UMass Football Recruiting 2018--Uchenna Ezewise verbals to UMass

Ezewike making the sack/Mike Laughlin image

Uchenna Ezewike, a 6-3 220 pound DE/LB from Fort Lauderdale, FL has Verbaled to UMass.

247Sports three-star player.

YouTube has video.

Broward County Top-50 player.

This article from October 2017 features Ezewike's recruiting.

Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" has a post on his verbal to UMass.

Ezewike chose UMass over six other FBS offers including Pitt and Kentucky.

UMass Football News--March 28th, 2018

Matty Vautour reports the young UMass defensive line is coming together this Spring.

Matty reports the starting DL looks like:

Joe Previte RSSR 6-2 265. Started all 12 games in 2017. Totaled 10 UT 15 AT 25 TT 3 TFL 1 FR

Leon Flanagan, Jr  JR 6-2 220. 9 GP 0 GS 9 UT 7 AT 16 TT 3 TFL 1 BKUP 1 INT

Jake Byczo SO 6-3 250 12 GP 0 GS 6 UT 17 AT 23 TT 2.0 TFL

Chris DiTommaso SO 6-4 275 Redshirt in 2017

For reserves:

Mario Patton RSJR 6-1 315 11 GP 0 GS 2 UT 6 AT 8 TT 2 BKUP

Also on the Spring roster are:

Zack Loane SO 5-11 240 Redshirted in 2017

Basit Dennis RSSR 6-1 270 1 GP 0 GS in 2017

Davone Hall, SR RSSR  6-3 325 DNP in 2017

Alex Piechocki SO 6-5 255 Redshirted in 2017

Caleb Washington, 6-1 250 Redshirted in 2017

Charlie Timite RSSO 6-3 275 12 GP 0 GS 5 UT 5 AT 10 TT 1 TFL.

In the 2018 recruiting class are:

Uchenna Ezewike 6-2 220

Shannon Junior 6-3 210

Arnold Mbembe 6-6 240

Timothy Moulton 6-3 240

For 2018, the Minutemen defensive line looks light by FBS standards. Leon Flanagan will probably be the rush DE. Let's hope they're all fast and highly motivated...

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Old Dominion gets their best WR back from a season-ending injury during the UMass game last year.

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UMass Football News--May 13th, 2021 Spring Game VI

 

Click on an image and Blogger displays a larger view.

As I said last time, I did not get very good images of the UMass defense.

The first team DL seemed to be Billy Wooden and Cletus Mathurin ---and #62 (Taishan Holmes ?). Viczaril Alobwede and Avien Peah as the DE's/rush LB's.

The "2's" seemed to be Devin Baldwin, Josh Atwood, Timothy Moulton and one other player I did not get a number on. Other defensive linemen that could see time would be Aaron Beckwith, Uchenna Ezewike, Xavier Gonsalves and Hugo Klages.

The defensive line sets the performance of the entire defense. There is no better pass coverage than a defensive pass rush. Holding the line of scrimmage enables the LB's to get to the ball carrier. 

In 2019 the Minutemen defensive line was probably the most over-matched unit on the team. In 2020, in limited duty, it looked as if some significant progress had been made. Hopefully, in 2021 the D-line will continue to improve.

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UMass Football News--November 21st, 2020

UMass Athletic Dept/Ralph Notaro image

 Well the defense came to play with maybe the best performance since BYU on November 17th, 2017. The defense had six sacks and 14 TFL. FAU QB Javion Posey got loose for 49 yards and a TD on one play. Subtracting that run leaves FAU with 43 rushes for 70 yards, a 1.6 yards/carry.

The entire defensive line shone, time after time stopping FAU at the line of scrimmage. Senior Jake Byczko and Avien Peah had career nights. RS Sophomore Uchenna Ezewike also had a impressive game. The UMass secondary also played well with Tanner Davis totaling six tackles, 1.5 TFL, one blocked punt for a safety and 1 QB hurry.

In addition, UMass special teams had their best game of the season. George Georgopoulos finally got some forward roll on his punts and dropped two inside the 20 yard line. Samuel Emilus had a 33 yard return.

However the UMass offense was smothered again. FAU defensive pressure flustered Minutemen QB Will Koch. He was usually not able to find receivers or use his legs effectively. The UMass rushing game did look better as Ellis Merriweather ran for 48 yards in eleven carries for a 4.4 yards/carry, his best totals of the season.

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UMass write-up here.

FAU write-up here.

The UMass Daily Collegian says the defense shone and the offense disappointed.

The Hampshire Gazette reports the offense let UMass down.

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