AMHERST, N.Y. — The 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and current Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack was back at the University at Buffalo to watch the football team's Blue and White Spring Game on a chilly Sunday afternoon.
It's been awhile since Mack has been able to get himself back to Buffalo's campus, but he watched the White Team beat the Blue Team, 25-7.
"Man, I got the invite from Coach (Maurice Linguist)m and I had to come back. It was only right. It's been a few years, with COVID happening and all those different things," Mack said.
"I knew this would be a perfect opportunity to come back and just check out the team and get a glimpse of what's going on."
But for once, the score didn't matter on the field. The team was out there to get in some early reps and some valuable lessons from a first-round draft pick out of their alma mater in Mack.
"He's walking proof that if you want to go be a first-round draft pick or want to be a top-five draft pick, just look over your shoulder. Look at 46," Linguist said.
"Anything you want to do from an athletic standpoint, from an academic standpoint, really from a life standpoint. You can do it here at UB. Look at Khalil Mack. He did it. You can do it as well."
Meanwhile, Linguist told the media the local product, Southwestern grad Cole Snyder will be the Bulls starting quarterback for the second straight season.
“He’s a perfect example, first round draft pick. I didn’t even know he was going to be here today, so I was surprised to see him," Snyder said about Mack.
"He’s living proof. You see a talented guy like that come out of Buffalo, you know that you can do it yourself.”
Buffalo finished up last season winning the Camellia Bowl, 23-21 over Georgia Southern, in Linguist's second season as head coach.
Mack believes this Bulls team has what it takes to win a conference championship this upcoming season.