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#4 UMass Heads To Holy Cross For First Time Since `96
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#4 UMASS (1-0) at RV HOLY CROSS (0-0) #4 UMass Heads To Holy Cross For First Time Since `96 • UMass and Holy Cross are meeting for the second year in a row after an 11-year sabbatical. The Minutemen topped the Crusaders 40-30 in the season opener for both teams in 2007. The win last season, evened the overall series, 21-21-5. UMass jumped out to a 30-9 lead, but fended off Holy Cross late in a battle of two of the top quarterbacks in FCS. In the game, Liam Coen of UMass threw for 272 yards and two touchdowns; Holy Cross' Dominic Randolph tossed for 296 yards and two scores as well. Both players are currently on the Preseason Walter Payton Watch List for the top offensive player in FCS. • The game on Saturday will be the first between the teams in Worcester since 1996 when UMass downed Holy Cross, 28-10. Prior to that game, the teams had played seven seasons in a row. Overall, UMass has won six games in a row in the series, outscoring HC, 195-50 in those games for a 33-8 average score. • Saturday's game will be broadcast live on the UMass Sports Network with Josh Maurer, in his first season as the new "Voice of the Minutemen." Former kicker Matt Goldstein will handle the color commentary. The pregame show begins at 12:30 p.m. on WRNX (100.9 FM), the flagship of the network. The game can also be heard live online at UMassAthletics.com. Live streaming video from the WCTR broadcast will be available and linked on UMassAthletics.com. • UMass head coach Don Brown is making a return to his native area as he is a native of Spencer, Mass., just 12 miles from Worcester. Brown was a star running back at David Prouty High School in the mid 70s. The 2006 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year and AFCA Region I Coach of the Year, Brown is in his fifth year at UMass and has a 37-14 (.725) record. All-time, he is in his 12th year as a head coach and has a 89-40 all-time mark, winning 69.0 percent of his games, 72.5 percent while at UMass. Brown moved to third on the career wins list at UMass with the season opening win against Albany. He broke a tie with Bob Pickett (36-28) and Jim Reid (36-29-2). Next on the list is Mark Whipple, who went 49-26 in his six seasons (1998-2003). • This is the 126th season of UMass football. UMass has an all-time record of 534-504-51 (.514) in 1,089 all-time games. The Minutemen come off their second straight conference title and NCAA Tournament appearance. UMass went 10-3 last season, going 7-1 in the inaugural season of the CAA. The Minutemen are 24-5 since the start of 2006, including a 13-2 season in 2006 in which they advanced to the National Championship game of Division I-AA/Football Championship Subdivision. UMass finished last season ranked No. 7 and was in the Top 8 all season long. With 23 wins over the last two years, UMass has the best two-year mark in school history. • UMass is ranked fourth in both the Sports Network media poll and the FCS Coaches Poll, which Brown votes in weekly.
UMass-Holy Cross Series • The last time the teams played in Worcester was Sept. 14, 1996. UMass' Ron Brockington and Frank Alessio both rushed for over 100 yards, to lead Massachusetts to a 28-10 victory over Holy Cross at Fitton Field. The Minutemen jumped out to an early lead, as current UMass Assistant Strength Coach Anthony Catterton tossed a 36-yard touchdown pass to Erik Henry to open the scoring. Catterton would add a two-yard touchdown run, giving UMass a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Crusaders put their first points on the board midway through the second quarter, when Dana Fiatarone kicked a 27-yard field goal to cap a 12-play, 73-yard drive. Catterton throwing a 16-yard scoring pass to Bryan Healy, making the score 21-3. But the Crusaders would respond before the end of the half, with Brion Stapp hitting Brian Hopkins for a 4-yard touchdown pass, to cut the UMass lead to 21-10 at the break. Catterton led the Minutemen by hitting on nine of 18 attempts for 224 yards and three scores, in addition to rushing for 36 yards and a touchdown. David Streeter led Holy Cross with 20 tackles, while Khari Samuel posted nine tackles to lead UMass.
Jennings and Nelson Claims Weekly Honors • Junior tailback Tony Nelson earned the first New England Football Writers Player of the Week Award. He was honored Wednesday in Boston. Nelson ran for a career-high 171 yards on 20 carries. He scored two touchdowns, one on a 64-yard rush and the other on a 2-yard reception. The 64-yard jaunt was the longest by a UMass player since R.J. Cobbs had an 84-yard run in 2002.
UMass Picked To Three-Peat As CAA Champs • UMass' senior quarterback Liam Coen and Maine's senior defensive lineman Jovan Belcher headlined the 2008 CAA Football Preseason All-Conference squad as both were selected as Preseason Players of the Year. Coen, who passed for 3,091 yards and had an efficiency rating of 156.3 in 2007, earned Offensive honors while Belcher, who led the league in sacks with 10 last season, picked up Defensive honors. • Massachusetts, which has won two-straight league crowns, placed a total of five on the Preseason All-Conference squad this season. Coen was joined by offensive lineman Sean Calicchio on the offense. UMass filled three of the four preseason defensive backfield spots with safety Jeromy Miles and cornerbacks Courtney Robinson and Sean Smalls. McGuirk Magic • Since 1992, UMass has had a losing record at home only once, while posting a home mark of 69-23 (.750) during that span. In 2003, UMass went 7-0 at home to set the former record for most home victories in the 40-year history of McGuirk Stadium. • UMass has won 19 of its last 20 games at home after dropping the 2005 home regular-season finale to New Hampshire on Oct. 29. They are 26-3 dating to 2003. Senior Class Seeking Wins Record • The 2008 class led by senior captains quarterback Liam Coen, offensive lineman Sean Calicchio and cornerback Sean Smalls has a 31-9 record with 11 regular-season games remaining. They need just six wins to set the new mark. • The seniors are also seeking to lead UMass to the NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row, which would set a new UMass mark. They are also looking for a third straight conference crown, which would be the first occurrence in the Yankee/Atlantic 10/CAA since Boston University in 1982-84. The last time UMass won three conference crowns in a row was from 1977-79, winning three Yankee Conference titles in a row. • Prior to 2006, twice before UMass had 31 wins in a four-year span done from 2002-05 (31-16), 1998-2001 (31-19).
UMass Dominating FCS & CAA Foes • The Minutemen finished at 7-1 in the CAA last season and were the last undefeated team in league play prior to the loss to Rhode Island. The Minutemen are 15-1 in conference games over the last two seasons. UMass went 8-0 in conference in 2006 (becoming the first undefeated team in league since Villanova in 1997).
UMass Gains Accolades From Annuals • According to Lindy's, UMass is No 4 in the nation as, "QB Liam Coen complements formidable defense for playoff-ready Minutemen." Lindy's adds that Coen makes UMass a national contender. • Among Lindy's Key Games To Watch, UMass' Oct. 4 game vs. Delaware is featured. The Minutemen are picked to win the CAA North with James Madison predicted to win the overall crown and the CAA South with a No. 3 ranking. • In Athlon, Coen is featured in the only for the CAA as it states, "Massachusetts is once again a national title contender." The magazine picks UMass to win the CAA North saying, "The Minutemen are coming off back-to-back conference titles. They were hit hard by graduation but return a ton of talent, including quarterback Liam Coen and corner Sean Smalls." • UMass junior safety Jeromy Miles has been named a preseason Honorable Mention All-American by Consensus Draft Services. In his first season at UMass in 2007 after transferring from Navy, he was a third-team All-CAA selection with 67 tackles. • As a transfer from Navy, who is the starting free safety in first season at UMass. In 2007, he had 67 tackles (38 solo) along with four forced fumbles, second in the CAA, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions and 10 passes defended in 13 starts. He was second in CAA in passes defended with 11. Named UMass Athlete of the Week after Villanova win on Oct. 13. Four tackles including a TFL at #4 Southern Illinois (12/1) in NCAA Quarterfinal.
Quartet of Captains In 2008
Senior Coen Ready For Super Season • Coen became UMass' career passing leader with 191 yards vs. New Hampshire (11/10/07). He now has 8,374 yards. He passed Todd Bankhead (7,018) with an 8-yard pass to Ian Jorgensen in the third quarter of the New Hampshire game last season. Coen became UMass' career touchdown passing leader on Oct. 27, 2007 in the 48-34 win at William & Mary. He tossed four scoring strikes at Hofstra (11/17/07) to pass Bankhead's 51 and Coen took over as the all-time completion leader that same game with 22, moving him ahead of Bankhead's 561. He now has 69 career touchdown passes. • Coen is UMass' career leader in pass efficiency (152.14), completion percentage (64.2), yards per attempt (8.56) and total yards per play (7.66). • Coen ranks first on the FCS active charts in touchdowns (69) and is second on the charts in passing efficiency (152.14), yards (8,374), completions (634) and completion percentage (64.2). He is second among all active FCS and FBS quarterbacks in touchdowns and passing efficiency. The only player ahead of him is Texas Tech's Graham Harrell, who UMass will face on Sept. 20. • Coen threw 30 touchdown passes in 2007 after tossing 26 the previous season. Bankhead holds the record with 34 in 1998, one of the only major records he doesn't hold. • Coen holds UMass single-season records in completion percentage (65.0 in 2006), passing efficiency (160.5 in 2006), total average offense per play (8.1 in 2006). • Coen has eight 300-yard passing games in his career. He ended the 2007 campaign with three in a row, including 400-yard outings in the final two games (419, 421), giving him three in his career. • The Rhode Island native has started the last 38 games in a row with UMass holding a 30-8 record in those games since he drew his first start against Albany on Sept. 17, 2005. Of those eight losses, three games been to FBS teams, so Coen is 30-5 against FCS teams.
A Defense That Won't Be Denied • UMass ranked 13th in the country and first in the CAA in total defense in 2007, allowing 309.62 yards per game. • UMass ranked first in the conference and 15th nationally in scoring defense last year, allowing just 19.15 points per game. • Over 26 games in 2005-06 the Minutemen allowed just 13.3 points per game. UMass ranked first in the nation in scoring defense for most of 2006 until the NCAA final, when they gave up 28 points to National Champ Appalachian State. UMass finished fifth in the country in scoring defense in 2006 after being first in 2005. • The Minutemen defense loves to send the opposing offense backwards, ranking atop the CAA in both sacks and tackles for loss in 2007. UMass' 3.38 sacks per game also ranked fourth in the nation.
DB's Get An "A" • The group played a leading role in UMass holding its opponents to the lowest passing efficiency (107.98) in the CAA and also their run support helped the Minutemen be the second-toughest team to run on in the conference (115.62 yds/g). • After an incredible junior campaign that saw him rack up 49 tackles, half a sack, and two interceptions, including a 90-yard return for touchdown vs. Towson (9/5/07), Smalls received several awards, including: Sports Network Honorable Mention All-American, All-CAA first team and New England Writers All-Star. • Senior Robinson was actually named All-CAA last season twice, as a first team cornerback and as a third team kick returner. He recorded three interceptions last season and made a career-high nine tackles vs. New Hampshire (11/10/07). • Junior Miles returns for his second season after transferring from Navy in 2007. A preseason All-American by Draft Consensus, Miles recorded 67 tackles last year from his free safety position, good for fourth on the team. He also had 10 passes defended and forced four fumbles, second-most in the CAA. • The newcomer to this year's starting unit is strong safety Brian Ellis, a converted linebacker. A senior, he recorded 25 tackles in 2007. Ellis showed strong in his first game as a starter in the secondary as he racked up a career-best 10 tackles against Albany (8/30).
Defensive Line Creates Chaos • The major tackler for loss on the defensive side is Hanson. He led the Minutemen in tackles for loss with 16 last season for a total of -83 yards, ranking second in the CAA. He also recorded seven sacks that sent the opposition 67 yards backwards. That total was second on the team to Burris' 9.5 and eighth-best in the conference. Hanson had a career-high 13 tackles against Villanova (10/13/07). • Collier had 4.5 sacks in 2007 and made 6.5 stops for losses. His big games came against Villanova (10/13/07), where he recorded 10 assists and half a sack, and Rhode Island (11/3/07), where he finished with 11 tackles, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble, and had half a tackle for loss. Collier also recovered two fumbles against Northeastern (10/20/07). He had 62 tackles for the season. • Harrington also emerged as a threat to opposing quarterbacks in 2007, registering four sacks and a total of seven tackles for loss. He made a career-high 10 tackles at Rhode Island (11/3/07) and also recorded a safety in that same game.
UMass Turns To Nelson • Nelson was a stud in his first game as a starter at tailback as he gained 171 yards, a career-best against Albany (8/30). Nelson scored two touchdowns including a 64-yard rush, the longest running play by a Minuteman since R.J. Cobbs' 84-yard run in 2002. • The speedster Nelson received the second most carries on the club last season with 92, or 19.2 percent of UMass' total carries. He made the best of those opportunities, gaining 486 yards and scoring a touchdown. His 5.3 yards per carry average was the best on the team among ball-carriers with more than six attempts. • Nelson had his first-career 100-yard game with 104 at Maine (9/22/07) on a career-high 18 carries. That included a career-best 61-yard run in the fourth quarter. • At Colgate (9/8/07), Nelson picked up 70 yards on seven carries. He gained 55 in the opener against Holy Cross (9/1/07) on nine carries. • As a freshman in 2006 playing behind four-time 1,000-yard rusher and current Arizona Cardinal Steve Baylark as well as Lawrence, Nelson gained 235 yards on 47 carries for a 5.0 average. He scored all three of his touchdowns for the season in his 13-carry, 69-yard effort vs. William & Mary (10/7/06).
Receivers Looking To Step Up • Entering the season, UMass' receivers have a combined 18-career receptions, 12 by Jeremy Horne, four by Joe Sanford, and one each by Victor Cruz and Ke'Mon Bailey. • In the season opener against Albany, Horne led the way with four catches for 37 yards including a game-icing 17-yard TD in the fourth quarter. • Horne looks like a strong candidate to become Coen's go-to target. The junior transfer, who played his first year at Syracuse before transferring, caught 12 balls last season for 146 yards and scored three touchdowns. He showed a knack for coming through against stiff competition, scoring touchdowns against Boston College (9/29/07) and #4 Southern Illinois in the NCAAs (12/1/07). • Looking to start opposite Horne is the exciting and explosive Victor Cruz. Now in his fourth year in the program, the redshirt-junior will be looked upon as a top target for Coen. Cruz played the final eight games of 2007 and made is first collegiate catch, a 26-yarder against New Hampshire (11/10/07). • Sanford, who came to UMass as a quarterback in 2006 after a year at Virginia, will be vying for one of the wideout spots as well. A big target at 6-3, 208 lbs., he is also one of the team's top stalk blockers and a force on special teams as well. Sanford saw action in all 13 games in 2007, catching four balls for 71 yards, two of which for touchdowns. He caught the first pass of his career, which was a touchdown, against Holy Cross (9/1/08). He added 22-yard TD grab against Southern Illinois in the NCAAs. • Redshirt-sophomore Bailey is another wide receiver vying for playing time. A 5-10 speedster, Bailey caught one pass for 43 yards against Stony Brook (9/23/07) his freshman year before redshirting last season to work on his skills with the scout team.
Robinson: Always A Threat • 2007 CAA All-Conference third team kick-returner Robinson, who was an All-Conference second-team kickoff returner in 2006, is third all-time at UMass with a 24.6 career kickoff return average. • His 984 career kickoff yardage in just 26 games is seventh all-time on the UMass charts. Next on the career kick return yardage list for Robinson is Kevin Quinlan (1998-2001) with 1,064 yards, 80 ahead.
O-Line Of Protection • Senior captain Sean Calicchio is the undisputed leader of the o-line. The All-CAA player makes the move from right tackle to center this season, where he will be responsible for keeping blocking assignments organized and snap the ball to roommate and close friend Coen. • Ducasse, a native of Haiti, continues to flourish at left tackle. He won the spot protecting Coen's blind-side in the preseason in 2007 has only improved. In his 13 games over the last two seasons, UMass has allowed only 15 sacks and UMass has had a 100-yard rusher in 11 of those 13 games. • Senior Ben Coblyn starts at left tackle after returning to football in 2007 after playing basketball at Boston University. At 6-8, he is the tallest Minuteman and at 296 pounds is an imposing and athletic figure. • The right guard spot will be manned by converted tight end Rob Getek, now a junior. He made the move to tackle in the spring and is one of the team's most improved players according to Coach Brown. • Sophomore John Ihne gets the nod at left guard. He is another converted tight end, who at 6-5 and 270 pounds is athletic and light on his feet. • The line did not allow a sack in the opener against Albany (8/30) as Nelson gained 171 yards. Over the last two season, spanning 14 games, UMass has had 11 100-yard rushers. • After giving up 17 sacks in 13 games last season, UMass has allowed just 54 sacks in 51 games since 2004.
Under The Lights • UMass played four night games under temporary lights at McGuirk and won all four games. The first game under the lights came in the 2000 opener, a 36-16 win over William & Mary on Aug. 31. That game was also the only other football game in UMass history played in August. • The Minutemen played the 2004 home opener under the lights -- Don Brown's first home game as UMass head coach -- a 30-20 win on Sept. 11, 2004. UMass played two home games under the lights in 2005, beating Albany, 40-0 on Sept. 17 and Rhode Island, 14-6 on Sept. 24. • Lights were installed for the 2006 NCAA I-AA Playoffs for UMass' 24-17 win over New Hampshire on Dec. 2. That game kicked off at 2:30 p.m. and the lights did not take effect until the second half.
Looking Back At 2007 • The Minutemen were a perfect 6-0 at home to extend their home winning streak to 14 games. The team hasn't lost a home tilt since the 2005 campaign. The Minutemen finished the season at No. 6 in the Coaches Poll and No. 7 in the Sports Network Poll. • For the second year in a row, the UMass football team was the most decorated team in terms of all-conference selections. Last year, UMass set an all-time league record with 20 members of the All-Conference team. This season UMass led the league with 17 All-CAA selections.
For Openers • UMass has dominated opponents in its last six openers combining to pound Central Connecticut (twice), Delaware State, Richmond and Colgate by a combined score of 241-63, an average score of 40-9. In three games of those games (2002-04) UMass scored more than 50 points, beating CCSU (52-3 in 2002 and 51-7 in 2003) and DSU (51-0 in 2004). Four times they scored 40, including last season's 40-30 win over Holy Cross. • UMass has been a high-scoring team in season openers over the last 10 years, scoring more than 30 points on seven occasions. Since 1998, UMass has scored an average of 35.6 points in its season opener with a high of 52 vs. CCSU in 2002. • The Minutemen have won their last six home openers in a row. Last season, they beat Holy Cross. In 2006, UMass opened with a 28-7 victory over Colgate. Three years ago, UMass routed Albany, 40-0 on Sept. 17, 2005. Over the last 10 years, UMass has lost its home opener just once, that 31-10 loss to William & Mary in 2001.
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