The Minutemen will do their AC/DC "Thunder" quick drill and then three periods of offense vs defense with live tackling.
I'll be there despite the showers.
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The 2023 college football playoffs will include some "midweek" games.
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| UMass athletic dept image |
The Minutemen defense made a significant improvement in 2022. They went from nearly the worst in football to respectable. The defense went from last in FBS, giving up 43.1 points/game to #103 and 31.1 points/game. This year, I think we'll be able to be a more attacking defense and the results will be even better.
As usual, playing Auburn and Penn State will hurt the stats some, but against Group-of-Five; we'll play well.
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Speaking of Auburn, apparently they are still searching for a starting QB.
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The weather predicts showers for tomorrow afternoon. I'll be there and hope it'll hold off until the scrimmage finishes.
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Will the PAC-12 raid the Big 12?
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New details on the expanded college playoffs.
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This article recounts his visit to Syracuse.
Chuba has seven offers including UMass, Bowling Green, Northern Illinois, Western Michigan and EKU. Chuba is a mobile QB and would fit nicely in the new Minutemen offense.
The Hampshire Gazette reports UMass' offensive coordinator Steve Casula thinks there has been real progress this spring on offense.
Fixing the offense is very likely a multi-year task. For the last four years we have been near the bottom of FBS in nearly every offensive category. Last year, most of the effort and recruiting went into the defense and there was a significant improvement.
This year, with two transfer QBs and a much deeper RB room, the focus is on moving the UMass offense out of college football's cellar. We are a bad-weather team and a decent running game would be a good place to start. It looks like we have made a good start on increasing speed and athleticism. The offensive line may still be an area of concern, especially depth.
I'm looking forward to seeing the UMass offense this year.
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Speaking of the offensive line: images from below are from the UMass Twitter feed. Click on an image and blogger displays a larger view.
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Anyone beside me think there may be a impending train wreck at Colorado?
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If you missed it, the UMass Spring game will be available on NESN+. It shows on my Comcast future college football schedule. If you are far away, watch live on NESN+.
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The New England Football Journal has a post from April 22nd on the sights and sounds of UMass Spring football.
The NEFJ also has 10 takeaways from UConn's spring game. As the article says, the UConn athletic dept is on a roll with dominate performances by both men's and women's basketball, a bowl game for football and good results in baseball.
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The UMass Twitter feed has video episode #4 from UMass' spring camp.
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Rashad Henry lookin' good in the Maroon & White from his official visit last weekend.
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The ESPN pre-season power index predicts 2023 opponent Liberty to have over eight wins this season. The Flames should contend for the C-USA conference title right away.
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The 2023 UMass Spring Game will be Saturday at Noon.
Right now the weather is looking iffy for showers on Saturday. Bring an umbrella and come anyway..
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| Cris Tucci image |
The Hampshire Gazette has a post featuring Arizona transfer Jerry Roberts, Jr. Roberts started all twelve games for Power Five Arizona last year and he should be a force for the still-improving Minutemen defense.
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The NCAA adopts three rule changes for 2023 to shorten the game.
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2023 opponent New Mexico State held their Spring game last Thursday.
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| Not sure about the image credit |
Henry has seven Group-of-Five offers. UMass has signed a number of players from Florida powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas in the past. Henry has a pro-sized body and there would be no better place to develop his skills than with Don Brown.
Javonte Robinson, a 6-2 230 pound LB/Edge from Conyers, GA has a UMass offer.
Invited to Clemson's spring game.
Robinson could play for the best defensive coach in college football in Amherst. Playing in Don Brown's attacking defense could feature Robinson's skills.
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| Arkansas State athletic dept image |
Entered the transfer portal on April 14th.
The Minutemen still need help on the OL. A lot of playing time is up for grabs playing for Coach Miller in Amherst.
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| UMass Twitter image |
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The New England Football Journal has another in its series on UMass' spring camp.
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ESPN's 2023 College Football Power Index has UMass at #133.
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The Albuquerque Journal says UMass' 2023 opponent New Mexico's coach Gonzales is excited.
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Flywareagle.com reports that for Auburn, UMass #2 opponent in 2023, everything is wonderful on offense.
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| Berkshire Eagle image |
It features former QB Gino Campiotti. Geno has stuck with the program and I really hope he has a great final year in football. He's an athletic, tough kid and deserves some success in his final year.
Production from the TE room would really help jump start UMass dormant offense. The Minutemen have been trying to run against eight or nine in box. Some pass offense production would really help loosen the opposing defense. In addition, a quick-release pass to a TE would help on pass protection.
Also in the TE room:
Eni Falayi RSFR 6-5 240.
Nathan Fraser FR 6-2 215.
Jackson Manning RSFR 6-5 250.
Jason Weir RSSO 6-3 254.
Magnus Von Salden RSFR 6-4 255.
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CBS Sports reports former UMass player and coach Neal Brown needs to win in his fifth season.
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Big changes coming for the Service Academies. The NCAA in a little noticed rule change, has outlawed cut blocks outside of the tackles. Army is switching to a shotgun style offense.
Playing the option really helped level the playing field for the Academies. They don't get 6-6 315 pound offensive linemen, so the option really helped fill in the size and talent gap. We'll see this year how much the change hampers the Black Knights.
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Long is from Springfield, MA and apparently drew UMass interest in the 2022 recruiting cycle. Long could play the "Viper" position and Coach Brower should be familiar with him.
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Austin would have a chance to play for DB-guru Don Brown with the Minutemen. Brown has put a lot of DB's in the NFL.
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| Jalen John runs the rock in spring practice |
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The Natick report has a post on native son Josh Atwood.
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Cole Garcia's motivational speech goes viral.
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UConn's QB position is wide open.
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New Mexico, UMass' opening 2023 opponent looks to become bigger, stronger and faster.
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UMass's #2 opponent Auburn loses a former #1 rated JUCO DL to the transfer portal.
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Brother of Luke Schoonmaker, a potential NFL draft pick from Michigan.
Schoonmaker has offers from UMass, UConn and Charlotte from FBS. He also has offers from two Ivies. Tight end should be a "growth" position in the new UMass offense in coming years. Schoonmaker could play in front of friends and family in Amherst.
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| UMass athletic dept image |
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The UMass athletic dept has the second installment of a video series on Spring practice.
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The Hampshire Gazette reports UMass is cultivating a good environment.
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Athlon Sports reports Colorado may jump to Big 12.
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UConn's QB situation is wide open.
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Originally signed with Navy. Also had FBS offers from UNLV and San Jose State.
A big addition (pun intended) to UMass. Terlaak was first team All-State and first team All-Conference in California's high competitive JUCO conferences. He could be in the mix right away for playing time in Amherst.
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Hudl.com has video highlights.
Gonzalez has FBS offers from UMass, Middle Tennessee State and Akron coming out of JUCO. He could find a home (and a lot of available playing time) in Amherst in the rebuilding Minutemen offensive line.
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| Mt San Antonio athletic dept image |
Metoyer was All-league in 2022. He took a visit to UMass last weekend. There is a lot of playing time up for grabs in Amherst. "Big Lou" could find a home at UMass.
Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" (the de-facto UMass beat writer) has a post on changes in the Minutemen's spring roster.
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| UMass Athletic dept image |
They also have a post on the sights and sounds of spring football.
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The Athol Daily news has a story about the back-and-forth dominance in spring practice.
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Onward State has an article on Adam Breneman emerging in the media world.
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College Football News predicts for the 2023 season Army will go 7-5, UConn 5-7 and UMass------ 1-11.
They also predict Eastern Michigan and Miami will both go 6-6 and both will win against the Minutemen.
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| BC athletic dept image |
Missed 2022 season with a shoulder injury.
BC Interruption has his decision to enter the transfer portal.
I blogged about Dirstine back on February 24, 2017.
Dirstine took an UV to Amherst last weekend. With one year left to play, he could see a lot of playing time with the Minutemen.
The New England Football Journal has two post on UMass Spring Football:
There's a different aura around the Minutemen.
Five observations about UMass Spring practice.
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The UMass athletic dept has a six minute video from the start of Spring practice that is well worth watching.
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| Denver Broncos image |
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College football games in the Spring?
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Could 2023 UMass opponent Auburn be in the college football playoffs by 2025?
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2023 opponent Penn State is +2000 in odds to win the national championship this year.
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Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" has a post on Smith's choosing the Minutemen.
I last blogged about Smith a couple of days ago.
This should be another significant addition to a UMass offense that has lacked talent during the last three seasons. An effective TE can be a big asset in an offense. During the Whipple I era Kerry Taylor was a key part of Whipple's high octane offense.
Looking forward to watching Smith (good name) play!
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| Twitter image |
This article from August 2022 features Mashburn.
De-committed from Florida State.
Mashburn has eleven total offers including West Virginia and Maryland from the east. He could play attacking football for the best defensive coach in football at UMass.
Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" has a post on two OV's this weekend.
Matt Smith (good name) a 6-5 245 pound TE from Duke/Needham MA will visit. I blogged about Smith back on February 22nd.
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| Duke University athletic dept image |
The Second OV is Ted Kushi a 6-7 310 pound OL from LIU. I blogged about Kushi back on March 17th.
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| LIU athletic dept image |
