UMass Football News--January 19th, 2026

 

Social media reports Kendric Council, a 6-1 220 pound ILB from St. Francis FCS visited UMass this weekend.

Council's St. Francis bio here. He had 53 TT 2 SACKS 4 deflected passes and 6.5 TFL in 2025.

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Hustle Belt has highlights from the MAC Conference bowl season.

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Gotta cheer for Indiana in tonight's college football championship. They deserve it. 

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UMass Transfer Portal News--January 18th, 2026

 UMass had a productive Saturday as the Minutemen reeled in six transfers.

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UMass closed the deal with 6-4 210 pound WR Joseph Griffin Jr. 

Griffin's Wisconsin bio here. 

The Minuteman Command has a post on Griffin joining the Minutemen. 

Griffin had a productive two years with BC but was unable to crack the starting rotation at Wisconsin. He could do his career (and UMass) a big favor by catching everything in sight in 2026. The Minutemen's long ball passing ability in 2025 was non-existent. 

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 UMass filled a real need with the addition of 6-1 215 pound RB Jordan Washington.

Washington's Racers bio here. 

Washington went 12 GP 86-340 4.0 AVE 3 TD's 24 LONG as a RB. Also caught the ball out of the backfield 22-206 9.4 AVE 3 TD's 60 LONG. And he's big enough to help with pass blocking..

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 UMass signed Justin Krueger a 6-4 250 DL from William & Mary.

Krueger's Tribe bio here. 

Krueger had excellent stats in 2025. He went 12GP 20 UT 32 AT 52 TT 8 TFL (!) 2.0 SACKS and 5 QBH. Those are really good numbers for a down lineman. May he bring that kind of production to Amherst.

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UMass also signed Glen Klingensmith a 6-5 300 OL from William & Mary.

His Tribe bio here.

This article from August of 2025 features Klingensmith. 

Klinggensmith started all 12 games in 2025. He should be an instant starter for UMass.

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Joining the Minutemen is Devlin Matthews, a 5-9 185 pound WR from East Texas A&M.

Devlin's Lion's bio here. 

Devlin went 11GP 30-649 18.0 AVD 7 TD's 59 LONG in 2025. He has the potential to add more firepower to UMass' passing attack.

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 UMass also signed RJ Johnson III, a 6-2 210 pound QB from Florida A&M/Toledo.

Rockets bio here. 

Johnson was All-State in Georgia in HS. He's a capable QB who could insure the UMass offense does not come to a complete halt if Pop Watson gets nicked up.

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UMass Football News--January 17th, 2026

 The transfer portal closed yesterday. That's for players entering the portal.

For players already in the the portal:

•  Once a player is already in the portal:They remain available for recruitment indefinitely.

• Coaches can continue contacting them, hosting visits, and finalizing deals.

• They can commit or officially sign with a new school at any time afterward—no signing deadline is imposed by the portal closure.

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UMass currently has  21 true freshmen recruits for 2026. 

WE have have 18 (counting two players who entered the portal and re-signed with UMass) incoming transfers. 

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The Minuteman Command has an interview with incoming DL transfer Zakar Morris. 

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UMass Football News--January 16th, 2026

 No updates in incoming transfers so far today.

IMHO, still need a RB, FB and an additional OL.

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The Minuteman Command has an interview with Springfield's Central HS head coach Bill Watson-----and father of Pop Watson. 

Coach Watson relates UMass is making a pitch for Joseph Griffin late of Boston College/Wisconsin.

Griffin's Badgers bio here.  

Griffin is a Springfield native and a former teammate of Pop Watson. UMass totally lacked a deep-threat WR last year. The season's longest completion was by TE Max Dowling. Griffin would be a great addition to the 2026 Minutemen.

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One thing did go well in 2025..

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AJ Hairston signs with Merrimack.

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UMass Transfer Portal News--Tim Passmore, Jr and Kendall Bournes re-sign with UMass

 Still looking for a RB and a 240 pound FB..

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 Defensive lineman Tim Passmore, Jr has been re-signed by UMass after entering the transfer portal.

Passmore's UMass bio here. 

In 2025, Passmore went 12 GP 2 UT 13 AT 15 TT. 

D-linemen are the scarcest recruits. Passmore should help in the rebuilding of the Minuteman defensive front. 

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 Also re-signing with the Minutemen is Safety Kendall Bournes. 

Bournes UMass bio here. 

In 2025, Bournes went 12 GP 28 UT 34 AT 62 TT 2 TFL and 1 FF. Keeping him is a strong positive for the Minuteman defense.

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UMass Football Transfer portal News--Five players commit to UMass

 You know UMass football had a good day when number of commits names won't fit in Blogger's title block..

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 Khari Bendolph, a 6-1 205 pound LB transfer from Jacksonville State had committed to UMass.

Jacksonville State bio here. 

173 TT in his HS junior and senior year.  Bendolph should be a solid addition the the middle of the UMass defense. 

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Greg Knox, a 6-6  305 pound OL transfer from McNeese State has joined the Minutemen.

McNeese bio here.

Rated as a three-star transfer by On3.com.

The Minuteman Command has an interview with Knox. 

Knox should be in contention to start immediately. Run blocking and pass protection was a major problem last year. Knox could change that around.

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 Isaiah Reed, a 6-0 180 pound DB from UCF/Brown has committed to UMass.

UCF bio here.

At Brown, Reed was a team captain and nominated for a number of FCS awards. He should supply senior leadership and contend for a starting position.

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Jahmad Harmon, a 5-10 180 pound DB from Ball State/Kent State has transferred to UMass

Cardinals bio here. 

Harmon should supply depth and talent to a UMass secondary that was next-to-last in team pass defense efficiency in 2025. 

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Zachary Betts, a 6-2 245 pound LB transfer from St. Francis has committed to UMass.

St. Francis bio here. 

Another bio here. 

Betts has the size to play up close to the line of scrimmage. He should be an excellent addition to the Minuteman defense.

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UMass Transfer Portal News--Randal King and Andrew & William Depaepe commit to UMass

 

Randall King a 6-2 205 pound WR transfer from Campbell has joined the Minutemen.

Camels' bio here. 

King was 2024 Phil Steele Freshman All-American. In 2025 he went 59-689 and 5 TD's. Last year an injury to one WR (TY Harding) put the UMass passing game into a dead stop. King should be an excellent target for Pop Watson to throw to.

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Social media is reporting Andrew and William Depaepe defensive linemen from Indiana are transferring to UMass .

Andrew Depaepe was a four-star recruit out of HS. 

William Depaepe

William Depaepe was a high three-star recruit by 247Sports. 

Sports Illustrated has a story on  the Depaepe brothers leaving Indiana.

Andrew Depaepe could the the highest rated recruit ever to play for the Minutemen. Both should be a huge addition to the UMass defensive front.

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