UMass Football Recruiting 2019--Billy Wooden verbals to UMass

Billy Wooden, a 6-2 290 pound DT from Baltimore, MD has Tweeted he's committed to UMass.

247Sports three-star player.

Hudl.com has video.

MaxPreps has stats.

Baltimore Sun All-Metro First Team.

Wooden chose UMass over offers from Army and Air Force.

UMass Football News--January 30th, 2019

Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" reports recent UMass verbals Logan Darby and Nasier Currie-Sudler have been rated three-stars and two stars respectively by 247Sports.

That makes eight out of 12 recruits three-stars. It appears that Coach Bell will sign a pretty successful 2019 class given his late start. The Minutemen still need DL's LB's and RB's.

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Former UMass star player and coach Liam Coen is livin' the dream coaching the Rams at the Super Bowl.

MassLive.com says Coen is relishing the chance to coach at the Super Bowl.

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The News-Herald says comparing Andy Isabella to Julian Edelman is unfair.

Chat Sports has a podcast discussing players the Raiders could be interested in including Andy Isabella.

The Mercury News thinks Gruden will draft at least two players from his Senior Bowl team.

Press Box Online says the Ravens could be interested in Isabella.

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UMass Football Recruiting 2019--Nasier Currie-Sudler commits to UMass

Nasier Currie-Sudler, a 5-10 181 pound Safety has verbaled to UMass.

247Sports page here.

Hudl.com has video.

Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" has a post and an interview with Currie-Sudler.

Recruit Georgia has a write-up and some stats. Good strength numbers at 181.

MaxPreps has football stats.

Currie-Sidler had seven offers. Chose UMass over offers from Buffalo, Troy, South Alabama, Kent State and Arkansas State.

Safety is a position of need for the Minutemen. Currie-Sudler should play early.

UMass Football Recruiting 2019--Max Longman comitts to UMass

Hudl.com image

Max Longman, a 6-4 295 pound OL from Portage, MI has Tweeted he's verbaled to UMass.

247Sports page here.

Hudl.com has video.

Honorable Mention All-State.

UMass was Longman's first FBS offer.

UMass Football News--January 28th, 2019

This article has coverage of former UMass player Brandon Collier's European player recruiting service.

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Butch Dill/AP image

247Sports Oakland Raiders has a post on players from the Senior Bowl that could join that club.

Sporting News has a post on Jon Gruden slapping Raiders stickers on Senior Bowl player who made plays (Isabella got two).

The SF Chronicle has Andy Isabella keeps place with john Gruden.

Fan Sided has five players who improved their NFL draft status at the Senior Bowl.

Bleacher Report has five players who boosted their draft stock at the Senior bowl.

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Neal Brown spoke to a packed house at a Mountaineer Banquet. Mentions his time at UMass.

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A 10 year old wins his school's Science Fair with a study attempting to prove Tom Brady is a cheater.

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UMass Football News--January 27th, 2019

Butch Dill/AP image

Andy Isabella was named most Outstanding Player for the North Squad in the Senior Bowl.

UMass write-up.

The Berkshire Eagle says Isabella shined.

The News-Herald reports Isabella was the North's most valuable player.

Flo Football says Isabella led all receivers in the Senior Bowl because of course he did.

CBS Sports reports Andy Isabella impressed at the Senior Bowl.

NFL Draft Wire has the top performers at the Senior Bowl.

Bleacher Report has Andy trending up in the NFL Draft.

Was it just me or did anyone else think the two numbskulls that were announcing were talking Andy down? They mentioned he "had an up-and-down" practice week after he made a couple of catches. Then when he scored a TD after shaking two tacklers they managed not to say his name. Then they said he had a "poor" week of practice. That's not what the print media was saying.

They loved Penny Hart, who did nothing all day. Isabella also blocked on plays that did not come his way, something Hart singularly did not do.

Isabella has performed well against any level of football he has come up against. His North Squad MVP was totally deserved.

UMass Football News--January 26th, 2019

Psu.com has a post on UMass and Penn State' future meeting in basketball and football. Also has some hoops history from Penn State's time in the A10.

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Arkansas State hires former UMass DC Ed Pinkham as defensive line coach.

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The Senior Bowl is today at 2:30 Eastern Time. Be sure to watch Andy Isabella.

12up.com says Isabella is the next totally annoying Patriots receiver.

WFAA.com has a post on a Cowboys draft profile of Isabella.

A CBS writer says Penny Hart overshadowed Andy Isabella in the final day of Senior Bowl practice.

USA Today wonders if Isabella will cook cookies for the team the drafts him.

The NY Post says Isabella could make Jets fans heart race.

The Mercury News reports on five intriguing prospects for the Raiders including Andy Isabella.

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UMass Football Recruiting 2019--Jordan Houston

Flint Hill Athletics image

Jordan Houston, a 5-10 185 pound all-purpose RB will take a OV to UMass on February 1st. He has a UMass offer.

247Sports page here.

Currently a Maryland commit.

Hudl.com has video.

MaxPreps has stats.

Houston has 26 offers including a bunch of Power Five teams. BC, Syracuse and Temple have offered from the Northeast.

UMass Football Recruiting 2019--Josh Wallace II

Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" has a post on DeMatha CB Josh Wallace verbaling to UMass.

The Minutemen currently have three CB's and one safety in the 2019 recruiting class.

UMass Football News--January 24th, 2019

Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" has news of this week's recruiting visits.

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Andy Isabella creates a buzz in the Senior Bowl, says he ran a 4.26 40.

Andy Isabella meets John Gruden.

Isabella get a mention in "Standouts from Day 1 practice"

Philadelphia.com says they love Isabella.

Hogshave.com says the Redskins should consider Isabella.

NFLspinzone says Green Bay needs a slot receiver.

Inside the Star thinks Andy could replace departed Cowboys WR Cole Beasley.

The Niners Station says only Darnell Savage was able to cope with Isabella.

Quote from the above article:

"Most other defensive backs out there were lucky to be within five yards by the time the ball got to Isabella"

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UMass Football Recruiting 2019--Josh Wallace commits to UMass

Josh Wallace, a 6-1 170 pound CB from DeMatha HS in Maryland has Tweeted he's verbaled to UMass.

247Sports three-star player.

Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports has a post on Wallace's joining the Minutemen.

Hudl.com has video.

Joe Bleah image

Also does hoops.

This article from March 2018 features Wallace.

Wallace drew interest from Maryland and James Madison. DeMatha is a powerhouse HS that produces a lot of FBS talent.

UMass Football recruiting 2019--Deshawn Holt

247Sports image

Deshawn Holt a 6-5 220 pound DE from Waldorf, MD will take a recruiting visit to UMass on January 25th.

247Sports three-star player.

Hudl.com has video.

Committed to Maryland in June 2018.

The Washington Post report Maryland uncertainty disrupts the Terps recruiting.

Defensive end is certainly a position of need for UMass. Holt would see lots of playing time early for the Minutemen.

UMass Football News--January 22nd, 2019

Josh Walfish has a post on Coach Bell's filling in his staff with assistant coaches.

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Fran Dumphy's position-by-position review of the Senior Bowl players. Mentions Andy Isabella.

Cleveland Browns.com has Andy as one of five NFL draft prospects Browns fans need to know.

NBC Philidelphia has Isabella as a sixth round pick for the Eagles.

Sports Day has a Dallas mock draft with Isabella as a third round pick.

247Sports has small school players to know at the Senior Bowl (including Isabella)

Steelers Depot has Isabella as a 2019 Senior Bowl Sleeper.

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Black Shoe Diaries has a post on Jarvis Miller transferring to UMass.

The Reading Eagle also mentions Miller's transfer to the Minutemen.

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UMass Football Recruiting 2019--Sharkell Matthews

Matthews #9

Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" report Sharkell Matthews, a 6-1 223 LB from Salisbury School in CT will join the Minutemen as a preferred walk-on.

Hudl.com has video.

MaxPreps has stats.

UMass Football News--Jamuary 21st, 2019

I watched Marquis Young play in the East-West Shrine game Saturday. Young led the East with 10 rushes for 54 yards and a 5.4 AVE. He was also 1-for-1 on being targeted for a catch. The QB he was working with threw two INT's stalling East drives or he would have had even better numbers.

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Sports Illustrated gives conference (including Independents) grades for the 2018 season.

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ESPN rates UMass' 2019 opponent Northwestern as #18 in a way-to-early Top 25.

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Football Scoop reports UConn's Randy Edsall will pay $150k of his offensive coordinator's salary.

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UMass Football Recruiting 2019--Jarvis Miller transfers to UMass

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Jarvis Miller, a 6-2 223 pound OLB from Penn State has Tweeted he will transfer to UMass as a graduate transfer.

247sports story here.

Victory Bell Rings has a short post on the transfer here.

Center Post Times has a story about Miller's transfer here.

Onward State has a note on Miller's transfer to the Minutemen.

OLB is a position UMass where we could use some help and depth. Hopefully Miller will have an outstanding year in 2019. He played in 33 games for Penn State. Recorded 23 tackles, 1 SACK, 1 FF.

UMass Football Recruiting 2019--Cameron Roberson III

Henry A. Barrios image

I've blogged about the commitment to UMass by Cameron Roberson before.

Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" has a post on Roberson looking to make an early impact at UMass.

Bakersfield.com has a story about Roberson and his journey to UMass.

Quote from the above article:

“Hard work does pay off and that’s what I’m bringing to UMass,” Roberson said."

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UMass Football News--January 19th, 2019

UPDATE: Marquis Young will play in today's East-West Shrine game at 3:00 pm EST. The game will be on the NFL-Network (channel 777 here in Comcast New Hampshire). Young will be wearing a UMass helmet and also wear his #8.

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"Fight on State" has a post on the future UMass-Penn State football and basketball matchups.

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The Mountaineer explains UMass and Mizzou scheduled a home-and-home because Missouri didn't want to pay about $2 million to have the Minutmen play in Columbia.

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Sporting News takes an early look at 2019 for FBS independent teams.

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UMass adds Joel Reinhardt as an assistant strength and conditioning coach.

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UMass Football Recruiting 2019--Tanner Davis

Tanner Davis a 6-2 200 pound Safety from Cheshire Academy has Tweeted he's joining UMass as a preferred walk-on.

247Sports two-star player.

Hudl.com has video.

Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" has a post on Davis joining the Minutemen.

Davis chose UMass over offers from Old Dominion and Buffalo.

UMass Football News--January 18th, 2019

UMass announced a number of future schedule changes and additions. Football Schedules.com also has a post on the Minuteman's future opponents.

UMass has added home-and-home with Northern Illinois, and also with Eastern Michigan (four games).

The big news for Minuteman fans is a home and home with Missouri with the
Tigers playing in McGuirk on October 24th, 2024. We've played a lot of SEC teams. Having one coming to McGuirk will be exciting.

UMass will also play a money game at Penn State on Veteran's day 2023.

Mike Traini of "Fight Massachusetts" also has a post on the scheduling additions.

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If you missed it, UMass RB Jordan Fredericks is hanging up his cleats. This makes the return of Bilal Ally even more critical. It also makes the Minutemen running back corps a lot thinner.

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The Eagles sign Marken Michael to a future/reserve contract.

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Coach Bell wants to upgrade the walk-on program at UMass. UMass needs all the recruiting streams it can get..

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