Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Wednesday News ----- June 30th, 2010

The New York Times says Vladimir Ducasse has a strong showing in the Jets training camp.

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Two UMass players (Tyler Holmes and Emil Igwenau) have been named to Phil Steele's CAA preseason All-League team. Josh Smauda, Julian Talley and John Griffin were named to the second team. The UMass athletic site has the story here.

Speaking of Tyler Holmes, his interception against Maine was voted one of UMass' top plays of the year.

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Old Dominion's first CAA game will be at Delaware on September 24th.

Another post by the same author talks about Rhode Island leaving the CAA.

Old Dominion HC Bobby Wilder talks about changes in FCS recruiting.

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Meanwhile, future CAA member Georgia State gets ready for their first football game.

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Today is sixty-six days until UMass football starts. Wearing #66 for UMass this year will be Anthony Dima, a 6-7 271 pd RS FR OL transfer from Hofstra. Dima has four years of eligibility at UMass.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Recruiting 2011-- Mike Orloff


Special thanks to the reader who sent me information about this post.

UMass has offered to Mike Orloff a 6-2 215 pd athlete from Lawrence Academy in MA. Orloff's Rivals page is here.

Orloff has offers from Harvard, Louisville and UMass.

Relevant quote from Rivals:"Thus far Louisville, Harvard and UMass are the three schools that have invited Orloff to join their programs. Louisville has offered him as a middle linebacker, while Harvard and UMass like him as a quarterback. Every other school has recruited him as an outside linebacker.

"I don't really have any favorites right now," he said. "I'm kind of just taking it all in right now. I'm going to start narrowing it down towards the end of the summer and make a decision before the season or after a couple of games."

Advantage Football camps bills him as the top QB in the state.

Image by Rivals.com

Tuesday News ---- June 29th, 2010

Vladimir Ducasse and the Jets may be close to signing his contract.

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Marcel Shipp will be sponsoring a football clinic in Paterson, NJ on July 10th.

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Thorr says URI wants to be playing football for another 109 years.

Craig Haley says Maine may be next.

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The Virginia Pilot looks at off season college workouts. Includes coverage of soon-to-be CAA member Old Dominion.

Ryan Whalen is a 205 pd WR for the Stanford. He can power clean 305 pounds.

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Today is sixty-seven days until football. Brian Ostaszewski a 6-5 300 pd RS Jr OL wears #67 for the Minutemen. Ostaszewski started all eleven games at RT for UMass in 2009. Looks as if he will be a fixture at that position for some time.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Monday News --- June 28th, 2010

UMass loses a transfer battle for former Cincinnati QB Najee Tyler. The 6-5 RS FR chose Youngstown state over Hampton, UMass, Appalachian State and Texas State.

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New Bedford's Jon Williams will play for Dean College this fall with the hope of eventually moving on to UMass or URI.

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Phil Steele is doing a FCS Top 25 daily countdown. His east regional magazine that covers FCS football is almost ready for release.

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The Toronto Sun (in between anarchist riots), speculates why a number of highly talented American quarterbacks failed in Canadian Football.

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I'll be back tomorrow with some more recruiting news.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Rhode Island leaving the CAA?

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports Rhode Island may be leaving the CAA in 2012.

The NEC allows forty scholarships and will be eligible for the FCS playoffs for the first time in 2010.

The Rams have struggled in the CAA. Last year they finished 1-10 overall and 0-8 in the league. This is bad for New England football, but at least Rhode Island will be still playing.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Saturday News----June 26th, 2010

Tickets for UMass-UNH at Gillette Stadium will be available on Monday. The ticket price includes parking, which is a nice perk.

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Josh Buchanan has expanded his list of "Top Small School NFL prospects" to fifty players. The only UMass player is Northeastern transfer John Griffin at #43.

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Matty Vautour has a UMass news post with several items relating to Minutemen football.

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Craig Haley of The Sports Network looks at some spoilers ready to step up for the 2010 FCS season.

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The NCAA is moving to ban early scholarship offers. Key quote: "Some coaches in high-profile sports have extended scholarship offers to prospects as early as eighth grade, and members of the Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee voiced concerns about the ethics of such tactics at the 2010 NCAA Convention."

The NCAA proposal would ban scholarship offers before the student's Junior year.

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Today is seventy days until the 2010 season starts. Wearing #70 for UMass this year will be Northeastern transfer Greg Niland. He's a 6-5 305 pd RS SR OL from East Bridgewater, MA. Niland started at LT for the Huskies last year and should be a strong candidate to move into Vladimir Ducasse's spot on the Minutemen offensive line.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Friday News --- June 25th, 2010

Vladimir Ducasse remains unsigned by the New York Jets.

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Shannon James was released by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

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Phl Steele has picked William & Mary, UMass' first opponent in 2010, as the #1 team in FCS.

According to a poster on AGS, UMass does not crack Phil Steele's Top 40:

1. William & Mary
2. Appalachian St
3. Villanova
4. Montana
5. Northern Iowa
6. Elon
7. Southern Illinois
8. James Madison
9. Northern Arizona
10. McNeese St
11. Wofford
12. SF Austin
13. Illinois St
14. Cal Poly
15. Delaware
16. Weber St
17. Richmond
18. South Dakota St
19. Eastern Illinois
20. Montana St
21. South Carolina St
22. Jacksonville St
23. Colgate
24. Penn
25. Liberty
26. Grambling St
27. Eastern Washington
28. New Hampshire
29. Texas St
30. Robert Morris
31. Samford
32. Eastern Kentucky
33. Central Arkansas
34. Furman
35. Harvard
36. Dayton
37. Chattanooga
38. Maine
39. UC Davis
40. Missouri State.

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According to the Virginia Pilot, FCS leagues including the CAA, are still worried about conference re-alignments.

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Off Topic: Five of John Calipari's players were chosen in the first round of the NBA draft.

Recruiting 2010----Ken Bates


A Worcester Telegram & Gazette image. Photographer not listed.

The Worcester Telegram & Gazette has an article on Kenny Bates a 5-11 QB from Bruncoat HS in MA. He turned down offers from several DII and DIII schools for a chance to walk on to UMass.

Bates was a Worcester Telegram & Gazette Super Team member last fall. Bates was also league offensive MVP.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Thursday News --- June 24th, 2010

The UMass website has another article on Liam Coen being appointed QB coach at Brown.

There are a number of UMass connections at Brown. Phil Estes, the HC at Brown worked with Mark Whipple at UNH. He as also interested in the UMass job when Whipple left. Estes has done a great job at Brown, winning three Ivy League championships (Brown has one only one in its entire history prior to Estes). Brown led the Ivies in total offense in 2009 and was 20th in the nation.

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Former UMass HC Bob Pickett was inducted into the UMass Hall-of-Fame.

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Craig Haley's latest "In the Huddle" FCS column features Robert Morris HC Joe Walton and also has news from around FCS.

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Former UNH QB Ricky Santos has been re-aquired by the Montreal Alouettes.

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More CAA football news from the CAA Blogger.

BTW an updated CAA television schedule.
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When guys don't have sports to keep them occupied department: Key quote "On Sunday evening, the 34-year-old men were sharing a few beers when they thought it would be interesting to shoot each other with an air rifle to see if it would hurt, or if the slugs would penetrate their skin."

From Dave Barry's Blog of course.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Wednesday News--- June 23,2010


Click on the image and Blogger displays a larger view.

As we all knew he would. Liam Coen joins the Brown University as quarterbacks coach.

Matty Vautour has a blog post here. I can't find the relevant blog post, but I believe Matty had a over-and-under bet that Liam would return to UMass as HC in about 10 years...

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The deadline for Michigan travel packages and tickets is July 12th!

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UMass loses a recruiting battle to UConn.

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Montana hires a consultant concerning its future in FCS Football.

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The Summer transfer season is in full swing. Richmond gets a OL from Rutgers. Youngstown State gets a QB from Purdue.

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Roger Brown talks local recruiting from Boston College's camp.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Tuesday News ---- June 22, 2010

Only one token FCS player each on the Nagurski and Outland Award watch lists.

The CAA Football Blog has a post on Villanova's Ben Ijalana being named to the Outland Trophy list.

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Saw this article about Notre Dame's strength coach over on Draft Daddy. Somehow I doubt that UMass' Coach "O" gets a couple of hundred thousand per year.

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Brandon London and James Ihedigbo make the pages of Vanity Fair.

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Add Hans Joerg Butt a keeper for Germany's World Cup team, to my list of favorite sports names.

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Craig Haley of The Sports Network has a story on who will replace Armanti Edwards at Appalachian State.

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Seventy-four days until football. Wearing #74 for the Minutemen this year will be Stephane Milhim a 6-4 335 pd RS SO OL from Pembroke Pines, FL. Milhim played in seven games and started six at right tackle in 2009.

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Monday, June 21, 2010

Monday News--- Summer Solstice 2010

The Nashua Sports Legends Hall-of-Fame will elect former UMass QB Greg Landry this July 4th.

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The Hartford Courant's sports blogger does not remember UMass-UConn.

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The NCAA has made a couple of changes to FCS football Rules. Relevant quotes:

"The cabinet supports prohibiting institutions from providing accommodations to their student-athletes on the night before home contests in FCS football."

"Cabinet members sponsored legislation for the 2010-11 legislative cycle to increase the number of student-athletes allowed to practice before an institution’s first day of class to 95 in FCS football starting in 2011. Currently, FCS football teams may have a maximum of 90 participants."

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Today is Summer Solstice. Other holidays related to today are Litha (Norse/Anglo Saxon "longest Day"), Midsummer's Day and St. John's Eve.

Also there is "Comet McNaught" available if you are up before dawn. Binoculars will help.

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Today is seventy-five days until football. Wearing #75 for UMass this year is John Moran, a 6-4 315 pd RS SO OL from Salem, MA. Moran played in one game against Northeastern in 2009.

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Saturday, June 19, 2010

Recruiting 2011--Taariq Allen


Roger Brown who writes a recruiting New England recruiting blog for ESPN says UMass has offered to Taariq Allen a 6-3 180 pd WR/DB from Weston, MA. He's a Rivals three star player.

Allen just picked up offers from Nebraska and Tulane. He holds offers from UMass and Wisconsin.

Sources say that it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that Allen could end up choosing UMass.

I'm not sure of the credit on the image.

Saturday News ----June 19th, 2010

The Green And White Report features Vladimir Ducasse in this article.

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UMass 2010 recruits Mike Delaney and Matt Campbell get mentions in this writeup on the Shriners Football Classic.

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The latest edition of the CAA football Blog is up.

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Superbowl winning Coach Sean Payton played QB for FCS EIU. The Panthers are retiring his number.

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Josh Buchanan's updated Top 25 "Small School" players list.

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Blogger's comment count function at the bottom of each blog post is still broken. You can comment, but it won't show in the count.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Blog News

Blogger is having trouble with the comments count at the bottom of each blog post. Comments that I moderate approved appear in comments, but do not show in count.

Blogger help says they do not have a solution right now and they may not have one until at least next week.

So, if you make a comment you will have to try the post's comment section to see if it's there. You can't tell by the comment count.

Friday News ---- June 18th, 2010

Matty Vautour has an article about the UMass QB situation. Nice to know great minds run alike :) His thoughts pretty much mirror what I have said earlier. I think UMass will add a JUCO or transfer this summer.

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Craig Haley of The Sports Network write on how the Ivy League teams support each other.

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For those interested in Massachusetts HS football, the 37th Shriners game is tonight.

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Josh Buchanan's Top five FCS punters.

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Former UMass and Syracuse HC Dick MacPherson will be entering the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame in 2010 (Lots of UMass references).

Speaking of Coach Mac, his grandson will be playing for Syracuse this fall.

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Seventy-eight days until football. In 2010 #78 will be worn by Sean O'Connor a 6-6 295 pd RS SO OL from Valhalla, NY. O'Connor appeared in two games in 2009 as a reserve lineman.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Thursday News---June 17th,2010

The Bleacher Report looks at FCS conference expansion.

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Matty Vautour has the news that Octavious Hawkins has transferred to Winston Salem State.

With only three QB's on the roster and Jesse Hunt a walk-on, will the Minutemen add a JUCO or transfer this year?

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The UMass JTAM mentions the football roster update:

Transfers
2010 Recruits
That's the same as Feb 03, 2010 press release, so it looks like we did not have any academic or admissions office casualties.

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Eastern Washington's red turf installation now has a webcam.

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Josh Buchanan's:
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Seventy-Nine days until William & Mary. Wearing #79 for UMass this year is Vincent Westcarr, a 6-4 305 pd RSFR OL from Miramar, FL. Westcarr, a 2009 recruit, worked on the scout team last year.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Wednesday News ---- June 16th, 2010

The New York Post has a mention of Vladimir Ducasse in this article.

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OK, The Sports Network is reporting the 2011 CAA schedule I posted yesterday, so it must be official.

The 2011 schedule is also on the official CAA Football Blog.

Craig Haley has news about Butler and tidbits about the FCS division here.

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A quartet of former UMass players are in UFL camps. The Hartford Colonials have Kyle Harrington and Sean Smalls, the Sacramento Mountain Lions have Steve Baylark and the Las Vagas Locos have Marcel Shipp.

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Eighty Days until football. Wearing #80 for UMass this year is Nick Jablonski, a 6-5 220 pd TE from Assonet, MA. He was redshirted in 2009.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Tuesday News --- June 15th, 2010

Football is driving the conference realignments at this time. It will be interesting if the Big East football schools dump the basketball-only schools and break away. Catholic schools like Providence and St. John's have basically nothing athletic departments compared to schools like Pitt and West Virginia. The question is, would UMass go to a basketball Big East if they were offered? This article talks about a basketball Big East being interested in current A10 members St. Louis and UMass. 'Course it would be better if UMass was able to make it back to being a regional basketball power, which would make us a lot more attractive.

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More from Josh Buchanan:
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Over on "Any Given Saturday" someone published a 2011 CAA conference schedule (a pdf download). I can't find it on the CAA website, take it for what it's worth. If true, UMass would face new CAA team Old Dominion in '11 and not see William & Mary and Towson.

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From the UMass Athletic Dept JTAM blog:

"

FOOTBALL

A group of UMass coaches have been down in New Jersey spending time at the New York Jets minicamp where former Minutemen All-Americans Vladimir Ducasse and James Ihedigbo are in action with the green and white. Offensive coordinator Brian Picucci has been at the Jets complex each of the last two weeks. Also gaining some professional development with the Jets are defensive coordinator Keith Dudzinski, defensive line coach Steve Tirrell, running backs coach Guido Falbo, defensive backs coach Dyran Peake and assistant linebackers coach Damian Mincey. Head coach Kevin Morris will be down with the Jets on Tuesday."

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Roger Brown reports on recruiting from the NUC Ultimate 100 East Prospect Camp.

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Today is 81 days until the beginning of the 2010 football season. Wearing #81 for UMass is Julian Colarusso a 6-4 200 pd RS SO WR from Quincey Mass. Julian was redshirted in 2009.

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Monday, June 14, 2010

Monday News---June 14th, 2010

I didn't know players from schools like USC that have been hit with NCAA penalties can transfer without sitting out a year. First saw this article over on the Draft Daddy blog.

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The untiring Josh Buchanan has his:
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An article featuring new William & Mary QB Mike Paulus. UMass fans will get to see how good he is on on September 4th.

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Yesterday was eighty three days until football. Emil Igwenagu, RS JR TE who is 6-1 240, will be wearing #83 for the Minutemen this year. Emil played in ten games and started 3 for UMass in 2009. He rushed 6-11. Igwenagu was the third leading receiver last year going 24-288 12 AVE 1 TD 52 LONG and 26.2 YDS/GAME. Just to round things off, he had 2 UT 1 AT and 3 TT. The blog hopes he has a monster year in 2001.

Today is eighty two days until the Tribe and wearing #82 is Andrew Kervis a 6-6 245 pd RSJR TE. Kervis was the sixth leading receiver in 2009. He played in all eleven games in 2009 starting 1. Kervis had 4-45 11.2 AVE 2 TD's 20 LONG and 4.1 YARDS/GAME. Two TD's in four catches is pretty good production.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Saturday News ---- June 12th, 2010

UMass has a mention of Tyler Holmes being chosen as an honorable mention All-American by Consensus Draft Services.

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Speaking of Josh, JB Scouting has four "Top FCS" position lists:
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McNeese adds a twenty-five year old QB.

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The CAA Football Blog reports that the league has lost its Media Day home in Baltimore.

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Yesterday was eighty five days until Willam & Mary. Jersey #85 will be worn by Travis Tripucka this year. Tripucka was the starting LS on the 2009 Minutemen. He's 6-2 215.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Thursday News ---June 11th, 2010

Former UMass WR Ryan Logan is helping run a football camp for local players.

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The Philadelphia Eagles released Chris Zardas.

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Craig Haley of The Sports Network has the Top 10 FCS Specialists.

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Michigan had an 897 APR score last year.

Speaking of the NCAA, they dropped the hammer on USC yesterday.

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Delaware has unveiled plans to upgrade their football stadium to 30,000 seats.

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Recruiting 2011---Richard Rodgers



UMass has offered to Richard Rodgers a 6-4 225 pd TE from Shrewsbury, MA.

Stub articles listing UMass' offer here and here. Rodgers Rivals page here.

Article on Rodgers receiving an offer from Oregon here.

He has also received offers from Cal, Notre Dame, Maryland and Virginia as well. If he wants to stay local, UMass would be an option for him.

I can't find credit for the image.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Thursday News-- June 10th, 2010

UMass' Tyler Holmes made "Honorable mention' in Consensus Draft Services FCS preseason All-American team (scroll to end of story).

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Craig Haley looks at FCS schools that might jump to FBS in the realignment shuffle currently going on in college football.

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Shannon James has joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. His Hamilton bio here. Story here.


Relevant quote:James, a 5-10, 205-pound native of Bridgeport, Connecticut spent the last four seasons with the Calgary Stampeders, making 200 defensive tackles, four quarterback sacks, 13 tackles for losses and three interceptions in 56 games. He was nominated as Calgary’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2007 and 2008."


A Canadian Free-Press image.

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Former UNH WR David Ball has signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

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The Chicago Cubs drafted Villanova's Matt Szczur in the fifth round. I read somewhere, but cannot find again, that Szczur was the second fasted player chosen in the draft.

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The Bleacher Report has 10 FCS players to remember in 2010.

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Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli is available to transfer to FCS.

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Yesterday was 87 days until football starts. Wearing #87 for UMass in 2010 will be Rob Blanchflower a 6-4 245 pd RS Fr TE from Leominster, MA. Blanchflower was redshirted in 2009.

Today is 86 days until William & Mary and wearing #86 for the Minutemen this season is Dominique Price a 6-0 RS JR WR from Worcester, MA.

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Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Blog News

The UMass Football Blog will not publish tomorrow , Wednesday June 9th.

Tuesday News----June 8th, 2010

Craig Haley of The Sports Network previews the SWAC and adds some FCS News. The Sports Network also mentions Tony Nelson's joining the Argos.

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Phil Steele's College Football Preview should hit the news stands today.

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Keepers College Football Ratings has his Spring Stats FCS page up and it's really well done.

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Future CAA team Georgia State has football recruiting site here.

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Monday, June 07, 2010

Monday News --- June 7, 2010

ABC40 has another story about Tony Nelson signing with the Argonauts.

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Josh Buchanan's updated 2011 NFL "Small School" NFL Draft list.

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The Green and White Report features Vladimir Ducasse in this article.

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Future CAA program Georgia State adds a QB transfer from Alabama.

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A story about CAA's commissioner Tom Yeager's 25 years with the league. The CAA has done an excellent job with the football side of the league.

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Stories from the New Jersey Northeast football Classic here and here and here.



Image of UMass recruit Brandon Hill by Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-Ledger.

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Eighty-nine days until football starts. Wearing #89 for the Minutemen is Aaron Fears a RS SR WR from North Attleboro, MA. Fears played in 10 games in 2009, started 0. He had 3-47 15.7 AVE (highest average on the team) 1 TD 21 long 4.7 AVE/game. Fears should be in the mix for increased playing time in 2010.

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Sunday, June 06, 2010

Sunday News ----June 6th, 2010




A big tip of the Blog's hat to the commenter who alerted me to Tony Nelson being signed by the Toronto Argonauts. Good luck Tony!

This site called "Our Sports" has the same information and one of the most irritating web adds I have ever seen. Don't click on the link if you have vertigo or epilepsy!

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Video of CAA commissioner Tom Yeager's talk at the league's 2010 football meeting.

The CAA Football Blog also has a 2009 video review. Excellent.

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UMass QB recruit Brandon Hill will play today in the New Jersey-Northeast Football classic at 3:00pm. The game will be televised on WWOR NY, which is available on Dish Network in the New York area.

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It is ninety days until UMass football and wearing #90 for UMass this year is Theo Agnew a 6-5 240 pd RS FR DL from Windsor, CT. With all four UMass DL graduating in 2009, Agnew should be in line for some playing time this year.

Saturday, June 05, 2010

Saturday News ---- June 5th, 2010

The Bleacher Report finally found Tyler Holmes big hit.

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A proposed Legacy Bowl between the champions of the HBCU conferences SWAC and MEAC could bring in $3 million in revenue.

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This story by a New York writer describes Vladimir Ducasse as the product of a "low level program".

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Unlike 2010, no UMass players on JB Scouting's first 2011 NFL Draft Early Top 50.

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Wally Novak, a fixture in the UMass Athletics dept for many years, has passed away. Wally was a fan of, and a supporter of, UMass football.

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Startup CAA program Georgia State adds three FBS transfers.

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Yesterday was 92 days until football. Wearing #92 for UMass in 2010 is Jeffery Lingenfelter, a 6-5 210 pd RS Fr P/WR from Wilbraham MA. Lingenfelter played on the scout team in 2009.

Today is 91 days until the start of the season and wearing # 91 is Courtney Jackson, a 6-3 245 pd RS Jr DE from Brandywine, MD. In 2009 Jackson played in 6 games; started 0. He had 2 UT 6 AT 8 TT 1.0-2 TFL. He should compete for a starters role this year.

Friday, June 04, 2010

Friday News --- June 4th, 2010

Any New Jersey area UMass fan going to the New Jersey-Northeast Football Classic on Sunday? Minuteman QB recruit Brandon Hill will be playing for the NJ squad. It would be nice to get a report and some images...

More on the game here.
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Vladimir Ducasse gets a mention in articles here and here.

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Craig Haley of The Sports Network has his latest FCS position review "Top 10 Receivers in FCS" here. After Matt Szczur's performance in 2009's Championship Game, you would figure I would know more about him, but I was not aware that he had 2,239 total yards of offense last year. Szczur rang up 610 yards receiving, 813 yards rushing and 816 yards on kickoff returns. Now that's an impact player.

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UNH's Scott Sicko hopes to make the Dallas Cowboys.

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Thursday, June 03, 2010

Thursday News ---- June 3rd, 2010

Former Hofstra HC Joe Gardi has passed away. Gardi, who had a winning record against UMass, was an offensive guy. For most of his term at the Pride, he didn't even have a TE on the roster. Gardi liked to line 'em up and throw the ball down the field.

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The Sporting News ranks the CAA preseason:
  1. Villanova
  2. Richmond
  3. James Madison
  4. New Hampshire
  5. William & Mary
  6. Delaware
  7. UMass
  8. Maine
  9. Towson
  10. Rhode Island
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Ninety Three days until UMass plays for real. Wearing #93 for UMass this year is Bob McLaughlin a 6-2 265 pd RSSr DL from Brewster, MA. In 2009 McLaughlin played in 7 games, started 0. He had 1 UT 7 AT and 8 TT. With the graduation of the entire defensive line, he should be a contender for a starting role in 2010.

Wednesday, June 02, 2010

Wednesday News ---- May 2nd, 2010

The Texas Tech blog "Double T Nation" has a profile of former UMass player and assistant coach Neal Brown. Minutemen fans have been following Brown's career since he left UMass.

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The results are in from the AGS preseason poll:

Any Given Saturday Poll Top 25

(First place votes in parenthesis), Points
1. Villanova (81) 2344
2. Montana (7) 2106
3. Appalachian St. (2) 1965
4. William & Mary (3) 1909
5. Southern Illinois (1) 1825
6. New Hampshire 1644
7. Elon 1578
8. Richmond 1414
9. South Dakota St. 1359
10. South Carolina St. 1352
11. Stephen F. Austin 1218
12. Northern Iowa 1028
13. McNeese St. 1011
14. Eastern Washington 1002
15. Delaware 885
16. James Madison 871
17. Jacksonville St. 720
18. Weber St. 639
19. Liberty 582
20. Furman 491
21. Eastern Illinois 480
22. Montana St. 377
23. Cal Poly 319
24. Pennsylvania 277
25. Holy Cross 262


Others receiving votes (minimum of 5 votes): Prairie View A&M (43), Texas St. (41), Northern Arizona (36), Massachusetts (31), Maine (30), Colgate (25), Wofford (22), Eastern Kentucky (20), Lafayette (19), UC Davis (17), Chattanooga (15), Illinois St. (15), Florida A&M (14), Georgia Southern (14), North Dakota St. (13), Central Arkansas (11), Youngstown St. (11), Harvard (10), Lehigh (10), Stony Brook (10), Southeastern Louisiana (9), Albany (8), Grambling St. (7), Dayton (5), Missouri St. (5)

With UMass losing 14 starters and finishing 5-6 in 2009, it would be hard for the Minutemen to crack the top-25 list.
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The Sports Network has a question-and-answer segment with Villanova HC Andy Talley.

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Ninety four days until the start of the 2010 season. Wearing #94 for the Minutemen is Caleb Violete a 6-0 175 pd K/P from Blacksburg VA.

Violette went 1-2 in field goals at Texas Tech. He punted 40-1561 AVE 39.0 63 LONG 8 FC 12 I20 1 Blkd. That was good enough for him to be 2nd in the CAA in net punting average. Violette was fourth in the league in punting average. That was an excellent start to his career.

Tuesday, June 01, 2010

Tuesday News --- June 1st, 2010

Some more UMass football jerseys are available on the UMass online auction site. #60 might have been worn by Nick Diana.
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I blogged before about the noticeable difference in the economies of southern states like Virginia and that of New England. This article looks at the effect of the "rust belt' on college football.

The success of the CAA south teams Richmond, William & Mary and JMU have been the difference behind the South's dominance over the CAA North. Upcoming power Old Dominion will make the South even stronger. The Monarchs had the winningest FCS startup in history last year.

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The NCAA Football 11 demo arrives June 14th. I won't buy it until FCS teams are included.

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Sorry I missed it: last year's DII football playoff game between West Liberty and Edinboro. The Hilltoppers won 84-63.

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Yesterday was 96 days until the start of the 2010 season. Wearing #96 for the Minutemen is Brandon Levengood, 6-0 185 pd k/p from Lebanon, PA. Levengood had a red shirt year in 2009.

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Today is 95 days until football starts and wearing #95 of UMass is Brandon Potvin a 6-1 240 pd DL from Worcester, MA. Potvin was also red shirted in 2009.