Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" reports the Minutemen hosted over 200 players in camps this June.
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Sports Illustrated has 16 rookies who could make an impact. Andy Isabella is one of them.
Kyle Murray and Andy Isabella have a fun 40 race at the Cards training camp.
Isabella rises in the Rookie-of-the-Year odds.
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The Ralphie Report wonders if Colorado should leave the PAC12 and join college football's independents.
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Potential UMass OL recruit Joe Horn verbals to Navy.
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ESPN has college football schedule superlatives for the 2019 season.
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Friday, July 05, 2019
Thursday, July 04, 2019
UMass Football News--4th of July 2019
As long-time blog readers know, I'm a life long amateur astronomer. Some time ago I contributed to a kickstarter campaign to curate Neil Armstrong's lunar landing space suit. I received the above image today from the Smithsonian.
Armstrong's landing was 50 years ago. I remember John Kennedy and the Apollo program and watching Armstrong step onto the Moon. We had a tiny black & white TV set up on the fantail of my destroyer.
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Hey, Happy 4th to all UMass fans, players, coaches and administrators. America--still the last, best hope of the planet.
And UMass is part of a plucky band of independent football teams. We're on the rise. Enjoy the ride.
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Wednesday, July 03, 2019
UMass Football News--July 3rd, 2019
Hampshire Gazette UMass beat writer Josh Walfish previews 2019 opponent Rutgers.
Speaking of the Scarlet Knights, they just announced a year-long "Birthplace of College football" celebration.
NJ.com has more on the birthplace event.
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247ports has winners and losers in the transfer portal. One loser is Penn State who lost over a dozen players including senior Jarvis Miller to UMass.
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Athlon sports has college football's top-60 running backs. One of them is USF's Jordan Cronkite who blew up the Minuteman defense with 302 yards on October 6th. Those 302 yards were a USF and AAC conference record.
UMass fans will get to see Isaiah Bowser from Northwestern and Benny LeMay from Charlotte.
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Saturday Down South reports James Madison is eyeing UConn's former slot in the AAC.
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One side effect of UConn's going independent will likely be a yearly game with fellow independent UMass. It would seem logical that A.D. Ryan Bamford could use the leverage to get a yearly basketball game between the two schools.
UConn hoops just got hit with sanctions by the NCAA for violations in the Kevin Ollie era.
Since we already play UConn in Hockey East, there should be an annual trophy for the school that wins at last two of the three games.
Speaking of the Scarlet Knights, they just announced a year-long "Birthplace of College football" celebration.
NJ.com has more on the birthplace event.
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247ports has winners and losers in the transfer portal. One loser is Penn State who lost over a dozen players including senior Jarvis Miller to UMass.
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Athlon sports has college football's top-60 running backs. One of them is USF's Jordan Cronkite who blew up the Minuteman defense with 302 yards on October 6th. Those 302 yards were a USF and AAC conference record.
UMass fans will get to see Isaiah Bowser from Northwestern and Benny LeMay from Charlotte.
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Saturday Down South reports James Madison is eyeing UConn's former slot in the AAC.
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One side effect of UConn's going independent will likely be a yearly game with fellow independent UMass. It would seem logical that A.D. Ryan Bamford could use the leverage to get a yearly basketball game between the two schools.
UConn hoops just got hit with sanctions by the NCAA for violations in the Kevin Ollie era.
Since we already play UConn in Hockey East, there should be an annual trophy for the school that wins at last two of the three games.
Tuesday, July 02, 2019
UMass Football Recruiting 2020--Neche Ugwuozor
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| 247Sports image |
Neche Ugwouzor, a 6-1 205 pound athlete from the Netherlands has a UMass offer.
This USA Today article features UMass and Ugwuozor.
Ugwuozor has four offers including UMass and Temple from FBS.
UMass Football News--July 2nd, 2019
NJ.com has a post on Rutgers' over/under being 2.5 wins. NJ.com thinks the Scarlet Knights will beat UMass and Liberty. Rutgers would need to find another win for the over.
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2020 opponent Auburn puts the final touches on that year's schedule.
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WHY WOULD LINEMEN PLAY ANYWHERE ELSE
UMass dining commons continues to rack up honors.
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The York Dispatch wonders what Randy Edsall will be thinking in a couple of years time.
John Rooke of WEEI has some thoughts on UConn's move to the Big East.
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The Daily Caller reminds us July is the final month of 2019 with no college football.
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2020 opponent Auburn puts the final touches on that year's schedule.
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WHY WOULD LINEMEN PLAY ANYWHERE ELSE
UMass dining commons continues to rack up honors.
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The York Dispatch wonders what Randy Edsall will be thinking in a couple of years time.
John Rooke of WEEI has some thoughts on UConn's move to the Big East.
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The Daily Caller reminds us July is the final month of 2019 with no college football.
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Monday, July 01, 2019
UMass Football News--July 1st, 2019
It's going to be interesting to see how UConn's move to the Big East plays out. The original Big East had UConn, Syracuse, Rutgers and BC. The current Big East has Providence, St. John's Seton Hall, Georgetown, Xavier, Butler, DePaul, Marquette and Creighton. The league does not sponsor football or hockey. In 2017 seven of the Big East's women's lacrosse teams left the Big East to join the AAC. Most of the basketball schools do not have Field Hockey, so the Big East has five associate members in that sport.
It seems seems to me that except for Men's and Women's basketball, the UConn athletic dept is moving to a really non-power conference in Olympic sports. The Husky women's teams in particular seem to be playing in a de facto Northeast conference.
The new Big East is light years different destination for a school who once dreamed of joining the ACC.
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Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" has a post on 2020 recruit Joe Lusardi.
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Howard Herman of the Berkshire has a post on where UMass fits in with conference realignment.
The Middle town Press says UMass offers a blueprint for UConn football.
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The Orlando Sentinel previews BYU and has them ranked #56 nationally.
The Sentinel also has BC at #57. The Eagles only return three starters on defense and lost Zach Allen, Hamp Cheevers and Connor Strachan. Boston College's last five games in 2019 are @Clemson, @ Syracuse, Florida State, @Notre Dame and @ Pitt. The Eagles need to make hay in the first six games.
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It seems seems to me that except for Men's and Women's basketball, the UConn athletic dept is moving to a really non-power conference in Olympic sports. The Husky women's teams in particular seem to be playing in a de facto Northeast conference.
The new Big East is light years different destination for a school who once dreamed of joining the ACC.
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Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" has a post on 2020 recruit Joe Lusardi.
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Howard Herman of the Berkshire has a post on where UMass fits in with conference realignment.
The Middle town Press says UMass offers a blueprint for UConn football.
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The Orlando Sentinel previews BYU and has them ranked #56 nationally.
The Sentinel also has BC at #57. The Eagles only return three starters on defense and lost Zach Allen, Hamp Cheevers and Connor Strachan. Boston College's last five games in 2019 are @Clemson, @ Syracuse, Florida State, @Notre Dame and @ Pitt. The Eagles need to make hay in the first six games.
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Saturday, June 29, 2019
UMass Football Recruiting 2020--Kolbe Burrell
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| Sean Simmons image |
247Sports three-star player.
Hudl.com has video.
Penn Live.com has a story that has a paragraph about Burrell's receiving an offer from Temple.
Besides UMass, Burrell has FBS offers from Bowling Green, Buffalo, Rutgers, Temple and Toledo. Running back is a position of need for UMass.
UMass Football News--June 29th, 2019
UConn signs contracts for FCS games with Central Connecticut and Lafayette.
The Tampa Bay Times says don't be shocked if after UConn's exit, the AAC stands pat.
The AAC commissioner says there is zero chance the AAC will keep UConn football.
The Republican-American says UConn does not have a plan.
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How Don Brown was instrumental in Michigan signing the top-rated recruit from Massachusetts.
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How chicken and college football made Atlanta a sports Mecca.
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The Tampa Bay Times says don't be shocked if after UConn's exit, the AAC stands pat.
The AAC commissioner says there is zero chance the AAC will keep UConn football.
The Republican-American says UConn does not have a plan.
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How Don Brown was instrumental in Michigan signing the top-rated recruit from Massachusetts.
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How chicken and college football made Atlanta a sports Mecca.
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Friday, June 28, 2019
UMass Football recruiting 2019--Joe Gjinaj
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| Hudl.com image |
Hudl.com has video.
MaxPreps has stats.
This article covers Gjinaj's playing in a senior all-star game this Saturday.
This article from August of 2018 features Gjinaj.
Gjinaj plays running back and linebacker, two positions of need for the Minutemen.
Thursday, June 27, 2019
UMass Football News--June 27th, 2019
UMass trainer Jennifer Brodeur receives the 2019 Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award from the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA).
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The CT Post says UConn's move to the Big East leaves the football program in transition.
A writer for Medium.com has 12 reasons UConn will regret moving to the new Big East.
The Huskies Board of Trusties says the Big East is a "better overall fit".
NJ.com says Husky fans deserve pity not scorn from Rutgers fans.
247Sports reports independence is the likely path for UConn football.
The UConn Blog reports Randy Edsall supports the move to the Big East. What else could he have said?
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The NCAA tightens transfer rules.
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Wednesday, June 26, 2019
UMass Football News--June 26th, 2019
Bob McGovern says UMass can't afford to be left behind again.
If UMass should get an invite to the AAC, we should take it. Consider the fact University of Tulsa, 3,174 undergrads, is thriving in the AAC. The Golden Hurricanes manage six men's sports, nine women's sports and a lot of travel considerations without apparently breaking into a sweat.
As Lincoln kept asking his generals "Can't we at least claim to be the equal of the Confederates?"
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WTOP reports UConn is heading towards independence. Multiple quotes from UMass A.D. Ryan Bamford.
College Sports Maven says don't expect many conference realignment aftershocks from UConn's leaving the AAC.
The Blade says the MAC should just say no to UConn football.
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FBS Schedules has the eleven longest awaited football reunions in 2019. Has UMass-Rutgers.
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This is interesting: Fan Duel Sportsbook has released its win totals for every FBS team. It has UMass with 4.5 wins ! Somebody must be impressed with what Coach Bell is doing at UMass.
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OTOH, UMass opened as an 11 point dog to Rutgers and that's moved to 14.
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If UMass should get an invite to the AAC, we should take it. Consider the fact University of Tulsa, 3,174 undergrads, is thriving in the AAC. The Golden Hurricanes manage six men's sports, nine women's sports and a lot of travel considerations without apparently breaking into a sweat.
As Lincoln kept asking his generals "Can't we at least claim to be the equal of the Confederates?"
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WTOP reports UConn is heading towards independence. Multiple quotes from UMass A.D. Ryan Bamford.
College Sports Maven says don't expect many conference realignment aftershocks from UConn's leaving the AAC.
The Blade says the MAC should just say no to UConn football.
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FBS Schedules has the eleven longest awaited football reunions in 2019. Has UMass-Rutgers.
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This is interesting: Fan Duel Sportsbook has released its win totals for every FBS team. It has UMass with 4.5 wins ! Somebody must be impressed with what Coach Bell is doing at UMass.
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OTOH, UMass opened as an 11 point dog to Rutgers and that's moved to 14.
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Tuesday, June 25, 2019
UMass Football Recruiting 2020--Joe Lusardi verbals to UMass
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| Twitter image |
247Sports page here.
Hudl.com has video.
Lusardi scores five TD's in one game.
UMass was the first offer for Lusardi. Drew interest from Rutgers, Ohio and Yale.
UMass Football News--June 25th, 2019
A bright spot for UMass is the UConn jump to the basketball Big East will probably force UConn into an Independent football status. In turn, UMass and UConn would be a good tandem and good media market for being included in another league. The two schools together should have more negotiation clout than UMass had on its own.
The Conference USA rumor would be a good fit for the Minutemen. We already play a lot of C-USA teams. They have a crappy media package, but seven bowl tie-ins. However, I strongly doubt BYU would join. The Cougars already turned up their noses on the Mountain West, remember?
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Josh Walfish doesn't think UMass should jump to the AAC. Followed quickly by the Boston Globe no doubt...
Fansided says the MAC and Conference USA don't want UConn football.
Forbes says with UConn leaving, the AAC could face some difficult choices.
The Deseret News wonders if BYU will take UConn's place in the AAC.
Cincinnati.com says the AAC is unlikely to replace UConn.
Meanwhile, the Huskies unveil new uniforms and a new locker room.
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The Deseret News reports BYU gets a preseason Top-25 ranking in one poll.
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The Conference USA rumor would be a good fit for the Minutemen. We already play a lot of C-USA teams. They have a crappy media package, but seven bowl tie-ins. However, I strongly doubt BYU would join. The Cougars already turned up their noses on the Mountain West, remember?
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Josh Walfish doesn't think UMass should jump to the AAC. Followed quickly by the Boston Globe no doubt...
Fansided says the MAC and Conference USA don't want UConn football.
Forbes says with UConn leaving, the AAC could face some difficult choices.
The Deseret News wonders if BYU will take UConn's place in the AAC.
Cincinnati.com says the AAC is unlikely to replace UConn.
Meanwhile, the Huskies unveil new uniforms and a new locker room.
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The Deseret News reports BYU gets a preseason Top-25 ranking in one poll.
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Monday, June 24, 2019
UMass Football Recruiting 2020--Tristan Armstrong verbals to UMass
Tristan Armstrong, a 6-0 183 pound Safety from Washington, DC has committed to UMass.
247Sports page here.
Hudl.com has video.
#149 in Scout.com's top 2020 Safety recruits.
Chose UMass over FBS offers from Charlotte, Liberty, Louisville and Toledo.
UMass Football News--June 24th, 2019
As you have probably heard already, UConn is leaving the AAC for the Big East.
This is probably a really bad move on the part of the UConn brain trust. They're trying to recapture the magic in basketball where the Huskies were a perennial top-15 club. It rarely works that way.
For UMass, this opens up a number of gambits. If UMass should be offered a place in the AAC, then we should take it. The AAC has a 12-year $1 billion media deal with ESPN. UMass' share of that, even if delayed a year or two like the MAC did to us, would make a big improvement in the cash flow of the athletic dept. In addition, it would solve most of UMass' scheduling problems. The AAC has an eight game schedule and a conference championship. The Minutemen could still have four OOC games to play some money games.
At the very least, it looks like a regular yearly game with UConn if they go independent.
Should the AAC instead poach one of the C-USA teams, that would give UMass the possible option of applying there as well. The C-USA's media contract is really poor compared to the AAC's but a possible football-only membership could come into play. They do have bowl tie-ins which would be a plus for the Minutemen.
Matty Vautour has some thoughts on UConn's move.
The Spun has what UConn football is planning to do after they leave the AAC.
NJ.com wonders if this could lead to a new football conference.
College Sports Maven thinks UMass and UConn should join the MAC.
NJ.com thinks Rugers won't be able help UConn as an Independent for a while.
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This is probably a really bad move on the part of the UConn brain trust. They're trying to recapture the magic in basketball where the Huskies were a perennial top-15 club. It rarely works that way.
For UMass, this opens up a number of gambits. If UMass should be offered a place in the AAC, then we should take it. The AAC has a 12-year $1 billion media deal with ESPN. UMass' share of that, even if delayed a year or two like the MAC did to us, would make a big improvement in the cash flow of the athletic dept. In addition, it would solve most of UMass' scheduling problems. The AAC has an eight game schedule and a conference championship. The Minutemen could still have four OOC games to play some money games.
At the very least, it looks like a regular yearly game with UConn if they go independent.
Should the AAC instead poach one of the C-USA teams, that would give UMass the possible option of applying there as well. The C-USA's media contract is really poor compared to the AAC's but a possible football-only membership could come into play. They do have bowl tie-ins which would be a plus for the Minutemen.
Matty Vautour has some thoughts on UConn's move.
The Spun has what UConn football is planning to do after they leave the AAC.
NJ.com wonders if this could lead to a new football conference.
College Sports Maven thinks UMass and UConn should join the MAC.
NJ.com thinks Rugers won't be able help UConn as an Independent for a while.
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Saturday, June 22, 2019
UMass Football Recruiting 2020--Joe Horn
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| Twitter image |
247Sports page here.
Hudl.com has video.
This article from April 2019 covers his performance at a NJ camp.
247Sports has a Q &A where he names UMass one of his top 3 choices in recruiting.
Horne has eight total offers including UMass, Navy and Central Michigan from FBS.
Friday, June 21, 2019
UMass Football News--June 21st, 2019
Today is Summer Solstice Day. Please celebrate responsibly.
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UMass adds a home and home series with Ohio in 2023 and 2024.
The Minutemen have also added a 2023 and 2024 home and home series with Miami of Ohio.
UMass has a 1-3 record against both teams. The Minutemen lost a 42-58 shoot-out to Ohio last year. UMass last met Miami in 2015.
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Athlon Sports ranks UMass as the 11th toughest opponent in BYU's 2019 schedule.
The Lawless Republic explains the Cougars should beat UMass by double digits.
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Andy Isabella sets the bar high for a rookie season.
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Philadelphia News says Marken Michel is ready to make a name for himself.
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Jovan Santos-Knox is on the Edmonton Eskimos roster.
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UMass adds a home and home series with Ohio in 2023 and 2024.
The Minutemen have also added a 2023 and 2024 home and home series with Miami of Ohio.
UMass has a 1-3 record against both teams. The Minutemen lost a 42-58 shoot-out to Ohio last year. UMass last met Miami in 2015.
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Athlon Sports ranks UMass as the 11th toughest opponent in BYU's 2019 schedule.
The Lawless Republic explains the Cougars should beat UMass by double digits.
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Andy Isabella sets the bar high for a rookie season.
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Philadelphia News says Marken Michel is ready to make a name for himself.
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Jovan Santos-Knox is on the Edmonton Eskimos roster.
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Thursday, June 20, 2019
UMass Football Recruiting 2019--Johnathan Riley
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| Instagram image |
247Sports page here.
This article features Riley.
Hudl.com has video.
Riley would be a great addition to the 2019 recruiting class. He has offers from UMass, Cincinnati, Virginia Tech, Texas Tech and Baylor.
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
UMass Football News--June 19th, 2019
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| UMass Twitter image |
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The Action Network has a downloadable preseason power ratings for all 130 FBS teams.
They also have the home field advantage for all of FBS here. According to their formula the Minutemen has a 2.09 advantage at McGuirk.
They had UMass #114 at the end of 2018 and rate the Minutemen #126 preseason. That's entirely reasonable given the magnitude of the UMass' graduation losses. I think Coach Bell has done a lot in the short time he's been here. Convincing Bilal Ally and Isaiah Rogers to return, defensive additions Jarvis Miller and Logan Darby should be a big help. He also added the best recruiting class (in my opinion) since we went FBS.
Bell needs a couple more recruiting cycles, but things are on the upswing.
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Athlon Sports ranks UMass' Big 10 opponents Rutgers and Northwestern's OOC schedule.
Speaking of Athlon Sports they have UMass as #129 in their preseason power rankings.
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How Syracuse signed DE Leon Lowery, who had a UMass offer.
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Tuesday, June 18, 2019
UMass Football News--June 18th, 2019
Coach Bell doing cleans at 5:30 AM at the UMass Performance Center. Impressive, especially since it turns out I missed a 225 pound squat Monday morning. That would have been a P.R. for me.
Wish I could work out just once at the Performance Center.
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Brandon Collier's European player recruitment service gets some ink in Neal Brow's West Virginia.
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Liberty blog "A sea of Red" previews 2019 common opponent Rutgers.
Sea of Red also has a 2019 meeting with Maine.
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Speaking of Rutgers, NJ.com looks to see if there are any impact players in the group that have transferred to the Scarlet Knights.
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Bleeding Green Nation has a somewhat incoherent paragraph about Marken Michel.
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Andy Isabella ditches his bicycle.
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Wish I could work out just once at the Performance Center.
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Brandon Collier's European player recruitment service gets some ink in Neal Brow's West Virginia.
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Liberty blog "A sea of Red" previews 2019 common opponent Rutgers.
Sea of Red also has a 2019 meeting with Maine.
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Speaking of Rutgers, NJ.com looks to see if there are any impact players in the group that have transferred to the Scarlet Knights.
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Bleeding Green Nation has a somewhat incoherent paragraph about Marken Michel.
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Andy Isabella ditches his bicycle.
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