Buffalo named Jeff Quinn head football coach, replacing Turner Gill. Quinn has 27 years of college coaching experience, most recently as offensive coordinator at Cincinnati. He served in the same position at Central Michigan.

Other transactions

Coaches

Football – St. Francis (Pennsylvania) promoted offensive coordinator Chris Villarrial to head coach. Villarrial spent 11 seasons in the NFL as an offensive lineman with the Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills … Tennessee State promoted associate head coach Rod Reed to head coach. Reed, who played for the Tigers from 1984-88, has also coached at East Texas Baptist, Prairie View A&M and Bethune-Cookman … Jimbo Fisher agreed to a five-year contract with Florida State. Fisher follows Bobby Bowden, who will retire after the Gator Bowl… Sam Houston State hired Willie Fritz as head coach. Fritz is Central Missouri’s winningest coach with a record of 97-47 in 13 seasons. He coached at Sam Houston State in the mid-1980s and early 1990s.

Football assistants – Illinois hired Jeff Brohm to coach quarterbacks and Greg Nord to handle tight ends. Both coaches come from Louisville.

Staff

Equipment coordinator – Bill Ryan retired after 22 years as equipment coordinator at Hobart and William Smith.

Miscellaneous – American Football Coaches Association Director of Membership and Events Sandi Atkinson will retire after 28 years with the organization. Atkinson is the AFCA’s longest-tenured full-time employee, beginning as office manager in 1982.

Deaths

Former West Virginia football student-athlete and Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry died December 17. He was 26.