UMass Football News--July 19th, 2017

Andy Isabella makes the preseason Bletnikoff Award Watch list.

Matty Vautour has a post on Isabella and Brenenman making preseason award lists.

UMass has eight wide receivers on the current roster:

Alfred Adarkwah #84 WR 6-4 195 RSJR DNP in 2016
Brennon Dingle #10 WR 5-9 174 RSFR Redshirted in 2016
Andy Isabella #23 WR 5-9 186 JR 10-12 GP-GS 62-801 7 TD's 55 LONG 5.2 REC/G
Connor Lemieux #25 WR 6-0 199 RSSR 0-9 GP-GS played special teams
Patrick O'Reilly, #89 WR 6-3 200 RSFR Redshirted in 2016
Sadiq Palmer #6 WR 6-1 175 SO 0-9 GP-GS 9-100 1 TD 23 LONG
Elijah Robinson #86 WR 6-1 164 RSFR Redshirted in 2016
Patrick Volcy #80 WR 6-3 190 FR In for Spring semester

The Minutemen did not get a lot of production from the WR's last year beyond Andy Isabella. He could get close to a 1,000 yards receiving in 2017. His 62 receptions in 2016 places him #8 on the UMass single season receptions list. That tied Tim Berra (1973). He moved Tajae Sharpe (2013) and Anthony Nelson (2010) to #10 . His 5.2 receptions/ game currently is #2 in career receptions/game behind Tajae Sharpe 5.89/career games

Sadiq Palmer is the only other returning player with some stats. He looks to be in a battle with Brennon Dingle for the "Y" receiver. Whipple could move Isabella to the slot and have Palmer and Dingle to the outside positions. Dingle had an outstanding Spring game.

UMass also brought in a pretty strong 2017 recruiting class. JUCO transfer Jacoby Herring is 6-5 and looks to get a lot of playing time right away.

Patrick Volcy was in for Spring ball and would seem to have an advantage over the other true freshmen.

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UMass is one of only two schools with two receivers on the Bletnikoff Award List.

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Charlie Strong looks to have an excellent season at USF.

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Hartford Courant reporter Jeff Jacobs says "straight shooting" Randy Edsell is back at UConn.

UConn was picked last at the AAC preseason power poll.

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The AAC pushes to be considered the 6th Power Conference.

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Wednesday--June 29th, 2016

Coach Whipple's summer message to the Gridiron Club. Note that Andrew Libby JR FB 6-1 230 was the other walk-on to receive a scholarship along with Connor Lemieux.

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A couple of posts from Phil Steele:

The 2016 experience chart. UMass goes from #1 in 2015 to #120 this year.

The two-deep class breakdown.

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ESPN breaks down the Florida Gators 2016 schedule.

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The Garnet & Black Attack looks at South Carolina's 2016 schedule and thinks the Gamecocks will win the UMass game "rather easily".

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The Boston Globe says it'll take $120 million to fix the traffic circle that would provide access to Kraft's proposed soccer stadium on UMass land in South Boston.

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Former Central Michigan RB Zirlon Tipton dies of a self-inflected gunshot wound. If UMass had a All-MAC Opponent team, Tipton would have been on it. He ran for 242 yards and 5 TD's in two games against the Minutemen in 2012 and 2013.

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SEC Country previews Mississippi State.

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SB Nation looks at the number of Blue-Chip college football players from each state over the last five years. Florida, California and Texas had a combined 655 players. Massachusetts had two.

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A financial news and opinion site picks the 50 worst places to live in the US. Fall River and Springfield make the top (or bottom) 25. Lawrence and Boston also make the list.

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Monday--September 14th, 2015

We did have a few positive things happen in Boulder. Tajae Sharpe had a big day (11-138 yards).

UMass had receivers open most of the first half. The Minutemen also had good looks at a number of new players as a whole bunch of redshirt freshman made their debut.

From the UMass notes:

The first-time Minutemen were Jarell Addo, Kelton Brackett, Ross Comis, Sharif Custis, Larry Franklin, Jordin Hamilton, Dan Jonah, Jake Largay, Connor Lemieux, James Oliphant, Joe Previte, Jeremy Rodriguez and Marquis Young. Brackett (UAB) and Franklin (Vanderbilt) have NCAA Division I FBS experience prior to transferring to UMass ahead of the 2015 season.

Marquis Young looked like he had good speed to go with some shifty moves. He went 7-62 0 LOSS 8.9 AVE.

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Dan Malone looks behind the numbers at Colorado.

Dan also reports what I said here yesterday: Frohnapfel looked rusty.

Dan looks at the Minutemen's bowl watch.

Dan says it's too early to draw any conclusions about the Minutemen. What he says is true about the Minutemen's whole OOC schedule. Colorado at Boulder would be a tough draw for most Group-of-Five schools. We seem to have a knack for running into teams having their best season in years. Remember Texas Tech with Michael Crabtree? Maine had their only CAA championship in 15 years in 2013. And this year Temple beats Penn State for the first time since the Wisconsin Ice Age. Notre Dame is being touted for a playoff birth.

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Matty Vautour looks at UMass' play at Colorado.

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Philly.com says two big wins give Temple fans a reason to dream.

Temple RB Jahad Thomas has run for 332 yards in two games and also has a 102 yard kick return.

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The Westside Gazette says FIU is legit.

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Brian Kelley believes the Irish can play for the National Championship.

Notre Dame moves on with DeShone Kizer as quarterback.

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Thursday-- August 14th, 2014

Yesterday was Media Day at McGuirk. I attended and will have a image album up soon. It was the first time the position group images and head-shot portraits have been done inside. That was a good thing as there was a frog-drowning downpour going on outside. Special thanks to UMass and John Sinnett for allowing a blogger to take part.

UMass has video of Coach Whipple's talk to the media here. To me the most interesting part of his responses were his comments on the facilities and his hopes for the program. He said he came to UMass when we were FCS because we had the resources to win a national championship. Yesterday, he said UMass has the resources to win a league championship and go to a major bowl.

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Matty V says the new Performance Center is a good start, but it needs to be part of a larger commitment. UMass goes from having the worst facilities in FBS to the bottom ten. The Minutemen program could use a covered practice facility and a couple of artificial turf practice fields.

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Dan Malone has a story on Coach Whipple's comments on the BC game.

Whipple said the QB decision will be made this week. Dan reports on the competition between Doyle and Fronapfel.



Dan also updates the status of Daniel Maynes, who everyone expects to be the starting NT if he's healthy. Maynes UMass bio.

Boston College is not just another game to Joey Colton. UMass bio for Colton.
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The Daily Collegian says the QB decision is looming.

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The Boston Herald says UMass is better all around.

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The Greenfield Recorder says it's time for a turnaround.

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Channel 3 Spring field reports on the new Performance Center.

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Matty Vautour will make a guest appearance in BC Interruption's radio show.

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The Sentinel & Enterprise looks at Jarell Addo and Connor Lemieux who were rivals in high school and now are teammates at UMass.

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Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur takes questions from Patriots.com and comments about former UMass player Emil Igwenagu.

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Rob Blanchflower supplied a big hit in Steelers camp.

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Thursday--June 26th, 2014

Some of the changes from the latest UMass roster.

#2--Ross Comis will now share the number with Quayshun Smith
#6-Jamal Wilson switches from #22
#7--Blake Frohapfel shares with D'Metrius Williams
#8--Alex Kenney shares with Shane Huber
#14-Ryan Jacobucci switches from #5
#18-Andrew Verboys ex-Matt Quinn
#23-Charan Singh ex-Greg Oreoya
#26-Jarell Addo ex-Quayshun Smith
#27-Jesse Monteiro ex-Nick Valles
#30-Zeke Edmonds ex-Michael Rapoza
#32-Matt Tuleja ex-Arthur Williams
#37-Andrew Libby ex Tom Brandt
#39-Jordan Fiske ex-Eduardo Cruz
#40-Jon Lucier ex-Dillon Tighe
#41-De'Sean Downey ex Jeff Strait
#43-Matthew Wylie shared with Shadrach Abrokwah
#48-Michael Grasis ex-Vance Barton
#49-Jeremy Rodriguez ex-Galen Clemons
#50-Jack Wynne ex-Justin Anderson
#61-Joe Previte ex Aaron Oberst
#62-Emmett Odegard not assigned last year
#63-Dmitri Angelas not assigned last year
#66-Anthony Fernandez ex Costa Toubelis
#67-Dan DiNicola ex Will Giggi
#70-Ryan Johnson ex Anthony Dima
#71-Basit Dennis not assigned last year
#74-Liam Porter ex Terrel Correia
#79-Jake Largay ex Vincent Westcarr
#82-Connor Lemieux ex #27
#84-Alfred Adarkwah ex E.J. Burston
#87-T.J. Kelley ex Rob Blanchflower
#89-Jon Denton ex Derek Beck

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How Michigan's greed alienated its fans. My first thought when the "Big Five" said they wanted to leave the NCAA and form their own division was this was going to cost their fans an arm and a leg. Paying players and other planned perks is going to be big money. It's going to have to come from somewhere. Tickets, "seat licenses , parking and mandatory contributions to the athletic fund are going to increase.

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Central Michigan will provide $18.5 million to athletics from the general fund.

 Syracuse will only pay the Chippewas $550,000 for a game at the Carrier Dome, but the Orange will play at Central Michigan this year.

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Davon Jones, a DB form St. Johns Prep in MA, verbaled to Boston College yesterday. He was a teammate of current Minutemen players Shadrach Abrokwah and J.T. Kelley.

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Wednesday--April 9th, 2014

The UMass web site has a video featuring the Minutemen wide receivers and new receivers coach Mike Cassano.

The video has quotes from Shakur Nesmith 6-4 200. He was sidelined during the practice I attended. In person, he looks even taller than his listed 6-4. Nesmith rocketed into a starting position last summer  then suffered a separated shoulder against Wisconsin. He's wearing #19.

Also shown is Marken Michel, he's wearing #10 , worn by Devin Brown last year.

WR production was a big factor in UMass' offensive futility in 2013. Shaquille Harris and Elgin Long tied for the longest reception ------ 36 yards. That hardly fits Coach Whipple's vertical passing offense.

In 2013, UMass receivers went 177-1877 10.6 AVE 9 TD's 55 Long (Rob Blanchflower) 156.4 AVE/G.

The Minutemen were 103rd in passing average per completion and 111th in total passing offense.

UMass opponents had significantly better stats: 189-2613 13.8 AVE 22 TD's 81 LONG 217.7.6 AVE/G.

I would guess, if healthy, Tajae Sharpe would be the "X" receiver. Nesmith as the "Y" and Michel as the slot or "Z".

Other wide receivers looking for a role in the offense would be:

• Dalvin Battle (injury redshirt last year)
• E.J. Burston 1 start, 2-18 yards in 2013
• Shawn Campbell
• Bernard Davis 11 starts 16-124 1 TD in 2013
• Iric Harris (moved from DB in 2013)
• Shaquille Harris 1-36 in 2013
• Ryan Jacobucci scout team in 2013
• Alex Kenney (transfer from Penn State. Not on campus yet)
• Connor Lemieux red shirt in 2013
• Elgin Long 7 starts 14-179 1 TD last year
• Kevin Lovaincy redshirt 2013
• Rodney Mills 4 starts 5-47 yards in 2013
• Lamarriel Taylor incoming freshman
• Jalen Williams JUCO 25-358 2 TD's at Dean College

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The UMass Daily Collegian reports the Minutemen defense is embracing Coach Masella's 3-4 defensive scheme.

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Football Scoop says you can never have too many running backs.

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Rob Blanchflower gets a paragraph (#9) in this synopsis of the Pats draft needs.

Or he could end up in Denver or  St. Louis.

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Recruiting 2013--Connor Lemieux

NCSA image

The Sentinel-Enterprise says Connor Lemieux, a 6-0 186 pound WR from Fitchburg, MA will walk on for the Minutemen.

Sentinel-Enterprise news story here

NCSA profile here.