Recruiting 2012--Khary Bailey-Smith

Jim Mahoney/Boston Herald image

UMass announced yesterday that Khary Bailey-Smith, a 6-2 190 pd WR from Weymouth HS signed a letter of intent to play with the Minutemen.

The Patriot Ledger has a story on his signing here.

ESPN All-State.

This article from the Patriot Ledger features him.

Bailey-Smith has high jumped 6'10".

He just misses a 7'0" state record high jump in the above video.

Thursday--February 2nd, 2012

Image from the reception at the Amherst Brewery last night.

There was a pretty good crowd at the reception. The staff had to bring in extra tables.

I spoke with Coach Molnar, his son Charlie Molnar Jr, and had an extended conversation with QB coach Nick Rolovich. The staff is not yet complete. Molnar introduced other of his coaches---quickly, so I did not get all the names, but they seemed to be the same names announced in the newspapers recently.

I asked Coach Molnar about the killer 2012 schedule he inherited and he said "I knew that when I applied for the job". He again said he wanted to make UMass a top MAC team by 2014 or so. If he meets his goal, he and his staff could probably write their tickets to a BCS program.

All three coaches I spoke with said recruiting went well, given the time constraints. They said the staff was working well together and they were happy to be in Amherst.

As for the recruits, UMass signed 21 of 22 players that took a campus visit and the 22nd is still in play.

UMass signed 16 team captains (something that Jimmie Reid used to do).

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Matty V article on UMass' 2012 signing.

UMass Athletic Dept news release on the recruits.

The Boston Herald has 24 recruits for the climb.

MassLive has UMass inks 24 recruits on signing day.

SB Nation has a short article on the UMass signing class.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Temple says they had the best signing class in the MAC.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'll have more on the recruits I haven't covered yet in the next few days.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A dark draft beer at the Amherst Brewing Co was $5.19. Mrs Blog and I have got to get to the big city more often.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recruiting 2012--Jovan Santos

Santos #9/Courant image

The Hartford Courant says Jovan Santos, a 6-2 235 TE/LB from Xavier/Middleton HS in CT has verbaled to UMass.

Courant story here.

CPTV here.

Letter-of-Intent Day 2012---Februay 1st, 2012

First, let me reiterate, there will be a football reception at the Amherst Brewery today at 6:00 pm with Coach Molnar. The Minutemen 2012 recruits will be revealed.

This event will feature: UMass Football. Beer. Life will rarely get better.

Email Jason Germain  to let him know you are coming.

In addition, there will be live streaming video of a press conference at 3:00 pm today of Coach Molnar talking about the 2012 recruits.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Matty V. says sources say UMass will sign a two-for-one deal with Colorado and one game with Wisconsin.

Future UMass schedules here.

Ralphie!!!

Camp Randell Stadium

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Matty also says Kyle Havens was traded to the Tampa Bay Storm.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jeff Thomas says it's looking like a very good recruiting class for the Minutemen.

SB Nation looks at signing day for UConn, BC and UMass.

The MAC Daily has a report the leagues Signing Day activities.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Boston.com says Ihedigbo and Cruz are symbols of a football program on the rise.

Gee, a kind word from the Globe. Hell must be having a cold snap.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tevin Shaw, a First Team All-New Jersey and a teammate of UMass recruit Tajae Sharpe is looking for a scholarship after he was stiffed by Iowa State.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recruiting 2012 -- Bernardo Nunez

ESPN's recruiting blog reports that JUCO DL Bernardo Nunez-- 6-2 250 pd from Lacawanna will sign with the Minutemen.

ESPN article here.

Scout.com page here.

First Team JUCO All-American.

Nunez was a Rivals three star recruit out of HS.

Originally signed with Pitt in 2009.

Recruiting 2012--Julian Kaminoff

Dave Garret/Phillyburbs image

Scout.com says Julian Kaminoff, 5-11 180 safety from New Hope, PA has changed his verbal from Buffalo to UMass.

Scout.com page here. Scout two star player. Position rank #167.

Philly.com says he's a big talent from a small school.

As a junior, he made Scout.com's sleeper alert.

Recruiting 2012--Bernard Davis

Real Deal image

According to the Palm Beach Sun-Sentinel, Bernard Davis, a 6-2 180 pd WR from Lake Worth FL has verbaled to UMass.

Sun-Sentinel list here.

ESPN two star player.

Davis had offers from Bowling Green, Georgia State and Western Michigan.

Recruiting 2012--Derek Beck V

Scott Bray/Bridgewater Patch image

Matty V. reports that 2011 recruit Derek Beck is at UMass and taking classes.

I've blogged about Beck a number of times in the past.

Beck is a 6-3 190 pd WR from Martinsville, NJ.

I don't believe I've linked to this article about him from  Bridgewater Patch.com

Recruiting 2012---Robert Kitching

An Rong Xu image

The New York Post says Robert Kitching, 6-3 305 pd OL/DL from Lincoln HS, NY has verbaled to UMass.

Post article here.

Rivals page here.

Kitching was first team all Brooklyn.

Kitching #75 in video Highlights.

Recruiting 2012--Jamal Roberts

Jamal Roberts, a 5-10 170 athlete from Tampa Bay area chose Kent State over UMass Monday.

Tuesday--January 31, 2012

From the UMass Website:


Jan. 30, 2012

UMass football Coach Charley Molnar and his staff will host a reception open to the public to announce the 2012 University of Massachusetts recruiting class at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at the Amherst Brewing Company. 

The coaching staff will greet fans and introduce the entire recruiting class video at 7:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. 

If you plan on attending, please RSVP by emailing Jason Germain in UMass Athletics at jag@admin.umass.edu

We look forward to celebrating with you Wednesday night. GO UMass! 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Boston Globe says the Super Bowl is an add for UMass.

News Day says Cruz and Welker were ignored in the draft.

WEEI says the Pats plan on being physical with Cruz.

James Ihedigbo and Medford's Coach Cullen go way back.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Buffalo Bills added former UMass assistant coach Andrew Dees to their staff.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recruiting 2012--Stacey Bedell

Image credit unknown

I'm not sure what is going on with Stacey Bedell, a 5-10 175 pd RB from Mastic Beach, NY.

First he committed to Villanova.

Then in December he verbaled to James Madison.

Now several sources have him committing to UMass. Rivals has him verbaling to both UMass and JMU???

ESPN has him committed to UMass.

He also apparently received some late interest from Boston College.

Recruiting 2012-- Michael Boland

Rivals.com image

Rivals.com reports that Michael Boland, a 6-7 295 pd OT from Georgetown Prep/North Bethesda MD has verbaled to UMass.

Rivals page here.

Scout.com page here. Scout two-star player. Position rank #185.

Also had an offer from Tulane.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recruiting 2012- Dan Connaughton

ESPN reports that Dan Connaughton, a 6-3 272 pd OL from Sudbury chose Penn over UMass.

Connaughton had eight scholarship offers including Temple and UMass.

Monday-January 30, 2012

The NY Post has an article on Victor Cruz and the guy who beat him out for a scholarship to Rutgers.

The Boston Globe has a nice story on Cruz that includes his time at UMass.

The Patriot Ledger says Gronkowski and Cruz get a grip.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Hogs.net does a positional review on the Senior Bowl and says Emil Igwenagu did well. I watched the game on DVD yesterday afternoon. Emil was open on several plays, but they did not throw to him. His one catch was with about 5 minutes to go in the game. He looked smooth on the catch.

A Bleacher Report writer thinks Igwenagu solidified his chances of being drafted.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mid-Major FBS schools like UMass just got a boost from the NCAA in a new regulation banning "oversigning".

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With two days to go before LOI Day, Boston College has just 13 verbals.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday--January 29th, 2012

The Boston Globe has a story with a section on Emil Igwenagu's time at the Senior Bowl.

The Worcester Telegram asks if Igwenagu could be the next Victor Cruz.

I havn't watched the game yet, but Emil had one catch for 14 yards according the official stats.

I get a fair amount of e-mail looking to hype some sort of sports website. I usually don't respond to that sort of thing, but I'm going to show  this one about a guy writing a book on the NFL draft. I'm linking to it because he has an article on Igwenagu.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Boston Herald says James Ihedigbo was born to be a Patriot.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tom Shea of MassLive.com talks to a Notre Dame beat writer who says Charlie Molnar is a "terrific hire" for UMass.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Former UMass cheerleader Jenny Dell replaces Hedi Watney at NESN.

This is slide #5 from a Bleacher Report article on Dell.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm pleased to say my presence did not jinx UMass yesterday, as the Minutemen defeated St. Louis 72-59. The crowd of 8399 was the largest since 2007.

That was the best looking UMass hoops team, Mrs Blog and I have seen in some time. They're fun to watch.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday--January 28th, 2012

Emil Igwenagu and the Senior Bowl will be at 4:00 pm on the NFL Network. Set your DVD if, (as Mrs Blog and I are doing), you are going to the UMass hoops game this afternoon.

Emil's Senior Bowl bio here.

The Senior Bowl is sold out.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Liam Coen and defensive players from the CAA talk about Victor Cruz's days in the CAA.

ESPN's Blog says Cruz is trying to emulate Wes Welker.

During the NFL lockout, Cruz got a call and looked at the ID; it said Eli Manning was on the line.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says many local recruits are choosing MAC schools.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Philly.com says Rutgers is interested in Temple's Steve Addazio.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Off topic, but today's basketball game between 15-5 UMass and 16-4 St. Louis should be a good one. Since we moved to Jaffrey, Mrs. Blog and I try to drive down to Amherst to see some of the weekend hoops games. Over the last few years, we haven't seen many  wins. Today would be a good one to break the streak.

This WEEI article mentions the game and has video of Raphael Putney's Dr. J-style dunk.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Friday--January 27th, 2012

Matty V. has a couple of stories on the UMass connections in the Super Bowl: Cruz and Ihedigbo, a match made at UMass. And opportunity knocks for James Ihedigbo.

Cruz's Giants bio page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ihedigbo has a weekly prayer call with his mother before a game.

Ihedigbo's Patriot's bio page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMass recruited the Pats Sterling Moss.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Athlon Sports has a bunch of coaches with UMass connections as possible replacements for Greg Schiano at Rutgers.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As every football fan in America now knows, Greg Schiano accepted the HC job at Tampa Bay.

Coach Molnar talked about recruiting the Northeast for UMass. The Scarlet Knights commits list has 18 recruits all but two of them from NJ and PA.

A coaching change invalidates a commitment, even a signed LOI, so I would expect UMass to be making a pitch to some of the Rutgers recruits.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Boston College loses a three star recruit to Harvard. UMass had recruited McShea as well.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At the Senior Bowl, the spotlight is on tight ends.

CBS Sports said Emil Igwenagu passed "the eyeball test".

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is it just me or is Bill Belichick channeling Obi Wan Kenobi?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recruiting 2012 update --Robinson and Cooper II

Two more articles have come out on UMass signing John Robinson and Bryon Cooper.

MassLive has an article on Robinson's signing here.

Philly.com has a story on Cooper's signing here.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday--January 26th, 2012

Former UMass star Chris Zardas reflects on his former teammate James Ihedigbo and Victor Cruz.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Matty V. reports the Cruz and Ihedigbo inspire Julian Talley and Tyler Holmes as they prepare for their shot at the NFL.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wendy Laurent a 6-5 285 pd OL from the Hun School in Princeton, NJ chose Penn State over offers from UMass, Buffalo, UConn and Navy.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Wall Street Journal says the NFL's best slot receiver could be Victor Cruz, not Wes Welker.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Military Times goes point-counterpoint to Navy's joining the Big East.

Army and/or Navy would be great OOC games for UMass. They're Northeast teams and I would think a home game at Gillette would be doable.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------