UMass Football News--September 30th, 2019

Josh Walfish reports culture prevails on Coach Bell's  win as a head coach.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vegas has FIU a 26 point favorite over UMass.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" recaps the Akron game.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In my recap Sunday i mentioned there were numerous heroes for the game. One player I forgot to mention was kicker Cooper Garcia. How soon we forget how tear-your-hair-out bad UMass kicking was in the past. Garcia is 4 for 5 in field goals for 2019 and 15-16 in extra points.

He went 3-for-3 in field goals Saturday and put four kickoffs into the end zone.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rutgers fires HC Chris Ash and offensive coordinator John McNulty. Ash went 3-26 in Big Ten games during the last three years.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UConn moves Saturday's game against USF start time to Noon over concerns about eastern equine encephalitis.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Sea of Red reports Liberty's confidence is rising.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMass Football News--September 29th, 2019

There were heroes everywhere. Mike Curtis led the Minutemen to the most points and yards of the year. He executed a nifty ball fake that allowed him to walk into the endzone. He ran judiciously and fit the ball into tight sideline passes. He moved the team. The science is settled.

The OL, consisting of all 2's, led the way to the most yards of the season. There were no problems with the snap or QB exchange. Mike Sullivan, Dalton Tomlinson and Helber Fagundes stepped in an did an excellent job.

Samuel Emilus and Sadiq Palmer made nice sideline catches with defenders draped all over them.

You run to win and Bilal Ally and the OL did that in the fourth quarter.

The Zips are a dreadful running team, but the defense insured they did not do better against UMass. The DL developed some pressure and Isaiah Rogers set an all-time UMass record with his third pick-six.

A really satisfying win against adversity. Bite me trolls.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMass write-up with stats and quotes.

Josh Walfish says Mike Curtis and a patched-up offense led the way to victory.

MassLive reports UMass picked up its first win.

Hustle said an injury and turnovers were too much for the Zips to overcome.

The Berkshire Eagle reports the Minutemen produced their first win of the season.

UMass Twitter feed with Coach Bell and the team after the game.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UConn was blown out by UCF.

FAU handled Charlotte 45-27.

Coastal Carolina lost big to Appapachian State 56-27.

LA Tech beat Rice in overtime.

Liberty won their third in a row beating New Mexico.

Northwestern lost to #8 Wisconsin.

BYU lost at Toledo.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And BC lost to undefeated Wake Forest.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Game Day -- Akron 2020

It looks like another fine weather day for football. I admire people who don't quit. I'll be there cheering for the Minutemen. Hope to see you all doing the same thing.

UMass needs to get the offense going, especially the passing game. We need some consistent QB play.  The most talented unit on the team is probably the WR's and we need to get them the ball.

Go UMass!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UPDATE: UMass suspends six players for the Akron game, including starters Randall West and Mike Yerardi.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Josh Walfish reports the UMass defense adopts the next man up philosophy.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" previews the the UMass-Akron game.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Berkshire Eagle reports UMass hopes for the first win of the season.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMass Football Recruiting--Nasir Mills

Nasir Mills, a 6-0 200 pound Safety/CB from Wake Forest, NC was one of the players visiting during last week's game.

Hudl.com has video.

MaxPreps has stats.

The Minutemen currently have five DB verbals in the 2020 class, three CB's and two Safeties.

UMass Football News--September 27th, 2019

Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" has a preview of the Akron game.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mike also has a post on the recruiting visitors during the Coastal Carolina game. The recruits were mostly from MA, but one was from North Carolina.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hustle Belt previews the UMass-Akron and predicts a Zips victory.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Inside NU looks at Northwestern's struggles this year.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Herald Extra says BYU is not afraid to shuffle around players.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The UConn Blog reports the Huskies future schedules should include some AAC teams.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMass Football News--September 26th, 2019

Rogers needs four more pass breakups to tie Don Capparotti (1989-92) for 4th all-time at UMass. He needs two to tie Shannon James (2001-05) for 6th all time.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMass has their game notes for Akron up.

So do the Zips.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Josh Walfish has a post on young OL Dalton Tomlison and Helber Fagundes being pressed into service on the offensive line. With Ray Thomas-Ishman currently suspended, UMass is starting four new players on the offensive line.

Josh also reports starting Safety Joseph Norwood has left the team. Norwood was a late addition to Whipple's last recruiting class. Norwood had previously decommitted from Middle Tennessee and before that he had decommitted from Tennessee.

Injury status included DT Billy Wooden is questionable and DT Wilson Frederic is doubtful for Saturday's game. LB Tyrus Lebeau is also out with an injury.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Boston Herald says UMass looks for breakthrough against fellow winless Akron.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMass Football News--September 25th, 2019

Josh Walfish reports on this Tuesday's practice. UMass only had about 56 or 57 healthy scholarship players. QB Andrew Brito is still in the concussion protocol and starting center Jaylen Larry is out with a knee injury.

Reserve OL freshman Xavier Graham has been moved to DL for the time being and true freshman walk-on Grant Laws is practicing with the first team DL.

In addition, starting OG Ray Thomas-Ishman has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules.

Isaiah Rogers is 9th in the nation with a 33.4 yards/return. He leads the nation by a wide margin with 434 total return yards.

There's an old coaching saw that says you lose one game for every true freshman you start. UConn played a whole lot of true freshmen last year during their 1-11 season and they seem to have improved quite a bit this year. The Huskies went from last (UMass' current position) to #34 this year after three games.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UnderDog Dynasty says UMass hits rock bottom.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Akron Beacon-Journal reports winless Akron prepares for winless UMass.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Hartford Courant wonders if UConn should bench its best players and save them for the future.

Randy Edsall continues to have faith in the Huskies freshman QB Jack Zergiotis.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMass Football News--September 24th, 2019

With yesterday's commit by LB Matheu Masse-Pelletler, the Minutemen currently have 18 verbals for the 2020 recruiting class. UMass signed 21 recruits in Coach Bell's first class, so the staff still has some scholarships to give.

On defense, two defensive linemen, three linebackers and five defensive backs are coming. 247Sports has the class rated as #78 out of 130 teams and rating does not reflect Masse-Pelletler, who does not have a rating yet.

Past UMass recruiting ranking per 247Sports:

2014--#120
2015--#107
2016--#86 (includes Ally, Dingle, Thomas-Ishman,Palmer and Rogers)
2017--#110
2018--#108 (includes five players who left or never arrived)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" recaps the Coastal Carolina game.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MassLive reports the Minutemen will receive guarantees of over $1 million for eight future games.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some takeaways from FIU's loss to Louisiana Tech.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How a prep school helped Army achieve its current success.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MAYBE THIS WILL WORK FOR US

Rutgers QB throws a TD, gets a celebratory punch in the face by one of his offensive linemen.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMass Football Recruiting 2020--Mathieu Masse-Pelletier verbals to UMass

Mathieu Masse-Pelletier, a 6-2 220 pound OLB from Quebec City, Canada has Tweeted he's committed to UMass.

247Sports page here.

Hudl.com has video.

Also ran track and field for Woodberry Forest.

This article from Canada Football chat features Masse-Pelletier.

He chose UMass over FBS offers from Kent State, Liberty and Rice. Masse-Pelletier had 19 total offers. Took visits to BC and Virginia Tech in the spring. Linebacker is a position UMass really needs. Masse-Pelletier is the third LB recruit in the 2020 recruiting class.

UMass Football News--September 23rd, 2019

UMass has a list of fan experience activities prior to the Akron game.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vegas Insider has the Zips a 5.5 point favorite over the Minutmen.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Keepers College football rating has Akron by 8.62.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MassLive has UMass falls to 0-4 with a loss to Coastal Carolina.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Liberty loses a backup QB for the season.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How Army embraced analytics and created one of the nation's most efficient teams.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BYU loses a running back for the season.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMass Football News--September 22nd, 2019

Thoughts after the game:

1. Thom Hannum and the UMass percussion still rocks after 40 years.

2. The new bathrooms are beautiful.

3. I don't think Andrew Brito is our QB, now or in the future

4. Cooper Garcia should handle all kickoffs.

5. Isaiah Rogers can shift into a gear no one else on the field has.

6. No one on the team quit. The team mobbed Garcia after he unloaded on a Chant kickoff returner.

4. The UMass fans in attendance were amazing. Nobody booed. The cheered the last TD. Some 3000 or so stayed all the way to the end. Stalwart people. I admire them.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMass write-up on the game.

Josh Walfish says Coastal Carolina steamrolled UMass.

He also said the short handed defense faltered.

He reports special teams have been a bright spot for the Minutemen. Josh also reports the Minutemen were without four starting linemen. Center Jaylen Larry and left guard Ray Thomas-Ishman were out with injuries. In addition, FR DT Billy Wooden was injured in practice and FR DT Wilson Frederic was hurt during the game.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UConn lost to Indiana 38-3.

Southern Illinois lost to Arkansas State 41-28.

Charlotte lost to Clemson 52-10.

Akron lost to Troy 35-7.

Army Beat Morgan State 52-21.

Northwestern lost to Michigan State 31-10.

BYU was run over by Washington 45-19.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Game Day Coast Carolina 2019

Once more into the breach dear friends. I'm looking for improvements in run defense and more production with the offence. Nineteen points a game on offense does not give us (or the defense) a lot of room to operate. UMass can run the ball, but so far, the Minutemen are #120 in 130 FBS teams with 148.7 passing yards/game. That's not the results we would want with the spread offense.

It should be a beautiful Fall day. I'll be there like I have been for the last 43 years.

Go UMass.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Josh Walfish reports UMass emphasizes tacklng ahead of the Coastal Carolina.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Noles247 says Florida State will host UMass in 2012.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Click on Detroit has UMass-Coastal Carolina game details and preview.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMass Football Recruiting 2020--Gaberiel Fuster

Gaberiel Fuster, a 6-0 227 pound ILB, from Deep Creek, VA has Tweeted UMass is in his final four.

247Sports three-star player.

Hudl.com has video.

Virginia Pilot has Fuster #16 in the area's Top-50 recruits.

Fuster's top four schools are FAU, Liberty, Virginia Tech and UMass. Lots and lots of playing time is available in Amherst...

UMass Football News--September 20th, 2019

Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" previews the Coastal Carolina game.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Berkshire Eagle reports UMass readies for Coastal Carolina.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Daily Collegian reports on the growth of the young UMass defensive line.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Myrtle Beach Online has everything you need to know about the Chants-Minutemen game.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Winless UConn is a 28 point underdog against Indiana.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scarlet Nation thinks Rutgers could upset Boston College.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hustle Belt previews Akron vs Troy.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMass Football News--September 19th, 2019

Josh Walfish reports UMass stays invested in building the program. Everyone knew this year was going to be tough. We have an excellent recruiting class coming in in 2020. It'll get better.

Stay tough and take one game at a time.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMass adds 24 updates to the Minutemen's future schedules. The Minutemen needed some pay games for the 2021 schedule and have added Pitt and Florida State. UMass has some connections with both programs.

Additions not previously discussed are:

Sept. 4, 2021 – at Pitt
Oct. 23, 2021 – at Florida State
Sept. 2, 2023 – at Auburn
Nov. 4, 2023 – vs. Merrimack
Sept. 21, 2024 – vs. Wagner
Sept. 6, 2025 – at Boston College (rescheduled from Sept. 17, 2022)

Future College Schedules has a post on the UMass additions.

Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" also has a story on the future schedules.

Pittsburgh Sports Now has a story on Pitt's future schedules.

Noles247 also has a story on UMass and Florida State adding a game.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How Coastal Carolina managed to come up with the nation's #7th ranked defense.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMass Football News--September 18th, 2019

Josh Walfish has news and notes from this week's UMass practices. Andrew Brito has received a waiver from the NCAA and will have three seasons of eligibility at UMass. DT Charlie Timite has left the team. Timite missed all last season with a unspecified medical issue. Coach Bell said his departure was not totally based on medical issues.

The Minutemen have been trying to redshirt freshman DL Cletus Mathurin, but Bell stated Mathurin might have to play some up to his redshirt limit, which I think is four games.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Daily Collegian says the UMass defense focuses on tackling before the game with Coastal Carolina.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Coastal Carolina has their game notes for UMass up.

So does UMass.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile at UConn, Coach Edsall says he sees progress and the Huskies lose a QB for the season.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Akron, the winless Zips have offensive woes.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The 1-2 FIU Panthers are also struggling on offense.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMass Football News--September 17th, 2019

Josh Walfish has three takeaways from the Charlotte game.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Charlotte Observer says the 49ers were impressive against UMass, but Clemson won't care.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How Coastal Carolina kept the momentum going against Norfolk State.

The Chants Jayhawk pinata was the icing on the cake of their upset of Kansas.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At Boston College, the student newspaper says fire the coach.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Miami Herald has four takeaways from FIU's win over New Hampshire.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hugh Freeze savors his first victory with Liberty as the Flames rout Buffalo.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Northwestern gets ready for Michigan State.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After beating #22 UCS, BYU moves on to #24 Washington.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMass Football News--September 19th, 2019

Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" recaps the Charlotte game.

Mike mentions UMass CB Isaiah Rogers as a bright spot on the Minutemen defense. Rogers is #9 in the nation in punt returns after three games, averaging 17.8 yards per punt.

He's #18 in kickoff returns averaging 27.7 yards/kickoff.

UMass is #123 out of 130 teams in passing efficiency. The Minutemen are #126 in rushing defense 267.0 yards/game. UMass is #88 in rushing offense with 147.0 yards/game. NCAA stats here.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vegas Insider has Coastal Carolina a 16.5 point favorite over UMass.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Keepers College football rankings has the Chants as 5.31 point favorite.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Howard Herman of the Berkshire Eagle says don't hit the panic button yet about UMass football.

It's the first year of a turnaround. We will get better and I swear to God I'll rejoice when the daily trolls in my comment in-box are silenced. This year I use 'em for motivation in my powerlifting.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fan Sided wonders if losing to Coastal Carolina was the best thing for Kansas football?

They don't think so at BC Interruption.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMass Football News--September 15th, 2019

Well, UMass lost big again, but looked somewhat better doing it. I think the offense could be half decent if we had a QB, which so far, we do not.

Again we played a bunch of freshmen including DT Grant Laws, who saw his first action of the year.

Charlotte nearly doubled up on our offensive yardage 533 to 262. Brito had 18 completions, but only averaged 7.05 yards a catch. UMass was 3-14 on third downs and again only had one good offensive quarter.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMass write-up.

Charlotte's write-up here.

The Charlotte Observer said the 49ers started fast.

Josh Walfish reports a slow start doomed UMass.

The Berkshire Eagle reports UMass falls to 0-3 after a lopsided loss to Charlotte.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Coastal Carolina ran past Norfolk State 46-7.

Central Michigan topped Akron 45-24.

FIU beat New Hampshire 30-17.

Louisiana Tech blew out Bowling Green 35-7.

Liberty handled Buffalo 35-17.

Army rushed for 340 yards in 31-13 win over UTSA.

Northwestern beat UNLV 30-14 for their first win of the season.

BYU upset #24 USC in overtime.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Game Day ---Charlotte 2019

All right, let's right the ship on offense. I'd like to see a lot more rhythm and less penalties from the offense. I'd like to see us run the rock and keep the ball in our position. I don't care who is at QB as long as he moves the team.

Let's improve. I'm a patient man, but last week was a mind-boggling low point. Cutting down on the mistakes and being able to execute the the offense would be a big help.

Go UMass.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Josh Wlafish reports UMass hopes QB competition will solve the offensive woes at Charlotte.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MassLive has how to watch the game on ESPN+

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UnderDog Dynasty previews the Minutmen-49ers game and predicts a 42-27 Charlotte win.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Boston College was run over by Kansas (Yes, Kansas) at home as the Jayhawks snapped a 48-game road losing streak to Power Five opponents.

BC Interruption says nothing in the world make sense anymore. We feel your pain Boston College fans.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------