Marvin Switzer (S) Kansas State

49 Larry Walton (WR) Arizona State

83 Sherman White (DE) California 

77 Ben Williams (DE) Mississippi 

86 Leonard Willis (WR) Ohio State 

53 Connie Zelencik (C) Purdue 

Top Draft Choices

 1 Tom Cousineau (LB) Ohio State

 1 Jerry Butler (WR) Clemson

 2 Fred Smerlas (DT) Boston College

 2 Jim Haslett (LB) Indiana (PA)

 3 Jon Borchardt (T) Montana State

-1979 Complete Handbook of Pro Football

1979 Buffalo Bills Preseason Roster by Position

OFFENSE

Quarterbacks

Joe Ferguson (Arkansas)

Dan Manucci (Kansas State)

David Mays (Texas Southern)

Bill Munson (Utah State)

Running Backs

Curtis Brown (Missouri) 

Mike Collier (Morgan State) 

Roland Hooks (North Carolina State)

Dennis D. Johnson (Mississippi State)

Steve Powell (Northeast Missouri)

Terry Miller (Oklahoma State)

Receivers

Jerry Butler (W) (Clemson)

Bob Chandler (W) (USC)

Mike Franckowiak (T) (Central Michigan)

Danny Fulton (W) (Nebraska-Omaha)

Reuben Gant (T) (Oklahoma State)

John Holland (W) (Tennessee State)

Frank Lewis (W) (Grambling)

Lou Piccone (W) (West Liberty State)

Joe Shipp (T) (USC)

Larry Walton (W) (Arizona State)

Len Willis (W) (Ohio State)

Willie Zachery (W) (Central State, Ohio)

(W)-Wide Receiver  (T)-Tight End

Interior Linemen

Bill Adams (G) (Holy Cross)

Jon Borchart (T) (Montana State)

Joe DeLamielleure (G) (Michigan State)

Joe Devlin (T) (Iowa)

Elbert Drungo (T) (Tennessee State)

Will Grant (C) (Kentucky)

Craig Hertwig (T) (Georgia)

Ken Jones (T) (Arkansas State)

Reggie McKenzie (G) (Michigan)

Don Medlin (G) (North Carolina State)

Phil Olsen (C) (Utah State)

Willie Parker (C) (North Texas State)

Eric Smith (T) (Southern Mississippi)

Connie Zelencik (C) Purdue

(T)-Tackle  (G)-Guard  (C)-Center

Kickers

Tom Dempsey (PK) (Palomar JC)

Rusty Jackson (P) (LSU)

(PK)-Place Kicker  (P)-Punter

DEFENSE

Front Linemen

Phil Dokes (T-E) (Oklahoma State)

Dee Hardison (T) (North Carolina)

Scott Hutchinson (E) (Florida)

Mekeli Ieremia (T-E) (Brigham Young)

Dennis L. Johnson (T) (Delaware)

Ken Johnson (E) (Knoxville)

Mike Kadish (T) (Notre Dame)

Fred Smerlas (T) (Boston College)

Sherman White (E) (California)

Ben Williams (E) (Mississippi)

(E)-End  (T)-Tackle

Linebackers

Doug Becker (O) (Notre Dame)

Mario Celotto (O) (USC)

Greg Collins (O) (Notre Dame)

Tom Cousineau (O) (Ohio State)

Tom Ehlers (O) (Kentucky)

Tom Graham (M) (Oregon)

Jim Haslett (O) (Indiana, Pa.)

Dan Jilek (O) (Michigan)

Randy McClanahan (M) (Southwest Louisiana)

Shane Nelson (O) (Baylor)

Lucius Sanford (O) (Georgia)

(O)-Outside Linebacker  (M)-Middle Linebacker

Defensive Backs

Mario Clark (CB) (Oregon)

Steve Freeman (S) (Mississippi State)

Tony Greene (S) (Maryland)

Doug Jones (S) (San Fernando Valley State)

Rod Kush (S) (Nebraska-Omaha)

Eddie McMillan (CB) (Florida State)

Keith Moody (CB) (Syracuse)

Jeff Nixon (S) (Richmond)

Charles Romes (CB) (North Carolina Central)

Bill Simpson (S) (Michigan State)

Marvin Switzer (S) (Kansas State)

(CB)-Cornerback (S)-Safety

-The Pocket Book of Pro Football 1979, published by Pocket Books, New York

1979 BUFFALO BILLS DEPTH CHART

OFFENSE

QB Joe Ferguson (Arkansas), Bill Munson (Utah State), David Mays (Texas Southern), Dan Manucci (Kansas State)*

RB Terry Miller (Oklahoma State), Roland Hooks (North Carolina State), Mike Collier (Morgan State), Steve Powell (Northeast Missouri State) 

RB Curtis Brown (Missouri), Dennis D. Johnson (Mississippi State) 

WR Frank Lewis (Grambling), Lou Piccone (West Liberty State), John Holland (Tennessee State), Len Willis (Ohio State)

T Ken Jones (Arkansas State, Craig Hertwig (Georgia), Elbert Drungo (Tennessee State), Jon Borchardt (Montana State)*

G Reggie McKenzie (Michigan), Bill Adams (Holy Cross), Don Medlin (North Carolina State)

C Willie Parker (North Texas State), Will Grant (Kentucky), Connie Zelencik (Purdue), Phil Olsen (Utah State)

G Joe DeLamielleure (Michigan State), Bill Adams (Holy Cross)

T Joe Devlin (Iowa), Eric Smith (Southern Mississippi)

TE Reuben Gant (Oklahoma State), Mike Franckowiak (Central Michigan), Joe Shipp (USC)

WR Bob Chandler (USC), Larry Walton (Arizona State), Willie Zachery (Central State-Ohio), Jerry Butler (Clemson)*

DEFENSE

E Ben Williams (Mississippi), Scott Hutchinson (Florida), Ken Johnson (Knoxville)*

T Mike Kadish (Notre Dame), Phil Dokes (Oklahoma State)                 

T Dee Hardison (North Carolina), Mekeli Ieremia (Brigham Young), Dennis L. Johnson (Delaware), Fred Smerlas (Boston College)*

E Sherman White (California), Scott Hutchinson (Florida)

LB Shane Nelson (Baylor), Doug Becker (Notre Dame), Tom Ehlers (Kentucky), Tom Cousineau (Ohio State)* 

MLB Tom Graham (Oregon), Randy McClanahan (Louisiana-Lafayette)

LB Lucius Sanford (Georgia Tech), Dan Jilek (Michigan), Mario Celotto (USC), Jim Haslett (Indiana-Pennsylvania)

CB Mario Clark (Oregon), Keith Moody (Syracuse)

S Doug Jones (San Fernando Valley), Steve Freeman (Mississippi State), Bill Simpson (Michigan State), Rod Kush (Nebraska-Omaha)*

S Tony Greene (Maryland), Marvin Switzer (Kansas State), Jeff Nixon (Richmond)*

CB Charles Romes (North Carolina Central), Eddie McMillan (Florida State) 

KICKERS

K Tom Dempsey (Palomar JC)

P Rusty Jackson (LSU)

* rookie

-The Pocket Book of Pro Football 1979, published by Pocket Books, New York

1978 Profile: Doug Jones

Strong Safety
No. 24
San Fernando Valley
This aggressive safety started all 14 games in both 1976 and '77 after missing all of '75 with a knee injury. Last season Doug grabbed two interceptions for 30 yards, including a touchdown, and returned a recovered fumble 20 yards.
A two-year starter at both cornerback and safety in college, Doug was also a championship hurdler.

1978 Profile: Tom Ruud

Linebacker
No. 54
Nebraska
The Bills' top draft choice in 1975, Tom saw action all 14 games in both '75 and '76.
A unanimous All-Big Eight selection in 1974, with AP All-American honorable mention, Tom led Nebraska with 104 tackles while recovering three fumbles and intercepting two passes, finishing his college career with 209 tackles. All-Academic Big eight in both 1973 and '74, he played in the Senior Bowl.

1978 Profile: Dan Jilek

Linebacker
No. 51
Michigan
Dan plays aggressively and hits hard. He was named to the NFL All-Rookie team in 1976. That year he was Buffalo's second-leading tackler and also had two pass interceptions, two fumble recoveries and a sack.
A two-time All-Big Ten selection who earned All-American honorable mention, Dan played in both the Hula Bowl and the Japan Bowl.