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Landi has a Power Four offer from Virginia. Southern Mississippi, Georgia State and Liberty have offered from the Group-of-Five. He also has an offer from FCS Rhode Island. Landi could see lots of playing time in the new Minuteman defense and get an excellent East coast education in Amherst.
The Greenfield Recorder has UMass Football notebook.
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UMass special teams coach Joe Castellito speaks about the importance of special teams.
Special teams have been the stone-in-the-shoe for UMass fans during our tour in FBS. Kicking in particular has lost a number of close games. A number of studies have found special team plays figure in the decision of about one third of all games. Improvement in special team play (in all phases) would really help UMass move to respectability.
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UMass OC Mike Bajakian thinks a culture shift is happening in the UMass program.
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A video interview of Minutemen WR Ty Harding.
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Congrats and good luck to the UMass hockey team who meet MAC foe Western Michigan in tonight's NCAA tournament.
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Telfar has seventeen offers. Akron, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Kent State and Miami (Ohio) have offered from the MAC. He has multiple offers from Power Four teams including Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan State, Penn State , Pitt and more. He could see early playing time with rebuilding Minutemen.
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Henry has fifteen offers. Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Miami (Ohio) Toledo and Western Michigan have offers from the MAC. He has a half a dozen offers from Power Four Teams including Michigan, Michigan State, Kentucky, Tennessee and more. He would have a chance to play early for Coach Harasymiak in Amherst.
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The Minutemen Command has a video of UMass OC Mike Bajakian being interviewed by reporters.
There is also a video of UMass WR Ty Harding being interviewed. Harding's UMass bio.
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The impact of NIL and other cost structures is increasing.
St. Francis, who was just in the NCAA basketball tournament announced they are dropping to Division III.
If you missed it, Richmond football, (who won the 2006 FCS National Championship) is moving from the CAA to the Patriot League.
AIC hockey (who has been the little engine that could lately) is dropping to Division II.
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I was watching CNBC recently and they were interviewing a "Sports Investor" who was saying schools will be selling their football programs. Investor Marc Lasry said the schools "Will have to sell an interest in the teams" . Have to. The cost structure of NIL and the fact donations to the athletic departments are no longer tax deductible make it inevitable.
See this article from Debevoise & Plimpton.
From the article:
"CVC Capital has been rumored to be in discussions with the Big 12 athletic conference (which lost Texas and Oklahoma recently to the SEC), whereby CVC Capital would invest a range of $800 million to $1 billion in exchange for a 15−20% equity stake in the conference. In parallel, the Big 12 pursued a naming rights agreement to rename the conference in exchange for additional revenue that would be shared among its members. These cash infusions were said to be on the table in order to stabilize the conference’s finances before its next media rights deal in 2031.
Sixth Street Partners was also rumored to have been in discussions with Florida State University (“FSU”) in relation to staking a new company that would acquire FSU’s intellectual property rights. The negotiations came at a time when FSU has filed a lawsuit against its conference, the ACC, to avoid the steep exit fee that it would owe the ACC for leaving the conference."
Lasry said a possible valuation of "12 times earnings" could be the purchase price.
From the AI "Grok": For fiscal year 2024, Ohio State’s athletic department reported total operating revenue of $254,933,664, with the football program generating $111,646,810 of that amount."
Twelve times football earnings would give Ohio State about $1.2 billion for their athletic dept fund.
Even more interesting would be if instead of "private equity" buying college football, if Tech companies, who are awash in capital, got involved.
Nike already "owns" Oregon. If NVIDA buys Texas and Microsoft buys Alabama and Apple buys Ohio State, we could see those teams in the FBS final four every year...
Life is going to be tough for the non-super teams.
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McGrath has MAC offers from Miami (Ohio) and Toledo. He would be a good fit in the new Minuteman offense and also get an excellent East coast education in Amherst.
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This article covers his offer from Michigan State.
Willis has MAC offers from: Toledo, Western Michigan, Miami (Ohio) Bowling Green and Central Michigan. He has Power Four offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Vanderbilt and more.
The Minutemen Command looks at the beginnings of the 2025 UMass defense.
The MC also has a post on transfer running back Rocco Griffin.
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I was flipping through the UMass Record Book a couple of days ago. In today's college football situation it's kinda amazin' to realize the UMass career records will never be broken. Because no one will ever again play four years for a Group-of-Five team if they are having some good numbers.
Consider the two UMass out-transfers this year. Jalen John went 111-605 5.3 AVE 58.7 yards/game and CJ Hester went 118-539 4.4 AVE 48.1 yards/game. Those are decent statistics, but they are not Marcel Shipp's put-the-game-on-his-back-and-win-it performances. John and Hester will end up fill-in players in the Big Twelve somewhere.
The same situation applies this year. If Rocco Griffin runs for 800 yards in 2025, he'll be playing somewhere else in 2026.
This is adding to the already huge advantage Power Five schools have. The Oregon Ducks have "an unlimited" NIL from Nike. That means the Ducks can pay significant NIL money for even minor improvements in their roster. It's going to be near impossible for Group-of-Five schools to have a stable team in this environment. Toledo lost two MAC players-of-the-year in 2024 and ended up 6-5 in the regular season. It the Rockets had had the MAC player-of-the-year and the offensive player-of-the-year Toledo may have won the MAC and maybe played in a major bowl.
Can college have two year NIL's? With some sort of penalty to the team if the player leaves before the agreed period is up? The one-and-done NIL is really changing the sport of college football and the fan experience for the teams that lose players ever year.
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UMass gets a $1 million donation the the script U society. John F. Kennedy has been a long time supporter of UMass athletics.
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Tybor has FBS offers from Army and Liberty. A number of New England FCS schools have also offered. He could play a national FBS schedule and get an excellent education with the Minutemen.
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MaxPreps has stats. 125 all-purpose yards/game
Besides UMass, Harris has FBS offers from Marshall and USF. He could be part of the news Minuteman offense and get an excellent education with Coach Harasymiak.
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Hudl.com has video. 46 TT 13 BKUP 6 INT..
This article from September 2024 features Pruitt.
Pruitt has a Power Four offer from Kentucky. Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan and Miami (Ohio) have offered from the MAC. He has room to grow on a big frame. Pruitt could get an excellent East coast education and be part the new Minuteman defense in Amherst.
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Hudl.com has video. 18-400 4 TD's 20 yards/catch..
Sadler has seven total offers. Akron, Kent State, Liberty and Troy have offered from FBS. He could be part of the new Minutemen offense in Amherst.
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Hudl.com has video. 48.4 TT 5 TFL 7 BKUP 3 INT's..
Blasak has MAC offers from Buffalo, Kent State, Miami (Ohio) and Toledo. He has a big frame and would be a good fit in the new-look UMass defense.
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UMass defensive coordinator Jared Keyte responds to the first week of Spring ball.
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UMass adds Sacred Heart to the Minutemen's 2026 schedule. The article says UMass is in a discussion to cancel the scheduled home-and-home with Hawaii.
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The Minutemen Command has thoughts on the UMass offense after the first two Spring practices.
The MC also has video interviews with transfer RB Rocko Griffin and LB Tim Hinspeter.
Bios for Griffin and Hinspeter are on the winter transfer tracker.
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Patterson has MAC offers from Bowling Green, Kent State and Miami (Ohio). Patterson probably projects as a college DB and he could get a quality East coast education and join the new-look UMass defense playing for Coach Harasymaik.
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Had over 1,000 yards rushing in 2024.
Klein has eleven offers. Syracuse and BC has offered from the Power Four. Army, Delaware, JMU, Liberty, Old Dominion and Temple have offered from the Group-of-Five. Klein could play several positions in college. He would have a lot of options joining the new coaching staff in Amherst.
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The UMass Daily Collegian has impressions of the first practice.
The Hampshire Gazette has UMass opens Spring practice under Coach Harasymiak.
The Minuteman Command has Harasymiak pleased the the first day of practice.
They also has Harasymiak pleased with his QB's after the start of practice.
The second practice will be today.
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In Mac News, Bowling Green lost their six-year HC Scott Loeffler to the NFL.
It's unusual to lose a head coach at the beginning of Spring ball.
They hired former Ohio State legend Eddie George for their leader.
UMass meets Bowling Green for the last game of the season on November 25 in a weekday MACtion game.
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MaxPreps has stats. 56 TT 12 SACKS
This article covers Harrington's visit to Michigan State.
Harrington has eleven offers including San Diego State, Power Four Cincinnati, Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Bowling Green, Toledo, Kent State and Miami (Ohio). He could join the new era of UMass football and receive a high quality East coast education in Amherst.
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Made a number of critical catches in this game.
Sadler has offers from Akron, Eastern Kentucky, Kent State, Liberty and Troy. UMass offers a high quality education and a chance to be part of the new Minutemen offense.
The 2025 UMass football schedule is out.
Saturday, August 30 Temple
Saturday, September 6 Bryant
Saturday, September 13 at Iowa
Saturday, September 27 at Missouri
Saturday, October 4 Western Michigan*
Saturday, October 11 at Kent State*
Saturday, October 18 Buffalo*
Saturday, October 25 at Central Michigan*
Tuesday, November 4 at Akron*
Wednesday, November 12 Northern Illinois*
Tuesday, November 18 at Ohio*
Tuesday, November 25 Bowling Green*
UMass will have four nationally televised "MACtion" games in November. That should be a boost to the program in name recognition and recruiting---providing we're not 1-8 going into November.
The Minutemen don't play Toledo, Eastern Michigan, Miami (Ohio) and Ball State. The Toledo Rockets are usually in contention for the the league championship. Toledo lost the MAC Player-of-the-Year and MAC Offensive-player-of-the-Year to NIL, but still beat Pitt in their bowl game. We do get Akron and Kent State, two the MAC's weakest programs, but have to play both on the road.
Hustle Belt has a post on the schedule plus the non-league games of all the teams.
The Hampshire Gazette also has a post on the schedule release.
The MAC website has a press release on the 2025 schedule.
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Dominick Mazotti
Owen Anderson . Anderson appeared in all 12 games and went 2-13 1 TD.
No other TE on the roster had a catch.
In the transfer portal UMass added:
Reese Adkins. Transfer from UCF. Did not have a catch in 2024.
Max Dowling. Transferred from UT-Martin. Went 23-278 5 TD's for the FCS Sky Hawks.
On the 2024-25 roster are:
Noah Staples . A JUCO transfer. No 2024 stats
Magnus Von Saldern. No 2024 stats
John Condrakes. A true freshman
The TE tends to be a big part of modern offenses. Mazotti had 18-183 and 1 TD in 2024 and was probably underused.
Right now Dowling and Anderson would seem to be the 1-2 at TE. The Minutemen might be looking for an additional transfer.
The starting OL for UMass on August 31st 2024 was:
RT Luke Painton RG Ethan Mottinger C Josh Atwood LG Wyatt Terlaak LT Brayden Rhome
2nd string:
RT Jaxon King RG Benjamin Roy C Peyton Miller LG Mao Glynn LT Ryan Mosesso
In the transfer portal UMass added two first-team All Ivy OL's.
Mike Entwistle from Harvard and Kyle Brown from Dartmouth. As Grad transfers and All-Ivy I would think they would be plug-ins at RG and LG. The Minutemen Command reviews Kyle Brown and Mike Entwistle.
The Minutemen also added Sullivan Weidman from West Virginia. He appeared in all 13 games for the Mountaineers in 2024 in special teams and some at guard.
If all the above are healthy in 2025 UMass seems to fairly well set along the offensive line. They currently have 13 O-linemen on the roster (not counting the transfers). Three of the thirteen are true freshmen.
This seems a solid group to enter the MAC with. In our previous stint in the conference UMass had only one All-Mack offensive lineman (Anthony Dima 2013 Third Team) in four years. The O-line leads the way and hopefully this group will lead us to some victories in 2025.
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Williams has offers from Colorado State, Bowling Green, Miami (Ohio) and Kent State. He could find a home in the new-look Minutemen defense in Amherst.
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Stepanich has eleven offers including Western Michigan, Toledo, Northern Illinois and Miami (Ohio) from the MAC. Princeton and Dartmouth have offered from the Ivies. He could get a high quality East Coast education and play FBS football by joining the Minutemen in Amherst.
