(QB Taisun Phommachanh – AP Photo)
Key Players Returning:
QB Taisun Phommachanh, WR Anthony Simpson, OC Josh Atwood, OT Ethan Mottinger, LB Derrieon Craig, LB Gerrell Johnson, LB Jalen Stewart, CB Isaiah Rutherford, NB Jalen Harrell, FS Tyler Rudolph, SS Te’Rai Powell, and PT CJ Kolodzley.
Key Players Departing:
RB Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams (Michigan State transfer), WR George Johnson III (FAU transfer), WR Mark Pope, TE Gino Campiotti, OG Cole Garcia, OG Marcellus Anderson, OT Jonny Hassard (Charlotte transfer), DE Marcus Bradley, DE JB Brown, DT Billy Wooden, NT Cletus Mathurin, LB Jerry Roberts Jr., CB Juan Lua, CB Jordan Mahoney (Arkansas State transfer), NB Nahji Logan (Indiana transfer), DS Dashaun Jenkins, KR Gregory Desrosiers Jr. (Memphis transfer), PR Isaac Ross, and PK Cameron Carson.
(TE Dominick Mazotti – 247Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: TE Dominick Mazotti (San Jose State transfer), RB Brandon Campbell (Houston transfer), OT Luke Painton (Columbia transfer), CB Leonard St. Gourdin (Dartmouth transfer), CB Lake Ellis (Bryant transfer), WR Kezion Dia-Johnson (Goodyear, Arizona), DT Etinosa Reuben (Georgia Tech transfer), OL Paul Tthio (Georgia Tech transfer), LB Macklin Ayers (Dartmouth transfer), and CB Ryan Barnes (Notre Dame transfer).
2023 Results:
G01 @ New Mexico State W 41-30
G02 @ Auburn L 14-59
G03 MIAMI (OH) L 28-41
G04 @ Eastern Michigan L 17-19
G05 NEW MEXICO L (OT) 31-34
G06 ARKANSAS STATE L 28-52
G07 TOLEDO L 24-41
G08 @ #6 Penn State L 0-63
G09 @ Army W 21-14
G10 MERRIMACK W 31-21
G11 @ Liberty L 25-49
G12 UCONN L 18-31
Team Info:
2023 Record: 3-9
Home: 1-5
Away: 2-4
Neutral: 0-0
Head Coach: Don Brown
Massachusetts: 47-39
Career: 99-65
Bowls: 0-0
(WR Anthony Simpson – UMASS Athletics)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Taisun Phommachanh (139-227, 1507 yards, 61.2%, 6.6 avg., 6 TD, 6 TD)
Rushing: Anthony Simpson (11 car., 93 yards, 8.5 avg., 1 TD)
Receiving: Anthony Simpson (57 rec., 792 yards, 13.9 avg., 3 TD)
TD’s Scored: Anthony Simpson (4)
Sacks: Derrieon Craig (1.5)
Tackles: Te’Rai Powell (59)
Interceptions: 4 Tied (1)
Pass Deflections: Tyler Rudolph (5)
Tackles For Loss: Derrien Craig (4.5)
Forced Fumbles: Gerrell Johnson (2)
Kick Returns: AnthonySimpson (1 ret., 10 yards, 10.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: None
Punting: CJ Kolodziey (51 punts, 2093 yards, 41.0 avg., 10 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 3 Taisun Phommachanh (RS SR/TR)
RB: 23 Brnadon Campbell (RS JR/TR)
WR: 7 Frank Ladson Jr. (GR/TR)
WR: 1 Anthony Simpson (SR/TR)
WR: 4 Sterling Galban (GR/TR)
TE: 81 Dominick Mazotti (GR/TR)
LT: 63 Brayden Rohme (GR/TR)
LG: 54 Mao Glynn II (RS JR/TR)
OC: 60 Josh Atwood (SR)
RG: 55 Benjamin Ray Jr. (RS JR/TR)
RT: 72 Ethan Mottinger (SR)
KR: 6 Keshawn Brown (RS JR/TR)
PK: 98 Riley Moore (RS JR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 19 Etinosa Reuben (GR/TR)
DT: 10 Tim Grant-Randall (GR/TR)
NT: 44 Aaron Beckwith (RS JR)
DE: 13 Jaylen Hudson (GR/TR)
LB: 22 Gerrell Johnson (SR)
LB: 23 Jalen Stewart (SR/TR)
LB: 5 Tyler Martin (RS SO/TR)
CB: 1 Arsheen Jiles (GR/TR)
CB: 2 Isaiah Rutherford (RS SR/TR)
FS: 4 Tyler Rudolph (RS SR/TR)
SS: 21 Te’Rai Powell (SR)
PR: 4 Sterling Galban (GR/TR)
PT: 95 CJ Kolodziey (SR)
(OC Josh Atwood – The Berkshire Eagle)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: C
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: D
Kickers: C
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/31 EASTERN MICHIGAN EAGLES | UMASS trails the series 2-3. The Minutemen are 2-3 since 2014, and their last series win (28-17) was in 2015.
09/07 @ Toledo Rockets | UMASS trails the series 1-7. The Minutemen are 0-5 since 2014, and their only series win (28-14) was at the inaugural meeting between schools in 1976.
09/14 @ Buffalo Bulls | UMASS trails the series 6-8. The Minutemen lost (7-34) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
09/21 CENTRAL CONNECTICUT BLUE DEVILS | UMASS leads the series 3-0. The Minutemen won (42-26) the last meeting between schools in 2011.
09/28 @ Miami (OH) RedHawks | UMASS trails the series 1-4. The Minutemen are 0-3 since 2014, and their only series win (17-10) dates back to 2013.
10/05 @ Northern Illinois Huskies | UMASS trails the series 0-2. The Minutemen lost (19-63) the last meeting between schools in 2013.
10/12 MISSOURI TIGERS | First meeting between schools.
10/26 WAGNER SEAHAWKS | UMASS won (34-10) the only prior meeting between schools in 2016.
11/02 @ Mississippi State Bulldogs | UMASS trails the series 0-2. The Minutemen lost (23-3) the last meeting between schools in 2017.
11/16 LIBERTY FLAMES | UMASS trails the series 1-5. The Minutemen lost (25-49) last season’s meeting between schools, and their only series win (62-59) was at the inaugural meeting in 2018.
11/23 @ Georgia Bulldogs | UMass lost (27-66) the only prior meeting between schools in 2018.
11/30 UCONN HUSKIES | UMASS leads the series 38-37-2. The Minutemen are 3-2 since restarting the series in 2018, and their last series win (27-13) was in 2021.
Predictions:
Home: 2-4
Away: 1-5
Neutral: 0-0
Overall: 3-9
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