Brett Hamlin was trained to be tougher than the typical wide receiver.

Halfway into his very first season of youth football, Hamlin was pulled off the team. While some young football players have to overcome parents who fear the sport’s inherent violence, Hamlin had a father who played at the Division I level, and knew success in the sport depended on one’s willingness to handle the hits.

Thing was, Hamlin was just 5 at the time, and in order to play tackle football, he had to compete against boys who were all older.

“I would get hit harder because everybody was bigger, faster and stronger than me,” the University at Buffalo senior said this week. “But I’ve been in love with the game ever since.”

Hamlin grew up emulating — and constantly competing with — his older brother, Cody, who followed father Chuck’s footsteps and became a linebacker, eventually earning a scholarship to Eastern Kentucky. Younger brother Kevin, whose now at Iowa State, also played linebacker.

Brett played free safety in his freshman year at William T. Dwyer High in Jupiter, Fla., but quickly found out he liked it better when the ball was in his hands. He went on to be a two-year captain and an all-county selection as a senior. Division I-AA Richmond offered him a scholarship, then pulled it when the coaching staff got fired. That left UB as the only place he could continue playing football.

Hamlin will be playing a couple hours from his hometown tonight when the Bulls visit Central Florida. He’ll have more than 40 friends and family in the stands, including his mother, Ellen, whose recent battle with breast cancer is the reason Hamlin wears a pink bracelet on his wrist during games.

Last week against Pittsburgh, Hamlin had a career day with 12 receptions — one shy of the school record — and 149 yards. He’s emerged as a preferred target for sophomore quarterback Zach Maynard, who converted nine first downs by throwing to Hamlin last week.

“Zach is very comfortable with Brett,” coach Turner Gill said. “Speaking as a quarterback you’re going to throw to the guys you feel good about and very comfortable with.”

Gill’s last protégé, Drew Willy, was just as comfortable with Hamlin. When both were true freshman in 2005, Hamlin caught a pass in 10 of 11 games and finished the season with a team-high 38 receptions.

The following year, Gill arrived and began working his magic with the UB offense, but Hamlin played just two games before breaking his foot and taking a medical redshirt.

Settling in as the Bulls’ slot receiver in 2007 and 2008, Hamlin recorded 38 catches in both campaigns.

Currently ranking eight in the nation in receptions per game (7.5), Hamlin is on pace to exceed 38 catches by the season’s midway point. He needs 10 more receptions to move into third-place all-time at UB, behind teammate Naaman Roosevelt and all-time great Drew Haddad.

Maynard threw for 400 yards last week, but Hamlin is so confident in the young passer’s abilities that he said he’s “not impressed” with school-record performance. As good as the Bulls were with Willy under center last year, Hamlin thinks they could be even better in 2009.

“We definitely have a different element with Zach being a dual threat,” Hamlin said. “And Zach has tremendous throwing capabilities. He throws the ball hard enough where it rips my gloves sometimes.”

After taking some time to reflect, Hamlin realized how incredible Maynard’s performance was, considering it came in just his second start.

“Imagine him,” he said, “in his 10th or 11th start.”

Contact reporter Jonah Bronstein at 282-2311, ext. 2258.



GAME NIGHT

UB (1-1) vs. Central Florida (1-1)

• WHEN: 7:30 p.m.

• WHERE: Orlando

• RADIO: WECK 1230-AM

• TV: Time Warner Cable Sportsnet