UMass Football Recruiting 2018---Truman Bell

Greg Powers image

Truman L. Bell, a 6-2 227 pound DE from Dallas, TX has Tweeted he's received an offer from UMass.

247Sports three-star player.

Hudl.com has video.

Partial quote from a Scout.com article dated 06/25/17 by Greg Powers:

"Bell, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound defensive end / linebacker from Richardson (Texas) Lake Highlands is one of the state's most intimidating specimens and it has paid off with an offer list that now features 16 schools. 

“Very honored and blessed," Bell said of his offers and opportunity. "I got to give it all to God, it is such a huge honor.  The coaches like my speed and how I get off of the ball.”

"The ones standing out to me so far are Liberty University, Bowling Green, and New Mexico State. They all like my style of play and I can play with the style I want and I feel these three would be the best fit for me."

Bell has 18 offers with UMass the only school from the Northeast.

UMass Football News--July 5th, 2017

Hawaii loses a DL to a head injury from diving.

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UMass will receive a record Rutgers payout when the two teams play on August 31st, 2019.

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CBS Sports has the most patriotic uniforms in college football.

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I was re-watching UMass-South Carolina on DVR while waiting for company to arrive yesterday.

UMass went head-to-head with a SEC team and did pretty good. UMass had two more first downs than the Gamecocks. We rang up 389 total yards and moved the ball all day long. The defense also came up with some big stops.

Mistakes doomed the Minutemen as we turned the ball over on our first two drives with a Breneman fumble and then we fumbled a reverse. UMass was moving the ball on both those drives. Ford also threw 2 INT's. UMass ended up losing by 6 points on an SEC field. That was the game that Joe Previte hurt his elbow.

Certainly a great effort by the Minutemen.

UMass Football Recruiting 2019-- Trey Phillip Dawson

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Trey Phillip Dawson, a 6-5 215 pound pro-style QB from Middlebury, CT has Tweeted he's received an offer from UMass.

247Sports page here.

Hudl.com has video.

MaxPreps has stats. Threw for over 3200 yards and 31 TD's as a sophomore...

UMass is the first offer for Dawson. With his size and stats, he should draw some major Power Five interest (but he won't find a better place to develop as a QB than UMass)

Fourth of July 2017

Mrs Blog and I would like to wish everyone a safe and happy Fourth.

'Merica, still the last best hope!

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Hero Sports predicts another 10-win season for Appalachian State.

Athlon predicts another Sun Belt championship for the Mountaineers.

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Georgia Southern legend Adrian Peterson appears at Augusta Greenjackets game. On December 4, 1999 Peterson ran for 333 yards against UMass in the second round of the FCS playoffs. The Eagles scored 28 points in the second half to pull away from the Minutemen 38-21.

The 1999 UMass team was probably better than the 1998 National Championship squad. It was the second year Don Brown was running the defense and UMass held seven opponents to 20 points or less. It was the senior year for Todd Bankhead and Matt Dawson.

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UMass Football Recruiting 2018--Erick Hallett

Scout.com image

Several recruiting services indicate UMass has offered to Eric Hallett, a 5-10 170 pound CB from Cypress, TX.

247Sports page here.

Rivals three-star player.

Hudl.com has video.

NCSA has some stats.

Partial quote from a 4/18/17 Scout.com article by Kevin Sinclair:

"The three-star prospect has also proved that he has impressive athletic traits. On March 19, the 5-foot-10, 172-pound cornerback turned heads at The Opening Regional in New Orleans at Joe W Brown Memorial Park.

The event was really great, a lot of great competition out in New Orleans,” Hallett said. “I tested really well with a 4.58 40, 3.84 shuttle, 37-inch vertical and 34 power ball. So, I think I tested really well at the event. I also played lockdown during the 1-on-1 and skeleton portion of the event, eventually winning the DB MVP."

Hallett has 19 offers mostly from Group-of-Five schools and FCS, but PAC-12 Washington State has also offered.

UMass Football News--July 3rd, 2017

Appalachian State and South Florida get "favorable" schedules in 2017 based difficulty including playing weaker opponents like UMass.

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This article mentions QB Jaret Pallotta verbaling to UMass and also mentions the state of Ohio averages 140 FBS recruits a year.

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The latest version of the UMass roster lists five CB's (stats are from 2016):

Jordin Hamilton 20 CB 5-10 172 RSSO 5-1 GP-GS 5 UT 3 AT 8 TT 2.0 TFL 1 PD
Lee Moses 3 CB 5-11 193 JR 11-9 GP-GS 25 UT 19 AT 44 TT 0.5 TFL
Jackson Porter 28 CB 6-1 197 RSSR 10-9 GP-GS
Isaiah Rodgers 9 CB 5-10 155 SO 11-8 GP-GS 21 UT 17 AT 40 TT 0.5 TFL 9 PD 1 FF 1 FR 1 BLK
Charan Singh 24 CB 6-1 RSJR 197 9-1 GP-GS 10 UT 18 AT 28 TT
Joseph Tavares 48 CB FR

Lee Moses and Isaiah Rogers received most of the starts in 2016. James Allen started the first four games of 2016, but had trouble with larger, more physical receivers. He left the program this winter.

Rogers was a two-star recruit in 2016 and did not redshirt. Bakhari Goodson, another two-star 2016 recruit, is now listed as a safety.

The Minutemen add three-star CB Brian Roberts, three-star CB Chris Hunt and two-star Xavier Steele in the 2017 recruiting class. At least one of those three probably won't redshirt.

UMass was #126 out of 128 teams in INT's last year. The Minutemen were also #106 in passing yards allowed. Part of that was the quality of the 2016 opponents, but we need to do better in 2017.

The defensive roster is slowly filling up with three-star recruits and UMass should be more competitive in the future.

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UMass football News--Saturday July 1st, 2017

Penn State's Daily collegian expresses surprise Adam Breneman did not make Sports Illustrated's Top 100 college players list.

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Marken Michel scored a TD in his first CFL game. Michel's Stamps bio.

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UMass DC Ed Pinkham hosts UMass' safeties. Stats from 2016:

Patrick Amara, #25 S 6-2 208 RSJR (transfer from Pitt)
Cycoby Burch #36 S 5-11 182 RSFR
Zeke Edmonds #2 S 6-0 207 RSJR 10-7 GP-GS 19-25 UT-AT 44 TT 1 TFL 5 PD
Bakhari Goodson #14 S 5-10 167 SO 10-0 GP-GS 8-6 AT-UT 14 TT 1 PD
Martin Mangram #29 S 5-11 182 SO 12-0 GP-GS 5-5 AT_UT 10 TT
Jesse Monteiro #27 S 5-9 179 RSSR 12-8 GP-GS 45-28 AT-UT 73 TT 5.5 TFL 4PD
Micah Morel #15 S 5-11 195 RSSO 8-0 GP-GS 1 UT 1 TT

Most of the preview magazines have Pitt Transfer Patrick Amara penciled in as the starter at Strong Safety. He played in 22 games for the Panthers and had 32 TT's. He was rated as the #20 ranked recruit in PA in his senior season in high school.

Former walk-on Jesse Monteiro started the last three games of 2016 at FS. He was the second leading tackler on the team.

Martin Mangram was a highly-touted three star recruit from the 2016 recruiting class.

Cycoby Burch was red-shirted, but had a stand-out effort in the Spring game. He was also a three-star recruit.

UMass returns five safeties with game experience.  It appears we add two excellent players with Amara and Burch. The Minutemen were #120 in pass defense efficiency in 2016. We played pretty well against the SEC opponents, but got smoked by Troy and Louisiana Tech. We gave up some long completions in winnable games against Tulane and Hawaii. I think Ed Pinkham was a strong hire and the UMass will play better in 2017.

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UMass Football Recruiting 2018--Patrick Walsh verbals to UMass

Inside the huddle Massachusetts image

Mike Traini reports Michael Walsh, a 6-5 290 pound OL from Sterling , MA has verbaled to UMass.

Traini's article here.

247Sports page here.

Hudl.com has video.

Inside the Huddle Massachusetts profiles Walsh.

The Minutemen were the first FBS team to offer Walsh. He is the second player in the 2018 recruiting cycle to commit to UMass.

UMass Football News--June 30th, 2017

Fan Sided has a feature on UMass TE Adam Breneman.

The current UMass roster has the following TE's, Note that Blogger does not do columns.

Adam Breneman #81 TE 6-4 250 RSSR
Taylor Edwards #18 TE 6-4 260 RSFR
Kyle Horn #85 TE 6-5 230 RSSO
Jon Lucier #40 TE 6-6 217 RSSO
Cole Morrison #46 TE 6-4 248 RSFR
Avien Peah #19 TE 6-2 251 RSFR
Travis Reynolds #87 TE 6-5 252 RSSO

Breneman is UMass' first ever five-star player and he showed it last year going 70-808 and leading the nation in receptions by a TE. As the article states, his NFL future is cloudy do his injury history. However, Brenenman is going to have a successful life with or without the NFL. Being a AP All-American would be something to tell his grandchildren about and it would also sooth the battered psyche's of Minutemen fans. He should be the #1 TE for UMass in the 2017 season.

Travis Reynolds has shown good hands. He went 6-61 in 2016. As long as Breneman is playing he should soak up most of the targeted TE attempts, but Reynolds should contribute in 2017 and the future.

Taylor Edwards was a three-star recruit and he has gone from 228 to 260 since he was recruited. Edwards was coming off a knee injury in his senior season. As with Reynolds, he is not likely to generate a lot of numbers this year, but he could be the featured TE post 2017. I've heard good things about Edwards.

Of the other TE's on the squad Alvin Peah was a somewhat lightly recruited three-star recruit from R.I. He red-shirted in 2016.

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ESPN says college football conference realignment could happen in 2023.

KTVB.com says 2023 is not that far away.

Revenue sharing is the driving force for Power Five schools.

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CBS Sports looks at the project win totals for USF, Temple and the rest of the AAC including UConn.

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Athlon Sports previews Georgia Southern. You will remember the Eagles are returning to their flexbone offense that dominated FCS football for a number of years.

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UMass Football Recruiting 2018--Julius Welschof & Zavier Scott

Welschof center Brandon Collier right

Julius Welschof, a 6-6 248 pound DE from Germany has Tweeted he's received an offer from UMass.

247Sports page here.

Zavier Scott's 247Sports page here.

Hero Sports reports on Welschof's and Scott's recruiting tour of the US.

Mike Traini has a post on the duo leading with WR Scott.

American Football International has a story on Welschof and Scott.

Both Welschof and Scott have gained multiple FBS offers.

UMass Football News--June 29th, 2017

A trio of articles from Phil Steele.

Over and under for all 130 FBS teams. Vegas expects UMass to have between 2 and 3 wins.

UMass is #56 in experience returning in 2017.

Phil Steele's stock market indicator is mildly bullish on the Minutemen.

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The Orlando Sentinel thinks Old Dominion can contend for Conference title again this year.

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Liberty spent more on athletics than Boise State or any school in Conference USA during the last academic year.

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UMass Football News--June 28th, 2017

Boston Globe image

Mike Trani reports Leonard Hankerson will join the UMass football staff.

Hankerson's Wikipedia bio.

Hankerson's Miami bio.

Hankerson played HS football for south Florida power St. Thomas Aquinas in Broward County. This has been prime recruiting territory for Whipple during his previous tour with the Minutemen. Hankerson should have some recruiting connections is south Florida.

Some Whipple's FCS recruits from south Florida:

Jeremy Cain St Thomas Aquinas

Keron Williams Palm Beach Gardens

Mike Ziccardi St Thomas Aquinas

Adrian Zullo St Thomas Aquinas 

Mikel Miret South Miami

O.J. McBride Sunrise, FL

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West Hawaii Today says Hawaii is already thinking about UMass.

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Saturday Down South has a story about five non-conference RB's who could rush for 100 yards against a SEC opponent. They think Marquis Young could do it against Tennessee.

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Athlon ranks Tennessee's 2017 opponents.

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Ball Parks Digest has a post on college football in MLB parks including UMass playing Maine in Fenway.

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A UConn site laments the Huskies having to play a money game.

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Maisen Knight, a JUCO OL who had a UMass offers verbals to Arizona.

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Willem Froumy, a OT from Exeter, NH who had a UMass offer verbals to Syracuse.

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UMass Football Recruiting 2018-- Jaret Pallotta verbals to the Minutemen

Julie Vennitti image

While I was away UMass received its first verbal of the 2018 recruiting season. Jaret Pallotta, a 6-5 200 pound pro-style QB from Canton, Ohio.

247Sports two-star recruit.

Hudl.com has video.

Partial quote from a 03/30/17 article from Scout.com by Michael McCammon:

"As a junior, the 6-foot-5 Pallotta threw for 18 touchdowns with a school record 2,041 yards to earn All-League, All-County and All NEO Inland District honors."

Mike Traini has a post on "Fight Massachusets" on Palotta's verbal to UMass.

Just yesterday (good timing from the blog's point of view) The Surbanite has an article on Pallotta verbaling to the Minutemen.

Friday Night Ohio has a story from November of 2016 that features Pallotta.

Pallotta chose UMass over an FBS offer from Western Kentucky.

FBS teams usually recruit at least one QB per recruiting cycle. UMass added JUCO Michael Curtis for 2017.

Palotta needs to grow into that 6-5 frame. He looks like a player with a big upside. This is a good start to the 2018 recruiting class.

UMass Football Recruiting 2017--Zac Simon

Press-Enterprise image

While I was away UMass added a significant recruit to the Minutemen's 2017 recruiting class.

Zac Simon, a 5-10 172 pound WR from Temecula Valley, CA verbaled to UMass.

His 247Sports page.

Mike Traini has a post on his signing with the Minutemen.

Max Preps has stats.

This article from January 2017 features Simon.

Hudl.com has video.

Simon chose UMass over Idaho, San Diego State and Wyoming.

Simon's verbal moved UMass out of the cellar in 247Sport Independent recruiting rankings. With Simon, UMass's 115.83 aggregate recruiting score would have placed UMass 9th in the MAC and 8th in average recruit ranking, 247Sports now have UMass as #106 nationally, but since they include number of recruits, the Minutemen's 78.89 average recruit power ranking would be higher. UMass is now solidly in the middle of Sun Belt and C-USA recruiting rankings.

Adding Simon gives UMass two three-star WR recruits along with JUCO Jacoby Herring.

UMass' 2017 WR recruits also include two-star Jesse Britt and Melvin Hill.

EDIT: Tuesday

I forgot the Minutemen will also add Patrick Volcy, a 2016 verbal to 2017's class. That will bring the total of new WR's this year to five.

Whipple's pro-set offense emphasizes quick strike down-the-field WR's. Simon could see some playing time this year as the Minutemen need to reload at the receiver position.

Big Blog Bulletin

Time sure does fly. Mrs Blog and I are off on our 2017 vacation this time to Europe.

Given the time difference and the fact I'm not sure how much internet connectivity I'll get, I'm not going to do a daily blog post until we get back, which will be on the 26th.

If something mammoth happens, I'll make it a point to post.

UMass Football Recruiting 2018--Christian Malloy

Jason Getz image

Christian Malloy, a 5-10 175 pound RB from Parkview HS in GA has Tweeted he's received an offer from UMass.

247Sports three-star player.

Hudl.com has video.

MaxPreps has stats.

Malloy has 24 offers mostly from Group-of-Five schools and FCS. Besides UMass, Yale has offered from the Northeast.

UMass Football Recruiting 2018--Rashard Jackson

Hudl.com image

Rashard Jackson, a 5-9 173 pound Athlete from Upper Marlboro, MD has Tweeted he's received an offer from UMass.

247Sports page here.

Hudl.com has video.

Besides UMass, Jackson has a FBS offer from Memphis.

Tuesday--June 6th, 2017

Coastal Carolina announces a 7:00 PM kickoff time for the UMass game and it will be televised on ESPN3.

With Boise State's approval, Luther will become college football third team to have blue turf. Besides Luther and Boise State the third team is ............. Coastal Carolina.

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College football and the SEC look to reduce the time for an average football game.

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Hawaii football hopes off-season workouts pay dividends in 2017.

Speaking of the Rainbows, Street & Smith, Athlon and Lindy's all have Hawaii as second in the MWC's West division.

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UMass Football recruiting 2018--Dawson Hill

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Dawson Hill, a 5-11 180 pound RB from South Plantation HS in Fort Lauderdale, FL has Tweeted he's received an offer from UMass.

247Sports three-star player.

Hudl.com has video.

Partial quote from a Scout.com article dated 04/18/17 by Corey Bender:

"Hill is  expected to make a splash throughout the spring evaluation period, and took another step in the right direction on Tuesday when earning an offer from Bowling Green.

Hill, a junior running back who piled up 908 all-purpose yards and seven touchdowns in 2016, is armed with additional scholarship offers from Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, Syracuse and Temple."

Rivals three-stars.

This article has a profile of Hill.

Hill has six offers including Temple, Syracuse and Pitt from the Northeast.

UMass Football Recruiting 2018--Cameron Hill

Hudl.com image

Cameron Hill, a 6-3 280 pound OG from Montgomery, AL has Tweeted he's received an offer from UMass.

247Sports page here.

Hudl.com has video.

All-Metro in 2016.

Hill also has an FBS offer from Bowling Green.