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University of Massachusets Athletics
Joe Harasymiak Introduced As 32nd Massachusetts Football Head Coach
December 10, 2024 | Football, General
Joe Harasymiak Introduced as 32nd Massachusetts Football Head Coach
By Adam Greene
AMHERST, Mass. — The Massachusetts Minutemen will have a new head coach upon entering the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in 2025. On the morning of Friday, December 6, Joe Harasymiak was officially introduced as the program’s 32nd head coach in the Martin Jacobson Football Performance Center. The introductory press conference concluded an extensive search for a new leader of the university’s football team.
Harasymiak, a former head coach at the University of Maine, co-defensive coordinator at the University of Minnesota, and defensive coordinator at Rutgers, made his expectations for the football program clear: belief, ownership, and sacrifice. These sentiments were echoed by both Chancellor Javier Reyes and Athletic Director Ryan Bamford. “You don’t get passionate and talk about something if you don’t believe in it and you don’t take ownership of it,” Harasymiak said of his vision for the program.
With an extensive coaching résumé, a two-time Broyles Award nominee for the best assistant coach in college football and the 2018 FCS Coach of the Year award winner, Harasymiak checked all the boxes the Minutemen were looking for in their next head coach. When explaining why he wanted to coach at UMass, he recalled his experience playing football at Springfield College. “I always used to come here, and there was just a little bit of an aura for me as a Division III player when I used to come up here and see the big stadium and the success that they've had,” Harasymiak said.
You don’t get passionate and talk about something if you don’t believe in it and you don’t take ownership of it.- Joe Harasymiak
“We focused in on Joe pretty quickly,” Bamford said. “During these searches, you learn a lot about yourself, telling your story, and what’s going to happen here. That level of interest and level of belief in UMass was apparent, and it was really awesome to see. We landed in a tremendous place with Coach Harasymiak.”
Bamford, who outlined his own immediate vision for the football program, also said, “We’re ready to meet the moment. We’re ready to meet the moment of going into the Mid-American Conference.” The implications of conference affiliation are significant for UMass football, and provide the program with increased opportunities in the NIL field as well as from a competition standpoint. A combination of these aspects, along with being at the helm of the flagship’s football team, made this position “easy to sell” to Harasymiak.
Harasymiak was vocal about establishing a strong team culture preceding their move to the MAC. “Our identity will be how we build a staff first and ultimately put our roster together. Belief, ownership, and sacrifice—that'll be our identity. How we're going to play is going to build off that.” That very identity, one of the most important points Harasymiak preached throughout the press conference, was unity. He described how good teams play for each other, and they play with the mindset that they’re competing for everyone around them.
We’re ready to meet the moment. We’re ready to meet the moment of going into the Mid-American Conference.- Ryan Bamford
“First and foremost, we gotta learn how to play the game together—and that starts with me. We have to be complementary. We’re going to hire people that want to win together, that’s the most important thing.”
After wrapping up his coaching duties at Rutgers, Harasymiak quickly transitioned to leading the Minutemen into a new chapter. Having already addressed the team twice, he certified that the players and the group of young men around him are the true composition of UMass football. “This will not be about me. This has nothing to do with me. This is about us,” Harasymiak said. “The issues at places that don’t have success is that they fight alone. When I sat down on these Zooms and I met everyone here, I knew they had my back.”
We’re going to hire people that want to win together, that’s the most important thing.- Joe Harasymiak
Chancellor Reyes had high praise for the university's newest head coach: “Joe fits the profile we were looking for. A true relationship builder that aligns with what is important for UMass Amherst. He exhibits great leadership skills, qualities, and authentic care for the growth of his players on and off the field.” Harasymiak defining a vision for the program in a constantly changing NCAA environment was a key factor in the athletic department’s decision to hire him.
Despite a move to Amherst, one that included acclimating to his new city by trying locally famous Antonio’s pizza, Harasymiak emphasized mental toughness. “Everyone talks about physical toughness. Well, you can't be physically tough if you're not mentally tough,” Harasymiak said. Playing in the Northeast and recruiting in the Northeast may be more challenging than other places in the country, but he and the athletic department are committed to fielding a team that the university and its supporters can be proud of.
“This isn’t the same old UMass,” Bamford corroborated. Multiple people expressed their interest in this new opportunity, stemming from the department acting with intent and conviction to bring in Harasymiak. “Joe said it—he is committed to where his feet are,” Bamford continued. “That’s a tremendously respectful approach.”
Fostering a team mindset that spotlights work ethic and involvement are both goals for Harasymiak. “Everybody is a product of their environment,” he claimed. “We will set the tone here of creating a great environment for our student-athletes, one that is demanding, accountable, but also fun.” He’s grown up and coached around hardworking people, and he’s going to bring that mentality to UMass.
Joe fits the profile we were looking for. A true relationship builder that aligns with what is important for UMass Amherst. He exhibits great leadership skills, qualities, and authentic care for the growth of his players on and off the field.- Chancellor Javier A. Reyes
2025 will mark a new era of Massachusetts football. Believing in one another, owning your actions, and committing to the long-term vision for the program are not just Harasymiak’s coaching practices but his expectations; this is why he’s ready to lead the Minutemen into their new chapter. “We’re going to fight together. Sometimes you win, sometimes you don't, but I know when you fight alone you got no shot. So, we’re going to fight together from the top, all the way from Chancellor Reyes, all the way down to me. That’s what we’re going to do.”
