The American Football Coaches preseason coaches poll is up. UMass plays #1 Georgia and #11 Missouri from the top-25. Liberty and Miami (Ohio) are in "others receiving votes" category.
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The Greenfield Recorder has a story about the Minutemen defense being tested against three SEC opponents.
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WHY I'M OPTIMISTIC. PART III
Do you remember 2022 when Gino Campiotti, our QB, would roll out looking to pass and then pull it down and run for two or three yards? My long term friend who has been sitting with me all these years kept muttering "No one was open, no one was open".
I think this year's wide receiver group has the potential to be the deepest we've seen in a long time.
It all starts with slot receiver Anthony Simpson. He was Phil Steel's First Team All-independent in 2023. He went 57-792, 3 TD's in 2023. I think this year Simpson will have some help.
Sterling Galban 5-10 170 (graduate transfer from Jacksonville State/Texas Tech. He had 39-559 and 4 TD's for the Gamecocks.)
Frank Ladson Jr 6-3 200 (graduate transfer from Miami. He went 17 GP 9 GS 27-298 and 1 TD with the Hurricanes. Also appeared in over 30 games for Clemson)
Jakobie Keeney-James 6-1 195 (graduate transfer from Eastern Washington. He had 61-825 and 4 TD's in his career for the Eagles).
In addition UMass added:
Dominick Mazzotti 6-4 250 (graduate transfer TE from San Jose State. He went 34 GP 20 GS 57-747 and 5 TD's for the Spartans).
Taken as a group, this is a big upgrade from 2022. Minutemen QB Taisun Phommachanh should have a lot of open WR's to work with.
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