Recruiting 2016--Optimus Prime weekend #1

Bob McGovern has a post on UMass' recruiting weekend event. I've blogged about most of the attendees.

Cut-and-paste from McGovern's article. Links are to my coverage in the blog.

Cycoby Burch (ATH), Oak Ridge (FL) - Committed 
Isaiah Rodgers (CB), Blake (FL) - Committed 
Tyshaun Ingram (RB), Winter Park (FL) - Committed 
Antoine Brooks (ATH), Duval (MD) 
Jesse Britt (ATH/WR/RB), Auburndale (FL) 
Tyrek Tisdale (RB), Oak Ridge (FL) 
Chris Tooley (CB), Oak Ridge (FL) 
Shakur Cooper (OLB/DE), Coral Gables (FL) 
Bakhari Goodson (CB), Wekiva (FL) 
Sadiq Palmer (WR), Red Bank (NJ) 
Taylor Riggins (RB/OLB), Aquinas Institute (NY) 
Charly Timite (DE), Simon Gratz (PA) 
Antoine Webster (ATH/S), American (FL) 
Jordan Young (QB), Coatesville (PA)

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Ricky Carioti image

Antoine Brooks is a 6-0 205 pound athlete from Duval HS in Maryland.

247 Sports page here.

Hudl.com has lots of video.

Suffered a compound fracture of his leg in October.

This article also covers his injury.

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Scout.com image

Jesse Britt is a 5-10 177 pound athlete from Auburndale, FL.

247 Sports page here.

Hudl.com has senior highlights.

Partial quote from a Scout.com article dated this Tuesday:

Britt has three final schools and is going to take a close look at each before deciding. 

“Right now, I’m looking at Arizona, University of Massachusetts and Western Kentucky," he said. "I like all three of those places and I’ve got a decision to make.

"The coaches are a big part of everything for me because all the staffs are great and they think I can play a lot of different positions because of my athleticism.”


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Orlando Sentinel image

Chris Tooley is a 6-0 180 pound DB from Oak Ridge HS in FL.

247Sports page here.

Hudl,com has video highlights.

This article from June 2015 features Tooley.

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247 Sports image

Shakur Cooper is a 6-0 200 pound OLB from Orlando, FL.

247 Sports page here.

Hudl.com has senior highlights.

This article from his junior season features Cooper.

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ESPN image

Bakhari Goodson is a 6-0 170 pound DB from Wekiva HS in FL.

Hudl.com page here.

MaxPreps page here.

Orlando Sentinel All-District.

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247Sports image

Antoine Webster, a 6-0 185 pound DB/Athlete from American HS in Florida.

247Sports three-star player.

Hudl.com has video.

Rivals.com three-star player.

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Ron Cortes image

Jordan Young is a 6-3 210 pound dual-threat QB from Coatsville, PA.

247Sports page here.

Hudl.com has senior highlights.

MaxPreps has stats.

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Thursday--February 9th, 2017

Mark Chiarelli of MassLve has a post on the passing of Michael Boland, Jr with lots of quotes from his teammates.

Matty Vautour reports UMass will send a bus with coaches and players to Maryland so they will be able to Boland's funeral.

Yahoo Sports has a post on Boland's death.

The Spun.com has a story on the death of the former UMass captain.

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Former UMass recruit Antoine Webster was arrested for 2nd degree murder. Webster was part of 2016's recruiting class, but never joined the Minutemen. I blogged about Webster before.

More from the Miami Herald.

Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" has a post on Webster's arrest.

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Ben Albert did not get the Georgia defensive line coach position.

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Thursday--August 18th, 2016

New McGuirk football banners.

Some Media Day images from the Athletic Dept.

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Mic'd up with coach Walker. Coach Walker's UMass bio

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Dan Malone has a quartet of articles:

Mark Whipple proud of Tajae  Sharpe's transition to the NFL.

Dan reports Marquis Young is ready to lead the UMass RB contingent.

He says UMass wants JUCO transfer Rod Jones to rush the passer.

Dan also reports Infinite Tucker will not attend UMass as he has switched to track. Patrick Volcy and Antoine Webster will grayshirt. T.J. Rayam and Tyler Thompson will attend prep school. That breaks their verbal and they can sign with another school.

Thompson and Tucker were three-star recruits. T.J. Rayam was two star.

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Las Vegas has UMass over/under wins at 2.5

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Matty Vautour has a post on Logan Laurent competition with Mike Caggiano to be starting kicker.

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Florida HC Jim McElwain has suspended two starters for the UMass game due to a training camp fight. Teez Tabor's Florida bio. C'Yontai Lewis' bio.

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BC football and QB transfer Patrick Towles try to put the 2015 season behind them.

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Thursday--February 4th, 2016

Highlights from yesterday's signing day.

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Some thoughts about UMass' 2016 class:

1. Whipple said he expects the 2017 class to be even better.

2. Whipple and several of the assistant coaches inferred that recruits were more excited about playing nationally known teams than going to DeKalb or Akron.

3. The UMass staff received positive feedback from other college staffs about the recruiting process in Amherst.

4. I like the number of defensive recruits. In our first four years, UMass wanted to jump-start the offense. Usually the numbers would be like 13 offensive recruits and 8 defense. This year, with the big class, UMass signed 16 defensive players and five of them will be on campus for Spring ball. So far, we have not been winning shootouts. Last year in our three wins, the defense gave up 14, 17 and 26 points. In four losses, the defense also played well enough to win. I think the improved depth and more size and talent will pay big dividends in the future (just don't expect UMass to beat all those SEC teams).

5. Whipple said UMass will be adding four or more "preferred walk-ons" in a couple of weeks. A number of Massachusetts players will be in that group.

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Dan Malone says Infinite Tucker makes the LOI Day all-name team.

Dan has a post on UMass signing three-star QB 
Andrew Ford. With the possible exception of Jeff Krohn, who was starting quarterback for a PAC10 team, Ford is the highest rated QB ever to sign with the Minutemen.

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Matty Vautour breaks down the 2016 recruiting class.

Matty says social media was a big part of the Minutmen's recruiting success.

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Bob McGovern has takeaways from UMass' recruiting class.

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Delaware Online has a story about Taylor Edwards signing with UMass.

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Philly.com has a post about Charly Timite and Raquan Thomas signing with the Minutemen.

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App.com has a story about Tyler Thompson signing with UMass.

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Euclid HS, Sharif Saleem's old school had a big signing day yesterday.

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Martin Mangram's school, Buford High did well also.

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The Miami Herald has a post about Antoine Webster signing with the Minutemen.

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