WHY I'M OPTIMISTIC, PART II
I said in my last post I thought the 2024 Minutemen had the most talent of the FBS era.
Coach Brown loves DB's and I think this year's secondary is good, as good as anyone in the Group-of-Five in fact.
I think probable starters are:
CB Isaiah Rutherford 6-1 195 (2023 College Football Network All-Independent Honorable mention)
CB Lake Ellis 6-0 180 (transfer from Bryant. 180 TT, 6 INT's 19 BKUP for the Bulldogs)
SS Te'Rai Powell 6-0 195 (2023 All-Independent Honorable Mention)
FS Tyler Rudolph 6-0 210 (2023 2nd Team All-Independent)
UMass adds Leonard St. Gourdin 6-3 200 (transfer from Dartmouth, 47 TT 8 BKUP 2 FF)
UMass could play a 3-3-5 defense in some circumstances with this group. This is an all-senior unit and I think they're going to play some exciting football this year.
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Eastern Michigan, UMass' opening opponent has a 3.5 wins over-and-under.
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Hustle Belt has "What's new with the Toledo Rockets?". Toledo has been the MAC's best team for the past 15 years, but can they continue after losing DeQuan Finn and Penny Boone (the MAC's MVP and Offensive Player-of-the-Year).
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Hustle Belt also previews 2024 opponent Northern Illinois's offense. Our last tour with the MAC coincided with P.J. Fleck's era at the Huskies. They usually scored 50+ points against us.
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