RISE OF A NATION | The Minutemen’s Battle to the Top

AirUpThere33

AirUpThere33

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NOVEMBER 21, 2011 - 2:43 P.M.
BREAKING: Kevin Morris out as UMass football coach
Fired after going 16-17 in three seasons

BY CHAD GREENBERG, The Republican

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[blockquote]
AMHERST, Mass. -- It won't be Kevin Morris leading the Massachusetts football team into the Football Bowl Subdivision era.

The three-year coach was released from his contract Monday morning by UMass Director of Athletics John McCutcheon. A national search to find the next Minutemen coach will immediately take place.

“I thank Kevin for his hard work during his eight years with the UMass football program including the last three as head coach,” McCutcheon said in a statement. “With the transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mid-American Conference, I felt it was important for the program to have a new direction in leadership.”

The move comes after UMass concluded its 2011 season with a 5-6 record in its last season as a member of the Football Championship Subdivision. In three seasons as the team’s head coach, Morris was 16-17. Before being hired to the position in 2009, he served as the Minutemen’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for five seasons.

“I was looking forward to taking UMass to the Football Bowl Subdivision and was building the program to do just that,” Morris said in his official statement. “I am disappointed that my staff will not be able to finish what they started. John McCutcheon felt it was time for a change and although I am disappointed with the decision, I do thank him and his staff for the opportunity to help shape the lives of UMass football players.”

On April 20, UMass announced it was leaving from the FCS to the FBS starting in 2012, where they will become a member of the Mid-American Conference. The team was not eligible for a conference championship or postseason berth in 2011 because of the move, which will also be the case in 2012. The Minutemen will be eligible for the MAC championship and bowl participation beginning in 2013.

The Minutemen will also be moving all of their home games for the foreseeable future to Gillette Stadium, the home of the New England Patriots, in Foxboro, Mass. McGuirk Stadium, which has housed the Minutemen on campus since 1965, will be renovated to meet FBS requirements in the meantime.

A timetable to find the next coach has not yet been determined.

greenberg@republican.com

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That's right, folks. After a few years of hiatus, I'm throwing my hat back in the ring of dynasties and RTGs on the board. I plan on going as long as possible with this thing even if it gets tough with time during the school year. This will be ongoing for a while, so I hope you'll join me on the ride. Without further adieu, I present to you...

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AirUpThere33

AirUpThere33

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NOVEMBER 24, 2011 - 11:17 A.M.
Don Brown, Charley Molnar emerge as coaching candidates

BY JASON KENNEDY, Gazette Staff

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[blockquote]
AMHERST, Mass. -- The rumor mill is heating up of possible names to replace Kevin Morris as the next University of Massachusetts football coach.

Only three days have passed since the firing of the three-year coach, but that hasn’t stopped speculation. UMass Director of Athletics John McCutcheon is not revealing names, but said the search has attracted widespread interest.

“I can’t and won’t reveal any names,” McCutcheon said, “but I will say that I have received a lot of emails and phone calls from those interested. We’ll put together a committee in the next few days, hold some interviews and go from there.”

There is widespread speculation that former UMass coach Don Brown is the top candidate to lead the Minutemen into the Football Bowl Subdivision era.

Brown coached the team from 2004 – 2008 and was the man in charge when the Minutemen lost in the Football Championship Subdivision championship in 2006. He was named the AFCA Region I Coach of the Year, Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year and New England Football Coach of the Year during that season.

After 2008, Brown left for Maryland to become a defensive coordinator before bolting to Connecticut to take on the same position. He also served as the Minutemen’s defensive coordinator in 1998, when the team won the national championship.

Another name circulating the rumor mill is Notre Dame offensive coordinator Charley Molnar. Molnar has worked under Fighting Irish coach Brian Kelly for the last two seasons in South Bend as well as prior to that at Cincinnati.

Molnar’s offenses have been attack-driven throughout his career, and the numbers don’t lie. This season, the Fighting Irish are averaging 424.1 yards per game, which ranks among the best in the nation.

Molnar would be a good fit with UMass with the team bound for a move to the Mid-American Conference. Molnar has considerable experience in the conference, having served at Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan during his career.

kennedy@gazette.net

[/blockquote]
 
AirUpThere33

AirUpThere33

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Nice dude. I thought you'd be from a town in MA but that is awesome. Glad to have you on board.

Update will come tomorrow sometime.
 
AirUpThere33

AirUpThere33

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DECEMBER 8, 2011 - 2:34 P.M.
Charley Molnar officially named new UMass football coach
Becomes program's 29th head coach
BY TODD STANTON, Collegian Staff

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[blockquote]
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The Massachusetts football team has its leader as it enters the Football Bowl Subdivision next season.

Charley Molnar, in front of a media frenzy in the press room at Gillette Stadium – the new home of UMass football games for years to come – was officially introduced as the school’s new coach on Thursday afternoon.

“I am extremely pleased that Charley has decided to join the University of Massachusetts as our next head football coach,” said Director of Athletics John McCutcheon. “His background, energy, commitment to student-athletes and desire to be part of a growing program clearly separated him from an outstanding pool of candidates. I know that once the UMass community has a chance to meet him they will realize how fortunate we are to have Charley as our head football coach.”

Molnar, the former offensive coordinator at Notre Dame, is now the program’s 29th coach and will replace Kevin Morris, who was fired on Nov. 21. Stepping to the podium as the Minutemen’s new leader, Molnar couldn’t contain his excitement for having the opportunity to take over the program in the midst of the biggest change in its history.

“This is an opportunity I worked for my whole career and there is no limit to my excitement on this day,” Molnar said. “When John McCutcheon called to offer me the position, I knew this dream was becoming a reality and I said when can I start. I have a vision for this program into the future and we are going to do nothing but great things at the University of Massachusetts.”

Molnar brings an impressive track record with him to Amherst, which includes recent stops at Cincinnati as well as with the Irish.

In 2009, Molnar was key in helping the Bearcats capture a Big East championship, Sugar Bowl appearance and Top 5 finish in the BCS standings with coach Brian Kelly.

The coaching tandem then left for South Bend, where they have spent the last two seasons together, capped off this season with a berth in the Champs Sports Bowl after an 8-4 regular season record.

It is not known whether or not Molnar will immediately leave his post at Notre Dame before the bowl game to pursue duties with UMass, but his coaching cohort was certainly excited for him.

“Charley has been part of my offensive staff the last six years and has been a key figure in the success we have had at Central Michigan, Cincinnati and Notre Dame. Charley’s familiarity with the Mid-American Conference and strong recruiting connections on the East Coast will truly benefit him at UMass. This opportunity is well deserved and I could not be happier for Charley, Meg and their family,” said Kelly, who has spent the last six seasons with Molnar, said in an official statement on Notre Dame’s website.

Molnar is a 1984 graduate of Lock Haven University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in political science. His first coaching job came at his alma mater, where he worked with wide receivers, tight ends, running backs and kickers from 1984 – 1986.

From there, Molnar has made stops at Virginia, Western Carolina, Illinois State, Kent State, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, Indiana State, Central Michigan, Cincinnati and Notre Dame, in that order.

tstanton@umass.edu
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woy1509

woy1509

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Lamar Odom for offensive coordinator!

In all honesty, good shit Stevie. You have the game yet?
 
AirUpThere33

AirUpThere33

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I've had it since Release Day. I think we went over this.

It'll probably be about a week before I start doing game updates. I want to pace this and hype up the season and allow for the best possible rosters to surface in the meantime.
 
N

nickknx865

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Jan 16, 2007
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I do wish you well Steve. UMass doesn't have much on this game, and taking them to the top is going to be a very hard road.
 
AirUpThere33

AirUpThere33

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I still haven't won a game with them in all of the exhibition games I've played. It's almost impossible.
 
AirUpThere33

AirUpThere33

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MAY 5, 2012 - 3:37 P.M.
Position-by-position breakdown – Quarterback
Junior Kellen Pagel is early leader to start under center
BY JASON KENNEDY, Gazette Staff

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[blockquote]
Editor’s note: As spring practices have included for the UMass football team, the Daily Hampshire Gazette will look toward the fall of 2012 and examine each position as the season approaches.

The quarterback position for the UMass football team may be the one filled with the least promise in 2012. It offers plenty more questions than answers and new coach Charley Molnar surely has his work cut out for him.

Molnar, who guided top-ranked offenses at his previous stops at Notre Dame and Cincinnati, will have a tough go at mirroring that kind of output this season with a pool of signal-callers who haven’t shown enough flashes of brilliance to warrant any praise associated with the term “top-ranked.”

THE POOL

– KELLEN PAGEL, RS Junior

Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 212 pounds
Hometown: Stongsville, Ohio
NCAA 13 rating: 67 OVR

The lowdown: Pagel may just win the starting job purely out of seniority and experience level, specifically because he is the only player on the UMass roster who has FBS-level experience. Pagel attended Bowling Green, a competitor to UMass this season in the Mid-American Conference, where he was redshirted as a freshman and then played in one game as a redshirt freshman before transferring to UMass.

As a redshirt sophomore, Pagel didn’t exactly light things up, but played the most under center of any UMass signal-caller. In eight games, he compiled 1,725 yards, nine touchdowns and nine interceptions with a 57.3 completion percentage. His best game came against Old Dominion, as he put up 245 passing yards and three touchdowns in a 48-33 loss.

Under the offensive-minded Molnar’s tutelage, Pagel can only get better from his 2011 season. In an offense that will be geared heavily toward the pass, Pagel will be able show off his arm and ability to lead an offense in more ways than he was allowed to under former UMass coach Kevin Morris. With a lack of other quarterbacks threatening him for the moment, expect Pagel to be the odds-on favorite to be the starter going into camp later this summer.

– MIKE WEGZYN, RS Freshman

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Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 215 pounds
Hometown: Knoxville, Tenn.
NCAA 13 rating: 60 OVR

The lowdown: Wegzyn is a strong, tough passer who, according to the coaching staff, isn’t too far behind Pagel in terms of the development process. Pagel will get the initial nod over Wegzyn, who has considerably less experience than his teammate, but that’s not guaranteed to last for the entire season.

Wegzyn should welcome the arrival of Molnar with open arms. The new coach gave Wegzyn some recruiting attention when he was the offensive coordinator for Cincinnati and the type of offense that Molnar employs – spread, no-huddle – should come familiar for Wegzyn, who ran a similar offense at Knoxville Catholic High School.

As a redshirt freshman, Wegzyn has never seen the field in college, but with enough practice and learning under minds like Molnar, that could change rather quickly, especially if Pagel isn’t able to grasp the offense as quickly as he should. It’s Pagel’s job to lose, but Wegzyn is breathing heavily down his neck.

– BRANDON HILL, RS Sophomore

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Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 218 pounds
Hometown: Audubon, N.J.
NCAA 13 rating: 55 OVR

The lowdown: Hill was the only other quarterback besides Pagel to take snaps for UMass last year, but will likely enter camp this summer as the third-string option at the position and a long shot at replicating his production from last year.

In 2011, Hill actually beat out Pagel for the starting job in the season-opener against Holy Cross. That quickly changed though, when Pagel relieved Hill of his duties during the game after he started 5-for-8 with 30 yards and went 10-for-16 with 104 yards and two touchdowns. End debate. Hill rarely saw action the rest of the season and finished with 598 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions in five appearances.

With Pagel and Wegzyn ahead of him, Hill would have to impress much more than expected during summer camp to earn any sort of consideration for playing time. Barring injuries, Hill will likely be nothing more than an emergency option in 2012.

...

Notes: Matthew Quinn (RS Sophomore) and Ian Shultis (Senior) will also occupy the roster, but will be nothing more than practice-teamers buried in the depth chart. … A.J. Doyle (Freshman), a highly-touted quarterback who chose UMass over NC State, will redshirt in 2012.

jkennedy@gazette.net
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DaaaaaBears

DaaaaaBears

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Your formatting is sex. I'm jelly of these journalist skills.

I say go with Hill. He sucks, but you'll look good losing w/ him at the helm.
 
AirUpThere33

AirUpThere33

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I'll do one for backs, receivers, lines, linebackers and secondary. I'll spare you special teams. I'll try to start the season by the end of next week.
 
AirUpThere33

AirUpThere33

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[blockquote]MAY 12, 2012 – 6:03 P.M.
Position-by-position breakdown – Backs and receivers
Michigan transfer Michael Cox ready for his turn

BY JASON KENNEDY, Gazette Staff



Editor’s note: As spring practices have concluded for the UMass football team, the Daily Hampshire Gazette will look toward the fall of 2012 and examine each position as the season approaches.

Unlike the quarterback position, the UMass football team’s plethora of running backs, wide receivers and tight ends offer plenty of depth for the Minutemen in 2012. With a potentially shaky situation at quarterback with the inconsistent Kellen Pagel at the helm, the offense’s ability to give him plenty of options should be a source of comfort.

At a first glance, a future Victor Cruz isn’t evident by looking down the depth chart, but there are plenty that could evolve into the caliber of the former Minuteman wideout and NFL star. UMass received a pair of transfers in the offseason in former Notre Dame receiver Deion Walker and former Michigan running back Michael Cox. While the two didn’t see much action in their careers at their respective legendary programs, they could certainly add a spark as once highly-touted recruits.

Running back offers the most depth for the Minutemen out of the skill positions, with two, if not three guys that could see consistent playing time out of the backfield and even help in the receiving game. But without a clear-cut, No. 1 – or even No. 2, for that matter – back or receiver on the roster, both positions could see a lot of changes and mixing and matching this season, especially early on.

THE POOL – RUNNING BACK

– MICHAEL COX, RS Senior

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Height: 6-foot
Weight: 214 pounds
Hometown: Dorchester, Mass.
NCAA 13 rating: 80 OVR

The lowdown: With a lot of inexperience at the position, Cox’s transfer comes as a blessing for the Minutemen. At Michigan, Cox, who has an extra year of eligibility rarely saw the field and only carried the ball 19 times for 169 yards and two touchdowns.

Despite an unimpressive resume, however, Cox should provide some valuable veteran leadership to the other backs on the roster, trying to instill the winning tradition he learned in Ann Arbor. Cox will enter 2012 as the odds-on favorite to be the starting tailback.

– ALAN WILLIAMS, RS Senior

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Height: 5-foot-8
Weight: 191 pounds
Hometown: Framingham, Mass.
NCAA 13 rating: 69 OVR

The lowdown: Williams is an impact player who will see his share of carries in 2012 alongside Cox. Williams, along with sophomore Jordan Broadnax, each recorded 35 carries last season, tied for the second-most on the team behind every down back Jonathan Hernandez.

In 2011, Williams netted 162 yards and a touchdown, but only played in five games. As the primary backup to Cox, he’ll see an increase in playing time, but not by much, considering Molnar will be employing a spread offense that will look to attack through the air much more often than not.

– JORDAN BROADNAX, Sophomore

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Height: 5-foot-8
Weight: 175 pounds
Hometown: Virginia Beach, Va.
NCAA 13 rating: 68 OVR

The lowdown: Broadnax played rather impressively in the Minutemen’s spring game, but despite that, he won’t see a lot of playing time this season. Aforementioned, he carried the ball 35 times and racked up 133 yards on the ground in 2011 behind Williams and Hernandez.

With Cox and Williams both being seniors, Broadnax will likely take over in 2013 when both backs are graduated, so whatever playing time the sophomore gets in 2012, however small that may be, will be a strong indicator on whether or not he can handle that kind of load. Small at 175 pounds, Broadnax is a perfect change of pace back who can burn you with his speed, but he may see more time in the passing game than the ground in 2012.

Notes: Jamar Smith (RS Junior, 65 OVR), Brian Dowling (Soph, 64 OVR) and Stacey Bedell (Fr, 63 OVR) will occupy the rest of the depth chart at running back … RS Senior Chris Burns (70 OVR) will carry the load at fullback for the Minutemen.

THE POOL – RECEIVERS

– Deion Walker, RS Senior

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Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 206 pounds
Hometown: Christchurch, Va.
NCAA 13 rating: 82 OVR

The lowdown: With Julian Talley, Jesse Julmiste and most of the receiving corps gone from last year’s 2011 squad, the Minutemen will have to count on new faces in the receiving game in 2012. One of those new faces is Walker, a talented receiver who transferred from Notre Dame to UMass for his fifth year of eligibility, like Cox.

Once a highly sought after four-star recruit out of Virginia, Walker very rarely saw the field with the Irish. The 23-year-old caught just one pass – in 2009 – and was typically buried in the depth chart under more talented receivers in South Bend. Like Cox, Walker will add a veteran voice to the offensive huddle in 2012, but he’s hopeful that his time in Amherst can be much more meaningful than that after a career in which he never got a chance to shine. The speedy wideout will likely be the go-to receiver for Pagel in the Minutemen’s wide-open spread offense.

– ANDRE HILL, RS Junior

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Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 190 pounds
Hometown: Carson, Calif.
NCAA 13 rating: 70 OVR

The lowdown: After spending his entire life growing up in California, Hill will trek out east for his chance at big-time football. In 2009 and 2010, Hill played at Los Angeles Harbor Community College, where he put up decent numbers before sitting out in 2011. Now, in 2012, he’ll be a top possession target in the Minutemen’s new-look offense. Look for Pagel to go underneath to Hill a ton this season to move the sticks while throwing to Walker for highlight grabs and plays.

– MARKEN MICHEL, Sophomore

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Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 185 pounds
Hometown: Plantation, Fla.
NCAA 13 rating: 68 OVR

The lowdown: Markel is a returner from last season, a season in which he didn’t record a catch, but saw the field as a running back, earning two carries that netted just one yard as a freshman. He’ll enter camp in 2012 as a wide receiver, and should receive plenty of looks as an undersized, yet speedy receiver, who can make plays in the open field and help open things up in the attack for Pagel.

Notes: Chase Danska (Senior, 65 OVR), Bernard Davis (Fr, 61 OVR), Jaurice Jones (Fr, 59 OVR), Rodney Mills (Fr, 53 OVR) and Derek Beck (Fr, 51 OVR) round out the receiving depth chart, although some of them will be redshirted … Tight ends Rob Blanchflower (RS Junior, 67 OVR) and John McGrath (RS Fr, 65 OVR) should also figure into the passing game this season.

jkennedy@gazette.net [/blockquote]
 
woy1509

woy1509

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You have some nice weapons there in Cox and Walker. RB should be a target in recruiting with your two top guys graduating after this season.
 
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