Josh Stamer, a 2001 South Dakota graduate, is featured on the Buffalo Bills web site. Stamer is a reserve linebacker and standout special teams performer for the Bills. To read the article on Stamer, go to www.buffalobills.com/news

Buffalobills.com has launched a new feature for Bills fans, titled "Inside the Herd", which is a a spin-off of last season's popular "Ask Him Yourself" segment involving President/General Manager Tom Donahoe and Head Coach Mike Mularkey. The new feature gives fans an opportunity to ask players, coaches, and alumni questions of all sorts.

Stamer, a 6'2, 238 pound linebacker, is in his second season at Buffalo. He had a standout career at South Dakota, earning All-NCC honors in 1999 and 2000. Originally from Sutherland, Iowa, the South O'Brien prep standout was also a two-time (1999, 2000) Academic All-NCC selection at USD.

Inside the Herd: LB Josh Stamer Mike Blouin (Charleston, SC): How do you think the Special Teams can improve from last year's best season in Bills history?

Josh Stamer: We're going to work on the looks that we got late in the year. Every team comes in knowing that we were the best last year. What we have to do is step it up a notch because they are going to bring in their best game and best game plan and their strategy is totally going to change. We're going to work on the things that we think we are going to see this year. Other teams are going to try and confuse us. For instance, running down on their kickoff and our return we always match up with the front five and they are going to try and confuse us by running guys across from one side to another. Hopefully we can sting them because they won't know what lane that they are supposed to be in. We definitely have to get better. I'm always telling coach April about the front five being the hardest position on any special team in the NFL. You have to run back with the opposition running at you while switching lanes and if you're confused a half of second on who you are supposed to block you're not going to get the guy. Especially with the speed and the ability we have in the NFL. I know we had an awesome year last year but we're only going to get better. We can always get better in coverage.

Jim Bernal (Lansing, NY): Hi Josh. What does your offseason conditioning regiment consist of to keep the muscles tone and strong and to keep your stamina up so you don't come into Training Camp flat and risk injury?

JS: That's a good question. Our strength staff is always battling back and forth on how we stay injury free. We do different things. We'll come in and do muscle building days but we'll also put injury prevention lifts in, which are real light lifts for the shoulders and the hips just to make sure the sockets and joints are real strong. So we do good job of incorporating that in to help us prevent injury but at the same time we are trying to build and stay toned and fit. Cary Holt (Laguna Beach, CA): Who was your favorite player as a kid and why? JS: Definitely Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions. I liked his humility. I was taught at a young age that if you score a touchdown you bring the ball to the referee and hand it to him with no celebration, you just run off the field. That's what Barry did every single time he scored a touchdown no matter whether it was in high school, college or the pros. I don't know how sometimes he kept himself under control. Sometimes I get a little out of control with the excitement and enthusiasm.

JG (Rochester, NY): What goes through your mind as you run down the field on kick coverage? Thanks and good luck this season. JS: Kick coverage is by far my favorite. Like I said in an earlier answer, kickoff return is the hardest so I'm running down the field thinking this is hard for them. I feel there should be nobody in the front line that should be able to block me. If one of the front five or six guys block me than I'm terrible, that's the way I feel. So I'm running down thinking the front guy is not going to be able to block me and I'm just trying to read what we've studied and where the ball is going to go while trying to stay in my lane and knock off any double teams to free somebody up. Last year Angelo Crowell and I got double-teamed a lot. I didn't really have to think much when we got the wedge; you just hit them as hard as you can. Randy Prokes (Jacksonville, FL): Josh, you have been with the Bills with two different coaching staffs. What do you believe is different with the approach this staff has that has allowed the ST unit to have so much success, and do you expect similar success in the next season as well? JS: I definitely expect similar success. The coaches are always preaching to us to be humble. Every team is going to bring their best special teams effort to the table. We were number one in the league last year and every team is going to bring their best game, we know that. With coach Bobby April we can come to the sideline and tell him what we are seeing and he'll make adjustments quickly. He'll take your opinion into account. He'll let us change things on the field. There were a couple of times in games where Crowell and I just started crossing on kickoffs just to mess up the double teams. He doesn't mind you adlibbing a bit but don't mess up. He's awesome at putting you on the right match up with a guy that is similar in height, weight, strength, and speed. He was the best special teams coach in the league last year. He's good with strategy and what our weaknesses are and uses them to get us where we need to go.

Amber (Lackawanna, NY): Hi Josh, I just wanted to know if you weren't playing football what would you be doing instead. JS: There is nothing that can substitute the competition and the camaraderie of football or any sport. This is going to be a boring answer but... I went to school and got my masters in accounting and I imagine that I'd be sitting behind a desk somewhere crunching numbers. I'm blessed and honored to be playing the game.

Jason McNutt (Akron, NY): First of all I would like to say I am a big fan of yours and think you do an amazing job on special teams and was excited to see you get the interception in the 49ers game. My question is does it get frustrating not being able to start because of our great core of linebackers? Also, how much do guys like Spikes, Fletcher and Posey help you out? JS: I don't really get frustrated. I know my role on this team. Of course every football player wants to start and wants to get his day to shine. We've got a great core of linebackers and they have taught me pretty much everything I know. I'm just grateful to be here and I try and learn as much as I can. If my day comes it comes, great and if it doesn't I'm fine with my role.

Bernard O'Connor (Rochester, NY): I attended camp plenty last year. Seeing it, it struck me as odd that the players have to stay there at night, like sleeping at work, or being in the army. What is that like for you? JS: I've never been to boot camp but it is a bit like it. No interaction with anybody outside and it's just football and football. It gets hard. It's the hardest part about football and anybody will tell you that it takes a different type of character to go through all that.

Josh McCarty (St. Louis, MO): How would you describe yourself as a player? Are you a better fit as a weak side, strong side or inside linebacker? JS: I'm more comfortable as a strong side linebacker because that's where I played my whole life. I don't know if that's where I fit in best. I think I'd be better at weak side but it doesn't matter. Physically my strengths would probably fit me better as a weak side backer.

Tony "Bills Brother" Califano (Henrietta, NY): Josh, I am one of the three guys (Bills Brothers) in the end zone that always cheer you on especially at kickoffs. You then take off like a missile. Do the fans help you get pumped up? Thanks. Go Bills! JS: Always. I've heard you guys. I love the fans. It's so comfortable at home and a luxury when you have the fans and you can turn to them. When you're running down the field you know everybody in the stands has your back and it's a great feeling. Casey (Columbus, OH): How often do you see Don Blackmon and the other Bills coaches during the offseason? JS: Every day. When we started what we call Blue Weeks when we're with our position coaches twice a week plus special teams. I can go and see him any time if I have any questions. I probably talk to him three or four times a week.

Mark Vitale (Rochester, NY): What is the most memorable play in your career? JS: Thus far I only have a short career in the NFL but in college it was our homecoming. We were playing Minnesota State and we weren't supposed to beat them. I picked off a high pass and ended up scoring a touchdown on it. On the return the defenders met me at the 2 yard line but I remember jumping over them and landing in the end zone. The crowd was going wild and we ended up winning the game. That was probably my most memorable play but my most memorable time was when I found out I made the Bills roster.

AJ (Rochester, NY): How important is the mixture of veteran players and young players on this year's Bills? Are you poised to make it to the playoffs in 2005? JS: We are defiantly going to the playoffs in 2005. We're only going up and not taking any steps back. As far as veterans you always need veterans on the team. I think at every position you need a veteran leader that has been there and done that. But it's also good to have young and upcoming athletes with the new speed and the young strength on the field. Sometimes the young players will pretty much do anything you ask them and they are just eager to be on the field and I think you always need that on the team.

Jacob Juelz (Show Low, AZ): Josh, what do you do during flights on away games? Anything special besides sleeping? JS: The first thing I do is eat a bunch and then I pass out for an hour then wake up and watch a movie. That's about it.