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Palmer was freshman All-Conference after leading the Wildcats rushing with 9 GP 159-344 4.4 AVE 5 TD's 42 LONG.
Palmer has an offer from UTEP and two FCS teams. He could play FBS football and be part of the Minuteman renaissance in Amherst.
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Last year at McNeese he went 52 TT 6.5 TFL (led team) 1 INT 3 BKUP 7 SACKS (led team).
White could return to New England and play a FBS schedule highlighted by two Power Four teams and make an impact for the Minutemen in their first year in the MAC.
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Dunbar was twice All-Conference at Rice. UMass had offered out of HS back in 2019. He could come home and play in the rising Minutemen program with Coach Harasymiak.
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Was a top-30 player in Iowa coming out of HS.
Currently has another offer from FCS South Dakota State. Nahas can play all five OL positions and be part of the new Minuteman offense in Amherst.
Episode #1 of the Flagship podcast is up. Mike Corey and Rene Ingoglia talk about the state of UMass football and the prospects for 2025. It's worth listening to.
They're pretty optimistic. They think six wins in 2025 is doable. I think that's a stretch. Four or five wins would be a good start to our MAC career. We never won more than three times in the MAC (Mark Whipple 2014: Kent State, Eastern Michigan and Ball State).
I do agree with a number of their points. The performance center, the press box and the bubble are as good as anything in the MAC.
The big positive in my opinion is the MAC conference schedule and media money attached. The MAC signed a ten year media package that runs out in 2027. MACtion has been a ratings success and I think the next media package will be much improved. Besides the media money the conference gets some revenue from bowl appearances and UMass will share in the that (1/2 share in the first year).
Right now in college football it's all about the money.
The other big improvement will be a regular conference schedule. No more playing three Power Four teams in the same year. The 2026 and 2027 schedules are significantly easier than this year.
If we were to get six wins this year and a bowl bid, it would be real sea change for the program and UMass sports.
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The Minuteman Command also has an interview with TE coach Matt Layman.
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Duquesne bio here. First team All-NEC, 986 yards rushing. 6.6 yards/carry.
Clements has,offers from Georgia State, Marshall, Ohio, Kent State, UTEP and Delaware. He could see a lot of playing time in the new UMass offense with the Minutemen.
Will visit UMass this weekend.
This article from Sports Illustrated features Katzer.
Averaged 8.8 yards/carry at Ferris State.
Besides UMass Katzer has an offer from Sacramento State. He could get an excellent East Coast education and see early playing time in Amherst.
The Minuteman Command has a look at the UMass position groups after the Spring game.
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The UMass Football "X" feed has video of Dallas Elliot's great catch in the end zone.
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Former UMass RB CJ Hester commits to Michigan.
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The UMass athletic site has a recap of the Spring Game.
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The Hampshire Gazette reports UMass caped a successful Spring camp.
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The Daily Collegian says the Minutemen showed new wrinkles in the Spring Game.
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The number of UMass fans at the game looked to be about twice the number who attended last year. Hope springs eternal for Minutemen fans.
I thought there were some positive facts compared to previous years. For one thing, UMass definitely has two QB's who could start. This is a big change from most of the Bell and Brown eras. Both AJ Hairston and Grant Jordan looked like gamers. Hairston has a big arm and is moble. Jordan looked poised and was an accurate passer.
As the Collegian mentioned, it appears UMass will try to have a bigger passing game in 2025. I liked the WR corps. Jacquan Gibson, Tyree Kelley and T.Y. Harding all looked good.
Dallas Elliot had a highlight reel catch in the back of the endzone that was outstanding.
On defense, it was more difficult to point out outstanding plays. All passes were defended all day. The DB's knew the offense, of course, but I did see any busted coverages.
It was harder to watch the line play but Coach Harasymiak praised Josh Nobles and Aquan Robinson.
All in all, it looked positive and maybe we'll be respectable in 2025.
Click on an image an Blogger displays a larger view.
The Hampshire Gazette has UMass wraps up Spring practice and changes focus to today's Spring game.
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Unlike last year's game, the Minutemen came out of spring practice relatively healthy. Last year Cookie Desidero was the only available RB and Taishun Phommachanh DNP.
Coach Harasymaik said today the Minutemen will play offense against defense, but "not to the ground". So we should see a good sample of what UMass is capable of.
Some of the transfer players including the two All-Ivy offensive linemen will not arrive until fall camp.
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Minuteman DL coach Nyeem Wartman talks with reporters after yesterday's practice.
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There are still many objections to NCAA settlement of the NIL lawsuit.
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Some teams will spend $10-$15 million in this spring's transfer portal.
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247Sports has a post on former UMass RB CJ Hester potentially joining Michigan. Life in the NIL era---more money to be third string.
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More life with the NIL. Tennessee players reportedly threatened to sit out the 2024 playoffs if their NIL money was not increased.
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UMass coach Joe Harasymiak speaks with reporters after the final practice before the Spring game.
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UMass TE coach Matt Layman talks to reporters about the status of the the tight end room at the end of Spring practice.
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This article mentions Nash.
Nash has a Power Four offer from Kentucky. MAC schools Kent State, Ohio and Toledo have offered. He could see early playing time with the renewed Minuteman defense.
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This article features Robinson.
Besides UMass, Robinson has MAC offers from Toledo, Northern Illinois and Western Michigan. He would have a chance to play early in the new Minuteman defense in Amherst.
UMass safety Christian LeBrun enters the transfer portal.
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Kent State fires head coach Kenni Burns.
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MAC champion Ohio loses a couple of key defenders to the transfer portal.
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Eastern Michigan hires Raiders star Maxx Crosby as assistant general manager of their football program.
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Scott has MAC offers from Kent State, Toledo, Western Michigan. Dartmouth has offered from the Ivies. He could play FBS-level football and get an excellent East Coast education in Amherst.
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Besides UMass Rice has an offer from Toledo. He could see some early playing time in Amherst with Coach Harasymiak.
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He's the subject of this article.
Madden has Power Four offers from Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia. Marshall, Toledo and Central Michigan have offered from the MAC. Madden could see early playing time in Amherst with the UMass Minutemen.
Hustle Belt has a comprehensive report on UMass' Pro Day.
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We were last in College Football News 2025 early football predictions. We're next to last in their combined 2024 football and basketball ranking.
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The UMass Daily Collegian looks at the 2025 incoming defensive transfers.
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The Minutemen Command has a video interview with UMass WR coach Jordan Hogan.
They also have a session with LB coach Garret Gillick . Gillick mentions LB's Tyler Martin and Timmy Hinspeter as leaders so far in Spring ball.
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The UMass Daily Collegian reports on the offensive transfers for Spring.
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UConn adds a home-and-home with MAC team Miami (Ohio).
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Sacramento State joins FBS as an Independent in 2026.
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College Football News has UMass dead last (again) in it's 2025 preseason rankings.
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This Article from 247Sports features Bala's recruiting.
Bala has Power Four offers from Rutgers, Syracuse and BC. Buffalo, Temple and Bowling Green have offered from the Grouo-of-Five. Bala could see early playing time with the new UMass offense in Amherst.
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Johnson has an offer from Wake Forest. In Group-of-Five ECU, Delaware, ODU, Buffalo and Coastal Carolina have offered. He he could be part of the new Minuteman offense and see early playing time in Amherst.
Yesterday's video interview with UMass DB coach Donald Celiscar mentioned two players new to the defensive backfield.
Malcolm Green is a transfer from UVA and previously played for Clemson. He played in 28 career games and has 40 UT and 56 TT's.
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| TJ Magee |
UMass lost starters Lake Ellis, Isaiah Rutherford, Te'Rae Powell and Tyler Rudolph to graduation, so the Minutemen could be starting a whole new defensive backfield.
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UMass QB Ryan Jankowski enters the transfer portal after spending one year with the Minutemen.
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The Minutemen Command has thoughts of HC Joe Harasymiak as the transfer portal opens.
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Zeke Altman has quotes from UMass DB coach Donal Celiscar.
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Major donors to Cal Football say they won't donate to the program unless the school appoints a general manager over the football program that bypasses the Athletic Director.
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Looby would be a good fit in the new UMass defense under Coach Harasymiak.
The Minutemen Command has a couple of video interviews:
Thoughts from HC Joe Harasymiak.
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Green's UMass bio. With 44 GP and 7 starts in his career, he has a good chance to start for the Minutemen in 2025.
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Toledo schedules a home-and-home with Syracuse.
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Roche has offers from all three service academies as well as FIU and James Madison. He could get a high level education without the service commitment with Coach Harasymiak and UMass.
