1980 UMass Football Historical Scans

The following eight images are scans from several 1980 game programs.

I've included the 1980 team photo, 1980 coaches, 1980 roster and several other scans from various programs.
Also included are three scans from the 10/04/80 UMass-Rhode Island game program at Meade Stadium. It has the offensive and defensive starters for both clubs.

In 2005, when I went to Meade Stadium, I talked with several members of the Rhody Band and fans. No one remembered "That Ram Band", which was a long time Rhode Island thing. That Ram band wore blue and white colonial costumes and did a leg swing. Vanished into the maw of history now, I guess.

In 1980 the UMass Captains were Bob Manning, Fred Read and Frank DiTommaso. UMass went 7-3 that year and were 4-1 in the Yankee Conference (2nd).

Bob Manning was First Team All-American that year!

Of the two games shown, UMass lost to Delaware 17-21 and beat the Rams 26-8.

Click on the image and Blogger displays a larger view.

I'll add the images to the "UMass historical scans" section in the sidebar after I finish digging out from the latest snow storm...

The mother of all sideline warnings

I attended all the UMass games this year except for three: Boston College, Hofstra and SIU. It's hard to remember a game I attended without the refs throwing a sideline warning flag. Maybe two or three.

Guess that rule does not apply to BCS/I-A teams. Watch this video "The mother of all sideline infractions" Even if the guy doesn't touch the ball, look at how many of the Texas staff are on the field...

Thorr Bjorn continues to make an impact at Rhode Island

Former UMass assistant AD (and former UMass football player) Thorr Bjorn continues to make an impact in the Rhode Island AD job. See this article about Ram football that is as much about Thorr as it is about new Rhody Head Coach Darren Rizzi. Looks like he is going to inject some life into Rhode Island football.

Also Q&A with the new Rhode Island football coach here .

A professional Athletic Director is a big component of a winning and successful athletic dept. In the past, many New England land grant universities (including UMass) have used the position as a dumping ground for political appointees...

Recruiting 2008---DB/WR Darren Thellen

Looks like UMass will be getting its first verbal shortly. The Boston Herald reports that Darren Thellen a 6-2 195 DB/WR from Brockton, MA is interested in signing with UMass.

Thellen's MaxPreps page is here .

Image is by Marc Vasconcellos from a site called Wicked Local Photos.

Darren, you made the right choice!

Recruiting 2008 RB Keith Robinson

UMass is recruiting Keith Robinson a 5-9 175 pd RB from Winslow township HS NJ.

His Scout.com profile is here.

He also has a interview about his recruiting and talks about his visiting the UMass team during the William & Mary game .

Keith, UMass is a great place to play football!

KAEO Kicker Michael Torres

Former UMass Kicker Michael Torres is doing well for Central Florida. Story here .

Someone you should know---- Guy Racine

Local bus driver adopts UMass Sports teams. Story here .

2008 Recruiting --- OG/DT Reshannon Stanley

UMass is recruiting 6-2 285 pd OG/DT Reshannon Stanley from Weaver HS in Hartford, CT. He is the Hartford Courant State Defensive Player-of-the-Year.

As a defensive tackle, he had 78 tackles and 8 sacks in 2007.

His MaxPreps page is here .

Also being recruited by Hofstra and Central Connecticut .

Raheem, UMass has the best defense in the Northeast!

Merry Christmas to All!

The UMass Football Blog would like, on its third Christmas to extend to all the UMass Football community, on-line and off, a very merry Christmas.

"Running to the window, he opened it, and put out his head. No fog, no mist; clear, bright, jovial, stirring, cold; cold, piping for the blood to dance to; Golden sunlight; Heavenly sky; sweet fresh air; merry bells. Oh, glorious! Glorious!

'What's to-day?' cried Scrooge, calling downward to a boy in Sunday clothes, who perhaps had loitered in to look about him.

'Eh?' returned the boy, with all his might of wonder.

'What's to-day, my fine fellow?' said Scrooge.

'To-day?' replied the boy. 'Why, Christmas Day.' "

Dickens, "A Christmas Carol"

Recruiting 2008---Josh Kniceley OG

UMass is recruiting Josh Kniceley a 6-3 280 pd OG from Bridgeport, WV. His Scout.com page is here . Kniceley was All-Area, All-Conference and All-State.

Also interested are Army, Marshall and West Virginia.

Josh, UMass is a great place to play college football!

Monday Morning Odds & Ends

I don't think I published the link to Bruce Dowd's last "CAA Today" column of the year. It's here .

We ended up sixth in the final SME poll.

The FCS Academic All-America list is here .

Maine signs a JUCO DL from Dean Junior College (UMass has two players from Dean)

UMass Coach Tree---Jerry Azzinaro Marshall

Former UMass assistant coach Jerry Azzinaro has been hired by Marshall as Defensive Line Coach. He spent last year with New Hampshire.

Azzinaro was formerly Defensive Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator at UMass. He was an assistant coach 1992-94 and 1997.

UMass Coaching Tree---Neal Brown Troy State

I've blogged several times about former UMass WR Neal Brown becoming a coach. Brown is currently an assistant coach at Troy.

This article talks about him being ready to become Offensive Coordinator at Troy. He seems to be a fast rising star in coaching.

2008 Football Schedule Ver 1.1

Last Tuesday I blogged about the three confirmed dates for the 2008 schedule .

Now another date has been established:

• 09/13/08 @ JMU
• 09/20/08 @ Texas Tech
• 10/04/08 DELAWARE
• 10/11/08 @ Northeastern (Their entire 2008 schedule is here )
  

Saturday Morning Odds & Ends

OK, that's quite enough snow, thank you. The UMass Football Blog has been marooned in Maine for the last two days. Then I had to shovel out after I got back.

Meanwhile, Jason Hatchell was named one of the "FCS Nifty Fifty". This is a nice honor for Hatchell who has put a lot of effort into UMass football. Of course, this blog thinks about five other UMass seniors could have been included.

UMass finished seventh in the final Sports Network poll.

Down in Rhode Island, new Rhody Head Coach Darren Rizzi says the Rams will win.

Joining Rizzi as Defensive Coordinator in Rhode Island is the former head coach of Millersville .

And Maine Head Coach Dave Cosgrove who, you will remember, used the Rhody job as leverage, has agreed to a contract extension in Maine.

UPDATE: I meant to publish a link to this story back before the National Championship game. It's about the CAA sticking together (and has some UMass quotes).

UMass Football Blog Publishing Schedule

The UMass Football Blog will not be published tomorrow, Dec. 20th. It may not be published the the 21st either. I will be away with no internet connection.

The Blog will be back up and running, God willing, by the 22nd at the latest.

Final Polls

Keeper's College rankings had us ending up 5th in FCS.

The AGS, Coaches Poll and Sporting News Polls are here .

The UMass athletic dept article about the Coaches Poll is here .

UPDATE: Article about the Rhode Island coaching change here .

2008 UMass football schedule

There are three confirmed dates for the the 2008 schedule.

• 9/13/2008 @ JMU
• 9/20/2008@ Texas Tech 6:00 pm. Texas Tech's 2008 schedule is here (pdf). This year they beat FCS team Northwestern State 75-7. The Red Raiders play Virginia in the Gator Bowl on 01/01/08, if you want to check them out early.
• 10/04/2008 Delaware at McGuirk. Delaware's 2008 schedule here .

That's two FCS playoff teams and a BCS bowl team and we still have nine games to go...

Rhode Island will announce its new Coach today

Rhode Island will announce its new head football coach today.

It's down to Rutgers assistant Darren Rizzi and former UMass assistant coach and current Stonehill head coach Robert Talley.

UPDATE: Maine coach Dave Cosgrove's applying for the job may have been a negotiation tactic.

UPDATE II: Another Rhody article here . The Providence Journal thinks it's Rizzi.

UPDATE III: It is Rizzi. Story here.

Chicago-area players go unrecruited

This article states that there are a number of Chicago-area players that are not getting a lot of looks from DI colleges.