April 8, 2008

AMHERST, Mass. - UMass head coach Don Brown has announced the captains for the 2008 football season. Three seniors and a junior will serve as the leaders for the upcoming season. Senior quarterback Liam Coen, senior offensive lineman Sean Calicchio, senior defensive back Sean Smalls, and junior defensive tackle Brandon Collier have been named captains. UMass opens the 2008 season on August 30th where they will host Albany at McGuirk Stadium.

Liam Coen (Newport, R.I.) was a 2007 Walter Payton Award Candidate and named the 2007 CAA Second-Team quarterback. In just three seasons at UMass, Coen holds virtually every career record including first in passing yards (8,282), passing efficiency (152.43), completion percentage (64.5), touchdown passes (66), completions (624), and attempts (968). Among all active quarterbacks in I-AA, Coen ranks fourth in career passing efficiency (150.14), fifth in completion percentage (64.5), and sixth in passing yards per game (207.6).

Sean Calicchio (Brooklyn, N.Y.) was named a 2007 CAA second-team offensive lineman. He helped aid UMass' offensive line in allowing just 17 sacks in 13 games last season. In 2005 he was a part of a line that only allowed 11 sacks in 11 games.

Sean Smalls (Richmond, Va.) was a 2007 CAA First-Team Cornerback and a New England Football Writers All-Star. Smalls led the CAA in passes defended with 12 (including CAA-best 10 pass break-ups) along with two interceptions. In 2006, he was named an Atlantic 10 Second-Team Defensive Back.

Brandon Collier (Cleveland, Ohio) was a 2007 CAA Third-Team defensive lineman. He was tied for sixth on the team with 62 tackles, three fumble recoveries, a forced fumble, and 4.5 sacks. He had a career-high 11 tackles at Rhode Island (11/3).

UMass finished the 2007 season sixth in the Coaches Poll with a 10-3 record.