After the UMass signing event I asked Coach Bell about the type of offense he ran. Bell said it would be a run-first spread offense with one back and no huddle.
Run first will be interesting for the Minutemen as running the ball is not something we have done well since we moved to FBS.
UMass rushing rank:
2012 #118 91.5 yards a game
2013 #105 125.17 yards a game
2014 #105 109.25 yards a game (Whipple's first year)
2015 #103 142.26 yards a game
2016 #124 99.50 yards a game
2017 #100 135.33 yards a game (highest ranking)
2018 #102 139.50 yards a game
Coach Whipple did not have trouble developing a run offense in his prior stint with UMass. Marcel Shipp and Steve Baylark were a big part of the offense. That never happened during Whipple's FBS tenure. We have never finished out of the bottom ten in rushing offense since the move to FBS.
UMass is not exactly loaded at RB going into Spring Ball. Arkansas State, a group-of-five school where Bell two years as offensive coordinator was ranked #48 in rushing offense in 2018 with 189.77 yards a game.
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Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" has a post on what we learned from UMass' signing day.
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MassLive has Andy Isabella has been invited to the NFL Combine.
Blogging the Boys looks at three slot receivers that could figure into Dallas' plans.
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The Cape Cod News has a story featuring UMass recruit Xavier Gonsalves.
The News also has another post about Gonsalves.
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Southern Illinois announces their 2019 schedule, which includes UMass. The Salukies have been a strong FCS team in the past, but fell to 2-9 last season.
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The Tampa Bay Times thinks UConn has the AAC's easiest non-conference schedule.
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Speaking of UConn, the Huskies announced their 2019 schedule and Edsall was not happy with their bye weeks.
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MLive has a report on Kalamazoo athletes signing LOI's. Included UMass OL signee Max Longman.
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