a.j. doyle living the dream as umass' starting quarterback

LAST UPDATED ON September 30, 2013 UMASS FOOTBALL NEWS CLIPS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER

A.J. Doyle living the dream as UMass’ starting quarterback Nick Canelas, Daily Collegian

A.J. Doyle had a chance to lead the Massachusetts football team to an upset.

Trailing by a mere three points to Vanderbilt early in the third quarter on Saturday, the Minutemen had the ball and another chance to take their first lead of the afternoon.

Doyle had been playing well to this point in just his second start of the season, completing 17-of-22 passes for 121 yards and a first-quarter touchdown that tied the game at 7-7 at the time.

Pinned back at his team’s own 3-yard line and down 10-7, the sophomore quarterback went to work. His first pass of the drive on second-and-9 went nine yards to Bernard Davis. First down. Two plays later, he dropped back to pass, immediately found an opening in the Commodores’ defense and ran the ball for a 9-yard gain.

This time, however, Doyle came up limping.

He grabbed his left leg after the play and needed help from the training staff to work his way back to the sideline. It certainly didn’t look good for Doyle, who had battled all through training camp and in the first two games of the season as a backup for this very opportunity.

But Doyle was fine. According to the quarterback, it was simply a twisted ankle. Once he got it taped and got the green light from the trainers, he was ready to go.

Meanwhile, Mike Wegzyn was leading the Minutemen into Vanderbilt territory in his first appearance since being benched at halftime against Maine in Week 2.

Doyle approached UMass coach Charley Molnar.

“I’m ready to go,” Doyle said.

“Get out of here,” Molnar said jokingly.

Wegzyn stayed in. But the drive stalled. On the next series, Doyle was back on the field.

The end result wasn’t pretty for UMass – the Commodores pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 24-7 victory – but after all the challenges he endured just to fulfill his dream of becoming a Division I starting quarterback, there was no way he was letting a minor injury potentially ruin this opportunity.

Beginnings

Playing quarterback has always been a passion of Doyle’s. Whether it was in the backyard or in Pop Warner as young as 7 years old, Doyle has always loved being the one in control.

Even in basketball he said the ball was always in his hands. In baseball, he was a pitcher. So why would football be any different?

“There’s something about it,” Doyle said. “I like being the guy, like being in control, having the ball in my hands.”

Doyle was given that opportunity sooner than he had expected his freshman year at Catholic Memorial High School in West Roxbury.

Exactly one week before the first game of the season, the Knights’ starting quarterback and captain suffered a sprained ankle during the team’s last scrimmage. Doyle, despite being just a freshman, was his backup.

So for the very first game of his very first year of high school, Doyle was called upon to lead Catholic Memorial to a season-opening win over Haverhill.

The pressure was on. Doyle had never been more nervous for a start in his life, even to this day.

“I was a freshman, I didn’t want to screw up,” Doyle said.

But he delivered. Doyle threw his first career touchdown pass and led the Knights to a win.


“A.J. had size and speed and skill so he fit the bill even though he was a young player,” Catholic Memorial Athletic Director and football coach Alex Campea said. “He had a touchdown pass, managed the game, did a great job and I do recall that he told me, ‘Coach, you don’t know how many butterflies I had,’ and I go, ‘Well, that’s a good thing. It means you’re excited to play the game.’”

Doyle was used sparingly for the rest of the season, but was the starting quarterback from his sophomore through senior year. He was a two-time captain, Catholic Conference MVP and also played linebacker.

“He’s very competitive, he’s driven to excel, so he got better every year from sophomore year to junior year to senior year,” Campea said. “He worked on his skills, he worked, obviously during the season, but he worked hard in the offseason to make himself a better football player. I think those are attributes all coaches look for in their players: willingness to work hard, get better as his years went along at CM and now as his time is moving along at UMass.”

There was a time, though, when UMass was no longer a possibility for Doyle.

Decisions

Doyle received several scholarship offers during the college recruiting process. The one that stood out to him the most was from Atlantic Coast Conference school North Carolina State. However, that scholarship was to play linebacker.

He accepted anyway.

But as he was going through summer workouts at Catholic Memorial and started what would be his final season as a quarterback, he had a change of heart. He de-committed from NC State.

“Just going through the summer workouts for my high school and through camp and starting the season and really just loving playing quarterback and loving being that guy, there was just no way I wanted to give up that dream,” Doyle said.

Once he came to that decision, one of the first people he told was Campea.

“Coach, I’m gonna de-commit because, although NC State is a great school, it’s a great opportunity, but I really don’t want to play linebacker. I want to play quarterback at the next level,” Campea recalled Doyle saying.

“A.J. I think you can,” Campea responded. “I think you’re more than capable of being a Division I college quarterback. But are you willing to give that up right now?”

According to Campea, Doyle consulted his parents and they agreed that it was the right choice to make. From there, his coach advised him to inform then-Wolfpack coach Tom O’Brien of his decision to de-commit.

Doyle listened and was ready to move on to become a college quarterback.

“Once his mind and heart were in the right place, meaning wanting to be a quarterback at the next level, made the decision, I was happy for him and that opened up the door to what has transpired, which is the opportunity to go to UMass and play as a Minuteman,” Campea said. “I know he’s happy about it, I know his parents are happy about it and he realizes there’s a lot of work to be done, but he’s not afraid of that.”

The best offer that remained came from Molnar at UMass. And there was no way he was passing that up.

“I just couldn’t give up playing quarterback and so I decided while I still had the opportunity and I had these four or five years, that I’d take this chance and play quarterback at the college level,” Doyle said.

Things certainly didn’t get any easier for Doyle from there. He still had a long way to go before that chance to fulfill his dream would finally come.

Waiting

Doyle was one of Molnar’s first recruits at UMass, but it didn’t mean the starting quarterback job was a lock.

Molnar gave Wegzyn, then a redshirt freshman, the nod for the 2012 season and Football Bowl Subdivision opener at Connecticut. For the next 10 games. Doyle saw action in seven of those games, but didn’t make his first collegiate start until the season finale against Central Michigan.

In that time, he said he never second-guessed his choice to de-commit from NC State, or to come to UMass. He was simply working hard and waiting for his time to come.

“I knew we were a young team and I knew I had a lot to learn and a lot to improve upon so it was just a matter of time before I started to get starts,” he said.

Doyle certainly capitalized on his opportunity once it finally came. He completed 30-of-45 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns against the Chippewas. Although UMass lost 42-21, he kept the Minutemen within reach for most of the game.


Most notably, he opened the door for what was expected to be a fierce quarterback competition in the offseason.

It didn’t quite work that way, however. An undisclosed injury set Doyle back during spring practice and Molnar named Wegzyn the clear front-runner heading into training camp.

But Doyle kept battling.

He returned to Catholic Memorial over the summer to train with Campea and some former teammates, as well as set an example for the current Knights team. He returned to Amherst with his sights set on getting back in the race for the start in the season opener against Wisconsin.

It didn’t come.

Doyle was frustrated and turned to Campea, who he still communicates with regularly. His old coach told him to keep his head up.

“As his coach and knowing A.J., I tried to be as positive as I could,” Campea said. “I said, ‘Hey, your time will come, keep working, I’m sure the coaches will see your attitude, your work ethic, your ability,’ and I believe that’s taken place.”

Doyle played a combined three quarters in relief through the first two games, both games UMass lost. Doyle’s play was mediocre at best, but Wegzyn was worse. Wegzyn completed less than half of his passes, led the Minutemen to just one score and was nowhere near as effective as advertised.

Doyle came in for the second half of that second game against Maine on Sept. 7, and although the final score – 24-14 in favor of the Black Bears – may not show it, he was immediately a calming presence.

That ultimately earned him the start the next game against Kansas State. In that game, which UMass lost 37-7, Doyle shook off a first quarter interception for a touchdown to lead the Minutemen into the red zone twice. They led 7-6 after 15 minutes of play.

The final outcome wasn’t what UMass had hoped, but Doyle wasn’t rattled by the atmosphere at Kansas State and Molnar was pleased with his quarterback’s performance.

“He was on the money today, and he doesn’t always do that in practice,” Molnar said after the game. “But today, he was sharp and his decision-making was pretty good. There was one or two he definitely missed, and we’ll work on those things and make sure we don’t miss them again. But I felt very confident with him out there tonight.”

Hopeful

It may have taken some time, and certainly some obstacles to overcome, but Doyle finally appears to have the starting quarterback job secured. For him, it’s a dream come true.

Since the moment he de-committed from NC State, all he’s ever wanted to do was play quarterback. He hopes for a chance to extend his career as a quarterback at the next level, but is aware of what it will take.

If that doesn’t work out, Doyle said he would like to coach one day, of course, as a quarterbacks coach.

“Playing quarterback has always been a part of me,” Doyle said.

The hope to play at the highest level hasn’t left Doyle’s mind quite yet, however, and it appears he’s not the only one who gives him a chance.

“I think he’s got all the skills necessary to be successful,” Campea said. “I haven’t coached him in two years, but what I know is that he’s a big, strong, physical player who’s athletic. I think once he has an opportunity and UMass has an opportunity to put all the pieces of the puzzle together, I think that success awaits him along the way.”

Family of alumnus Paul Manganaro gives major gift to UMass football Connor Snell, Daily Collegian

The University of Massachusetts Athletics Department has received a major gift on behalf of the Manganaro Family, committed by UMass alumnus and former Minuteman Paul Manganaro and his brother David.

The gift will support the UMass football program as well as its new Football Performance Center, scheduled for completion in time for the 2014-2015 academic year. In recognition of the family’s donation, UMass Athletics has pledged to name the new coaches offices in the Football Performance Center under the title Manganaro Family Football Office Suite.

Paul Manganaro, who played for the Minutemen from 1982-86, was a part of two Yankee Conference championship teams (1982, 1986), was an All-Yankee Conference linebacker during his junior year and served as a team captain during his senior year.


“After receiving an outstanding education at UMass, it is now time for me to return the sincere and honest commitment given to me by the University and its fine football program,” said Managanaro in a UMass press release. David Manganaro, a graduate of Providence College, agreed with his brother’s sentiments, but felt another responsibility as a Massachusetts business leader to support the flagship university of the Commonwealth.

“The impact that the game of football has made on my family cannot be understated and as a Massachusetts business leader I strongly believe that supporting our flagship university and its football program is something that will benefit us all in so many ways,” David Manganaro said in the release.

UMass coach Charley Molnar also expressed his gratitude toward the Manganaro family’s gift, which he sees as another example of alumni support for the team’s elevation into the Football Bowl Subdivision.

“I am pleased that Paul continues to be a leader for UMass football long after his time on the field has ended,” Molnar said in the release. “It will be an honor to walk into the Manganaro Family Football Office Suite while we are working on building a program that is nationally recognized for excellence on and off the field. His generous gift demonstrates his gratitude for what this great institution has done for him and his philanthropy sets the bar for other Minutemen to follow … his gift will help provide the next generation of Minutemen the resources to succeed.”

Aside from coaches offices, the new Football Performance Center is also slated to be the new home for UMass football, with offices, locker rooms, meeting rooms, a new strength and conditioning space, athletic training space and the new Martin and Richard Jacobson Press & Skybox Complex. The 55,000 square foot facility is scheduled for completion in time for the return of several home games to McGuirk Stadium in the 2014 season.

Charley Molnar excited to have Commerce High's Sha-ki Holines back in the UMass football fold Dan Malone, Springfield Republican

AMHERST – University of Massachusetts football coach Charley Molnar didn’t waste much time deliberating when the Minutemen’s recruiting coordinator approached him about the possibility of bringing Sha-ki Holines back into the team’s recruiting plans.

“It took me about three seconds to say ‘Yeah, I want him back,’” Molnar said Wednesday. “All the bad feelings I had just totally disappeared.”

Those bad feelings weren't directed so much towards Holiness, a 2013 graduate of Commerce High School in Springfield, as they were meant for the winding series of events that led to the 6-foot-4, 230-pound defensive end to eventually make his way back to UMass.

A three-star recruit, Holines originally committed to play for the Minutemen in the summer of 2012. He soon changed his mind, however, deciding that he’d rather head south to player for Paul Pasqualoni at UConn.

That left Molnar with a sour taste in his mouth.

“When we lost him initially, it just crushed us. Only because we thought so highly of him and we knew that he loved it here at UMass. We couldn’t understand (why he chose UConn),” Molnar said. “And then to take it a step further, as I was envisioning this ‘Made in Massachusetts’ initiative, here’s an excellent Massachusetts football player that’s a half-hour away, had him in our hands and he slipped through our fingers. So it was doubly frustrating.”

Those frustrations morphed into elation as Molnar took to Twitter Wednesday morning to share the news of Holines’ decision to transfer to UMass.

“To have him back in the fold is really exciting,” Molnar said.

Per NCAA rules, Holines, who is officially enrolled at the university and began practicing with the team earlier this week, will be forced to sit out the rest of the season as a redshirt. He’ll then have four years of eligibility left and count toward UMass’ 2013 scholarship class.

Earlier this summer at the Minutemen’s first annual recruiting clambake in July, former UConn signee Jason Sylva also changed his mind in favor of joining UMass. Sylva, a two-star recruit and also a Massachusetts native from Marion, currently plays linebacker for Dean College and will join the Minutemen next season.

For Molnar, flipping high-profile local recruits from rival schools such as UConn is of tremendous importance.

“We want to be able to recruit against the best teams in New England, the best teams on the east coast,” he said. “We want to compete with them, not only on the recruiting trail, but on the field as well. So, in order to do that, we need to get the best players from the region to compete with them.

“If we’re always taking the second-level player, we’ll never catch up to them.”

INJURY REPORT: After four weeks of play, UMass is nursing a plethora of injuries. But Molnar said he expects up to 19 of the Minutemen’s 22 starters to be back on the field when they head to Bowling Green on Oct. 12 after the bye week. Players expected back include running backs Stacey Bedell (ankle) and Lorenzo Woodley (ankle), as well as defensive end Trey Seals (undisclosed)


who missed the Vanderbilt game. Quarterback A.J. Doyle has been confined to a walking boot on his left foot this week, but said it was precautionary measure.

Jordan Broadnax (knee) is still not practicing, and Molnar has yet to make a decision on whether the team will redshirt the junior running back.

Linebacker Steve Casali (undisclosed) is listed as questionable and wideout Shakur Nesmith, who hasn’t played since the season opener because of an injured shoulder, has been upgraded to probable.

Safety Joe Colton, who left against the Commodores after only four plays when one of his own players rolled up on his right leg, was on crutches Wednesday following an MRI on his knee. His initial diagnosis was a slight tear of the MCL, and he expects to miss only a few weeks.

For UMass football, bye week 'couldn't have come at a better time' Dan Malone, Springfield Republican

AMHERST – After four weeks, the University of Massachusetts football team is beat up in more ways than one.

The Minutemen are the very definition of a reeling team. Like last year, they opened with a killer non-conference schedule and have nothing to show for it in the win column. They've been outscored by more than 100 points (130-28). For large stretches, UMass hasn't even been competitive.

For those reasons alone, the Minutemen probably deserve a break. But the players are also pretty dinged up physically, with several at key positions nursing injuries.

Because of that, coach Charley Molnar said the bye week before the Mid-American Conference opener at Bowling Green Oct. 5 "couldn't have come at a better time."

"Like every football team in America, we've had our assortment of bumps and bruises," he said to reporters Monday during his weekly segment on the MAC coaches' teleconference. "As we enter the MAC phase of our schedule, I think the bye comes at a really, really good time for us."

A little rest might be just what the doctor ordered. Molnar called the rash of injuries "mind-boggling," but said most of the players who participated in Saturday's loss to Vanderbilt should be ready to go in two weeks.

Starting safety Joe Colton, a relative bright spot on a defense that's been pushed around by just about everyone, left the game early in the first quarter with an undisclosed knee injury and is likely out awhile. Already without preseason starter Jordan Broadnax, the running-back group absorbed another blow when Stacey Bedell and Lorenzo Woodley exited with ankle injuries.

That's to say nothing of the pounding quarterback A.J. Doyle took, forcing backup Mike Wegzyn into service for a stretch, or any existing injuries, such as those to Rob Blanchflower (undisclosed), Shakur Nesmith (shoulder) or Steve Casali (undisclosed).

But the bye week won't only be about getting players healthy. Molnar bristled at the idea UMass is getting any sort of a vacation.

"I don't know if it's two weeks off; we've got a lot of work ahead of us," he said.

The Minutemen are using the extra time to get back to the most basic of basics, such as footwork, eye discipline and hand placement.

"Really, the next few days, though, we're gonna go back to fundamentals, as if it was maybe the first couple days of summer camp," Molnar said. "Just touch upon the basic things that separate good football players from great ones, and not-so-great ones from the good ones."

The plan also calls for more of the younger, inexperienced players to take added reps during practice. That plays into the strategy of resting key injuries, while also preparing replacements in the event those bumps and bruises never heal.

"(We'll) give them some more to get them ready in case we need them during this critical second part of the season," Molnar said.

BYRNE, CLEMONS STAND OUT: Immediately following the loss to the Commodores, Molnar said he could think of no players who stood out with particularly impactful performances.

After reviewing the game film, however, that was no longer the case.

"I think, on defense, I was really impressed with the way that Kevin Byrne played and Galen Clemons," Molnar said. "Those two guys really played hard, made a lot of plays and just, I thought, had great motors. Galen didn't have as many tackles as Kevin ... but both those guys were just forces on the inside on defense."

Byrne and Clemons combined for 11 tackles (one for loss) and a forced fumble.


Despite numbers to the contrary, Charley Molnar pleased with UMass secondary Dan Malone, Springfield Republican

AMHERST — The numbers defending Vanderbilt's passing attack Saturday weren't exactly pretty. They haven't been pretty all season, really.

But University of Massachusetts coach Charley Molnar said Monday during his weekly segment on the Mid-American Conference coaches teleconference that believes the Minutemen's secondary is coming along just fine.

Even if not everyone would agree just looking at the stat sheet.

"The back end of our defense has been playing fairly well," Molnar said. "I know we've given up some big plays, so you might want to argue with me. But, overall, these guys play hard down after down, and they're (playing) pretty good pass defense."

Against the Commodores, the goal was clear: Keep Jordan Matthews contained. Coming into the game, the senior wideout was fifth in the nation with 131.7 receiving yards per game. Last year, he torched UMass for 10 receptions and 112 yards.

For the most part, the secondary was successful in that venture, as Matthews was held to 76 yards and a touchdown on eight catches. The highlight of the day came on cornerback Randall Jette's leaping interception in front of Matthews deep down the sideline on Vanderbilt quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels' first attempt of the day.

Molnar called holding Matthews under a hundred yards "an accomplishment," one that might've been even more impressive if not for the tremendous individual effort Matthews displayed in fighting back across the width of the field and leaping over a defender for his fourth-quarter score.

But, like Molnar said, there's certainly an argument to be made against his claim.

While Matthews was kept somewhat in check, his running mate Jordan Krause, who was a career backup before this season, set new highs with six receptions for 105 yards, including a 42-yard touchdown.

In total, UMass is allowing 209.8 yards per game through the air, which is second in the Mid-American Conference. But that number is deceiving, as the Minutemen have faced the 16th-fewest passes in the nation (86). The team's 9.8 yards allowed per attempt (second to last in the MAC) is a bit more indicative of the kind of success, or lack thereof, that UMass has had defending the pass this season.

Things likely won't be getting any easier coming out of the bye week when the Minutemen head to Ohio to face Bowling Green, either.

The Falcons, led by sophomore quarterback Matt Johnson — whose been named MAC offensive player of the week twice already — are second in the conference in passing at 292.8 yards per game.

A.J. Doyle, offense seeking consistency for UMass Mark Chiarelli, Daily Hampshire Gazette

AMHERST — The University of Massachusetts football team’s offensive production has been rather meager through four games.

Averaging only seven points and 258.5 yards per game, UMass’ spread offense has failed to pack the necessary punch to remain in games against stiff nonconference opponents. Injuries to tight end Rob Blanchflower and Jordan Broadnax, combined with a change at quarterback after just two games, have added to the offensive woes.

But the Minutemen believe consistency will improve the offense. A bye week gives them extra time before they play at Bowling Green on Oct. 5.

“It’s just a matter of one play and this (offense) is gonna explode,” quarterback A.J. Doyle said. “This team’s gonna average 40-plus points a game once it does explode because this is a scary offense. With the players that we have here, it’s gonna be a scary thing to play against.”

Doyle’s optimism stems from an encouraging performance against Vanderbilt. He completed 20-of-28 passes, including 17-of-21 in the first half, and threw for 133 yards and a score. In four games this season, Doyle’s completed 63.9 percent of his passes.


“I would say he’s grown a lot since summer camp,” UMass coach Charley Molnar said about Doyle’s development. “He becomes more and more poised, more and more confident of himself and the people that are around him. Last year he was full of self-doubt, doubted the people around him. ... I think right now, at least in the last two games, he’s shown that when he’s confident in himself and the people around him he can be pretty good.”

Molnar’s no stranger to the development of proficient college quarterbacks.

As the quarterbacks coach at Central Michigan in 2006, Molnar oversaw the development of then-freshman Dan LeFevour, who led the nation’s 13th-ranked offense en route to being named the Mid-American Conference freshman of the year.

At Cincinnati, Molnar oversaw the maturation of Tony Pike, who threw for 49 touchdowns in three seasons. Pike was drafted in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers, while LeFevour went to the Chicago Bears in the same round.

Molnar said Doyle possesses certain qualities similar to other quarterbacks he’s had in his spread offense system.

“He’s got a nice, quick release,” Molnar said. “I think that’s vitally important in a spread offense to get the ball out of his hands, make fast decisions and get the ball out of his hands quickly and efficiently.”

Doyle, who averages almost 8 yards per completion, said the development process of a quarterback isn’t instant.

“Obviously, I’d like to do a lot better than I have on the field,” Doyle said. “I’d like the results to show. I know I’m a lot better player than when I stepped on the field a year and three months ago.”

Molnar said he doesn’t get the same opportunities to work hand-in-hand with the quarterbacks like he’s done in the past.

“It’s not as much, I wish I could,” Molnar said. “There’s so many things during the course of practice that take my attention. ... I’m not hands on with the quarterbacks like I’d like to be.”

Doyle’s soaking up the information Molnar can share with him.

“He’s been a huge help always telling me what I should do on certain plays, what reads and what coverage, where I should go, protection checks, everything,” Doyle said. “He’s always been hands-on but at the same time, he doesn’t put too much emphasis on being just an offensive guy.”

UMass running backs look to heal during bye week Matt Vautour, Daily Hampshire Gazette

AMHERST — This weekend’s bye week gives the University of Massachusetts a chance to head to Ohio not woefully thin at running back.

UMass coach Charley Molnar hoped to have Stacey Bedell and Lorenzo Woodley back in action when the Minutemen head to Bowling Green on Oct. 5.

“If everything goes as planned they should both be ready for Bowling Green,” Molnar said. “They should both be ready.”

Both backs were injured in Saturday’s loss to Vanderbilt. Injured junior Jordan Broadnax, who entered preseason as the projected starter, isn’t expect to return in time to face the Falcons. Broadnax played as a true freshman in 2011, so he still has a redshirt year available. Molnar said he isn’t ready to start thinking about utilizing it yet.

“I don’t want to say that yet. I’m going to wait to see how his injury progresses,” Molnar said.

True freshman Daquan Mack has yet to see action for UMass. Mack had a slow start to the preseason after missing most of summer session completing academic requirements in high school. Molnar said Mack’s come on lately, but if Woodley and Bedell return, Mack would likely redshirt.

“I’m on the fence about him. He’s just getting ready to play now. If we don’t use him now we probably won’t use him all year,” Molnar said. “If we can make it through Bowling Green and our running back depth stays good, we’ll look to redshirt him. If he played in summer camp like he’s playing right now, he’d have been active all season long.”

The Minutemen were scheduled for just two full practices on Tuesday and Thursday. They had meetings and lifting scheduled for Monday and Wednesday. Friday is a scheduled day off. Molnar hoped to use the practices to get longer looks as some players who haven’t made much of an impact yet.

“Over the next several days we’re really going to try to give our second line guys and our guys who look like they may or may not redshirt, one more opportunity to see what they can do to help us in 2013,” said Molnar, who pointed to redshirt freshman linebacker Vondell Langston and true freshman receiver D.J. Woods.


“We want to see if Vondell can be ready to help us. We want to get him some quality reps and see if he can make some plays,” Molnar said. “We want to see if D.J. Woods can help us at the receiver position as a backup, to see if he’s got any flexibility, to see if he can go from inside receiver to outside receiver before the year is out.”

MAC AWAITS — Molnar liked having his bye week separating nonconference and Mid-American Conference play and hoped the week off would help the team put its 0-4 start behind it.

“It’s great timing for us. It allows us to refocus on our goal, which is to do as well as we can in the MAC East,” he said. “It does allow us to go into the next stretch of the season as relatively fresh as we can be. We’ve got our bumps and bruises, but most, not all, are going to recover over this bye week. I’m excited to see what our team is going to look like next Monday or Tuesday when we got back out of the field.”

UMASS ALUMNI CLUB — The Baltimore Ravens have drawn even with the New York Giants in the race to have the most former Minutemen. The defending Super Bowl champs claimed Jeromy Miles off waivers from the Cincinnati Bengals. Miles will likely play special teams and compete for time in the secondary with former Minuteman James Ihedigbo.

McDonough: UMass puts together best performance of season against Vanderbilt By: Cameron McDonough September 22 Daily Collegian

FOXBORO – There are two ways to look at the Massachusetts football team’s 24-7 loss to Vanderbilt on Saturday; either glass half empty or glass half full.

The glass half empty pessimist will mention that the Minutemen are 0-4 this season, including blowout defeats against Kansas State and Wisconsin and a loss to Football Championship Subdivision member Maine. They will also mention how the team is now 0-9 at Gillette Stadium, and some might even say that they shouldn’t be playing football with the big boys in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

The glass half full optimist will admit that UMass is now 0-4 and winless in its history in Foxboro, but they also have the clear eyes to look beyond the scoreboard, which is imperative when dealing with a young and inexperienced team in only their second season in the FBS. They will also mention that the Minutemen played their best game of the season against Commodores, albeit for only three quarters.

UMass did indeed look like a much-improved team against Vanderbilt on both offense and defense before the game got away from it in the fourth quarter.

A.J. Doyle looked comfortable in the pocket in his second straight game at starting quarterback after taking over for Mike Wegzyn. Doyle finished 20-of-28 throwing the ball with one touchdown and no interceptions. He did only amass 133 yards through the air, as he was primarily throwing short passes to Tajae Sharpe and Rob Blanchflower, who played in his first game since last season on Saturday.

His longest pass was only 10 yards, but he effectively saw what the Commodore’s defense was giving him and exploited it. He was also effective with his legs when he couldn’t find an open receiver. Instead of spending too much time in the pocket, he led the Minutemen with 29 yards on the ground.

On UMass’ only touchdown drive of the day, he led the offense down the field for its longest scoring drive of the season on a 14-play, 75-yard drive, which lasted 6 minutes, 23 seconds. He went 6-of-7 for 33 yards on the drive, including a 4-yard touchdown pass to Sharpe, which knotted the game up early in the second quarter. He also ran for 15 yards on the drive and was aided by solid running by Lorenzo Woodley and Stacey Bedell and a pass interference penalty by the Commodores.

If that Doyle shows up in Mid-American Conference play, and if he is helped by a more consistent running game, this offense could have some successful afternoons in October and November.

But perhaps the most encouraging thing for the Minutemen after Saturday was the play of the defense. UMass held a Southeastern Conference team, which won nine games, including a win in the Music City Bowl, last season, to 239 total yards and 10 points through three quarters.

The most significant achievement for the defense was holding Vanderbilt to 166 total yards on the ground after allowing an NCAA worst 323 rushing yards per game through its first three contests. The defense also kept the Commodores’ leading receiver Jordan Matthews at bay for most of the game before he scored a highlight-reel touchdown after he caught the ball on one side of the field and proceeded to run across the entire field, making multiple defenders miss and leaping into the end zone.

By the time that Matthews scored, though, the defense was clearly gassed after trying to keep Vanderbilt at bay for so long. The defense was also not getting much help from the offense, which despite its clear improvements, only managed to give the defense seven points to work with.

The Minutemen had multiple opportunities to put more than seven points on the board, but in what has been a recurring theme with this team, they couldn’t turn them into scoring drives, putting more pressure on the defense. UMass made it inside the Commodores 40-yard line three more times after the touchdown drive, but came up empty, including a missed field goal by Blake Lucas as time expired in the first half.


It would be unfair not to mention the multiple injuries that the Minutemen had to overcome. The most significant of those injuries came when Doyle limped off the field with an apparent leg injury after he was hit on one of his scrambles in the third quarter. He was replaced by Wegzyn, who played well in relief, but once Doyle returned, the offense never seemed to get back in sync like it was in the first half. The offense was also without Woodley and Bedell at times in the backfield, and the defense was without defensive back Joey Colton in the secondary due to injuries. It’s hard enough to beat an SEC team with all of your players on the field after all.

So the bottom line is that UMass played one heck of a football game on Saturday, especially for three quarters. They were effective on offense, especially on its longest scoring drive of the season. Doyle played well for a second straight game despite his injury, and he looks to have cemented his role as starting quarterback going forward. And the defense played well, especially against the run. If the Minutemen didn’t catch the injury bug, they might have even been able to make the game closer than it was in the end.

But the offense still needs to work on converting on its opportunities, which will not only put some more points on the board, but also help out the defense.

So UMass may have lost on Saturday, but the real losers are those who see the glass half empty. There’s nothing but optimism surrounding this game for the Minutemen.

UMass makes strides By: John Connolly Boston Herald September 22

FOXBORO — The University of Massachusetts continued to experience growing pains as it makes the leap into big-time college football, dropping a “war of attrition” to visiting Vanderbilt, 24-7, in front of a Gillette Stadium crowd of 16,419 yesterday afternoon.

But after consistently failing to keep games close against teams from top-flight conferences since jumping to FBS last season, UMass gave the SEC-dwelling Commodores all they could handle for three quarters and trailed 10-7.

Vandy dominated the rest of the way, holding a 10:47-4:13 time of possession advantage and scoring two touchdowns to clinch its second straight win over UMass (0-4).

Vanderbilt (2-2) increased its lead to 10 points when senior 6-foot-3 receiver Jordan Matthews (eight catches, 76 yards) caught a button-hook and raced across the middle of the field before athletically leap-frogging UMass defender Randall Jette at the goal line for an 11-yard touchdown with 13:44 remaining. On its next possession, Vandy compiled a seven-minute drive, covering 89 yards in 14 plays with redshirt sophomore Jerron Seymour (15 carries, 56 yards) cementing the deal with a 1-yard scoring run.

UMass welcomed back senior tight end Rob Blanchflower (seven catches, 42 yards) for his first action of the season, but lost running backs Stacey Bedell and Lorenzo Woodley to injury. Fourth-stringer Jamal Wilson was UMass’ main back in the fourth quarter.

“At the end of the day we lost the football game but I thought our team played very, very hard,’’ UMass coach Charley Molnar said. “We just ran into a string of injuries today and it was almost mind-boggling. We were just losing guys with ankles and feet, nothing major. We were trying to mix and match our offense, defense and special teams.’’

UMass sophomore cornerback Randall Jette halted Vandy’s opening drive when he picked off Commodores quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels with his third career interception. The Minutemen failed to capitalize when quarterback A.J. Doyle (20-of-28 , 133 yards) subsequently fumbled and Vanderbilt’s Adam Butler recovered.

The visitors grabbed a 7-0 lead later in the opening quarter when Carta-Samuels hit Jonathan Krause (six catches, 105 yards) for a 42-yard score.

UMass responded with its most successful drive of the season, marching 75 yards in 14 plays and consuming 6:23 off the clock with Doyle connecting with sophomore receiver Tajae Sharpe on a 4-yard TD hook-up in the second quarter.

Vanderbilt, which held an 8-yard edge in total offense (239-to-231) through three quarters, wore UMass down in the final stanza, outgaining the Minutemen 167-17 and scoring twice, including the dazzling TD back-breaker by Matthews.

UMass defensive line gets positive results out of switch back to 4-3 By: Daniel Malone MassLive September 21

FOXBOROUGH — Just as abruptly as it arrived, the University of Massachusetts football team's 3-4 defensive alignment was gone.


After three weeks of disappointing results and lopsided scores, UMass coach Charley Molnar elected to make the move back to the 4-3 look the defense had used throughout preseason training camp and much of last season. The results, especially early in the Minutemen's 24-7 loss to Vanderbilt Saturday when players were still fresh, were largely positive.

UMass held the Commodores, who came into the game averaging 32.7 points per game, to just 10 in the first half. The defensive line, which featured starters Kevin Byrne and Justin Anderson at end with Galen Clemons and Daniel Maynes at interior tackle, played stiffer than it had all season and and appeared rejuvenated by the change.

In particular, the shift helped allow Byrne to make plays up and down the line of scrimmage, including a career-high nine tackles and a forced fumbled that ended a Vanderbilt drive deep in UMass territory.

"The biggest difference is, at the end of the day, you have four big guys out on the field at all times. And that might be more of our strength to have those first four out there," Molnar said, adding that he does have some concern about not having enough capable backups to support the added down lineman.

"But when those four guys are out there and fresh, the first four were pretty good," he said."

Anderson, a much-hyped transfer addition from Maryland that had struggled to find his footing with the defense, liked what he saw out on the field Saturday.

"The defensive ends enjoy that formation more because we can be on the edge. The defensive tackles like it more because they can go straight ahead and just play football," said senior lineman Justin Anderson, who finished with a career-high seven tackles, one for loss. "It was great being back on the edge, so I enjoyed it."

Molnar said a number of factors went into making the switch back to the 4-3.

"Some of it was just based on our available personnel. And as guys got banged up over the course of the last couple weeks, that was one major decision," he said. "Number two was the fact that some of the things that we wanted to do with our defense, some of the guys just weren't as effective with it as we believed that they would be. And then, number three, just the style of play that Vanderbilt used. So, it was really a perfect storm at the right time to go and use more 4-3 defense today."

Certainly, the final numbers don't look great — 27 points, 406 yards and 23 first downs allowed. Sooner or later, Vanderbilt's high-octane Southeastern Conference offense was going to have its way against the Minutemen's transitional Football Bowl Subdivision defense. But any step in the right direction is a major improvement for a defense that's been lacking an identity.

"We can definitely build upon it, " Anderson said. "Coach (Phil) Elmassian came into the locker room and told us that this is the foundation and we need to keep building upon it and moving up."

Even with the change, however, the defense still generated little to no pass rush. Through four games, UMass has only two sacks, something that Anderson said is "eating us inside."

"We really want to get (to the quarterback), so that's one thing that we are really going to be focusing on this bye week," Anderson said. "Coming out the next week we are just going to focus on getting sacks and working on the pass rush to get to the quarterback. We're doing real good against the run, you know, but we need to step it up and get some pass rush."

Whether or not the move back to the 4-3 is a permanent one is unclear. With injuries mounting, Molnar wasn't quite sure how he'll approach scheming for the team's next game against Bowling Green on Oct. 5.

"I think our health is gonna have a lot to do with it," Molnar said. "Not just the health of the defensive line, but also our outside backers have a lot to do with it. And even the inside backers because, at the end of the day, with a lack of inside backers, some of the outside guys have to move inside due to injury. So, we're constantly trying to evaluate those things as we go through our preparations."

UMass downed by Vanderbilt in Rob Blanchflower’s return By: Nick Canelas | September 21, 2013 Daily Collegian

FOXBORO – With the return of Rob Blanchflower and a change in defensive alignment, the Massachusetts football team initially looked reloaded on both sides of the ball against Vanderbilt on Saturday.

But injuries to five different players, including a third quarter ankle injury by quarterback A.J. Doyle, who returned for the next series, and poor fourth quarter play ultimately did the Minutemen in.

UMass hung around with the Commodores for three quarters on Saturday, but was overcome by a Vanderbilt offensive surge in the game’s final 12 minutes for a 24-7 loss in front of 16,419 at Gillette Stadium in the first ever home game for the Minutemen against a Southeastern Conference opponent.


It was just two weeks ago that UMass (0-4) was embarrassed on its home field against Football Championship Subdivision foe Maine. In the two games since, the Minutemen have shown progress with promising efforts against a pair of power conference opponents.

Last weekend at Kansas State, UMass held a 7-6 lead after the first quarter before the Wildcats pulled away. On Saturday, the Minutemen trailed by a mere three points through three quarters before Vanderbilt dominated UMass’ injury-depleted group.

“At the end of the day we lost the football game, but our team played very hard,” UMass coach Charley Molnar said. “We played hard on offense, defense, and in the kicking game. We just ran into a string of injuries (Saturday) and it was almost mind boggling.

“We were losing guys with ankles and feet, nothing major. We were trying to mix and match our offense, defense and special teams. Our play selection on offense became quite challenging at times.”

Doyle completed 20-of-28 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown in just his second start of the season and quickly targeted Blanchflower, who spent most of the year sidelined with a pair of undisclosed injuries, in his 2013 debut. The tight end made four catches in the first quarter and finished the game with seven grabs for 42 yards.

Blanchflower returned to practice for UMass on Monday and said after Saturday’s game that he felt healthy enough to play by Tuesday.

Molnar said that Blanchflower played “less than a perfect game,” but gave the offense “a sense of energy and confidence.”

Blanchflower, on the other hand, expects to be better with time.

“I would like to think that if I had been out there practicing healthy for the last six weeks I would have been bigger, faster and stronger,” he said. “I felt I could compete with Vanderbilt and it was good being out there running around.”

Doyle was more than happy to have his biggest target back.

“It was great having him back,” Doyle said. “He has a presence that will be felt every game, whether he is catching the ball or if the defense just has to double-cover him because he is that kind of player and he has that kind of talent.”

Blanchflower’s return was the only positive for the Minutemen on the injury front, however. Joe Colton, Ed Saint-Vil, Stacey Bedell and Lorenzo Woodley all suffered injuries in the contest and didn’t return.

The UMass defense played arguably its best game of the season through the first three quarters. The Minutemen ran a 4-3 base this week and it resulted in two takeaways and a turnover on downs.

But UMass’ inability to sustain offensive drives in the second half and injuries eventually wore down the defense.

With his team clinging to a 10-7 advantage, Vanderbilt quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels led an 11-play, 80-yard drive that spanned over the end of the third quarter and into the fourth and was capped off by an 11-yard screen pass to Jordan Matthews just before being brought down. The receiver made multiple Minutemen miss before leaping his way into the end zone to extend the Commodores advantage to 17-7.

The ensuing UMass drive stalled again and Vanderbilt responded by torching the Minutemen defense for 14 plays and 89 yards in 7 minutes, 3 seconds that ended with a 1-yard run by Jerron Seymour to make it 24-7.

Doyle completed 17 of his 21 passes in the first half, but only scored on a 4-yard touchdown to sophomore Tajae Sharpe, who finished the game with seven catches for 45 yards and surpassed his 2012 season totals in both receptions and receiving yards.

Doyle suffered what he called a twisted ankle early on UMass’ second offensive series of the third quarter on a 9-yard run. The sophomore returned the following series after being replaced by Mike Wegzyn and said after the game that he feels fine. Doyle will have a chance to let it heal with the bye week next week shouldn’t miss any time because of it.

The bye week should be especially beneficial for the depleted Minutemen, who will next shift their focus to Mid-American Conference play, starting with Bowling Green on Oct. 5.

“These first four games were important. The MAC East is where it’s at,” Molnar said. “Of all the teams out there, we can least afford to lose certain guys at certain positions. This bye week allows us to regroup and recover and get our focus on MAC opponents.”


UMass tight end Rob Blanchflower returns in loss to Vanderbilt By JIM PIGNATIELLO @GazetteHS

FOXBOROUGH— It took one play for the University of Massachusetts offense to welcome Rob Blanchflower back to the lineup Saturday.

On the team’s first play from scrimmage, sophomore quarterback A.J. Doyle completed a 6-yard pass over the middle to his senior tight end, who missed the Minutemen’s first three games with an injury.

“I would like to think that if I had been out there practicing healthy for the last six weeks I would have been bigger, faster and stronger,” said Blanchflower, who was considered a game-time decision for the fourth straight week after suffering an undisclosed injury in the preseason. “I felt I could compete with Vanderbilt and it was good being out there running around.”

Blanchflower remained a focal point of the offense throughout Saturday’s 24-7 loss to Vanderbilt, finishing with seven receptions for 42 yards.

“It was great having him back,” Doyle said. “He has a presence that will be felt in every game, whether he is catching the ball or if the defense just has to double-cover him because he is that kind of player and he has that kind of talent.”

UMass coach Charley Molnar was happy to get his standout tight end the game experience heading into the team’s bye week. UMass (0-4) next plays Oct. 5 at Bowling Green, the team’s Mid-American Conference opener.

“He played less than the perfect game,” Molnar said. “When he was out there, he gave a sense of energy and confidence to our offense. It felt really good to have Blanch out there. He plays fiercely and they knew he was in the game by the way he performed.

“He felt good during pregame warm-ups and we got the green light.”

SWITCH TO 4-3 — After playing a 3-4 defense in its first three games of the season, UMass went to the 4-3 against Vanderbilt on Saturday.

The change “was a number of decisions; a lot of it was based on our personnel,” Molnar said. “As guys get banged up over the course of the last couple of weeks, that was one major decision. Number two is the fact that some of the things we wanted to do with our defense, some of the guys just weren’t as effective with it as we believed they would be. Number three, it was the style of play that Vanderbilt uses. It was really a perfect storm.”

Justin Anderson and Kevin Byrne started at defensive end, while Galen Clemons and Daniel Mayne were the tackles.

Shane Huber and Ed Saint-Vil started at outside linebacker with Stanley Andre in the middle.

Anderson was happy with the switch.

“The defensive ends enjoy that formation more because we can be on the edge,” saidAnderson, who finished with a career-high seven tackles, including half a tackle for a loss. “The defensive tackles like it more because they can go straight ahead and just play football. It was great being back on the edge, so I enjoyed it.”

Devin Brown led the team with 10 tackles, while Byrne had nine and Tom Brandt had eight.

INJURIES — Running backs Stacey Bedell and Lorenzo Woodley left the game with ankle injuries. They were officially ruled probable to return, butdid not. Defensive back Joe Colton injured his knee and was immediately ruled as out for the game.

ATTENDANCE — UMass needs to average 15,000 fans per game to avoid NCAA probation. After 16,419 showed up Saturday, the Minutemen have a combined attendance of 32.043 (16,022 average) in their first two home games. UMass needs to average 14,489 in its final four home games.

MISC. — Randall Jette’s first half interception marked the UMass defense’s seventh straight game with a pick. The unit has forced a turnover in 11 straight games. ... Brown and Byrne’s tackle totals were career-highs. ... Wide receiver Tajae Sharpe caught seven passes for 45 yards and a touchdown. His 241 yards receiving over four games surpassed last year’s season-long total of 206 yards.

Vanderbilt pulls away from UMass football 24-7 at Gillette Stadium By MARK CHIARELLI Gazette Contributing Writer

FOXBOROUGH — The University of Massachusetts trailed Vanderbilt by just three points after three quarters at Gillette Stadium, setting off a potential upset alert across a sleepy college football landscape Saturday.

Two ensuing time-chewing, backbreaking Commodore drives later left UMass with little more than a moral victory as it fell 24-7.


“At the end of the day we lost a football game but I will say this, I think our team played very very hard,” said Minutemen coach Charley Molnar, whose team fell to 0-4.

Vanderbilt (2-2), the first Southeastern Conference school to visit Gillette, amassed 83 yards on the ground in the final 19:08 to take control of a game it previously led 10-7. The Commodores mixed a blend of wildcat offense and quarterback keepers to initiate an 80-yard scoring drive, making it 17-7 with 13:44 remaining.

Quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels capped the drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to leading receiver Jordan Matthews, who broke two tackles on a screen, traveled across the length of the field and leapt a defender to punch it in.

The Commodores regained possession only two minutes later, starting a 14-play, 89-yard drive which included two third-down conversions and one fourth-down conversion and finished with a Jerron Seymour 1-yard rushing touchdown to make it 24-7.

UMass held Vanderbilt at bay for the majority of the first three quarters, methodically grinding out offensive drives using short passes. The offense enjoyed the addition of tight end Rob Blanchflower, who caught seven passes for 42 yards in his first start of the year after dealing with an undisclosed injury.

“Here’s what I know, when he was out there it gave a sense of confidence, of energy to our offense that, made a difference,” Molnar said. “It just felt really good to have Blanch out there. He kind of stumbled and bumbled his way through certain things but he caught the ball, he plays fiercely, he’s tough and I’m sure they knew when he was in the game.”

Quarterback A.J. Doyle completed 20-of-28 passes, 14 of which went to Blanchflower and leading receiver Tajae Sharpe, who had seven receptions for 45 yards, including a second-quarter touchdown. Despite completing 20 passes, Doyle amassed only 133 yards, 112 of which came in the first half.

“It is about making the right reads and most of the time the first guy in my progression was open,” Doyle said. “There will be chances we take to go deep, but as long as the defense will give me 5 yards to throw the ball, I will take it.”

Sharpe’s touchdown, the only scoring play of the day, was the culmination of a 14-play, 75-yard drive. He caught three passes for 22 yards on the drive.

Much of the UMass offensive rhythm stalled in the second half, an issue compounded when Doyle left the game with a left ankle injury with just over 9 minutes remaining in the third quarter. Despite returning several series later, the offense was unable to generate momentum alternating between Doyle and backup Mike Wegzyn, while dealing with injuries to running backs Stacey Bedell and Lorenzo Woodley.

“We just ran into a string of injuries that were almost mind-boggling,” Molnar said.

He later added, “Play selection on offense became quite challenging at times where we had certain plays designed for certain players and they weren’t in the game.”

Molnar also noted the game’s flow presented difficulties in sustaining momentum, as there were several stoppages of play due to official reviews.

“I’ve never been in a game with so many stoppages of play,” Molnar said. “Really, it hurt the momentum. I can’t speak for them but certainly it hurt our momentum at times.”

UMass falls to Vanderbilt 24-7 as injuries take toll By: Seth Lasko MassLive September 21

FOXBOROUGH – Last season, the University of Vanderbilt football team ran all over the University of Massachusetts in Nashville, winning the program’s first-ever matchup 49-7.

This time around, the Commodores (2-2) again walked away with a win, but Saturday’s 24-7 loss for UMass (0-4) at Gillette Stadium shared few other similarities with last year’s debacle.

UMass hosted a Southeastern Conference opponent for the first time in program history and held its own for the better part of three quarters in front of a crowd of 16,419 that showed up to support a 30-point underdog.

Ultimately, injuries, miscues, and a tired defense caught up to the Minuteman (0-4) and allowed the Commodores (2-2) to stretch a three-point halftime lead into a 17-point win.

“At the end of the day, we lost a football game,” said UMass coach Charley Molnar. “But I will say this — I think our team played very, very hard. We played hard on offense, defense and kicking game. We just ran into a string of injuries that were almost mind-boggling…That’s no excuse for what the final result was, but it certainly took away from our momentum.”

UMass Sophomore quarterback A.J. Doyle, who finished the game 20-of-28 for 133 yards and a touchdown, was one of those walking wounded in which Molnar referred.


Just as the quarterback seemed to be finding a rhythm, an ankle injury on UMass’ second drive of the third quarter left Doyle hobbled and ineffective for the fourth quarter.

“When (Doyle) got hurt, (he) never was quite the same,” Molnar said. “He didn’t quite have the same confidence about himself because he lost some of his mobility.”

Before his injury, Doyle benefitted from the return of redshirt senior tight end Rob Blanchflower, who made the start despite being listed as questionable with an undisclosed injury before the game.

Blanchflower – who was expected to be one of the top tight ends in the conference prior to being sidelined midway through training camp – finished the game with seven receptions and 42 yards.

“It was great (to have Rob back),” said Doyle, who connected with Blanchflower on his very first pass of the game. “He’s a presence that’s going to be felt every game no matter if he’s catching the ball or you’ve just got to bring two people on him because he’s that type of player and has that type of talent.”

Starting redshirt freshman running back Stacey Bedell, was also sidelined with an injury late in the first quarter and never returned.

Vanderbilt (2-2) senior wide receiver Jordan Matthews gave the Minuteman a firsthand look at the kind of talent the SEC has to offer.

Mathews, entered the game with three-straight 100-yard receiving games and finished the day with eight receptions for 76 yards, as well as an 11-yard touchdown reception in which he hurdled over a UMass defender to put the Commodores up 10 with 13:44 to play in the fourth quarter.

“(Matthews is) an outstanding football player,” said Molnar. “(He) plays hard and has fun out there, you could just see it. (He) really is an elite football player. He’s very, very rare, fun to watch. Unfortunately, we had to watch him for the opposing team. I would rather have watched him on TV then have to actually go against him, but he makes a big difference on their football team.”

Vanderbilt took a 7-0 lead with 4:34 to play in the first quarter, when Commodores quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels (18-for-27 for 219 yards, 1 interception, and two touchdowns) connected with Jonathan Krause (six receptions, 105 yards) for a 42-yard touchdown.

UMass then rallied to tie the game at seven, and in the process turned in its most impressive scoring drive of the season, which was capped on by a four-yard touchdown reception by Tajae Sharp (seven receptions, 45 yards)

The drive, which took 14 plays, traversed 75 yards, and ate up over six minutes of close, was the most encouraging of the season for the Minutemen, who entered the game with the MAC’s lowest scoring offense.

A Carey Spear field goal with 1:55 to play in the second quarter sent the game into the half with Vanderbilt leading 10-7.

Matthews’ touchdown, which came at the 13:44 mark in the fourth put Vanderbilt up 10, but the knockout blow came on the Commodores’ next possession -- a 14 play, 89-yard touchdown drive capped off by a one-yard touchdown run by Jerron Seymour.

UMass will have an extra week to build on this weekend’s performance with next week’s scheduled buy.

“I know there was definitely a chance in the offense (Saturday),” said Blanchflower. “I believe that everything that came out of it was positive, besides the fact that on a few occasions we should have punched it and we didn’t get it done. That’s something we’re going to be focused on in this buy week.

UMass football gives Vanderbilt all it can handle in hard-fought 24-7 loss By: Dan Malone Masslive September 21

FOXBOROUGH — The University of Massachusetts football team gave Vanderbilt a game it was not expecting Saturday.

But, as has so often been the case, UMass couldn't keep it up in the second half, falling 24-7 in the Minutemen's most closely-contested game of the season.

Moral victories don't mean as much for a team still looking at a big zero in the win column, but progress is progress.

Led by a defense rejuvenated by a return to a 4-3 front seven look , the Minutemen (0-4) stifled the Commodores' offense early. UMass held Vanderbilt to just 10 points in the first half, and looked to make it a tie game heading into the break before a Blake Lucas field goal sailed wide right.

Making his second straight start, A.J. Doyle again looked sharp under center, but a pounding Vanderbilt (2-2) pass rush kept him off balance for much of the second half. Doyle finished with 133 yards and a touchdown on 20 of 28 passing.


The Minutemen's secondary, which had held the dangerous Commodore passing attack to just 102 yards in the first half, eventually gave way, as well. Vanderbilt quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels eventually found his groove, hitting on two touchdown passes.

Carta-Samuels leads Vanderbilt past UMass 24-7 September 21 ESPN

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Austyn Carta-Samuels threw for two touchdowns and Vanderbilt used a pair of TDs in the fourth quarter to pull away in a 24-7 victory over Massachusetts on Saturday.

Carta-Samuels completed 18 of 27 passes for 219 yards and rushed for 38 more. He also caught a pass for a 21-yard gain that set up his 11-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Matthews to put the Commodores (2-2) up 17-7 with 13:44 left to play.

Vanderbilt gained 167 of its 406 total yards in the fourth quarter, wearing down the Minutemen (0-4) after a tight first half and scoring twice in the final period.

Jonathan Krause had 105 receiving yards on six catches, including a touchdown late in the first quarter.

A.J. Doyle finished 20 of 28 for 133 passing yards and a touchdown for the Minutemen, who trailed 10-7 at halftime.

UMass entered the game allowing an average of nearly 523 yards against its first three opponents. The Minutemen held Vanderbilt to 181 yards in the first half and just 58 in the third quarter while keeping the Commodores close.

Vanderbilt's defense also played well, holding UMass to 248 yards, which helped set up the long drives that secured the win.

UMass drove as far as the Commodores' 32-yard line in the third quarter, but lost seven yards on a pair of rushes, then allowed a sack.

The ensuing punt went into the end zone and Carta-Samuels led the Commodores on an 11-play touchdown drive over the next 5:24 that put Vanderbilt in control. Carta-Samuels avoided a sack and found Jordan Matthews for an 11-yard touchdown with 13:44 left in the game. It was Mathews' 20th career touchdown.

Carey Spear's 32-yard field goal with 1:55 left in the second quarter gave Vanderbilt a 10-7 lead at halftime.

The Minutemen had a chance to tie it after Vanderbilt was called for a personal foul on what would have been the final play of the first half. Stephen Weatherly's horse-collar tackle attempt set up the Minutemen at the 28-yard line with no time remaining. The 45-yard field goal attempt by Blake Lucas was wide right.

UMass falls short in sloppy, injury-riddled game By: Baxter Holmes Globe Staff

FOXBOROUGH — It was a 3-point game entering the fourth quarter.

After three sloppy, injury-riddled periods, UMass couldn’t have asked for much else heading into the final 15 minutes Saturday against Vanderbilt at Gillette Stadium.

Most sportsbooks had the Minutemen as underdogs by at least 30 points, but in the fourth quarter, they were trailing just 10-7, a touchdown away from a late lead against the first Southeastern Conference team to face UMass on its own turf.

It would’ve been OK to dream just a little — about a shocking win over a team from the nation’s top conference, about an enormous selling point for coaches entering the homes of potential recruits or speaking to alumni at fancy functions.

But as the game wore on, UMass wore down. The injuries were too much, the opponent too overpowering. Ultimately, the Minutemen came up short, 24-7, and their record fell to 0-4.

“At the end of the day, we lost the football game, but I will say this: I think our team played very, very hard,” said coach Charley Molnar. “We played hard on offense, defense, kicking game. We just ran into a string of injuries today that were almost mind-boggling.”

While there was no official count, several UMass players were banged up and left the field, including starting quarterback A.J. Doyle, who twisted his left ankle on a scramble in the third quarter and missed one series.


“We knew they were going to be physical,” said Doyle, who completed 20 of 28 passes for 133 yards and one touchdown, a 4-yard toss to Tajae Sharpe with 13:11 left in the second quarter. “I was prepared for it. Like any other game, I’m going to be sore afterwards from taking hits. That’s football.”

Most injuries involved ankles or feet — Doyle said he’ll be fine — but the injuries had an impact, Molnar said.

“Play selection on offense became quite challenging at times where we had certain plays designed for certain players, and they weren’t in the game,” he said.

Backup quarterback Mike Wegzyn replaced Doyle for one series and scrambled to move the chains, but the Minutemen failed to score in the second half — or keep Vanderbilt from scoring.

The Commodores (2-2) stretched their lead to 17-7 after quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels connected with receiver Jordan Matthews for an 11-yard touchdown with 13:44 left in the third quarter.

Carta-Samuels avoided a sack and was falling when he threw the desperation pass to Matthews, who ran left to right across the field and hurdled a defender as he crossed the goal line.

Commodores running back Jerron Seymour punched in a 1-yard touchdown with 4:41 left in the fourth to put the game out of reach.

“Prettiest win I’ve seen because we got the W,” said Vanderbilt coach James Franklin.

Carta-Samuels completed 18 of 27 passes for 219 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.

Most of Doyle’s completions were of the dink-and-dunk variety, though he nearly had four passes intercepted in the first half: two were dropped and two were overturned on replays.

“It seemed like every major play was reviewed for at least three quarters,” Molnar said. “It really hurt the momentum.”

Tight end Rob Blanchflower, the Minutemen’s leading returning receiver, returned from an undisclosed injury and played his first game this season, making seven catches for 42 yards.

Entering Saturday, UMass had allowed nearly 523 yards per game to its first three opponents. Vanderbilt had just 181 in the first half but gained 167 in the fourth quarter alone, when it wore down the Minutemen, and finished with 406. UMass had 248 total yards.

Now UMass has a bye week before opening play in the Mid-American Conference on Oct. 5 at Bowling Green.

“These first four games were really important,” Molnar said. “I wanted to win every single one of them. But at the end of the day, the MAC East is where it’s at for us, and now we begin that venture.”

UMass Head Coach Charley Molnar Discusses Status Of Minutemen, Previews Game Against Vanderbilt CBS Boston, Marc Bertrand

BOSTON (CBS) — The UMass Minutemen are coming off a 37-7 loss to Kansas State last week to fall to 0-3 on the season, but head coach Charley Molnar was still able to find the positives.

“I think the silver lining is that we’ve shown now that all three phases of our team can perform,” Molnar told Marc Bertrand. “None of them have performed consistently, but now the offense has shown that we can move the ball, we can drive consistently, we can make some plays down the field in the throw game, we’ve been consistently getting four- or five-yard runs, and we’ve got a few more now at 10 or greater. Everything just kind of picked up in the last game for us on offense, special teams certainly has had some bright moments, and so has our defense. So I think we’re closer to getting our team put together so to speak.”

Coming up this Saturday, the Minutemen will host SEC opponent Vanderbilt. The Commodores are 1-2 on the season, with the losses coming against Ole Miss and 13th-ranked South Carolina.

“They’ve got a receiver [Jordan Matthews] that may be one of the best in the country,” Molnar said. “This guy can really fly, he’s athletic, he has super hands, and the quarterback is good enough to get the ball to him over and over again.”

Molnar also talked about how encouraging it is to see some players from Massachusetts contributing to the team.

“When we say ‘Made In Mass.,’ we want to have a football team that the state of Massachusetts can be proud of, and players on the team represent the Commonwealth. The best and the brightest student athletes we can get, we want to put them out on the field on Saturday afternoons. Both of those young men [A.J. Doyle and Joe Colton] happen to be part of our very first year where we really made an emphasis to go out and get some


Massachusetts players that could make a difference for us. … I think that our fan base really enjoys watching both young men play because they remember them from high school.

“As the season goes on, hopefully we’ll see more and more Massachusetts kids go out there and make a contribution for the Minutemen.”

A.J. Doyle excited for Saturday's SEC test Dan Malone, Springfield Republican

AMHERST — Another start, another Bowl Championship Series opponent for A.J. Doyle and the University of Massachusetts football team.

To have drawn Kansas State and Vanderbilt in his first two starts of the season isn't exactly an enviable position for a relatively inexperienced sophomore quarterback to be in, but Doyle is ready to make the make the most it.

"It's a fun challenge for me to go against top-level talent, an SEC team, a bowl team and a team that's on the rise, just like we are. It's a lot of fun," said Doyle, who's looking forward to the test only a big-time program from the best football conference in the nation can give him.

Proctoring that test will be a savvy Commodores defensive backfield that's led by four senior starters, including free safety Kenny Ladler, who again leads the team in tackles after collecting 90 a year ago.

That's a tough assignment for even the most veteran of quarterbacks, much less one making only his third career start. And Doyle knows the challenge doesn't end there.

"It's not even just their defensive backs — their whole defense is good. They're all well-coached, they're all talented guys," he said. "It's an SEC defense, so you're know they're gonna be fast."

Last year, that southern Vanderbilt speed was something of an enigma for the Minutemen. But now, Doyle said, the team knows what it's getting into.

"Not really, everyone kind of knows," Doyle said when asked if players are still talking about how fast their opponents will be on Saturday. "The SEC just has more speed, kind of like how we knew Wisconsin was a Big Ten team, so we knew they were gonna be big and physical."

Knowing about the Commodore's speed and doing something about it are wholly different, however. And if last year's 49-7 blowout at the hands of the Commodores is any indication, UMass might be in for another long day of playing catch-up.

BALANCED NEEDED: Sophomore running back Stacey Bedell has done an admirable job filling in for the injured Jordan Broadnax through three games, rushing for 209 yards and a touchdown on nearly 20 carries per game.

But UMass coach Charley Molnar said he's still looking to see a more balanced attack offensively, one that will allow Bedell to face fewer tacklers near the line of scrimmage and perhaps spring a few long gainers in the open field.

"The whole key to our success will be to be balanced," Molnar said. "And I thought last week we showed the first signs of having a more balanced attack."

Key to finding that balance will be the development of Doyle, who threw for 186 yards and two interceptions last week against Kansas State. While Doyle did demonstrate the ability to keep drives alive and find open receivers, his 5.22 yards per attempt average isn't yet good enough.

"As that continues to grow, it'll take some of the attention off Stacey," he said. "It'll be a little harder to load the box against us if we demonstrate we can throw the ball effectively down the field."

INJURY REPORT: Though he returned to practice this week after more than a month away from the field, tight end Rob Blanchflower (undisclosed) was once again listed as a game-time decision on this week's official injury report.

Based on comments by Molnar, it appears doubtful that the senior captain will be ready to go before the Minutemen's Oct. 5 matchup with Bowling Green.

Broadnax (knee) and wide receiver Shakur Nesmith (shoulder) were both ruled out. Linebacker Steve Casali will also miss his second straight game with an undisclosed injury.

BOYD DISMISSED: Vanderbilt officially dismissed Chris Boyd from the team Tuesday after the sophomore wideout pleaded guilty last week to trying to cover up the June 23 rape of a 21-year-old Vanderbilt student that had already led to the dismissal of four other Commodores players.

The university said in a statement that Boyd's "admitted actions are clearly inconsistent with the high standards of behavior expected of our student-athletes."


Boyd, who was second on the team in 2012 with 50 receptions for 774 yards and five touchdowns, had been suspended indefinitely from the team after being indicted in August.

UMass looks to Stacey Bedell Adam Kurkjian, Boston Herald

AMHERST — Stacey Bedell is listed with one pass reception from last season in the UMass program, a 10-yard catch against Indiana, but it doesn’t do the redshirt freshman justice.

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound running back had three carries in that game. On the third, he took a hit on an outside zone play that broke his collarbone.

“That was the worst pain ever,” he said. “I can’t even describe that.”

Still, Bedell remained in the game. On the next play, he caught the pass. A soft-spoken, mild-mannered young man, the Long Island native doesn’t give off the impression of an old-school tough guy. But that catch showed, on the field at least, that he’s plenty tough.

“My adrenaline was flowing, so I didn’t really feel the pain as much. I just felt like something snapped,” the slender Bedell said. “Then, after that, I caught the pass. I got tackled and I just felt a lot of pain just hit me.”

UMass coach Charley Molnar decided to redshirt Bedell for the remainder of the 2012 season. This year, Bedell has been the most consistent weapon on a struggling offense that has managed just 21 points through three games. The team’s leading rusher, Bedell has 58 carries for 209 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown against Kansas State last week. He has also caught three passes for 60 yards, including a 47-yarder against Maine.

The fastest player on the team, Bedell will line up both in the backfield and in the slot as Molnar looks to get the ball in his hands any way possible. The trick is for the undersized back not to get snapped in two by an opposing defender when he takes a hit.

“He added a coat of armor to his body (during the offseason),” said Molnar, whose team faces Vanderbilt on Saturday then has a bye week before starting MAC games. “I still think he can be bigger in the future, but we were hoping he could hold up. I think he’s done an excellent job to this point. We’ll get him through this game. We’re going to give him a lot of work. And then we’re going to give him a little time to rest and recover.”

According to starting quarterback A.J. Doyle, Bedell is learning to avoid the type of hit that ended his season a year ago.

“He’s a fast guy. He makes a lot of people miss,” Doyle said. “For a small guy, he doesn’t take big hits very often. He knows how to get in those tiny holes and just go. And once he goes, he’s hard to catch.”

Still, the big hits are inevitable. In the first half against Maine two weeks ago, he took a swing pass in the right flat and was absolutely leveled by a Black Bears defender. He was done for the half but not for the game.

“As soon as halftime ended, I came back at the beginning of the third quarter,” he said. “I fought through the pain. I just knew my team needed me out there and I just had to give it my all and go out there and play.”

And as he’s shown in the past, if he does go out there and play, he’s tougher to stop than he looks.

UMass, QB Doyle taking steps Jack McCluskey, ESPN Boston

The phone call went something like this:

“Hello?” “Hi, do you know who this is?” “Your voice sounds familiar, but I don’t really know ... ” “It’s Charley Molnar, the new coach at UMass. I just wanted to let you know that you’re the first recruit I’ve called since taking over, and that our offer still stands.” That’s how A.J. Doyle, the Minutemen’s new starting quarterback, remembers the call that ultimately led him to switch his commitment and pledge allegiance to the home-state school making the big leap to the FBS level.


Coach and quarterback first met at a camp in South Bend, Ind., when Molnar was still at Notre Dame. “It was just a lot of fun,” Doyle said of the Notre Dame camp. “I could tell [Molnar] had a great knowledge of the game and was a guy I could learn a lot from.” “I looked at him and watched him work and I thought he was a [Division] I-A quarterback,” Molnar said in his weekly MAC conference call. “He just wasn't the guy we were looking for at the time where I was. Certainly, it was a name that resonated with me.” It resonated enough that Molnar followed up that initial call with an in-home visit, sitting down with Doyle and his parents to discuss the future at UMass. The coach was convincing. “I just decided it was the right place for me,” said Doyle, who finished his career at Catholic Memorial by throwing for 11 TDs and only two interceptions as a senior in 2011. The 6-foot-3, 226-pound Lakeville, Mass., resident said UMass had a lot to offer. “The opportunity to play quarterback,” he said, ticking off a few things. “The opportunity to stay in-state, where I’ve been my entire life. The opportunity to join a program making the move from Division I-AA to I-A.” It all added up to reconsidering his previous commitment to NC State, which was bringing him in as a linebacker after filling its need at QB. Molnar is glad he was able to keep Doyle home. He’s been needed, the coach estimating that Doyle played approximately a quarter of UMass’ snaps in 2012, including a start in the season finale. He finished 55-for-97 for 415 yards, three touchdowns and eight interceptions in eight games as a true freshman. “He made progress through the year, but had an injury that hampered him through spring ball and the summer,” Molnar said. “Only over the last several weeks has he been able to hit his stride. He was able to get in shape and throw the football better.” That, combined with a sputtering offense through the first one and a half games in 2013, led to the coach calling on Doyle at halftime of the loss to Maine in Week 2. He led a late scoring drive against the Black Bears, then got the start against Kansas State in Week 3. When the Minutemen (0-3, 0-0 MAC) host Vanderbilt (1-2, 0-2 SEC) on Saturday (noon ET on ESPNEWS and WatchESPN), the first time UMass has hosted an SEC opponent, Doyle will be under center again. Though the stats still are far from pretty, with Doyle finishing the 37-7 loss to K-State 21-for-31 passing for 186 yards and two interceptions (one a pick-six), Molnar believes the offense is taking positive steps. “We had 17 first downs with pretty good balance, with seven rushing and 10 passing,” Molnar said. “We threw the ball better from an efficiency standpoint.” The head coach was quick to point out that the two interceptions weren’t all Doyle’s fault. “Things happen on the field that were beyond his control,” he said. “Obviously at the end of the day, the interceptions go against him, but there were other people involved in those. I feel like we took a step forward at the quarterback position and, all in all, our team is going to be in a good place going forward.” Doyle’s first turnover was taken back 38 yards for a TD, putting the Minutemen in an early hole on the road in Manhattan, Kan. But the sophomore wasn’t deterred. He led the team on a 46-yard scoring drive to end the first quarter with a 7-6 lead. Unfortunately, that was the end of the scoring for the UMass offense. With just 21 points in their first three games, the Minutemen rank dead last nationally (No. 125) in scoring average at 7.0 points per game. They are No. 104 in passing yards per game (166.3) and No. 110 in rushing yards per game (95.67). Clearly, there is room for improvement. “I felt like there were some throws that I made that were pretty good,” Doyle said, “but there were a lot of things I can improve upon heading into this Vanderbilt game.” Things like making his protection checks better, being tighter with his footwork and hitting open receivers more consistently. “This is all stuff I can work on through the entire week in practice,” Doyle said, “so that when I get in the game I can say, ‘Now I’ve seen this in practice the entire week, here’s what I have to do,’ and just go out and do that.” Molnar likes to say the Minutemen are pounding at a rock as they continue to work in Year 2 of the transition, and that eventually that rock is going to break. “I honestly feel we’re just a play away from this exploding where we’re putting up 30, 35, 40 points a game,” Doyle said. “When that rock explodes it’s gonna be a scary thing and we’re gonna be a scary team to play against.” That day may not arrive this weekend against a Vanderbilt team that has held its own in losses to two teams currently in the Top 25, but the Minutemen believe it’s coming. Only time will tell if Doyle will lead them there, but Molnar believes he’s just scratched the surface so far.


“The best football for A.J.,” Molnar said, “is in his future.”

UMass football caps off tough non-conference schedule against Vanderbilt Nick Canelas, Daily Collegian

There’s a bye week in sight and Mid-American Conference play to follow, but Massachusetts football coach Charley Molnar’s only focus after Wednesday’s practice was to grab a cup of coffee and go over practice film.

His team is on the last leg of a grueling non-conference schedule that’s included the defending Big Ten and Big 12 champions, and the Minutemen hope to end it with a non-conference win when they host upstart Southeastern Conference opponent Vanderbilt on Saturday at noon at Gillette Stadium.

UMass (0-3) is coming off arguably its most encouraging outing of the season, but it still ended in a 37-7 rout at the hands of Kansas State. Much of the reason for such optimism revolves around the offense, particularly the play of quarterback A.J. Doyle.

The sophomore made his first start of the season on Saturday and finished the game a solid 21-for-31 for 186 yards and led the Minutemen to a 7-6 advantage after the first quarter.

Between the play of Doyle, whom Molnar has named the starter going forward, and a career-best 81 yards and first-career rushing touchdown from redshirt freshman Stacey Bedell, Molnar likes the direction of his offense, which currently ranks last in the nation in points per game (7.0) and 117th out of 123 teams in total offense.

“The whole key to our success is to be balanced and I thought last week we showed the signs of having a more balanced attack,” Molnar said. “As that continues to grow it’ll take some of the attention off Stacey and it’ll be a little harder to load the box against us if we demonstrate that we can effectively throw the ball down the field.”

The offense could be aided on Saturday by the return of senior captain and tight end Rob Blanchflower. Blanchflower, the Minutemen’s leading receiver from last year, has missed the entire regular season with a pair of undisclosed injuries, but he returned to the practice field this week, although in a limited capacity, and is a game-time decision for Saturday.

The Commodores (1-2, 0-2 SEC) are the first SEC team that UMass has ever hosted. The last seven national champions have come from the SEC, although Vanderbilt has been an annual bottom-dweller throughout most of the programs history.

However, these aren’t your grandfather’s Commodores. They’ve been on the rise since coach James Franklin took over two seasons ago. He led the program last year to the most wins in a season (nine) – including a 49-7 blowout victory over UMass in Nashville, Tenn. – since 1915 and its first winning record in the conference since 1982.

Molnar could draw some similarities to the way Franklin had to rebuild his respective program when he took over as coach.

“They’re a football program that’s hungry, they play hard, they believe in themselves and that’s the key to a program growing and I think we have the same things going on here right now at the same time,” Molnar said. “They’re a little bit more advanced than we are, so be it, but they’re certainly going to be a bowl team.”

Vanderbilt may have graduated offensive weapons Jordan Rodgers at quarterback and tight end Zac Stacy, but it does have its star receiver Jordan Matthews, who leads the team with 24 receptions for 395 yards and two touchdowns.

“There’s only a few corners in the country that can really just match up and lock him down all day long,” Molnar said. “We don’t have that guy, so we’ll have to use a variety of ways to try to limit his big play potential.”

As 32.5-point underdogs, according to Covers.com, the Minutemen certainly have a major challenge ahead. And going up against an SEC foe, they expect nothing but high-caliber play on both sides of the ball.

“Everyone kind of knows that the SEC has more speed, kind of like we knew Wisconsin was a Big Ten team, so we knew they were gonna be big and physical,” Doyle said.

“They’re a good team once again,” Doyle added. “They’re gonna be a bowl team and they’re an SEC football team, so they’re gonna be fast.”

UMass TE Rob Blachflower eager, closer to return


Matt Vautour, Daily Hampshire Gazette

It’s hard to tell who is looking forward more to Rob Blanchflower’s return to action for the University of Massachusetts football team, the Minutemen’s senior tight end and captain or coach Charley Molnar.

At 0-3 with a struggling offense, both are beyond eager to get him back on the field. Blanchflower’s status for Saturday’s noon game against Vanderbilt at Gillette Stadium remains uncertain, but he returned to practice on a limited basis Monday and increased his workload Tuesday.

“I don’t want to get my hopes up, but at the same time I’m trying to push it as much as I can and show progress. So far it’s going great. Every day, I’m pushing it a little more every day,” Blanchflower said. “I’m trying not to push it too hard, but push it enough at the same time to make progress.”

Blanchflower has been sideline with an undisclosed injury since late in preseason. He’s been listed as a game-time decision each of the first three weeks. Molnar said considerably more progress needs to come for him to face the Commodores.

“He’s just sticking his toes in the water right now. There’s a long way to go. He did slightly more than he did Monday, which wasn’t very much,” Molnar said. “We’ll increase his volume (Wednesday) if he’s able. It won’t be my decision. It will be the doctor’s decision whether he plays Saturday. I’ve got my fingers crossed that he can play this week, but I have no indication yet that that’s possible.”

Blanchflower said not playing, especially as a senior, has been hard.

“It’s been very difficult missing out on being out there with the guys day after day and missing a chance to get better,” he said. “It’s frustrating, but I’m trying to stay optimistic, take it day by day, work on rehab and get back on the field and being the best player I can be.”

Unable to fulfill the tight end part of his title for the first three games of the season, he’s been trying to contribute more as a captain.

“In the past, I’ve always been a leader by example, but when you can’t lead by example being a tight end or being a football player, you have to settle for being a vocal leader, which is something I’ve tried to get better at,” he said. “That’s how I’ve tried to stay being a leader without being on the field.”

Molnar said whenever Blanchflower returns, it will give his struggling offense a big lift.

“He exemplifies the toughness of a Minuteman. He’s mentally tough. He’s physically tough,” Molnar said. “He’ll play hurt. He stays in when he’s tired. He never wants to come out of the game. We had some games last year that were decided well before the end of the game, but he played every snap like it was his last. His skill set is well above average. Super hands. Excellent blocker. His knowledge of the offense. He went out there Tuesday. He hasn’t practiced in a long time and he’s right up there with all the players who have been out there every day since the beginning of August. He’s stayed very, very sharp mentally.”

The coach will be glad to get his captain off the sideline.

“He’s so frustrated on game day when he can’t play. He’s really in a bad mood,” Molnar said. “He yells at the guys on the field. He yells at the guys on the sideline to cheer.”

Because he plays home games in Gillette Stadium, wears No. 87 and has a polysyllabic fun-to-say-last name, UMass fans like to compare Blanchflower to New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski. It’s possible they could both return to action the same weekend as both are uncertain to play this weekend. But they are both closer than they’ve been all year.

A.J. Doyle to start second straight game Saturday against the Commodores Dan Malone, Springfield Republican

AMHERST — Get ready for game two of the new A.J. Doyle era.

Speaking after practice Monday, University of Massachusetts coach Charley Molnar confirmed the sophomore quarterback would get a second straight start against Vanderbilt this weekend.

Doyle completed 21 of his 31 attempts in the Minutemen's 37-7 loss at Kansas StateSaturday for 186 yards and two interceptions, a performance Molnar felt was up-and-down, but good enough to warrant an extended look against the Commodores.

"Some of his decisions were a little bit off, some of his throws were a little bit off. But, all in all, not too bad," Molnar said. "It's certainly something that we can grow from."

Doyle, who thought there were "a lot of things" he could improve on from the loss, said knowing his status at the outset of the week instead of battling for the job wouldn't necessarily affect the way he prepares for the game.


"I always try to prepare mentally as if I'm gonna be the starter. No matter when I'm gonna get in the game, I have to be ready," he said.

He's also looking forward to getting out in front of the home fans against a dangerous opponent like Vanderbilt.

"It's definitely gonna be exciting," Doyle said. "(It's an) SEC team, we're at home, we're in Foxborough and hopefully we get a big home crowd. It'll be a lot of fun."

Joey Colton emerging as a leader on struggling UMass defense Dan Malone, Springfield Republican

AMHERST – For most of the University of Massachusetts football team's loss to Kansas State Saturday, it seemed like sophomore defensive back Joe Colton was the only player who knew how to tackle.

Worse yet, he seemed like the only player who actually wanted to make one.

OK, that may be sensationalizing things a bit, but it's not an overreaction to suggest Colton is quickly becoming the heart and soul of a defense in desperate need of a leader.

"His actions really speak on the field," said coach Charley Molnar, who described Colton's performance against the Wildcats as "absolutely outstanding."

"I think the guys, whatever Joe says, they listen. I listen when he talks. He just has a real command about himself on the field."

You're probably familiar with Colton's inspirational story by now. A standout player at Westwood's Xaverian Brothers High School and Avon (Conn.) Old Farms, Colton received little attention after his senior year, due largely to his less-than-Football-Bowl-Subdivision stature (5-foot-8, 195 pounds).

Undeterred, he wound up walking on at UMass last season. And despite his perceived shortcomings, Colton appeared in 11 games (starting two), finished fifth on the team with 50 tackles and earned himself a full scholarship in the process.

He was the quintessential "Made in Massachusetts" player.

After starting the past two games at safety in place of preseason favorite Khary Bailey-Smith, Colton is making the next logical step in his progression as the underdog everyone wants to root for.

And he has no intentions of letting anyone take his spot.

"Absolutely not. I don't want to give it up," Colton said. "I'm gonna bust my butt every single day in practice and perform from the first half to the last half as hard as I can, and I'm gonna know my assignments. I don't want anyone to have my position. I wanna play."

Molnar didn't seem to think it would be an issue.

"I'm not sure he ever gave his starting role up. He's just absolutely a terror out there," he said. "And everybody who watches our film has gotta recognize that is one heck of a football player. He brings bigger, faster guys down single-handedly."

Colton prides himself on being able to hold his own with the big boys near the line of scrimmage. It's an unenviable task that often requires him to fling his body full speed into players that outweigh him by 50 to 100 pounds.

"Coach says he puts us in a position based on our talent. And if he thinks my talent is toughness, and he's gonna put me down in the box, I'll take pride in that," Colton said. "Whatever he asks me to do, I'll take pride in it."

With a year under his belt, Colton is as comfortable as ever in the Minutemen's scheme. That, coupled with an insatiable drive to play every down at seemingly 100 mph, has helped the sophomore develop into a more complete package in the defensive backfield.

"One play, he's in coverage chasing down (and) covering a receiver deep, then the next time he's making a tackle on the line of scrimmage," Molnar said. "He's just all over the field."

Following the Kansas State loss, Colton knows improvements need to be made on a defense that's given up 35.3 points per game and is 119th nationally in yards allowed (522.7).

He won't chalk the struggles up to strength of competition, however.

"I never want to give it to the other team, saying, 'Well, we're going up against a Big 12, SEC, ACC team this week.' I never want to give it to that," Colton said. "If we're having trouble tackling, we've gotta come back the next week and be a good-tackling team. We can't miss tackles, that's a key part


of having a good defense. And if Coach says that's our problem, we've gotta work on that next week. We've gotta get better at that, and it can't be a problem going into next week.

"That's how you get better – by getting rid of the mistakes and making them your strengths."

INJURY REPORT: After more than a month away from the field, senior tight end Rob Blanchflower was back in pads at practice Monday.

Blanchflower, who said he's been "extremely frustrated" having to stand idly by while his team lost three games, was limited.

"I came out and did what they told me to do, did the work that I was allowed to by the trainers and just got as much work in as I could," he said. "It felt great to get out here and run around and finally do some football-related activities."

Junior running back Jordan Broadnax (knee) and freshman wide receiver Shakur Nesmith (shoulder) were absent from practice, while senior defensive tackle Galen Clemons was a full participant after being scratched Saturday with an undisclosed injury.

STILL THE STARTER: The A.J. Doyle era will continue this week against Vanderbilt, Molnar confirmed Monday.

"He'll be the starter going into this next game," Molnar said of the sophomore quarterback, who completed 21 of 31 passes for 186 yards and two interceptions Saturday.

UMass tight end Rob Blanchflower back in pads at practice Monday Dan Malone, Springfield Republican

AMHERST – After missing more than a month with an undisclosed injury, University of Massachusetts senior tight end Rob Blanchflower was in full pads at practice Monday.

Blanchflower's participation was limited, but he said it was a relief to be back on the field with his teammates.

"I came out and did what they told me to do, did the work that I was allowed to by the trainers and just got as much work in as I could," he said. "It felt great to get out here and run around and finally do some football-related activities."

His status for Saturday's game against Vanderbilt at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough is still up in the air, but Blanchflower said he feels "very close" to returning to game action.

Coming in as the Minutemen's leading returning receiver (43 receptions, 464 yards, two touchdowns last season), Blanchflower was expected to help lead a young offense that struggled with consistency a year ago. Instead, he's been relegated to providing moral support from the sideline as UMass lost its first three games.

That feeling of helplessness has been a challenge to deal with.

"It’s definitely a test," Blanchflower said. "It was extremely frustrating watching all that go down and not being able to help and just kind of only being able to lead vocally instead of leading by example. It was really frustrating, and I’m really anxious to get out there."

When Blanchflower does return to full participation, it's likely he'll be catching passes from sophomore quarterback A.J. Doyle, whom coach Charley Molnar confirmed Monday will be starting again this weekend.

With Doyle under center in the season finale against Central Michigan last year, Blanchflower pulled down a career-high 10 catches for 100 yards and a touchdown.

"I’m real good friends with A.J. Doyle. I trust him, and I’m looking forward to getting back to work with him," he said.

UMass quarterback A.J. Doyle responds to first-quarter adversity, offers glimmer of hope moving forward Dan Malone, Springfield Republican

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Given how disastrously the University of Massachusetts football team started its 37-7 loss at Kansas State, it's pretty amazing to look back on Saturday's first quarter as the strongest the Minutemen have played all season.


And make no mistake about it – it was the best UMass has looked through three games, due largely to the play of sophomore quarterback A.J. Doyle.

After forcing a punt on the opening drive, the Minutemen took over deep in their own territory looking to test out their new Doyle-led offense. Instead, they got a quick interception returned for a touchdown that surely had players and fans thinking, "Oh no, here we go again."

But something else happened instead, something that hasn't been seen with this team very often in 15 games of Football Bowl Subdivision membership.

Doyle and UMass responded to adversity, and actually lifted their level of play because of it, taking a 7-6 lead and 138-33 yardage advantage into the second quarter. That, if nothing else, is reason for hope for this struggling team as it continues a difficult schedule.

"I thought our team fought – both sides of the ball fought to the end," coach Charley Molnar said. "I've been to this show before when the wheels have come off, and today, the wheels were loose, but they never came off. And I think that's progress. It's a small sign for me, but certainly something we can sink our teeth into and grow from."

Molnar said Doyle, who finished with 186 yards and two interceptions on 21-of-31 passing, "never flinched" after tossing the pick-6.

"He was on the money today, and he doesn't always do that in practice," Molnar said. "But today, he was sharp and his decision-making was pretty good. There was one or two he definitely missed, and we'll work on those things and make sure we don't miss them again. But I felt very confident with him out there tonight."

Earlier this week, Molnar touted Doyle for his calming on-field demeanor, a trait clearly on display following a breakdown that could've easily thrown a young QB making only his second start off his game.

"Just getting up and getting back, getting regrouped and just going down and answering," Doyle said of his mindset after the interception. "There's nothing else I can do in that spot. Can't dwell on it, can't let that ruin me for the rest of the game. I can't have my mind on it (and) just gotta move on."

Sophomore wideout Tajae Sharpe was on the receiving end of the majority of Doyle's completions, hauling in nine for a career-high 98 yards. Sharpe, who roomed with Doyle during their official recruitment to UMass, likes where their relationship stands heading into next week.

"(Our on-field chemistry) is very strong," Sharpe said. "We both came in together, we're both sophomores, so we built a connection last year as freshmen (and) through the whole summer camp going into this year. So even though I've been taking a lot of reps with (previous starting QB) Mike Wegzyn lately, me and A.J.'s connection is still very strong."

Still, Doyle felt the offense could've performed even better. Though he completed all seven of his first-quarter passes after the pick, the ensuing drive sputtered in the red zone, resulting in a blocked 23-yard field-goal attempt.

"Obviously, I wanted it to go a lot better. You know, scoring seven points was not what I had in mind," Doyle said. "I feel like we left a lot of points out there, and that’s all on me. Honestly, I felt like we left about 35-40 points on the board.

"We've gotta just keep pounding away at the rock like Coach Molnar says. One of these days, that rock's gonna explode, and we're gonna put up 35-40-45 points a game and it's gonna be a scary thing to see."

For now, however, Doyle isn't sure his performance was enough to guarantee him a start at home against Vanderbilt next week, though Sharpe said he "definitely" expects him to be out there again.

Doyle's ready to just keep pounding.

"Honestly, I don't know right now. I've gotta review the film (and) coaches have to review the film to see how I played," he said. "Honestly, from my standpoint, I felt like we left too many points on the board, and that's my fault. So I don't know. I've just gotta go out and be ready to work Monday."

UMass offense shows spark in loss John Connolly, Boston Herald

There were positive signs, especially on offense, for UMass in Saturday’s 37-7 nonleague loss at Kansas State.

The Minutemen (0-3), who had struggled to score points in their previous two games, a 45-0 loss at the hands of Big Ten power Wisconsin and a disappointing 24-14 home defeat to FCS entrant Maine, showed some spark when they had the ball against the Wildcats (2-1).

With sophomore A.J. Doyle of Lakeville taking over the starter’s role at quarterback from incumbent Mike Wegzyn, the offense produced a season-high 17 first downs while averaging 4.4 yards on 70 plays.

Doyle, a Catholic Memorial product, was 21-of-31 for 186 yards, albeit with two interceptions, and appears to have grabbed hold of the job. Freshman Stacey Bedell continued to impress, rushing for 81 yards and posting his first career touchdown on a 2-yard scamper to give the Minutemen a brief 7-6


lead with 6 seconds left in the opening quarter. Sophomore Tajae Sharpe made nine catches for 98 yards, coming on the heels of his 11-catch, 85-yard effort against Maine the previous week.

“It was better. We definitely made some improvement offensively, but we left a number of points on the field that were there for the taking, whether it was having some receivers open or backs not being able to find holes, and it cost us,” UMass coach Charley Molnar, who plans to start Doyle against Vanderbilt on Saturday at Gillette Stadium, said. “So, we had some opportunities to bring the game within range, and it didn’t happen.

“(Doyle) performed well. He showed some mobility in the pocket and made quick decisions. He displayed a calm demeanor both on the field and on the sidelines. He’s done nothing to eliminate that.”

Defensively, other than a costly 21-point second quarter when UMass fell behind, 27-7, the Minutemen stood tall. A key example came after KSU blocked a Blake Lucas field goal. The defense got the ball back five plays later when Antoine Tharpe picked off Jake Waters at the KSU 46-yard line. That led to Bedell’s short touchdown scamper.

“Defensively, we let up 21 points in the second quarter, and in the second half we let up only 10 points, so I thought it was just one bad quarter,” Molnar said. “The defense played hard and never quit. Having (nose tackle) Galen Clemons (undisclosed injury) out, who is arguably our best interior lineman on the defensive line, hurt us, but I thought (safety) Joe Colton was outstanding. He had a sack, nine tackles, and forced a fumble. One moment he was deep in coverage and the next play he was making a play at the line of scrimmage, so he played very solid.”

Colton, a sophomore from Norwood who played in high school at Xaverian, had seven solo tackles.

Now, UMass gears up to face Southeastern Conference-entrant Vanderbilt (1-2), which is coming off a loss to No. 13 South Carolina.

“We haven’t put too much focus on Vanderbilt yet. We’re still trying to clean up yesterday and make improvements,” Molnar said. “I know that our guys will play hard, and we’re getting more and more winning performances from guys, and if we get enough of those winning performances, our team will start to win games.”

UMass quarterback A.J. Doyle gives offense a lift By MARK CHIARELLI, Gazette Contributing Writer, Monday, September 16, 2013

AMHERST — Quarterbackl A.J Doyle’s first start of the season for the University of Massachusetts ended with an unfavorable result.

Despite leading 7-6 late in the first quarter, UMass fell 37-7 to Big 12 power Kansas State, its third straight loss of the year.

But progress was evident, as the Minutemen produced 309 yards of offense, their highest total of the season. Doyle looked poised, bouncing back from an early interception, which was returned for a touchdown, to complete 21-of-31 passes for 186 yards.

“Some of his decisions were a little off and some of his throws were a little off, but all in all not too bad,” UMass coach Charley Molnar said. “Certainly something we can grow from.”

One of the correctable issues from Saturday’s game was Doyle’s ability to handle pressure, something that showed up immediately on film.

“Because of (Kansas State’s) pass rush, he rushed a few things he didn’t have too,” Molnar said. “He’s looking back at the film going, ‘Oh my gosh, why did I throw it so fast.’”

Doyle recognized he’s far from a finished project.

“There’s a lot of things I missed, a lot of things I can continued to do well,” Doyle said. “There’s a lot of things I can definitely improve upon.”

With limited practice reps prior to last week, Doyle has been working on his timing and chemistry with the first-team offense.

“I always try and prepare mentally as if I’m gonna be the starter,” Doyle said. “Tajae (Sharpe), Derek Beck, Bernard Davis — this is my second season working with them so I feel comfortable working with all three of those guys.”

Sharpe had the most success with Doyle, reeling in nine catches for 98 yards against Kansas State. Sharpe’s quickly emerged as UMass’ most potent receiver, meshing well with Doyle and former starter Mike Wegzyn.

“I think (Doyle) stepped up in a big game going into Kansas State. It was a big stage for him and I think he stepped up well,” Sharpe said. “He prepared well throughout all of practice. Our chemistry is improving but I think it’s at a good point right now.”

Sharpe and Doyle are wasting no time getting on the same page.


“It may be kind of difficult with timing routes and things like that, but for the most part it’s all the same,” Sharpe said. “You know where the quarterback expects you to be and you know you gotta be there. It’s a little bit hard at times, but it’s all the same.”

Injury Update — Since thestart of the season, the Minutemen have been without tight end Rob Blanchflower and running back Jordan Broadnax.

It looks like at least one might back when the Minutemen host Vanderbilt Saturday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

Blanchflower was limited in practice Monday and is status for for the game is uncertain.

“It’s gonna be a great help. We got our leader back, our captain back,” Doyle said. “He’s a presence you have to pay attention to, there’s no way that Vanderbilt’s gonna leave him open without us making them pay for it.”

Sharpe was excited about the prospect of having his captain back for the Vandy.

“He’s gonna attract a lot of attention,” Sharpe said. “When they see that 87 on the field (Vanderbilt’s) definitely gonna feel his presence.”

MILES CUT — The Cincinnati Bengals waived safety and former University of Massachusetts standout Jeromy Miles. Miles missed the season opener with a hamstring injury and was listed as doubtful for Monday night’s game.

Miles had 36 special teams tackles in 39 games over four years.

UMass tight end Rob Blanchflower returns to practice on Monday Cameron McDonough, Daily Collegian

The Massachusetts football team got a bit of good news on the injury front on Monday.

Senior tight end Rob Blanchflower, who has been sidelined for over a month with a pair of undisclosed injuries, was back at practice and in full pads on Monday. His contributions during practice were limited, though, and an announcement on his status for Saturday’s game against Vanderbilt will be made later on this week.

One teammate that is especially happy to have Blanchflower back in practice is quarterback A.J. Doyle. If Blanchflower plays on Saturday, he will provide Doyle with another weapon to target against the Commodore’s Southeastern Conference-style defense.

“I mean, it’s gonna be a great help,” Doyle said. “We got our leader back, our captain back. He’s a presence that you have to pay attention to. There’s no way that Vanderbilt’s gonna be able to leave him open without us making them pay for it.”

Two Minutemen who were still out of practice on Monday were junior running back Jordan Broadnax, who is dealing with a knee injury, and wide receiver Shakur Nesmith, who is out with a shoulder injury. However, senior defensive lineman Galen Clemons did return to practice after missing the Kansas State game, according to MassLive.com’s Daniel Malone.

A.J. Doyle was strong, but still has plenty to prove Nick Canelas, Daily Collegian

A.J. Doyle’s first start at quarterback for the Massachusetts football team this season didn’t get off to the best of starts.

His second pass of the game was intercepted by Kansas State’s Kip Daily and returned 38 yards for a touchdown to give the Wildcats a 6-0 lead. His stat line read 0-for-2 with an interception.

But Doyle regrouped.

He completed his next seven passes for 74 yards and led the Minutemen into the red zone in each of their next two possessions. The first quarter ended with UMass leading Kansas State on the road 7-6, and it may have been more had Blake Lucas’ 23-yard field goal attempt not been blocked earlier in the quarter.

That was the best Doyle had to offer all night as the Wildcats rallied for 30 unanswered points for a 37-7 win. But Doyle still completed 21 of his 31 pass attempts for 186 yards to go with 37 yards rushing. Were they outstanding numbers? No. But it was by far the best performance a UMass quarterback has had all season.


UMass coach Charley Molnar has said multiple times now that his offense needed a spark. Doyle was just that.

“I feel like we took a step forward at the quarterback position and, all in all, our team is going to be in a good place going forward,” Molnar said in his weekly Mid-American Conference Media Teleconference on Monday.

Even though Doyle threw another interception later in the game, he learned to move on from the first interception and put together a solid half of football, even though Molnar didn’t put Doyle completely at fault for the first pick, anyway.

“Not both of those were on A.J. though,” Molnar said. “Things happen on the field that were beyond his control. Obviously at the end of the day, the interceptions go against him, but there were other people involved in those.”

It was something new for the Minutemen. Neither of Mike Wegzyn’s two starts this season were anything to feel good about, especially in UMass’ loss to Football Championship Subdivision foe Maine at home in Week 2.

Wegzyn has completed less than half of his passes this season and most of the time the offense looked inept. Wegzyn would get rattled under pressure and seemed helpless when his first option wasn’t open, making it difficult to sustain drives under those circumstances.

Doyle, on the other hand, was poised. Found the open man. Could escape the pocket and run if he ran out of options. The type of qualities a young offense needs from its leader.

Based on the results, the starting job is now Doyle’s to lose for the remainder of the season. But I want to see more. Those two interceptions, most notably the one that was returned for a touchdown, still happened. And they can’t happen.

Consistency is a must, too. Doyle was stellar for the second half of the first quarter, but his numbers were mediocre the rest of the way. Seven points per game won’t be acceptable anymore, or else UMass will go winless.

The jury is still out on Doyle. One solid game shouldn’t be enough to convince people that he’s the team’s long-term solution. Right now, he’s still the product of some exceptionally poor play from the quarterback before him.

Don’t forget, he only completed 12 of his 24 pass attempts for 101 yards and just one score in three quarters of play in UMass’ first two games. He’s still near the bottom among quarterbacks in the MAC. His accuracy could still be better, too.

But there’s still hope. Doyle has already looked like a significant upgrade over Wegzyn in the last six quarters. Most importantly, he seems to have a good connection with the Minutemen’s receivers, particularly Tajae Sharpe.

Since Doyle started the second half against the Black Bears, Sharpe has made 13 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown – he had a career-high 98 receiving yards on nine catches on Saturday.

It’s still too early to deem Doyle the savior of the UMass offense. However, positive steps were made on Saturday.

If we see an even better Doyle by next week, or even three weeks from now (by the way, better means multiple touchdown passes and maybe a shot at some wins), then the Minutemen might have their answer.

If not, then it might be someone else’s turn.

After strong start, UMass football overpowered 37-7 by Kansas State Dan Malone, Springfield Republican

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Once again, it was too good to last for the University of Massachusetts football team.

Facing another tough opponent on the road, UMass came out firing against Kansas State Saturday night, taking a 7-6 lead by the end of the first quarter. But, like in the season opener against Wisconsin, the Wildcats' talent and experience eventually won out, as the Minutemen failed to score again en route to a 37-7 loss in front of 52,968 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

A.J. Doyle, making his first start of the season at quarterback in place of Mike Wegzyn, got off to a rocky start tossing an interception returned for a touchdown on just his second pass of the game. He responded nicely, however, completing his next seven passes and leading what should've been a pair of UMass scoring drives (Blake Lucas had a first-quarter 23-yard field goal attempt blocked).

Doyle far from perfect, but he also wasn't completely overwhelmed in what was just his second-career start, completing 21-of-31 passes for 186 yards and two interceptions.


Tajae Sharpe had 98 yards on 9 catches, while Stacey Bedell rushed for 81 yards and UMass' lone touchdown on 23 carries.

It was a different story on defense, though, as the Minutemen (0-3) missed numerous tackles on the way to giving up over 300 yards rushing. Recognizing the soft cushion the UMass front seven was giving up, the Wildcats (2-1) attempted just 12 passes and continually gashed the defense with quarterback draws.

UMass next hosts Vanderbilt at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough on Sept. 21.

UMass football lets K-State get away in 37-7 defeat By CORBIN McGUIRE Gazette Contributing Writer Sunday, September 15, 2013

MANHATTAN, Kan. — The University of Massachusetts football team knew it needed a perfect performance to hang with Kansas State in Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Saturday. While the Minuteman’s 37-7 loss fell well short of perfect, coach Charley Molnar knows it could’ve been worse. “I thought our team fought. Both sides of the ball fought. I’ve been to this show before and the wheels have come off,” Molnar said of his team, which held the Wildcats to 10 points in the second half. “And today, the wheels were loose but they never came off today. And that’s progress. It’s a small sign for me but it’s certainly something we can sink our teeth in and we can grow from.” The UMass offense saw improvement against K-State behind A.J. Doyle, who took over Mike Wegzyn’s role as the starting quarterback. But the improvement wavered after the first quarter. Doyle completed 11-of-15 passes in the first half — 7 of 9 in the first quarter — with his lone mistake being a third down interception K-State’s Kip Daily took 38 yards for a touchdown to for a 6-0 lead. Doyle “wasn’t totally at fault on that,” Molnar said. “So we absolved him on the part that wasn’t his. And the part that was his (fault), we made the corrections and he never flinched.” The sophomore finished his second career start 21 of 32 for 186 yards with two interceptions to go along with 37 rushing yards. “Scoring seven points was not what I had in mind,” Doyle said of his first start of the season. “We left a lot of points out there and that’s all on me. Honestly I feel like we left about 35, 40 points on the board.” Doyle’s second interception came on a miscommunication on a route between him and Tajae Sharp, who caught nine passes for 98 yards. The Minuteman regrouped with a strong drive led by Doyle’s arm and Stacey Bedell’s legs. Doyle converted all five of his pass attempts and Bedell accumulated 25 yards rushing before the Minutemen stalled on K-State’s 6-yard line. The drive didn’t result in points for UMass, however, as K-State blocked Blake Lucas’ 23-yard field goal. Antoine Tharpe intercepted a pass from Jake Waters five plays later, giving the Minuteman offense a shot at redemption and it took advantage. Doyle led a 46-yard scoring drive with 35 passing yards before a 2-yard touchdown run from Bedell — the first of his career — put the Minutemen on top 7-6 with six seconds left in the first quarter. “That’s what I’m supposed to do,” Doyle said. “I’m supposed to go out and I’m supposed make the proper reads and I’m supposed to complete passes.” The Wildcats then shifted their focus from the pass to run, and controlled play from there, racking up 329 yards rushing for the game. “We don’t have a lot of depth at the linebacker spots,” Molnar said. “We don’t have a lot of depth in the secondary right now.” To answer UMass’ touchdown, Daniel Sams — K-State’s backup quarterback — led a drive with 37- and 15-yard runs before a 1-yard sneak put the Wildcats up 13-7 with 9:14 left in the first half. Kansas State extended its lead to 20-7 on an 81-yard drive all on quarterback scrambles or rushing plays. Not long after a 20-yard kick catching interference penalty put K-State on their own 38-yard line, the Wildcats broke open another big play. Six plays into the drive, a breakdown in the UMass secondary allowed John Hubert to catch a 43-yard touchdown pass with 11 seconds left in the half. “It took some air out of us,” Molnar said of the touchdown. “But even in the locker room, the guys were still in a good place.” UMass stumbled to start second half with a three-and-out on offense. Soon after, the Wildcats hit another long pass to a player out of the backfield, this time to Glenn Gronkowski up the middle for a 50-yard touchdown catch and run to up the Wildcats’ lead to 34-7. “I really thought, even at halftime, if we could get something going in that first drive, we could really make this a football game,” Molnar said. “Unfortunately that never happened.” UMass hosts Vanderbilt at Gillete Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., Saturday at noon. “We just have to keep pounding away at the rock,” Doyle said. “One of these days that rock is going to explode and we are going to put up 35, 40, 45 points a game. It is going to be a scary thing to see.”

Against heavy odds, Minutemen look for positive growth after slow start Dan Malone, Springfield Republican

AMHERST – Last week's loss to Maine was a black eye for the University of Massachusetts football program. That much is clear.


The ramifications will be felt for some time, but for now, the Minutemen must turn their attention to an entirely different and much more potent challenge when they head to Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kan., Saturday for a 7 p.m. game against a Kansas State team also looking to right the ship.

UMass coach Charley Molnar, not one to dwell on the negatives (publicly, at least), believes his players are ready to move on from last week's disappointment.

"This is a resilient group of men. And I'd like to think that the sting of the defeat still lingers with them," he said. "But we've moved on, and now we've got our eyes set on the next goal, and that's beating Kansas State."

Easier said than done.

Led by legendary coach Bill Snyder – whose likeness was erected in bronze earlier this season outside of the stadium that already bore his name – the Wildcats ended last season with a 35-17 loss to Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl before stumbling out of the gate somewhat this year.

A game against UMass, statistically one of the very worst teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision, might be just what the doctor ordered for a team that dropped its opener to North Dakota State (a Football Championship Subdivision school, but certainly no slouch) and then struggled to put away Louisiana-Lafayette.

Snyder, who spoke of battling complacency after watching the Wildcats allow three third-quarter touchdowns in what had been shaping up as a blowout of the Ragin' Cajuns last week, doesn't want his team to think of UMass as just another tune-up before the Wildcats kick off Big 12 Conference play against Texas next week.

"I have no clue how you tune up for somebody," Snyder said earlier this week. "I don't know how that works. We are about a step at a time and a day at a time."

Molnar, in a decidedly different position, is approaching Saturday with a similar outlook.

"First off, it doesn't matter if we are playing Maine, Kansas State or anybody else – we go into each and every game with the objective to win," he said. "Also, each and every player is trying to be a better player this week than they were a week ago. If we can get 11 players on offense and 11 players on defense to be better players, we will be better units and ultimately a better team."

Overall improvement would be ideal, but it'll be sophomore quarterback A.J. Doyle who gets the most attention Saturday.

Doyle, named the starter Wednesday in place of struggling Mike Wegzyn, will be making only his second start. He's played sparingly over two seasons, completing 55.4 percent of his passes with four touchdowns and eight interceptions.

The Minutemen need Doyle to show something – anything – if they want to stay competitive and walk out of the stadium feeling good about themselves.

After losing Heisman Trophy finalist Collin Klein to graduation, Kansas State faced a QB decision of its own. Snyder, presented with two excellent options in junior Jake Waters and sophomore Daniel Sams, decided he didn't necessarily have to choose between the two to be successful.

And that has UMass worried.

"They've got two guys (and) they can win with both of them. So I'd imagine we'll continue to see both guys Saturday night," Molnar said. "The starter (Waters) is maybe a more accomplished passer, but only because of experience. In my mind, there's not that great a difference. They're both effective moving the ball, passing and running."

Combined, the duo has 585 yards passing, 94 yards rushing and five touchdowns, with Waters doing most of the work through the air and Sams keeping defenses honest with his legs.

Defensively, Kansas State is also trying to replace a star in second-round NFL draft pick Arthur Brown, now a linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens.

Molnar described the unit as "bend but don't break."

"They make a lot of big plays and they have good speed at the linebacker position," he said. "They are also big and strong up front, so they are a typical Big 12 defense. We will certainly have our work cut out for us."

But for as difficult as things have been for UMass in the early going (and they're not likely to get any easier with Vanderbilt and Bowling Green on the horizon), Molnar is still confident his team can turn it around.

Even if it doesn't start this week.

"Our guys are in a good place and I think it would be real easy to get down, but our guys know their best football is ahead of them," Molnar said. "Our trajectory is going up and they really believe that we are not too far off."


UMass looks to rebound against Big 12 foe Kansas State By MARK CHIARELLI Gazette Contributing Writer, Friday, September 13, 2013

The University of Massachusetts travels to Kansas State this weekend, hoping to put a difficult loss to Maine in the rearview mirror and play spoiler against a the potentially susceptible Wildcats.

UMass coach Charley Molnar hoped his team would head into Saturday’s game with a positive mindset despite last week’s loss.

“This is a resilient group of men,” he said. “The sting of defeat still lingers with them, but we’ve moved on and have our eyes set on the next goal, which is beating Kansas State.”

The Minutemen will have a new starting quarterback, as Molnar announced Wednesday that sophomore A.J. Doyle would make his second career start.

“We’re just anxious to get a win streak going, put some wins together, as we head into the MAC,” Doyle said Monday. “It starts by the offense putting up points. We scored 14 points in two games, the offense has to play a lot better.”

Doyle has his work cut out for him facing Kansas State, a Big 12 team that also lost to Championship Subdivision opponent this season. K-State fell to North Dakota State in their opener.

“Defensively, the best way I can say this is they are a very sound, bend-but-don’t-break defense,” Molnar said in his weekly teleconference. “They make a lot of big plays and they have good speed at the linebacker position. They are also big and strong up front, so they are a typical Big 12 defense. We will certainly have our work cut out for us.”

The Minutemen will look to improve and be aggressive on defense. Kansas State coach Bill Snyder is wary of giving UMass opportunities.

“Defensively, I think that they fly around pretty well,” Snyder said. “I think they have an aggressive back seven that fly to the ball and up front they can hold their own.”

Molnar was optimistic about his defense’s opportunistic style, especially after the start against Maine.

“Obviously, every defense is trying to accumulate as many turnovers as it can and I think our defense is aggressive,” he said. “We will continue to try and play the ball in the air and help get the offense the ball or score on defense.”

When UMass has the ball: Through the first two games of the season, Doyle completed 12-of-24 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown in backup duty. It’s unclear whether Molnar will work former starter Mike Wegzyn into the game in a limited capacity like he has done with Doyle in the past.

The Minutemen will be without would-be starters Jordan Broadnax and Shakur Nesmith. Tight end Rob Blanchflower is a game-time decision.

Stacey Bedell and Tajae Sharpe have picked up much of the slack offensively. Bedell has carried the ball 35 times for 128 yards, while Sharpe has 12 catches for 98 yards.

Defensively, Kansas State offers a true group effort. Seven different players have more than 10 tackles. Defensive end Ryan Mueller and linebacker Blake Slaughter each have two sacks. Safety Ty Zimmerman returned an interception for a touchdown a week ago.

When Kansas State has the ball: Throughout the week, Molnar made it a point to mention both Kansas State quarterbacks. Jake Waters and Daniel Sams are attempting to fill the void left by Heisman Trophy finalist Collin Klein a year ago.

Waters has completed 43-of-60 passes for 558 yards and two scores, but he’s also thrown four interceptions. Sams has attempted only two passes this year, but is averaging 8.0 yards per carry (10 for 80 yards) and two touchdowns.

Running back John Hubert was named first-team All Big-12 a year ago, but has struggled early on. Hubert’s gained only 98 yards through two games, settling for 2.8 yards per carry. Kansas State possesses burner-type speed on the outside with receivers Tyler Lockett (15 catches, 224 yards) and Tramaine Thompson (eight for 154).

UMass (zero sacks) needs to improve on its pass rush. Ed Saint-Vil has recorded 20 tackles to pace the Minutemen.

UMass heads to Wildcat country By John Connolly, Boston Herald


Considering the 0-2 start to its second season of FBS play, UMass wouldn’t mind having a do-over.

Unfortunately, the Minutemen are still trying to cut their baby teeth against the big boys, and will face another stiff hurdle tonight (7) against Kansas State at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kan.

This will mark the third time the teams have met, the first since 2009. That year, the Wildcats led 21-3 at halftime before the Minutemen staged a mini-rally with two second-half touchdowns to close to a final score of 21-17. Kansas State also won the inaugural meeting, 38-17, in 2003.

“First off, it doesn’t matter if we are playing Maine, Kansas State, or anybody else. We go into each and every game with the objective to win,” said UMass coach Charley Molnar. “Each and every player is trying to be a better player this week than they were a week ago. If we can get 11 players on offense and 11 players on defense to be better players, we will be better units and, ultimately, a better team.”

UMass is coming off a crunching 24-14 loss to FCS entrant Maine, which left the Minutemen reeling. UMass was outgained 514-265 in total offense, and the underdog Black Bears converted nearly 50 percent (7-of-15) of third-down conversions. It’s safe to say that a chance to play on the road couldn’t come at a better time.

“It was a hard-fought game and I’m proud of the way the team hung in there,” said Molnar, whose club received a late fourth quarter touchdown on an 8-yard pass from quarterback A.J. Doyle to wide receiver Tajae Sharpe, who finished with a career-high 11 catches for 85 yards.

“I thought we cleaned up some of our penalties. We went down from seven (at Wisconsin) to three. We let up one sack late in the game. Overall, it was disappointing and certainly we’re regrouping and looking forward to Kansas State.”

Offensively, UMass has made the change to former Catholic Memorial star Doyle at the quarterback position. UMass must begin to score more points after compiling 14 through the opening two games.

“Defensively, (Kansas State has) a very sound, bend-don’t-break defense. They make a lot of big plays and they have good speed at the linebacker position,” Molnar said. “They are also big and strong up front, so they are a typical Big 12 defense.”

Molnar said despite the lack of early success, the Minutemen have retained a positive attitude.

“Our guys are in a good place and I think it would be real easy to get down, but our guys know their best football is ahead of them,” said Molnar. “Our trajectory is going up and they really believe that we are not too far off.”

UMass faces double-threat from Kansas State quarterbacks By DAVE SKRETTA, Associated Press

MANHATTAN, Kan. — The problem facingMassachusetts coach Charley Molnar this week just happens to be the same vexing issue that's been facing Kansas State coach Bill Snyder this season.

How to handle two quarterbacks who can do different things.

In Molnar's case, he's trying to come up with a way to stop the passing of Wildcats starter Jake Waters while ensuring his team is prepared for versatile backup Daniel Sams. And in Snyder's case, he's trying to figure out how best to juggle a pair of capable options under center.

"Neither one is Collin Klein," Molnar said of the Wildcats' Heisman Trophy finalist of a year ago, "but certainly they are both pretty good."

Waters is averaging nearly 280 yards passing, while Sams is Kansas State's leading rusher through a loss to North Dakota State and a bounce-back win over Louisiana-Lafayette. But what's been most impressive in the eyes of Snyder has been the way the two have co-existed.

After a tense battle for the starting job, they've each accepted their role.

"I have truly appreciated the fact that they root for each other and help each other out because that's what teammates are really all about," Snyder said. "They both treat each other with respect and are good guys and handle the situation as well as you possibly could."

The Wildcats aren't the only team with quarterback questions, though. Mike Wegzyn and A.J. Doyle have split time for UMass during season-opening losses to Wisconsin and Maine, and both of them should see the field when they visit Kansas State on Saturday night.

"I have to be ready no matter what, whether I'm starting, I'm going in the first play of the game or the last play," Doyle said. "You have to be ready."

As the Wildcats play their final tuneup before Big 12 play, and the Minutemen try to get on track after a 24-14 loss to the Black Bears, here are five things to consider:


SPEED TRAP: Kansas State's speedy corps of wide receivers, led by Tramaine Thompson and Tyler Lockett, will pose a problem for UMass — and not just in the passing game. Thompson was the Big 12 special teams player of the week after a kickoff return for a touchdown last week, while Lockett has returned several kicks for scores. "It's almost like they are a 4-by-100 meter relay team when they put four wide receivers out there," Molnar said. "These guys can really fly."

GROUND AND POUND: The Wildcats have struggled to run the ball, particularly when Sams is not in the game. Running back John Hubert had aspirations for a 1,000-yard season, but so far has just 28 carries for 79 yards. "Hubert's going to get his chances to get free," Thompson said, "and when he does, he's a beast when he gets going."

OPEN UP THE OFFENSE: UMass has struggled to score this season, getting shut out by Wisconsin and managing just two touchdowns against Maine. The Wildcats, meanwhile, have struggled to get off the field in both of their games. "Offensively, we are not very far off," Molnar said. "It's only a matter of time before we hit on all cylinders."

GETTING NASTY: With all five starters back from last season, Kansas State's offensive line figured to be one of its strengths. That hasn't been the case so far. "We're not that same nasty, physical offensive line that we were at the end of last season," center B.J. Finney said this week, "and that's something we are still trying to work to get back to. It is just every day a mentality thing to get nastier and being tougher."

BEWARE THE UPSET: UMass won't be looking ahead to a game against Vanderbilt, but the Wildcats will be guarding against a letdown before opening Big 12 play at Texas. Kansas State already was surprised by FCS school North Dakota State, and now faces a school just a couple years removed from playing in a lower division. "We still have a long way to go to where we want to be," Finney said, "so every game is showing us where we're at and where we need to improve."

UMass’ Tajae Sharpe wants role of No. 1 receiver By MATT VAUTOUR @GazetteUMass Thursday, September 12, 2013

AMHERST — Tajae Sharpe knows that when Kansas State coaches look at the game tape and the stat sheet from the University of Massachusetts’ loss to Maine, they’ll likely pay him a little added attention as they prepare for Saturday’s game.

The sophomore wide receiver was one of the few offensive highlights for the Minutemen. He caught 11 passes for 85 yards and one touchdown after making just one catch for 13 yards against Wisconsin.

“I felt like I had a pretty good game and I expect to continue that headed into Kansas State this weekend and the rest of the season,” Sharpe said. “My role is the leading receiver on this team. I try to embrace my role. I’m definitely ready for it.”

A year ago, Sharpe was a true freshman trying to find his way. Now he’s a young veteran surrounded by players in the same place where he was last season.

“It’s a long road learning the offense and getting used to the practice tempo and stuff like that,” Sharpe said. “I definitely understand where some of their struggles are coming from, but they’re doing very well.”

UMass coach Charley Molnar said the Minutemen need other players to elevate their play alongside him.

“There’s other guys we can rely on. We just didn’t get the ball to them for whatever reason,” Molnar said. “It’s always good to know that you have more than one guy on gotta-have-it downs. Once they take him out of the game, you’re lost. We’re working on developing guys. They’re young and when they’re young it’s hard to have the confidence in them. Last year he made some really nice catches in practice and some in the games, but was inconsistent. Now he’s become very consistent.”

Sophomore Bernard Davis, who caught UMass’ other touchdown pass against Maine, could be the next player ready to step forward.

“Bernard arguably has the best hands on the team,” Molnar said. “Catching the ball, he’s got really, really good hands. He’s gotten better since he’s been here.”

THREE OUT, ONE MAYBE — Senior tight end Rob Blanchflower remains a game-time decision for Saturday’s 7 p.m. game at Snyder Family Stadium. Junior running back Jordan Broadnax (knee), freshman Shakur Nesmith (shoulder) and freshman linebacker Steve Casali (undisclosed) won’t make the trip to Manhattan, Kan.

MORE WOODLEY — Molnar said highly touted true freshman running back Lorenzo Woodley was healthy enough to increase his workload in practice this week.

“He played in the first game. He was battling a (foot) injury leading into the first game. He was injured (undisclosed) for the second game, barely practiced so he was not ready to play” against Maine, Molnar said. “I would like to have played him but he just was not ready. He had a very good week of practice, perhaps his best as a Minuteman.”


Molnar said Woodley’s presence would help starting running back Stacey Bedell.

Woodley “definitely get reps Saturday. You can run Bedell more knowing you have a guy you can put in,” Molnar said. “It’s hard to run a guy every down, run him up inside when that’s the only guy you want to give the ball to on a consistent basis. Now we have another guy we feel good giving it to.”

Ex-CM star A.J. Doyle in UMass’ lead role John Connolly, Boston Herald

Many a rising star has earned his first experience off-Broadway before going on to bigger and better things. UMass sophomore quarterback A.J. Doyle hopes to follow that route when the Minutemen (0-2) travel to “The Little Apple” of Manhattan, Kan., to face Big 12 entrant Kansas State (1-1) in front of an expected crowd of 50,000 Saturday night.

Doyle takes over from incumbent Mike Wegzyn, a red-shirt sophomore who had completed just 22-of-48 (45 percent) passes for 212 yards this season before being yanked by coach Charley Molnar at halftime of last week’s upset loss to former FCS rival Maine.

“Kansas State is a good team,” said Doyle, a Catholic Memorial product from Lakeville who will be making his second career start. “They’ve been to some bowl games the last few years. They always have a good defense. But we just have to stay within ourselves.”

In relief of Wegzyn last week, Doyle completed 7-of-17 passes for 62 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions.

“I’m nowhere where I want to be,” Doyle said yesterday. “Certainly, I have a lot of things that I need to work on and get better at.”

Last year, Doyle appeared in eight games and made one start — in the season finale against Central Michigan, a 42-21 loss at Gillette Stadium. He finished the 2012 season with modest totals, completing 56-of-98 passes for 419 yards with three TDs and eight interceptions.

This season, limited primarily to second-half mop-up duty, Doyle is 12-of-24 for 101 yards and a touchdown.

“Obviously, I have a lot to work on and obviously we made a lot of mistakes the last two weeks. . . . (But) I think this offense if going to be a real scary offense someday,” Doyle said. “I think it’s going to happen any day now. It’s just waiting to explode. It’s like Coach (Molnar) said at practice — it’s like pounding away at a rock and one of these days the rock is going to explode.”

Doyle’s position coach, John Bond, said the UMass quarterbacks are all works in progress.

“(Doyle) has a pretty good upside. His teammates like him and seem to want to play for him, so he has that going for him,” Bond said. “He’s a fun-loving guy, but he’s very competitive when he steps between the lines. . . .”

“He’s coming on strong. I really believe we have a chance to have a real fine offense.”

A.J. Doyle takes over at quarterback for UMass By MATT VAUTOUR @GazetteUMass Wednesday, September 11, 2013

AMHERST — A.J. Doyle was the first recruit Charley Molnar called when he was hired to coach at the University of Massachusetts. On Wednesday, Molnar called on him to be the team’s starting quarterback.

Doyle takes over for sophomore Mike Wegzyn, who was ineffective in the first two games of the season. Doyle replaced Wegzyn at halftime of Saturday’s loss to Maine. He completed 7-of-17 passes for 62 yards and one touchdown.

“Coming out of the game we just felt like we’re looking for the solution,” Molnar said. “It’s hard to wrap our hands around it exactly. There’s a lot of things that need to be fixed. Some of them are unfixable, so you look for things that maybe you can make corrections on. We felt like maybe a change would energize our offense.”

Molnar refused to let Doyle be interviewed after the announcement.

Saturday will be Doyle’s second career start. Molnar started him in last year’s season finale and he completed 30-of-45 passes for 253 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in a 42-21 loss to Central Michigan at Gillette Stadium.

Wegzyn outplayed him in the spring and preseason to earn the starting job this season.


“Mike had a much better spring than A.J. did. A.J. was battling an (undisclosed) injury not only in the spring, but through the summer,” Molnar said. “Maybe it didn’t give him that chance to compete as well as he could have. As time progressed and that injury has healed, his performance has picked up in practice.”

Molnar said even though Doyle’s performance against Maine wasn’t outstanding, there were things the coaching staff saw that made them optimistic.

“Some of the things we saw in the video (Saturday), even though it wasn’t by any stretch a winning performance by him, he put himself in a position to play. After that and his work over the past couple of days, we felt it was time to make the move,” Molnar said. “When A.J. does get into the game, his performance does pick up. Some guys’ performances stay the same and some do a little bit less when the light’s come on. With A.J., his performance has historically picked up.”

Molnar thought Doyle’s personality might provide a calming influence.

“He brings a totally different mood to the team and a totally different personality, which is awesome. We have two distinctly different guys,” he said. “Mike is excitable, a little more louder, more vocal. A.J. is a little more reserved, maybe a little more steady, just a more steady presence. Maybe our team with all the young guys out there, maybe that will be something they respond to.”

Molnar made it a point to play Doyle in every game last year and this year. He wasn’t sure if he’d give Wegzyn similar playing time.

“It’s something to visit. I’m not ready to say that right now,” Molnar said. “Mike wasn’t the reason that we lost. There’s a million reasons that we lost and it starts with me. I think that changing that position, with it being such a key position, can give us a new identity over the next couple of games.”

The coach was noncommittal about how long a leash Doyle would have.

“We all know playing quarterback is not like playing left guard. It has different attention on it,” Molnar said. “But nevertheless, the guy in that spot has to earn it and keep it week in and week out.”

A.J. Doyle named starting quarterback for UMass against Kansas State Dan Malone, Springfield Republican

AMHERST – After much speculation, University of Massachusetts football coach Charley Molnar officially announced sophomore quarterback A.J. Doyle as the starter for Saturday's game at Kansas State.

Doyle, who was made unavailable for comment after practice Wednesday, played the entire second half of the Minutemen's 24-14 loss to Maine Saturday in relief of Mike Wegzyn, completing 7-of-17 passes for for 62 yards and a touchdown.

Molnar said that, coming out of the loss, he and his staff took a long look at what on the team was correctable before deciding that quarterback was one of those things.

"We just felt like maybe a change would energize our offense," Molnar said. "(Doyle) brings a totally different mood to the team (and) a totally different personality, which is awesome. We've got two distinctly different guys. Right now, we just felt like, based on some of the things we saw in the video, even though it wasn't by any stretch a winning performance by him, that he put himself in a position to play."

Doyle battled an injury during the the bulk of spring practices and summer workouts that Molnar said hampered his ability to compete with Wegzyn for the starting job when training camp rolled around. Now that he's gotten healthy, Doyle's performance at practice has picked up.

"It's not that Mike's has gone down, it's just that A.J.s has improved," Molnar said.

In two years, Doyle has thrown for 516 yards, four touchdowns and eight interceptions on 67-of-121 attempts. His only other career start came in the Minutemen's 42-21 loss to Central Michigan in the season finale last year.

Part of the justification behind to the move to Doyle was personality related. Molnar decided that Wegzyn, whom he described as "excitable and a little bit louder and more vocal," maybe wasn't the right fit for the team right now. He suggested that a young team such as UMass might respond better to Doyle's calming presence on field, which he called "little bit more reserved, maybe a little bit more steady."

He also thought the rest of the offense was getting anxious for a change to be made.

"I think that they're like everybody – they're just a little frustrated over not winning. And they're looking to me to come up with a solution," Molnar said. "Certainly, Mike wasn't the reason why we lost. There's a million reasons why we lost, and it starts with me. But I think that moving to changing that position, with it being such a key position, perhaps gives us maybe a new identity here over the next couple of games."


Sophomore wide receiver Tajae Sharpe, who caught a career-high 11 passes against Maine, including his first career touchdown off a fourth-quarter throw from Doyle, said it'll be up to the receiving corps to help relieve some of the pressure on the their new starting quarterback against the Wildcats.

"He knows he has a lot of pressure on him going into this big game going into Kansas State," Sharpe said. "So, we'll try to just ease the pressure on him and just let his mind relax and let him play football and let him make plays like he's used to doing."

Molnar said it was "too premature to say" whether the quarterback competition will be revisited each week in practice. He also wasn't sure whether he'll try to get Wegzyn into games each week the same way he had planned to do with Doyle originally.

Nevertheless, Molnar said, "the guy who's in that spot has to earn it and keep it week in and week out."

Eventually, Molnar wants to see one of the two start to separate himself in the quarterback battle, but admitted that isn't the the reality of the situation right now.

"I'd like our quarterback to feel comfortable, because that means he's winning football games and he's grading a winning performance (in film review)," Molnar said. "And, at times, your quarterback can feel comfortable that he is the quarterback and the team responds to him on the game field, on the practice field, in the meeting rooms, in the locker room.

"But I think we're not quite at that point yet."

A.J. Doyle named UMass starting quarterback for Saturday By: NICK CANELAS | September 12, 2013 | Daily Collegian

It’s officially Doyle time on the Massachusetts football team.

UMass coach Charley Molnar said Wednesday after practice that A.J. Doyle will start at quarterback for the Minutemen instead of Mike Wegzyn on Saturday night at Kansas State, according to MassLive.com.

“We just felt like maybe a change would energize our offense,” Molnar said, according to MassLive.com. “(Doyle) brings a totally different mood to the team (and) a totally different personality, which is awesome.

“We’ve got two distinctly different guys. Right now, we just felt like, based on some of the things we saw in the video, even though it wasn’t by any stretch a winning performance by him, that he put himself in a position to play.”

Doyle came in for Wegzyn for the entire second half of UMass’ 24-14 loss to Maine on Saturday and completed 7-of-17 passes for 62 yards and a touchdown.

Doyle dealt with an injury during the bulk of spring practice and training camp, according to MassLive.com, which Molnar said put him at a disadvantage in the quarterback competition with Wegzyn.

Now that Doyle’s healthy, Molnar said his performance has improved.

“It’s not that Mike’s has gone down, it’s just that A.J. has improved,” Molnar said.

Doyle’s lone collegiate start came in last year’s season finale in the Minutemen’s 42-21 loss to Central Michigan.

Molnar said that Wegzyn was a little “excitable” and simply wasn’t a right fit at the moment, according to MassLive.com. His numbers so far this season certainly back that up.

Wegzyn has completed just 45.8 percent of his passes and has thrown two interceptions to one touchdown in his two starts.


Doyle, on the other hand, brings more of a calming presence to the offense, Molnar said.

UMass football ready to move on from tough loss, take on Kansas State By: CAMERON MCDONOUGH | September 12, 2013 | Daily Collegian

There are tough losses and then there are really tough losses.

The Massachusetts football team is coming off of one of those really tough losses after Football Championship Subdivision member Maine came into Gillette Stadium and knocked off the Minutemen on Saturday.

But UMass (0-2) couldn’t afford to dwell on the disappointing defeat. Instead it needed to move on and focus on its next opponent, which is sure to be no easy walk through the park, as it travels to the Big 12’s Kansas State this Saturday.

Moving on from a game like Maine can be tough, but Minuteman coach Charley Molnar is happy with the mood at practice.

“We had a good practice,” he said. “I think the guys are mad. I know that we’ve regrouped pretty quickly. We had a pretty spirited Monday practice and we’re ready to move on.”

While the mood of the team may be good, Molnar still realizes how disappointing the loss was, not only for his players, but also for the fans.

“Every loss is tough,” he said. “I think the one thing is that our fans really expected a win. I think that was the biggest disappointment. They came out to the game, the fans were into it from the very, very beginning, and believe me I really wanted to win not only for the football team but for the people who came out to support us.”

Those who came out to support UMass on Saturday saw quarterback Mike Wegzyn struggle against the Black Bears, ultimately leading to him being pulled at halftime in favor of A.J. Doyle. Molnar announced on Wednesday after practice that he will turn to Doyle on Saturday.

It is still unclear if Doyle will have Rob Blanchflower as a weapon at tight end, as he is designated as day-to-day heading into Saturday. Running back Jordan Broadnax’s status is even murkier, as he was not given an injury designation by the team and was not at practice on Monday. Wide receiver Shakur Nesmith’s status is also in doubt after he missed practice on Monday, but tight end Ricardo Miller looks like he will return after he made his way back to the practice field on Monday.

The Minutemen are in for one tall task this Saturday against the Wildcats, though. Kansas State is coming off of a dream season in 2012 led by former quarterback Collin Klein. The Wildcats won the Big 12 and went on to play in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, where they lost to Oregon.

But this year’s team is not the 2012 version of Kansas State. Klein has since graduated and moved on to try and make his way into the NFL. This year’s team is 1-1 with a loss against FCS North Dakota State in the season opener before rebounding against Louisiana-Lafayette last weekend.

Klein was known as a quarterback who could also run and so are his replacements. Junior Jake Waters has gotten the majority of the playing time in the Wildcats’ first two games, completing 71.7 percent of his passes, throwing for two touchdowns and four interceptions. He has only run for a net of 14 yards, but he has the ability to make opponents pay with his legs. His backup is sophomore Daniel Sams, who has only thrown two balls, completing one, but he has run for 80 yards from under center.

“Both their quarterbacks are very good runners,” Molnar said. “Neither one is necessarily Collin Klein, but they’re both pretty darn good. So not only do you have to figure out how you want to play coverage against them, but also you have to keep your eyes on the quarterback if they decide to tuck the ball and run.”

And when the two quarterbacks aren’t running, they have deep threat options in Tyler Lockett, Curry Sexton and Tramaine Thompson to throw to.

“No. 1 (thing to watch for) is how fast their wide receivers are,” Molnar said. “They’ve got great speed. It’s like a 4-by-1 relay team when they put their wide receivers out there. And that will be the fastest group of receivers that we’ll play this year. So we’ll certainly have our hands full with them.”

The Minutemen have had success against Kansas State in the past, nearly pulling off an upset in 2009 before eventually losing 21-17. The Wildcats hold the 2-0 series advantage.

UMass will try to make things interesting once again in Manhattan, Kan., this Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game can be heard on 105.5 WEEI in the Springfield area.


Tajae Sharpe a model for consistency and leadership for UMass football By Nick Canelas, Daily Collegian

Even though Tajae Sharpe is only a sophomore, he already feels like a veteran on the Massachusetts football team’s wide receiving corps.

Sharpe is the most experienced player in a group that consists entirely of underclassmen, and has willingly taken on the leadership role that was held by the likes of Deion Walker and Alan Williams last season.

The difference there, of course, was that Walker (a grad student) and Williams (a senior) were both polished veterans.

But with so much turnover in the wide receiver position and injuries to a number of key offensive players, including senior tight end Rob Blanchflower, the Minutemen needed veteran presence at the skill positions to start the season.

Sharpe was the ideal candidate and he stepped in right away.

“I think (my role) has been a lot bigger,” Sharpe said. “We’ve had a lot of key guys that either graduated or didn’t come back for this upcoming season, so I think I had to jump into that leadership role where I just try to embrace each and every day for my receiving corps and my teammates in general.”

Sharpe said he tries to lead by example for some of the younger, less experienced players with his own on-field performance in order to show them the right thing to do come game day, which he did on Saturday.

Sharpe had a career-high 11 catches for 85 yards and a touchdown in UMass’ 24-14 loss to Maine, and showed off his newfound ability in the short-yardage game.

Quarterback Mike Wegzyn hit Sharpe seven times in the first half on several short-yardage plays, but it was after the catch when the sophomore was at his best. Wegzyn found Sharpe on a screen pass to the outside near the end of the first quarter, and Sharpe broke free for an 11-yard gain. Wegzyn went Sharpe’s way again on the next play, and this time the receiver turned a marginal quick slant into a 27-yard play – his longest of the season.. In total, he’s averaging 8.2 yards per catch this season.

“I love having him as a receiver,” Wegzyn said. “He’s got speed, height, he’s athletic and he catches it when I throw it his way so there’s not much more you could ask for.”

You wouldn’t tell by watching the game, but yards-after-catch (YAC) isn’t actually one of Sharpe’s strengths. In fact, it’s something he’s been trying to get better at.

Sharpe considers the strongest parts of his game to be his reliability as a pass catcher and his enthusiasm in going out for deep balls. But after Saturday’s showing, he may have a new skill to add to his itinerary.

“I feel like I needed to work on (YAC) going into the season,” Sharpe said. “I think I’m improving on that, but I really want to take another step forward. I wouldn’t say that’s one of my strengths, but I’m working towards making that one of my strengths.”

With an offense that has struggled like UMass’, the pressure is on Sharpe to perform each week with the same caliber as he did on Saturday in order to hang around with some of the high-powered offenses the Mid-American Conference has to offer, especially with Blanchflower and freshman receiver Shakur Nesmith’s futures still uncertain.

“We have some explosive players on offense so I wouldn’t put everything on my shoulders, but I would definitely say I have a big part in that,” Sharpe said. “I have to step up for my teammates. I’m one of the older guys in this receiving group, and I know I have to make plays and set an example for the younger guys.”

One thing that UMass coach Charley Molnar likes about Sharpe is his consistency, which makes him an ideal leader on a team still establishing itself.

“He’s been a steady force,” Molnar said. “He’s been a starter almost since he rolled into camp as a true freshman. He worked tremendously hard in the offseason, had excellent winter workouts, spring ball and summer camp. He’s been very, very consistent, by far our most consistent wide receiver.”

Staying at that consistent pace may be a tall order for an underclassman, but Sharpe already feels mature enough to handle the challenge.

Wildcats' speed presents matchup problems on defense By Dan Malone, Springfield Republican

AMHERST – If speed kills, then the University of Massachusetts football team is hoping it can cheat death Saturday at Kansas State.


Against the Wildcats, the Minutemen will be facing a challenge unlike any they've encountered in the early season. While Wisconsin pounded UMass two weeks ago with mammoth blockers and a bruising running game, Kansas State will look to do what it does best – get out and stretch the field.

It all starts with wide receivers Tyler Lockett and Tramaine Thompson.

"They've got great speed at wideout. I mean, it's like they're a 4x100 relay team when they put four wide receivers out there," UMass coach Charley Molnar said. "These guys can really fly. That'll be the fastest group of receivers we'll play this year, so we certainly will have our hands full with them."

That speed has translated into a corps that's amassed 468 yards on 35 receptions. Thompson leads the way with an average of 19.3 yards per catch, good for 16th nationally among players with at least eight receptions.

His speed poses a threat on special teams, too, as evidenced by his 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in Kansas State's 48-27 win over Louisiana-Lafayette last week.

"We've just got to be on our toes, and we've got to be ready to run, because they're quick and elusive," UMass sophomore cornerback Trey Dudley-Giles said. "We have to bring our 'A' game technique-wise, and physically, we've just got to be ready speed-wise."

Sophomore corner Randall Jette described the Wildcats' wideouts as "extremely athletic" and said the secondary will have to give them some extra space off the line.

"Just like every other week, it's another test. It's gonna be another technique test," he said.

Dudley-Giles does, however, think he and the other defensive backs will be able to run stride for stride with their opponents.

"I'll give 'em credit, they're fast," he said. "But I'm gonna give my team a chance to win by staying with them. Whatever I've gotta do, I'm gonna stay with them. I'm gonna try to stay with them."

But the matchup concerns don't end there.

The Wildcats also utilize a duel-quarterback attack, with junior Jake Waters handling the passing duties and sophomore Daniel Sams terrorizing defenses with his legs. In two games, the duo has combined for 585 yards passing, 94 yards rushing and five touchdowns.

"They have two quarterbacks who can run the ball very, very effectively," Molnar said. "Neither one is (2012 starter and Heisman Trophy finalist) Collin Klein, certainly, (but) they're pretty darn good."

It's Sams' ability to throw a wrench into a defense's well-laid plans that has Molnar most concerned.

"(Sams) comes in, and he really can run," he said. "So you know when he goes in they're gonna do a lot of different things – read option and things like that ... very, very effective.

"I think the biggest thing is, when you're in zone coverage, you've gotta keep your eyes back on the quarterback. And that's why you play zone – it helps you against the run. The downside, at times, of playing zone coverages is guys can pick you apart. So you've gotta mix in some man coverage. But when you're in man, the eyes are off the quarterback, and that's when he can mix in some of those big plays."

Both Dudley-Giles and Jette said the plan is to play the pass first and react to the run if necessary.

"I don't really worry about a running quarterback," Jette said. "I've just gotta make sure I cover their extremely talented receivers."

With the corners occupied, outside linebackers Jovan Santos-Knox and Trey Seals will be the first line of defense in containing Sams on the edges.

"They've gotta play their pass responsibility first, but as soon as the quarterback crosses the line, now they've gotta come up and try to make a play on him," Molnar said. "If they come up too fast, he'll play-action pass and throw the ball over their heads. But if they don't read their keys properly, the next thing you know, he's running and he's got 20 yards before you can blink an eye."

QB DECISION TOMORROW: Although the official depth chart released Tuesday recognized either Mike Wegzyn or A.J. Doyle as the starting quarterback, Molnar said he would have a definitive answer on who won the job after reviewing practice film Wednesday.

Wegzyn started the first two games before being pulled for Doyle at halftime of Saturday's loss to Maine.

Mike Wegzyn talks about the Maine game, quarterback competition By Dan Malone, Springfield Republican


University of Massachusetts sophomore quarterback Mike Wegzyn touched upon a subjects after practice Monday, including how the Minutemen are reacting to the loss to Maine and thoughts on the quarterback competition.

Let's take a look.

How quickly can you turn the page after a loss like Saturday's?

"Obviously things didn't go the way that we planned on Saturday. That's a tough loss for us, it really is. I'm not gonna try to sugarcoat it. But it's the same kind of thing coming back from game one — we've just gotta bounce back (and) turn our eyes to the next opponent. Really, I mean, you've gotta regroup, make sure the guys all rally together and still pull in the same direction. And I think everyone has. We came back, had a good workout this morning and had a great practice today, so I think we're headed in the right direction. Everyone's just real hungry to get that first "W."

Is the team anxious to get a win and avoid a repeat of 2012?

"Definitely. All the guys have been saying the same thing after that loss. We're not gonna let the same thing that happened last season reoccur."

How would you describe your relationship with A.J. Doyle?

"We're good friends on and off the field. We joke around with each other, whether it's in the film room or on the field or sitting at lunch over at Berk. So, we get along (and) we're good friends. All the quarterbacks, really all the guys on the team, we don't have anybody that doesn't really get a long with each other. Being quarterbacks, we're kind of put in that situation. We don't choose who necessarily plays or doesn't play. That's up to the coaches. That's kind of out of our control, so we just control what we can. I've got no hard feelings for him, and I'd like to think that he doesn't have any hard feelings for me. That's what you expect being in a college program. There's gonna be competition no matter what position or place you're playing at. Quarterback's just the one that there's only one guy that can be out there at a time. It's not like receiver, where there's three or four out there on the field at the same time with each other. So, that adds a little bit to it, but there's not hard feeling between us."

Do you consider yourself the starter going into the Kansas State game?

"Today they gave A.J. the nod for practice. That's up to the coaches. I couldn't dream of taking their job and doing what they have to do. So, I'm just following whatever the game plan is, and, however I can help the team, I will."

A.J. Doyle ready to stake his claim in the UMass quarterback competition By Dan Malone, Springfield Republican

AMHERST – Competition is nothing new for A.J. Doyle and Mike Wegzyn.

For well over a year, the sophomores have worked tirelessly to stake their claim to the title of starting quarterback for the University of Massachusetts football team.

Though Doyle got the nod in the Minutemen's season finale against Central Michigan last year (completing 30 of 45 passes for 253 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions), it's Wegzyn, who started 11 games last year and the first two this year, who was the leader in the clubhouse the entire offseason. Through spring practices and summer training camp, he won the job outright, often drawing the praise of coach Charley Molnar for his development as a passer.

But after Saturday's disaster of a loss in the home opener against Maine, it's back to square one. The competition is open once more.

For Doyle, the time is now to make up for what he called a "frustrating" offseason and show what he can bring to the table at Kansas State Saturday.

"I didn't have a great spring at all. Mike had a better spring, plain and simple," he said. "Then in camp, I just waited too long to turn it on, so Mike, overall, had a better camp than me. Honestly, I can only be mad at myself. I can't be mad at anything else other than the way I performed."

Because UMass already got an extended look at Wegzyn the last few months, it was Doyle who took the majority of first-team snaps during practice Monday. Molnar said he and his staff would review the practice film and decide how to split reps over the remainder of the week.

"It felt good," Doyle said. "I focus every day, no matter if I'm taking first- or second-team reps. I'm trying to be the starter and do what I can to be the starter. Mentally, it really wasn't that much of a change for me."

Molnar, who said after the loss to the Black Bears that he'd have a "hard week" trying to make a starting decision, thought both Doyle and Wegzyn responded well Monday.

"A.J. had a good practice and so did Mike," he said. "I think competition is always good – it brings out the best in all of our players and all players in general. You know, A.J. stepped up a little bit today and so did Mike, so it'll be fun for the next couple days."


That's a good sign for Doyle, who has traditionally performed better when the bullets start flying in live games than he does in lower-intensity practices and scrimmages.

"Some people back up a little bit when the lights come on, (but) it seems to me that A.J. steps up his game," Molnar said.

Both Doyle and Wegzyn have described their relationship on and off the field as strong. But Doyle admitted the large amount of time they spend together during the week – they also share a hotel room for every road game – tends to make things "a little awkward" when it comes to the fierce battle for the QB job.

"We both understand it's a competition and we both understand only one quarterback can play," Doyle said. "We both have a very good understanding that one of us is gonna play and one of us is gonna sit."

And as it stands right now, Doyle thinks he's the man to beat.

"I hope so. I believe I am, yes," he said. "But that's up to the coaches and it's up to how I practice the rest of this week. If I practice well, then I've got to make sure the coaches don't have any other decision than to start me."

INJURY REPORT: Citing multiple sources close to the situation, Bob McGovern of the Maroon Musket reported Monday that junior running back Jordan Broadnax will miss the rest of the season with the right knee injury that has kept him out the first two games.

Broadnax was not at practice and was not given an official injury designation by the team, which gave no further comment on his status. Redshirt freshman Stacey Bedell continued to work in his place.

Fifth-year senior tight end Ricardo Miller, who sat out Saturday with a leg injury, was back, while senior tight end Rob Blanchflower (undisclosed) and freshman wideout Shakur Nesmith (shoulder) were absent again.

Quarterback competition heats up at UMass practice By Mark Chiarelli, Daily Hampshire Gazette

AMHERST — University of Massachusetts football coach Charley Molnar has yet another quarterback competition on his hands.

Molnar pulled starting quarterback Mike Wegzyn at halftime of Saturday’s disappointing 24-14 loss to Maine after Wegzyn threw for 139 yards, completing 13-of-25 passes and throwing a touchdown and interception. His replacement A.J. Doyle also struggled, completing just 7-of-17 passes for 62 yards and a touchdown.

The inconsistent play re-opened the battle for the starting spot, a situation Molnar believes will be a positive for UMass as he moves forward with both players gaining first-team practice reps before UMass (2-0) plays at Kansas State (1-1) Saturday at 7 p.m.

“I think competition is always good, it brings out the best in all of our players,” Molnar said. “A.J. stepped up a little bit today and so did Mike, so it will be fun for the next couple days.”

Wegzyn remained focused despite a murky future.

“That’s what you expect being in a college program, there’s gonna be competition no matter what position,” he said. “No matter what position or what place you’re playing at there’s going to be competition for every spot. Quarterbacks just the only one where one guy can play at a time.”

Doyle, who’s replaced Wegzyn in both games this season, understands there’s an opportunity at hand.

“I felt good. I focus every day no matter if I’m taking first- or second-team reps,” Doyle said. “I’m trying to be the starter and do what I can to be the starter.”

While both quarterbacks understand it’s a competition on the field, there’s an effort to maintain a healthy relationship as teammates.

“We’re good friends on and off the field and we joke around with each other,” Wegzyn said. “Whether it’s in the film room or on the field or sitting at lunch over in (Berkshire Dining Commons) we get along. We’re good friends.”

Doyle noted the competition can still trickle into everyday activities.

“Honestly, it’s a little awkward because we’re always together,” Doyle said. “We both have a very good understanding that one of us is going to play and one of us is going to sit.”

Errors and inconsistency Saturday plagued the UMass offense, which gained only 265 yards against Maine. The Minutemen have scored 14 points through two games and Wegzyn believes the Minutemen are restricting themselves.


“A lot of our problems have been self-inflicted. I think we really have decided the first two games we would lose just because of the mistakes we’ve made,” he said. “If we executed like we should it really shouldn’t have been a problem.”

Molnar said his team has to look past previous mistakes and Monday’s practice was the first step.

“I think the mood was really good today, we had a good practice,” Molnar said. “I think the guys are mad. I think we regrouped pretty quickly. We had a spirited Monday practice and we’re ready to move on.”

INJURY UPDATE — Tight end Rob Blanchflower did not practice Monday and is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. He’s listed as a game-time decision for Saturday.

Running back Jordan Broadnax also did not practice Monday and his status for Saturday is uncertain. According to the MaroonMusket, Broadnax is out for the year with an knee injury. Tight end Ricardo Miller, who did not play Saturday,practiced Monday and will play against Kansas State.

UMass outclassed By John Connolly, Boston Herald

FOXBORO — Thud!

That was the sound of the door slamming on UMass as yesterday as the second-year FBS member was thoroughly outplayed by its former FCS rival, Maine, which captured a convincing 24-14 upset victory, sending the Minutemen partisans in the Gillette Stadium crowd of 15,624 home in a foul mood.

The win handed the Black Bears a 2-0 start and represented Maine’s second straight win and fourth in the last five meetings over UMass (0-2). It was also Maine’s second win against an FBS program, following a 9-7 road victory over Mississippi State in 2004.

“From an offensive perspective, we’re not able to sustain drives because we’re not able to do simple pitch-and-catch,” said second-year UMass coach Charley Molnar, whose Minutemen went 1-11 a year ago. “We’re not trying to run the Patriots offense. We’re not trying to ask the guys to throw the ball 40 yards downfield in tight windows like we do every day out in practice. For whatever reason, we’re not getting it done in the game.”

As for the magnitude of a loss to a lower-division rival, Molnar said, “Well, the bandwagon has been fairly light anyway. If a couple more jump off, that’s their call. All I know is this: We are a better football team than we’ve been. We’ve been playing hard and I really believe the fruits of our labors are going to show.”

Maine quarterback Marcus Wasilewski, who completed 20-of-28 passes for 267 yards, directed an offense that compiled 514 total yards compared to just 265 for UMass.

UMass took the opening kickoff and moved 54 yards in just four plays, a drive capped by quarterback Mike Wegzyn (13-of-25, 139 yards) connecting with Bernard Davis for a 7-yard score.

“It was a rough start. They hit us fast and furious. It was the same way Mississippi State did against us,” said Maine coach Jack Cosgrove, a Sharon native. “But, we settled in. That’s heart and soul stuff when you close out a game like that. It’s football.”

Maine got a break later in the quarter when UMass’ Trey Dudley-Giles muffed a Jeffrey Ondish punt and Khari Al-Mateen recovered for the Black Bears at the UMass 40. Ten plays later, Sean Decloux connected on a 26-yard field goal.

The Black Bears took the lead for good early in the second quarter. After a 20-yard punt gave Maine the ball at the UMass 35, Ricky Stevens dashed to paydirt on the drive’s first play for a 10-7 edge that held until halftime.

Maine scored on its second possession of the third quarter as Zedric Joseph bulled across from 1 yard out for a 17-7 lead with 4:29 left. The key to the 12-play, 68-yard march was a 31-yard hookup between Wasilewski and Justin Perillo, who escaped behind double coverage.

Following a UMass three-and-out, Wasilewski supplied the dagger with a subsequent 39-yard quarterback draw for a touchdown. The QB eluded a futile shoestring tackle bid by Dudley-Giles to push the margin to 24-7 with 1:18 left in the third.

UMass quarterback A.J. Doyle (7-of-17, 62 yards), who entered the game after halftime, capped a six-play, 45-yard, 55-second drive by finding receiver Tajae Sharpe (career-high 11 catches for 85 yards) for an 8-yard score with 11 minutes to go. The Minutemen got no closer.

“It doesn’t matter who you play on any given day,” said UMass linebacker Stanley Andre. “Maine’s a good football team and they came out and played hard today. It’s not discouraging.

“We don’t have our heads down. We just have to take it day-by-day and put it aside. We’re definitely going to move forward.”


Still a long way to go By Bob McGovern, Boston Herald

FOXBORO — There have been many bad losses in the time since UMass moved its football program out of Amherst and put it among college football’s elite.

Crushing defeats to the legendary programs of Wisconsin and Michigan were expected as part of the growing process.

However, yesterday’s 24-14 loss to Maine at Gillette Stadium was something different. It was a sign the program hadn’t made the strides many expected. It meant the Minutemen, playing in an NFL stadium 90 miles from campus, aren’t that far from where they started.

“Obviously, we didn’t leave Maine behind. If nothing else, we probably incensed Maine to come out and play a great game,” UMass coach Charley Molnar said. “Right now, there is no gap between us and them, so they had a chance to win. . . . Today is Maine’s day.”

The Minutemen are no strangers to the Black Bears, who remain in the Football Championship Subdivision, UMass’ former home. The teams played for decades as members of the Yankee Conference, Atlantic 10 and finally the Colonial Athletic Association. UMass typically had more size and talent, and heading into yesterday’s contest, it held a 41-16-1 series lead. Many expected Maine to be an easy win and a brief respite in a schedule showcasing the likes of Kansas State, Vanderbilt and the Badgers of Wisconsin.

It turned out Maine wasn’t ready to be pushed around.

“Obviously the talent level is different. That’s why they have divisions,” said UMass middle linebacker Stanley Andre, referring to the difference between the Football Bowl Subdivision and the FCS. “It’s just so unfortunate that we lost to Maine. They came out and played today. I just don’t think we came out and played to our ability.”

UMass hyped the Maine game to alumni in the Boston area as a chance to see the new-and-improved Minutemen. Those around the program hoped an early-season win would quiet some naysayers who questioned the school’s decision to move into the highest level.

Molnar isn’t worried about the potential for a growing negative groundswell.

“The bandwagon has been fairly light anyway, so if a couple more jump off, that’s their call,” he said. “All I know is that we are a better football team. I don’t care who we were playing. We’re a better football team than we’ve been.”

UM loss ‘really discouraging’ Minutemen lay an egg against FCS Maine in home opener By Matt Vautour, Daily Hampshire Gazette

FOXBOROUGH — Any hopes the University of Massachusetts football program had that playing a Championship Subdivision opponent would end its Gillette Stadium woes and give the Minutemen momentum heading into the rest of the 2013, came to a crashing halt Saturday.

After UMass scored a touchdown on the game’s opening drive, the Minutemen were outplayed the rest of the way and fell to Maine, 24-14, in their home opener before a listed attendance of 15,624.

“This was really discouraging,” UMass coach Charley Molnar said. “The last thing I wanted to do was come here and sit here (in the press conference) under these circumstances today. I knew it was going to be close. That’s what I preached to the guys. The reality is it was tougher than I wanted it to be.”

UMass remains winless in Foxborough, falling to 0-8 all-time in Gillette. The Minutemen (0-2) play at Kansas State on Saturday night at 7.

“We don’t have our heads down. We’re going to move forward. We have a positive mindset,” junior linebacker Stanley Andre said. “Obviously, the talent level is different. That’s why they have divisions. It’s just so unfortunate that we lost to Maine. They came out and played today and we didn’t play to our best ability. They played high-caliber football. Quite frankly, I’m impressed.”

Sporting new maroon helmets as part of a head-to-toe maroon ensemble, the Minutemen raced down the field on the opening drive, which was capped by Mike Wegzyn’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Bernard Davis, 1 minute, 23 seconds into the game. But the offense, which was missing three potential starters, sputtered from there.

A first-half interception in the end zone didn’t seem to faze Maine. Following a muffed punt by UMass returner Trey Dudley-Giles, the Black Bears got a 26-yard field goal from Sean Decloux and a 35-yard touchdown run by Rickey Stevens to take a 10-7 halftime lead.


Wegzyn was 3 for 3 on the first drive, but finished 13 for 25 for 139 yards with one interception before being benched at halftime. A.J. Doyle’s results were similar.

“I felt good about A.J. for the last couple weeks. He’s picked up his deal in practice. But nevertheless, I wanted to make sure Mike had every opportunity,” Molnar said. “When we got to halftime I could see that we needed some help. That we needed to do something different to get the offense going. I decided to make the change.”

Doyle couldn’t rally the Minuteman offense. Maine added two third quarter touchdowns to stretch its lead to 24-7, while UMass punted three times.

Doyle briefly gave his team life in the fourth, piloting a 45-yard drive that ended with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Tajae Sharpe (11 catches, 85 yards). But after the defense forced a punt, Doyle was sacked once and threw three incomplete passes on the next drive giving Maine the ball back for a clock-killing drive.

The Black Bears (2-0) had the ball first and goal on UMass’ 7-yard line, but chose to take a knee rather than tack on more points.

Doyle finished 7 for 17 for 139 yards. Ed Saint-Vil led UMass with 14 tackles.

Maine quarterback Marcus Wasilewski led the Black Bears in passing (20 for 28, 267 yards, one interception) and rushing (10 carries, 76 yards).

Molnar thought a chance to beat UMass, who’d left the Colonial Athletic Association behind, probably motivated Maine.

“Every loss is just shattering to me,” Molnar said. “Obviously we didn’t leave Maine behind. We probably (motivated) Maine to come out and play a great game. Right now there is no gap between us and them.”

Matt Vautour: Saturday's loss to Maine was UMass' worst nightmare By Matt Vautour, Daily Hampshire Gazette

FOXBOROUGH — When members of the University of Massachusetts athletic department woke up in the middle of the night in cold sweats over the past few weeks, Saturday’s football loss to Maine was what their nightmares looked like.

Nobody with any sense of perspective thought the Minutemen would be bowl eligible this year. Progress would have equaled success by any reasonable definition. The only thing UMass couldn’t do was lose to Maine.

Falling to a Championship Subdivision team was bad enough, but not only did the Minutemen lose, they were barely competitive in a 24-14 loss that could have been worse if Maine had avoided a first-half interception in the end zone and chose to go for it on the final play of the game rather than take a knee.

For a moment, the Minutemen looked like they might live up to coach Charley Molnar’s description of being “light years ahead” of where they were a year ago. They marched down the field to start the game and turned a smooth drive into an easy touchdown. There were so few leads, so few fast starts a year ago that it was cause for jubilation on the UMass sideline even if the opponent was only Maine.

But FCS teams are supposed to play the role of the Washington Generals for FBS teams. Maine not only collected its $160,000 paycheck for the game, but a victory as well.

It wasn’t especially surprising that the UMass offense struggled. With three projected starters injured and the rest of the unit loaded with youth, the Minutemen figured to be finding themselves early this season. The defense’s play is of bigger concern.

With so many young players getting experience last year, the Minutemen were counting on the defense to be a group of young veterans they could lean on. But too often Maine broke initial tackles or had receivers get wide open.

Making matters worse was that Maine was hardly dominant. Bryant University, the Black Bears’ opponent next week, isn’t going to watch this game tape and shudder. If Maine avoided some costly mistakes, it could have been worse for the Minutemen. The Colonial Athletic Association is a good FCS league, but Maine was picked to finish eighth in it.

UMass’ quest to drum up fan interest in its fledgling program certainly took a huge hit. Even if people are interested, are they interested enough to pay to see the Minutemen struggle? It’s not just that UMass was bad, but hard to watch: too many three-and-outs, overthrows and missed tackles. A team that can move the ball, score and lose is at least entertaining.

It’s not fair to put all the blame for the offense’s woes on the quarterbacks, but Mike Wegzyn and A.J. Doyle each had one good drive and otherwise struggled. Doyle gets a temporary pass because he hasn’t worked with the first string as often, but neither has shown an ability to consistently produce. Unless one of them gets going, UMass could have a very long year.

After Saturday, there’s no game on the schedule that potentially favors UMass.


“It’s not going to be an easy ride this year,” Molnar said. “I think it’s going to get better. We’re going to have peaks and valleys until we can get a mature football team out there.”

Molnar wasn’t worried about what the loss meant to outside perception and said his optimism hadn’t waned.

“The bandwagon’s been pretty light anyway. If a couple more jump off, that’s their call,” Molnar said. “All I know is this: We are a better football team than we’ve been. We’re playing hard. We don’t always play smart, but we’re playing hard. I really believe the fruits of our labors are going to show. We’re still playing an awful lot of young guys. It’s not an excuse, it’s just the reality. The young guys make the bulk of the mistakes. That’s the just the way it is.”

As the coach walked off the field, one UMass fan had made his way to the corner for a chance to chastise Molnar, shouting “unacceptable” at the second-year coach. Molnar heard him and acknowledged it.

“He’s entitled to it,” Molnar said. “He’s disappointed and gosh darn it so am I.”

Charley Molnar will reopen UMass’ QB competition By Matt Vautour, Daily Hampshire Gazette

FOXBOROUGH — After benching starting quarterback Mike Wegzyn at halftime and replacing him with A.J. Doyle, who was equally ineffective in the University of Massachusetts’ 24-14 loss to Maine, coach Charley Molnar said the two sophomores will compete this week for the chance to start Saturday at Kansas State.

“I’ll have a hard week of practice trying to figure out which direction to go,” Molnar said.

Each quarterback led one scoring drive and otherwise struggled. Wegzyn, who started 11 of 12 games last year and both games this year, was 13 for 25 for 139 yards and one interception. Doyle was 7 for 17 for 62 yards. Each threw one touchdown pass.

“From an offensive perspective, we’re not able to sustain drives because we’re not able to do a simple pitch and catch that we’re capable of doing. We’re not trying to run the Patriots offense or asking the guys to throw the ball 40 yards down field into a tight window,” Molnar said. “Things we do every day in practice we’re not getting done in the game. Sometimes it’s on the quarterback. ... Any time you change the quarterback it feels like you’re putting the blame on him. That’s not what I wanted to do. We definitely needed a spark.”

Molnar said Doyle has been getting closer to Wegzyn in practice already.

“I just felt with us not showing enough offensively that the gap between the two was so thin right now that A.J. deserved a chance,” Molnar said. “They’re both very equal at the end of the day from a productivity standpoint. At the end of the day, it’s going to be more of a gut feeling.”

Doyle wasn’t pleased with his showing.

“Obviously, I could have done a lot better. I didn’t complete all my passes. I didn’t make all the right protection checks,” he said. “I only put up seven points when I was out there. There’s a lot I can improve on.”

BLANCHFLOWER OUT — Senior tight end Rob Blanchflower missed his second straight game with an undisclosed injury. Sophomore Derek Beck started in his place.

ATTENDANCE — UMass needs to average 15,000 fans per game to avoid NCAA probation. After 15,624 showed up they need to average 14,876 for the remaining five games.

UMass football embarrassed 24-14 in home opener against Maine By Dan Malone, Springfield Republican

FOXBOROUGH — If Saturday's home opener against Maine was supposed to be the yardstick by which the University of Massachusetts football team measured its progress as a Football Bowl Subdivision program, then the Minutemen clearly still have a ways to go.

Plagued by miscues and inconsistent efforts, UMass failed to live up to its FBS billing as the Minutemen fell 24-14 the Black Bears at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

After a promising opening drive in which UMass (0-2) took its first lead of the season on a 7-yard touchdown pass to freshman wideout Bernard Davis from sophomore quarterback Mike Wegzyn, everything started to unravel.


Trey Dudley-Giles muffed a punt. Maine (2-0) tight end Justin Perillo was left wide open for a 48-yard play. The Black Bears' offensive line, which, on paper, was supposed to be dominated by its larger Minutemen opponents, controlled the line of scrimmage.

Trailing 10-7 at the half, UMass coach Charley Molnar elected pull Wegzyn (13-of-25 for 139 yards, one touchdown, one interception) in favor of backup A.J. Doyle (7-of17 for 62 yards and a touchdown). But the results were largely the same, as the Black Bears added a pair of touchdowns after the break.

The Minutemen were out gained 516 yards to 265. Minutemen wide receiver Tajae Sharpe finished with a career-high 11 receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown.

UMass travels to Kansas State next weekend.

UMass defenders still not getting enough pressure on opposing quarterbacks By Dan Malone, Springfield Republican

AMHERST — Whatever the University of Massachusetts football team has been doing to generate pressure on the quarterback, it doesn't appear to be working.

Though it's been a point of emphasis throughout training camp and the first two weeks of the season, UMass came away with another sack-less performance in its 24-14 home-opening loss to Maine on Saturday.

With mostly clean pockets to operate in, opposing passers are completing over 65 percent of their attempts for 472 yards and a pair of touchdowns and interceptions. That's helped to create a nearly 22 minute deficit in time of possession as the Minutemen have been outscored 69-14 so far this season.

But not getting to the quarterback is nothing new for UMass. In 2012, the defense recorded only one sack through its first two games and finished with just 12, good for second to last in the Mid-American Conference.

Players have been positive about the steps being made to improve on those numbers, however, especially Justin Anderson, a fifth-year defensive end who was brought over from Maryland to help bolster the sagging pass rush.

"I feel real confident in our pass-rush ability this year. We're gonna have way more than 12 sacks this year. I can guarantee that," Anderson said during the preseason. "Our pass rushing has gotten so much better since day one.

Anderson, of course, has yet to get to the quarterback and has 10 tackles (two solo) on the season.

Just this past week, senior defensive tackle Galen Clemons said he would love "more than anything in the world" to get the Minutemen their first sack.

"We're working on some extra pass rush this week," he said. "I'm sure hoping that it'll pay off, and I'm confident that it will."

Unfortunately for UMass, none of those efforts have paid off yet. And that made life for defenders trying to corral Maine quarterback Marcus Wasilewski, who completed 20 of 28 passes for 276 yards and an interception Saturday, that much more difficult.

The quarterback is awfully efficient," UMass coach Charley Molnar said of Wasilewski after the game. "He plays so much better than his skill set — great decision maker, puts the ball where it needs to be. And we just had our hands full with him."

The one occasion where the pressure brought on Wasilewski actually found its mark, he tossed up a floater into the end zone that was intercepted by linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox.

Replicating that success, however, proved difficult. Other than that play, the Black Bears' signal caller looked calm making his reads and finding open (sometimes wide open) receivers.

"Coach wanted me to focus on being more patient in the pocket. I didn't really feel any pressure, except on a few plays, so credit goes to the offensive line," Wasilewski said. "The communication by those guys has been really great. It helps me out making calls and it makes things much easier for the offense, and I commend them on a great job."

That Maine was so effective in pass protection is especially frustrating for UMass considering the Black Bears' offensive line, which was a question mark heading into the game with three new starters, was one of the smallest (292-pound average) that the team will face all season.

Things won't get any easier for UMass pass rushers any time soon, either.

With games against BCS schools Kansas State and Vanderbilt on tap in the next two weeks, it's not inconceivable to think that the team will go into its Sep. 28 without having brought down the quarterback once.


If so, What's currently a troubling trend could easily develop into a nightmare for the Minutemen.

Offensive line a bright spot for Minutemen By Seth Lakso, Springfield Republican

FOXBOROUGH – Words such as “consistency” and “stability” were only used to follow up phrases like “lack of,“ or “it sure would be nice to have some” whenever the University of Massachusetts offensive line became a topic of conversation last season.

Decimated by injuries, the 2012 Minutemen were forced to start a different five up front in nearly every game in a season that saw them finish 1-11.

That lack of cohesion up front played havoc on the running game, as well as with quarterback Mike Wegzyn’s level of comfort in the pocket.

However, in two games this season, the O-line – led by returning redshirt senior Anthony Dima – has appeared to be one of the team’s strongest aspects.

In 30 passing attempts in last weekend’s 45-0 loss at Wisconsin, UMass, which allowed 32 sacks in 2012, managed to keep the combo of Wegzyn and A.J. Doyle upright the entire game.

And in Saturday’s 24-14 loss to Maine, UMass allowed just one second-half sack.

Faced with stopping Maine defensive end Mike Cole, who – after registering one sack in last weekend’s win against Norfolk St. – needed just 5.5 sacks to tie the school record of 27.5 career sacks, the Minutemen were not let down by their line.

The addition of Rutgers transfer David Osei to the line has paid some early dividends.

Osei, who has experience at all five line positions, started five games during his career at Rutgers before transferring to UMass.

As a group, the UMass line, which also includes Matt Sparks, Vincent Westcarr, and Tyrell Smith, averages 6-foot-5-inches and 300 pounds.

QB CONTROVERSY: With UMass trailing Maine 10-7 at the half, coach Charlie Molnar made the decision to give the ball to A.J. Doyle in the second.

Wegzyn went 13 of 25 and passed for 139 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.

Doyle saw even less success than Wegzyn in the second half in terms of total yards passing (62). He finished 7 for 17 with a touchdown. He also over threw by more than five yards an open Tajae Sharpe on a deep route that would have likely resulted in a touchdown.

“We’re not able to sustain drives because we’re not able to do simple pitch and catch like we’re capable of doing,” Molnar said. “We’re not trying to run the Patriots offense. We’re not trying to ask the guys to throw the ball 40 yards down the field in tight windows. Just things that we do day in and day out in practice, we’re not getting them done in the games.

“A.J Doyle’s numbers were no better than Mike’s, so I’ll have a hard week in practice trying to figure out which direction to go.”

CAREER GAME: Sharpe set a career high with 11 receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown and his work did not go unnoticed by Molnar.

“We don’t necessary have a No. 1 receiver,” Molnar said. “It doesn’t work that way, they all have chances to catch the ball. But I would say this, after today if I was a quarterback I’d have a lot more confidence with Sharpe and maybe stay with him a moment longer and put the ball up for him to go make a play because he certainly did that today.”

DAVIS MAKES IMPACT: With freshman wide receiver Shakur Nesmith ruled out just before the start of the game with a shoulder injury, Bernard Davis got the nod and didn’t take long to make his presence known.

On UMass opening drive, Wegzyn found Davis in the middle of the end zone on third-and-goal.

Davis finished with three receptions for 21 yards.

SHAKY START FOR PUNTER: After sending his first punt 40 yards for no return, UMass’ Colter Johnson (who was the Mid-American Conference’s top punter in 2012) again showed some of the inconsistent play that plagued him in Week 1.


Against the Badgers Johnson, who earlier this year was named to the Ray Guy watch list (for best punter in the nation), averaged just 31.5 yards per punt after averaging 43.8 yards in 2012.

Johnson followed up his 40-yarder Saturday with a punt that traveled just 20 yards from the UMass 15-yard line. It led to a Maine touchdown on the next play.

Johnson, eventually righted the ship and finished with nine punts and an average of 39.7 yards per kick.

UMass drops home opener to Maine By Seth Lakso, Springfield Republican

FOXBOROUGH – Saturday’s home-opener with the University of Maine was a chance to finally give University of Massachusetts football fans a win to talk about on their two-hour the ride back to Amherst. However, after failing to secure a victory at Gillette Stadium last season, the Minuteman’s tough run at home continued with a 24-14 loss in front of 15,624– many of whom were dressed in white and maroon. “Probably for the first time I really heard somebody when I was walking off the field just blistering me, you know,” said UMass second-year coach Charley Molnar, “and (the fan’s) entitled to it. He’s disappointed and gosh darn so am I.” The win was the second ever against an Football Bowl Subdivision program for the Black Bears, who wracked up 514 yards on offense. The shift to FBS by UMass was supposed to help the program leave schools like Maine, a Football Championship Subdivision team, behind, but the game showed that there’s still plenty of work to be done. “Every loss to me is just shattering and obviously we didn’t leave Maine behind,” Molnar said. “If nothing else we probably gave Maine (some incentive) to come out and play a great game because right now the gap is that there is no gap between us and them.” The Minutmen managed just 265 yards of total offense, as they struggled to put together any sustained drives – finishing the just 5 for 16 on third down conversions. Quarterback Mike Wegzyn was replaced at the half by A.J. Doyle. However, neither saw any kind of sustained success. Wegzyn finished 13 for 25 for 139 yards, a touchdown, and an interception, while Doyle went 7 for 17 for 62 yards and a score. “I felt good about A.J. the last couple weeks,” Molnar said. “He’s picked up his deal in practice, but never the less I wanted to make sure that Mike had every opportunity. He certainly had earned the starting job and I wanted to make sure that he had a chance to win the football game. “When we got to half time I could see that we needed some help. We needed to do something different to get the offense going and I decided to make the change and put A.J. Doyle in at quarterback. “I can’t tell you that that’s a permanent move. I can just tell you that it was a move that I made at the half, and that it was the right move to make.” Black Bears senior quarterback Marcus Wasilewski (20 of 28 passing) stole the show with 267 yards in the air and another 76 yards and a touchdown on the ground. “Maine’s quarterback is awfully efficient,” Molnar said. “He plays so much better than his skill set. He’s a great decision maker, puts the ball where it needs to be and we just had our hands full with him.” Wasilewski helped the Black Bears convert seven of their 15 attempts on third down, resulting in a time of possession (37:41) that greatly favored Maine. The game began on a high-note for UMass thanks to a Trey Dudley-Giles 41-yard return on the opening kickoff. On the next play, Wegzyn connected with Stacey Bedell on a screen pass that went for 47 yards and set up a first-and-goal. Wegzyn capped the drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Bernard Davis, who started the game at wide receiver in place of injured freshman Shakur Nesmith. UMass then went 48 minutes and 27 seconds without putting a point on the board. Bedell, who was shaken up just before halftime (but able to return to the game), finished the day with 58 yards rushing and 52 receiving on two receptions.Later in the first Dudley-Giles committed the first special teams misstep of several for UMass, muffing a punt by Jeffrey Ondish that gave Maine the ball at the UMass 40-yard line. Eleven plays later, Maine kicker Sean Decloux connected on a 26-yard field goal to make it 7-3. In the second quarter, the Black Bears again capitalized on some poor special teams play when UMass punter Colter Johnson’s punt from the his 15-yard line netted just 20 yards. Maine took advantage of the starting field position, taking a 10-3 lead on a 35-yard rush by Rickey Stevens that came on the first play of the drive.


A Zedric Joseph one-yard touchdown run made the score 17-7 4:29 into the third quarter and a Wasilewski 39-yard keeper at the end of the third put the game away for the Black Bears. Tajae Sharp (career-high 11 receptions for 85 yards) pulled in a touchdown pass from Doyle with 11:10 to play, but that was all the scoring UMass could muster. Asked if he was worried about losing fans, Molnar responded said, “The bandwagon’s been fairly light anyway, so if a couple more jump off that’s their call. All I know is this. We are a better football team. Again I don’t care who we were playing, we’re a better football team than we’ve been. We’re playing hard, don’t always play smart and I really believe the fruits of our labors are going to show.”

For the UMass football team, the future is not now, and it's tough to watch By Nick O’Malley, Springfield Republican

UMass football coach Charley Molnar is preaching patience, something he's been forced to do a lot now in his second year with the Minutemen.

He has high expectations for five years down the road, an ideal of what the football program can become and the strong personality and tenacity that could just be what it takes to help promote the program and bring in recruits.

He also has one win in 14 games.

Following Saturday's ugly 24-14 loss to Maine, UMass' old Colonial Athletic Association/Atlantic 10/Yankee Conference rival from the Football Championship Subdivision, Molnar remained firm in his stance that the UMass football team is improving and has a bright future down the road.

However, he also admitted that, in the short-term, it's going to be tough goings for the Minutemen.

"I think it's going to get better, but it's not going to be easy," Molnar said. "We're going to have some peaks and we're going to have some valleys, not only in games but even within a game. That's just going to be that way until we can get a mature football team out there."

Maine marked the first FCS opponent for UMass since officially making the transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision last season. It also represented the first game against one of the program's former rivals that were left behind when the Minutemen made the jump.

Losing to such an opponent (and doing so in pretty convincing fashion) is sure to draw further criticism from those who are already opponents of the program's jump to the FBS level.

It's been over a year since the change and the easiest criticism to make is that the Minutemen have had time to separate themselves from what used to be the pack in the CAA with better recruits and a higher number of scholarships. But that simply hasn't been the case. UMass is still young, still inexperienced and still not the program is wants to be.

UMass' endgame is ambitious. But right now, the product on the field hasn't come very far, something that Molnar is ready to admit.

"We didn't leave Maine behind," Molnar said when asked about the dynamic between the Minutemen and their former rivals. "If nothing else, we [incentivized] Maine to come out and play a great game because right now there is no gap between us and them. They had a chance to win. In three or four years, when we have our program developed, when we have the right guys in there, [it] should be a different story. [I] can't promise you that, but it should be a different story."

Once again, Molnar was preaching patience. But then, he shifted the perspective to now, where few can see the bright spots, even through Maroon-and-White-colored glasses.

"Today is Maine's day. Four years from now is irrelevant. That's just hypotheticals. The reality is, there is no gap between us and Maine," Molnar said.

The Minutemen are going to take their lumps in 2013. The team's Week 3 opponent, Kansas State, is a Big XII program that's not likely to make things easy.

With the Maine game resulting in a loss, UMass loses one of the few games this season where they'll be expected to be competitive. Following the team's nightmare 1-11 season in 2012, the team is expected to show some signs of progress in Year 2. And that means wins -- plural.

UMass is only two weeks into the 2013 season, but the team will have to start capitalizing on opportunities soon, otherwise, no amount of campaigning will quell a fanbase that has yet to see its team win a single game at Gillette Stadium.

Molnar is already hearing it from the fans, but that's something he knows he can't let get to him.


"I've pretty well insulated myself from that because if I took every game as an indictment, I would probably have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning," Molnar said. "I know that there's going to be people out there that -- I had really, for the first time somebody, when I was coming off of the field, just blistering me coming off, and he's entitled to it, you know. He's disappointed and gosh darn, so am I."

Canelas: Loss to Maine a major setback for UMass football By Nick Canelas, Daily Collegian

FOXBORO – It was the darkest 60 minutes of the Massachusetts football team’s life as a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision.

The Minutemen lacked heart, looked uninspired and clearly weren’t mature enough to avoid playing down to inferior competition in an embarrassing 24-14 loss to Maine on Saturday.

UMass didn’t just lose, it got beat down by a Football Championship Subdivision team.

There is no real explanation or excuse as to why or how this stunning turn of events transpired. But one thing is for certain: this team still has a long way to go before we can start talking about progress.

Since its first FBS game at the beginning of last season, the Minutemen have gradually gotten better and given people reason to believe in the long-term success of the program.

This was the first major setback.

UMass looked like it had started to turn the corner when it gave No. 23 Wisconsin a scare for almost two quarters. On Saturday, it looked awfully like the FCS team that lost to the Black Bears on the road two years ago.

The UMass defense allowed an FCS quarterback to throw for 267 yards on 20-of-28 passing and hit four different receivers on plays of more than 20 yards. It also allowed four different FCS running backs to combine for 253 yards and three touchdowns, including a 35-yard scamper that put the Black Bears up for good.

The only reason the Minutemen hung around to that point was because Maine had committed three turnovers and killed multiple drives due to careless penalties at the line of scrimmage.

Things were no better offensively. Both quarterbacks Mike Wegzyn and A.J. Doyle played a half of football, and neither was any good. They were good enough to lead one touchdown drive each, but poor enough to force Colter Johnson to punt the ball nine times against an FCS defense.

“A lot of people thought we should be the favorite because we’re FBS and they’re FCS,” UMass coach Charley Molnar said. “I knew by looking at the film, their roster, and their size that it was a pretty even matchup.”

That defeats the purpose of making an upgrade. You’re supposed to be better than the teams in the division below you. And based on what UMass brought to the Gillette Stadium turf on Saturday, this team is not.

If UMass wants to prove that it belongs in the FBS and Mid-American Conference, this wasn’t the way to do it.

The Minutemen technically weren’t the favorite in this game, but there was no question they should’ve played like they were supposed to be. They may only be at the beginning of their second FBS campaign, but they’ve already had two years to build recruiting classes that should amount to a team that is superior to an FCS school that was picked in the preseason to finish eighth in the Colonial Athletic Association.

Apparently those players haven’t grown up enough yet.

“Obviously the talent level is different, that’s why they have divisions,” UMass junior linebacker Stanley Andre said. “It’s just so unfortunate that we lost to Maine. They came out and played today. I just don’t think we came out to our best ability.

“They played high-caliber football. Quite frankly I’m impressed.”

UMass seemed to be pretty high up the measuring stick early. The Minutemen burned the Maine defense on four plays for a quick touchdown, but then followed that up by allowing 24 consecutive points.

Did UMass really think the game was in hand that quickly? It sure seemed like it from there.


What was most mind-blowing to me was that the Minutemen were trailing by three points at halftime to a team that had no business hanging around with them, and had no response to start the second half.

UMass looked sluggish, sloppy and appeared to have quit as the game wore on.

“We’re still playing an awful lot of young guys,” Molnar said. “That’s not an excuse, but reality. And young guys have made a lot of mistakes.”

Everyone needs to be held accountable after a loss like this, though. The underclassmen sure showed some immaturity with the way they handled the game, but the veterans were no better. Not only is it their responsibility to keep everyone in check on the field and make plays, but also to keep players focused and not let what should be an easy win slip away from them.

I’m sure the coaching wasn’t immaculate, either.

Once everyone is held accountable, then UMass can hit the reset button and hope the FBS relevancy that it lost on Saturday can be rediscovered. A couple of MAC wins would give that a definite boost.

However, there is no moving on from this game. This one will haunt the minds of UMass fans until the next opportunity presents itself. Unless the Minutemen can pull off a miracle upset over Kansas State next weekend, it’s unlikely that we’ll see another crowd of 15,000-plus in the Gillette Stadium stands on Sept. 21 at noon against Vanderbilt. Those are some all-important attendance figures, too.

Molnar got a first-hand look at the frustration of the fans with this kind of performance.

“Really for the first time I had somebody when I was walking off the field just blistering me coming off, and he’s entitled to it,” Molnar said. “He’s disappointed, and gosh darn so am I.”

Molnar shrugged the instance off as no big deal, but it’s unlikely that comes up in his press conference if it had no effect on him.

The team is probably hurting right now, as it should be. There’s much to be done in order to prove that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.

This isn’t a call for anyone’s head. This isn’t the beginning of the end. But it’s a bad loss, and it’s one that can’t be ignored.

Progress has been stalled. The Minutemen failed to separate themselves from a bygone era on Saturday. Fans will just have to be a little more patient than originally expected in order to get the results they were hoping for.

“Every loss is shattering,” Molnar said. “(Saturday was) Maine’s day. Four years from now is irrelevant. The reality is there is no gap between us and Maine. We knew it was going to be close and the talent gap isn’t there.”

Chalk it up as an opportunity lost.

UMass Head Coach Charley Molnar Looks Ahead To Home-Opener vs. Maine By CBS Boston

BOSTON (CBS) – The UMass Minutemen return to Gillette Stadium on Saturday for their “home opener” against the Maine Black Bears.

UMass fell to the Wisconsin Badgers 45-0 in their season opener last weekend, but head coach Charley Molnar was pleased with strides his team has made following their first season in FBS play last year.

“The biggest thing was our guys have improved quite a bit form last season. The score didn’t indicate it, but we played fairly clean,” Molnar told 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Marc Bertrand for their weekly chat. “We had some errors and some penalties I wish we could have had back, but our offensive line has improved tremendously from a year ago. We were able to manage a run game and protect the quarterback. We had no sacks of TFL, just a couple pressures and really that was due to the coverage than anything else.”

“On defense we had 54 plays where we held Wisconsin to under 150 yards on offense, and then we had a dozen plays where the roof caved in. If we can eliminate half those plays against an opponent like Wisconsin, who knows how the game can end up,” he said. “We’ve made great strides and really have improved in all areas.”

UMass takes on a FCS foe in Maine, so does Molnar view this weekend’s matchup as a “must win”?

“Every game I’ve coached I’ve felt like it’s a must-win, so this one is no different for me,” he said. “We are only two years removed from FCS; a lot of our players were recruited as FCS players and these are guys we’re counting on. We have some guys that played against Maine, and the last time they lined up against the Black Bears, if I remember it correct, they handed it to the Minutemen. These guys will hopefully remember that and want to go out and show them how much they’ve improved.”


“Obviously as a head coach I want to show where our team is at and that we’re making strides — that we’re climbing more of the FBS division and away from that FCS division. Saturday will be a good indicator of where we’re at.”

UMass to take on Maine in home opener By Julian Benbow – Boston Globe

The second he saw the football squirm from the grip of running back Stacey Bedell, University of Massachusetts coach Charley Molnar tried to wrap his head around how it happened.

Trying to pry the football from Bedell in practice was like trying to take dynamite to a bank safe.

“He’s taken some extremely vicious hits in practice and never, never loses the football,” Molnar said. “That’s why I was so surprised.”

It could have been rust. It had been practically two years since Bedell had seen real action. A broken collarbone put an end to his freshman season in 2012 after just two games and three carries, forcing him to redshirt.

But Bedell was bursting at the seams to get back on the field, looking for ways to leapfrog returning starter Jordan Broadnax on the depth chart.

“He definitely showed that he was ready,” Molnar said. “He was competing like crazy to be the starting running back. He wasn’t going to be happy to be the first man off the bench.”

It could have been the way the Minutemen had prepared. In practice, Molnar is quick with the whistle to put an end to plays in order to keep players safe.

“He was going down, actually his forward progress had been stopped but he wasn’t on the ground, he was on top of a defensive player,” Molnar said of a play in last Saturday’s opener against Wisconsin. “So, technically it was still a live-ball situation, and as he was churning for more yardage his body turned in such a way that the defensive player had a clear shot at the ball and was able to rake it out.”

Looking ahead to the Minutemen’s home opener against Maine on Saturday at Gillette Stadium, unforced errors were high on Molnar’s list of things to address.

Even though Bedell’s 70 rushing yards were one of the few highlights in the 45-0 loss to the Badgers, his fumble came on UMass’s fourth offensive play.

For a team that went into the game knowing it had to be near perfect just to compete, it was the first sign that it wouldn’t be.

“We went to Wisconsin to win,” Molnar said. “We didn’t go there with the idea for any sort of moral victory or to hang in there. This is what we knew and we talked about it all summer camp, we would have to play a perfect game in order for us to succeed. Obviously we didn’t, from the very first series in fact.”

Each week, Molnar posts the team’s miscues in the locker room for the players to see. It’s the kind of leaderboard no player wants to land on. But after committing seven penalties and two turnovers, it was a clear message that the Minutemen sabotage themselves if they expected to win.

“We put it out there what the penalties were and who caused them,” Molnar said. “You certainly don’t want to be the leader in that statistic on our football team.”

When he looked at the mistakes, Molnar couldn’t help but imagine how his team would look if it cleaned them up.

“We had seven penalties,” he said. “Six of them were presnap fouls, five illegal procedures, one delay of game, then the seventh one happened on special teams. You take those out of there and we play better football than we played against some of the better opponents that we faced in 2012. So, we’ve made progress. The guys knew it. But at the end of the day, a loss is still a loss.”

Facing a Maine team that led the Colonial Athletic Association in scoring defense last season, things won’t be much easier. But Molnar saw some positive signs against Wisconsin.

“We weren’t late hitting, we weren’t cheap-shotting, were weren’t having too many men on the field, things that happen to undisciplined football teams. We weren’t doing those,” he said. “It was just guys that were losing their poise because of the intensity of the game, the competition level. Everybody was just really, maybe playing almost too tight. So, I’m thinking now that this game our team will be more relaxed and play free and easy.”

Matt Sparks puts it on the line for UMass By John Connolly – Boston Herald


UMass markets itself as an up-and-coming, international university that recruits top-notch student-athletes. But one has to wonder about the wisdom of sophomore Matt Sparks, who traded in warm weather and flowing palm trees for the harsh winters of Western Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley.

Sparks, the starting center for the UMass football team, hails from Mililani, Hawaii, where he attended the Punahou School, the same high school that counts President Barack Obama among its distinguished alums. Sparks helped lead the Buff and Blue to a 12-3 mark as a senior before Punahou fell to Kahuku High in the state final in Aloha Stadium.

It was during that time that former UMass assistant coach Nick Rolovich, now the offensive coordinator at Nevada, took notice of Sparks while working on the University of Hawaii staff.

“Coach Rolovich had watched me when he was at Hawaii and then he came to UMass and asked me to come, too,” Sparks said. “I came out here for a recruiting visit. I loved it. I loved the campus. I loved the area. I liked the direction the program was going. I’m glad I did it.”

The 6-foot-5 Sparks was part of an incoming class that provided the foundation for UMass’ elevation from the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Div. 1A) to Football Bowl Subdivision (Div. 1) status a year ago. The move up did not come without expected growing pains for the Minutemen, who finished 1-11 overall and 1-7 in the Mid-American Conference (MAC).

“They (coaches) told us when they were recruiting us what the challenges would be and we wanted that challenge. We did our best to step up to that challenge,” said Sparks, who entered UMass at age 17 and made three starts at left guard last season. “Probably, for me, the hardest part was trying to stay positive. I take losses pretty hard. That was hard for me to accept.

“Last year, we were feeling it out more and trying to understand what this Division 1 football was all about. This year, we’re trying to attack and go get it. It’s a different mentality. It’s a different mind-set.”

Consider it a lesson learned. Despite last week’s lopsided 45-0 loss in the season opener at Big 10 power Wisconsin, UMass, which hosts Maine (1-0) at Gillette Stadium on Saturday 2 p.m., did not allow either of its two quarterbacks, Mike Wegzyn or A.J. Doyle, to get sacked in 30 pass attempts. Last season, UMass allowed a whopping 32 sacks. UMass had 59 offensive snaps Saturday, including 29 rushing attempts, and did not permit a single tackle for a loss. At center, Sparks was forced to handle Wisconsin’s highly regarded nose tackle Beau Allen and Sparks limited the Badgers’ star to two solo tackles.

“That’s great, but at the end of the day, we have to score points,” said Sparks. “That’s on us. We still have a lot to do. We have to be better prepared on (defensive line) stunts and we weren’t able to get off our blocks on time, as well.”

Consider that outside of red-shirt senior Anthony Dima, a 6-7 left tackle who had 20 starts under his belt, the UMass starting offensive line entered the Wisconsin game relatively inexperienced. Sparks was the only other starter with prior career starts.

“The guys fought hard. We tried to prove that we could hold our own. So, we felt good about a couple of things,” offensive line coach Dave Johnson said of the Wisconsin game. “But we still had a 45-0 score and that transcends everything else. We have to get better and score points.”

Nonetheless, Johnson likes what he saw from his young group, including Sparks, who makes all the protection calls at the line of scrimmage.

“Certainly, Matt went up against a Big 10 opponent. That Allen kid is on everybody’s radar in terms of the NFL draft,” said Johnson. “Matt won some battles and he lost some battles. He was able to neutralize him somewhat. He’s really paying attention to his technique and he held his own most of the time. He competed well and got us in the right positions.

“But, how he develops is really on him. He’s still learning on how to practice hard. He’s still working on that. It’s a day-in, day-out thing of putting on his hard hat and taking that approach. It’s an adjustment for him. But he’s smart. He’s articulate. He’ll go as far as he allows himself to go.

“He just needs to practice more on his pace and up-tempo. He’ll continue to get better.”

Stacey Bedell ready to compete with best in college football By Nick Canelas – Daily Collegian

Stacey Bedell’s competitiveness doesn’t just stay on the football field.

It carries over to the virtual world as well.

The running back for the Massachusetts football team often spends his free time playing video games – football games, such as NCAA Football or Madden, of course – with close friend and teammate Tajae Sharpe.

The wide receiver usually gets the better of Bedell. But he’s always back for another round.

“He beats me a couple of times, but I don’t give up, I keep trying,” Bedell said. “He’s a little better than me right now.”


It’s that kind of competitive drive that turned Bedell from a medical redshirt after breaking his collarbone two games into his freshman season in 2012 to becoming the Minutemen’s starting running back this season.

Bedell overcame the challenge of having to sit and watch his team play by turning the situation into a valuable learning tool. In that time, not only was he in the weight room physically preparing himself to play again, but he was also learning what it takes to be a college football player.

“When you make the transition from high school to college there’s a lot of things. Really every aspect is different,” UMass running backs coach Roderick Plummer said. “With him being someone that’s really smart, he picks up on things quickly. But really there’s steps to take every day at this level, especially when you’re a freshman at this level for the first time.”

Some of those steps included pass-blocking, route running and just learning how to play in UMass’ offensive system. So when projected starter Jordan Broadnax, whom he said is like a big brother to him, went down with an ankle injury in training camp, Bedell was immediately ready to fill in for his mentor.

First experience

Bedell fulfilled a dream last Saturday when he made his first collegiate start against Wisconsin in front of over 75,000 people at Camp Randall Stadium.

Bedell said that he had butterflies the week leading up to the game, but once Saturday came he was as confident as ever. His coaches could see it as well.

“He’s a confident young man,” Plummer said. “I expected him to jump in with both feet. I knew this was something he’s been looking forward to for a long time.

“We just talked about continuing to improve. I think he was anticipating being the starter. It’s something he’s wanted to do since he’s been here.”

Though Broadnax couldn’t practice, he was there throughout the week to work with his teammates and help them prepare for the game. Before kickoff, Broadnax sent all the running backs, including Bedell, a text message to encourage them and motivate them.

From there, it was go time.

Bedell finished the game with 70 yards on 19 carries and a fumble before being pulled in the second half for Lorenzo Woodley in a 45-0 loss to the Badgers.

UMass coach Charley Molnar said after the game that we hadn’t seen Bedell at his best yet, and after watching the film noticed that he was hesitant to react to his reads at the line of scrimmage.

Molnar did, however, give Bedell the benefit of the doubt because of his lack of experience.

“He hasn’t really had consecutive carries since high school,” Molnar said. “He never got into a rhythm or a flow like he had to this past Saturday.”

Like any competitor, Bedell was far from satisfied.

“Even though it was my first collegiate start I feel like I could’ve played a little better than I did in the game, but I can’t go back and erase my mistakes now, so now it’s time to move on and focus on Maine,” he said.

Mirror images

It’s only fitting that one of Bedell’s favorite NFL players is Adrian Peterson.

The Minnesota Vikings running back battled his way back to the playing field just nine months after getting surgery to repair a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee in December 2011, and went on to run for over 2,000 yards and earn Most Valuable Player honors in 2012.

Though Peterson’s case may be extreme compared to Bedell’s, the UMass running back draws inspiration from his work ethic and perseverance.

“I know he’s a hard worker,” he said of Peterson. “He’ll never give up on something he wants and he just works hard on the field.”

Growing up, Bedell’s favorite player was LaDainian Tomlinson when the running back played for the Chargers from 2001 to 2009. Bedell wore No. 21 at William Floyd High School in Long Island, N.Y., where he was an All-State player who ran for 2,562 yards and 39 touchdowns as a senior in 2011.

Nowadays, there’s Peterson. But the player he most mirrors his game after now is San Francisco 49ers tailback LaMichael James because he believes they have a similar skill set.

“LaMichael James (has) a lot of speed, quick cuts and moves just like me,” Bedell said.

Best to come


Plummer said that football players make the most progress from their first to their second start. And he’s hopeful that will be the case with Bedell on Saturday when the Minutemen host Maine at Gillette Stadium.

It appears Bedell, Molnar and teammates feel the same way, and if what they all say holds true,, watch out.

“On the field I think he’s electrifying,” Sharpe said. “He could break at any moment. He’s fast, he’s very humble and he’s patient.”

“If he’s at his best he has the opportunity to make big plays,” Plummer said. “That would be the thing that I’m looking forward to is him getting an opportunity in the open field and really show that he’s elusive.

“He has the opportunity to hit another gear and be tough to tackle in the open field and that gives us an opportunity to put some points on the board.”

Bedell’s a humble player who is hesitant to talk about his personal goals, so he won’t touch on his future too often. But he expects nothing short of major improvements on Saturday, and that’s his only focus.

And it seems he’d like to make some improvements with a controller in his hands as well.

“He’s definitely the same guy on and off the field,” Sharpe said. “He gets a little more animated, though, playing video games.”

Just a competitor doing what he does best.

UMass seeks more improvement, first Gillette win in home opener By Nick Canelas – Daily Collegian

The scoreboard may have read 45-0, but the Massachusetts football team could see the distinct improvements from last season’s squad in its loss to Wisconsin last Saturday.

So much so, in fact, that the players were quick to point it out to their head coach.

“I had so many players come up to me to say, ‘Coach, we’re really close,’” UMass coach Charley Molnar said. “So they can see it and they can sense it.”

The Minutemen (0-1) have a chance to turn their progress into wins on Saturday when they take on former Colonial Athletic Association rival Maine in their 2 p.m. home opener at Gillette Stadium.

Not only is it a chance for UMass to capture its first win of the season, it’s a chance to finally get in the win column at its newest home field.

The Minutemen haven’t won a game at Gillette in seven tries since 2010. But Saturday marks their best chance to date.

The Black Bears (1-0) are UMass’ first Football Championship Subdivision opponent since its jump to Football Bowl Subdivision following the 2011 season. Since then, the Minutemen have had a chance to gather two FBS recruiting classes for their roster, something that will help make them a rare favorite in the game.

“That’s what we’re trying to do every week that we go out there, especially this week,” quarterback Mike Wegzyn said about trying to get that all-important first Gillette Stadium win. “I think this is gonna be a good week for us. I’m excited to be at Gillette and finally play in front of our own fans.”

A win on Saturday is certainly not guaranteed, however.

Just last weekend, six FCS teams pulled off stunning upsets over FBS opponents. For safety Devin Brown, it was a firm reminder that a win won’t simply be handed to them.

“If you look at Week 1, watching all the FCS teams beating the FBS teams,” Brown said. “That in itself was a wake-up call that you can’t take anybody lightly no matter who you are and who you’re playing against.”

This Maine team is also a veteran group with many of the same players that beat UMass in the team’s previous meeting in 2011.

With that being said, these Black Bears are also the same group that is projected to finish in the bottom half of the CAA standings, while the Minutemen appear to be getting better with each week.

“We’re on course to have a winning performance,” Molnar said. “Doesn’t guarantee a win but it means we have a chance.”

What UMass can guarantee is a much different look from its opponent.


The Minutemen go from facing a Wisconsin team that ran for nearly 400 yards on 44 carries, to a Black Bears team that is more apt to throw the ball in its up-tempo, spread offense.

Molnar, in fact, expects a bigger challenge from Maine quarterback Marcus Wasilewski than the one Badgers quarterback Joel Stave gave UMass.

“Offensively, (it’s) night and day,” Molnar said. “(A) no huddle, fast-paced offense. I would say that Maine’s quarterback is just a better pure passer than what we just saw this past week.

“They run to set up the pass; they’re a passing football team and if you’re not careful they’ll tempo you on defense and catch you in between substitutions before you can get your calls in so you gotta be on top of your game defensively.”

Brown isn’t quite as concerned. The UMass defense goes against the team’s spread offense every day in practice, so it isn’t something the defense is unfamiliar with.

“It’s not too big of an adjustment because we go against the spread every day when we go against our own offense,” he said. “We know Maine runs a lot of passing sets and they also run the ball so between us and Wisconsin I feel like we’re pretty prepared.”

Ultimately the most important challenge for the Minutemen on Saturday will be to avoid underestimating their opponent despite the hope to establish themselves as a legitimate FBS program.

“If you start viewing a team as worse than they are, perceiving them as bad, then you’re gonna play down to whatever level you perceive it as,” Wegzyn said. “Just the same as you should perceive every team as better than you as you’re preparing so you can play up to the calling.”

Fifth-year transfer Justin Anderson fitting right in at UMass By Cameron McDonough – Daily Collegian

Justin Anderson made up his mind.

He was ready to move on from Maryland and find a new home as a graduate student defensive lineman in college football. But he still had to decide where to transfer.

He said he had a list of potential suitors that included American Athletic Conference schools like Rutgers and Temple, but those schools didn’t have the secret weapon that the Massachusetts football team had.

While Anderson was playing for the Terrapins, he played under defensive line coach Dave Sollazzo as a freshman and sophomore. Sollazzo was there when Anderson had his breakthrough season in 2010 as an anchor on Maryland’s defensive line. He started all 13 games and made 22 total tackles and two sacks that season.

But Sollazzo moved on to coach at Villanova in 2011 and then at UMass in 2012, which is where he remains today. And when Anderson decided it was time to find a new football home, he decided to reunite with his former coach in Amherst.

“What really sets UMass apart was I know coach Sollazzo,” Anderson said. “I knew who he was. We were together at the University of Maryland. So knowing him and knowing his terminology and knowing what type of coach he was, it made it easier for me to make that decision.”

Having the comfort level that he does with Sollazzo helped Anderson make the transition to a new team. It also means that he is prepared for the coaching style of Sollazzo.

“I can say that there is never a dull moment with coach Sollazzo,” he said. “He’s loud all of the time, he’s in your face, he’s very vocal. You always remember coach Sollazzo. You never forget coach Sollazzo let’s put it that way. Coach Sollazzo, he’s a good guy. He means well, but when he wants you to get after it he lets you know.”

Anderson also knows what kinds of drills Sollazzo likes to do and when he might get an earful.

“He also knew when he was gonna get yelled at because he’s been yelled at before for screwing up,” Sollazzo said. “So he knows the lay of the land when it comes to playing D-line for me is what it boils down to.”

Although he is playing under a familiar face in Sollazzo, he still has a new defensive coordinator in Phil Elmassian. But that is nothing new for Anderson, who has played for four different defensive coordinators in his career, each with a different way of doing things.

Different defensive coordinators weren’t the only turbulence that he hit at Maryland, though.

After his career year in 2010, Anderson suffered a broken foot, which caused him to take a medical redshirt and sit out the entire 2011 season. That season was also the first year that Randy Edsall was the man in charge for the Terrapins after replacing longtime coach Ralph Friedgen.


When Anderson returned in 2012, he never really found a place under the new regime, playing in only five games, none of which were starts. He made six total tackles over the course of those five games, one of which was for a loss. So after a disappointing redshirt junior campaign, Anderson felt like it was time to get a fresh start.

“There was some other stuff that went on inside the team, but it just didn’t work out for me towards the end,” he said. “And after coming back from that broken foot and everything, it didn’t really work out for me. So that’s why me and my family decided it was time for me to move on.”

Although Anderson might be a new face in Amherst, he brings an Atlantic Coast Conference-tested leadership style along with him. As someone who has played in front of 80,000 people before, he can help his teammates prepare for environments like Wisconsin, who they lost 45-0 to on Saturday, and Kansas State.

Anderson, however, feels that he needs to earn the respect of his teammates first.

“I feel like a leader is someone that they appoint to lead the team and go on and do great things,” Anderson said. “So I feel like if I earn their respect and that’s what they decide to put me at, at the end of the day, then I will fulfill that role. But as of now, I’m just gonna come in here and earn their respect so they can trust me to go out on the field and do my job and help us win football games.”

Going forward, though, Anderson and the defensive line hope that they will have better games than they did in the season opener against the Badgers. The rush defense allowed a total of 393 yards on the ground and three different players to rush for over 100 yards for Wisconsin.

Despite the end result, it was still a special moment for Anderson to don his new jersey for the first time and play beside his new teammates – as a Minuteman.

“Going out there with the team felt great,” he said. “I felt like I was up there, so it felt real good to go out there with them and play with them. It’s a new team and new place, but guys still want to go out there and play football and just play the game that we love to play.”

UMass offensive line improved over offseason

By Cameron McDonough – Daily Collegian

Massachusetts football coach Charley Molnar isn’t asking for much from his offensive line.

He just wants them to play average. But that’s easier said than done for a unit that allowed 32 sacks last season, which was second most in the Mid-American Conference.

Fast forward to the 2013 season opener, and it looks like Molnar may be getting his wish. The offensive line didn’t allow a single sack or a tackle for a loss (TFL) against No. 23 Wisconsin despite losing 45-0 last Saturday.

However, the offensive line still committed six penalties at the line of scrimmage, which put a partial damper on things for Molnar.

“It was a cleaner game by our offensive line. The penalties were very, very disappointing because we felt like we had more poise and that we had demonstrated that during camp,” he said. “But the upside of it is though the quarterback was pressured at times, there weren’t any sacks and we didn’t have any TFLs, we had no TFLs in that game. So every play was zero or better, which is an improvement from where we were a year ago.”

The leader of the offensive line is redshirt senior Anthony Dima at left tackle, who was named to the 2013 Outland Trophy preseason watch list. He is flanked by Tyrell Smith at left guard, Matt Sparks at center, Vincent Westcarr at right guard and Rutgers transfer David Osei at right tackle.

The offensive lineman who impressed Molnar the most on Saturday was Sparks. He had a particularly daunting task in trying to block nose guard Beau Allen, who started in all 14 games for Wisconsin last season and made 37 tackles.

“I’ve not said very much about him this camp, but Matt Sparks was up against in my opinion, maybe the best nose guard (Allen) in the country, and he fought through the whole game,” he said. “And that guy made a number of tackles, but it wasn’t a blood bath, he didn’t take over the game. He didn’t command extra help play after play, and we were prepared to help our center out in every which way possible if necessary and never had to use those strategies.”

But this was only one game. The next test for the offensive line is to remain healthy, which was a struggle for them last season. The Minutemen had to plug freshmen right into the fire last season due to injuries, and their inexperience meant quarterback Mike Wegzyn was under constant pressure.

Molnar talked about the health of some of his offensive linemen at UMass media day in August.


“Unfortunately with guys in and out, as you know (and) as I’ve talked about a few times, we’ve taken Vince Westcarr, and we’ve really tried to control his reps so we can get him through the course of the season,” he said. “So, he’s really in and out of the lineup. And now with Dima, he’s almost 100 percent, but he’s still struggling with some of the issues that have kept him out of the lineup. So, when you take those two guys out, who are bonafide starters, all of a sudden we don’t look quite as good.”

Luckily for Molnar, Westcarr and Dima are healthy at the moment, and they both were a part of the Minutemen’s improved line play on Saturday.

And as Molnar said at media day, he feels that when healthy, this offensive line “has been the best since I’ve been here.”

UMass looks for better results in Year 2 as member of the FBS By Cameron McDonough – Daily Collegian

The 2013 season for the Massachusetts football team got off to a rocky start on Saturday, but coach Charley Molnar has high hopes that this edition of the Minutemen will be an improved football team from last year’s 1-11 squad.

That doesn’t mean that he has a specific goal in mind when it comes to how many games his team should win in its second year in the Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mid-American Conference, however.

“I haven’t ever spoken in terms of wins and losses with the coaches, with the team or with the public,” he said. “I don’t want to set a goal that’s too high because it sounds good and I certainly don’t want to set a goal that’s too low.

“But I expect to see not only development internally, but I also expect externally that you people watching the games, follow us on a weekly basis, will see an improved football team and say they may or may not be ready to win big in 2013, but you can see that we’ll be a competitive team in the near future.”

His team struggled to stay with No. 23 Wisconsin on Saturday and started off its season with the same sour taste that it did in 2012 when it was shutout by Connecticut in the opener.

But Molnar sees an improved team from a year ago.

“(Last year felt) different because I knew we had a long ways to go,” Molnar said. “I thought that maybe some of the guys from our football team would just step up and be able to carry the day. Once we got through the first game when I saw that wasn’t going to be the case, I tempered my enthusiasm to understand where we’re at as a football team developmentally and we were really on the ground floor.

“We’ve taken a step up. I can’t tell you if we’re on the second floor or the third floor yet. Let us play a couple of games. But we are definitely better than we were a year ago.”

Molnar also has the luxury of an experienced No. 1 quarterback that he can turn to in redshirt sophomore Mike Wegzyn. That didn’t look like it would be the case at the end of last season when backup sophomore quarterback A.J. Doyle got the start against Central Michigan, but Wegzyn outdueled him in the offseason for the starting job again.

Wegzyn was missing two of his top targets against the Badgers in junior running back Jordan Broadnax and redshirt senior tight end Rob Blanchflower due to injury. Redshirt freshman Stacey Bedell and graduate student Ricardo Miller got the start at running back and tight end respectively against Wisconsin in their absence.

But perhaps one of the biggest areas of concern for the UMass offense is the offensive line, which suffered multiple injuries last season. That meant that a lot of freshmen had to play and try to protect Wegzyn. Redshirt senior Anthony Dima anchors the line, but questions remain around him. Molnar, however, thinks that the line is “the best since he’s been here.”

On the other side of the ball, Molnar believed that his defense was outperforming the offense when he spoke at media day in August, which can be attributed to the health of the players.

“I would say right now that the defense remains ahead of the offense,” Molnar said. “They’ve been very fortunate to be relatively injury free. We’ve had some guys out, but for the most part every guy on defense has managed to get back into the mix of things.”

The defense struggled during the game against the Badgers, though, especially against the run. The defense allowed Wisconsin to run for a total of 393 yards and three different running backs to eclipse the 100-yard mark. They were able to hold the Badgers to 17 points in the first half, but things started to unravel in the second half.

This year’s defense is led by the likes of redshirt senior Kevin Byrne on the defensive line, sophomore Kassan Messiah at linebacker and redshirt sophomore Randall Jette at cornerback. While the Minutemen have those key players back, they will be without Perry McIntyre, who led the UMass defense at linebacker, Hafis Williams and Chaz Thompson on the defensive line and Darren Thellen at defensive back.

But while the team is built for a more successful run than last season, the next step for these Minutemen is to turn that into wins.


UMass running back Jordan Broadnax ruled out for home opener vs. Maine; Tight end Rob Blanchflower a game-time decision By Dan Malone – Springfield Republican

AMHERST — The University of Massachusetts football might be without two of its premiere offensive weapons again this weekend.

UMass coach Charley Molnar made official Wednesday the decision to sit out junior running back Jordan Broadnax for Saturday's home opener against Maine, while senior tight end Rob Blanchflower will be a game-time decision.

Blanchflower, whose ailment is undisclosed, and Broadnax, who had his right knee scoped on Aug. 19, were both held out of the Minutemen's 45-0 season-opening loss at Wisconsin this past weekend. Neither has practiced in over three weeks.

Freshman wide receiver Shakur Nesmith was ruled out Tuesday with an injured right arm he suffered after catching two passes for 14 yards during the loss to the Badgers.

Despite the loss, Molnar was generally pleased with the way the team handled the absence of Blanchflower and Broadnax against Wisconsin. He described tight end Derek Beck as "very confident and aggressive after the ball" following the sophomore's six-catch, 37-yard (both team-highs) performance in replace of Blanchflower.

"He stepped up. He played better this year than he did last year," Molnar said. "He had the one drop that was disappointing, only because he very rarely drops the ball."

Molnar was also impressed with the way redshirt freshman Stacey Bedell handled taking over the feature back role having not seen the field in nearly two years as a result of a broken collarbone early in 2012.

"I think he proved his mettle, that he could handle the workload through the course of a game," Molnar said of Bedell, who finished the game with 70 yards on 19 carries. "Because when they tackle you in Wisconsin, they're a pretty darn physical football team. He certainly got up each and every time and answered the bell. So, I feel a lot better about his durability.

"If I had asked him to go back in and get six carries to bring it up to 25, I think he easily could've handled it."

Matt Vautour: It doesn’t get any bigger for UMass than Maine By Matt Vautour – Daily Hampshire Gazette

It sounds like hyperbole to call Saturday’s game an important one.

The Universities of Massachusetts and Maine have had big games before in their long history as New England, Yankee Conference and Colonial Athletic Association rivals. They’ve met with conference titles, Division I-AA postseason implications and of course bragging rights all on the line.

Saturday’s 2 p.m. game at Gillette Stadium might be bigger. Those previous games impacted the present. This one potentially has a bigger stake in the future.

At the most basic level, this game is big for UMass at the box office. For starters, the school is hoping that more than a few Black Bear fans pack 95 south en route to Foxborough. The Minutemen need to average 15,000 fans this year to avoid an NCAA probationary status. Any game over 15,000 helps and the NCAA doesn’t care if a hefty chunk of those fans are wearing Black Bear blue and silver.

But the box office will be affected by more than just how many Mainers and Minuteman fans show up. If UMass plays well and beats the Black Bears, it will show that UMass has at least made some progress in its quest to put distance between itself and its Championship Subdivision past.

Beating Maine, which has been a back-end CAA team recently, certainly does not announce UMass having arrived by any stretch of the imagination. But losing to the Black Bears would be an utter disaster. Losses to FCS teams are huge setbacks for struggling FBS programs and can create an avalanche of lost confidence in the fan base.

Potential supporters can convince themselves that there are a lot of teams that would flounder as badly as UMass did against a very good Wisconsin team if the Minutemen come back and play well against Maine. Lay an egg on Saturday and fans will quickly question the entire direction of the program. Walk-up ticket sales for the remaining five home games would likely take a hit.


Seven FCS teams beat FBS squads last week. Kansas State, UConn, South Florida, Iowa State, San Diego State, South Alabama and even No. 25 Oregon State all got beaten by little brothers. Those upsets had to make the UMass administration reach for antacid.

When UMass first moved up, school officials said it wouldn’t play FCS teams. It was a show of bravado at the time, wanting to announce the program ready to take on the big boys. It was a stance they’ve quietly backed away from.

There are good reasons to play an FCS team once a year. The NCAA requires programs to play at least 50 percent of its games at a venue to call it home. For the Minutemen to play three games in Gillette and three in McGuirk Stadium, they need to have six home games. It hasn’t been easy for UMass to get nonconference home games. Lots of decent opponents wouldn’t play UMass on the road. Those who have agreed to play — Boston College, Colorado, Vanderbilt and Indiana — would only do so in Foxborough.

The Minutemen could probably get home-and-home series with Sun Belt, Conference USA or some Mountain West teams, but would more fans show up to see UMass vs. Louisiana-Monroe or UMass vs. Maine? Plus, scheduling those games would hamper the Minutemen’s ability to take big paycheck road games.

Scheduling FCS opponents gives FBS teams a potentially winnable game, one that makes reaching bowl eligibility (record of .500 or better) that much easier. Given UMass’ gauntlet of nonconference games down the road, wins will be valuable commodities as it tries to qualify.

For this year, playing the game makes sense because it’s a more winnable game that could give the Minutemen an opportunity to build some confidence and perhaps momentum. For most realistic UMass fans, bowl eligibility isn’t the standard set for calling 2013 a successful season. Winning three or even four games would feel like things were moving in a positive direction. If the Minutemen beat Maine it could be a springboard toward that.

But all those potential benefits evaporate fast with a loss. So this is a big game, maybe the biggest in UMass’ young life in the Bowl Subdivision.

Pass protection a positive for UMass offensive line to build on moving forward By Dan Malone – Springfield Republican

AMHERST — University of Massachusetts quarterback Mike Wegzyn spent much of last season running for his life behind an offensive line that was plagued by injuries and inconsistency.

His duty as a freshman quarterback trying to lead a team through its first Football Bowl Subdivision season would've been treacherous under even the most perfect of circumstances. Having 300-pound defensive linemen barreling down on the pocket almost every play, resulting in 32 sacks last season, made life for Wegzyn that much more difficult.

That wasn't the story in Saturday's 45-0 season-opening loss at Wisconsin, however.

Facing a defensive front seven that will be the largest and most talented the Minutemen encounter all season, the offensive line didn't surrender a single sack or negative yardage play. Wegzyn was still thrown off his game by the Badgers relentless defenders, but UMass' five mammoth blockers — tackles Anthony Dima and David Osei, guards Tyrell Smith and Vincent Westcarr and center Matt Sparks — kept their quarterback largely upright and functional.

Wegzyn, not surprisingly, was thankful for the job his line did Saturday.

"That was a good feeling," he said. "I’m excited to see the things that the offensive line was doing during the game. I think it was really looking promising going forward."

Though he said there's still "a lot of room for improvement," first-year offensive line coach Dave Johnson was pleased with his unit's performance in pass protection. He was also quick to point out that more goes into protecting the quarterback than just the big bodies controlling the line of scrimmage.

"People don’t realize there’s so much involved with protection. It’s not just the offensive line," he said. "It’s the quarterback getting you in the right protection, it’s the backs doing their job helping protect, the quarterback getting rid of the ball when he has to, receivers getting open on time. There’s so much focus on the offensive line, but it’s really a team effort."

Johnson was especially happy with the results given the size of the competition his linemen were up against — something the team won't have to worry about as much when it hosts former Football Championship Subdivision rival Maine, which has only two players over 300 pounds on its roster, Saturday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

"They had some really big people up front," Johnson said of the Wisconsin defense. "We had worked really hard on the bull rush, a guy just trying to rush over top of you. I thought that the middle of the line did well. I mean, you’re talking about guys that are in excess of 320, 330 pounds.

"I don’t think (Badgers 330-pound senior nose tackle Beau Allen) got to the second level, but for maybe one time when we were able to re-route him out of the pocket."


But for Johnson, Saturday's game is less of a reason for the offensive line to pat itself on the back than it is an opportunity to eliminate mistakes and drive-killing mental errors, such as the Minutemen's five false start penalties against the Badgers.

UMass coach Charley Molnar agreed, saying "The penalties were very, very disappointing because we like we had more poise than that. We had demonstrated that during camp."

With the first game of the season in the books, there now comes an added expectation of cohesion and development for the offensive line. Traditionally, the timeframe between the first and third games is when a team will experience the most growth. That's when a coaching staff will start to get a better idea of which players can and can't execute what is required of their system and schemes.

As such, Johnson expects things to start to come together for the offensive in the next few weeks.

"They’re starting to (jell). It takes time," he said. "You’re talking about (Vincent) Westcarr and (David) Osei; totally different worlds, different communication systems. You throw in a new coach, and there’s just so much that goes into it. But I think they are."

And the experience of having stood toe-to-toe with a BCS conference opponent like Wisconsin should only enhance that growth.

"I think it was tremendous," Johnson said. "I looked forward to it all summer because it does give you a good measure. You talk to your guys about that level of competition until they really play it and see it. So, I think it’s really good. I think it’ll help set the stage for the success we have later in the season."

INJURY REPORT: Freshman wide receiver Shakur Nesmith has been ruled out for the home opener against Maine, Molnar said Tuesday.

Nesmith, who started last week, caught two passes for 14 yards before leaving with a right arm injury. Molnar said he's looking forward to seeing sophomore Bernard Davis and freshman E.J. Burston get some snaps in replace of Nesmith.

Molnar did not have updates on either senior tight end Rob Blanchflower (undisclosed) or junior running back Jordan Broadnax (knee), neither of whom played in the Minutemen's opener against Wisconsin.

The team expects to have more information on Blanchflower Wednesday, while Molnar said he "doesn't feel too good about (Broadnax)" being ready to play this week.

BEDELL BOUNCE BACK: Though UMass running back Stacey Bedell totaled a respectable 70 yards rushing on 19 carries in his first career start Saturday, Molnar said he's expecting more out of redshirt freshman against the Black Bears.

"I think he’ll just play faster," Molnar said. "He never really got out of third gear during the game. Some of that was the defense and some of that was Stacey. I think, this game, he’ll be ready to put it in fourth gear."

MAINE AN EARLY FAVORITE: According to several online sports betting websites, Maine is listed as an early 3-point favorite over the Minutemen for Saturday's home opener.

Should the Black Bears win, they would become the eighth FCS team this season to defeat an FBS opponent.

Linebacker Steve Casali stands out in group of freshmen making UMass football debuts By Dan Malone – Springfield Republican

AMHERST – Steve Casali wasted little time making his presence felt for the University of Massachusetts football team.

Suiting up at linebacker in the team's 45-0 season-opening loss at Wisconsin Saturday, the true freshman raced downfield on the opening kickoff in front of nearly 80,000 screaming fans with only one thought in his mind – make the first tackle.

He did just that.

"That was just my goal – to go down there and get the first tackle of the season," said Casali, who was one of 10 true freshmen making their debuts. "I was so pumped and the crowd was going crazy."

The tackle was one of three for the 6-foot-2, 225-pounder out of Sachem East High School on Long Island. On top of special-teams duties, Casali also saw extended playing time at inside linebacker, where he looked considerably well-adjusted given his lack of collegiate experience.

"It's like a completely different game," Casali said. "It's a lot faster."


Though green, Casali displayed a downhill intensity that can be rare among first-timers. That exuberance sometimes translated to recklessness, but he was also able to effectively attack the line of scrimmage and successfully engage much-larger Wisconsin blockers.

"They (have) a great offensive line; one of the best in the nation," Casali said. "It was a really good experience and good training to play against them, because you're not going to play (a team) better than that the whole season."

Casali credited his play to pure instinct and the jobs inside linebackers coach Ted Daisher and defensive coordinator Phil Elmassian have done preparing the unit.

"We had a good camp. It didn't pay off (against the Badgers), but I think next week it'll pay off," he said. "We'll just have to move on from it and learn from our mistakes."

Coach Charley Molnar said he'd need to review the game film before coming to any solid conclusions about Casali's performance, but he did come away impressed with the freshman's nose for the football.

"As I watched between talking to offensive players and watching the defense, I saw him around the ball quite a bit. I was pleased with that," Molnar said.

"We knew we needed to get him on the field, because he's gonna be vital as we go forward, regardless of if he's out there with the first 11 or if he's the 'sixth man,' so to speak."

For Casali, the experience of taking the field in the opener was all the more special because of where he had come from to get there. Though one of the most decorated players in the history of Long Island – he won 18 awards for his play at both running back and linebacker, including Long Island Defensive Player of the Year as a senior in 2012 – Casali didn't garner much attention in the recruiting process before committing to UMass in February.

He called the opportunity to play in his first Football Bowl Subdivision game a "dream come true."

"I've been working my whole life just to play D-I ball," Casali said. "A lot of people said I couldn't play D-I (because) where I'm from, Long Island, it's really hard to go D-I. So it was just an honor to be here and play D-I in front of all these people. It was a great experience."

Realistically, Casali still has a long way to go before he's at the level Molnar and the coaching staff want to see him at. As with most freshmen, it'll take time for him to fully grasp all the on-field responsibilities of a linebacker, especially in pass coverage. And he'll need to learn to better control his heat-seeking-missile-like body, so as not to overshoot gaps and miss ball carriers.

But Molnar still expects Casali to be a large part of the defensive scheme going forward.

"He's gonna play a lot of football for us," he said. "No time like the present to get him ready."

INJURY REPORT: Senior tight end Rob Blanchflower is scheduled for another medical evaluation after sitting out the opener with a pair of undisclosed injuries. Blanchflower hasn't practiced in more than three weeks.

Freshman wideout Shakur Nesmith, who started Saturday and pulled down two passes for 14 yards before exiting with an injured right arm, was in a sling at practice Monday. Molnar said Nesmith is also scheduled to be evaluated by a doctor.

"I'm gonna proceed with caution with both those young men, because again, it's a long season," Molnar said. "It's greater than any one game right now."

IN-GAME COMMUNICATION SOUND: After spending the 2012 season calling plays himself, Molnar said he was pleased with how he and new offensive coordinator and play caller John Bond communicated on the sideline Saturday.

"It's a different feeling, you know, to have somebody else do it. I thought I was pretty good and didn't second guess too much," said Molnar, who will still suggest things from time to time.

"But I thought (John) had a good grasp of it. We had good communication offensively – knowing what we needed to do, what broke down, how to fix it. We did all that kind of in-game communication. It was top-level."

Charley Molnar, UMass upbeat following loss to Wisconsin By Mark Chiarelli – Daily Hampshire Gazette

University of Massachusetts football coach Charley Molnar was upbeat Monday night, optimistic about the direction of his football team following Saturday’s 45-0 loss to No. 23 ranked Wisconsin.

Despite what he deemed was an “unsuccessful” trip to Madison, Wis., Molnar noted that he and the players pulled positives out of the season debut.


“So many players have come up to me after the last 48 hours and said ‘Coach, we’re really close,’” Molnar said. “That’s the first I’ve ever had players come up to me and tell me that since I’ve been the head coach so I think that’s very encouraging.”

One of the notable positives to come from the loss was the emergence of some of the younger players of the roster. Among the standouts were sophomore center Matt Sparks and redshirt freshman running back Stacey Bedell, who made his first career start.

“Matt Sparks was up against, in my opinion, maybe the best nose guard in the country and he fought through the whole game,” Molnar said. “It wasn’t a bloodbath; he didn’t take over the game. We were prepared to help our center out any way possible and never had to use those strategies.”

Bedell amassed 70 yards on 19 carries in his first collegiate game.

“I got a lot of experience from playing Wisconsin,” Bedell said. “I got a year off not playing in games so it was definitely a good experience to get back out there with my team competing.”

Molnar said Bedell still had plenty of room to grow.

“He didn’t stick his foot in the ground and go from zero-to-60 in 1.2 seconds like he normally does,” Molnar said. “He was just a little hesitant and he didn’t believe what he saw. He needs to do that, he needs to see what he believes and go.”

Quarterback Mike Wegzyn noted the importance of younger players gaining experience in potentially hostile football environments.

“It’s real good to have the young guys get that extra experience in big games like that,” he said. “I know for young guys who got to play a lot last year, it helped a lot. Going all through camp and into the start of this season, I thought those guys are just more matured on the field.”

UMass’ challenge this week is preparing for former Colonial Athletic Association rival and FCS member Maine. The home opener is set for 2 p.m. at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. Eight FCS teams beat FBS teams in Week 1. Among them, Towson rolled past Connecticut.

Wegzyn said the team doesn’t feel any heightened pressure to perform.

“When you go into a game like this you have to be aware and treat it like any other game,” he said. “You can’t downplay any team just like you can’t play up any team in your mind.”

Molnar said there is pressure to perform each week.

“There’s pressure every game, believe me. Each week it’s either real or imagined, it doesn’t matter,” Molnar said. “We haven’t won a football game since Akron. We didn’t win a game at Gillette last year. Those things are really important to me.”

INJURY UPDATE — Molnar had limited information on injured tight end Rob Blanchflower, but said the senior will see a doctor on Tuesday. ... Wide receiver Shakur Nesmith, who started Saturday and record two catches for 14 yards, left the game and didn’t return. Nesmith had his arm in a sling and did not practice Monday. He’s scheduled to visit a doctor Tuesday as well.

Cox follows Cruz’s path to Giants By Paul Schwartz – New York Post

Sometimes where a player is from tells much about how he got to where he is. The tale of Victor Cruz is augmented because of his modest college football roots at the University of Massachusetts and that he was completely bypassed in the NFL Draft. A star was not born out of nowhere, but close to it.

Perhaps the Giants have a Cruz redux in Michael Cox, the rookie running back who remains on the 53-man roster. This wasn’t much of a surprise on cut-down day, as his body of work this summer made it obvious he was going to stick — just as Cruz performed his way onto the team in 2010.

Cox, who like Cruz went to UMass, was drafted, sort of. The Giants had a compensatory (extra) pick late in the seventh and final round of the NFL Draft and made Cox the 253rd and second-to-last player taken, one away from the coveted (or infamous) Mr. Irrelevant distinction.

Coming out of Avon (Conn.) Old Farms High School, Cox opted to play for Michigan, a program that recruits very different athletes than UMass. Cox spent four years at Michigan — he redshirted as a freshman — before transferring to UMass.

So, where is he from?

“I consider myself a UMass guy and a Michigan guy,’’ Cox said “I graduated from Michigan, so obviously I spent most of my time there. Last school where I played the most was UMass. I definitely love both schools.


“When I was coming out of high school, UMass was Double-A, they were a good Double-A school, but when I was going to Michigan, they were No. 2 in the country, you can’t really compare them. I guess it just depends on how you look at it. I look at it obviously being at Michigan I had better competition and that helped prepare me a lot.’’

Without UMass, Cox wouldn’t have gotten a sniff of the NFL. He barely got on the field at Michigan. In 2009 he got 13 rushing attempts, 113 yards and two touchdowns, but after that he sat the bench, managing to find only six more carries the next two years. He earned his degree, though, and, with one more year of playing eligibility, he moved closer to home, enrolled at UMass, took post-graduate courses and started all 12 games at running back. His 198 rushes for 715 yards and five TDs got him on the fringe of the draft radar.

Soon enough, around the Giants, it was apparent his size (6-foot, 220 pounds) and skill-set made him a viable roster option. The competition certainly wasn’t fierce and Cox was in line to make the team even before Andre Brown broke a bone, again, in his left leg, putting him out of action for 4-6 weeks. Cox didn’t do much out of the backfield in the preseason (18 carries, 32 yards), but he did plenty on kickoff returns, averaging 29.3 yards, punching his ticket on to the roster. He also was impressive with catch-and-runs on screen passes.

“Honestly, it was no shock to me,’’ said safety Stevie Brown, a senior at Michigan when Cox was a freshman working against the defense on the scout team.

“I knew Cox had great skill, he was really tough to tackle and bring down,’’ said Brown, who is on injured reserve and will miss the 2013 season after tearing his ACL. “He’s big, fast and he has good moves.’’

The Giants cut Ryan Torain, a running back with NFL experience, and, for now, kept third-year Da’Rel Scott as well. The starter, David Wilson, is entering his second season. It is an incredibly, and perhaps frighteningly, unproven backfield.

Cox has kept a low-profile and doesn’t say much. With a deep, rich voice and classic looks, he reminds some of another one-time unknown who has made it big with the Giants.

“If you let him tell it, he’d probably be a model if he wasn’t playing,’’ Brown said. “I joke around with him all the time, I think he did some photo thing when he was a freshman at Michigan and we used to give him crap for him all the time. He might try to follow in Cruz’s steps.’’

In some ways, he already has.

UMass’ focus moves on to Maine By Bob McGovern, Boston Herald

MADISON, Wis. — One by one, members of the UMass football team slowly walked off the field at Camp Randall Stadium. They were battered and beaten by a Wisconsin squad that was bigger, stronger and better.

With a 45-0 drubbing behind them, the Minutemen cautiously looked ahead to a home game against Maine, a brief respite in a schedule that includes the likes of Kansas State and Vanderbilt. Maine is a winnable throwback game for the Minutemen, one that will pit two former Colonial Athletic Association rivals against each other Saturday at Gillette Stadium.

However, despite two classes full of recruits once unattainable at its old home in the Football Championship Subdivision, UMass is in no position to overlook anyone. With a combined 1-12 record as a member of the Mid-American Conference and the Football Bowl Subdivision, the Minutemen must take every game seriously.

“Maine is no slouch. The fact that they’re 1-AA doesn’t mean anything. We were 1-AA just a couple of years ago, so by no means are we going to overlook them,” UMass defensive end Brandon Potvin said. “We’re going to prepare for them just as hard, if not harder, than we did for Wisconsin. I’ve got a lot of respect for Maine.”

UMass coach Charley Molnar viewed the Wisconsin game as an opportunity to see what his team looks like against live competition, but he stopped short of saying it was a good test for Maine. He’s worried about his team’s mentality after a lopsided loss on the road.


“I can’t tell you it’s great preparation because our team does not feel as good as they did 24 hours ago,” Molnar said after UMass’ opening day loss. “Nobody feels very good right now. The one thing our team can do is be as resilient as possible. They need to be as resilient as they can possibly be on Monday and get back to work.”

UMass upperclassmen will have no trouble getting up for Saturday’s matchup against the Black Bears. Back in 2011, the Minutemen travelled up to Orono for one last time as members of the CAA. Trailing 21-10 in the third quarter, Maine stormed back and scored 22 unanswered points to send UMass home with a tail-between-the-legs loss.

In some way, Saturday’s game has to do with payback.

“It’s a little bit about that, but we’re past that. We’re on to bigger and better things. We have a whole new coaching staff and a whole new defensive plan,” Potvin said. “Obviously it leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but I’m not going to let two years ago have any effect on this year.”

UMass running back Stacey Bedell a relative bright spot in season-opener

By PAUL D. BOWKER, Springfield Republican�

MADISON, Wis. – Stacey Bedell had waited nearly a year for his moment Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium. On the University of Massachusetts football team’s second play, Bedell, a redshirt freshman running back coming off an injury year, took a handoff from quarterback Mike Wegzyn, followed a block and gained 5 yards against No. 23 Wisconsin’s beefy line. The play was Bedell’s first for the Minutemen since breaking his collarbone in the second game against Indiana last season. “It did feel good, going out there in front of a big crowd, being out there for my team competing again,” said Bedell, an All-State player from Mastic Beach, N.Y., who was one of the top incoming freshmen in UMass’ 2012 recruiting class. Bedell played just those two games last year, and in backup roles. On Saturday, he started because Jordan Broadnax was out with an injury. “He hasn’t really played in two years,” UMass coach Charley Molnar said. Bedell’s 70 rushing yards were a bright spot in a 45-0 loss. None of his 19 runs lost yardage, which spoke loudly for an offensive line that also prevented any sacks. “The offensive line is getting better every day,” Bedell said. “They got a good push on a lot of their plays and I just try to follow them into the hole, not getting any negative yardage, gaining yards on every carry I can.” Molnar is hoping Bedell can help deliver some quickness to an offense shut out three times in its first season in the Football Bowl Subdivision last year. Bedell’s longest run against the Badgers was 11 yards. “He ran OK,” Molnar said. “He’s more aggressive as a runner than what we saw today.” “There were some runs I missed holes on,” Bedell said. “Just go back to practice, watch film, see what I did wrong and correct my mistakes.” Bedell’s biggest mistake was a fumble one play after his first carry. He was hit by linebacker Brendan Kelly, lost the ball and it was recovered by linebacker Ethan Armstrong. “Stacey’s fumble, in my mind, was a non-contact fumble,” Molnar said. “I don’t know if it was hit out of his hands, but if it was, it was just a tap. And he’s been so ball-secure all camp, it’s just mind-boggling.” “They do have a very good defense,” Bedell said. “They have a lot of size up front. The linebackers, they react fast to the ball.” The Badgers turned up the heat in the second half, when they held the Minutemen to 100 yards of offense and into Wisconsin territory just twice. UMass never advanced past the Wisconsin 29-yard line. “We didn’t execute and that was the problem,” said Wegzyn, who completed 9 of 23 passes for 73 yards before being replaced by A.J. Doyle in the third quarter.


The Minutemen’s mistakes included two penalties for false starts on their second possession. “What I’d like to see is the quarterback throwing 16-yard comebacks, guys going up over a defender making a catch,” Molnar said. “But before that stuff can happen, I would just like to see us eliminate the re-snap fouls.”

Wisconsin stifles UMass in opener

MADISON, WIS. (AP) - Wisconsin had such a good time in its opener, even new coach Gary Andersen decided to have some fun.

It wasn't hard for the 23rd-ranked Badgers to enjoy themselves after overpowering Massachusetts 45-0 on Saturday afternoon in Andersen's debut.

Melvin Gordon ran for 144 yards and a 70-yard touchdown, James White added 143 and a 51-yard score, and the revamped defense throttled UMass.

"Today was the first game. It was sort of special to me and will be forever," Andersen said.

With the score 38-0 at the end of the third quarter, the only Wisconsin tradition left to put this season opener in the books was for the stadium public address system to blare House of Pain's "Jump Around" to get the fans in the stands hopping for the fourth quarter.

And look who was on the field, too, for a moment of levity while conferring with his defense during that break.

"I think the `Jump Around' a little bit, he got out there and mixed it up with us, so that was fun," linebacker Ethan Armstrong said. "That's really rewarding as a player to see your coach, just day in and day out be the same and always have that energy and that intensity."

Newly-minted starting quarterback Joel Stave overcame a slow start to connect with receiver withJared Abbrederis for two long touchdowns in the second half.

It was 31-0 with 10:31 to go in the third quarter by the time White sauntered through the line untouched and into the end zone for a 51-yard score.

UMass was simply overmatched against the Big Ten's three-time defending champion. The Minutemen are only in their second year as a major college program, and the spread offense was minus two of its top players Saturday with running back Jordan Broadnax and tight end Rob Blanchflower out with injuries.

"Wisconsin is an awfully good football team," UMass coach Charley Molnar said. "We're not there yet."

They were relatively close at the half, down only 17-0. Wisconsin helped with a few of their own mistakes, including a missed field goal.

Then the Badgers opened it up with three touchdowns in the third quarter.

Stacey Bedell finished with 70 yards on 19 carries for the Minutemen, who were also tripped up by a few pre-snap penalties. UMass finished with seven flags for 40 yards.

"Even if we were running on all cylinders, we would have been hard-pressed to get 10 points," Molnar said. "With us not running on all cylinders, you see it was impossible for us."

Wisconsin couldn't have scheduled a better opponent for Andersen to make first appearance on the Wisconsin sideline. He sported a black visor and a white pullover on a warm, sticky afternoon, appearing calm and cool on the sideline.

Andersen replaced Bret Bielema, who left in December to take the Arkansas job. Andersen arrived from Utah State, where he led the Aggies to a school-record 11 wins in 2012.

Andersen promised the running game would remain a big part of the Badgers attack, even with standout Montee Ball now gone. But new regimes always bring questions as to how a team might look, at least until actual games are played.

Well, the running game remains alive and well at Wisconsin. Even backup Corey Clement ran for 101 yards on 16 carries, mainly in the second half.

Gordon got 13 carries while White had 11.

The Minutemen didn't actually flaunt a sturdy defense to begin with. UMass gave up more than 40 points a game last season.

At Wisconsin, Andersen switched the base defense to a 3-4 scheme, and the Badgers showed no problems picking it up Saturday.


After Stave's 4-yard touchdown run gave Wisconsin a 7-0 lead, Brendan Kelly forced a fumble on the next series. It was recovered by Armstrong, who finished with five tackles, while fellow senior linebacker Chris Borland had nine stops.

Stave was intercepted on a deep pass down the middle by Devin Brown on the next play. He was 4 of 11 at the half with 36 yards.

But he recovered in the second half, helped by adjustments by Abbrederis on both of his long touchdown catches that were slightly off target. Burning his defender each time in man coverage, Abbrederis' scores came from 65 and 57 yards.

"We came out at halftime and said ... that if it's up in the air and it's close, Abbrederis is going to come down with it most of the time," Andersen said.

Stave finished 9 of 17 for the game for 197 yards.

As lopsided as the score was, Andersen knew he definitely had to improve in one area next week.

"I would not say we are game ready (in) singing `On Wisconsin,'" said Andersen, referring to the school's fight song. "We've got a ways to go."

Something amiss with UMass ‘D’ By Bob McGovern, Boston Herald

MADISON, Wis. — It was like watching the same highlight reel on repeat.

Again and again, Wisconsin running backs torched UMass defenders for huge gains. Badgers senior James White, who has the tall task of filling the shoes of All-American and current Broncos running back Montee Ball, set the tone on the first possession with 53 yards on his first two carries.

He ended the day with 143 yards and a touchdown.

The Minutemen allowed three Badgers running backs — White, Melvin Gordon and Corey Clement — to run for more than 100 yards, and each scored a touchdown. The three Wisconsin backs often found themselves staring at broad daylight, as the hulking Badgers offensive line bullied UMass’ defensive front.

“For two decades they’ve been recruiting a certain profile offensive lineman, running back and tight end,” UMass coach Charley Molnar said. “You could have been watching the 1992 Badgers with coach (Barry) Alvarez. It’s the same plays with different guys doing the same things.”

UMass broke from its traditional 4-3 set and came out in the 3-4, with two linebackers crowding the edges. Despite bringing consistent pressure from the corners, the Badgers kept pushing the ball outside the tackles and broke several big plays down the sidelines.

UMass linebackers, including sophomore Kassan Messiah and classmate Jovan Santos-Knox, frequently found themselves in reverse as they attempted to hunt down the Badgers’ speedy backs. Once the Badgers pierced the second level, UMass’ defensive backs often were overmatched and couldn’t finish tackles.

Molnar said the team hasn’t been working on tackling as much. He wants to keep his guys healthy.

“We tempered our tackling as opposed to last season because we wanted to bring as many guys to the table as we could,” he said. “We didn’t want to lose guys at practice. So it’s a give and a take. By doing so, we probably weren’t as crisp tackling the guys that we faced today.”

Brandon Potvin, a redshirt senior defensive end for UMass, said the Minutemen simply missed assignments. Even though Wisconsin had a major size advantage up front, the Worcester native said it wasn’t a deciding factor.

“Nobody is intimidated by Wisconsin. We’ve played better teams than Wisconsin, and I’ve played offensive lines better than Wisconsin’s,” he said. “Nobody is intimidated by the name or the line that they have. Obviously they’re good and get the job done, but that doesn’t have anything to do with their size. We just didn’t execute.”

Badgered witnesses By George Miller, Boston Herald

MADISON, Wis. — Any hopes UMass had for a shocking start to its second season in the Football Bowl Subdivision quickly were flattened by Wisconsin’s powerful ground game.

Three Wisconsin backs topped the 100-yard rushing mark yesterday as the Badgers pummeled the Minutemen, 45-0, in the season opener before 76,306 at Camp Randall Stadium.


Melvin Gordon (144 yards), James White (143) and Corey Clement (101) all found the end zone for the 23rd-ranked Badgers, and Joel Stave threw a pair of long touchdown passes to Jared Abbrederis.

“We came out here to win the football game, and we knew we needed to play near-perfect football for that to happen,” said UMass coach Charley Molnar, whose team was blanked in its season opener for the second straight year. “Obviously that wasn’t the case. Wisconsin’s an awfully good football team, and we’re not there yet. Even if we were running on all cylinders, we would have been hard-pressed to get 10 points.”

The Badgers, 8-6 last season but Big Ten champions and Rose Bowl participants for a third straight year, made it look easy from the start. White broke a 47-yard run to put them in business at the UMass 17, and three plays later, Stave scrambled straight up the middle for a 4-yard score and a 7-0 lead only 2:31 into the action.

UMass’ first series ended when Stacey Bedell fumbled and Wisconsin’s Ethan Armstrong recovered at the UMass 36. On the next play, the Badgers gave the ball right back when Devin Brown intercepted Stave’s deep pass at the 3-yard line and returned it to the 18.

Wisconsin added a chip-shot 21-yard field goal from Kyle French with 17 seconds left in the first quarter.

Midway through the second quarter, UMass drove from its own 22 to the Wisconsin 29 before settling for a 47-yard field goal try by Blake Lucas. The sophomore calmly drilled his kick with plenty to spare, but the Minutemen called a timeout just before the snap. Given another attempt, Lucas pulled the kick wide to the left.

“The (play) clock was ticking down, and we had to make a decision really fast,” Molnar said. “If we take a five-yard penalty, we’re out of field-goal range. He should have made it the second time just like he made it the first time.”

Two plays later, Gordon sprinted untouched 70 yards to put the Badgers up 17-0 with 3:33 left in the half.

Wisconsin then hit the Minutemen with two more big-play TDs three minutes apart early in the third quarter. Stave hit Abbrederis on a post pattern for 65 yards, and White snapped off a 51-yard scoring run on the next series to make it a 31-0 game.

“We knew we’d have only one or two opportunities to stay in the game,” Molnar said. “The two quick scores, at that point, you could tell the game was out of reach.”

On the next UMass drive, Mike Wegzyn (9-of-23, 73 yards) was picked off by the Badgers at the Wisconsin 22. Stave and Abbrederis promptly hooked up again for a 57-yard scoring play and a 38-0 lead in the third.

Sophomore A.J. Doyle from Lakeville and Catholic Memorial replaced Wegzyn at quarterback. Doyle finished 5-of-7 for 39 yards.

“We’ve improved in a lot of spots, but today it was a lot of self-inflicted wounds,” Wegzyn said. “It was a hard game, Wisconsin played well like we expected them to, but we didn’t get the stuff done that we planned.”

UMass football gets run over in 45-0 season-opening loss at Wisconsin By Dan Malone, Springfield Republican

MADISON, Wis. — For a while, it seemed like the University of Massachusetts football team might actually stick around. Down only 17-0 at halftime, UMass looked like it was ready to make good on claims that this year's squad would be different than last year's 1-11 team.

It didn't last long.

Wisconsin sophomore quarterback Joel Stave connected with senior wideout Jared Abbrederis on two long third-quarter touchdown passes, as the Badgers wiped out UMass' first-half momentum en route to a dominating 45-0 victory at Camp Randall Stadium.

Wisconsin's physical offensive and defensive lines overpowered the Minutemen (0-1) throughout the game, helping the Badgers (1-0) to 399 rushing yards while limiting UMass to only a 100. The Badgers had three different ball carriers over the century mark rushing — Melvin Gordon (146), James White (146) and Corey Clement (102).

Sophomore quarterback Mike Wegzyn finished with 73 yards passing on 9-of-23 passing and was pulled for A.J. Doyle in the third quarter. Sophomore tight end Derek Beck led the Minutemen with six receptions for 37 yards, while redshirt freshman running back Stacey Bedell picked up a team-high 70 rushing yards on 19 carries.

The Minutemen next face Maine at Gillette Stadium in the team's home opener on Sept. 7.


UMass overwhelmed 45-0 by No. 23 Wisconsin By George Miller, Daily Hampshire Gazette

MADISON, Wis. — The halftime score of 17-0 was still manageable, even if UMass’ ability to stay with Big 10 power Wisconsin hung by the barest thread Saturday afternoon.

Then the 23rd-ranked Badgers blew up the football season opener with two quick scores early in the third quarter and cruised to a 45-0 shutout win over the Minutemen before 76,306 at Camp Randall Stadium.

UMass (0-1) was visibly better prepared than in its 2012 opener against Connecticut, the Minutemen’s first-ever game in Division I FBS, but the results were the same with no points on the board.

“Nothing can describe the feeling that I have inside or that our football team has right now,” said UMass coach Charley Molnar. “We came out here to win the football game. We knew it was gonna be tough and we knew we needed to play near-perfect football for that to happen.

“Is our football team better than it was a year ago at this time? Absolutely it is. Does the scoreboard show it? I can’t tell you, but Wisconsin’s an awfully good football team, and we’re not there yet.”

The Badgers showed themselves to be especially good on the ground, with three backs each topping the century mark. Melvin Gordon ran for 144 yards, James White was right behind with 143 and freshman Corey Clement added 101. Each of the three scored a touchdown. Quarterback Joel Stave threw two touchdown passes to Jared Abbrederis and ran for a score of his own. In all, Wisconsin had 393 rushing yards and 598 yards of total offense, compared to UMass’ 212.

“We executed some of the time, but we just let their big plays get ahead of us,” said Minuteman linebacker Stanley Andre. “We have good players on our defense, and I have confidence in them. We just have to be in the right place at the right time.”

Wisconsin (1-0) jumped to an early 7-0 lead just 2 1/2 minutes in with a 70-yard drive keyed by White’s 47-yard burst to the UMass 17. Stave ran it in from four yards out on a quarterback draw.

UMass’ Stacey Bedell (70 rushing yards) fumbled the ball away on the Minutemen’s first series, giving UW the ball at the UMass 35, but Devin Brown got it right back for the Minutemen with an interception of Stave at the 3-yard line and a 15-yard return. UMass then caught a break after another apparent turnover. Mike Wegzyn (9-of-23 passing, 73 yards) completed a pass to Derek Beck, who fumbled and the Badgers’ Dezmen Southward scooped up the loose ball for a 46-yard return and a touchdown. The play was reviewed, however, and video replay showed that Beck never had possession.

The Badgers still got points late in the first quarter on a 21-yard field goal by Kyle French to lead 10-0, and the Minutemen would have matched that field goal late in the second if not for an ill-timed timeout. UMass drove to the Wisconsin 29 and Blake Lucas nailed a career-long 47-yarder, but Molnar called timeout immediately before the kick, wiping out the three points. After the timeout, Lucas tried it again from 47, but this time yanked his kick to the left.

“The (play) clock was ticking down, and we had to make a decision really fast,” said Molnar. “If we take a five-yard penalty, we’re out of field-goal range. He should have made it the second time just like he made it the first time, really.”

Instead of closing to within 10-3, UMass found itself down 17-0 moments later after Gordon broke a 70-yard touchdown run with 3:33 remaining in the half.

At the break, the Minutemen had seven first downs and 112 total yards. In contrast, For the entire game in last year’s opener at UConn, UMass had three first downs, 62 yards of offense and never crossed midfield.

Wisconsin quickly pushed the game into blowout territory, after UMass punted to begin the second half. From the Badgers’ 35, Stave play-faked on first down and hit Abbrederis on a deep post pattern. The first-team All-Big 10 wideout tangled his feet with Minuteman defender Trey Dudley-Giles, but Dudley-Giles fell to the turf and Abbrederis kept his balance to complete the 65-yard scoring play just 1:22 into the second half.

Another UMass punt led to another quick strike from the Badgers. This time White got loose for a 51-yard TD run with 10:31 left in the third for a 31-0 bulge.

“We knew we’d have only one or two opportunities to stay in the game,” said Molnar. “The two quick scores, at that point, you could tell the game was out of reach.”


Later in the third, Wisconsin’s Sojourn Shelton made a leaping interception of Wegzyn at the Badgers’ 22. Stave and Abbrederis got together again shortly thereafter, this time on a 57-yard pass on which Abbrederis got inside position on Dudley-Giles, to make it 38-0.

Clement, a freshman, put up the final points early in the fourth quarter on a 23-yard scoring run.

A.J. Doyle came on at quarterback for the Minutemen after Wegzyn’s interception and went 5-of-7 passing for 39 yards in a quarter-plus of work. Beck had six catches for 37 yards, while Brown led the UMass defense with nine tackles and his interception.

“I think we’ve improved in a lot of spots, but today it was a lot of self-inflicted wounds,” said Wegzyn. “The atmosphere didn’t have much to do with it. I think we just didn’t execute, and that was the problem.”

UMass plays its home opener Saturday at 2 p.m. against old Yankee Conference and CAA rival Maine at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

Badgers football: Former UW assistant Phil Elmassian directs UMass' defense By Andy Baggot Wisconsin State Journal

Phil Elmassian has a football coaching resume that screams two things: He’s a gypsy at heart and he knows a thing or two about defense.

In 38 years as a career assistant, Elmassian has worked at schools of every size, from Ferrum (Va.) Junior College and Illinois State to LSU and the University of Wisconsin.

Elmassian has had jobs in the Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12 and Southeastern conferences. He’s worked for the likes of Barry Alvarez, Frank Beamer, Nick Saban, Joe Tiller and George Welch. He’s helped three Bowl Championship Series programs claim league titles. He’s been a part of winning seasons at four Big Ten schools.

So when Elmassian, the second-year defensive coordinator at UMass, gets jacked up about what he sees in an opposing scheme and style, you take notice.

In preparing his defense for its season-opening game against the Badgers on Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium, Elmassian did some video research on new UW coach Gary Andersen.

“God dang, I’m impressed,” Elmassian said.

Though ultimately focused on the UW offense and the tendencies of new coordinator Andy Ludwig, Elmassian found himself captivated by footage from the UW-Utah State game last season.

He loved what he saw from Andersen, the Utah State coach at the time who ultimately came toMadison to take over the Badgers after Bret Bielema left for Arkansas.

“You watch how they play on defense, how those kids chase that ball and play so hard,” Elmassian said of a unit that finished eighth in the nation in points allowed per game. “I’ve showed our players their defense against Wisconsin just to try and show them how the game should be played.”

Elmassian went on to laud Andersen for his body of work at Utah State, which was 8-16 his first two seasons and 18-8 the next two before Andersen was summoned to UW last December.

“He took that program back from the dead,” Elmassian said. “It was dead, dead, dead. I’m impressed.”

This is the same Elmassian who coached UW defensive backs from 1997 to 1999. During that stretch the Badgers won consecutive Big Ten titles and back-to-back Rose Bowls. The top of their marquee belonged to Heisman Trophy-winning tailback Ron Dayne, but also up there was a defense that allowed opponents fewer than 13 points a game in 1998 and 1999, ranking in the top five nationally.

“You just think about the players there and it was a blast,” Elmassian said, rattling off the names of Jason Doering, Mike Echols, Jamar Fletcher, Chris Ghidorzi and Bobby Myers. “Those kids were phenomenal. They were unforgettable.

“Coach Alvarez was phenomenal. We were fortunate enough to be there at a good time, going to two Rose Bowls. It’s a lifetime of memories. It was a great time and a great place.”


Elmassian, 62, said he had good reason to leave Madison. Saban, who has led Alabama to three of the past four national titles, was at LSU at the time and needed a defensive coordinator.

“It was $70,000 more,” Elmassian said with a laugh. “I loved being the secondary coach for Barry, but I was making $80,000 at Wisconsin and (got) $150,000 at LSU at the time.”

Elmassian has been in the business since 1974 when he graduated from William & Mary, where his coach was Lou Holtz. Elmassian has never been at a major school for more than four straight years in part because employment circumstances change on a dime.

He and his wife, Mary, the parents of three grown children, have lived in 14 states and he has twice worked at Virginia Tech and Purdue. In one stretch Elmassian worked at Virginia Tech in 1994, moved west to Washington in 1995 and came back east to Boston College in 1996.

Will he ever put down roots?

“Who knows?” he said simply. “We’ll see.”

UMass might be that place. The Minutemen, coached by Charley Molnar, are in their second full season as a Football Bowl Subdivision program in the Mid-American Conference. They were 1-11 last season and are looking for gradual improvement this time around.

Elmassian said he believes UW players and fans will appreciate what they see in UMass.

“They will see a team that’s going to play as hard as you can play,” he said. “I’ll be disappointed if that doesn’t happen.”

UMass set to open 2013 season against Big Ten power Wisconsin By MATT VAUTOUR @GazetteUMass

AMHERST — There was no scenario that made preparing for Wisconsin easy for the University of Massachusetts coaching staff. The Badgers are ranked No. 23 coming off a Rose Bowl appearance, while the Minutemen are trying to bounce back after a 1-11 season.

This will also be Wisconsin’s first game under new coach Gary Andersen. The man who built Utah State into a Mountain West contender took over when Bret Bielema was hired at Arkansas. So the Minutemen coaches know what personnel the Badgers have and they know what plays and systems Andersen and his staff ran with the Aggies. How those will mesh together Saturday at noon at Camp Randall Stadium remains uncertain.

“We watched tons of Utah State film over the past couple of months,” UMass coach Charley Molnar said earlier this week. “They’ve had a ton of time with their players and they have some really good players. They’re good coaches. That’s a well-coached football team. I’m sure they’re going to do a great job there at Wisconsin.”

To ease the transition, Andersen said the new Badger staff learned the terminology that had been in place rather than make the players learn a new language.

“We’ll tweak it every year based on personnel. There’s no one magic scheme,” Andersen said. “You want to put yourself in position to be successful with the kids in the program. There’s some tweaks every year. I don’t think it’s a radical change from what we would like to do.”

Andersen praised UMass on the Big Ten’s weekly coaches’ teleconference.

“They’ve got a lot of experience coming back, especially the defensive staff. The defensive front seven is a veteran crew. It’s gonna be, obviously, a challenge with the years of experience they have there. With Phil (Elmassian) as the coordinator; we’re looking forward to that,” Andersen said. “Offensively, (they have) a very talented quarterback, in our opinion, that’s done some good things. Mike (Wegzyn) is hard to track around. He’s a good scrambler and gets rid of the football in a good way, so we’ll have to keep our eyes on that. I know they’ve had a couple injuries. Don’t know where those young men are, and I hope they get the opportunity to play.”

The Minutemen think Andersen’s praise is justified. They’re hoping to prove themselves better than their record and performance last year.

“I’ve been counting the days down for a while,” UMass sophomore quarterback Wegzyn said. “It’s surprising how fast it went from last season until now. We made a lot of improvement. I couldn’t be more excited. I’m definitely eager. I can’t wait to get on the field and start showing other people what we already know and how we’ve grown and gotten better from last year until now.”

Time & location: Noon, Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wis.

Last year: UMass (1-11); Wisconsin (8-6, lost to Stanford in the Rose Bowl)

All-time series: First meeting


TV/Internet: Big Ten Network

Radio: WWEI-FM (105.5)

When UMass has the ball: The fact Wegzyn is one of the Minutemen’s most experienced offensive players is a pretty good indicator of how young the offense is.

With tight end Rob Blanchflower out, Wegzyn, left tackle Anthony Dima and wide receiver Tajae Sharpe are the only players who have started regularly prior to this season. How well the refurbished offensive line competes will go a long way to determining whether new tailback Stacey Bedell can get free and if Wegzyn can develop any rhythm passing.

The Badgers, who switched from a 4-3 to a 3-4, have just five starters back on defense, but there’s still plenty of talent in that front seven that figures to bring more pressure that it had in years past.

Linebacker figures to be a strength with seniors Chris Borland (104 tackles, 41⁄2 sacks) and Ethan Armstrong (93 tackles) back. Senior Tyler Dippel and Brendan Kelly will be hybrid edge rushers lining up at defensive end and outside linebacker. They shared the team lead in sacks with 5.0 each last year.

Nose tackle Beau Allen will anchor the defensive line.

Free safety Dezmen Southward is the lone returning starter in the secondary. The senior was the top tackler in the defensive back field with 69 stops last year.

When Wisconsin has the ball: Sophomore Joel Stave is expected to start under center. Stave missed the second half of the 2012 regular season with a broken collar bone, but returned for the Rose Bowl. He completed 70-of-119 passes for 1,104 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions. Andersen hasn’t officially named him the starter, but several Wisconsin media outlets have reported that Stave beat out senior Curt Phillips.

Jared Abbrederis is the top returning receiver. He caught 49 passes for 837 yards and five TDs last year.

Montee Ball and his 1,830 rushing yards (5,140 career) are gone from the offensive backfield, but Wisconsin never seems to lack for running back talent. James White (806 yards, 12 TDs) and Melvin Gordon (621, three TDs) give the Badgers a potentially dominant tandem.

UMass is optimistic that its defense, which features quite a few underclassmen who saw time a year ago, will be a strength this season. How it holds up against Wisconsin’s always strong offensive line could be a barometer going forward.

Second FBS shot has UMass eager Adam Kurkjian – Boston Herald

AMHERST — As UMass prepared for its opener against UConn a year ago, the Minutemen knew they were going up against a Football Bowl Subdivision team, but that was nothing new. Even on the Football Championship Subdivision level, they played against at least one big-time program most every year.

That trip to UConn ended in a 37-0 drubbing, but then the grind of being an actual member of the highest level of college football set in.

Instead of a steady dose of FCS foes the rest of the way, there were none in 2012, just ugly losses to Indiana, Michigan and Vanderbilt in non-conference play. UMass competed better in the Mid-American Conference, but managed just one win, a 22-14 defeat of Akron, in a 1-11 season.

Picked to finish last in the MAC East this fall, the Minutemen at least know what they’re getting into. That is part of what gives them confidence that there will be improvement despite a 2013 schedule that includes just one FCS team (Maine) and three BCS-level opponents in non-conference games, beginning tomorrow at 23rd-ranked Wisconsin.

“The first thing that comes to mind when you ask me about FBS is just that weekly rigorous schedule,” senior defensive tackle Galen Clemons said. “It’s not just one team that’s Division 1, it’s team after team after team. So, as far as confidence, the team looks better than ever. We’ve been practicing fast. We’ve been practicing hard, well, everything. I think the coaches have been extremely pleased with the way we’ve been practicing.”

“At this point we’re all in,” sophomore linebacker Kassan Messiah said. “It’s all the way there. Last year, we kind of like, half of us believed, half of us didn’t. Now, we’re all in. We believe that we’re an FBS team and we believe that we’re going to compete every Saturday as a team. It’s a good feeling here.”

Part of that good feeling revolves around sophomore quarterback Mike Wegzyn. There is the belief that he’s settled nicely into his role in the spread offense after a rocky redshirt freshman campaign.


“It feels a lot better,” second-year coach Charley Molnar said of Wegzyn, who completed 53 percent of his passes (182-of-346) for 1,825 yards, six touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2012. “I’m not worried about him dropping the first snap. I’m not worried about him going the wrong way anymore. He’s way past that. Now it’s just a matter of how far he’s brought his game since the last game of last season.”

His most consistent receiver over the offseason has been sophomore Tajae Sharpe, who caught 20 passes for 206 yards last season. Tight end Rob Blanchflower (43 catches, 464 yards) is being held out of tomorrow’s game with an undisclosed injury, but should be back for next week’s home opener against Maine.

Running back Jordan Broadnax is out with a knee injury, so look for the Minutemen to rely early on speedy redshirt freshman Stacey Bedell and true freshman Lorenzo Woodley, the team’s prized recruit out of Florida.

The offensive line returns just 22 combined career starts, 20 from redshirt senior left tackle Anthony Dima, so expect some growing pains there.

Defensively, Messiah started just five games last year but made 65 tackles, a sack and three tackles for loss from his outside linebacker position. Combined with junior middle linebacker Stanley Andre of Reading and sophomore Jovan Santos-Knox, that unit has some promise but is still relatively inexperienced.

There are fewer question marks with the players in the secondary, as Molnar knows “what they’re like. I know that they’re quality.” Sophomore cornerback Trey Dudley-Giles has been particularly impressive in camp.

Daniel Maynes joins Clemons at tackle, and ends Kevin Byrne and Justin Anderson fill out an experienced but undersized line, with Maynes the heaviest starter at 285 pounds. Clemons described Maynes and Byrnes as, “blue-collar fellas . . . They come with their work boots and lunch pails every day.”

Another brutal schedule awaits. Another young roster with little depth is set to take it on. If the Minutemen want to improve on their record from a year ago, they’ll have to bring those work boots and lunch pails every week.

UMass football: Molnar hopes for major improvement Jackson Alexander – Worcester Telegram & Gazette

AMHERST — At this point last year, UMass football fans had reason to be excited for the start of a new era. The Minutemen were prepping for their inaugural season in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) with their prized first-year coach, Charley Molnar. To top it off, the Minutemen would play their home games at Gillette Stadium, the home of the New England Patriots. But once the season began, the excitement quickly turned into disappointment. They lost their first nine games, en route to a 1-11 season, and failed to treat their fans to a single victory at Gillette. "I knew that we had a long way to go, I thought that some of our guys would be able to step up and carry the day," Molnar said. "Once we got to the first game or two and I saw that wasn't going to be the case, I tempered my enthusiasm to understand where we were at developmentally as a football team, and we were really on the ground floor." With just two days until the 2013 season opener on the road against Wisconsin, the excitement surrounding the team last summer still remains. And Molnar believes that this year his team is prepared for the difficult Mid-American Conference competition. "We've taken a step up," Molnar said. "I can't tell you if we're on the second floor or the third floor, let us play a couple of games. But we're definitely better than what we were last season." The play of quarterback Mike Wegzyn this season could serve as the barometer for the team's improvement. Wegzyn started all but one game last season and ended the season with 1,825 passing yards, 141 rushing yards and eight total touchdowns. But more importantly, the redshirt sophomore completed just 52.6 percent of his passes and threw 10 interceptions. Wegzyn finished dead last in passing efficiency (96.9) among the 14 MAC quarterbacks who qualified for the statistic. "Mike Wegzyn has improved, but he needs to continue to improve to play top-level football for our team," Molnar said. Wegzyn will no longer have the luxury of handing the ball off to Michael Cox, the fifth-year transfer from Michigan who served as UMass' lead back last season. Worsening matters, the projected starting running back, Jordan Broadnax, will miss at least the season-opener with an injury to his right knee. Molnar did not have a timetable for Broadnax's return, but he suggested that the junior's absence from the lineup could be prolonged. Filling in for Broadnax will be redshirt freshman Stacey Bedell, according to Molnar.


Molnar pointed to freshman Lorenzo Woodley and redshirt sophomore Jamal Wilson as backups. Starting tight end and St. John's graduate Rob Blanchflower is also in jeopardy of missing the Wisconsin game due to a number of nagging injuries. Despite the injuries, Blanchflower echoed Molnar's sentiment on the year-to-year offensive improvement. "I feel like all the wide receivers and tight ends have been getting so many reps over the course of the last two seasons," Blanchflower said. "I feel like the chemistry overall with all the tight ends and wide receivers is great right now."

Sophomore wide receiver Tajae Sharpe dazzled at Media Day. Wegzyn, and backup quarterbacks A.J. Doyle and Todd Stafford consistently went his direction, and Sharpe brought in almost everything thrown his way.

"Tajae Sharpe has been steady, steady, steady from the first day of camp to this practice," Molnar said.

For as much improvement as the offense has undergone, the defense surpassed it this summer in Molnar's opinion.

"I would say right now that the defense remains ahead of the offense," Molnar said. "They've been very fortunate to be relatively injury-free." The defense thrives in the secondary, where UMass returns redshirt sophomore Randall Jette, sophomore Khary Bailey-Smith and senior Antoine Tharpe. Jette and Bailey-Smith finished second on the team in interceptions with two, while Tharpe has 22 career starts.

Sophomore linebacker Kassan Messiah also returns to the lineup. Messiah, despite missing three games and starting only five, recorded 65 tackles, good for fourth on the team.

The defensive line also gets back LB/DL Stanley Andre and defensive lineman Kevin Byrne, who each logged 12 starts last year. "We've made leaps and gains not only from last year, but especially from the spring," junior defensive end and Holy Name graduate Brandon Potvin said. "We're much more cohesive, we have much more chemistry, particularly in the secondary. The front seven is looking good, we basically return everybody." The Minutemen play non-conference games versus Wisconsin, Maine, Kansas State and Vanderbilt before kicking off conference play against Bowling Green.

UMass set for Wisconsin, 80,000 in attendance By MATT VAUTOUR @GazetteUMass

AMHERST — A year ago at Michigan, the University of Massachusetts fell to the traditional Big Ten power 63-13.

It was not a pleasant result for coach Charley Molnar, but he hoped playing in front of over 100,000 fans would be valuable for his team Saturday when they head to Wisconsin for a noon game at Camp Randall Stadium (capacity: 80,321). It is both teams’ season opener.

Wisconsin is ranked No. 23 and coming off an 8-6 season that included a third straight trip to the Rose Bowl.

“Any time you get a chance to play a Big Ten team it’s awfully exciting for the young men. I think our team is going to be better prepared for that type of environment than we were a year ago,” Molnar said. “Playing at Michigan was a great experience for our guys. Now I think they’re more used to it. We played three games last year in front of fairly large crowds. I think the wide-eyed look will be gone this year.”

The Minutemen will get $900,000 to play the Badgers, but Molnar said the benefits of playing Wisconsin are more than financial.

“I know it’s going to get loud and we’re going to play an awfully good football team, but that’s what we’re trying to do,” Molnar said. “Measure ourselves against the best team in the country.”

Junior linebacker Stanley Andre didn’t think the Minutemen would be fazed by it.

“If a stadium has one person or 500,000, it doesn’t matter who you’re playing in front of. We’re playing for each other. We’re playing for our teammates, for UMass as a whole and the program as a whole. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing in front of. We’re just here to play a football game,” he said. “But it’s definitely an experience playing in front of a lot of people. It’s something to cherish.”


A year ago, Shane Huber was preparing for his senior year at St. Peter’s Prep in New Jersey, while Steve Casali was preparing to lead Long Island’s Sachem East.

Now at UMass, both linebackers are expected to see action as true freshmen Saturday.

“That’s every young football player’s dream, running out of the tunnel with 80,000 to a 100,000 ripping and roaring in the stands,” Huber said. “I’m really excited. I can’t wait. I’m slotted on kickoff coverage and kick return. So I’ll be on the field either way for the first play of the game.”

Casali echoed the sentiments of his teammate and camp roommate.

“It’s going to be the best experience of my life. Playing in front of that many people is going to be insane. It’ll be a memory I’ll never forget,” said Casali, who was glad to be on special teams so he’d get any early jitters out of the way. “I’m on a lot of the special teams, which is an honor. I just want to go out there and hit somebody.”

UMass sophomore quarterback Mike Wegzyn was trying to help the younger players avoid getting swallowed up by the moment.

“You have to make sure the young guys don’t get the wide eyes,” he said. “I try to tell those guys and the coaches say the same thing. Try to put yourself in front of 80,000 every time you come out to practice so when you go out there it feels like just another day of practice.”

Molnar excited for Camp Randall By MATT VAUTOUR @GazetteUMass

AMHERST — In all his years coaching in the upper Midwest, University of Massachusetts coach Charley Molnar never coached a game at Camp Randall Stadium.

While many coaches will downplay any personal excitement about seeing a certain venue, Molnar was excited to visit one of college football’s signature spots. UMass opens its season Saturday at noon at Wisconsin.

“I’m excited to go there and check it out,” he said. “As a coach and a fan of college football, any time you go into a storied place or historic place, I really appreciate the moment and how hard you have to work to get to that opportunity as a coach, to step into some of the greatest stadiums and play some of the greatest teams in college football.”

“It’s a great feeling,” added Molnar, who saw quite a few historic stadiums during his tenure as Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator. “As a young boy, as a player, then growing up as a coach, I’d wonder if I’d ever get the opportunity to play in these places. It’s been great.”

Molnar listed three more places he would like to see.

“Texas, I’d really like to go there. We’re going to go to Florida (2016) and that’s one,” he said. “I’d say Alabama would be the other one.”

Molnar paused when asked if there was a venue that he’d been to that turned out to be better than expected.

“A place that probably delivered more than I thought was Texas Tech,” he said.

LITTLE MAN, BIG LEG — Sophomore kicker Blake Lucas didn’t break 40 yards last year. The 5-foot-8 Georgia native hit a 39-yard field goal against Buffalo.

“Last year all I kicked was a 39, that’s the biggest we ever tried,” Lucas said. “I’m looking for the opportunity to hit some big field goals this year.”

In high school, Lucas made a 48-yard kick and was just wide right on a 52-yard try. He’s made a handful longer than 50 in practice this year.

“I’m a smaller kicker. If I go out there and hit a 55-yarder, it would shock some people,” said Lucas, who said some teammates have nicknamed him Golden Toe. “I’m a lot more confident this year. I’ve been consistent in the scrimmages.”

The UMass record for longest field goal made is 52 yards, a distance that’s been hit twice, but not in almost 35 years. Denis Gagnon made one against New Hampshire in 1971 and Sandro Vitiello hit from there against Boston College in 1978.

TV NOTE — Many area Comcast subscribers don’t get the Big Ten Network in standard definition as part of their standard package. But due to an odd quirk, the Big Ten Network in high definition (885 on most Comcast packages) is part of the package. The Big Ten Network will carry UMass’ season opener.


Charley Molnar: UMass Football ‘Light Years’ Better Than Last Season

CBS Sports Radio (Boston)

BOSTON (CBS) – After their inaugural season in the FBS and Mid-American Conference saw them go just 1-11, UMass Minutemen head coach Charley Molnar says his football team is “light years” better this year.

“We are so much better right now; hopefully internally and externally you’ll be able to see the difference on the field,” Molnar told 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Marc Bertrand in the first of their weekly chats this season. “I can’t say we’ll go undefeated or play in a major bowl, but its going to be a much-improved performance by the Minutemen this year. Guys are bigger, faster, strong and know their assignments better. It’s a tough group of guys and we’re really anxious to get out there and show what we can do.”

“We’re a real young football team and next year when we do this call I’ll tell you the same thing. But we’re not as young as were a year ago and that’s the good news,” said Molnar. “With all the growing pains we went through in 2012, I think this year we’ll start to see the benefits of those young guys being thrown into the fire and you’ll see much improved performances from them.”

It all gets underway on Saturday for the Minutemen when they visit the Wisconsin Badgers, who are ranked 23rd in the country.

Molnar is confident UMass’ passing game will be better this year, with quarterback Mike Wegzyn and all his receivers a year older. But it will be even harder against Wisconsin without the services of tight end Rob Blanchflower, who was ruled out of Saturday’s opener following Monday’s practice.

While Blanchflower, who caught 43 passes for 464 yards and two touchdowns last season, will be out this weekend, Molnar is confident his star tight end will be back when UMass opens their home portion of the schedule at Gillette Stadium on September 7 against Maine.

“He’ll be back for the Maine game for sure,” Molnar said. “We could really use him not only on the field but with his leadership in the locker room. He’s just a great young man and it hurts not to have him out there.”

With transfers, UMass football hoping to go places BOSTON GLOBE – EMILY KAPLAN

AMHERST — When Ricardo Miller enrolled at Michigan in 2010, he devised a specific, four-year plan.

“First, I wanted to start right away,” the 6-foot-4-inch wide receiver/tight end said. “Then get better each year and graduate as an all-time great.”

But the 18-year-old turned 19, then 20. And the four-star prospect fell behind walk-ons on the depth chart.

In three years, Miller appeared in only 14 games. He never recorded a catch.

Miller knew he could still be good. He just needed a second chance.

The University of Massachusetts, he determined, was the perfect fit.

“They’re trying to prove themselves as a big-time program, and I’m trying to let people know that Ricardo Miller isn’t some forgotten high school recruit,” Miller said. “We can help each other.”

Miller, who is expected to start Saturday’s opener at Wisconsin with tight end Rob Blanchflower banged up, is one of three fifth-year transfers on the UMass roster. They follow three other fifth-year transfers who played for the Minutemen last season.

All came to UMass for different reasons. All provide an immediate on-field boost for the program, which is navigating a rocky transition into FBS, college football’s highest tier.

“In the future, maybe it won’t be as important,” coach Charley Molnar said. “But for a school like us, right now, it’s always a viable option if we can find the right guy.”


Molnar found three of the right guys last season: Deion Walker and Hafis Williams from Notre Dame and Michael Cox from Michigan.

Cox, a Dorchester native, played a limited role for the Wolverines. He wanted to showcase his skills as a featured running back, so he opted for one more season at UMass. After he rushed for 715 yards and five touchdowns with the Minutemen, the New York Giants selected Cox in April’s NFL draft.

“He came here, did his thing, did great,” Miller said. “So he’s the perfect example of what Coach Molnar is trying to do.”

The transfers are all graduate students, immediately eligible to play under the NCAA’s one-time transfer exception rule.

Excluding Miller — who is petitioning for one more year of eligibility — all will play just one season for the Minutemen.

According to John Infante, a compliance expert who manages the Bylaw Blog, fifth-year transfers are a growing trend because the process has simplified.

First, the NCAA mandated a waiver. Then a standard waiver. Now, schools can apply for postgraduate transfers “without going through the process of requesting anything from the NCAA,” Infante said.

“I was surprised by how easy it was,” said David Osei, a 6-4, 280-pound offensive lineman who played at Rutgers before joining the Minutemen this season. “But I’m glad for the opportunity. I just wanted a chance to end things right.”

Osei thought he was done with football.

“I had lost some passion for the game,” Osei said.

He graduated with a year of eligibility remaining because he didn’t want to waste a roster spot.

“But I still lived with my teammates in the spring,” Osei said. “The more they talked about going to practices and the upcoming season, the more I realized I missed it. So I started contacting coaches.”

“I talked to a couple schools,” said Justin Anderson, the 6-5, 280-pound defensive end who played four seasons for Maryland. “But here, Coach Molnar said he could give me an opportunity right away. And that’s all I needed to hear.”

At Maryland, Anderson played for four different defensive coordinators and battled through injuries. It all became too much. In April, he left the team “for personal reasons.”

“When I transferred, it wasn’t about trying to prove other people wrong,” Anderson said. “It’s proving to myself that I still got it. I still can go out there and compete in the top Division 1 level.”

Molnar inherited the program two years ago. The roster consisted of players recruited to play in FCS. The jump to FBS, as expected, has been difficult.

In their first season using Gillette Stadium for home games, the Minutemen were greeted by swathes of empty seats. They were outscored by opponents, 482-152. They won one game.

“I wouldn’t wish [an FBS] transition on anyone,” Molnar said at MAC media day earlier this summer. “Once you go through it, you understand the difficulty of it.”

But the highly energetic Molnar — a 52-year-old New Jersey native fueled by morning runs and an occasional Diet Coke — maintains optimism.

He hired four new coaches this offseason, including the school’s first-ever strength and conditioning coach dedicated solely to football.

He’s trying to build a culture. It’s a culture Miller, Osei, and Anderson are already familiar with.

“The guys on our team right now only have one year of 1-A experience under their belt,” Molnar said. “The transfers have four years of experience. They’ve been there, done that.”

They’ve played meaningful games in big stadiums. They’ve also all earned degrees.

“The three are leaders,” Molnar said. “And add a maturity level to our team as we continue to grow.”

Three other schools — South Alabama, Texas State, and the University of Texas at San Antonio — also began the FBS transition in 2011.

South Alabama utilized the postgraduate transfer exception in adding Virginia quarterback Ross Metheny. But Molnar, it seems, is the only coach to fully embrace the strategy.

“It’s a model I think is working,” Molnar said. “Though I don’t know if it’s something we’ll use forever.”

UMass has been accustomed to recruiting at the FCS level for years. The FBS is new territory.


Molnar is excited to have a roster full of players he recruited, players he can develop for four years. It will take a few years for those recruiting classes to replace the returning roster.

So for now, the fifth-year transfers are stopgaps.

“We only get a short time here, one year maybe two” said Miller. “But we are going to make the most of it. And UMass is going to get the most out of us, too.’’

UMass tight end Rob Blanchflower to miss season opener at Wisconsin SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN – DAN MALONE

AMHERST — University of Massachusetts senior tight end Rob Blanchflower will miss the Minutemen's season opener against Wisconsin according UMass coach Charley Molnar.

Blanchflower, who was shut down last Tuesday with with a pair of undisclosed injuries, hasn't practiced in two weeks.

"We're gonna rule him out for Saturday, so he's not gonna play," Molnar said after practice Monday. "I think after today, talking to him, and where he's at, it's just not worth it. You know, we have goals in mind for the season, and I think — I don't think it, I know it — Blanch is part of us reaching those goals. So, we're gonna have to go without him."

Replacing Blanchflower at tight end will be fifth-year senior Ricardo Miller and sophomore Derek Beck, a pair Molnar said he was "very confident" in.

"They both do the same jobs and they both do them about the same; one does some things a little bit better than others," Molnar said. "But I would say this: They're both up to the task. Neither one is Blanch, but they have other skills, perhaps, that Rob doesn't have. So, at the end of the day, I feel pretty good about both those guys going in."

Molnar said Beck, who saw time as a freshman when Blanchflower was forced to miss a pair of games midseason due to a leg injury, should benefit from his experience last year.

"What it did is, we watched Beck grow up," Molnar said. "When he first had to play, you know, his first start was Western Michigan. And he started off slow, made a lot of mistakes and, as the game wore on, he got better and better. And I think that experience alone is gonna help him going forward Saturday."

For sophomore quarterback Mike Wegzyn, the experience last year of learning to cope without what he called his "go-to receiver" is something he believed will be of major benefit for himself and the team this time around.

"When (Blanchflower) was injured, I wouldn't say it set (me) back, but it made me play different. That experience helps going into this year," Wegzyn said. "With him being down again, guys have already been though it. They're kind of used to having him out and having to step up in his place."

Miller suggested the versatility he brings as a big-bodied receiver who can block as well as run will help in softening the blow of Blanchflower's absence. He didn't expect his forecasted role in the offensive game plan to be wildly altered, however.

"I think it's pretty much the same," he said. "(I'll) come in here and do what I'm supposed to do, which is help the offense. Now, I'm playing more Y (receiver) and still playing H-back in some of our formations. So, it's just come in here with the same expectations."

Wegzyn thought the increased roles for Miller and Beck would add some athleticism to the offense, saying he feels like he's built up good chemistry with the pair during the offseason.

"They're fast, they've got good hands and all that. So, from a quarterback's standpoint, I'm real happy to have them," he said.

WOODLEY BACK: UMass did get a bit of good news on the injury front over the weekend, as Molnar said freshmen running back Lorenzo Woodley feels good after being limited with a foot injury last week.

Woodley practiced Monday and is in line to help back up starter Stacey Bedell in Madison Saturday.

FRESHMEN HELPERS: Molnar also provided a list of freshmen players he anticipates seeing the field (not including special teams) in the season opener.


On offense: Shaq Harris, Lorenzo Woodley, Tyshon Henderson, Fabian Hoeller, Shakur Nesmith.

On defense: Peter Angeh, Steve Casali, Arthur Williams, Jackson Porter and Shane Huber.

STAVE STARTING?: According to Benjamin Worgull of BadgerNation.com, Wisconsin will name sophomore quarterback Joel Stave the starter for Saturday's game.

Stave, who started six games for the Badgers before breaking his collarbone last season, was competing with sixth-year senior Curt Phillips for the job.

UMass TE Rob Blanchflower ruled out for Saturday’s season opener at Wisconsin, Ricardo Miller to start By MATT VAUTOUR @GazetteUMass

AMHERST — During Monday’s Mid-American Conference coaches conference call, University of Massachusetts coach Charley Molnar was still optimistic about tight end Rob Blanchflower’s chances of being ready to play in Saturday’s season opener at Wisconsin. By the end of practice at 5 p.m., that optimism was gone as he ruled his senior captain out for the game.

“We’re going to rule him out for Saturday,” Molnar said. “He’s not going to play. After talking to him today and where he’s at, it’s just not worth it. We have goals in mind for the season. Blanch is part of us reaching those goals. We’re going to have to go without him.”

Senior Michigan transfer Ricardo Miller will start in his place and sophomore Derek Beck will see added playing time as well.

“Derek Beck and Ricardo have both practiced well,” said Molnar, who said both Miller and Beck would play tight end and receiver. “They both do the same jobs. They’re both up to the task. Neither one is Blanch, but they both have other skills that Rob doesn’t have, so at the end of the day I feel pretty good about both of those guys going in.”

Blanchflower is the second projected starter ruled out for the game as running back Jordan Broadnax is out with a knee injury.

Miller, who played sparingly at Wisconsin, was eager to make the most of the opportunity.

“Ever since I’ve been here I’ve wanted to make a positive impact. I can make it more, now that unfortunately Blanch is out,” Miller said. “I’m ready to take the position and make the most of it.”

Miller said despite playing against another Big Ten team he had nothing to prove to Michigan.

“I want to let my play speak for itself,” he said.

STAVE STARTING — The official Wisconsin depth chart still lists starting quarterback as Joel Stave or Curt Phillips, but according to BadgerNation.com, a Scout.com site that covers Wisconsin, Stave, a sophomore, will be the starter on Saturday.

FRESHMAN ON BOARD — True freshman Lorenzo Woodley was back at full speed Monday and will be back in action.

“He practiced today and he feels really good,” Molnar said. “I feel pretty good about where’s he’s at right now.”

Woodley is one of at least 10 freshmen who will make the trip to Madison. Molnar said there could be more, but on offense receivers Shaq Harris and Shakur Nesmith and offensive linemen Tyshon Henderson and Fabian Hoeller will all dress and likely play. On defense, linebackers Steve Casali and Shane Huber, defensive backs Arthur Williams and Jackson Porter and defensive linemen Peter Angeh are expected to see action.

Molnar allowed for the possibility that other true freshmen could be on the field on special teams.

WIN TOTAL? — On the conference call, Molnar said while he wouldn’t judge progress on wins and losses he did “have a number in my mind that I think we can attain if everything goes right.”

Pressed about what that number was at practice, Molnar used a phrase from the school yard.

“That’s for me to know and you to find out,” he said.


QB Mike Wegzyn improved and eager for second year as UMass starter DAILY HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE – MATT VAUTOUR

AMHERST — There’s no win or loss column in a quarterback’s stats. Unlike pitchers and goalies, who exert similar influence on a game, quarterbacks don’t get official credit or blame for their teams’ results.

But even without the stat line, QBs are tied to a team’s fortunes. Nobody talks about changing the left guard or middle linebacker to shake things up when things go wrong.

So coming off last year’s 1-11 season, University of Massachusetts quarterback Mike Wegzyn knows the Minutemen’s performance going forward will be tied to him.

“That’s the nature of the beast. When you play quarterback everything is your fault whether it’s good or it’s bad,” he said. “You have to know that going into it. Anything you hear good or bad, you just let it flow off. The best thing you can do at quarterback is be calm and level-headed. Not get rattled or too high or too low.”

While his play was erratic at times last year, Molnar said his ability to stay even was Wegzyn’s biggest asset.

“That’s his personality. He’s resilient. Even in some of the lowest moments that we had, he was always up beat, always working to get better,” Molnar said. “He came in every day, watched film and did a lot of work on his own, no matter what the result of Saturday’s game was.”

Wegzyn said it’s a combination of his natural temperament and a conscious effort.

“I’d like to say it’s in my nature, but I’ve grown every single year that I’ve played,” he said.

“The first year really helped me learn to play under the spotlight,” Wegzyn added. “Losing a game, I’m going to be upset. There’s no two ways about it. I don’t go into any game expecting not to win. It’s hard to sleep. I go through, what I could have done, what I should have done, how I could have impacted the game differently.”

Wegzyn was the surprise starter headed into the 2012 season when returning starter Kellen Pagel’s concussion symptoms ended his football career. Wegzyn’s hold on the job always seemed a bit tenuous. He was a holdover recruit from former coach Kevin Morris and true freshman quarterback A.J. Doyle was the first player to commit after Molnar was hired.

Wegzyn completed 182 of 346 passes for 1,825 yards and six touchdowns and was intercepted 10 times. He showed promise at times in games against Ohio, Miami (Ohio) and the win over Akron. But when Molnar elected to start Doyle in the season finale against Central Michigan, it looked like Wegzyn’s days as the starter might be over.

But after a winter of lifting weights and watching game film, Wegzyn came back stronger and more prepared. He outplayed Doyle in the spring and held on to the starting spot through camp. As he’s prepared to be under center Saturday when the Minutemen travel to Wisconsin, his teammates have noticed improvement.

“I definitely see a more confident Mike Wegzyn, on the field, in the locker room, everywhere,” said sophomore Tajae Sharpe, who will start at wide receiver. “He’s a lot more confident in his skill set and the guys around him.”

Molnar said the players are looking to Wegzyn to lead.

“It’s a lot easier to have confidence in him because he’s performing better. Generally, guys that are your leaders are guys that have performed to some level,” Molnar said. “As he makes more and more plays in practice guys have responded to him better.”

Wegzyn said last year’s struggles have both motivated and educated him.

“It was good to see I’ve improved. I spent more time in the film room than a lot of people would have liked. I’m glad I can see improvement from it and know that I’m getting stuff out of what I’m doing. That just makes me want to continue on that path and keep moving forward,” he said. Coming off last year, there’s a bad taste in everybody’s mouth. We’re going to hit the field running. Last year doesn’t reflect how I, or anyone on the team, can, will and should play. Success isn’t sweet without failure. If there’s not something bad, you wouldn’t know how good something is.”

FOOTBALL COACH CHARLEY MOLNAR READY TO BUILD AT UMASS BOSTON GLOBE – EMILY KAPLAN


AMHERST — It was a sweltering Tuesday afternoon, especially on the sun-baked turf at McGuirk Alumni Stadium.

But the group of reporters encircling University of Massachusetts football coach Charley Molnar kept inching closer and closer together. On and off, Molnar’s voice was muffled by the drilling and hacking up above, as renovations continued on a new multimillion-dollar press box.

A mini-crane chiseling away at the old cement structure? Perhaps the perfect illustration for the 2013 Minutemen. While a bright and shiny product lies ahead, they are very much a work in progress.

“They may not be ready to win big in 2013,” Molnar said at the team’s media day, “but you can see that we’ll be a competitive team in the near future.”

The second-year coach has lofty long-term goals for the Minutemen, who are entering Year 2 of their transition to the FBS level. He wants to compete for Mid-American Conference championships and play in bowl games. He wants the Minutemen to be New England’s premier college football team.

He also wants 50 percent of his starters to be from Massachusetts. That’s something he calls his “Made in Mass.” campaign, which he hopes will grow the local fan base.

“That goal is really best envisioned in five years,” Molnar said.

For the upcoming season, he pledges only improvement and development.

“I haven’t ever spoken in terms of wins or losses,” Molnar said. “I don’t want to set a goal that’s too high because it sounds good, and I certainly don’t want to set a goal that is too low.”

The former Notre Dame assistant acknowledged that perhaps he entered last season with unrealistic expectations.

“I knew we had a long ways to go,” Molnar said. “I thought that maybe some of the guys from our football team would just step up and carry us.”

But with a team of players mostly recruited to play FCS football (the former Division 1-AA), the Minutemen stumbled to a 1-11 season, outscored by opponents, 482-152.

“Once we got through the first game or two and I saw that wasn’t going to be the case, I tempered my enthusiasm to understand where we’re at developmentally,” Molnar said. “And we’re really on the ground floor.”

With a new recruiting class and three fifth-year transfers from large FBS programs (Maryland, Michigan, and Rutgers), the Minutemen possess more talent this season. Of the 24 new scholarship players on the roster, Molnar expects 20 to play.

A tangible sign of improvement? Molnar said his scout-team kickoff unit is better than the varsity kickoff unit of last year.

“The guys recruited in the last regime, we’re the meat and potatoes,” said fifth-year senior Brandon Potvin, a Worcester native. “Then the guys that Coach Molnar has brought in are so talented. They’re a great complement to our foundation.”

The Minutemen face some question marks early. Molnar announced that star tight end Rob Blanchflower — the team’s lone captain — will be shut down for 10-14 days with a pair of undisclosed injuries. The senior’s status is murky for the opener at Wisconsin Aug. 31.

A program-wide issue? The NCAA announced that UMass must average 15,000 in attendance at Gillette Stadium this year or face a 10-year probation. The Minutemen averaged 10,901 fans per game in 2012.

“People are slowly but surely jumping on board,” Molnar said. “Do I wish the bandwagon was full right now? Of course I do, but maybe it’s better that it wasn’t full because we’ll appreciate it more.”

In Molnar’s field of dreams, if he builds it, they will come.

And the construction is already underway.

Center Matt Sparks hoping to help lead the UMass offense

DAILY HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE – MATT VAUTOUR

AMHERST — Matt Sparks knows he’s the first domino.


If the center sets the tone for the offensive line and the offensive line sets the tone for the entire offense, a good year for Sparks as the University of Massachusetts’ No. 1 center means the rest of the unit has a chance to take a step forward.

“It’s pretty important for me to do a lot better this year and improve,” said Sparks, who is motivated by the pressure. “It helps you though all the hard workouts knowing you need to get better every day.”

New UMass offensive line coach Dave Johnson played center himself at West Virginia.

“You have to be strong up the middle. That’s a tough position. I have firsthand knowledge,” he said. “I told him ‘you’re in the unfavorable spot of playing the position your coach played.’ I’m really hard on him. You’re putting the ball between your legs and trying to block and make calls. He has to do a good job. He’s done a really good job with the run, he has to get a little bit better with his pass protection, as does everybody else.”

Sparks, a 6-foot-4, 290-pound native of Hawaii, made three starts as a true freshman last year at left guard. Like most of the Minuteman who debuted last year, he had some growing pains, but he thought it helped prepare him for this year.

“I think it helped a lot. All the young guys that played last year have experience,” he said. “We’ve seen firsthand what we need to prepare for. It’s one thing if someone tells you they’re big and strong, but it’s a lot different if you’re actually out there. It forces you to come out with everything you’ve got. Unless they throw some weird stuff, I think I’m ready for most of it. It just takes repetitions and showing it over and over every day in practice.”

Playing center adds a new list of responsibilities as he’s learning to make the right presnap calls, developing chemistry with quarterback Mike Wegzyn and becoming a leader.

“The center has to be on the same page as the quarterback,” Molnar said. “The quarterback has to tell the center, ‘Hey, I wanted the ball, you were too slow delivering it’ or, ‘You were too fast. Your snaps are off.’ He has to know that Matt is going to take that information and process it rather than be offended by it.”

Wegzyn has been impressed with Sparks’ development.

“He’s come a long way like the whole team has,” he said. “He’s almost a veteran now. Me and him have been through it all together. I feel really good about him going into this season.”

Sparks is taking the leadership responsibility that comes with playing center seriously.

“I think it’s pretty important,” he said. “I have to do my best to set an example for everybody else and just try to provide some energy.”

In the spring, it looked like Sparks would be leading a young and very inexperienced unit. Anthony Dima was the lone senior, and the only player, who’d been in the program the previous spring. But the group has evolved. The return of right guard Vincent Westcarr and the arrival of Rutgers transfer David Osei, who will start at right tackle, gives the Minutemen three seniors on the line. Only redshirt freshman left guard Tyrell Smith has yet to see game action.

Junior college transfer David Bruns and true freshmen Fabian Hoeller and Tyshon Henderson will all add depth.

“Fabian Hoeller is an older freshman. He’s brought some maturity with him. I’m pleased with where he is right now. Tyshon Henderson has some physical maturity, but mentally right now he’s swimming. Hopefully, the game will slow down a little for him, but right now the game goes really fast for him.”

Minutemen shift their focus to game week SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN – DAN MALONE

AMHERST — It's getting closer, and the University of Massachusetts football coaches and players can feel it.

After a grueling training camp, only eight days separate UMass from the start of the 2013 season. And that means it's time for the team to shift its focus to Aug. 31 and the Minutemen's season opener at Wisconsin.

Starters will be named. Hard-hitting contact drills will be replaced with extra film sessions. Banged-up players will be rested to ensure everyone is ready to go.

Game week is here.

"(I'm) definitely excited to get out of camp and start the season," UMass quarterback Mike Wegzyn said Thursday. "That's what you want to do as a football player — play. So that's what we're gonna do. I'm pumped."


Wegzyn isn't the only one who's ready to ditch the grind of summer camp. At this point of the preseason, everyone is anxious to end the scrimmages and start preparing for games that actually count in the standings.

Minutemen coach Charley Molnar is ready for a change, too.

"We're tired of beating the heck out of each other," he said. "Now it's time to get our focus on our first opponent. We had a good, physical camp, really physical. And now it's time to back off and let everybody let their bumps and bruises heal so they're as fresh as we can be for the opener."

The change is rejuvenating for the players, Molnar said, especially after three straight weeks of facing no one but your own teammates.

"It's just a change of pace, you know?" Molnar said. "Instead of watching film of UMass' offense and practice film, now, starting last night (and) this morning, we've watched a lot Wisconsin film. That's really where we're putting our focus. So, it just feels different. Certainly doesn't feel new, but it feels different. And I think those changes are good for the guys."

Wegzyn said he's already seen better focus from some of his teammates because of it.

"Throughout camp, you don't really have anything, necessarily, to play for," Wegzyn said. "And now that we get into game week, obviously, at the end of the week, the prize is going into Wisconsin and playing on the big field. That's definitely a little extra push for guys out there while we're on the field to stay focused and really get down to the grind."

Preparation for the Badgers began long before Thursday. Molnar said he and his staff have been scouring game film since the spring in hopes of identifying any sign of weakness from the Badgers . And not just Wisconsin film, either.

"We know that they've got a coach coming from Utah State," Wegzyn said. "So, we're trying to scheme a little bit with that and trying to figure out what to expect from them."

That coach is Gary Anderson, who took over head coaching duties at Wisconsin in December after spending the previous four seasons leading Utah State. Anderson's defensive expertise has Wegzyn pouring over film of the Aggies in search of an edge.

"Watching the Wisconsin stuff is more about personnel and trying to figure out the people that we need to go up against and our matchups," Wegzyn said. "Then, Utah State is more of the schemes that we've been looking at, because that's where we're figuring it's gonna be coming from. So, we're kind of getting ready for a bunch of different things."

"It's gonna be hard," he added, "because, when new coaches come in, there's a little bit of guessing involved."

Molnar agreed.

"Just because they did certain things at Utah State (doesn't matter). They have different athletes at Wisconsin. Maybe they feel like they might be able to play more man coverage or maybe they feel like they've got better blitzers," he said. "Who knows what they're thinking now with the whole different talent pool that they have. So, a lot of things that they did in the past may be out the window."

But Molnar is confident that the work his players and coaches put in over the next week will prepare them for anything Wisconsin might throw their way.

"I feel like, offensively, (the) coaches have a pretty good handle on it, just like we normally do," he said "Now it's a matter of the players understanding what they do."

O-Line Deeper, Still Inexperienced MAROON MUSKET – BOB MCGOVERN

AMHERST, Mass. - Throughout the 2012 season, UMass' offensive line couldn't keep opposing defenses out of the backfield. The group, which struggled through injuries and inexperience, never seemed to jell, and the result was catastrophic for the offense.

Opposing teams sacked UMass quarterbacks 32 times, and the Minuteman rushing attack – paced by New York Giants' draft pick Mike Cox – scrounged up a paltry 2.6 yards per attempt.

Things seemed to get even worse after the season. Ron Hudson, the team's offensive line coach, hit the road. Michael Boland and Jaime Casselberry, two promising young prospects, also left the team. The thin group started to look even more disorganized, which had UMass fans pulling at their collars.

During the offseason, UMass head man Charley Molnar brought in offensive line coach Dave Johnson, and the staff went out and signed seven big bodies to fill in. Added to the mix was David Osei, a fifth-year transfer from Rutgers with experience at every position on the line. Vincent Westcarr decided to come back for his final year, and three walk-ons joined the fray.

While inexperience abounds, the offensive line actually has a two-deep, which is something it never quite put together in 2012.


“We're better now than we were in the spring, and we're getting better every day,” Johnson said. “We're still not where we want to be, but we're working hard and trying to work through different combinations and find the best five.”

The Minutemen currently have “eight or nine” guys working with the first team, according to Johnson, a 28-year coaching veteran. He said that only two positions are set - Anthony Dima at left tackle and Matt Sparks at center.

“I think Sparks is pretty much locked on the center position, not that other guys can't play the position,” he said. “I'm real happy with (Fabian) Hoeller. I think he has done a good job of coming in. He's caught on to some things a lot faster than I thought.”

He added that Hoeller, a freshman who came to UMass from Germany, is a little more mature than some of the other new guys. The 6-foot-3, 290-pound newcomer has also taken snaps at guard and looks to push for playing time right away.

If preseason formations are any indicator, Dima (LT), Tyrell Smith (LG), Sparks (C), Westcarr (RG) and Osei (RT) are a likely combination, with the likes of Hoeller and others filling in where needed.

Some of the other newcomers are still “swimming” a bit, Johnson said, but he has been impressed with Tyshon Henderson, a Rhode Island native who has been getting snaps at both left and right tackle. The 6-foot-7, 339-pound athlete is already the biggest guy on the team and has shown flashes of promise during fall camp.

Henderson's problem is keeping his foot on the gas.

“Tyshon started out impressing me and doing some things, but then once you install the rest of the offense, it kind of has an accumulation affect on guys,” Johnson said. “He's kind of leveled off a little bit. He's doing well, and I'm pleased with his progress. He has size, but he just doesn't know how to go hard every time.”

Freshman Sam Zeff and JUCO transfer Josh Bruns enrolled at UMass during the spring and have had some extra time getting used to the offense. Both were still learning the playbook when they took the field during the Spring Game but looked ready to push for early playing time.

Johnson, who is very straightforward with his thoughts on the unit, said he was hoping for a little more from both athletes.

“I would hope (their progression) would show a little more than it has. They should be a little further along than they are, in terms of knowing what to do. They need to learn how to do it,” he said.

Leading the group is Dima, a 6-foot-7, 302-pound NFL prospect. Throughout camp, pro scouts have been watching the hulking left tackle. Johnson thinks Dima has the ability to make it at the next level, but he has to prove himself during the toughest part of UMass' schedule.

“I think he has a chance. He plays hard, and he's a fast-twitch guy and has really good feet for a lineman. He has the physical tools that they're looking for as far as size and foot quickness. It's just a matter of him polishing, getting exact and trying to play with as much excellence as possible,” he said. “I think he's got eyes on him now – he's on the radar. These first couple of games are important for him. Those are the games that the NFL guys want to watch. If he wants postseason accolades, those are the games he has to excel in.”

He said guys like Dima don't “panic” as much as the younger guys, which is something the freshmen need to figure out before playing against FBS defensive lines in big-time college stadiums.

The first test is against Wisconsin, a Big 10 program known for its deafening crowds and monstrous, Midwestern defensive lines.

“You know, it's Camp Panic,” Johnson said, referring to Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium. “You just have to stay with what you've been taught. You have to make sure they stay fundamentally sound. They have to work on fundamentals, work on what they've been coached, and hopefully as an offense we don't have turnovers and don't make penalties. That will give us a chance to be in the ballgame and compete and hopefully come around in the fourth quarter.”

Joe Tyo: Not Your Ordinary Walk-On MAROON MUSKET – BOB MCGOVERN

AMHERST, Mass. - Joe Tyo doesn't look like a walk-on.

Standing on the sidelines of McGuirk Alumni Stadium, the UMass freshman fills out his uniform like a scholarship-earning outside linebacker. Tyo had a feared reputation down on Cape Cod, and at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds it's easy to understand why.

He was a dominating force for the Dennis-Yarmouth football team. Tyo played defensive end, defensive tackle and offensive tackle during his career, and helped lead the Dolphins to a Division 2A Super Bowl title as a junior. However, despite having the look and the stats, Tyo had one deficiency that he couldn't hide from college recruiters.


He had only played two years of football.

“I transferred from Sandwich to D-Y, and had never really played football,” Tyo said. “I showed up my junior year and didn't really get much playing time until the fourth game, against Falmouth. We ended up going undefeated that year and winning the Super Bowl.

“Maybe I should have just retired so I could go out undefeated,” he added, with a laugh.

Albany, Sacred Heart and Saint Anslem showed interest, but when UMass came to the table and offered Tyo a preferred walk-on spot, he couldn't resist.

“This was my No. 1 choice, and it was an easy choice,” he said.

Now on campus, Tyo is working with the defensive line and coach Dave Sollazzo. While currently a little undersized, Tyo is projected to be a defensive end after a cycle in UMass' lifting regimen. Sollazzo has been impressed with how quickly the walk-on is progressing.

“The kid has only played two years of high school football, and for him to do some of the things that he's doing already is really outstanding. He's just another great kid that comes out here with a blue-collar work ethic every single day,” he said. “I like him a lot. He's doing a good job, and he's going to be a big boy. He's already standing out, and he's showing a lot as a walk-on coming into camp.”

Tyo is appreciative of all the reps he gets in practice and said the “coaches are showing a lot of trust in me.” While he has had a good start to his college career, Tyo still makes a lot of rookie mistakes but said the coaches are being really patient with him as he learns the ropes.

He added that he knew college ball was going to be different from his time at D-Y.

“I expected it to be a lot faster and a lot tougher. We have coach screaming nonstop. He's always on my back,” he said. “Anything you do right, it's never fully correct, and every time you mess up, you have to improve. If I mess up, they'll stop me and talk to me and teach me what I'm doing.”

Tyo also has the benefit of learning from experienced teammates. UMass' defensive line has five athletes who are juniors or older, and they have taken the new guy under their wing and are teaching him how to play the position.

Brandon Potvin, a redshirt senior defensive end from Holy Name Catholic High School in Worcester, likes what he sees from his fellow Bay Stater.

“He's playing his butt off man. He doesn't have much experience – he's only played two years. The sky is the limit for this kid,” Potvin said. “He's got a great frame and a great body to play the position. With coach Sollazzo's help and with our leadership, hopefully he will grow into his own. Hopefully he'll be a monster.”

Tyo is one of a number of Bay State walk-ons that UMass added during the offseason. The group is part of UMass' “Made in Mass” campaign, in which the team is going out and recruiting the best scholarship and walk-on athletes from Massachusetts.

The kid from Cape Cod is happy to be part of the movement.

“I'm very proud to be Made in Mass,” he said. “They are trying to get a bunch of kids like me out here, and with this coaching staff, guys like me are easily going to make an impact.”

Randall Jette can’t wait to soar higher at UMass

BOSTON HERALD – JOHN CONNOLLY

AMHERST — The summer heat had crept back into the Pioneer Valley and the temperature on the playing surface at McGuirk Alumni Stadium was soaring. It was enough to make the sweating UMass football players think of taking a ferry ride out to the Cape Cod Islands almost 200 miles away.

“There’s nothing there to do but play football and go to the beach,” said UMass sophomore defensive back Randall Jette, an Oak Bluffs native and former Martha’s Vineyard standout. “That’s what I did. I’d go the beach.”

If last year’s inaugural FBS season was a three-hour shakedown cruise each Saturday, then this year’s second season of playing in college football’s top level shapes up to be a voyage with a mission: To keep improving.

“As a team, we’re still young. We’re still recruiting. We still have young guys coming in and trying to make an impact on the team somewhat like (last year’s freshmen) did. That experience of me, Trey Dudley-Giles, Khary Bailey-Smith, D’Metrius (Williams), all playing as true freshmen, that can only help us for this year. I mean, we’re all coming back. We’re all healthy. We definitely learned from our experiences, whether it was at Michigan, at Vanderbilt. We’re ready for it. We know what to expect and that helps our practice habits.”

UMass, which finished 1-11 in its first FBS campaign, and 1-7 in the Mid-American Conference, opens its 2013 season on Aug. 31 at Wisconsin.


Jette said the most challenging learning experience for the still youthful Minutemen players has been to maintain an even-keel emotion-wise on the playing field.

“I think because we were young, when we gave up a big play, we got down on ourselves and we have to know how to bounce back. You give a play and make a play,” said Jette, who added 10 pounds of muscle to his 6-foot frame. “That’s how you have to work. I think gaining strength in the weight room will help this year, and with coach (Mike) Golden coming in, we’ll definitely get our strength up.”

UMass coach Charley Molnar is a big supporter of Jette, the emerging star who was recruited by the likes of Boston College, New Hampshire, Bryant and Maine, the squad the Minutemen will play in the home opener at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 7.

“As far as Randall, he is a great, great kid. He comes to work every day, practices hard and he’s enthusiastic. He makes plays, not only defensively but in the kicking game,” Molnar said. “He is a very, very valuable part of our football team.”

A year ago, Jette was one of eight players to start all 12 games on the defensive side of the ball, and he finished fourth on the squad in total tackles with 53, including a third-best 30 unassisted stops. He posted six games with five or more tackles, including four in the last five contests. Jette made two interceptions, one coming in the lone UMass victory at Akron, to finish second in that category.

“He had a good spring (in 2012), but I knew he was young and I wasn’t expecting too much from him,” Molnar said. “He was a little bit inconsistent but he got better and better as the season went on. Now, you’re so glad that those reps that those guys got last fall in that season, that’s the bright spot of 2012. All the experience that he gained, I mean, he’s like a seasoned veteran out there. He’s very, very cool. He plays almost error-free football.”

Jette said he has to work on all parts of his game.

“I think this year I have to develop that killer mentality,” he said. “At times, I showed hesitancy. I wasn’t quite sure of my plays. But this year, I know my technique and I know my assignments. I can attack now.”

Jette said he is happy with his choice to attend UMass.

“I’m a Massachusetts boy so I wanted to stay in the northeast,” Jette said. “I wanted to represent Massachusetts. It was a good fit. So, why not take control of that. I mean, the whole island supports us. I have little kids now that I coach and help out now. It’s big. . . . The (Martha’s Vineyard) community loves their sports there. That’s what they thrive on. So, I have a lot of people back home supporting me.”

Steady-handed Vance Barton the unsung hero behind the Minutemen's special teams SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN – DAN MALONE

AMHERST – Without pomp or fanfare, Vance Barton is the man who makes the University of Massachusetts special teams tick.

Quietly, he goes about his work, perfecting his craft away from the limelight afforded many of his teammates. Heading into his second season as the football team's long snapper, that's exactly the way Barton prefers it.

"With my job, I know I'm doing good when I don't get noticed," he said. "When I get noticed, it's either because I had a tackle or messed up on a snap."

Fortunately for UMass, it's rarely been the latter with the redshirt senior.

While punter Colter Johnson and kicker Blake Lucas have, deservedly, garnered most of the praise on a special teams unit that has quickly become one of the team's strengths, Barton is the spark plug who drives the kicking game. Without his laser snaps to Johnson or perfect placement on point-after and field-goal attempts to holder Jeff Strait, none of those kicks would get off the ground.

And Barton is perfectly content with the role.

"Colter's getting a lot of attention because he's a great punter (and) Blake is a very, very automatic kicker. And I've just been doing my job to make their jobs really easy by throwing Colter really good snaps and giving our holders a good snap," Barton said. "We've been really consistent, we've worked really hard and we're extremely dedicated. And I think we may be one of the top specialist units in the nation."

Barton first took a liking to the position while in high school at Burr and Burton Academy in Manchester, Vt. Not everyone can shoot a football back between their legs with the speed, spin and precision necessary to hold down the job, but Barton found he was quite good at it – good enough, even, to walk on at Division III Curry College, where Barton spent two years before his career plans led him to look for other opportunities after the 2010 season.

"I've always had an aspiration to play in the NFL and going D-I and proving what I had," Barton said. "So I came to UMass and walked on here, started snapping and it all panned out that way to get a spot here."


While most players turn to stone when asked about playing professionally one day, Barton doesn't shy away from his goals.

"It's always been an aspiration for me to play in the NFL," he said. "So obviously, first and foremost is this season and coming out and performing my best this season, because this is gonna be the season that'll determine that. But, definitely, my future is looking toward, hopefully, making a team and snapping and making a career out of it."

Barton isn't the first UMass long snapper to feel that way. Former Minutemen Jeremy Cain, who has played the last eight years with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Travis Tripucka, who has spent time with the St. Louis Rams and New York Jets the past two seasons, have most recently blazed the trail to the NFL that Barton hopes to follow.

"It's funny how it panned out that way, you know? I came to a school where they've produced a lot of Grade-A long snappers," Barton said. "So it's interesting, and I'm excited to be part of it and showcase my talent this year and hopefully keep the tradition going."

UMass coach Charley Molnar has bought into the hype, repeatedly saying this offseason that Barton has "pro potential."

For now, the 6-foot-2, 230-pound native of Albany, N.Y., has his sights set on improving an already stellar special teams unit. Barton said he makes "somewhere over 300 snaps a week" in order to ensure he holds up his end of the bargain.

"We take extreme pride in what we do, and I take my job as seriously as the starting quarterback takes his job. Same with Colter and Blake," Barton said. "For us to know that we're performing very well and the coaches don't have to worry, it's very humbling on our part. It just boosts our confidence even more."

TRAINING CAMP OVER: Wednesday officially marked the end of training camp, as Molnar said the team will turn its focus to preparation for the season opener at Wisconsin with Thursday's practice.

The remainder of the season's practice sessions are closed to the public.

MAC BOWL ADDITIONS?: ESPN reported Tuesday that two new bowl games potentially involving Mid-American Conference participants could be created for the 2014 season.

The first, which would be played in the Bahamas, would feature MAC and Conference USA teams, while the second, played in Boca Raton, Fla., would involve C-USA and one of either the MAC, Mountain West or American Athletic conferences.

UMass football team knows they're playing for the future of the program, not just for wins

SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN – NICK O’MALLEY

AMHERST – It's impossible to ignore.

As the University of Massachusetts football team wrapped up their final open practice of the summer on Tuesday, the still-under-construction Football Performance Center, a looming structure that takes up the entirety of the north endzone of McGuirk Alumni Stadium stood as a constant reminder of what the 2013 season was all about: building upon a foundation.

Depending on how you look at it, the construction (and the accompanying jackhammering that rings through the stadium) could either be an eyesore and a distraction, or a metaphor for building that the program is doing on the field as well.

The Minutemen are going with "metaphor."

"When I'm practicing, I look at that building," sophomore cornerback Randall Jette said, pointing towards the construction. "You know you're working hard for something. You know there's a bright future. You see the stadium under construction every day when you're out here working, so it's a little motivation every day."

The Minutemen's 2012 season, the program's first foray as a Football Bowl Subdivision team, was and ugly 1-11 affair that placed an unfair burden on raw freshman to see the field earlier than expected and on a group of upperclassmen that had been barred from postseason play, even if the team had played well enough to qualify.

It was hard, unforgiving work that bore little fruit. Fan attendance was far below the 15,000 home game average needed to stay in FBS and arguments were being made back in Amherst that the transition was a mistake, and that the program was costing too much money for the university.

Only through the deepest-tinted Maroon-and-White-colored glasses does the 2013 season look much more optimistic for UMass. The team is young, the schedule is tough and the returning cast remembers the beatings it took a year ago. Players and coaches want to see marked improvement on the field, but know better than to get their hopes too high, a mistake that Minutemen coach Charley Molnar made heading into first season as a head coach last year.


"I knew that we had a long ways to go," Molnar said. "I thought that maybe some of the guys from our football team would just step up and be able to carry the day. Once we got through the first game or two and I saw that wasn't going to be the case, I tempered my enthusiasm to understand where we're at as a football team developmentally. We were really on the ground floor."

Now, like the building coming up behind the Minutemen as they practice, there are signs of development and an infrastructure around which the team is planning to build moving forward.

As of now, Molnar says he's still not sure whether the team is currently on the second or third floor at the moment, but is happy to see the team progressing.

Ultimately, the Minutemen aren't gearing towards success this year. It's not a banner statement that fans and school officials will be pleased to here in 2013. But the goal is to make UMass a contender in 2017 and beyond.

For now, the big question for the Minutemen is "How many wins?" That 1-11 record is not going to turn the heads of many fans and, more importantly, recruits. But as of yet, Molnar has yet to emphasize or set a number of wins for his team. Instead, he'll be emphasizing improvement on a more abstract level.

"I haven't ever spoken in terms of wins and losses with the coaches, with the team or with the public," Molnar said. "The reason being is: I don't want to set a goal that's too high because it sounds good and I certainly don't want to set a goal that's too low.'"

It seems that the message of setting up the program for long-term success has sunk in for a number of players, with many touting the message during the team's Media Day event on Tuesday. Players like Jette know that the early struggles are simply a building block for something greater down the road.

Unfortunately, there aren't many ears that are warming to a long-term pitch.

"You can't tell the media that when we're getting roasted in games," Jette said. "It's definitely going to help us in the long run. We all got experience, we all know what it's like, we all know game speed. It will definitely help us out."

The 2013 Minutemen are still one of the youngest teams at the FBS level. But with a year of college football under many of their belts, those sophomores and juniors who were thrown into the fire early on in the careers will be far beyond the wide-eyed rookies of the college game that they were a year ago.

While fans will have to wait until Aug. 31 at Wisconsin to see if there are any true signs of progress for the UMass football program, all the players have to do is look north and see that, even though they're not quite finished, construction is coming along smoothly.

Leominster's Blanchflower battling through injuries at UMass FITCHBURG SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE – MATT STEWART

AMHERST -- After a breakout junior season, UMass tight end Rob Blanchflower Is expecting big things this year.

The Leominster native is one of four starters returning to the Minutemen offense. Although he's battling some nagging injuries, Blanchflower hopes to be ready to go on Aug. 31 when UMass heads to Madison, Wis., to open the season against the University of Wisconsin.

"Blanchflower has been in and out of the lineup during summer camp," UMass head coach Charley Molnar said. "We made an executive decision based on the medicals to hold him out for at least the next 10 to 14 days. How that will affect the Wisconsin game remains to be seen."

"Not having him on the field hurts us a little bit offensively. Once he gets on the field, whether it's the Wisconsin game or the Maine game, I think you're going to see a dynamite football player. He caught the ball really well in the spring."

Blanchflower didn't disclose the specifics of his injuries, but feels that his status as a team captain might have heightened the buzz surrounding his health.

"To be honest with you, anyone who plays this game from the Division I level to the Division III level is banged up all summer," Blanchflower said. "It's a brutal game for tough guys, and everybody is going through the same thing. Guys around the team know that it's not going to affect my level of play, and I'm going to be ready come game time."

Last year in UMass' first season in the elite Football

Bowl Subdivision, Blanchflower caught 43 passes for 464 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 46.4 receiving yards per game, and capped off his season with a 10-catch, 100-yard, touchdown-scoring performance against Central Michigan.

"I hope to perform greater than I did last year," Blanchflower said. "It was sort of a breakthrough season for me, but I know I can perform at the level of the Central Michigan game every week. Last year I wasn't consistent every week, and I'd like to be more consistent this year."


Although the 6-foot-4, 260-pound tight end definitely has the size of a blocking back, UMass utilized him during the spring game and at points during the regular season in some unconventional spots. Although Molnar said throwing similar wrinkles into game plans with Blanchflower early in the season is unlikely because of his limited playing time due to his injury, it might be something Minutemen fans see as the season progresses.

"Last season there were games when I was in the backfield, or playing H back," Blanchflower said. "I'm used to the versatility. There were some games when I was on the outside, and the way our offense works is all concepts. I'm a better conceptual learning, so I know what every position's responsibility is."

With limited depth at the tight end position last season, UMass was reliant upon Blanchflower to carry the load of the position. This season is a different story, as some of the younger tight ends have more experience, and the Minutemen also boosted their depth with Michigan transfer Ricardo Miller.

"This is the first time we've had this many tight ends since I've been at UMass," Blanchflower said. "From a practice standpoint, it takes away some of your reps. It's great knowing you have a strong No. 2 tight end who can come in during practice and take a load off your legs."

The Minutemen were in a difficult position last season, having to start a redshirt freshman at quarterback. But with a year of chemistry under their belts, Blachflower and signal caller Mike Wegzyn are hoping to connect in the passing game in 2013.

"Wegzyn was in a difficult situation last season, and that's a lot of pressure to put on someone his age," Blanchflower said. "He understands my body and the way it moves, and when to hit my in stride and where to place the ball. That's important. If there's a certain opening, he knows the best spot to put it for me to have a chance at a catch."

Blanchflower worked hard in the offseason, putting on a few pounds during voluntary workouts. Several teammates followed in his footsteps, attempting to go the extra mile in order to get ready for the season.

"I don't know if it's the way we've been programmed the last few years," Blanchflower said. "We were just in there working our tails off and getting after it. It's almost like a team standard that we hold ourselves to. There aren't many off days up here. I think it's paid off for me and the rest of the team; we've all put on good weight."

Although there is still much to be accomplished in his collegiate football career, Blanchflower has already received some interest from scouts and hopes to play at the next level after graduation.

"He's done a great job of being a complete tight end," UMass tight end coach Shane Waldron said. "He's improved in every area, and I think that's his biggest strength. He may not have one thing that he's elite at, but he's very good at everything."

UMass tight end Rob Blanchflower named to Senior Bowl watch list SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN – DAN MALONE

Rob Blanchflower's status for the University of Massachusetts football team's season opener at Wisconsin may be up in the air, but the hype surrounding his senior season is as strong as ever, as the UMass tight end was one of more than 400 players named to the 2014 Senior Bowl watch list Monday.

The 6-foot-4, 260-pound Leominster native caught a career-high 43 passes for 464 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games last year. He was named the Minutemen's team captain during the offseason.

Should Blanchflower make the 65th-annual all-star game in Mobile, Ala., he would become just seventh player in school history to do so, joining a list that includes Milt Morin (1966), John Hulecki (1972), Ed McAleney (1976), James Files (1976), Vladimir Ducasse (2010) and Emil Igwenagu (2012).

Speaking at UMass' football media day Tuesday, Blanchflower said he's still getting used to all the attention being given to him during the preseason.

"I was pretty much unrecruited coming out of high school, so I don't know what any of this is like," he said. "I don't know, I guess this is the hand I was dealt."

The Senior Bowl is college football's premier senior showcase event, annually featuring the nation's best senior players and top NFL draft prospects on teams coached by NFL coaching staffs. Senior Bowl practices and game week festivities are attended by more than 800 general managers, head coaches, assistant coaches, scouts and other front office personnel from all 32 National Football League teams.

This year's game will be played on Jan. 25 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium and will be televised nationally by the NFL Network. Practices for the North and South squads are also aired during the week leading up to the game.


Freshman LB Shane Huber happy to be a Minuteman DAILY HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE – MATT VAUTOUR

AMHERST - Shane Huber doesn’t want to be the guy who almost didn’t go to the University of Massachusetts. He wants to be the guy that made a considerable impact when he arrived.

Huber winced a little when asked about January, when he briefly decommitted from UMass.

Huber, now a true freshman linebacker for the Minutemen, liked the school, coach Charley Molnar and the idea of being part of the foundation of UMass’ time in Bowl Subdivision football.

But at the time, some members of the faculty senate were attempting to convince the administration that FBS football was a bad idea and aggressively courted media attention in hopes of rallying support for their cause.

While their attempts had no success convincing the chancellor, the president’s office or the board of trustees, the media attention filtered through social media left many people believing UMass was reconsidering its upgrade. Rival coaches, who hoped to land the Basking Ridge, N.J., product whose stock was on the rise, were happy to feed the fear that those reports were true.

Huber was far too good a player for championship subdivision, so he decided to explore his options and got plenty of media attention when he decommitted.

“Being a young kid, people pull you in different directions — coaches, family, friends, reporters, everybody,” Huber said. “There was a lot going on in my mind. On one hand it was something I really regret, but on the other hand it was a great learning experience. I was able to mature a lot through it. I’m grateful for that whole experience.”

After having things explained and his fears assuaged by the Minuteman coaching staff, Huber decided he still wanted to be part of UMass’ future. Wearing his brand new maroon No. 8 UMass football jersey at media day Tuesday, Huber said he felt like he made the right choice.

“I’m just really enjoying everything so far. It’s been a great experience,” he said. “I love the guys and I love the coaches here. Everything is going great.”

He tweeted a picture of the jersey hanging in his locker with the message:

“Going to represent my families name to the best of my abilities in this uniform for the next 4 years.”

It was the latest of many tweets professing his excitement about the start of his football career that have been coming at a steady pace all summer.

A middle linebacker in high school, he’s moved to the outside to get a better chance of being on the field. He’ll be on several special teams units and will be in the mix to see regular action at linebacker.

“I’m playing outside linebacker, which is something I’ve never done before. But I took it on and I’m really excited about it,” he said. “I’m getting better every day.”

Barring a setback or an injury, he’ll be on the plane to Madison next Friday and on the field against Wisconsin for the season opener.

He’s eager to start playing and make his mark as a Minuteman.

I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else. I always knew I wanted to be here in Amherst. I’m glad this is where I ended up,” he said. “I don’t want (decommiting) to be my legacy at UMass. I want to be something much more.”

QB Mike Wegzyn and his young WR corps learning to grow up together


SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN – DAN MALONE

AMHERST – It's no secret that the success of the 2013 UMass football offensively lies primarily on the shoulders of redshirt sophomore QB Mike Wegzyn. After a rough 2012 campaign overall for the Minutemen, Wegzyn and his offense have a lot of growing up to do heading into Year Two of UMass' foray into Mid-American Conference play.

Fortunately for Wegzyn, he has a corps of receivers around him that is growing along with him.

With the top targets of the Minutemen long gone, this year's squad will look to a young group of talented, but young, wide receivers to help bring life to a passing game that averaged 186.7 yards per game last season.

Here are some of the key underclassmen wideouts that will be counted on heading into the 2013 season:

1 - Tajae Sharpe, So., 6-foot-2, 185 pounds 88 - Bernard Davis, So., 6-foot-1, 180 pounds 16 - Elgin Long, So. (R), 5-foot-10, 189 pounds 89 - Derek Beck, So., 6-foot-4, 225 pounds 4 - Shakur Nesmith, Fr., 6-foot-4, 200 pounds

Going 1-11 was a rough go-around for a group of young players adjusting to the college game, but it has helped a previously untested group grow up quickly.

"We were put into the fire early, but we got a chance to really learn the offense, really get that experience," Long said.

Heading into 2013, this group has already faced the rigors of a full season at college football's highest level and are now getting fully ingrained in the team's offensive system. Now, UMass' wideouts are hoping that getting a full year of the offense under their belts and a whole offseason to refine their game has put them in a vastly superior position to where they were last year.

"It's been pretty fun throwing around with Mike," Davis said. "He's a redshirt sophomore, so we all have a chemistry with him. We stay with him after every practice, every day, getting the timing down and everything, so he knows ever receiver. Freshmen, redshirt freshmen, sophomores, redshirt sophomores: We're a pretty young corps, but we're pretty experienced when you see us on the field."

Bucking the trend among receiving options are senior tight end Rob Blanchflower and graduate student transfer WR/TE Ricardo Miller, both on whom will likely be called upon heavily in the coming season. However, the ultimate success of the UMass passing game will likely be decided by whether the young corps of receivers can successfully take their game to the next level.

While getting burned at times during the '12 campaign may have been hard on the Minutemen, the overall attitude a training camp is that the experience has ultimately made them a better team.

"I think it was good, personally," Wegzyn said. "I think now going into this season, we have a lot of experience that's returning. We've got a lot of guys that have had that game situation experience and that'll carry over into this season. I know, personally, for myself, it helps a ton, being able to have a full season of experience. So, now I know going into this season what to expect."

In particular, the early exposure to playing time was helpful for Wegzyn and Sharpe, who was a true freshman at the time. The experience of being freshmen who were thrown onto the field extremely early in the careers has helped build a bond between the two players entering their sophomore seasons of eligibility.

"It was a good experience," Sharpe said. "We were both kind of in the same position. We were learning together. We were real young, so were knew we were going to make mistakes, but we just tried to capitalize on every opportunity, and I feel like this year, we're more experienced and we'll definitely have better camaraderie on the field."

It's been talked about before, but one of the biggest issues with the Minutemen's maiden voyage at the FBS level was their lack of big plays to help bust a drive wide open. Wegzyn hopes that all of their improvements during the last calender year will finally bring out the explosive potential of their playmakers.

"They've got a lot of potential that I've seen. There's a lot of speed, they've got good hands, a lot of athletic athletic receivers that we have, and there's a lot of size that came in. There's a bunch of tall targets that I get to throw to, so I'm really excited to see how that plays out."

It's true that the UMass offense will be putting a lot of pressure on skill position players that are still early on in their collegiate careers. However, what this group lacks in prolonged exposure to the college game, it makes up with raw talent and measurables, something the Wegzyn is excited to take advantage of in the coming season.

"The passing game, I think it's going to be a lot different than last year," Wegzyn said. "I think we're going to have a lot more explosive plays, a lot more consistency over the season. I think that was something we lacked last year, the consistency, being able to move the ball through the air like we wanted to."

While the season opener at No. 23 Wisconsin will be a huge challenge for the young offense, the Minutemen will get a chance to truly get a feel for where the passing attacl in its second year of having Wegzyn at the helm.


The use of Miller and Blanchflower in the interior passing game is likely to be a recurring theme throughout the season as the unit continues to grow. However, the true progression of the offense will be measured by its ability to gain chunk yardage with skill position players on the perimeter matched up with FBS-level defensive backs. Should the group make the leap and begin to execute in that dimension, the Minutemen could be ready to take a big step in 2013.

Rob Blanchflower has Gronk-like production WORCESTER TELEGRAM & GAZETTE – JACKSON ALEXANDER

AMHERST — It began with Baby Gronk. Eventually, Gronkflower emerged as the preferred nickname for UMass redshirt senior tight end Rob Blanchflower.

Blanchflower, a former St. John's High standout from Leominster, doesn't mind the nicknames and comparisons to New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski — with one slight exception.

"I don't like being referred to as a baby," said Blanchflower, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs a hulking 260 pounds. "But I guess Gronkflower is pretty creative — I can deal with that one."

The connection between Blanchflower and Gronkowski formed because they share first names, jersey numbers, similar physiques and positions on the football field. Playing home games in the same stadium also factored into the comparison.

"He's inspired me a lot," Blanchflower said. "I try to take mental notes when I'm watching him on Sundays. But I'm trying to do my own thing here and make my own name."

As Blanchflower stands in the sweltering heat on media day Tuesday afternoon at UMass, his concern isn't about nicknames or comparisons to NFL players; he is more focused on ensuring that his team doesn't go through another calamitous 1-11 campaign like the Minutemen did in their inaugural Football Bowl Subdivision season in 2012.

With just 10 days until UMass opens against Wisconsin on the road, Blanchflower already sees improvements from the previous season.

"If you just compare the offense to what it was last fall, it's just night and day," he said. "The team chemistry, the vibe of the team is a lot better than how it's been in the past."

Blanchflower came to UMass in 2009, but former Minutemen coach Kevin Morris redshirted him then, and he suited up only with the scout team.

His extra season as strictly a practice player paid dividends for Blanchflower as he appeared in all 11 games in 2010, and finished tied for third on the team in touchdowns and fourth in receptions and receiving yards.

But Blanchflower didn't make the jump from solid role player to offensive star the following year. Emil Igwenagu, the former Holy Name star and current Philadelphia Eagle, passed him on the tight end depth chart, and Blanchflower's receptions and touchdowns decreased in 2011.

The departure of Igwenagu after the season opened the door for Blanchflower to be the main tight end last year, and he responded with the best season of his career.

He started a career-high eight games, and his 43 catches and 464 receiving yards were both second on the team. Blanchflower's season came to an apex in the final game when he torched the Central Michigan secondary with a 10-catch, 100-yard performance and a touchdown.

"I think he's done a nice job progressing, and he's gotten bigger, stronger and faster with each month that has gone by," tight ends coach Shane Waldron said.

Blanchflower credited his break-out season to a new style of offense and an increase in the number of targets.

One of the only things that could derail his senior year is the persistence of an injury-filled summer. He has been in and out of practice all summer, and his status for the season opener is in question.

"We've made an executive decision, based on the medicals, to hold him for at least the next 10-14 days," coach Charley Molnar said. "How that will affect his status for Wisconsin remains to be seen."

Blanchflower sounded less concerned about his health at media day.

"It's the start of the season, we just went through training camp, so I feel like if you talk to anyone in the nation, they'll probably say they're a bit dinged up right now," Blanchflower said.


After his big season, the coach named Blanchflower team captain, making him the first official captain in the Molnar era.

He has taken the title and put it to use as the team's primary leader.

"He's always been a great leader, but once we decided he'd be a captain for the 2013 season, he's taken his leadership to a new level," Molnar said.

Leominster's Blanchflower captains UMass football team FITCHBURG SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE – MATT STEWART

AMHERST -- It was a bit of a struggle for UMass when the team joined the Football Bowl Subdivision last year, and Leominster native Rob Blanchflower proved to be one of the young squad's de facto leaders.

This season Blanchflower takes over the top leadership post as one of the team's captains, and is hoping to steer the Minutemen upward as they continue to build their program.

On Tuesday afternoon, UMass hosted its annual football media day at McGuirk Stadium, where both Blanchflower -- who transferred and graduated from St. John's of Shrewsbury after attending Leominster High -- and recent Fitchburg High graduate Connor Lemieux were part of the festivities.

"Once we decided (Blanchflower) would be a captain for the 2013 season, he's taken his leadership to a whole new level," UMass head coach Charley Molnar said. "He did stuff with the players all season long and talks to guys on a one-on-one basis. ... He's been a great representative of the players to the coaching staff, but he'll also take some of the coaches' concerns back to the players."

The coaching staff named Blanchflower the captain of the team shortly after the conclusion of last season. The Leominster native led the Minutemen during offseason workouts and also spring practices. With the season set to kick off on Aug. 31, those duties have taken on even more importance.

"I've always set high goals for myself. I think being captain of the Minutemen was one of them," Blanchflower

said. "I think playing side-by-side with Emil Igwenagu, who was a mentor of mine, prepared me for this. I looked up to him and he taught me a lot. His work ethic rubbed off on me. There's a lot more responsibility than people think, sometimes being captain can be stressful, but there's a lot of good things too."

Blanchflower credits his upbringing for guiding the style he uses to lead his teammates, and also tries to pass those habits on to his fellow players.

"Coming from a blue-collar community like Leominster instilled the values I have," Blanchflower said. "I try to have that rub off on some of the guys that nothing is going to be given to you and you have to go grab it and can't take anything for granted. You've got to practice and play every game like it's your last."

Lemieux joins the team as a walk-on receiver, and says he feels a connection with the captain tight end.

"Blanchflower has been a great leader," Lemieux said. "On and off the field, he leads everyone in the locker room. He's an overall great leader, great person and great player. It's good to have some Central Mass. guys out here."

UMass struggled on the field in its first year in the FBS last year, finishing with a 1-11 record, with its lone victory coming over Akron. Blanchflower says the extra year of experience, both in the FBS and with the current coaching staff, should bode well for the Minutemen, particularly with their complex, high-tempo offense.

"It's no longer the new system; it's our system now," Blanchflower said. "When you have a full season under your belt in the system, it makes it easier to make split-second decisions. It's just second nature now, and just pops in your head right away."

Similar to last season, UMass is facing a brutal non-conference slate, with trips to Wisconsin and Kansas State, and a home contest at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 21 against Vanderbilt. Unlike last season, this year UMass will play a Football Championship Subdivision opponent when Maine visits for the home-opener on Sept. 7. The Minutemen have a marquee conference game at home against Northern Illinois, which competed in last year's Orange Bowl.

"You just have to go week-by-week and prepare for that next opponent coming up," Blanchflower said. "You can't look too far ahead in the future, (just) focus on the game at hand. Week one we have Wisconsin, and from what I hear that stadium is a lot more rowdy than Michigan. We're excited to play against them and see what they're all about."


Minutemen pass rushers looking to increase pressure on opposing quarterbacks SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN – DAN MALONE

AMHERST – The University of Massachusetts football team had trouble getting to the quarterback last season. A lot of trouble.

The numbers jump off the stat sheet, and not in a good way. In 12 games, UMass recorded just 12 sacks, which was ahead of only Eastern Michigan (7) in the Mid-American Conference. In three of those games, the Minutemen failed to record any sacks at all. With a comfortable pocket and ample time to scan the field, opposing quarterbacks had little trouble directing scoring drives on a defense that gave up a conference-worst 40.2 points per game.

Clearly, that 1-to-1 ratio will need to improve drastically if UMass is to win more than one game, as it did in 2012. But that's not exactly a secret.

In an effort to remedy the problem, UMass brought fifth-year senior transfer Justin Anderson in from Maryland to bolster the pass rush. And since day one of training camp, defensive line coach Dave Sollazzo has emphasized getting more pressure on the quarterback.

Anderson didn't hold back his enthusiasm for the defense's progress at the team's media day Tuesday, suggesting big changes are on the horizon.

"I feel real confident in our pass-rush ability this year. We're gonna have way more than 12 sacks this year. I can guarantee that," he said. "Our pass rushing has gotten so much better since day one.

"Once everybody starts getting their sacks and everything starts coming together, they get more confidence. I mean, there's gonna be a meeting in the backfield, that's all I can say."

Sollazzo was a little more reserved in his assessment of the pass-rushing situation, but agreed creating more pressure will be of paramount concern. For him, the process starts with stopping the run, because it puts offenses in the kind of third-and-long situations in which defensive ends and blitzing linebackers thrive.

But even then, Sollazzo said, sacks are difficult to come by. Because so many teams employ quick-hitting spread offenses, UMass also puts an emphasis on hurrying the passer and disrupting throwing lanes.

"It's really hard to get sacks nowadays because they get rid of the ball so quick," Sollazzo said. "So we grade other stats as well – hurries, pressures, knockdowns. It's anything, really, to help make the quarterback throw where he doesn't wanna throw or get rid of the ball sooner than he wants to get rid of it."

Senior defensive lineman Galen Clemons said the plan, as a group, is to force the QB out of the pocket, where rushers like Anderson and fellow senior Kevin Byrne can clean up on whatever sack opportunities there may be.

"I think we need to attack it from all angles to get some pressure on the quarterback and sacks on the stat sheet," Clemons said.

For Sollazzo, the ultimate goal is to help improve on the Minutemen's minus-9 turnover margin, another total that ranked next to last in the MAC. He said the target is to force three to four turnovers per game.

Anderson said there's also pride on the line.

"You get a sack, you have your little moment and get a big stop for your team," he said. "Going from first-and-10 to second-and-15, that's a huge plus for the defense."

Clemons agreed.

"When we're on the field, it's just about cutting it loose every play, every snap and getting the defense off the field as fast as possible," he said.

Charley Molnar spreads the word BOSTON HERALD – ADAM KURKJIAN

AMHERST — Charley Molnar came into his team’s tight ends room after yesterday’s practice wearing a five o’clock shadow and holding his ever-present cup of coffee. On the whiteboard scrawled next to a list of plays and instructions read, “Good players can be motivated. Great players are self-motivated.”


During the offseason, the UMass football coach did everything he could to motivate both the Boston media and fans in an effort to boost attendance and general college football interest in a pro sports market.

It was a much-needed move. In the program’s jump to the FBS level last year, just 54,505 fans showed up to the the Minutemen’s five home games at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, an average of 10,901 per game. The former statistic ranked second-worst among FBS schools, the latter fourth-worst.

Neither number is sustainable if the Minutemen want to remain an FBS program, as the team will not play any on-campus games until 2014. The trip from Amherst to Foxboro spans 90 miles and almost an hour and 45 minutes according to Google Maps.

So in late May, Molnar did a whirlwind Boston-area media tour that included everything from the two major newspapers to every local TV news outlet to websites.

Molnar asserted that the media’s baseline knowledge of what he was trying to accomplish wasn’t there at first.

“They really didn’t know, not as well as I would have liked to have thought,” he said. “So I thought that, in and of itself, (was) the best two or three days of the summer, just doing that.”

In June, he made “ambassador” appearances both on and off campus, including a UMass football open house, an area band directors’ reception and a Football 101 women’s clinic that cost $50 and gave the proceeds to breast cancer research.

“So we really tried to spread the message to as many people as we could,” Molnar said. “I’m a firm believer that you don’t have to be a UMass grad to be a UMass football fan. I liken it very similar to Ohio State or to Penn State, where they’ve got some rabid fans who never attended college. There’s no reason why we can’t be the college football team for the state of Massachusetts.”

Of course, there is a certain program in Chestnut Hill that would want to be part of the discussion, but that also is part of Molnar’s vision.

“I’ve made it really clear: I want to play BC and UConn on an annual basis. I want to make a Beanpot for the state of Massachusetts, who has the best (FBS) football team? I want to play on a rotational basis each of the three New England (FCS) teams.

“For example, (UMass opens with) Maine this year. I’d like to get in a sequence where we’re playing Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island. . . . If you’re going to play (an FCS) team, why not play one of the regional teams? (It) helps attendance, helps travel costs. It would be a win-win for everybody in the area, and then you get a chance to promote New England college football in the area.”

Boston College might dispute the “win-win” aspect of the Beanpot theory, since the ACC team would be expected to win big on an annual basis. Molnar admits that “win-win” day won’t come until his program earns a “seat at the table.”

When asked to elaborate, he said, “I think wins. I think attendance is part of it, support — all those are factors.”

Molnar had a tangible goal in mind for his offseason efforts, which he feels will help the UMass brand locally and nationally.

“I have no reason to believe that we can’t average 20,000 (people) a game at Gillette Stadium,” he said. “It’s going to be an improved product on the field. The university has done a tremendous job in the marketing campaign. I would be disappointed if we didn’t average 20,000 a game at home.”

Has his message been well-received?

“Well, there’s no doubt,” he said. “The people we came across, everyone walked away saying, ‘Now, I get it. I get it what UMass is working to become,’ and how close we are to that, how everybody needs to be part of it.”

After this summer, there’s been no lack of self-motivation on the part of the second-year coach to achieve his goal. It remains to be seen if the media and fans will respond.

Devin Brown finding himself right at home at safety SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN – DAN MALONE

AMHERST – A year after joining the University of Massachusetts football team, Devin Brown seems to be finally hitting his stride.

After struggling to find his footing with the cornerbacks as a junior, the Contra Costa College transfer has settled in to his new position at safety with ease and confidence. Once relegated to limited action on special teams, Brown is in line to be a starter when the Minutemen open the season at Wisconsin Aug. 31.


"Safety's a better position for him. It's more natural," coach Charley Molnar said of the 5-foot-11, 190-pound native of Piedmont, Calif. "And as far as wanting to give him a shot – he earned it. He earned his way out there on the football field. We've got some pretty good safeties, and day in and day out, he's been our best.

“I would say he has a great shot at being a starter going into game week."

Brown couldn't be happier with how the transition has progressed.

"I wasn’t getting that much playing time when I was running at cornerback, and now I’m getting (first-team) reps with the safeties. So, it’s been a great transition," he said. “I’ve been running with the 1s since the spring, so I’m getting comfortable out there. I’m just trying to be in the right place at the right time.”

Brown, who totaled only two tackles in seven appearances last season, has so far been a near-perfect fit in his new spot. He's brought a veteran approach to a defensive backfield that features a number of sophomores, while also displaying the physicality needed to man the safety position.

Molnar praised the senior's improved open-field tackling and elevated confidence, but was especially pleased with the high level of "FBI," or football intelligence, Brown has displayed on the field.

"He’s calling out the play before we even run it," Molnar said. "You know, he recognizes the things that we’re gonna do: could be a receiver split, a backfield motion, whatever it might be. Also, he does a great job of running the defensive back end, making sure guys are in the right place."

Though older than many of his fellow DBs like Khary Bailey-Smith, Trey Dudley-Giles and Randall Jette, Brown's learning experience has been more of a give-and-take affair than a big-brother mentorship.

"I think we’re all growing together," he said. "It’s nice to work with the young guys and show leadership abilities, as well. I learn from them, they learn from me, so it’s been a great experience.”

And now, Brown said, that work is starting to pay off, as the secondary communicates much better than it did in spring, to the point where the players know what their teammates will do without having to shout it across the field.

“I think everybody’s been just more getting used to each other and growing as a group together," Brown said.

BROADNAX SCOPED: According to Molnar, junior running back Jordan Broadnax, who has been sidelined since Wednesday with a right knee injury, will have the knee scoped Monday evening to repair any damage.

"His prognosis is good," Molnar said. "It could be anywhere from two weeks to longer, but obviously I’m an optimistic guy, so I’m gonna go for the two weeks."

Molnar indicated that redshirt freshman Stacey Bedell would be handling first-team duties in Broadnax's absence.

PAGE LEAVES: UMass confirmed Monday that freshman offensive lineman Jordan Page has left the program to play at Morgan State.

Molnar declined to comment, but assistant athletic director for media relations John Sinnett said Page never arrived for training camp and the decision to leave was his own.

CAMELLIA BOWL: Mid-American Conference officials announced Monday the creation of the Camellia Bowl, a new tie-in game that will feature MAC and Sun Belt Conference opponents starting in 2014 and running through 2019.

The game, which will replace the outgoing Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, is scheduled to be played in Montgomery, Ala., and will be televised nationally on ESPN or ESPN2.

The MAC also has postseason tie-ins with the GoDaddy.com and Famous Idaho Potato bowls.

FINAL LOOK: The Minutemen will host their final open practice of the season Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon. Fans planning to attend are asked to park in the south end-zone lot, and for safety purposes, sit in the west-facing stands away from the press-box demolition.

Tyshon Henderson projects as big piece of the offense SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN – DAN MALONE

AMHERST – At this point in training camp, there aren't too many starting jobs left up for grabs with the University of Massachusetts football team. With the season opener at Wisconsin less than two weeks away, the Minutemen will slowly start to take the pieces they have and ready them for the Badgers.


But there are a number of positions that still have multiple candidates, according to coach Charley Molnar. One player who figures to loom large in that decision-making process is freshman offensive tackle Tyshon Henderson.

At 6-foot-7, 315 pounds, Henderson is the team's largest player. But it doesn't require a roster sheet to see he stands out even among UMass' biggest bodies. For a true freshman, Henderson is an impressive physical specimen.

And he also might be a key to the offense.

"At the end of the day, we have two veteran tackles in David (Osei) and Anthony (Dima). And then we have Tyshon, who's doing a great job," Molnar said. "If he can be a swing guy, he'll add a lot of value to this football team. Because, right now, he's definitely our third-best tackle, might even be our second-best."

Though Henderson has been working at right tackle with the first team, Molnar said he wants the freshman to be ready to step in at either side of the line, if need be.

"I would just as soon swing him left to right, rather than say, 'You're the backup left tackle and somebody else is the backup right tackle,'" Molnar said.

Henderson, who played left tackle at St. George's School in Middletown, R.I., is ready to do whatever it takes to get on the field and help UMass.

"Personally, I prefer the left side, but I'll play wherever," he said. "It might take a little bit of adjusting to the right side."

In high school, Henderson said, he was able to get away with less-than-perfect technique because of his NFL-caliber frame. But with UMass, offensive line coach Dave Johnson has harped on technique and footwork to help the 300-pounder stay nimble in pass protection and steady in run blocking.

The transition has been difficult at times. Henderson said he knew about the defensive-line talent on the roster before arriving in Amherst, and his teammates have lived up to his expectations.

"I remember the first time I went out there, I was thinking, ‘Man, I just gotta give my all every play, 'cause if not, I know what they're gonna do to me,' said Henderson, who singled out fifth-year Maryland transfer Justin Anderson as the player who's given him the most trouble in practice.

"I think it's humbling," Henderson said of the attention he's received in camp. "I just wanna play and get better every day. I don't think of (myself as) the second- or third- best tackle, I just look at it as playing football. I just play my role on the team."

That role could prove pivotal for a UMass team that learned firsthand last season what it's like to shuffle new faces in and out of the line every week. Without much experience or time to jell, freshman center Matt Sparks, the now-departed Michael Boland and even converted defensive lineman Al Leneus were forced into action in 2012.

In a perfect world, Molnar would prefer the option of redshirting freshman offensive linemen. But with someone like Henderson, talent usually wins out.

"Sometimes you just have no choice who the best football players are, so you've gotta get them out there," Molnar said. "Why have him standing next to me on the sideline when he can be out there helping us win?"

MEDIA DAY TUESDAY: UMass' final open practice of the season will be Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon, followed by the team's official media day.

Fans can find full coverage on MassLive.com and in The Republican.

GAME WEEK THURSDAY: Molnar said the Minutemen will shift out of training-camp mode and begin prep work for the opener Thursday, giving the team a full nine days to install its game plan.

BADGERS RANKED: Wisconsin came in at No. 23 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll released Saturday. The Badgers were also ranked 23rd in the USA Today Coaches poll earlier this month.

Wisconsin is the only UMass opponent to crack the top 25, but Kansas State (Sept. 14), Vanderbilt (Sept. 21) and Northern Illinois (Nov. 2) also received votes.

UMass' New Gunslinger MAROON MUSKET – BOB MCGOVERN

AMHERST, Mass. - When Todd Stafford verbally committed to play football at the University of Massachusetts, something seemed a little different.


Fans of the Minutemen weren't used to early verbals. In fact, most of the time the fruits of a UMass recruiting class didn't materialize until right around Signing Day. So, it was a welcome-to-the-FBS moment when the 6-foot-6 gunslinger from Connecticut closed up his recruiting in March 2012 – nearly a full year before it was time to sign his Letter of Intent.

Stafford was also different in other ways. Despite film showing high-end throwing power and pinpoint accuracy, there wasn't much out there on how good the kid actually was. When recruiting experts spoke to the Maroon Musket during the 2013 recruiting cycle, there were three very different responses: 1) “He's an absolute steal,” 2) “He's going to need a lot of work,” and 3) “Who is Todd Stafford?”

The disparate opinions likely had to do with the fact that Stafford missed nearly two high school seasons with knee injuries. In reality, Stafford really only played his senior year at the Brunswick School.

Apparently that was enough, as schools like Western Michigan, Duke and Boston College showed up late with football offers. But Stafford, appreciative of the chance UMass extended early, stayed true to his verbal and stuck with head coach Charley Molnar and the Minutemen.

"I definitely doubted my future after the second knee injury," Stafford told Scott Ericson of the Greenwich Time after National Signing Day. "I have been waiting for this for 18 years and all of a sudden I thought `I might not be able to do this.' UMass stuck out a hand for me when nobody else did and I wanted them to know I appreciated that."

Now Stafford is on campus and in pads, and he is already the No. 3 quarterback on the team, according to Molnar. While everyone, including starting quarterback Mike Wegzyn, is impressed with the freshman's ability, UMass is making the big fella take baby steps.

“We're talking to him about his footwork, his drop, the depth of his drop, his first step and where his second step is located,” Molnar said. “We haven't even talked about throwing the ball, yet. So he's taking a step back before he can go forward.”

The biggest leap is learning UMass' complicated playbook. Molnar spent most of 2012 transitioning the Minutemen from a grinding pro style offense to a new, fast-paced spread. Wegzyn and backup A.J. Doyle had their share of baby-giraffe moments as they attempted to implement the no-huddle attack.

Wegzyn, who as a redshirt freshman was thrown to the wolves last year, is showing Stafford the ropes.

“He's getting it down for sure. Quarterback is a hard spot because you have to know what everyone is doing. There is a lot on his plate right now for sure, but I think we're seeing what he can do already,” Wegzyn said. “I try to tell him to keep a level head and not to listen to what other people say. I tell him to keep grinding away, keep practicing, and keep your head in the playbook and watching film.”

Stafford acknowledged that, in college football, the learning curve is very steep.

“The speed and playbook are much different than high school. There is a lot of speed, and the playbook is really extensive. It's coming along pretty well, but I'm learning day by day,” Stafford said. “(Doyle), (Matt) Quinn and Mike (Wegzyn) have been helping me out every day. They are just helping me with the plays, and they've done a really good job getting me up to speed.”

Stafford practiced with teammates during the summer in order to get a head start, but fall camp is much different than running around without coaches. Wegzyn compared the fall camp to “drinking water out of a hose” for a young quarterback.

“You're trying to drink it all at once, but it's impossible,” he said.

Part of the learning curve is also dealing with off-the-field distractions and the limelight of being a Division I quarterback. When the Maroon Musket asked to an interview the freshman after practice, Stafford looked at the UMass media relations employee, pointed at himself and said, “Wait, they want to talk to me?”

Molnar is cautious about throwing too much at the new guy, but he's not shy about what he sees for Stafford's future. While the kid that UMass took a chance on has a ways to go, Molnar notices little moments of greatness.

“Some days he looks like he'll be an NFL draft pick - when he gets everything right,” Molnar said, smiling.

Jordan Broadnax still out at RB, Stacey Bedell taking advantage for UMass football DAILY HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE – MATT VAUTOUR

AMHERST — It’s too early in camp and too early in the healing process to know whether Jordan Broadnax’s knee injury will threaten his ability to play or start for the University of Massachusetts football team when the Minutemen open the 2013 season at Wisconsin on Aug. 31.

The junior tailback arrived at Friday morning’s practice on crutches and spent most of the practice using just one. UMass coach Charley Molnar said the team would likely know more soon.


“We’ll find out in the next 24 hours,” Molnar said. “It’s nothing long term. It could be a week, it could be a couple days.”

Broadnax’s injury elevated redshirt freshman Stacey Bedell, at least temporarily, to the top of the depth chart.

“It’s a good opportunity to run with the ones, the best of the best. I get to showcase my talent, and go out there and play hard,” Bedell said. “Jordan and I went back and forth in the spring. He had the edge over me, more experience than me. Now he’s hurt. I have to step up and take a bigger role.”

Molnar expects Bedell to have a big role regardless of Broadnax’s status.

“He’s been having a very good camp anyway. He’s getting a few more reps, but the reps are being pretty well divided,” Molnar said. “We’re not trying to wear him out in August. We’ll wait until the first game to give him his real work. ... (Stacey) is probably the fastest guy on the team. He brings and element of speed. He’s our home run hitter.”

Bedell and Broadnax are similar backs size and stylewise. Bedell is listed at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, while Broadnax is 5-9, 175.

“They both have good acceleration into the hole. They both have good vision. Broadnax catches a little better at this stage of his career. Stacey is a little faster. They’re of similar body builds,” Molnar said. “Broadnax, because he’s a little bit older, has a little more bulk to him. Stacey looks very much like Broadnax did when I first got here from a build standpoint.”

Bedell said because multiple running backs figure to see carries, being a starter isn’t as important as it might be at other positions.

“It doesn’t matter who starts,” he said. “We’re all good friends. We don’t get jealous about who starts.”

True freshman Lorenzo Woodley, who has missed most of this week with an ankle injury, is expected to return to the running back competition Saturday.

“I’m anxious to get him back out here,” Molnar said.

OTHER INJURIES — Senior wide receiver/tight end Ricardo Miller missed Thursday and Friday with an undisclosed injury but is expected back Saturday.

Tight end Rob Blanchflower and defensive lineman Daniel Maynes could be back Saturday, but will more likely return Monday.

If this were a game week, “they would be out there,” Molnar said. “We know we’re going to give them Sunday off so we know they should be able to come back Monday and be a lot better.”

YEAR CHANGE — Due to a clerical error in the midst of the coaching change from Kevin Morris to Molnar, linebacker Stanley Andre’s graduation year has been incorrect on UMass rosters. He is actually a redshirt junior as he played just one game during the 2011 season before being injured. He received a medical redshirt for that season.

NAME CHANGES – Two Minutemen will be playing under different names than they were on the roster in the spring. After playing last year as John Robinson, the sophomore linebacker will now be John Robinson-Woodgett, adding his father’s last name after his mother’s. In the spring, UMass’ defensive back transfer from Assumption listed himself as Shaun Hunter Burlinson. He’ll now go by James Hunter Caggiano. He’s sitting out this year under NCAA transfer rules and will have two years of eligibility remaining.

MISCELLANEOUS – After originally planning to temporarily take down the stadium lights behind the press box, the construction crew elected to leave it standing as it disassembles the press box. Part for the roof was removed during Friday morning’s practice.

Open practices will continue through Tuesday of next week before the team switched from camp mode to Wisconsin preparation. There are two practices Monday — 8:45-10:45 a.m. and 3:15-5:15 p.m. — and one Tuesday — 9 a.m. to noon.

UMass football training camp 2013: Stacey Bedell making up for lost time in starting role SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN – DAN MALONE

AMHERST — Stacey Bedell came into training camp hoping to show what he could do with the University of Massachusetts football team's starting offense.

In recent days he's gotten that opportunity and more.


With presumed starter Jordan Broadnax sidelined since the end of Wednesday's practice with a knee injury, the redshirt freshman has taken the bulk of the first-team reps at running back for the Minutemen. And for the most part, the offense hasn't missed a step with Bedell's impressive speed and agility on display on the field.

"Coming in, me and Jordan, we were both competing back and forth in the spring," Bedell said. "He had the edge over me; he had more experience than me. Now, he's hurt so I've just gotta step up and take a bigger role."

Of course, an injury to a teammate is never an ideal situation, something Bedell knows all too well. Just two games into his first year with UMass, Bedell suffered a broken collarbone and was forced to sit out rest of the 2012 season as a medical redshirt. Now healthy, he's looking to pick up where he left off.

"It's a good opportunity to run with the ones, the best of the best," Bedell said. "(I) get to showcase my talent, get to go out there and play hard."

Minutemen coach Charley Molnar has been high on Bedell throughout the offseason and described his camp performance so far as "very, very good." The staff will continue to monitor Bedell's workload as training camp continues, but Molnar said he's looking forward to seeing what the he can do once the season starts.

"He's probably the fastest guy on the team, so, whatever that's worth," Molnar said. "He brings an element of speed, so obviously, he's our home run hitter."

Molnar also Bedell has reminded him of where Broadnax was when he took over as coach of the team in 2011.

"They both have good acceleration into the hole. They both have good vision," Molnar said. "Broadnax catches a little better at this stage of his career (and) Stacey's a little bit faster. They both have similar body builds. Broadnax, because he's a little bit older, has just a little more bulk to him."

It's because of his quickness that Bedell believes he can be a valuable asset to the offense in 2013, regardless of whether it's in a starting or reserve role.

“With our offense, it’s a very fast-paced offense. You’ve gotta have speed to play in it," he said. "And having speed at the running back position, it helps me a lot to get to the holes quicker and make quick cuts.”

In the passing game, too, Bedell is confident he can make plays, saying that he feels comfortable catching balls out of the backfield.

"I'm a check-down guy," he said. "If the receivers are getting covered, I can break loose on a linebacker in one-on-one coverage. My speed has a great advantage over that."

INJURY REPORT: Broadnax was again on crutches at practice Friday. Molnar said he still does not have a definitive update on the junior running back's status.

“We’ll find out in the next 24 hours," he said. "Nothing long term, but it could be another week, it could be a couple days, it could be who knows.”

Molnar also suggested that the other key players who have been out of action lately — most notably tight end Rob Blanchflower, wide receiver Ricardo Miller and running back Lorenzo Woodley — would be practicing if the team had a game to prepare for this week.

“We know we’re gonna give the players off on Sunday, and they should be able to come back on Monday feeling a lot better," Molnar said. "I don’t want to ever use the term ‘hundred percent,’ but feeling a lot better."

ANDRE A JUNIOR: Stanley Andre, who is slated to start at middle linebacker this season, was confirmed Thursday as a reclassified redshirt junior. He had previously been listed on the official team roster as a redshirt senior.

UMass assistant athletic director John Sinnett said the mix-up was a the result of a "clerical error" stemming from some confusion surrounding Andre's 2011 redshirt season and the Kevin Morris-Charley Molnar coaching change.

NFL BAG POLICY NOT IN EFFECT: Sinnett also confirmed that the NFL's new security policy, which allows fans to bring only small purses, freezer bags and transparent plastic or vinyl totes into stadiums, will not be enforced during UMass home games at Gillette Stadium this year.

Jordan Broadnax still out at RB, Stacey Bedell taking advantage for UMass football DAILY HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE – MATT VAUTOUR

AMHERST — It’s too early in camp and too early in the healing process to know whether Jordan Broadnax’s knee injury will threaten his ability to play or start for the University of Massachusetts football team when the Minutemen open the 2013 season at Wisconsin on Aug. 31.


The junior tailback arrived at Friday morning’s practice on crutches and spent most of the practice using just one. UMass coach Charley Molnar said the team would likely know more soon.

“We’ll find out in the next 24 hours,” Molnar said. “It’s nothing long term. It could be a week, it could be a couple days.”

Broadnax’s injury elevated redshirt freshman Stacey Bedell, at least temporarily, to the top of the depth chart.

“It’s a good opportunity to run with the ones, the best of the best. I get to showcase my talent, and go out there and play hard,” Bedell said. “Jordan and I went back and forth in the spring. He had the edge over me, more experience than me. Now he’s hurt. I have to step up and take a bigger role.”

Molnar expects Bedell to have a big role regardless of Broadnax’s status.

“He’s been having a very good camp anyway. He’s getting a few more reps, but the reps are being pretty well divided,” Molnar said. “We’re not trying to wear him out in August. We’ll wait until the first game to give him his real work. ... (Stacey) is probably the fastest guy on the team. He brings and element of speed. He’s our home run hitter.”

Bedell and Broadnax are similar backs size and stylewise. Bedell is listed at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, while Broadnax is 5-9, 175.

“They both have good acceleration into the hole. They both have good vision. Broadnax catches a little better at this stage of his career. Stacey is a little faster. They’re of similar body builds,” Molnar said. “Broadnax, because he’s a little bit older, has a little more bulk to him. Stacey looks very much like Broadnax did when I first got here from a build standpoint.”

Bedell said because multiple running backs figure to see carries, being a starter isn’t as important as it might be at other positions.

“It doesn’t matter who starts,” he said. “We’re all good friends. We don’t get jealous about who starts.”

True freshman Lorenzo Woodley, who has missed most of this week with an ankle injury, is expected to return to the running back competition Saturday.

“I’m anxious to get him back out here,” Molnar said.

OTHER INJURIES — Senior wide receiver/tight end Ricardo Miller missed Thursday and Friday with an undisclosed injury but is expected back Saturday.

Tight end Rob Blanchflower and defensive lineman Daniel Maynes could be back Saturday, but will more likely return Monday.

If this were a game week, “they would be out there,” Molnar said. “We know we’re going to give them Sunday off so we know they should be able to come back Monday and be a lot better.”

YEAR CHANGE — Due to a clerical error in the midst of the coaching change from Kevin Morris to Molnar, linebacker Stanley Andre’s graduation year has been incorrect on UMass rosters. He is actually a redshirt junior as he played just one game during the 2011 season before being injured. He received a medical redshirt for that season.

NAME CHANGES – Two Minutemen will be playing under different names than they were on the roster in the spring. After playing last year as John Robinson, the sophomore linebacker will now be John Robinson-Woodgett, adding his father’s last name after his mother’s. In the spring, UMass’ defensive back transfer from Assumption listed himself as Shaun Hunter Burlinson. He’ll now go by James Hunter Caggiano. He’s sitting out this year under NCAA transfer rules and will have two years of eligibility remaining.

MISCELLANEOUS – After originally planning to temporarily take down the stadium lights behind the press box, the construction crew elected to leave it standing as it disassembles the press box. Part for the roof was removed during Friday morning’s practice.

Open practices will continue through Tuesday of next week before the team switched from camp mode to Wisconsin preparation. There are two practices Monday — 8:45-10:45 a.m. and 3:15-5:15 p.m. — and one Tuesday — 9 a.m. to noon.

The Tight Six MAROON MUSKET – BOB MCGOVERN

AMHERST, Mass. - When the UMass football team took the field against Bowling Green on Oct. 21, 2012, it had zero natural tight ends ready to play.

Rob Blanchflower was hurt, Brandon Howard wasn't playing, Dan Foesel was repositioned, and the true freshmen had either already redshirted or were playing linebacker. When the Minutemen marched into Gillette Stadium, there was only Derek Beck, a freshman wide receiver who was too small and inexperienced to get into fisticuffs with the big boys from Ohio.

This season, UMass has six guys who are ready to either put their hand in the dirt or detach and line up in the slot.


Blanchflower, now the team captain, leads the way, and behind him are some familiar faces and a few new guys. Howard and Beck are back, and both have put on significant weight since the end of the 2012 season. Rodney Mills, who has been a wide receiver and linebacker at UMass, is filling a tight end spot, and is joined by true freshman Sharif Custis and Ricardo Miller, a fifth-year transfer from the University of Michigan.

“This is a deeper and more competitive group, and from the older guys to the younger guys, they are competitive,” said Shane Waldron, UMass' tight ends coach. “I think we have guys with position flexibility that can align detached, attached or in the backfield. It's just going to help our offense overall.”

Aside from Mills, each tight end is at least 6-foot-3. Mills and Miller bring high-end speed, while Blanchflower and Howard have a traditional tight end look. Beck is still working on his blocking but has turned heads in fall camp with his ability to get open in the red zone. Custis is “still swimming,” according to Waldron, but he “is going to grow and get stronger, and his grasp on the offense will get there.”

Blanchflower, a fifth-year senior and the team's captain, is taking it upon himself to show the new guys what he's learned during his career at UMass.

“I learned from some greats – Andrew Krevis and Emil Igwenagu – those were good guys to look up to. They brought me through the ringer, and they taught me what it takes. I'm trying to keep the legacy going by showing what it's like to be a tight end at UMass,” Blanchflower said. “It's a hard position. You've got to be tough, and you've got to be strong. You've got to be fast enough to out-run a linebacker but big enough to be blocking a defensive end. You're going to get hit, and you're going to get hurt, but I'm trying to instill that sense of toughness. It's something that I learned from the guys before me.”

While toughness is key, in the Mid-American Conference, size is undoubtedly important. Known for its hulking defensive lines, the MAC frequently have throwback defensive ends lining up across from opposing tight ends. In order to compete at the point of attack, UMass desperately needed to add muscle.

That's where new strength and conditioning coach Mike Golden came in.

“I've got to give a lot of credit to our new strength coach, coach Golden,” said Howard, who was a key contributor during UMass' 2013 Spring Game. “He works us hard, and he knows what he's doing. All the credit goes to him really. He's just taking us to the next level, and now we have to take it on the field.”

With the added muscle, UMass' tight ends should be better equipped in blocking schemes, but the athletes' natural length and athleticism has been noticeable in red zone packages. The Minutemen have several tall receivers – most notably Tajae Sharpe and newcomer Shakur Nesmith – that they have used near the endzone, and Beck has been helping the wideouts overload and cause mismatches.

“In the red zone, height is the great equalizer,” Waldron said.

Blanchflower, who has been banged up a bit, and Miller are also expected to get some reps in scoring position. Miller sees the red zone as an opportunity to have a friendly competition with the receivers.

“I think me and the receivers, and even the other tight ends, are going to have some battles over who gets the ball in the red zone. As long as we score, it will be all good,” Miller said, with an ear-to-ear grin.

Mills and Custis are still working on getting the playbook down and making plays. UMass coach Charley Molnar said Mills was “really out of his element” last fall and was starting to come into his own during the spring.

“Now he's really starting to show what he can do,” Molnar said.

Molnar said Custis is a little small for a tight end right now, but “he's going to be a big son of a gun one day. We envision him as an in-line blocker that can detach and be a really fast guy.” Miller, carrying his experience from Michigan, has taken it upon himself to show the new guy the ropes.

“I've been a little bit of a mentor to him. He's kind of new to this offense, with all the schemes and whatnot, so he's working at it. He's coming along nicely, and I'm going to stay on him and make sure that, when he's on the sidelines, he stays focused on the plays and signals. He'll be good,” he said.

Both Molnar and Waldon indicated that the new depth at tight end will allow UMass to add some different packages to the offense.

“I think that the way tight ends are nowadays, the ideal guy can do a little bit of everything. If he can put his hand in the ground, and also detach, that's what we're looking for,” Waldron said. “Some guys are going to do one thing a little bit better than others, but as long as they can be adequate at everything, it will add a lot of flexibility.”

Off the field, Blanchflower is happy with how the group is getting along.

“We're a great group. We love to have fun, but we're all business in the meeting room. It's great having a group of guys that you enjoy being around,” he said.


UMass could make major strides on offense by embracing weapons on roster HUSTLE BELT.COM – JIMMY KLLEY

The UMass Minutemen lost their top running back, Michael Cox, to the NFL Draft and the skill position players left on the roster tip the scales significantly towards the passing game. Mike Wegzyn has looked strong in camp at the quarterback position and the receiving corps, led by tight end Rob Blanchflower, has looked like a formidable unit with both size and speed.

Meanwhile, the running back depth chart is crowded and unproven with the exception of Jordan Broadnax, whose 138 yards last season are just three behind Wegzyn's 141 as the most of any returning player.

This is not to say Charley Molnar should throw out the playbook and start hucking the ball over the field. It is instead a suggestion that the Minutemen learn from their second-most successful MAC outing -- at least in terms of efficiency -- from last season: their 37-34 loss to Ohio.

In that game, UMass carried a 27-20 lead into the fourth quarter before Beau Blankenship did Beau Blankenship things and the Bobcats left with the victory. Wegzyn turned in a 373-yard performance with four touchdowns on 51 attempts while UMass ran the ball 41 times for 158 yards. Those are per-play averages of 7.3 yards per pass attempt and 3.8 yards per carry.

Both of those numbers, if sustained for an entire season, would make the Minutemen a middle-of-the-pack offense in terms of efficiency instead of bottom-of-the-pile. That shift alone could be enough to push the Minutemen miles ahead of where they were last season and with the weapons already in place, UMass should make a concerted effort to make those weapons the focus of the offense.

Those weapons include Blanchflower and sophomore Tajae Sharpe, both of whom averaged over 10 yards per catch last season despite having different sample sizes. Sharpe will have to step up his production from 2012 (20 catches, 206 yards) to match that of departed senior Deion Walker (59 catches, 667 yards), but by all accounts his chemistry with Wegzyn is at a level where that should be possible, if not expected.

Game plans change from week to week but for UMass to go from a one-win team to a two- or three-win outfit, repeating NCAA-average efficiency numbers on a weekly basis is a nice first step to take.

Kassan Messiah primed to star for UMass football in 2013 DAILY COLLEGIAN – NICK CANELAS

Kassan Messiah always had the tools to be a great football player in high school. He just never had the proper weight-lifting program to propel him amongst the elite linebackers in the nation.

Now entering his second season with the Massachusetts football team, Messiah is stronger than ever.

Messiah made it his goal this offseason to improve his overall strength. When UMass hired veteran strength and conditioning coach Mike Golden, his prayers were answered.

The sophomore spent much of the offseason under the guidance and instruction of Golden and had immediate results. He said there’s been an unbelievable difference in his strength and he can see his hard work paying off in practice.

“We had a great strength coach come to the program and he’s helped me a lot just with my individual strength and just getting bigger, stronger, faster, everything. And I’ve seen improvement on the practice field,” Messiah said after Wednesday’s practice.

Now it’s just a matter of it translating to game day.

Messiah led all Mid-American Conference freshman in tackles last season with 65 in just nine games played. That put him third on the Minutemen behind Perry McIntyre and Darren Thellen.


But McIntyre and Thellen graduated last year, which puts Messiah in position to lead UMass and evolve into arguably one of the top linebackers in the MAC.

“That’s definitely a dream,” Messiah said. “Just like it was a dream to play college football and it was a dream to play in the big time, so it’s definitely a dream of mine so I’m working hard to accomplish it.”

If the young Minutemen defense needs a vocal leader or someone to look up to, Messiah is willing to fill that role too. He’s just concerned with what is best for the team.

“Whatever the team needs that’s what I’ll do,” Messiah said. “If they need a leader, I’ll be more than happy to step into that leadership role and do whatever I have to do for the team to win. If that comes with me telling the guys what they need to do and what they don’t need to do then I’ll do that.”

The Orange, N.J., native said there wasn’t any aspect of his game in particular he wanted to get better at. Instead, he humbly stated he needs to get better at anything, which includes his technique, knowing his assignments and his pre-snap keys.

His personal goal for 2013?

“Just do better than I did last year,” he said.

He appears ready to do just that.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Messiah has had an increased role on the UMass defense through the first two weeks of camp. He’s primarily an outside linebacker, but could be seen handling a number of responsibilities during team drills in practice.

Whether it’s in coverage, stopping the run, blitzing off the edge or even shooting the gaps from time to time, Messiah is showing he can do it all and succeed so far.

He hopes his versatility combined with his dedication to improving will shape him and make him the dominant player he hopes to be. Maybe even the best UMass’ defensive corps has to offer.

“That’s what every individual player strives to be. I’m no different,” Messiah said. “My team as a whole is getting better every day and I’m one of those guys so I feel like if I’m getting better every day, then I don’t know. Who knows? The sky is the limit.”

Michigan transfer Ricardo Miller anxious to play for UMass DAILY HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE – MATT VAUTOUR

AMHERST — After playing most of his career at Michigan, Ricardo Miller had to transfer to the University of Massachusetts to play a game at Wisconsin.

“When the (Big Ten) expanded, we got split. Unfortunately I never played them,” said UMass’ senior tight end/wide receiver. “I’m looking forward to a little Big Ten action on August 31. It’ll be exciting. It’s a little ironic that the first game is Wisconsin. I’m preparing for it now and I think I’ll be ready.”

The Minutemen open the season against the Badgers in Madison at 11 a.m. Michigan last played at Camp Randall Stadium in 2009 when Miller was redshirting and not traveling with the squad. The teams played in Ann Arbor in 2010 but did not meet in 2011 and 2012.

Miller figures to have a larger role against the Badgers with UMass than he did against anyone playing for the Wolverines.

“I felt like I definitely should have been on the field, but for whatever reason I wasn’t. It wasn’t in God’s plan for me to be there,” he said. “So I’m here now and making the most of it.”

UMass coach Charley Molnar has been playing Miller at tight end and wide receiver to create more opportunities for him to be involved in the offense. He’s behind No. 1 tight end Rob Blanchflower, but the two could play together. There also figures to be plenty of playing time available at receiver.

“He’s been back and forth. He’s got so many skills. It’s hard to pigeon hole him right now,” Molnar said. “We don’t have a lot of depth at wide receiver. We certainly have who our tight end is right now with Blanch. The second tight end is up for grabs. With Ricardo, not only is he a passing game threat, but he blocks pretty well. We can utilize him a lot of different ways.”

Miller is glad to be utilized at all.

“I feel like I’m back in high school,” said the Orlando, Fla., native. “I’m just playing the game, not worrying about my position, not trying to impress anybody. I’m just out there like a kid having fun. It’s been great. The offense is really fast paced, but I’m picking it up nicely. Everything I’ve wanted coming to UMass, I’ve gotten: the opportunity, the leadership and chance to be a mentor to the young guys on the team. It’s been everything I could ask for and it’s only going to get better.”


INJURIES — UMass was thin at tight end Wednesday as Blanchflower and Brandon Howard sat out with undisclosed injuries. Freshman running back Lorenzo Woodley had his foot in a protective boot. Molnar said none of the injuries were serious.

Blanchflower “was general soreness. I’d rather keep him out of this stuff at this point,” Molnar said. “I’d like to get Woodley going by the end of the week. But if not, we’re going to give the players Sunday off and I would think by Monday he’d be good to go. Brandon Howard may go Friday or I may wait until Monday for him too. At the end of next week we’re going to be starting game preparation. We have to make sure we have all of our guys ready to go.”

Jordan Broadnax, who was shaken up with a shoulder injury Tuesday, had his knee looked at late in practice. Molnar didn’t expect him to miss time.

Tajae Sharpe (shoulder) and Anthony Dima (blisters), who were both sidelined with minor injuries, were back in practice Wednesday. Sharpe showed no signs of wear making a leaping catch to extend a drive during a 2-minute drill simulation.

“When (Sharpe) came down, I caught my breath,” Molnar said. “When he got right up I was a little relieved.”

WEDNESDAY SCRIMMAGE — Molnar thought his offense made strides in Wednesday’s scrimmage, the day’s second practice.

“I thought the No. 1 offense was able to sustain drives today. They were able to protect the football. The No. 2 offense had a little bit of a harder time with so many new guys out there. All in all, both offenses made plays today,” Molnar said. “I was pleased on both sides of the ball with the minimum amount of in-game corrections we had to meet.”

With two tight ends out, sophomore Derek Beck had a breakout day, including two touchdown catches.

“He seemed to step up in the passing game,” Molnar said. “That’s good because sometimes Blanch will have to come out or we’ll have two tight ends in the game. It’s good to know we have a more capable backup.”

MORE POTATO — ESPN purchased the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, which is annually played in Boise and reached a six-year agreement to remain affiliated with the Mid-American Conference. The MAC representative will play a team from the Mountain West.

MISCELLANEOUS — UMass is asking fans, who attend future open practices, to sit on what’s normally the visitor’s side of the field for safety precautions. The removal of the press box is scheduled to begin Thursday.

DuVaughn Beckford, a junior defensive back, who transferred from Assumption, has been ruled eligible.

New leaders emerging on UMass defense with loss of Darren Thellen and Perry McIntyre DAILY COLLEGIAN – NICK CANELAS

When Darren Thellen and Perry McIntyre graduated after last season, the Massachusetts football team lost more than just two of its top defensive players. It also lost a pair of leaders.

Sure, Thellen and McIntyre were the top two tacklers on the team while Thellen led UMass with three interceptions. But what was most valuable was their experience and leadership on a defensive unit that played mostly underclassmen in the Minutemen’s first season in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Now UMass must find new leaders for a 2013 group that is still a majority first- and second-year players.

UMass coach Charley Molnar said four seniors have emerged as those guys through the early stages of camp: defensive linemen Kevin Byrne and Galen Clemons, linebacker Stanley Andre and defensive back Devin Brown.

What Molnar likes most about this group is that it gives each defensive group a figurehead, or someone for the less experienced players to rely on.

“Every defensive group has a guy that’s leading, and I think that’s really important because — not just when they’re out there as a whole unit but during individual drills — a guy that will step up and get the guys working and setting higher expectations and demands for each group to work,” Molnar said.

Statistically speaking, Andre appears to be the leader of that group. The linebacker started in all 12 games last season with 41 tackles, four for a loss, and a sack.

Byrne also started in every UMass game last year, recording 27 tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and fumble recovery.

Brown and Clemons saw action in most of the Minutemen’s games in 2012 as well.


UMass football training camp 2013: Offense working to create more explosive passing plays this season SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN – DAN MALONE

AMHERST — Just about every coach will tell you he's looking to create more explosive plays on offense. Some teams do it better than others, usually because they have the personnel to create mismatches down the field or a savvy veteran quarterback who can manipulate coverage with his eyes or body language.

The University of Massachusetts football team had neither last season, and it showed on the stat sheet.

According to FootballOutsiders.com, a website that specializes in in-depth statistical research, only 3.1 percent of UMass' offensive drives last season averaged at least 10 yards per play, a total that ranked 123rd in the nation. Only Colorado (2.5%) finished lower.

It gets worse.

In the passing game, the Minutemen finished with 23 plays of 20 or more yards, nine plays of 30-plus yards and only three plays of 40-plus yards — all last in the Mid-American Conference. They're longest play of a year, a 56-yard flea flicker completion against Indiana, was the result of a trick play.

To say the UMass offense wants to improve on those numbers in 2013 would be a bit of an understatement. Sophomore wide receiver Tajae Sharpe said that starts up front with the offensive line and the rushing game.

"We’ve got a lot of great backs, so if we get our run game going, that’ll open up the pass plays and a lot of play-action fakes so we can go deep on teams," he said. “I love the deep ball. It’s my favorite route, going deep. That’s one of the most exciting plays in the game; going deep and making the big play over the defender."

The man who will be throwing the long passes that Sharpe loves so much is also looking forward to seeing how the offense can improve this season. Already with a firmer grasp of UMass coach Charley Molnar's playbook than he had last year, sophomore quarterback Mike Wegzyn believes the additions of receivers like Michigan transfer Ricardo Miller (6-foot-3) and walk-on freshman Shakur Nesmith (6-foot-4) should translate into more chuck play opportunities.

“You kind of have a little bit of leeway with your throws," Wegzyn said of working with bigger targets. "You can put it a little higher, give ‘em a jump ball. That definitely helps. I think we’ve got a lot of guys with speed, too, who can blaze on the outside. We can have some good one-on-one matchups and can take advantage of them.”

Schematically, those single coverages that lead to potential big plays will often be result of the attention senior tight end Rob Blanchflower receives in the secondary. Needing to account for Blanchflower over the middle of the field, opposing safeties will be forced to give up in help coverage over the top against receivers like Sharpe racing downfield.

“If I’m drawing the attention of a safety, I’m doing my job," Blanchflower said. "Because, a lot of times, I’m not running my route to get open; I’m running my route to open someone else up."

Sharpe said Blanchflower's presence on the field "will make (his) life a lot easier."

But Blanchflower is sure to catch his share of passes, too, which also feeds into strategy of making defenses susceptible to long plays.

“If we’re not consistent with (short) completions, then we’re not threatening. And if we’re not threatening, then the defense that they’re gonna be playing is gonna cater to what was working for them in the past.

"It'll open opportunities to use play-action and make them on their heels instead of on their toes attacking all the time."

BROADNAX RESULTS PENDING: Presumed starting running back Jordan Broadnax was on crutches Thursday following an undisclosed injury to his right knee during Wednesday's afternoon practice.

Molnar said he wouldn't have test results on the injury until Thursday night or Friday morning. Redshirt freshman Stacey Bedell took the bulk of first-team carries in place of Broadnax.

DEFENSE RULES THE DAY: UMass closed out Thursday's practice with some 11-on-11 work, and it was the defense that stole the show.

Sophomore cornerbacks Trey Dudley-Giles and D'Metrius Williams each recorded interceptions during the drill, which Dudley-Giles also returning a blocked kick 70-yards for a touchdown.

“They really, really did a great job," Molnar said. "The defense was outstanding that last 10 minutes of practice.”


UMass football training camp 2013: Walk-on wide receiver Shakur Nesmith making the most of his opportunities SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN – DAN MALONE

AMHERST – One of the advantages of fielding a roster as young as the University of Massachusetts football team's is that the coaching staff is able to get extended looks at under-the-radar players who might otherwise go untested in a more veteran group.

A perfect example of that is freshman wide receiver Shakur Nesmith, a Temple signee turned UMass walk-on who has impressed in limited reps in place of would-be starter Tajae Sharpe.

With Sharpe sidelined since Sunday with a minor shoulder injury, Nesmith has made the most of his opportunity to work with quarterback Mike Wegzyn and the first team. At 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, he's displayed the requisite size and speed to make plays at the Football Bowl Subdivision level.

Nesmith, unable to comment Monday because of unresolved details regarding his eligibility and walk-on status, has caught the eyes of his coaches.

“He’s really taken advantage of the last two practices with Tajae being out," Minutemen coach Charley Molnar said. "I think he's really done well every day at practice. (We) didn’t really know what to expect, but so far, so good.”

Nesmith was targeted frequently during red-zone work Monday, putting his large frame to good use in the back of the end zone. He displayed soft hands, excellent spatial awareness and control of his body as he reeled in passes along the sideline.

Wide receivers coach Allen Suber called Nesmith a "big, fast receiver" and highlighted him as a target who can potentially help create mismatches against smaller cornerbacks.

"It’s not just his size; he’s got very good speed," Molnar said. "And (he) also has a really good feel for running routes and finding the open spaces."

Neither Molnar nor Suber appears concerned about Nesmith's eligibility for the season. That bodes well for Wegzyn, who was excited to add another talented piece to a growing stable of pass-catchers.

“I really like Shakur. He’s just an athlete. He’s outstanding," Wegzyn said. "He’s obviously got the size, he’s got the speed, the athleticism, the hands to make the plays. Right now, he’s learning a lot of the routes and concepts and schemes and everything. But I’m really excited about the upside that he has.”

It's unclear what Nesmith's role will be once Sharpe returns, but the freshman is certainly forcing the issue. And realistically, UMass can't afford to leave any stones unturned. The offense struggled mightily to move the ball and score points in 2012, and that was with now-departed Deion Walker and Allan Williams contributing 1,105 yards and seven touchdowns on 101 receptions.

A rotation featuring Nesmith, Sharpe, fifth-year senior Ricardo Miller and a number of other freshman wideouts like E.J. Burston and Shaquille Harris might make the most sense.

FIRMLY ENTRENCHED: Late last year, Molnar indicated that then-freshman quarterbacks Wegzyn and A.J. Doyle were 1-A and 1-B in the competition to be starter. That's no longer the case, as Molnar said Monday the progression is clearly delineated with Wegzyn as No. 1, Doyle No. 2 and freshman Todd Stafford No. 3.

Wegzyn said he feels more comfortable than ever with his receivers, comparing it to tossing an old football around the backyard with friends.

“I know what they’re gonna do. They know how I’m gonna throw it, where I’m gonna put it," he said. "So that’s gonna be huge for our whole offense.”

DAY TO DAY: Molnar indicated the shoulder injury keeping Sharpe from practicing is not serious.

"He got banged up (Sunday) in practice. He just landed the wrong way, so he’ll be day to day," Molnar said. "He’ll be fine. No one is concerned."

O-LINE UPDATE: The first-team offensive line got yet another shake-up, as Maryland transfer David Osei took snaps at right tackle and freshman Fabian Hoeller slid into right guard.

Redshirt freshman Tyrell Smith again got work at left guard between tackle Anthony Dima and center Matt Sparks.

Blake Lucas Ready to Play MAROON MUSKET – BOB MCGOVERN


AMHERST, Mass. - When Charley Molnar arrived at the University of Massachusetts, the football team had a major depth problem. Molnar scrambled and quickly filled UMass' roster with transfers, walk-ons and the fruits of Signing Day 2012.

When the dust settled, there were still major concerns at placekicker. Molnar, adamant about not having numerous scholarship kickers on the team, had an open audition. Seven guys tried out, including incumbent Brendon Levengood, and deep into fall camp the position was still up for grabs.

Blake Lucas, then a true freshman walk-on from Georgia, separated himself from the pack.

Entering his second season as UMass' field goal kicker, Lucas said he feels a lot more confident at the position. He spent most of the summer “trying to get stronger and faster” and, of course, kicking.

“In high school, between my freshman and sophomore year, my kicking jumped up big time. This year I feel the same way. My kicking just got a lot better, and my coaches said the same thing,” Lucas said. “The biggest focus is accuracy, but I also have to pay attention to height and distance.”

While Lucas has a season under his belt, he still needs more in-game experience. During the 2012 campaign, Lucas only attempted eight field goals and hit seven. He also never quite found himself in a pressure-filled situation, as the Minutemen were typically far behind. Lucas didn't get to show off his leg strength, either: He never attempted a field goal longer than 40 yards.

Despite all that, Molnar has complete confidence in his kicker.

“He's solid. He'll be in the top half the MAC. Very rarely does he miss during practice. He missed one or two the first day (of fall camp), and I'm not sure if I've seen him miss since then. If you ever get the chance to talk to him, he's a flat-liner,” Molnar said, motioning a steady, horizontal line with his left hand. “He never gets too high, he never gets too low, and he's the same way after every kick. He goes into each and every practice the same way.”

Lucas, who at 5-foot-8 and 166 pounds is easily one of the smaller guys on the team, exudes a quiet confidence when discussing his ability. He said he's “100 percent” from 40 yards or in and “can absolutely” hit a 60 yarder.

He added that he wants more opportunities this year.

“I'm hoping to get some more field goals in. After I start kicking field goals, that's when I start to get confident out there. I'm hoping for at least 18 to 20 field goals this year,” he said.

Lucas learned a lot from last year's competition and continues to improve while working with the special teams unit. He said he's close with holder Jeff Strait, punter Colter Johnson, longsnapper Vance Barton and Levengood, who, with the strongest leg on the team, handles kickoffs.

He was also quick to praise newcomers Logan Laurent and Markus Colin. Laurent kicks and punts but projects to be a punter, while Colin is a placekicker who can “really boot the ball” according to Molnar. He added that the new competition will be good for Lucas.

“Blake can't just sit there. He has to compete every day, but he certainly has the edge right now,” he said. “He's a competitive young man, and when he had the chance to win the job last year, I thought he really bore down, so I don't think pressure bothers him too much.”

It seems as though Molnar is onto something.

“It's definitely more competition, but at this point last year we had seven kickers come out here, and that was a pretty serious competition,” Lucas said. “I'm ready to go. Competition takes us to the next level. If you ask what made Colter (Johnson) better, he'll tell you that it was competing with Jeff (Strait), and that works for me, too.”

UMass football training camp 2013: Khary Bailey-Smith a key cog in growing secondary


AMHERST – Khary Bailey-Smith was one of many University of Massachusetts football players thrown to the wolves last season.

Fresh out of Weymouth High School, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound safety was one of seven freshman defensive backs asked to help bolster the Minutemen secondary as UMass took its lumps against more seasoned Mid-American Conference opponents.


Bailey-Smith, in particular, was leaned on heavily, seeing the field in all 12 games and making four starts alongside senior Darren Thellen. He racked up 45 tackles and two interceptions in his on-the-job training, making him one of the team's more accomplished returning defenders.

With that experience under Bailey-Smith's belt, UMass coach Charley Molnar has already seen positive growth from the sophomore in training camp.

“The thing with Khary is, now that he’s ‘a veteran,’ he plays faster," Molnar said. "He has more confidence, and thus, he seems to have even more fun out there. You can just see he’s enjoying making plays. And he is making plays."

For a defense that finished 11th in the MAC with a minus-9 turnover margin, making plays on the ball is a focal point this season.

"He’s around the ball. Be it a run or a pass, he’s there all the time," Molnar said. "He’s become more active, and I see him continuing to grow in that, just like all good players do. You know, he’s gonna continue to get better.”

Replacing the veteran leadership of Thellen will be another challenge for a group of safeties expected to feature some combination of Bailey-Smith, sophomore Joe Colton and senior Devin Brown.

Bailey-Smith has confidence they can sort it out.

“Darren, he was a good mentor, but everyone else around here, we have the same coaches and we all know what we’re doing," he said. "So, hopefully we’ll all get on the same page and play well together.”

Already an impressive athlete – he wowed coaches and players with a high-flying aerial display in the team's slam dunk contest over the winter – Bailey-Smith's maturation process has been largely mental this offseason. He now has a better idea of what to look for from opposing offenses and the game comes to him more easily than it did a year ago.

“(I’m) more confident in my responsibilities," he said. "The communication between me and the coaches has gotten a lot better. I don’t make as many mistakes. I might still mess up a couple of times at practice, but we’re working on getting all those fixed so we can have a perfect season.”

First-year defensive backs coach Greg Burns said that kind of progress is a result of the work Bailey-Smith has put in off the field.

"The one thing I like is that he is focused," Burns said. "He pays attention in the meetings and he asks good questions, intelligent questions, to get a better feel of what he needs to do on the field. He’s just simply doing everything he’s supposed to do.”

No longer short on experience, and brimming with confidence, Bailey-Smith said his target is clear heading into the season opener Aug. 31.

"A MAC championship, boss, that’s everyone’s goal," he said. "We have to aim high, right?"

BACKS BANGED UP: The Minutemen have been fortunate in terms of staying healthy in camp, but the injury bug has started to nip at the ball carriers.

Redshirt freshman running back Stacey Bedell was sidelined Tuesday with what Molnar called a cracked toenail and blisters. Fellow freshman Lorenzo Woodley was day to day with a "mild" ankle sprain.

Would-be starter Jordan Broadnax also got shaken up near the end of practice after hitting the ground hard during a two-minute offense drill.

“We went four or five days and none of them missed a rep due to anything," Molnar said. "And then, all of a sudden, just the craziest things (have happened).”

BOOMING IT: Sophomore kicker Blake Lucas showed off his leg a little bit during the same two-minute portion of practice, drilling 52- and 49-yard field goals on back-to-back attempts.

Lucas' longest field goal last year was 39 yards.

LONG ODDS: Per BetOnline.com, UMass opens the season against Wisconsin as a 45-point underdog, the largest spread between Football Bowl Subdivision teams in Week 1.

The Minutemen were 45.5-point underdogs against Michigan last season before losing 61-13 Sept. 15.

UMass’ cornerbacks ready to benefit from experience



AMHERST — University of Massachusetts football coach Charley Molnar knew when he put cornerbacks Randall Jette, Trey Dudley-Giles and D’Metrius Williams into the lineup a year ago that the then freshmen would likely take their lumps getting acclimated to Bowl Subdivision football.

But as the trio showed both promise and youth in 2012, he hoped the experience they gained would be valuable in 2013.

“Those guys are playing like vets,” Molnar said. “Those guys have made a ton of plays (in camp). Trey Dudley-Giles, D’Metrius Williams and Randall Jette have been very hard to beat all camp.”

New secondary coach Greg Burns didn’t see the corners in action last year, but he thought they seemed further along than most sophomores.

“Rarely are you going to get a chance to get that many reps as a true freshman or even as a redshirt freshman,” he said. “Because of that, it’s almost like having a seasoned sophomore going into his junior year.”

UMass was ranked in the middle (seventh) of the Mid-American Conference in pass defense last year, allowing 234.8 yards per game. The 26 touchdowns allowed were tied for eighth. The trio believes they can be better.

“Techniquewise, we’re not perfect as a unit yet, but we’re all on the same page,” said Jette, a redshirt sophomore. “We’re all somewhat veterans. We’re making the next step we need to make.”

Trey Dudley Giles agreed.

“I feel like we’re more comfortable going to practice every day. We’re trying to treat every practice rep as a game rep,” the true sophomore said. “We have a better feel for what other receivers are going to run, or throw at us. We have a lot to improve on. We have to get better at our techniques. We’re working each and every day as a unit.”

Williams, also a true sophomore, warned against underestimating the Minutemen.

“We’re young so people are probably going to try to pick on us, but we’re going to show people that we’re sound corners and that we can make plays,” he said. “Age doesn’t matter. We can play with the best of them. Everyday we’re trying to work hard trying to be the best. We have the potential to do it. We just have to put in the work in order too be the best.”

Jette is the oldest member of the trio and its most vocal leader. He said their cohesion is better on and off the field.

“Last year there was some uncertainty knowing who was going to be here with off-the-field issues. Everybody who is here right now, is here to stay,” he said. “This is the closest unit I’ve worked with. We’re all friends. There’s way more chemistry back there. We’ve been through the trials and tribulations together. It’s going to feel good when it really translates” to success.

The coaching staff is counting on stronger corner play.

“If you bring your safeties down, you better make sure your corners can do things one-on-one,” Molnar said. Defensive coordinator “Phil (Elmassian) really likes to see our safeties involved in the run game, like everybody does. ... A year ago we weren’t as anxious to do it because our corners were so young. Now that they’ve become a veteran presence on our team, we can involve the safeties in our run defense.”

RUNNING BACK INJURIES — True freshman Lorenzo Woodley missed time Tuesday with an ankle sprain, while redshirt freshman Stacey Bedell missed time Tuesday with a cracked toenail and foot blisters. Both are expected back soon.

“Stacey couldn’t push off it. He can’t do anything. ... He needed to do something to strengthen his nail. It was a bloody mess,” Molnar said. “Woodley had just a mild ankle sprain, but just enough that we wanted to hold him for a day until it clears up.”

Junior tailback Jordan Broadnax was slow to get up after being tackled at the sideline during a 2-minute drill simulation late in Tuesday’s practice.

Molnar called the injury minor.

“It was little, not even a stinger,” Molnar said. “I was thinking we don’t have any running backs left.”

Sophomore Jamal Wilson and true freshman Daquan Mack got added carries due to the injuries.

LUCAS LONG — In the same 2-minute drill, sophomore kicker Blake Lucas made the only two field goals he attempted, from 52 and 49 yards. They were both longer than the 39-yarder he made against Buffalo last year, his career long.

Molnar adjusted how long he’d let Lucas try a kick from after Tuesday’s performance.

“I know at least 52 yards after today,” Molnar said. “That’s a nice kick.”

MISCELLANEOUS — Wednesday will be UMass’ second two-a-day practice. The second practice (3:15 p.m. to 5:15) is expected to be more viewer friendly with scrimmage elements than the morning practice (8:45 a.m. to 10:45).


Western Michigan wide receiverJaime Wilson suffered a broken ankle in practice Monday and could miss the entire season. Wilson, who was the MAC freshman of the year with 67 catches for 792 yards, had four receptions for 88 yards and a touchdown in WMU’s 52-14 win over the Minutemen. The Broncos are at UMass on Oct. 26.

CBS Sports.com ranked UMass No. 121 out of 126 teams.

D'Metrius Williams 2.0 - Still fun, more focused


A year ago, UMass cornerback D'Metrius Williams showed some moments of really promising cornerback play, but his claim to fame was tweeting during halftime of the Minutemen's loss to Bowling Green.

Williams owned up to the mistake at the time and was a good sport about the wisecracks at his expense about it.

Now a sophomore, Williams expects to be a better player, but hasn't entirely squelched the energy and love of Twitter.

"I’ve kind of toned it down a little bit. More play less talk. I’ve still got it in me. I’m more focused on the task at hand. You have to work when you can work and play when you can play," he said Tuesday. "A good season will definitely bring out a more energetic me. But I’m just focused on the task at hand which is beating Wisconsin on Aug. 31."

He thinks he'll be a key part of a good Minuteman defensive backfield.

"I feel like I’m a lot further ahead than I was in year one. Coach (Greg) Burns has done a good job picking us up from where Coach Burris left off. We always have to be technique sound with our eyes hands and feet. My eyes, hands and feet are so much better than there were as a freshmen," he said. "There’s a lot of great receivers in the nation, but we feel like we can go up against any receiver on any team if we use good technique and do what Coach Burns teaches us every day."

UMass freshman tackle Tyshon Henderson impressing during first-team work at camp

HUSTLE BELT.COM – JIMMY KLLEY

One of the first things many people noticed about the UMass Minutemen in their first FBS season in 2012 was how much smaller they seemed, on the whole, compared to many of their opponents. Thanks to a strong recruiting class and an even stronger summer in the weight room, much of that difference has been mitigated with freshman tackle Tyshon Henderson serving as the embodiment of that paradigm shift.

Henderson stands an imposing 6-foot-7 and weights in at 315 pounds, but those measurables don't even do the young man justice. Even when standing with the other lineman he appears to be on another level physically and that advantage has seen him get plenty of work with the first team offense while senior Anthony Dima deals with blister issues, according to Bob McGovern of Maroon Musket.

Charley Molnar likes the young man's size and has seem him progress every day of training camp.

"[Henderson] is a little bit ahead of the rest of the guys, and we expected that he would be. He's doing an excellent job, but when you're running with the first unit, the expectations are a little higher," Molnar said. "He still has numerous errors, but he's reducing them every single day."

Earlier in the week, when the blister issues began to bother Dima, Henderson was taking all of the first-team reps during walk-through and 11-on-11 work. Dima, an Outland Trophy candidate this preseason, is still the clear choice at left tackle but having someone like Henderson in the back pocket never hurts.

He isn't the only freshman in the running for some serious playing on the offensive line, though. McGovern said that Sam Zeff, Rich Queen and Cameron Mock got some goal line reps and I observed Fabian Hoeller running with the first-team offense during drills on Monday afternoon. Mock and Henderson are the biggest at 6-foot-7, but each player is at least 6-foot-4 and can move.

The future of the offensive line seems to be in capable hands and that will go a long way to ensuring offensive success for Molnar and the Minutemen.


The Second Coming

MAROON MUSKET – BOB MCGOVERN

AMHERST, Mass. - Miami (OH) quarterback Zac Dysert never saw Kassan Messiah coming, and who could blame him for not being on the lookout?

Three games into the 2012 season, UMass' freshman outside linebacker had never played a college down, and Dysert likely spent most of the week preparing for the likes of safety Darren Thellen and middle linebacker Perry McIntyre. So, when Messiah broke through Miami's line and sacked the Redhawks' signal caller for his first collegiate tackle, there was a moment when everyone cocked their heads, pointed and said, “Who's that?”

Messiah made the most of that late-September game and recorded 10 tackles, defended a pass and picked up two tackles for loss. From then on, everyone knew Messiah, but that didn't mean they could slow him down.

The Orange, N.J. native led all Mid-American Conference freshmen in total tackles (65) and was one of UMass' top run-stopping linebackers.

Heading into the 2013 season, there has been a lot of talk about Messiah stepping in at defensive end. However, don't tell Phil Elmassian that. UMass' defensive coordinator is adamant about Messiah's position.

“He's an outside linebacker, he is not a defensive end. In the 4-3, he's a stand-up linebacker and an outside guy,” Elmassian said. “Sometimes in a third-down situation, we're going to have him blitzing off the edge, and I guess you could call him a defensive end there, but he's an outside linebacker. The kid is not going to have his hand in the dirt. He is definitely an outside linebacker.”

Elmassian said Messiah is perfect for the roving position due to his length and added that he doesn't have enough bulk (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) to be an every-down, hand-in-the-dirt defensive lineman. He said Messiah's length is “absolutely perfect” for UMass' 4-3 and praised the sophomore for what he does off the field.

“I mean, woof, his work ethic is just something else,” he said.

Messiah is happy with the added responsibility. During the 2012 season, he primarily stayed off the line and was often off the field when the Minutemen lined up in the Nickle. He said his tweener role will let him “just run around out there and let loose” on opposing defenses.

He added that he isn't concerned with individual numbers or accolades – he just wants to win.

“It's all about the team. We didn't have such a good year last year even though I did pretty well individually. This year I'm looking forward to getting better every day and watching the team get better,” he said. “You can just see the difference out there man. Everyone is just coming together. They're just bigger, stronger and faster. We all have a lot of confidence and we're building our swagger, and that's going to come out during the season.”

While Messiah is the odds-on favorite to grab one of the two outside positions, there is a sudden glut of talent at the linebacker spot. UMass added three linebackers in the 2013 class – Shane Huber, Steve Casali and Peter Ngobidi – who will compete with Messiah, Stanley Andre, Jovan Santos-Knox, John Robinson, Tom Brandt and Vondell Langston for time.

UMass coach Charley Molnar is pretty happy with the arrangement.

“We have the kind of depth that every good defense has. We're not overloading, we just have a number of guys that can get the job done, and that's a good place to be,” he said.

Messiah praised the new guys but said that everyone on the team still needs to prove themselves.

“You always have to prove yourself. You have to prove yourself every day. The guys they brought in are good. I think coach did a great job. They brought in a great bunch of guys, and a great bunch of football guys. They're good people,” he said.

With a 1-11 campaign behind them, the Minutemen are not getting too much respect from college football experts. Nearly every preseason magazine has UMass rated last in the MAC.

Messiah doesn't want to say much, but noted that the low expectations are fueling the team.

“There are a lot of naysayers out there. We don't respond to it, but we definitely do hear it. We take it as motivation, and we want to prove them wrong,” he said. “I think we're going to shock the world.”

Finding a Spot: Elmassian said that Ngobidi is still in the process of finding a position and may redshirt this season if he doesn't play on special teams. Ngobidi, a Bay State recruit, was a tweener at Catholic Memorial High School, and UMass coaches were impressed with his athleticism.

“He's a good player. He was more of a rush-the-passer player in high school, and he came to our camp running a 4.6 and jumped 35 inches. We're going to work with him. He's a Massachusetts guy, he has those numbers, and we're taking him,” he said. “With him, it's still a matter of knowing where he will play. Is he an inside or outside guy? I don't know. He's too small to put his hand in the dirt. We'll probably redshirt him unless he goes special teams.”


Andre the Giant: Stanley Andre is going to be asked to fill the gap left behind by Perry McIntyre, who led the team with 132 tackles. Andre was a defensive end last year by necessity and will have to re-adjust to the linebacker position.

Elmassian is pretty confident in his ability to do so.

“This guy is on pace, right now here today, to be better. He may never make all-league, but I'm telling you that he's on pace to be as productive – or better – than (McIntyre),” he said. “That doesn't mean he's going to be, but that's what he's on pace to do.”

UMass freshman walk-on receiver Shakur Nesmith turning heads


AMHERST — As the University of Massachusetts football team ran red zone drills, a murmur went through the assembled media watching Monday morning’s practice: “Who is number four?”

The 6-foot-4 receiver had just leapt to make a catch from quarterback Mike Wegzyn and nimbly got his feet down in bounds in the back of the end zone.

The only No. 4 on the roster is cornerback Randall Jette, who was wearing the number in a black jersey on the other side of the field. It’s not unusual for players to wear different numbers in practice from the one they wear in games, but this player wasn’t listed on the roster.

Before it was determined that the mystery receiver was Shakur Nesmith, he’d made another nifty touchdown catch on a corner fade from Wegzyn.

Nesmith is a walk-on, but not in the typical sense. The Philadelphia native, who was ranked as a three-star recruit by 24/7 Sports, was originally headed to Temple last year, but was ruled ineligible. He attended Milford (N.Y.) Academy, which produced UMass career rushing leader Marcel Shipp, for a year. He enrolled at UMass this year in hopes of earning a scholarship in the future.

UMass coach Charley Molnar said that things needed to be sorted out before Nesmith can be ruled eligible. He declined to explain the specifics.

“There’s something we have to work on. But all in all I think he should be good to go. It’s not academics. It’s some other things,” Molnar said. “He’s joined the program as a walk-on. We have other issues we have to make sure to get cleaned up.”

Nesmith won’t be made available for interviews until his eligibility is confirmed. He was running with the first string in place of sophomore Tajae Sharpe, who was out with a shoulder injury.

“He’s taking advantage of Tajae being out. He’s done really well. We didn’t know what to expect. So far so good. He’s making plays up and down the field,” Molnar said. “It’s not just his size. He’s got good speed. He has a really good feel for running routes and finding the open spaces.”

Wide receivers coach Alan Suber said Nesmith wasn’t the only promising rookie receiver, pointing to the early efforts of Shaq Harris and E.J. Burston among others.

“We have some young talented guys trying to find their way in the offense. It’s a complex offense. It’s going to take a little bit of time, but you can see the offense when they do know what they’re doing. They can make plays,” Suber said. “The more they know the offense, the faster they play. The less thinking, the more it’s just natural talent. We’re still looking for big better things from those guys.”

Freshman walk-on receiver Dylan Tighe has looked sharp in practice and has a chance to make an impact. Suber thought the 6-foot, 177-pound Gambrills, Md., product was a steal.

“He’s not a surprise at all. That’s why we took him,” Suber said smiling. “Watch his tape.”

SHARPE INJURY MINOR — Sharpe’s left arm was in a sling following an injury he suffered in Sunday’s practice.

“He just landed the wrong way,” Molnar said. “He’s day-to-day. It’s minor. He’ll be fine. No one is concerned.”

NO CHANGE UNDER CENTER — After one week of practice, Molnar said there’s no change on the quarterback depth chart. Wegzyn continues to work with the first string. A.J. Doyle is No. 2, while true freshman Todd Stafford is third.

“A.J. is never that far behind Wegz,” Molnar said. “I certainly haven’t counted him out of the running. I don’t think A.J. has counted himself out of the running and if Wegz is smart he hasn’t counted A.J. out of the running.”

Molnar likes Stafford’s potential.

“Some days he looks like he’ll be an NFL draft pick when he gets everything right,” Molnar said. “We’re talking to him about his footwork, his drop, the depth of his drop, his first step. We haven’t talked about throwing the ball yet. We talk about repeatable mechanics like golfers do. We’re trying to get


them where they can do the same things over and over again. Wegzyn has some really good moments and some under whelming moments. Right now if you watch (Wegzyn) he looks the same over and over again. A.J. is getting to that point. Stafford is a long way away. There’s a lot of inconsistency with his delivery right now.”

MISCELLANEOUS — Wisconsin linebacker Ethan Armstrong, who missed the last two games of 2012 season and all of spring practice with a hip injury and has been out since the second day of preseason with a leg injury, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he plans to be back for the season opener against UMass on Aug. 31.

“I’ll be ready to play in the opener,” Armstrong said after watching practice Monday morning. “It is just a matter of when I’ll be back for practice.”

Armstrong targeted Aug. 21 as a potential return date.

“But obviously that is my own schedule,” he said. “That is not what the doctors or Coach (Gary) Andersen have said. They all have to clear me in order for me to get back. But that is the earliest I’ll be able to come back. That is right when we start UMass prep. I want to make sure I get all of that and I have all that time to prepare myself and be ready for the first game.”

UMass football: 10 players to watch in 2013, Part II


Coming off a 1-11 season, the University of Massachusetts football team enters its second year in the Football Bowl Subdivision looking for players to step up and produce. There are plenty of candidates, but I've highlighted 10 that I think warrant keeping a closer eye on. Young or old, offense or defense — they all stand to make an impact in 2013.

You can check out Part I of the countdown right here.

5. Lorenzo Woodley - RB The South Florida native was the prize of UMass coach Charley Molnar's 2013 recruiting class and one of the most hyped recruits in program history. With formidable size and deceptive speed, he has all the makings of an every-down back. UMass fans will, not unreasonably, want to see Woodley with the ball in his hands as often as possible this season, but a crowded backfield that includes Jordan Broadnax, Stacey Bedell and fellow freshman Daquan Mack will likely translate to limited carries. That's perhaps for the best as Woodley transitions to the college game, but UMass won't say no if he shows he's ready sooner rather than later.

4. Ricardo Miller - WR Like Tajae Sharpe, Miller is going to be counted on to replace a lot of lost production this season. You can be sure Molnar didn't bring the fifth-year transfer from Michigan into the fold to be a spectator. With the Wolverines, he lined up at wideout, tight end and even spent some time in the backfield, so the options for deploying Miller are varied. Will Miller be Deion Walker 2.0 (59 receptions, 667 yards, three touchdowns) in 2013? It's tough to say, but if he isn't, it won't be for lack of opportunity.

3. Rob Blanchflower - TE Make no mistake: this is Blanchflower's team in 2013. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound senior speaks for his teammates and is the figure the other players go to for guidance. And he backs up that position with his play on the field. One of UMass' few true NFL prospects, Blanchflower is poised — assuming he gets some help from his quarterback — to do big things this season. Just how heavily the offense leans on this security blanket remains to be seen, but if Wegzyn is smart, he'll look Blanchflower's way early and often.

2. Trey Dudley-Giles/D'Metrius Williams - CB Okay, okay, I cheated with this one. But the development of this sophomore duo is crucial to UMass' chances for success this season. The pair combined for 22 appearances and eight starts in 2012, collecting valuable playing time that should pay dividends in year two. Neither is lacking for athleticism or confidence, but they'll need to get their hands on a few more passes after failing to record an interception last year. An improved pass rush should also go a long way in helping this tandem improve in 2013.

1. Mike Wegzyn - QB Was there ever any doubt the Minutemen's sophomore quarterback would top out this list? Like all teams, UMass' fortunes in 2013 rest squarely on the shoulders of its signal caller. Molnar has been steadfast in his praise of Wegzyn this summer, but we really haven't gotten a chance to see just how improved the young quarterback is. That should change as training camp progresses and the team begins preparation for the season opener. Ideally, you'd want to see Wegzyn start to feel more comfortable in the pocket and progress through his receiver reads quicker than a year ago. If Wegzyn isn't the answer, patience will start to wear thin with an already divided fan base. I'm not expecting him to move mountains, but I'd be shocked if Wegzyn plays as poorly as he did in 2012.

UMass football: 10 players to watch in 2013, Part I


Coming off a 1-11 season, the University of Massachusetts football team enters its second year in the Football Bowl Subdivision looking for players to step up and produce. There are plenty of candidates, but I've highlighted 10 that I think warrant keeping a closer eye on. Young or old, offense or defense — they all stand to make an impact in 2013.


10. Justin Anderson - DE Anderson is one of the Minutemen's newest players, but he also might be of the most recognizable. At 6-foot-5, 280 pounds, the fifth-year transfer from Maryland looks more imposing than all but a few of his new teammates. UMass coach Charley Molnar is hoping his production will match his impressive stature. Anderson joins a defensive line that is the most veteran unit on the team and should be a strength for the Minutemen in 2013. If anything, he gives the front seven some much needed bulk to better match up against Mid-American Conference blockers.

9. Kassan Messiah - LB/DE Messiah was one of UMass' true standout players in its first season in the FBS. In nine games, the freshman linebacker totaled 65 tackles, a sack and two passes defended. After his 16-tackle performance at home against Bowling Green on Oct. 20, Molnar said that he could already see Messiah as a team captain one day. In 2013, the Minutemen will ask Messiah to do even more, as the sophomore will shift back and forth between linebacker and defensive end as necessary. At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, he has a frame that figures to fill out a bit and all the tools necessary to make his presence felt in the MAC for years to come.

8. Josh Bruns - RT/G In 2012, the UMass offensive line was sort of like a slot machine, but with five slots instead of three. Each week, Molnar pulled the lever and found himself faced with different starting line. That takes its toll on an offense after a while. The Minutemen hope Bruns will be a piece they can slide in at right tackle or guard and not worry about swapping out every few weeks. The junior college transfer has gotten a long look with the first-team so far in camp, as Molnar and offensive line coach Dave Johnson have mixed and matched different bodies in hopes of finding five players who mesh well. And at 6-foot-5, 285 pounds, the junior lineman has a good blend of size and experience. It's still early, but I have Bruns penciled in to start the season opener against Wisconsin on Aug. 31.

7. Tajae Sharpe - WR The Minutemen's roster is chock-full of talented-but-inexperienced-type players, and Sharpe is something of a poster boy for them. Athletic and raw, Sharpe flashes from time to time, but will have to grow up very quickly with 2012 leading receivers Deion Walker and Allan Williams graduated. Before camp opened, Molnar singled out the sophomore receiver as one of the players he's looking to see make a leap in consistency from spring practices, and for good reason. As a freshman, Sharpe totaled 206 yards on 20 receptions and will probably be expected to at least double that production in 2013. At 6-foot-2, the team would also like to see him become more of a red zone target.

6. Stanley Andre - LB With all-MAC first-teamer Perry McIntyre graduated, Andre finally gets his shot at the "Mike" linebacker position. Better late than never for UMass, I'd say. Defensive coordinator Phil Elmassian has raved about Andre early in camp, praising his character and instincts for the position. With a veteran defensive line in front of him to help tie up blockers, Andre projects to rack up 100-plus tackles in 2013 if he stays healthy. And as a former defensive end, he gives the Minutemen an extra pass rushing presence via the blitz. I'm expecting Andre to make the most of his short stint as starting middle linebacker for UMass.

Home Sweet Home

MAROON MUSKET – BOB MCGOVERN

Flash forward to a year from now.

UMass kickers will be confidently booming field goals toward the north end of McGuirk Alumni Stadium. There will no longer be a construction zone, and protective netting will prevent the pigskin from smacking the performance center's brand-new facade.

As the day gets long, shadows cast by the new press box will slowly meander over UMass' turf field.

Jump ahead a few weeks, and thousands of fans from Boston College and the University of Massachusetts have descended upon the top football facility in New England for a late-summer gridiron matchup. The Gillette Stadium parking lot is fill with football sounds. Colleagues argue football with mouths full of pulled pork. Young college men crack wise and pour cheap beers.

A month or so later, the scene changes dramatically. As a rural New England weekday afternoon fades to a chilly fall evening, cars line up outside McGuirk Alumni Stadium. There is an extra something in the air. As the Power and Class practice “Fight Mass” in the parking lot, wires are unloaded from an ESPN truck.

The nationally televised mid-week affair between UMass and a Mid-American Conference foe moves the needle in Amherst. Locals are happy to have their team at arm's length, and students enjoy being part of an on-campus event.

Two stadiums, worlds apart, and the UMass football team seems to have the best of both.

Multiple outlets have recently reported that the Minutemen will do a three-and-three split between McGuirk and Gillette. The articles confirm an April Maroon Musket report where multiple sources told us about the potential arrangement.

While the new setup has received a mostly positive reception, one columnist went out of his way to say that this was “not the plan,” that an FBS move was expected but traveling to Gillette was not, and that McGuirk was supposed to be a “quality practice facility.”

For those keeping track, this is from the same columnist who reported that UMass was spending $20 million on the McGuirk upgrades, part of which would be the addition of 8,000 seats – neither of which are true. Playing connect-the-logic, that means Northern Illinois, the defending MAC champions and Orange Bowl participants, play in one heck of a practice facility over at Husky Stadium (24,000).

Let's forget all of that. Let's talk about what's really going on.


With the Gillette/McGuirk setup, UMass will be able to draw big-name opponents while keeping its on-campus crowd engaged with quality conference games. Teams like Colorado (2014), Boston College (2014), Temple (2014) and Vanderbilt (2018) will play out east in a bigger venue, while MAC opponents will head to Amherst.

As part of this arrangement, mid-week games will be on campus, and a few of those will likely be seen on ESPN. If history has taught us anything, students show up when they know television crews are on campus (See: Every ESPN game at the Mullins Center).

The seasoned Western Massachusetts fan will be back, too. Maybe a few feel abandoned, but those who followed the bouncing ball and acknowledged the reality of the situation understood that in order to move up, the Minutemen needed to move out for a few years.

There is little doubt that UMass' first year at Gillette went much worse than people anticipated. It was likely a combination of things, namely: 1) A quick upgrade, 2) a bad team, 3) a failed marketing ploy, and 4) a lack of marquee opponents. If the team improves, and UMass athletics is able to bring in bigger names, the new arrangement at Gillette can be a boon for both the arena and the school.

If the wins start coming, and the cameras show up at McGuirk, the three games in Amherst will be better than the days when UMass faced local teams. You know, those teams who either stepped away from college football or didn't have to resources – or a Gillette-like opportunity – to grow their programs.

The UMass football team is heading back home, and while it was gone, the school added another wing and spruced the place up a bit. While having three games at home may have not been in the original plans, it was never not the plan, and both the university and the Kraft family had to have known of the possibility.

UMass will have to figure out how to make the Gillette/McGuirk situation work from a marketing and ticket-sales perspective, but that's a conversation for another day.

Right now the school is in the midst of making a move that will boost the future viability of the program, while increasing its visibility across the state.

But let's rewind again, and settle back down into the here and now. A steel skeleton stands just outside the north end zone, and stage one of the press box demolition is coming together. Meanwhile, a second-year FBS team is practicing on a quality, construction-zone practice field.

Next year, they'll call it home.

UMass football training camp 2013: Defenders ready for life under new targeting rule SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN – DAN MALONE

AMHERST – There isn't a college coaching staff in the country that isn't busily preparing its players for the new defensive targeting rule that goes into effect this season.

Once a personal foul that resulted in only a 15-yard penalty, any blow to the head or neck area of a defenseless player by a defender will now also warrant an automatic ejection. And if the foul occurs in the second half, the player will also be forced to sit out the first two quarters of the next game.

The rule change is part of the NCAA's ongoing attempt to limit the effects of concussions in football. As lawsuits from former players mount, the pressure to protect players from the long-term effects of brain damage associated with repeated head trauma grows stronger and stronger. NCAA officials hope this new penalty, the stiffest yet, will start to alter public perception and force teams to change the way they approach certain aspects of the game.

University of Massachusetts coach Charley Molnar said he is in favor of the rule.

“Here’s the reality: We’ve got to do something to protect our most valuable asset in the game, and that’s our players. That’s what this game is for," he said. "So, if the targeting rule seems a little bit of an overreaction to some people, to me, it’s not. I really think something needed to be done."

Molnar and his staff have discussed the change at length and will continue to address it with players in team meetings as the season wears on. Coaches will also stress fundamentals in practice in hopes of avoiding any potential infractions.

“The coaches definitely inform us how to tackle. That’s a necessity, especially as you have to adapt to the rules," senior linebacker Stanley Andre said. "You’ve always got to follow the rules. It’s definitely gonna be different, but with the great coaching that we have, we’ll definitely be prepared."


Added sophomore safety Khary Bailey-Smith, "We were never told before, obviously, to aim for anything above the neck. But they’ve said to just be more aware now, because you can actually get kicked out of a game.”

Some, however, are less than thrilled with the new penalty. Defensive coordinator Phil Elmassian, who's taught players how to tackle and cover receivers for 34 years, thinks the new rule might result in increased injuries for defensive backs who will be forced to make split-second decisions about where to hit a player in order to avoid an ejection.

“What they’ve done is eliminated playing Cover 2 with the safeties, I think – I really do," Elmassian said. "Because if you’re a safety in a deep zone, that’s the guy you’re concerned about more than anybody else. Those are the guys who are gonna get suspended. The first guy who gets suspended is gonna be a safety. That’s my bet. Because those are the guys who have to make a decision ... If I’m (a safety) and I’m not gonna be able to get there, I have to get the ball out. And how are you gonna do that?”

Elmassian was at a loss for how he'd react if one of his players was ejected for a high hit.

“What are you gonna do? It’s a rule; live with it," he said.

That's simple enough to say after a training camp practice in August, but should the Minutemen lose someone like Andre or Bailey-Smith during a close Mid-American Conference game, the reaction on the UMass sideline might be a little different.

Molnar realizes there's a good chance his team will be on the wrong end of the officials' judgment sooner or later.

"Are there gonna be some bad calls in the course of the season? Absolutely," he said. "Are any gonna go against the Minutemen? I hope not, but I know the odds are there is gonna be a time during the year where we may get called for it, and we’re gonna feel strongly that it wasn’t the case.”

But even the potential for losing one of his best players to an ejection doesn't sway Molnar's approval for a decision that has the greater good in mind.

“I think that we have to teach our players a new way to play the game," he said. "With all the information that we have, we wanna keep the players safe. And if there’s some things that we can do to enhance that, then I’m all for it.”

Back from retirement, Vincent Westcarr ready to help UMass DAILY HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE – MATT VAUTOUR

AMHERST — Vincent Westcarr was done.

After four years, occasional playing time and a history of knee injuries, the 6-foot-4, 308-pound University of Massachusetts offensive lineman had decided to move on with his life.

He even suited up as a former Minuteman during the alumni game after not taking part in spring practice. His career was over, or so he thought.

Westcarr’s knees were feeling better after not going through spring practice, so when Charley Molnar encouraged him to reconsider, he listened.

The Minutemen were short-handed on the offensive line and Westcarr had to come back for one more semester to complete his degree. Molnar pursued him like a high school prospect and eventually convinced him.

“It was like a recruit with text messaging and phone calls. The whole staff was trying to encourage him to come back,” Molnar said. “When he called me up and said he was coming back, it was like getting a five-star recruit.”

Westcarr felt he was returning to a different situation than he left.

“Just having an opportunity with a new O-line coach and an opportunity to start and play, that was a big part of me coming back,” he said. “I came back to contribute and be an important part of this team. I feel like I have a brand new passion and energy for the game. I’m excited to be out here. I missed my teammates. It was great to work out with them this summer and practice with them. I’m having a blast right now.”

He feels healthier than he’s been after taking the spring off.

“The spring definitely helped my body to get me fresh for this point right now. I feel real good, 100 percent,” Westcarr said. “It worked out to be a real beneficial thing for me.”

Molnar thought he seemed revitalized.


“He’s had some knee issues since high school. At the end of his four years he felt like this is enough. But having that spring off helped him evaluate how much he loved football and being part of our football team. It gave his knees a little bit of a rest. We’ve been conscious of how many reps he takes and how we can help him and how we can get him some time off to get through the long haul. When he came back for the spring game, he realized how much he loved being in the locker room and being with the guys.”

Sweating, but smiling after Wednesday morning’s practice, Westcarr did look glad.

“It feels real good. I’m happy to be back. I had pretty much decided to walk away, but after reconsidering it and talking it over with my coaches, I think it was a good decision. I think we’re going to have a good season.”

Despite missing spring practice, Westcarr returned in the fall ready to compete. If the season began Saturday, he’d be starting at left guard according to Molnar.

“We’re expecting him to be a big contributor to our offensive line,” Molnar said. “He’s playing guard for us right now. He’s played guard and tackle, left side and right side. I think he’s going to win himself a job, but if he doesn’t and he’s a swing man, he’ll play both guards and both tackles.”

Westcarr was eager for the season to arrive.

“To play against some of the schools we’re going to play against this year is going to be amazing. I’m really looking forward to it,” he said. “I think I’m in the best place, mentally and physically. I know the offense. I feel good.”

Matt Vautour can be reached at [email protected]. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage.

UMass Training Camp Notebook: Minutemen are ready for some football HUSTLE BELT.COM – JIMMY KLLEY

AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass Minutemen finally got to start flying around like football players on Wednesday as they strapped up the helmets and shoulder pads for the first time this season. Thursday was another step towards their second season of FBS ball and the Minutemen are starting to feel their oats.

"It's great, it's physical, we're flying around smacking people, per usual," said senior tight end Rob Blanchflower. "Everyone's excited to get the pads on and finally start hitting people since its been almost a year since we've been going through these kinds of drills. Guys are excited, running around. It's fun."

Blanchflower is coming off a strong season for the Minutemen and is expected to be one of the players carrying the torch for this team in its second season. Head coach Charley Molnar said the Leominster, Mass. native is "unequivocally the voice of the football team" and his energy and play will largely set the tone for the rest of the team through camp and into the season.

As expected, the extra contact led to some bumps and bruises for a few of the Minutemen but for the most part the players are just happy to have the pads back on.

"We spent a long offseason in the weight room just running and mentally preparing for the season," said sophomore linebacker Kassan Messiah. "To finally put the pads on and see all your hard work paying off... it feels great."

Timing is everything in life...and football

One of the consistent talking points of Molnar's media appearances this offseason has been the continued development of sophomore quarterback Mike Wegzyn and how that has helped improve the timing and chemistry with his wide receivers. After a strong spring and continued work during the summer, Wegzyn feels like he is in a good place with his stable of throwing targets.

"We had a great spring, I think we came out of that on a high note and we've continued that here in just the last three days," Wegzyn said. "All of the receivers, running backs and offensive lineman and I have been getting our timing down and its showing out here on the field."


Blanchflower and sophomore Tajae Sharpe are Wegzyn's top-two returning targets, but only Blanchflower has caught a touchdown pass at the FBS level. Blanchflower caught 43 passes for 464 yards and two scores last year while Sharpe brings back 20 catches and 206 yards. Running back Jordan Broadnax is the only other player on the roster with double-digit receptions with 14 for 93 yards.

With so much to replace in that department, most notably Deion Walker's 59 catches, the acclimation of the younger receivers to the offense will be very important to the success of the offense.

"[Wegzyn] is not working consistently with those guys he worked with through spring ball and summer, we're mixing and matching," Molnar said. "Due to the duration of practice, the intensity of it, guys are having to take a play off and all of a sudden he's throwing a pass that if Tajae Sharpe was in there would have been money, but because you have E.J. Burston in there it's not quite as crisp and clean."

Messiah can feel the difference on the offense, though, and he likes the way things are trending.

"Everybody's bigger, faster, strong, the timing is better, the chemistry is better," Sharpe said. "We're developing our swagger. We're coming together. I think we stack up well [in the MAC] and we're going to shock a lot of people."

Keep Calm and Joe Colton MAROON MUSKET – BOB MCGOVERN AMHERST, Mass. - There was a time when Joe Colton had trouble getting on the team bus.

The former walk-on was barely on the UMass football team's depth chart. Too short and too light, Colton projected as a special teamer or, at most, a backup safety. There isn't a lot of room on the bus for a borderline player - for a kid who couldn't get a Division I scholarship offer despite excelling at both Xaverian Brothers High School and then Avon Old Farms.

But the 5-foot-8, 188-pound grinder found a seat when the team went to UConn, and then scored a plane ticket en route to the Big House. Standing near team captain Darren Thellen, Colton racked up 49 tackles, and eventually put his stamp on the season with an interception and blocked punt in UMass' 22-14 win over Akron, the program's first FBS victory.

Soon after, Colton was awarded a full scholarship.

“I don't think I'm going to have to squeeze onto the bus this year,” he said, in a joking-yet-serious tone.

Heading into his second season with the Minutemen, Colton feels that the team is heading in the right direction. He said that things surrounding the program just feel better, that they “just feel Division I.” When asked about how he personally feels, Colton has no problem providing an honest assessment.

“Besides the whole height thing and weight, I feel Division I, too,” he said. “I'm mentally there right now, and that's what the strength of my game has to be. Right now, I feel mentally sharp out there, just making all the calls and helping the defense get aligned.”

Colton knows that year two is going to provide a whole new challenge: Now he has to meet expectations. The sophomore enters the fall as a starter, and UMass head coach Charley Molnar said that he is “right in the mix,” adding that Colton is currently either the second- or third-best safety on the team.

Colton, Khary Bailey-Smith, Devin Brown, Antoine Tharpe, and newcomers Arthur Williams and Hunter Burlinson are all gunning for the same two safety spots. Colton kept returning to the same sentence when asked about the position battle.

“The position isn't promised,” he said, pausing for a moment to let the idea sink in. “This year is much different. I'm coming in here as starter, but I've got to work hard because my position isn't promised. I have to compete every single day to keep this spot.”

One major responsibility for UMass' safety pairing will be filling the gap left behind by Thellen, who graduated in the spring. The Brockton native led the secondary and was often lauded by Molnar as the best player on the team. His stats told the same story.

During the 2012 season, Thellen led the team with three interceptions while recording 79 tackles.

Colton said Thellen left a lasting impression on the group and personally taught him some of the subtle intricacies of the position. He added that, even in his absence, Thellen is a motivating figure.

“We're all just trying to compete, and we all just want to be Darren Thellen out there right now,” he said. “The competition is making us better because we're all trying to grind, and grind, and grind in order to get on the field.”

Colton was quick to praise his new competition. He said that Williams, a Sunshine State freshman, has the athleticism to be a quality safety.

“He really wants to be out there. He's asking questions, and he's asking the most questions during film. He's really long, and he's fast. He gets to the middle of the field fast,” he said, pointing out that the new guy reeled in an interception during practice. “I think they're a good class. They're an athletic bunch, and they're a big bunch.”

With position battles and high expectations on the horizon, it's clear that Colton has earned his keep. However, despite picking up a scholarship and recording nearly 50 tackles as an undersized walk-on, Colton has one major hurdle that he can't seem to clear.


He just can't convince strangers that he's actually on the team.

“Yeah, man it happens all the time. I will be out with other football guys, and they'll say 'We're on the team together,' and some kid won't believe it,” Colton said, shaking his head. “My teammates will tell them that I'm on the team, and I start, but people just don't believe it.

“I just say, 'Alright, I'm not going to fight it,' but it just gives me a little chip on my shoulder.”

Veteran defensive line looking to set tone for UMass DAILY HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE – MATT VAUTOUR AMHERST — When the University of Massachusetts takes the field Aug. 31 at Wisconsin, the Minutemen will be fielding one of the youngest rosters in Bowl Subdivision. Even without some still-to-be added freshman walk-ons, over 70 percent of the team will be freshmen and sophomores.

The percentage would be higher if not for the defensive line. Nowhere on the whippersnapper-heavy roster is there a larger concentration of relative geezers than the five guys competing to start on the defense’s front four. Seniors Kevin Byrne, Galen Clemons, Brandon Potvin and Maryland transfer Justin Anderson are all in their fifth year, while junior Daniel Maynes is his fourth.

“I feel good about where we’re at with the D-line. It’s great that they know what they’re doing. They’ve been through the wars,” UMass coach Charley Molnar said. “They’re all tough guys. I think they’re going to be able to handle the rigors of a long season.”

The Minutemen are counting on a better defense to help improve their fortunes in Year 2 in the FBS. The defensive line wants to lead that improvement.

“I feel like the defense rolls the way we roll. If we’re having a good practice, then the team is having a good practice,” Maynes said. “I’d rather us be the leaders than anybody else. I’d rather our group be the best. I think we’re doing that.”

Defensive line coach Dave Sollazzo has challenged his players to lead by example.

“It starts up front. We want to be the best group in the building. We set the tone for the defense up front. My guys know that,” Sollazzo said.

Usually the loudest man on the field, Sollazzo didn’t let losing his voice Monday slow him down and he continued to emit some combination of yells, squeaks and croaks.

“It’s a group that has a lot of pride,” he said. “I like my leadership. They’re tough kids and that’s how I want them to be. I got mostly everyone back. They know the deal. They have some pride and they’re working hard.”

Byrne said the added year of experience playing FBS would be a huge advantage.

“It’s been good. Before last year, we had only played a I-A game once a season,” he said. “Doing a whole season of it really teaches you how to take care of your body, how to prepare for the games. I feel more confident.”

Anderson is the newest member of the group, but his history with Sollazzo runs deeper than anyone. Both were at Maryland in 2009 and 2010.

“When I came here I said, ‘All I need is one opportunity to show what I have, help us win games and get to the MAC championship.’ That’s what I want to do,” said Anderson, who was injured in 2011 and never really got back into the Terrapins playing rotation. “I’m a new guy here, but I’ve been playing football and playing for Coach Sollazzo for a while. I just wanted to come out here and earn these guys’ respect, play hard and win some football games.”

He’s got the first half of that down.

“Justin has been a great addition. He’s come in and fit in. He’s a wicked good guy. He’s a great leader who has good veteran savvy,” said Maynes, who, upon realizing Anderson was listening to his praise, added, “and beautiful eyes.”

Anderson fluttered his eye lashes as the whole group burst out laughing.

“Everything’s been great. I’ve been here since the summer working with all the guys getting familiar with all the coaches,” Anderson said. “I’m enjoying myself. We’re just out here getting better and getting ready for Wisconsin.”

Clemons said UMass’ playing style suits the players.

“The first thing Coach always says to do is attack. If you attack, you can’t do wrong. It’s the easiest position on the field, but physically it could be the toughest position in the field,” said Clemons, who is sporting a beard thick enough to fit in at either the Highland Games or the middle of the Red Sox


batting order. “Everything is related. If the defensive line can get pressure on the quarterback, he has to throw the ball faster and we’re hoping he’ll throw the ball right into the hands of the linebackers and the defensive backs.”

Only Maynes will be back next year, but Clemons said the younger defensive linemen, including sophomore Robert Kitching and freshmen Leo Krazanovic (who redshirted last year), Peter Angeh, Enock Asante and Elijah Wilkinson should be ready to step in by then.

“We take the freshmen under our wing and you should see the progression. It’s amazing from the day they came in, after just a few days. It’s excellent,” Clemons said. “All the freshmen are impressive.”

PADS, TWO-A-DAYS — The Minutemen will be in full pads for the first time Friday. Monday begins the first of four scheduled two-a-day practices.

“I don’t particularly like two-a-days. You’re really forced to do it because of the time when you’re forced to report to camp by the NCAA,” Molnar said. “You have 29 practice opportunities. I don’t think there’s a coach in America who is going to give up one of those opportunities. So you’re forced to use some two-a-days to get them all in.”

Practices will be open to fans next week. Monday, Wednesday and Friday practices are at 8:45-10:45 a.m. and 3:15-5:15 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday are single practices from 9 a.m. to noon.

Fans can park in the south end zone parking lot and can sit in the stands on the press box side of the field, but are asked to avoid any ongoing construction.


UMass football training camp 2013: Strength coach Mike Golden drawing rave reviews from players and coaches SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN – DAN MALONE AMHERST – There’s one member of the University of Massachusetts football team’s coaching staff whose work can be recognized and appreciated without ever seeing the players take the field.

Though hidden from the spotlight, his influence on the program is lauded by players and coaches alike. UMass coach Charley Molnar has singled him out as being integral to the development of the program every chance he’s gotten this summer.

That man is the Minutemen’s full-time strength and conditioning coach, Mike Golden, and he’s transforming the roster one deadlift, bench-press and squat at a time.

Hired in January after two years as South Florida’s director of Sports Performance, Golden replaced longtime strength coach Bob Otrando on Molnar’s staff.

While Otrando was tasked with working with the whole of UMass Athletics, Golden trains exclusively with the football team. He’s with players year-round, straight through the summer, when he’s the only member of Molnar’s staff allowed by NCAA regulations to have contact with players.

"A dedicated strength and conditioning coach is a much-needed staff member in FBS football," Molnar said in an online fan chat last week. "And when you're fortunate enough, like us, to have one of the best in the country, you can definitely gain a competitive edge. It's not just about (size, strength and speed). It's also about body fat percentage reduction, proper nutrition, assistance in rehabilitation from injuries and, most importantly, the prevention of injuries."

A little more than six months into his tenure with UMass, Golden's presence is already being felt. Players are larger and more defined. Once-tired bodies are feeling energized and loose. He's taken a roster that is still very much FCS-caliber physically and begun to transform it into one that should one day match up favorably with the top Mid-American Conference and BCS schools on the schedule.

Golden said there's no secret formula to what he does.

“Really, it’s just keep it simple and work hard," he said. "Have standards and make the kids reach them. Tell them what they’re doing wrong and teach them how to fix it. If they do good, pat ‘em on the back, and if they do bad, you’ve got to correct it, because it’s your job.

“It’s just a matter of demanding that they do it right every single day, every rep, everything we do. It’s just, all the time, holding them to that standard.”

The players, especially those veterans who have been part of the FBS transition from the beginning, have taken notice.


"A year ago, I did not feel as strong or look as big, just like everyone on the team," said senior tight end Rob Blanchflower. "If you look around and compare the way they looked to now, the transformation’s amazing. The muscle definition, the strength, the endurance, the explosiveness of the guys; that’s all due to his insane workouts that he puts us through. We never really had the opportunity to experience that until he showed up.”

Senior offensive tackle Anthony Dima agreed that things have changed.

“You’re doing I-A workouts. You’re doing FBS-style lifting programs," he said. “I feel a lot looser, the workouts are a lot better. I get more work in with him.”

While Blanchflower feels the team is fresher at this stage of the preseason than in years past, Golden acknowledged that maintaining the proper conditioning routine during the rigors of training camp can be tricky.

“Right now, during camp, it’s being smart with the guys," Golden said. "We have a slot every day to lift, but if coach or one of us feels (they’re overworked), maybe we’ll take them to the pool for a half hour and get them loose. We’ve got to be smart to keep them on the field.”

Even with Golden's results, Molnar cautioned that UMass will still be "bulk deficient" against a number of opponents this year. But he likes the progress he's seen. "I think we've dramatically leveled the playing field with most of the teams on our schedule. Not all, but most.”

Golden thinks it's just a matter of time before the Minutemen catch up.

"These guys are gonna work just as hard as Alabama," he said. "Now, they might not be as talented, but they're gonna work just as hard and we're gonna do the same things. It's really not a secret. It really is just hard work."

FULL PADS TOMORROW: UMass will practice in full pads for the first time Friday. Molnar said he's not looking for major contact, however.

'We don't need to do a whole lot of tackling," he said. "I think that's not what's going to make or break our football team."

UMass linebacker Stanley Andre embraces leadership role DAILY HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE – MATT VAUTOUR AMHERST — When University of Massachusetts defensive coordinator Phil Elmassian wanted to motivate middle linebacker Perry McIntyre, last year’s leading tackler, the veteran coach would remind the senior that he had options.

“I always told Perry Mac, half joking, but there’s truth in jest, that my best mike linebacker is playing defensive end,” Elmassian said. “‘Don’t screw this up or I’ll move you in a heartbeat.’”

The defensive end he was talking about was Stanley Andre. The Dorchester product moved from linebacker to defensive end last year to help shore up a line that was thinned by injuries.

While Elmassian was at least partially joking when he said Andre was his best middle linebacker a year ago, he’s 100 percent serious when he says it now. Andre has returned to his natural position and is atop the depth chart in the middle.

Andre said he didn’t hesitate when asked to make the switch last year, but he’s glad to be back at linebacker, making the defensive calls.

“It’s team first at all times. Wherever they need you, wherever you fit best at all times. You gotta play where they need you,” said Andre, who made 41 tackles last year. “I was so enthused to go back. It felt natural. I’ve been a linebacker my whole life. It’s fun. Being the leader of the defense, to make the calls, you get to have an influence. To get everyone on the same page feels great.”

The defense doesn’t have a captain yet, but UMass coach Charley Molnar didn’t hesitate to anoint Andre as a potential one.

“He’s one of the best leaders on our football team. He comes to work every day. He works hard,” Molnar said. “He’s very, very dependable. Before you can be a leader you have to make sure you have your own house in order and he really, really does in all areas.”

Elmassian was even more effusive in his praise, calling Andre one of his favorite players in 39 years of coaching.

“His personality and his maturity in that position really helps us. He’s fun. He’s one of my favorites. Guys like that keep you in the business,” said Elmassian, who compared Andre to David Griggs, who played for Elmassian at Virginia before a six-year NFL career. “Stanley is so mature. His background and the way he was raised, if you could bottle it and sell it, you’d make a lot of money. Guys like him make you look forward to coming to work. He’s a special, special guy and a damn good football player.”


Andre was confident that the defense he’d be leading would be better than last year’s.

“We’re definitely taking steps toward progress. We look good. We have a lot better team chemistry. We’re looking forward to keeping that up,” he said. “The guys that played last year definitely know the defense better. They’re definitely making an impact and helping the defense out as a whole.”

Several players who got their feet wet a year ago and a handful of newcomers will be competing to play beside him. Kassan Messiah, the team’s leading returning tackler (65 stops), Jovan Santos-Knox (32) and Trey Seals (10) all figure to see regular reps, while rookies Steve Casali, Peter Ngobidi and Shane Huber have all impressed enough to be in consideration.

“Sometime in the future, you’d like to be able to redshirt guys. Last year we had five true freshmen start,” Elmassian said of his defense. “If I had to make a decision today, and thank god we’re not playing tomorrow, this year we’ll have, at the minimum, five true freshmen playing.”


UMass football training camp 2013: Sophomore center Matt Sparks stepping into veteran role on the offensive line SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN – DAN MALONE AMHERST – University of Massachusetts football coach Charley Molnar says there was a method to his madness when it came to throwing Matt Sparks to the wolves last season.

At 6-foot-4, 275 pounds, the then-freshman center was outmatched by many of the Football Bowl Subdivision defenders he lined up against. Most of his teammates were, too. But Molnar had faith, and he stuck with Sparks at one of the most crucial positions for six games, including three starts.

Today, Molnar says, Sparks is that much better of a player for it.

"That’s why he was out there, so it would pay off this year," Molnar said Tuesday. "I don’t want to wait for some distant date in the future. We should start reaping some of those rewards this season.”

Looking at Sparks, he's clearly not the same player he was a year ago. He's bigger and more powerful. An offseason of weight training with new strength and conditioning coach Mike Golden has paid dividends, as it has for many UMass' younger players.

Molar went so far as to call Sparks "a totally different guy."

“He’s more confident, mature; almost feels like a leader already," Molnar said. "It feels like he’s been there for a long, long time.”

Sparks agreed that he's not the same player he was lining up for the Minutemen during their first season against Mid-American Conference opponents. And he's grateful for the trial by fire Molar afforded him.

“I think it helps a lot, there’s nothing like game experience," Sparks said. "That’s the best thing you can do to develop, is to get live game reps."

The MAC defensive linemen he clashed with made sure those reps counted, too.

“They were a lot bigger, faster and stronger than I was used to. And I’m glad I did it, because I’m ready for this year now," he said.

As a center, it's Sparks' responsibility to get the offensive line – and, ultimately, the entire offense – on the same page. He's tasked with quickly recognizing the defensive front and making the appropriate protection calls, all in the few seconds before the snap of the ball.

UMass offensive line coach Dave Johnson says that's where Sparks' experience is most valuable to the team.

“Certainly, he helps our offense a lot because he understands defenses," Johnson said. "And our job on the offensive line, the most important thing, is identifying what’s going on. He’s the key to that, so he’s very important.”

With that experience will come added pressure to perform, as Sparks attempts to help anchor a line that was next to last in the MAC at protecting the quarterback last season with 32 sacks allowed. Johnson expects a better product in year two.

“Going into this season, I have fairly high expectations for Matt," Johnson said. "He’s a tremendous young man, he prepares and he’s smart. So, we’ve just got to get him to communicate a bit better and just to play at a higher level all the time, be a little bit more consistent.”


“So far, he’s had a pretty good camp," he added, "and I can’t wait to see how he does with the pads on."

MOLNAR NOT A FAN OF TWO-A-DAYS: Anyone who's ever played football in high school knows summer double-practice sessions can be brutal. Though useful for coaches, most players despise them.

Apparently, Molnar isn't big on them either.

"I don't particularly like two-a-days," he said. "I think you're really forced to do it because of the time when you have to report to camp (by) the NCAA. You have 29 practice opportunities, and I don't think there's a coach in America who's gonna give up one of those opportunities. So, you're forced to use some two-a-days in order to get them all in."

Molnar plans on holding four double-practice sessions, beginning Monday.

SMITH PROGRESSING IN TACKLE-GUARD SWITCH: A tackle last year, redshirt freshman Tyrell Smith is one of the players looking to slide inside to guard in 2013.

UMass offensive line coach Dave Johnson is liking most of what he's seen from the 6-foo-5, 285-pound lineman so far in camp.

“He’s done a good job," Johnson said. "He’s had some flashes of playing very, very well. He’s gotten me excited. And, of course, being a young guy, he’s had some flashes of doing some things not as good. So, it’s been a little hot and cold, but a little but more hot than cold. From what I see right now, he’s making progress.”

Competition heats up for UMass running backs DAILY HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE – MATT VAUTOUR AMHERST — Rookie running back Lorenzo Woodley is well aware that University of Massachusetts coach Charley Molnar isn’t afraid to play true freshman. The Minuteman coach played 21 of them last year at just about every position.

Woodley is hoping to continue that trend.

“I’m looking at camp like it’s a job. I want to be on that field August 31 (at Wisconsin). I’m going to work as hard as I can to be that guy on the field,” said Woodley, who was a three-star recruit out of Miami. “These are the steps to game day. I’m trying to do to what I’ve got to do so coach can say ‘Without a doubt, I want that guy on the field.’”

He’ll have plenty of competition to play at Camp Randall Stadium for the season opener. With last year’s leading rusher Michael Cox (198 carries for 715 yards, five touchdowns) in New York Giants camp, the Minutemen opened camp with five different players competing for touches.

Junior Jordan Broadnax enters camp atop the depth chart, followed by redshirt freshman Stacey Bedell, who was slated to play last year before a season ending shoulder injury.

Woodley and true freshman Daquan Mack are trying to earn their way onto that list, while sophomore Jamal Wilson (18 carries for 53 yards last year) is attempting to convert from a special teams player to an offensive regular.

Broadnax, who backed up Jonathan Hernandez in 2011 and Cox last year, is hoping to beat the younger players out for playing time, while at the same time serving as a leader for the unit.

“Jordan Broadnax is clearly the best in practice today. But so much of that is the combination of talent and experience. It’s hard to put the freshmen in the same category. These guys might be highly talented players, but they don’t have the same experience,” Molnar said. “Jordan really combined both. I felt very good when he was in there. Picking up the blitz, his footwork was on the money. It’s just what you’d expect from a guy like him.”

Broadnax had high expectations.

“It’s a challenge. I have a high standard I have to uphold. Everyday, every rep you have to get better. You have to show improvement, lead the young guys,” said the 5-foot-9, 175-pound Virginia Beach, Va., product. “I feel really prepared. I worked really hard in the offseason. I feel as good as I’ve ever felt or better. ... I like what’s come in for our group, a lot of big backs. I’m not that big myself and Stacey’s not that big, But we have a some freshmen that will be able to do work. I’m excited for that.”

Bedell is a bit bigger than Broadnax at 5-10, 180 pounds, but more likely to run past or around defenders than over or through them. His injury is fully healed and with a year of film study behind him, he felt like he was better than when he arrived.


“As a freshman it was hard for me to learn the offense, now I feel more comfortable with the plays, the coaching staff and my teammates so I feel able to compete,” Bedell said. “I was healthy all spring. It was a long offseason working hard. Now all the hard work is going to pay off right here.”

As Broadnax alluded, the rookies have more beef. Woodley is 6-1, 210 pounds, while Mack’s 247-pound, 6-1 frame stands out, making him a candidate to be a short-yardage back right away.

“I’ve got to get in shape,” said Mack, who arrived in Amherst later than some freshmen. “We’ve got a lot of good backs, so we’re deep at the position. Everybody is playing for a spot. It’s going to make us better. Everybody is hungry and ready to go.”

Molnar said as camp progressed, the offensive coaching staff would have a better idea how each player might contribute.

“All five could play if they fit into a role,” he said. “We think that different guys will bring different skill sets to the table, but until they prove that they’re the best at doing certain things, each guy is going to be expected to do each thing well,” Molnar said. “When a guy differentiates himself as running different plays clearly better than the other guys, we’ll try to find different ways to get that guy in there to do those things. At running back position, each guy has their own unique strengths, it’s who can be the most consistent and who can be an all-purpose back that can command the most playing time.”

Woodley thinks it could be him.

“I feel like if I can show that I’m on the same level as these guys and I can handle the transition well, I feel like coach will have 100 percent faith in me the way he did in those guys last year,” Woodley said. “If I can prove myself that I’m able to play, there’s no doubt in my mind I can be a guy to help this team win games.”


UMass football training camp 2013: Colter Johnson hoping to build on last season's success SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN – DAN MALONE AMHERST – For Colter Johnson, the goal is quality, not quantity.

Last season, the University of Massachusetts punter unleashed a career-high 66 kicks en route to a Mid-American Conference-leading 43.4 yard average and a place on the All-MAC third team, one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dismal season.

Now a senior, Johnson wants to fine-tune his craft and hopes his big leg won't be called upon to bail out the offense quite as often.

"Of course everyone is gonna need a punter, but last year they needed me way too much," Johnson said Tuesday. "But that was fine for me. I hope this year I get, I wouldn’t say half the number of punts, because I still want to punt some, which I know I will.

"Those first few games are gonna be tough ones, and I know I’ll need to step up. But I hope, when we play in the MAC schedule, I won’t need to punt much because our offense will be doing the scoring, not me punting.”

Because of his tremendous 2012, the former Alfred State junior college transfer enters the season with considerable expectations. Last month, he was one of 25 candidates named to the preseason watch list for the Ray Guy Award, given annually to the nation's top punter.

But Johnson is taking it all in stride, saying he will "just look at it as another season."

"I know it’s my senior year, but I just gotta have fun,” he said. “Do what I need to do, stick to fundamentals, punt like I should be, don’t think about it and don’t mess it up.”

Others are a little more candid with their expectations.

“My goals are nothing less than for him to be first-team All-MAC and for him to get postseason accolades," coach Charley Molnar said.

Molnar likes knowing the offense doesn't have to force the ball in third-and-long situations because Johnson is likely to flip field position with a booming kick, like one of his 19 punts of at least 50 yards a year ago.

“There’s always the snide remarks about our punter being one of our best players," Molnar said. "But the reality of it is, if you’ve got a great punter, it helps your team achieve its goals. It certainly helps our defense by pinning the opposition back, and helps our offense by getting us out of a jam."


After missing time during spring practice with an undisclosed injury, Johnson said he'll work in camp on drawing more fair catches and increasing his net punting average by improving his hang time. He also wants to make sure he's consistent with leg swings and how he drops the ball onto the top of his foot.

“I’m back to being healthy again, so it’s gonna go good," he said.

MIXING AND MATCHING: Molnar and offensive line coach Dave Johnson have been busy trying to get different looks as they mix and match bodies with the first team.

"Basically, I'm looking for the five best, whatever combination I can find," Johnson said.

Tuesday, it was senior Anthony Dima at left tackle, redshirt freshman Tyrell Smith at left guard, sophomore Matt Sparks at center, senior Vincent Westcarr at right guard and junior college transfer Josh Bruns at right tackle.

Dima, an Outland Trophy candidate, and Sparks, who started three games last year, are locked into their positions, barring injury. Westcarr will also get a long look at one of the guard slots.

But Johnson will continue to give different players looks, saying he has "an inkling that (Smith) may be one of the five."

INJURY REPORT: Senior wide receiver Ricardo Miller was taken off the field with cramps, but Molnar said the Michigan transfer should be fine.

"He cramped a little bit yesterday too," Molnar said. "He's really in great shape, and man, he goes really hard every play he's in. So, you know, sometimes cramps are just part of the business for some of these guys."

SHOULDER PADS NEXT: After two practices in just helmets and shorts, UMass will upgrade Wednesday to what's known in the football world as "shells" (helmets and shoulder pads).

"You still have a long way to go to see who can really tackle and (which) running backs make plays. And, of course, quarterbacks aren't gonna be live (for hitting)," Molnar said. "So it only gives you a false sense of things. But it'll start to give us a little bit of evidence of how guys are progressing."

Under NCAA regulations, teams cannot wear shoulder pads until day three of practice and cannot wear full pads until day five. Molnar said the Minutemen will begin two-a-days Monday.

Jordan Broadnax’s experience makes him front-runner for starting running back job, but competition looms DAILY COLLEGIAN – NICK CANELAS The Massachusetts football team made the running back position one of its greatest strengths with the addition of the 2013 recruiting class.

The Minutemen may have lost Michael Cox after his one-year stop in Amherst as a fifth-year transfer, but brought in a pair of promising freshmen to fill the void.

True freshmen Lorenzo Woodley and Daquan Mack join a running back corps that includes junior Jordan Broadnax, redshirt sophomore Jamal Wilson and redshirt freshman Stacey Bedell.

While there is plenty of talent to spread from all five backs, especially the freshmen, Broadnax’s experience makes him the front-runner for the starting job.

Broadnax was mainly used as a pass-catcher last season as Cox’s backup, but he feels his prospects of being the No. 1 back this season are pretty high.

“I’m very comfortable with where I’m at,” Broadnax said. “Yes, I’ve got people coming closer and closer, but it’s my job to keep the distance far enough. I put the work in everyday. My work ethic is where I produce. I feel like that is my niche.”

UMass coach Charley Molnar agrees that Broadnax is his top option based on his experience, and said he had a strong practice Monday. But he’s hopeful that some younger players can step in and possibly even overtake Broadnax. Even the freshmen are fighting for a chance to start immediately.


“We have a lot of running backs with some new freshmen and we’re all competing against each other,” Bedell said. “The best man is gonna get the starting job”

Charley Molnar compares first practice of 2012 to 2013: ‘It’s a night and day difference’ DAILY COLLEGIAN – NICK CANELAS The 2012 Massachusetts football team was a team in transition. UMass coach Charley Molnar was starting his first head coaching job on a team entering its first Football Bowl Subdivision season.

That first practice was about learning a new system with a new style of coaching, while preparing to play the program’s first season in the Mid-American Conference.

The first practice of 2013 was a whole different story.

The Minutemen hit the McGuirk Stadium turf for its first day of training camp on Monday in shorts and helmets. And although it was far from perfect, Molnar could see a significant difference from Year 1 to Year 2.

“As I reflect back to a year ago, I was optimistic coming off the field because we had made progress in the first summer camp from where we ended up spring ball, so I felt good,” Molnar said. “But if I could compare first practice of 2012 versus 2013, it’s a night and day difference.

“Just the way the guys look, the way that they worked — not just the demands that the coaches have for them that they’re trying to meet but the demands that they’ve placed on themselves — you saw and heard guys encouraging other guys to keep up and keep going and that’s a good thing.”

Molnar could not only see improvements from summer 2012 to summer 2013, but also strides made from spring practice to now.

“It was really great. It was fun to work with the players and to see the improvement that they’ve made,” Molnar said. “They seem to be more together, they really do understand the way that we wanna practice. I thought the tempo was good, much much longer than it was probably at any point out there during summer camp (last year).”

One of Molnar’s biggest concerns last season was the depth of the offensive line. The group was hampered by injuries last season and the whole offense struggled greatly as a result. UMass finished last in the MAC in total offense and closed 2012 with a 1-11 record.

The second-year coach felt much more confident about his line Monday, however. With experienced players from last season returning, including Outland Trophy candidate Anthony Dima, and the addition of tackle David Osei from Rutgers and five freshmen, depth appears to be no longer an issue. In total, the Minutemen had 16 offensive linemen on the practice field.

“I had the biggest smile on my face knowing I don’t have to stop and try to reconfigure things like we did in the spring and even at points in the fall (last season),” Molnar said.

The season-opener at Wisconsin Aug. 31 is still a long way away. While Molnar is excited to kick the regular season off, he knows his team still has plenty of adjustments and improvements to make before being fully prepared for regular-season football.

In fact, he’s not even ready to put his team in pads yet.

“I just want to see us get through the first day of installation offensively, defensively, special teams; see how they handle that,” Molnar said. “I like how the it builds up from helmets, to shoulder pads, to gear, then finally into tackling and scrimmaging.”

Nick Canelas can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @NickCanelas.

Growing Pains MAROON MUSKET – BOB MCGOVERN


AMHERST, Mass. - On February 6, Charley Molnar stood in front of a group of reporters and called UMass' 2013 recruiting class the best in school history.

The new kids are on campus now and are well aware that there is much to do in order to live up to their reputation.

“It's a big transition for me to go from high school to this. I think I can get adjusted to it pretty quickly, but it was very high tempo, and the pace was really fast. I like it, but I really need to get myself used to it,” said Lorenzo Woodley, a highly-touted running back who is considered by many to be the crown jewel of UMass' class.

Woodley said that he and the other newcomers need to pay attention to the upperclassmen and “learn the system quickly.” He added that it's way too early to talk about the quality of the 2013 class.

“There are a bunch of good upperclassmen on this team right now, and we need to talk about winning right now. The future doesn't matter, yet,” he said.

Steve Casali, a linebacker from Long Island who committed to UMass early in the recruiting process, also pointed to UMass' high-tempo practices when discussing the biggest adjustment from high school to college. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound athlete said he added some speed during the offseason but isn't quite where he wants to be.

“I made a lot of mistakes out there, and I just need to learn from them,” he said. “Everyone up here can play ball, and these guys are just great players and great teammates. I need to learn from them, and I need to learn from my mistakes.”

Molnar noticed the mistakes and said some of the freshmen were floundering a bit on the practice field. He was a little more reserved in his opinion of the class after UMass' first practice.

"You know, I don't know if any one of them stood out, but I thought there was a good number of them that looked like they're going to be legit players as time goes by,” he said.

While most of the new guys are incoming freshmen, a few have a bit more experience. David Osei, a fifth-year offensive lineman transfer from Rutgers, is also getting settled into a new system at a new school. He said the upperclassmen have been good about helping with the transition, and when it comes to learning the playbook “everyone has gone out of their way to help me.”

Osei, who saw some high-caliber recruiting classes during his time as a Scarlet Knight, said he was impressed with UMass' incoming freshmen.

“They've got a lot of big bodies out there, and these young kids are really athletic. We have some freshmen, some 300-pound freshmen, that are already moving down the field well. That's impressive no matter what year you are,” he said. “These guys are going to come up and make a real impression around here.”

When discussing his goals at UMass, Osei was quick to mention that he wants to teach the new kids how to be FBS football players.

“I'm trying to just be a nasty dude around here. I want to show how good our line can be, and I want to set an example for these young guys out here,” he said. “They're going to be great, so I want them to know the attitude they have to play with to be successful at this level. I want them to say, 'Hey man, I learned that from David Osei.' I would be happy with that.”

UMass quarterback Mike Wegzyn was impressed with the athleticism of the freshmen but said he would wait before giving his opinion on the class.

The redshirt sophomore wants to see the new guys in pads.

“I want to say the jury is still out until we get some pads on. You can be a no-pad All-American, but things change when you put pads on," he said. "I am really excited with what I've seen so far. There are a lot of guys out there that look promising.”

Road to UMass football starts in Germany for Fabian Hoeller DAILY HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE – MATT VAUTOUR AMHERST — During the first days and weeks of their first preseason camp, most freshman college football players are trying to translate what they’re learning from their coaches into play on the field. It makes most rookies move a little slowly as they adjust.

University of Massachusetts freshman offensive lineman Fabian Hoeller needs an extra step.

The 6-foot-3, 301-pound offensive lineman is from Cologne, Germany. His English, while accented, is pretty smooth, clear and grammatically better than some of his teammates and even coaches. But he still thinks in German.

The instructions he’s receiving arrive in English, but coach Charley Molnar’s English is fast-paced New Jersey-style, while offensive coordinator John Bond, an Arkansas native, has a distinct Southern drawl. The entire staff’s English is crossbred with football jargon, a dialect not exactly taught in European classrooms.

“My English is getting better every day. It’s pretty bad at the moment,” said Hoeller, underselling his language command.


Foreign players are common in NCAA sports. Club programs, especially in Europe, have sent many players to Division I scholarships in basketball, ice hockey, soccer, tennis and field hockey. But American football clubs in Europe rarely produce players good enough to compete in college.

While there have been many Division I players who have been born overseas, most of them, like former Minutemen Serge Tikum (Cameroon) and Vlad Ducasse (Haiti), attended high school in the United States, giving them a more natural path to a Division I scholarship.

According to LostLetterman.com, there were 19 players in Division I last season who didn’t attend high school in North America.

Five were from Germany, which was the only nation where the now-defunct NFL Europe had any kind of foothold. Four of the German players were at Wyoming. The fifth, Bjoern Werner, a defensive end out at Florida State, was the 24th pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the NFL draft. Werner was the third German ever drafted, following New York Giants defensive tackle Markus Kuhn and New England Patriots offensive lineman Sebastian Vollmer.

UMass coach Charley Molnar had never recruited a European player during any of his many coaching stops. But Rob Spence, the quarterbacks coach at Rutgers and an old friend of Molnar’s, had been interested in Hoeller for the Scarlet Knights.

“They were convinced they were going to offer him a scholarship, but then somebody else committed and they didn’t have spot. So he called me up,” Molnar said. “I put (assistant offensive line coach) Ryan Gold on it and said I want to recruit this guy hard. We got the film and this guy was certainly good enough to play. We brought him in for an official visit. He certainly looked the part and seemed mature beyond his years.”

Like almost every other athletic European kid, Hoeller’s sports roots were in soccer. He had never played or even really watched football until he happened to play it during gym class in 2008.

“We played some flag football as part of the physical education. My teacher invited the head coach and the quarterback from my former team (the Cologne Falcons) from Germany,” he said. “The head coach said I should come to the practice. I went to the practice and started playing football.”

Hoeller liked the family atmosphere of the roster enough that he gave up soccer and concentrated on his new sport, often staying up until odd hours to watch college football and the NFL on ESPN America.

While his coach, former Toledo offensive lineman David Odenthal, told him he was good enough to play in Division I, he wasn’t sure.

“My coach helped me a lot with all of the stuff. He contacted his old coaches over here,” Hoeller said. “I started sending my tapes to different colleges. When I got some feedback I knew I wanted to go to the States. I had no idea if I’m good enough or not or if I’m good enough for Division I or just double A or Division II. I’m pretty happy to play D-1.”

He committed to Wyoming, his first offer, but on his official visit he changed his mind. The Cowboys wanted Hoeller to play tackle, a position he thought he was too small for, so he re-opened his recruiting.

He thought UMass would be a good fit.

“For me the school is very important. UMass is one of the best universities in the country and in the world,” said Hoeller, 20, who plans to study microbiology in hopes of someday doing disease research. “On the other hand, now it’s not the biggest football program. What I want to do is help arise the program.”

Molnar was impressed with Hoeller’s maturity and intellect.

“He’s a mature and level-headed young man,” Molnar said. “Academically this guy’s super-motivated and organized. He has a great plan for what he wants to do with his life. It was a no-brainer. It all worked out.”

Hoeller was eager to see how he stacked up with his American counterparts.

“It will be the hardest time in my life. These four weeks, every day practice, maybe two times a day. I can’t wait to get started,” Hoeller said before the start of preseason camp Monday. “I really don’t know if I get redshirted or not. We’ll see at camp or after the camp when I am.”

Molnar had high expectations for his long-term potential.

“It’s going to be really exciting to see his baseline and his growth. I have a really good feeling from our time recruiting him that his ceiling is going to be really high,” Molnar said. “I thought he was a good player based on his high school film and his physical presence when we got to meet him.

“Now, when he gets a chance to be coached by (offensive line) Coach (Dave) Johnson, who is one of the best in the business, day in and day out, and a chance to be trained by (strength) Coach (Mike) Golden, and a chance to go against what I think is going to be a really salty defensive line each and every day in practice,” Molnar continued, “his growth as a player is really going to accelerate.”


Molnar read about the San Antonio Spurs and how they handled the language differences in their multilingual locker room, but wasn’t worried bout Holler.

“I’m very confident we’ll be able to communicate with Fabian. He has a good command of the English language and football coaches have a way of communicating that transcends all language barriers,” he said chuckling. “There are certain words, you don’t need a dictionary to understand what they’re trying to say.”


More Minutemen at First Practice MAROON MUSKET – BOB MCGOVERN

AMHERST, Mass. - A year ago, it was easy to find Charley Molnar in the middle of a team huddle.

UMass' head football coach stuck out amidst a team emaciated by attrition and injuries. Back then, the first-year coach was optimistic after seeing marked improvement from the previous spring, but he knew he just didn't have the depth, yet.

This year, tucked away in a circle containing nearly 100 collegiate football players, it's not that easy finding Charley.

“If I could compare the first practice of 2012 versus 2013, it's a night-and-day difference,” Molnar said. “Just the way the guys looked, the way they worked. (It's) not just the demands that the coaches have that they're trying to meet – it's the demands that they've placed on themselves.”

In its first fall practice of the 2013 season, the UMass football team looked bigger and stronger. With the 2013 recruiting class on hand and a smattering of walk-ons, the Minutemen filled up the practice field. The defensive line unit had some added bulk, and the offensive line had 16 guys practicing – a luxury that wasn't available last year.

The added numbers makes practice a touch easier for the big guys up front.

“At this point last year practice would just kill us because we would only had a few offensive linemen, and they couldn't take reps off so they would be gassed by the end of practice,” said Rob Blanchflower, UMass' starting tight end.

Molnar echoed his captain's sentiment.

“We had 16 (offensive linemen) practice today. I had the biggest smile on my face to know that we could practice, and not have to stop and try to reconfigure things like we did in the spring and even points in the fall,” he said.

Since the team wasn't in pads, Molnar and others were cautious about making any early projections. However, redshirt sophomore quarterback Mike Wegzyn could already tell that there was something different about this year.

Part of it has to do with his own understanding of the game.

“Personally I feel like I understand college football better as a whole. I understand the defenses, and I feel like I have the offense down to a T,” he said. “I feel like I don't have to spend as much time memorizing the plays, but I can help other guys get it down when we're off the field. I can do it on the field, too.”

Wegzyn added that he and other players were training on their own during the summer and worked on fine-tuning the offense. While no coaches were involved with the player-led practices, Wegzyn felt like he improved his game and hopes to carry the momentum into the season.

Both Blanchflower and Wegzyn said they were counting down the days until UMass' August 31 kickoff at Wisconsin.

“We're counting down, we're getting excited for it. I'm ready to 'Jump Around' out there in Madison,” said Wegzyn, lightly poking fun at the Badgers' tradition of literally jumping around to the House of Pain song.

Molnar was also excited for the game but understood that there is a lot to do in the meantime.

“You want to think about Wisconsin, but there is so much development that has to happen between now and then. You don't want to put the cart before the horse,” he said.

Part of the development will be getting the new Minutemen acclimated to the UMass regimen. Molnar said the freshmen were “swimming” out there a bit, and the fifth-year transfers made errors but were adapting well to the new team.

"They were noticeable by their errors as much as their good plays. On most of the errors things were just moving so fast and the defense gave them a couple different looks and then it was all over, they just brain cramped. When they recognized the looks and just performed athletically, I saw all three of the transfer guys make plays today. And I was really glad to see that,” he said.

The three transfers – Ricardo Miller (TE/WR), David Osei (OL) and Justin Anderson (DL) – all came in to fill positions of need, and each looked physically impressive. Anderson particularly looked larger than listed.


UMass will continue to hold closed practices throughout this week and will have open practices starting next Monday for fans and the media.

Fresh Faces: 2013 Class Arrives MAROON MUSKET – BOB MCGOVERN Fall practice is here, and with that comes the first look at UMass' 2013 recruiting class. It goes without saying that each of these guys was promised early playing time. UMass coach Charley Molnar has made it a point to say that he does not recruit anyone to redshirt.

With that being said, I've taken an early look at what I expect from this class – dubbed the best in school history by Molnar and others.

Offensive Line

UMass' biggest weakness in 2012 was in the trenches, and the 2013 recruiting class was largely built around fixing that problem. The Minutemen brought in nine athletes listed as offensive linemen, essentially adding a whole new two-deep to the roster. A few of these guys are projects, a couple will probably play defense, but most will be asked to lace them up right away.

Sam Zeff and Josh Bruns have already been on campus for a semester and are going to play a lot right away. It may take a little while for both to get used to the grind of an FBS season, but it's clear that UMass coaches want these guys to make a difference from day one. Both looked pretty solid during the Spring Game and spent the summer learning the playbook. It will be interesting to see how much size they put on during the summer workouts.

Jordan Page and Richard Queen are two Garden State recruits who will likely get snaps early. Both played against high-quality competition in New Jersey and come to Amherst with FBS size. I was told by a source that Queen is a quality under-the-radar guy who will make a difference right away. Page is big, and my preseason projection is that he will be the best true freshman lineman this season.

Tyshon Henderson is a giant of a man, but he has never really been tested. Down in Rhode Island, he was always the biggest guy on the field, so it will be interesting to see how he responds to guys his own size. I think he can play, but it may take some time for him to get adjusted.

Fabian Holler is tough to project because he cut his teeth against defensive linemen in Germany. However, one source told me that a number of guys he went against were in their mid-20s, so he already has experience going against full-grown men. Holler was the surprise of the 2012 class and may be a sleeper pick to be the best new lineman. Right now, it's too hard to tell.

Enock Asante and Elijah Wilkinson will probably end up as defensive linemen. Asante will likely redshirt to put on some size and spend time learning the playbook – he has only played organized football for four years. Wilkinson will probably play defensive tackle if he isn't on the O-line. He is a big kid and may get some snaps if injuries force the issue.

Terrel Correia will likely redshirt. He has to put some weight on his projectable frame and make the switch from tight end to offensive tackle. It will be very interesting to see what becomes of the Bay State recruit. At 6-foot-7 and the ability to hit more than 300 pounds, he could be a big get for the program.

Tight End

Sharif Custis was the only tight end signee from the 2013 class, unless you think Correia will defy expectations. Custis is in an interesting situation: He can either see a good deal of playing time, or simply redshirt and prepare for the 2014 season.

If things pan out as expected, Custis will be behind team captain Rob Blanchflower and Michigan transfer Ricardo Miller. Redshirt sophomore Brandon Howard will also get a lot of reps after an impressive spring. Those who attended the Spring Game noticed that Howard put on some significant size and was arguably the game's MVP.

Attrition thinned out the depth chart a bit as Nevin Cyr decided to leave the team. Unless someone changes positions (or if Derek Beck remains at the position), the Minutemen will be pretty thin, and Custis could step in. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound athlete may need to put on a little size if he hopes to contribute in year one.

Linebackers

This will be one of the more fun positions to watch unfold. UMass picked up three highly regarded linebackers during the 2013 cycle, and each will likely be asked to step in and contribute from day one.

Shane Huber, one of the first three-star recruits to commit to the Minutemen, already has FBS-level size and looks impressive both in pursuit and coverage. Stanley Andre will likely hold down the Mike position, but I can see Huber providing some relief. I've also been told that Huber can play on the outside – a position that will be a little more cluttered with Jovan Santos-Knox and others vying for time. One way or another, Phil Elmassian is going to make room for the highly touted New Jersey product.

UMass got in early on Steve Casali and may have hit jackpot. Three sources have told me that Casali is the most talented defensive recruit in UMass' 2013 class and could have easily picked up scholarships from larger programs. The Long Island native is a high-energy athlete and has a magnetic draw to the football. Casali showed up at the Spring Game and looked like he was already adding muscle to his projectable frame. By the end of the 2013 season, it would not surprise me if Casali led all freshmen in tackles.

Peter Ngobidi may be this year's version of Kassan Messiah. The Catholic Memorial grad is considered by most to be a tweener – half linebacker/half defensive end. He has a nose for the ball and was a “special player in Massachusetts,” according to one source who follows high school ball in the Bay State. Ngobidi likely needs to get a college lifting cycle under his belt before he puts his hand in the turf, but the 6-foot-2, 200-pound athlete will likely get


reps at linebacker when UMass lines up in a 4-3 set.

Secondary

While the numbers might not show it, UMass' young secondary was one of the team's few strengths. In the 2013 class, the Minutemen didn't put too much of an emphasis on defensive backs and only brought in two athletes: Arthur Williams and Jackson Porter.

Williams is a Florida recruit who can play either cornerback or safety for the Minutemen. Considering his size and UMass' depth at corner, it wouldn't surprise me to see Williams line up deep. The Sebring High School standout will bring a little extra maturity to Amherst. Williams lost some time in high school when his mom passed away after a long battle with cancer. The FHSAA granted Williams a waiver to finish his high school career, and he will arrive at UMass as a rare 20-year-old freshman. I can see him being asked to fill some of the gap left behind by Darren Thellen.

Jackson Porter projects as a cornerback, but a few sites have labeled him an “athlete” - a guy who doesn't really have a position, yet. Assuming Porter comes in as a cornerback, he will have to fight for time with upperclassmen. There isn't a ton out there about Porter, so we will just have to wait and see what Elmassian has planned.

Running Backs

Throughout the 2012 season, UMass fans knew there was a serious depth problem at running back. Mike Cox, a fifth-year Michigan transfer, held things down, but injuries and inexperience thinned out a position that has for years been UMass' strength. After Lorenzo Woodley and Daquan Mack signed their letters of intent, those same fans changed their tune to, “Wait, what are we going to do with all of these running backs?”

Heading into camp, Jordan Broadnax and Stacey Bedell will be battling for the position, but Woodley is going to make a serious push for some carries. The Florida recruit is the highest-rated signee from UMass' 2013 class and was an 11th-hour commit after a few things fell through. Woodley is the definition of an all-purpose back and will get plenty of opportunities to show off his skill. My prediction: Woodley and Bedell combine for more than 1,000 yards, while Broadnax leads the team in all-purpose yards.

Mack is a big, punishing back who projects as an FBS fullback. Mack likely won't split carries with UMass' more-athletic backs, but he will be asked to block and possibly get a few goal-line carries. It will be interesting to see where Mack fits in the spread – an offensive set that doesn't typically require a fullback.

Quarterbacks

Todd Stafford was the first recruit to verbal to UMass during the 2013 cycle and has been a bit of an anomaly since. The Connecticut native is huge (6-foot-6, 250 pounds) and has an absolute cannon. Those who stuck around after the Spring Game saw Stafford effortlessly toss 40-yard bombs down the field to some friends. However, there wasn't much fanfare surrounding Stafford in high school, and very few programs showed interest – something that may be attributed to some injuries that popped up during his career.

Stafford will likely redshirt this season, as UMass is still in the process of letting Mike Wegzyn and AJ Doyle duke it out for the starting spot. There is enough depth to keep the third-string position filled, and it will take time for Stafford to learn the playbook.

Wide Receivers

If UMass hopes to improve in 2013, it will need more production from its wide receivers. Wide receivers coach Allen Suber went down to the Sunshine State and hit the recruiting trail hard. He came up with three speedy wideouts who will push for time right away.

E.J. Burston and Shaquille Harris played together at Palmetto High School and were being courted by a number of low-level Florida schools and MAC programs. The teammates chose UMass over a similar arrangement at Toledo, which was a pretty big recruiting victory for the Minutemen. Both Burston and Harris project to be downfield threats and have the size and speed to be dangerous over the top. The Minutemen had major problems spreading the field out, and these two are coming with the intention of fixing that right away.

Donnice Woods was the first wide receiver to commit and will likely fill in at the slot receiver spot. With graduation and attrition, Woods will get an early chance to impress Suber. Woods is another big get for UMass – he chose the Minutemen over offers from Indiana and Kentucky.

Defensive Ends

Make no mistake about it – the UMass coaching staff was absolutely pumped when Peter Angeh signed his letter of intent. On national signing day, Angeh was the last recruit to sign the dotted line, and when the fax came in, those in the area could hear UMass coaches cheer and dish out high-fives.

Angeh looks like he is ready to suit and and play tomorrow. UMass has some quality upperclassmen at the defensive end position, but Angeh will get a chance to prove himself early. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound recruit had a ton of offers, and was down to UMass and Ohio when he verballed. On his list of reasons for choosing UMass: Playing time.

One recruiting expert gave me a call after watching Angeh's video and said, “How did UMass get this guy? More specifically, how is Maryland not interested?” He liked Angeh's feet and pursuit, and indicated that he can be useful in both the 4-3 and 3-4. It will be interesting to see if he lines up against Wisconsin.

UMass football will return some home games to campus in 2014


By PAUL BOWKER – SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN�

The University of Massachusetts football team will be going “home” for at least a portion of the 2014 season.

The Minutemen, who are entering their second season in the Football Bowl Subdivision, will play all six home games this year at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. They did the same for all five last year. But athletic director John McCutcheon says UMass will split its home schedule next season, which would put the Minutemen at McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Amherst for the first time since 2011.

“We have worked it out to have three games here on campus next year and three at Gillette,” McCutcheon said in a phone interview Monday. “When you have a six-game home series like that, you can do that and meet the NCAA home-stadium attendance requirements. So that’s one of the options you have when you have six games.”

McCutcheon called the arrangement the “best of both worlds.”

“We think it’ll be great,” he said. “It’s going to enable us to bring a few games back on campus once the (stadium) renovations are done and still maintain that presence in the eastern part of the state, which we obviously want to do and maintain over the long term.”

UMass will have a few options for scheduling the series split. The two non-conference games against visiting Boston College and Colorado will certainly remain scheduled for Gillette. The other four would be Mid-American Conference games. The MAC schedule won’t be released until early 2014, but home opponents would include Bowling Green, Buffalo and Ohio.

When UMass joined the MAC and moved to the FBS, an agreement was made with the New England Patriots to play home games at Gillette Stadium. Gillette was an attractive venue because of its much larger seating capacity (68,756), and also its proximity to Boston and the Minutemen fan base there. McGuirk Stadium has a seating capacity of just 17,000, and is in the process of being renovated.

For students on campus, it’s a two-hour trip each way to Foxborough. The Minutemen’s largest crowd last year was 16,304 for the home opener against Indiana. The home finale versus Central Michigan drew about 10,000 fewer. Even after some games return to McGuirk, it is likely the bigger matchups will always be played at Gillette.

“Hopefully, when the game is big enough, when the chips are high, regardless of where that next game is being played, the whole state unites and they’ll come to our game regardless of whether it’s in Western Massachusetts or eastern Mass.,” coach Charley Molnar said.

Fifth-year senior tight end Rob Blanchflower, a Bay State native, fondly remembers playing at McGuirk and seeing fans firing up grills for tailgate parties leading up to kickoff. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Mike Wegzyn has never played there, although he did suit up as a true freshman in 2011.

“I’m just looking forward myself when we go back there,” Wegzyn said. “Once it makes that move back in the future, it’s really going to be something where people will be excited to go.”

But he certainly enjoys playing in Foxborough.

“You can’t beat playing in Gillette,” he said. “We’re playing in an NFL stadium. That’s the best thing you can have in college football. I really enjoy playing out there.” �

Dan Malone contributed to this report.

What to watch for as UMass football begins training camp DAILY COLLEGIAN – NICK CANELAS The Massachusetts football team officially begins preparation for its second Football Bowl Subdivision season on Monday morning when training camp gets underway from 9 a.m. until noon at McGuirk Stadium.

The first week of practice will be closed, although players and coaches will be available for interviews with reporters at the end of each session. The following weeks will open to the media and fans and the Minutemen open the 2013 season at Camp Randall Stadium to take on No. 23 Wisconsin Aug. 31.

With the team holding its first official meeting Sunday, it’s time to take a look what to watch for and some key position battle throughout training camp and heading into the regular season.


Is Mike Wegzyn the guy?

Quarterback Mike Wegzyn was given the keys to the program at a very opportune, yet challenging, time last season. Then a freshman, Wegzyn was asked to lead the Minutemen as the signal-caller in the team’s first season in the Football Bowl Subdivision, and he struggled greatly. The quarterback threw for 1,825 yards with a 52.6 completion percentage and threw 10 interceptions to just six touchdowns. UMass had a 1-10 record in his starts and finished 1-11 overall.

The outlook on Wegzyn looks much different now than it did entering spring practice, however. Before spring, Wegzyn and A.J. Doyle were set to duke it out for the starting job in 2013. But Wegzyn created some serious separation between himself and Doyle with his performance of the spring, and made a significant impression on UMass coach Charley Molnar. Molnar said that if he had given out a Most Improved Player award, it would’ve gone to Wegzyn.

The consensus is that Wegzyn will be the Week 1 starter. But it will be interesting to see if all of this hype translates onto the field in training camp. Could Doyle still have a chance to overtake Wegzyn before the season starts? As of right now, it seems unlikely. If Wegzyn really is what he is expected to be, there’s no one on the UMass roster that will catch him. But if he struggles in camp, Molnar has shown isn’t afraid to hand the keys to Doyle after starting him in the final game of the regular season last year.

How will Charley Molnar handle his running backs?

The kind of production and impact Michael Cox had on UMass will certainly be missed. But once the Minutemen get a look at the abundance of young, talented running backs that hit the practice field on Monday, they’ll move on pretty quickly. UMass comes into camp with a deep running back corps and a good mix of young and veteran talents ready to fill the void left by Cox.

Given his experience, junior Jordan Broadnax is expected to be the starter this season. Broadnax saw action in 11 games as a backup and ran for 159 yards and a touchdown on 53 attempts, averaging 2.3 yards per carry. It’s unlikely his starting job is a lock, however. The Minutemen signed highly-touted back Lorenzo Woodley, who chose UMass over some of the top programs in the country, in a surprising decision this spring and could very well give Broadnax a run for his money if Woodley impresses in camp the way he did at Christopher Columbus High School. The depth and young talent goes well beyond Woodley, though. Redshirt freshman Stacey Bedell along with others could also challenge for some playing time this season.

The intrigue at running back isn’t just over who is there, but how Molnar plans to use them. With all this talent, it’s unlikely that Broadnax will carry the load by himself while a handful of other potential stars are watching from the sidelines. Molnar will likely give certain roles to specific players, whether it be Broadnax at the lead back, while using Woodley, Bedell or Jamal Wilson in short-yardage situations, passing-catching roles out of the backfield or blocking duties on passing downs.

Regardless of what Molnar does, he could get pretty creative if he wants to, expect to see a little bit of each back sprinkled into the offensive system, especially with so much promise at the position.

Who will emerge on the offensive line?

When Molnar was asked about the key to improving a conference-worst offense in 2013, he pointed specifically to better play from the offensive line. Not that much better, though. He said that simply average play from the line will be enough to improve the entire offense. With better blocking, Wegzyn will have more time to throw the ball and the running backs will have more space to break out into the open field.

The offensive line was injury-riddled from the first game of the season last year, leading to such struggles. The Minutemen were forced to rotate an array of freshmen into the interior positions, giving the team an incredibly inexperienced group up front. UMass will get a major spike in the experience department not only from a group of freshman with game experience becoming sophomores, but also from fifth-year transfer David Osei from Rutgers and Josh Bruns from Glendale Community College.

The Minutemen will be much deeper in 2013 as well — UMass also brings in five freshmen — which should erase any excuses for injuries. However, there are still plenty of question marks. The tackle positions should be solidified with preseason Outland Trophy candidate Anthony Dima on the left side and Osei on the right, but the guard and center positions are still very much up in the air. Bruns will likely step in and see some time due to his experience in community college, while sophomores such as Michael Boland and Al Leneus, who both saw significant time as freshmen last year, could also earn spots with a good showing in camp.

The key to the offensive line this season will be finding stability and getting a solid group of five players that could that can start in all 12 games, while giving some younger players a shot on a rotation basis or in lopsided games. This kind of stability begins in training camp and it will likely be something that gets addressed first thing Monday.

How to replace the loss of defensive leaders Thellen and McIntyre?

Darren Thellen and Perry McIntyre were not only the heart and soul of the UMass defense last season, they were also the statistical leaders. McIntyre


and Thellen were first and second on the team in tackles, respectively, while Thellen grabbed a team-high three interceptions.

Now the challenge is filling that void in multiple aspects. This is a young defense coming into camp that has a number of players who made starts as freshmen last year. Those players will likely be asked to fill in particularly from a skill standpoint, while veterans such as Stanley Andre and Kevin Byrne will be called upon to assume that leadership role that is missing without Thellen and McIntyre.

Defensive backs Randall Jette, D’Metrius Williams and Khary Bailey-Smith all made a strong first-impression on their teammates as freshmen last year, with Jette and Bailey-Smith picking off two passes apiece, while linebacker Kassan Messiah looks to build off of a remarkable freshman campaign. At least from a talent perspective, Messiah will emerge as a leader on this defense if he can make another stride as a sophomore. The linebacker finished third on the team with 65 tackles in just nine games played and could be the key to shutting down some of the talented running backs the Mid-American Conference has to offer.

Certain players that are more prepared to be leaders will naturally come in and assert themselves from Day 1. The Minutemen could use a pair of underclassmen to be willing to take on the role and help bring an overall growth in maturity from the entire defense as well. The defense lost a pair of important talents and leaders, but still have the potential to be a strength on the team with the right leadership in place. The talent and potential is certainly there, but it will be up to the veterans and the younger players to take that unique experience from last season’s young defensive corps and run with it.

Can promising young players become leaders in second season?

This topic in a way builds off the point above, but has a greater emphasis on the rising sophomores coming into 2013. The Minutemen are heavily comprised on underclassmen — 71.1 percent to be specific — so they will likely have a majority of their starters be underclassmen this season.

The sophomores had the luxury of being freshmen in a transition year, giving them the ability to play on a weekly basis and quickly learn what it takes to be an FBS football player. Remember, these were the first players to be recruited to play at the Division 1-A level and it is they who are expected to turn a painful transition into a positive experience. It’ll be up to second-year players such as Wegzyn, Messiah and others to show the 36 freshmen the ropes and assume leadership roles.

There are currently more sophomores than upperclassmen combined, so it’ll ultimately be their decisions that will dictate what happens with the future of this program. UMass probably won’t come close to making a bowl game in either of its next two years, but with that first FBS class taking the field as seniors, it’ll be up to them to take the next big step towards make this program relevant.

It all starts Monday in training camp.

Nick Canelas can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @NickCanelas.

UMass football training camp 2013: First practice means a fresh start for three fifth-year transfers SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN – DAN MALONE AMHERST – The University of Massachusetts football team's three fifth-year senior transfers all gave the same response when asked how it feels to practice with their new team Monday.

"It feels great," they said, each with noticeable enthusiasm.

For defensive end Justin Anderson, wide receiver Ricardo Miller and offensive tackle David Osei, the opening of training camp is a chance to hit the refresh button on their careers. They have new plays to learn, new teammates and coaches to adjust to, and a new uniform to wear.

The trio have more football experience than just about anyone on the team, but for now, they're operating on a learning curve similar to that of the Minutemen's 25 freshmen.

The transition is likely to be easiest for Anderson, who transferred from Maryland in June and played under current UMass defensive line coach Dave Sollazzo as a freshman in 2009. At 6-foot-5, 280 pounds, Anderson is expected to be a starter when UMass opens at Wisconsin Aug. 31.

“Coach Sollazzo's terminology is still pretty similar," Anderson said. "I can get it, it’s like muscle memory. So I’m not so much ahead of the game, but I’ve got a better chance knowing that I’ve been with him.”


Anderson said he's had to learn four different defenses over the course of his college career, so picking up one more shouldn't be an issue.

"It’s fun to be able to put the helmet back on, put the pads back on pretty soon and get started," he said. "As long as we have good chemistry, we can just keep moving forward and put together a winning season.”

Miller, the second Michigan transfer coach Charley Molnar has brought to UMass in as many seasons, echoed Anderson's sentiments about learning to fit in.

“It's been kind of smooth," Miller said. "I got here early, in May, and I’ve been out here all summer with the guys, trying to get used to the offense, the playbook and things like that. I’m loving the freshness of the field, being around the guys and being able to get back out here to the game of football.”

The 6-4, 225-pound wideout worked with sophomore quarterback Mike Wegzyn throughout the summer in hopes of being on the same page when camp opened. And though it's only been a few months, Miller thinks they've made good progress.

“Mike and I have gotten pretty close over the summer. I feel like our chemistry, you know, is getting there, and it’s gonna get better as we get into camp," he said.

Miller also wants to use his limited time with the Minutemen to impart wisdom earned with the Wolverines on his new team's inexperienced receiving corps.

“Obviously, I want to help coach the young guys," he said. "I’m going into my fourth year of football, and I’ve got a little bit of a football IQ and experience on the field with coverages, reads and defenses."

Osei, too, thinks he can use some of his veteran experience from playing at Rutgers to help steady the young offense. The 6-4, 280-pound lineman should slot in at right tackle opposite senior Anthony Dima.

“I want to help Dima, (Vincent) Westcarr and the other seniors get things going," he said. "We have a lot of talent here, we just have to come out and play like it.

"I think we’re gonna jell before the end of camp. Even on day one working with different people, everyone seems to be on the same page. And that’s a good feeling. Once you’re on the same page, you can get things done."

Osei is also relishing the chance to help an up-and-coming program, saying he "love(s) being part of an underdog story.”

"People don’t expect much, but they don’t know these kids here," he said. "They don’t know what’s to come."

WEGZYN FEELS "HEAD AND SHOULDERS" ABOVE LAST YEAR: Wegzyn reiterated that he feels he's undergone a dramatic transformation since the end of last season. He's much more comfortable with the playbook and has an easier time reading defenses than he did as a redshirt freshman.

"I feel like I've taken multiple steps forward just being a quarterback, understanding the game, just as a whole," Wegzyn said. "I really have the offense down, I feel like, to a tee now.

"Last year, I was more worried about getting everything right; was I doing everything right. Now I'm kind of worried about other people and making sure everybody else is lined up and doing the right steps, doing the right routes. So it's taken pressure off me knowing I don't have to learn all this stuff."

Wegzyn threw for 1,825 yards, six touchdowns and eight interceptions on 182-of-346 passing in 11 starts.

UMass football training camp 2013: Charley Molnar looking for growth from key sophomores SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN – DAN MALONE AMHERST – University of Massachusetts football coach Charley Molnar knows his young roster is going to have to grow up quickly if the Minutemen are to improve on their 1-11 record from last season.

Much of the attention will be on second-year quarterback Mike Wegzyn, whose maturation Molnar has praised at length this summer. But Wegzyn is far from the whole story.

Speaking Sunday on the eve of UMass' second training camp as a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision, Molnar singled out players at other key positions he's counting on to make significant strides in development.


“Defensively, I want to see how those two (sophomore cornerbacks) are going to pan out. I want to see how Trey Dudley-Giles and D’Metrius Williams step up their games," he said. "I want to see those two (sophomore) safeties, Khary Bailey-Smith and Joey Colton, how they play, where they are at."

Though anchored by senior captain Darren Thellen, the Minutemen's inexperienced defensive backfield struggled against the pass in 2012. A total of 26 starts were made by freshmen as the unit contributed to a defense that allowed 26 touchdowns and 236.6 passing yards per game.

With Thellen graduated, the learning curve will be even steeper for UMass' safeties and cornerbacks. But Molnar has confidence that an offseason's worth of weight training and film study will go a long way toward accelerating their progress.

"They've never been in an extended summer workout like they just received," Molnar said. "So they should really have made some great progress from a speed and strength and agility and skill standpoint."

On offense, Molnar has his sights set on sophomore wide receiver Tajae Sharpe.

Sharpe played in 11 games as a freshman, starting eight and totaling 206 yards on 20 receptions. At 6-foot-2, 175 pounds, he will be expected to start opposite fifth-year senior transfer Ricardo Miller and help replace some of the lost production of leading receivers Deion Walker and Alan Williams.

Sharpe has showed good signs so far, but Molnar is looking for more.

"We need him to step up his game," Molnar said. "(He) improved in the spring from the fall, but now we need to see him take another step from the last time we saw him in the spring game."

The offensive line will be a focal point as well.

"(Center) Matt Sparks would be the same," Molnar said. "We certainly took our lumps with both Tajae and Matt, playing those two guys as true freshmen last year. Tajae started a lot more than Matt did, but Matt got his fair share of plays. Now I want to start seeing some of the benefits of that on-the-job training that they received last year."

UMass football training camp 2013: Charley Molnar ready for fall practices to begin SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN – DAN MALONE

AMHERST – Charley Molnar’s message to fans about the state of the University of Massachusetts football team hasn’t wavered: “You’re gonna see a better team on the field in 2013 than you did in 2012.”

After a long offseason, the time for the coach and his players to back up that talk has finally arrived.

On Monday morning, UMass will open training camp at McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Amherst, the season opener at Wisconsin just 27 days away. “We’re in a good position. We’ve been preparing for camp, really, for two months, as far as our practice plans and our scripts and how and when we’re going to scrimmage,” Molnar said. “So, we’re in a really good place right now. As a football coach, you can never be over-prepared, but I feel like we’re in a good place.”

Good place or not, the challenges facing the Minutemen as they enter their second season in the Football Bowl Subdivision as members of the Mid-American Conference are numerous. A difficult schedule featuring five opponents receiving votes in the coaches' Top 25 poll and a young roster still learning what it means to compete at the highest level only complicates matters further.

Yet Molnar is as confident as ever, ready to hit the ground running with a fresh perspective and his first year as a head coach under his belt. “I think I’m able to macro-manage a little bit better that I was a year ago,” Molnar said. “And I really trust the guys and the people who are in charge of certain areas. They kind of know the way I like it done, so I don’t have to watch them every step of the way. I can let them operate, and I think that’s for the good of the organization. It’s certainly for the good of me.”

One of the men to whom Molnar has delegated is new offensive coordinator John Bond.


The plan for Bond, who directed offenses at Georgia Tech and Georgia State the past six years, is to call the plays – a role Molnar previously reserved for himself.

Making sure he’s on the same page with his new coordinator before the season begins is one of Molnar’s primary goals for camp. “John has really got a good grasp of what we want to do and how to do it,” he said. “I’ve spent a lot of time with him saying, ‘This is the way I would’ve done it.’ A lot of the ways, we already see eye to eye. Just like every coach, you have your own unique ways you like to prepare your unit or your position, and he certainly has his own way of doing things. But I think we’ve come to a happy medium, and I certainly have a great deal of trust in his ability.” The pressure to improve is also at an all-time high for UMass players. From sophomore quarterback Mike Wegzyn, whom Molnar has repeatedly praised this summer and already named the starter, to the last man on the roster, tremendous physical and mental growth is expected.

And Molnar is excited to start seeing results.

“Our guys have now been under the supervision of a full-time strength and conditioning coach for close to seven months, and hopefully that will have made a difference," he said. "They’ve been in our program for 18 months, and in that time, I think we’ve really helped create the culture of discipline and hard work and toughness. And I think that’s gonna start to show on the field.”

UMass flying high six weeks before season By Emily Kaplan | GLOBE CORRESPONDENT JULY 19, 2013 Coach Charley Molnar believes UMass is closing the gap after its first season in the Football Bowl Subdivision. When Charley Molnar walks around downtown Boston, he is invariably stopped by someone who recognizes him.

That no longer surprises the New Jersey native, entering his second season as the UMass football coach.

What is shocking? Topics fans want to discuss.

“Not only do they know our players, but they even know the names of guys we are targeting as recruits,” Molnar said. “It wasn’t like that before. And that speaks to where we’re at right now. People are excited about our program. They want to talk about our program.”

Two seven-figure donations, three high-profile transfers, and a few preseason accolades tend to have that effect. Good news is always welcome for UMass, which stumbled through its inaugural season in 2012 in the Football Bowl Subdivision, college football’s highest tier. Yet the timing of these announcements is especially important.

Six weeks before kickoff, the Minutemen have momentum.

“It didn’t happen fortuitously,” Molnar said. “Each of those events were cultivated over time and nurtured every step of the way. But they give us a big push as we head into the new season.”

Start with the donations. The school spent millions to upgrade the football program. It was met with a one-win season and disappointing attendance in the first year playing at Gillette Stadium.

That didn’t stop two wealthy alumni from pledging support.

Ed Ward, a long-time UMass supporter, committed $2.25 million to the athletic department in June.

Meanwhile UMass graduate Martin Jacobson — along with his brother, Richard, a Michigan graduate — pledged $2.5 million. The new press and skybox complex at McGuirk Alumni Stadium will be named after the brothers, business partners at a sports apparel company.

The gifts come in conjunction with the school’s UMass Rising campaign, which hopes to raise $300 million by 2016, including $33 million for athletics.

“Our hope is that by giving back, others will come forward and join us,” Martin Jacobson said in a statement released by the university. “I would like to


see the whole community get behind the program.”

Said Molnar: “A program like ours constantly needs to be energized to remind people that this is a program that’s going places.”

The Minutemen finished 1-11 last season, outscored by opponents, 482-152.

The on-field losses were expected. A recent NCAA study tracked 19 schools that jumped from FCS to FBS between 1978 and 2010.

Among the findings: Average winning percentages fell from 55.7 percent to 44.8 percent.

But Molnar — and the donors — exhibit optimism for 2013.

Three players joined the team this summer who know what it’s like to play big-time football.

The trio of transfers are graduate students, immediately eligible to play under the NCAA’s one-time transfer exception rule.

David Osei is a 6-foot-4 inch, 280-pound offensive lineman from Rutgers. Ricardo Miller, from Michigan, can play tight end or wide receiver. Justin Anderson, a 6-5, 280-pound defensive end, played for Maryland.

“They’ve all played in bowl games, they’ve all played in huge stadiums and they’ve all earned a degree,” Molnar said. “These guys have a maturity level that can help our young team grow. They are going to be leaders.”

The model is already in place. In 2012, Michael Cox (Michigan), Deion Walker (Notre Dame) and Hafis Williams (Notre Dame) came to UMass.

Cox was drafted by the New York Giants in April.

Also encouraging for next season?

Anthony Dima was named to the Outland Trophy Award Watch List for the country’s top interior lineman. Colter Johnson is a Ray Guy Award Watch List nominee for the nation’s top punter.

Molnar knows preseason accolades don’t mean much. And he knows it’s not going to be a magical worst-to-first transformation.

Transitioning into FBS is hard and the Minutemen accepted the challenge whole-heartedly. Their out of conference schedule in the next five years? A roll call of college football’s elite: Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State, Notre Dame, and Florida.

But slowly, Molnar feels he is closing in on the gap.

He’s now been through three recruiting cycles. Each time he said he has been able to hold interest of top recruits for longer.

Eventually, they will choose UMass.

“As a coach, I had to paint a picture of what the program was going to look like,” Molnar said. “I had to see around the bend when nobody else could. Now a lot of people are seeing it there, too.”

And, it seems, they are excited about what lies on the other side.

Emily Kaplan can be reached [email protected].

Fill the seats: UMass expands football promotion, ticket sales effort DAILY HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE – MATT VAUTOUR AMHERST — The lack of wins in 2012 wasn’t a surprise for the University of Massachusetts football team. The Minutemen were in their first year playing in the Bowl Subdivision after decades in the lesser Championship Subdivision. With a new coach, a new quarterback and a much tougher slate in front of them, most preseason predictions had the Minutemen finishing with no more than one win.


But even with low on-field expectations, the administrations of the athletic department and the university had been outwardly optimistic that the school’s considerable alumni base in eastern Massachusetts would show up for home games, which had been moved to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

They believed the chance to be part of a new venture from the outset, as well as being able to get into Gillette at prices far below what it costs to see the New England Patriots, would bring in more than the 10,901 fans UMass averaged over five home games. Even with the upper deck sections closed off, crowds that small made the 68,756-seat stadium look empty.

With Season 2 of the FBS era less than two months away, UMass has been trying enhanced and different approaches to promotion in hopes of increasing not only attendance, but interest and awareness of the program. In addition to continued efforts by the athletic department, the overall campus administration is taking a larger role.

“We identified one of the areas that could be improved was doing a more campuswide approach to promoting football. If university relations was more involved in it, we could tap into campuswide resources that athletics could not,” said John Kennedy, the vice chancellor for university relations who is a leader of an informal group of 10 athletics and campus administrators that meets weekly. “We have access to the broader campuswide marketing apparatus. We’re in regular contact with student affairs and alumni relations. We thought we should broaden the effort beyond the traditional athletic marketing approach. It’s more of a comprehensive universitywide approach to promoting the football program.”

Prior to the 2012 season, UMass advertised on major eastern Massachusetts highway billboards, the sides of buses and in sports radio, television and newspapers. While some of that traditional advertising will still be part of year two, there’s an increased focus on personal communication. In addition to social media, the UMass Ambassadors have been created.

The group tasks passionate fans with educating their friends, neighbors, co-workers and anyone else who might potentially be interested in UMass football, on what’s going on and then convincing them to attend games. Potential ambassadors were invited to events at Fenway Park and Amherst Brewing Company in June and then trained at Gillette Stadium.

“The ambassador program has been really positive up to this point,” UMass coach Charley Molnar said. “We’re finding people that bleed maroon, that love not only UMass athletics, but UMass football in particular and want to be engaged and make a difference.

“Each of those people have friends, co-workers, family and neighbors who are looking for ways to spend their entertainment dollar in new and different ways,” Molnar continued. “Some of those people are UMass alums. Some are football fans. Some are just looking for something to do with their kids in a safe, cost-effective environment. The UMass Ambassadors are going to work to connect those people to UMass football. Maybe there wasn’t enough one-on-one engagement between UMass and the potential ticket buyers. That’s what we’re trying to do to get out and get in front of groups large and small, talking about UMass football.”

Still educating

McCutcheon said that many casual and potential fans still don’t know that UMass moved into college football’s highest subdivision.

“With football, we have to continuously raise the awareness of what we’re doing. Because we’re so immersed in it, sometimes we assume there’s greater awareness out there than perhaps there is,” he said. “I think we raised awareness with a lot of people last year, but still there’s a lot of people that aren’t fully understanding what you’re telling them when you say you’re going to FBS level football.

“Maybe that’s because we have a pretty significant population in eastern Mass. that are so attuned to professional sports,” McCutcheon continued. “We have a great facility and an inexpensive fun day in that great facility. We want to make them aware and intrigued enough that they come and sample the product. Hopefully we’ll be able to have an increasingly more competitive product.”

Kennedy hopes the new promotions and improved awareness create significant increases in attendance this season. Eventually the program will need to average 15,000 fans per game or face some NCAA penalties. Kennedy hoped that number is in reach for the 2013 season.

“I’d like to see a substantial improvement in attendance over last year, which is ultimately what we’re trying to do. NCAA attendance requires an average of 15,000 a game. That would be the minimum of what we’d be hoping for. We had 10,901 on average last year. That’s about a 50 percent increase if we can pull this off,” said Kennedy, who didn’t doubt the long-term success of the upgrade.

“I think there’s no question that it’s going to be successful ... that it is successful,” he said. “These transitional years are always a building process. Year to year if we can continue to build on the previous year’s success, it’s going to continue to raise the profile of the university.”

New approach for students

The administration had hoped that students would be a big part of the atmosphere. They were offered free tickets, $10 bus rides from campus to Foxborough and other incentives to make the trip to Gillette Stadium. The first game drew 35 buses worth of students, but interest waned after that.

McCutcheon said a survey of students after the 2012 season revealed that the entire game experience took up more of their Saturday than many of them wanted to give up. Last year the package included a bus ride, a pregame tailgate barbecue, the game and postgame concert by the marching


band.

This year buses will leave Amherst later. The barbecue has also been eliminated and instead students will receive concession vouchers. If the weather or the game turns ugly students can leave early.

“Last year we wouldn’t have the buses leave until after the game and the band concert was over,” McCutcheon said. “We’re going to let the buses go back as they fill up. If they’ve had their fill, depending on how the game is going in the second half, some of the kids want to head back to campus early to cut down their time away from campus. We’ll give them the opportunity to do that.”

The pregame experience will change for many nonstudents too. Last year, UMass hosted its pregame reception for fans and boosters in the CBS Scene sports bar in Patriot Place. This year, the reception will be moved to a large outdoor tent similar to the one that was used at McGuirk Stadium to create a more traditional tailgating atmosphere.

Still, the challenges are similar to those faced a year ago. None of the preseason magazines have the Minutemen predicted to come close to a winning record so the administrations are charged with trying to arouse interest in a team that’s expected to struggle.

Despite last year’s 1-11 record, McCutcheon said the department received overwhelmingly positive reviews from people that attended games.

“Winning helps everything obviously. But the comments we got from the folks that went to the games was that they enjoyed themselves. The parking was great because there was no cost. It was easy to tailgate,” he said. “The ones who partook of the club level seating really thought it was fantastic. We were able to provide that to them at a cost far below anything they would have been able to get at a Patriots game. Now it’s a matter of expanding that circle and getting those folks to come back and improving on some of the things that we did.”

Two home stadiums

The renovations to McGuirk Stadium’s facilities building and press box are scheduled to be completed in time for the start of the 2014 season. Beginning that year, the Minutemen will play three games in Foxborough and three games in Amherst, and will likely be playing a split home schedule in every season that it has six home games.

A split only works with six games because NCAA rules stipulate that a home stadium is any place where a team plays at least 50 percent of its home games. With five home games, like UMass played in 2012, there would be four games in one stadium and one, which would be considered a neutral site game, in the other. Only one neutral site game is allowed.

Splitting the slate can create a ticket sales question still to be answered: Will fans drive across the state for three games or will the school have a separate fan base for each stadium?

UMass is treating the split like an opportunity.

“We’re Massachusetts’ football team,” said Molnar, repeating a line that’s been a staple of his speeches to UMass fans. “In the near future, we’ll be playing a split schedule between eastern Mass. and western Mass. I think both constituencies will feel like they have a lot of UMass football. If they want more they’ll have to travel from one side of the state to the other. They’ll have to drive a little bit. I don’t think what we’re asking our fans to do is unique in college football.

“If there’s only three games a year, maybe the demand will be much higher,” Molnar said. “Maybe we’ll have more of a push for tickets. Fan will be able to buy a three-game package in the eastern part and a three-game package in the western part. Maybe we’ll have two distinct fan bases. I’d really like to see by year five that maybe it’s a melded group where everybody in the state wants to watch UMass football and they’ll travel to Amherst or Foxborough.”


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