Dan Malone continues his 2014 review with a consideration of the Minutemen defensive backfield.
The Starters;
Randall Jette RSJR GP-GS 12-12 39 UT 28 AT 67 TT 4 INT 14 BU 18 PD
Joe Colton JR GP-GS 12-12 43 UT (high for the team) 55 AT 98 TT 7.0 TFL 1 INT 4 PD
Khary Bailey-Smith JR GP-GS
Trey Dudley-Giles JR GP-GS12-12 31 UT 21 AT 53 TT 3.0 TFL 2 INT 25 BU 7 PD
In the rotation:
Jackson Porter RSFR GP-GS 11-8 21 UT 20 AT 41 TT 2 INT 2 BU 4 PD
Zeke Edmonds FR GP-GS 9-0 2 UT 13 At 15 TT 1 BU 1 PD
Iric Harris JR GP-GS 5-0 1 UT 2 AT 3 TT
Jesse Monteiro GP-GS 12-0 1 UT 8 AT 9 TT
Lucas Amato RSFR GP-GS 12-1 3 UT 5 At 8 TT
Reserves:
Jarell Addo FR
DuVaugh Beckford JR
Joel Devariste FR
Jaurice Jones JR
Charan Singh FR
D.J. Woods SO
2015 recruit
Lee Moses
To me the defensive backfield struggles that Malone mentions were partially due to the Minutemen front seven. The UMass fans I sat with during the year would comment on how far off the Minutemen DB were playing opposing receivers. It looked as if there was a consensus coaching decision to adopt a bend-but-don't-break defensive posture. The UMass DB's looked to me trying to keep the play in front of them.
Maybe next year with more defensive pressure on the opposing QB, UMass DB's will close up and be more physical on opposing receivers. UMass was 11th in sacks in the MAC. Minutemen pass defense efficiency was not too bad-- 9th in the league. Also the DB's were making a lot of tackles.
Freshman Zeke Edmonds played a lot. I have high hopes for big hitting Jerell Addo and Charan Singh. This is another area UMass could use a JUCO or FBS transfer.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ron Chimelis reports Chancellor Subbaswamy is in charge.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
UNH came out flat in the first half of last night's FCS game, but rallied in the second half.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Navy says how many games does they have to win before it's renamed the Navy-Army Game?
-----------------------------------------------------------------