Published: September 26, 2008 01:47 am      

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Starks should play Saturday

AMHERST — “Unless something comes out of the blue,” James Starks will play in Saturday’s game at Central Michigan, Buffalo Bulls coach Turner Gill said Thursday.

Starks, UB’s leading rusher, was upgraded from “doubtful” to “probable” after his full participation in this week’s practices. The Niagara Falls native missed last week’s loss at Missouri with a reported hip injury sustained the week before against Temple.

“He’s pretty close to 100 percent,” Gill said. “He’s definitely better than he was last week at this time.”

Starks is currently the MAC’s fourth-leading rusher, as he’s averaging 98.7 yards per game. Earlier this season, he became the first back in UB’s Division I-A history to surpass 2,000 career yards.

After the Temple win, Gill noted that Starks had a bruise that kept him out for most of the second half. Gill indicated that the injury was not serious, and Starks would’ve returned if the Bulls didn’t have such capable backups as Brandon Thermilus and Mario Henry.

Starks practiced last Tuesday, but couldn’t finish the following day’s practice, and sat out again last Thursday, Gill said.

The Bulls (2-2) used all three of their tailbacks against Temple, and Gill said they might do so against the defending Mid-American Conference champion Chippewas (2-2).

“We’re always going to play two,” he said. “Depending on the situation, how things are going health-wise, fatigue, that determines whether we play three.”

Henry and Thermilus combined for 90 yards on 29 carries at Missouri. Both backs have ran for more than 100 yards in a game during which they shared carries with Starks.

Henry, a converted defensive back, rushed for 125 yards in a win at Temple last September. He hurt his knee two weeks later that lingered throughout the rest of the season, and into this year’s training camp.

Thermilus, the son of former Miami Hurricanes star Alonzo Highsmith, tallied 102 yards in UB’s season-opening romp of UTEP. He had four touchdowns in the first three games. A third-year sophomore, Thermilus is injury-free for the first time since his senior year of high school. A high ankle sprain preceded his arrival at UB, and blown out knee nullified his true freshman season, and limited his role in 2007.

Regardless of who lines up in the backfield, UB’s strategy won’t change, Gill said. But each back provides different challenges for the defense.

“They all have different running styles, like any running back, they’re unique in their own way,” Gill said. “Brandon is a little more of a strong, powerful runner, though he has very good speed. Mario is a little shiftier, as far as making cuts. James kind of has all of the above. He’s powerful, he can run over people, he can make people miss and he has great speed.”

SATURDAY’S GAME