Changes

Looks like Coach Brown was ahead of the curve on defensive linemen.

Because (currently) the FCS playoffs are not seeded, first round playoff opponents are selected by geographical proximity. That means UMass would face a northeast team that is not a member of the CAA. That usually means a member of the Patriot league.

With the NEC being given an auto-bid by the NCAA starting in 2010, and sooner if the league champion meets certain criteria, UMass could be facing a steady stream of NEC teams in the first round of the playoffs.

USA today has a extensive writeup on Texas Tech (it's at the end of a long scroll) in this article. This quote may be at the heart of how our blitzing defense may fare against Texas Tech: "RB Shannon Woods had a good spring, though the battle for the starting spot remains uncertain heading into fall camp. What may separate Woods from the other three, though, is his blocking. Leach depends on his running backs to block when defenses try to blitz Tech's pass-happy offense. Leach emphasizes blocking as much as running from his backfield"

UPDATE: One of the Texas Tech's backs was suspended for the season.