With a similar look to the 2007 Massachusetts football team, coach Don Brown aims to continue his winning ways by taking the 2008 version of the Minutemen to a school record, third straight NCAA postseason.
With eight returning starters, the Minutemen, once again, look to win with a stifling defense. The offensive side of the ball has new faces and some holes left by graduation, but nothing that cannot be masked by senior captain and All-American Liam Coen.
OFFENSE
Quarterback
With question marks on the offensive side of the ball, one exclamation point is Coen. After three years of managing the ball for the Minutemen, the 6-foot-2-inch 220-pound redshirt quarterback has already rewritten the school's record book. With over 30 records to his name and a national title game appearance in 2006, the QB will look to add more to his legacy in his final season at the helm.
Before the 2008 season had begun, Coen already had many accolades to his name for the upcoming season: Walter Payton Award Candidate, CAA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Lindy's CAA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Lindy's Second-Team All American and USA Today National Player to Watch.
Entering his fourth and final season as the signal caller for the Minutemen, Coen, one of four team captains, will be a leader on and off the field. With the experience of leading his team to a NCAA FCS Championship Game in his sophomore year, the NCAA quarterfinals the following year and two conference titles, Coen has earned the respect of his teammates and other teams across the nation.
As far as leading on the field, Coen lets his performance speak for him. With two consecutive 3,000-yard seasons, a 64.46 career completion percentage and 66 career touchdowns (30 in 2007), he has been called the "best quarterback in UMass history," according to Brown.
Coen did throw more interceptions in 2007 (14 in 13 games), than he did in 2006 (10 in 15 games), but also had 26 more passing attempts in 2007, despite playing two fewer games.
Just as Coen showed improvement as a junior, much of the same is to be expected in his final season.
Backing up Coen, is redshirt junior Scott Woodward. The 2005 Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year for the Minutemen has experience with the system and got into four games at QB last season. Most notably, Woodward relieved an injured Coen against Boston College where he threw for a career-high, 57 yards.
Behind Woodward are redshirt freshmen Octavious Hawkins and Scott Wallace who ran the scout team in 2007. The Minutemen also added Spencer Whipple, son of former UMass head coach Mark Whipple, who transferred from the University of Pittsburgh after his true freshman season.
Running Back
For the second straight year the UMass must replace a star at tailback. To begin last season the Minutemen had to replace a near 2,000-yard back in Steve Baylark (1,960 rushing yards in 2006); in 2007 Matt Lawrence filled the role by running for 1,585 yards. A back up to both Baylark and Lawrence, redshirt junior Tony Nelson has earned the right to be the starting tailback according to Brown.
Behind the emergence of Lawrence, Nelson ran for a solid 486 yards and one score last season. With a three-touchdown game in 2006 against William & Mary, a 5.2 career yards-per-carry average, and his first career 100-yard game last year against Maine, Nelson has shown flashes of what to expect from him this season.
With the losses at wide receiver, expect Nelson to carry a heavy load on offense.
Backing up the speedy junior will be the 245-pound, redshirt senior Brandon White. The bruising senior will add a nice alternative to the Minutemen's backfield. White's career at UMass has been hampered with injuries, but he has worked hard to try and be an impact on the team.
True freshman Korrey Davis, redshirt freshman Jonathan Hernandez and redshirt sophomore Alphonsus Aguh also look to be in the mix for experience at tailback.
Starting at fullback this year for UMass will be redshirt junior Chris Zardas who is coming off a knee injury that occurred in the NCAA First Round matchup with Fordham.
Behind Zardas will be redshirt freshman Emil Igwenagu who shared the teams Outstanding Offensive Scout Team Award with Hawkins.
Pass Catchers
The biggest question mark for the Minutemen's offense is at wide receiver. After graduating a pair of 1,000 yard receivers in J.J. Moore and Rasheed Rancher, the wide receiver corps entered this season with 18 career receptions.
Leading that group is redshirt junior Jeremy Horne. With 12 career receptions - three for touchdowns - the Syracuse transfer will be Coen's main target. Horne has great height at 6-foot-3 and weighs in at 190 pounds.
Behind Horne is a quartet of receivers with a total of six career receptions; redshirt junior Victor Cruz, redshirt sophomore Ke'Mon Bailey, redshirt freshman Julian Talley and redshirt junior Joe Sanford.
With Cruz entering his fourth year in the program, he is going to be looked upon to step up and be a factor at wideout. With his experience and knowledge of the offense, Cruz will start opposite Horne at wide receiver.
Another player familiar with the offense who could make an impact is Sanford. Converting from quarterback has given the junior a great understanding of the offense, as it showed last season when he grabbed four balls, two for touchdowns. Sanford is another wideout with great size at 6-foot-3 and 208 pounds.
Tight end Ian Jorgensen will also be a factor in the passing game. Known more for his blocking the redshirt senior has become a threat for the Maroon and White deep in their opponents territory.
With 15 receptions last year, four of which were touchdowns, Jorgensen has improved his hands to be a more all around tight end. In six career NCAA playoff games, the second-year starter has three career postseason touchdown grabs.
Redshirt junior Matt Silver will back up Jorgensen after an injury plagued sophomore season.
Despite the inexperience at wideout, having Coen throwing the ball doesn't hurt. The wide receiver corps should gain plenty of experience in the QB's last season at UMass.
Other names who could catch balls from Coen; Boston College transfer Warren Wilson, Torey Esalomi, Aaron Fears and Julian Colarusso.
Offensive Line
Senior captain Sean Callicho will anchor the new-look offensive line as he will play center and snap the ball to Coen. The preseason All-CAA selection moved to center after playing right tackle last season.
The one member of the offensive line starting at the same position as last year is junior Vladimir Ducasse at left tackle. New to the starting offensive line will be the imposing Ben Coblyn.
Coblyn returned to the game of football in 2007 and was part of the offensive line that gave up 17 sacks. At 6-foot-8 and 296 pounds, the former Boston University basketball player is expected to start at left guard.
The right side of Coen's first line of defense will be manned by redshirt junior Rob Getek at right tackle. The converted tight end will compete with redshirt freshman Brian Ostaszewski for time.
At right guard two players with no collegiate experience will compete for the starting position. Redshirt freshman Josh Samuda looks to be the starter with Chauncey Incarnato backing him and Colbyn up. Incarnato, a redshirt senior, will look to get his first collegiate action after transferring to UMass after being at Notre Dame and Indiana, respectively.
Despite new faces to the starting line, Coen is expected to stay clean this season behind an offensive line that is loaded with talent.
DEFENSE
Defensive Line
The defensive line lost a force in first-team All-CAA defensive end David Burris, but returns with three other starters from last years dominate front-four. The fourth-best team at getting to the QB in the NCAA last year (92 sacks, 3.38 per game in 2007) will be an anchor once again for a strong UMass defense.
Returning at defensive tackle will be All-CAA defensive linemen Brandon Collier. The redshirt junior was named one of the defensive captains for the Minutemen and is the first junior captain since linebacker Serge Tikum in 2004.
Collier started all 13 games last year and racked up 62 tackles, including 6.5 for losses and 4.5 sacks. Standing at 6-foot-1 and 280 pounds, Collier has amazing speed for his size; He ran the 100-meter on his high school track and field team.
To Collier's left defensive end is Michael Hanson. One of two winners for the Most Improved Award on defense, the redshirt junior ranked eighth on the team last season with 61 tackles and seven sacks for 67 yards.
The New Jersey native is a very smart player who has had 27 percent of his career tackles go for losses. Ranked second in the CAA and tied for 40th nationally last season with 16 tackles for losses and ranked seventh in the CAA in sacks.
Opposite Hanson will be two redshirt seniors, Darnel DeLaire and Darrlyn Fenner, who will compete for the starting job. Both players have spent their career at UMass as backups but will look to get more playing time in 2008. DeLaire looks to be the starter to begin the season.
The other winner of the Most Improved Award on defense is this year's starting nosetackle Kyle C. Harrington. The redshirt junior has tremendous strength and had four sacks last season and a career-high 10 tackles at Rhode Island.
Senior Shaun Allen will back up Harrington, while Brandon McLaughlin and Anthony Monette will back up Collier and Hanson, respectively.
Transfers Theluxon Pierre, Raymond Jones and redshirt freshman Courtney Jackson will also be looking for playing time on the defensive line.
Linebackers
The most experienced linebacker for the Minutemen, George Byrd, will look to fill the void left by All-Americans Jason Hatchell and Charles Walker. Both linebackers had 100 tackles last season; two of five linebackers to reach the mark in the last five years.
Byrd, who has contributed since his freshman season, is heading into his senior year. The weak side linebacker started all but one game last year as he racked up 57 tackles, 3.5 sacks and five pass breakups. The 6-foot-1 230-pound Byrd will look to become the sixth Minuteman in the past three years to reach the 100 tackle plateau.
Despite only starting in five games last season, this year's starting middle linebacker, Josh Jennings, put up impressive numbers in 2007. The redshirt junior is the leading-returning tackler with 69 tackles which was good for third best on the team last year.
Two players who spent last year as back-ups and special teams' players, Andrew Resende-Gomes and Anthony Rouzier, will battle for the strong side linebacker position. Resende-Gomes, the redshirt senior will start at the beginning of the season, but if he cannot stay healthy, redshirt junior Rouzier will takeover. Resende-Gomes has been injury-plagued since transferring to UMass from UConn in 2006.
Two players from last years scout team, Chad Arango and Sam Besong, will back up Jennings and Byrd, respectively.
Defensive Backs
Possibly the biggest strength of the Minutemen's defense is its secondary. With, NFL prospect and All-American cornerback, Sean Smalls anchoring the defensive backs, all aspects of the UMass defense will be improved.
The captain and leader of the defensive backs led the CAA in passes defended (12) and had two interceptions (one he returned 90 yards for a touchdown) in 2008. Not only is Smalls a prolific cornerback, he is also extremely durable; starting every game the past two seasons (28 games in a row) and contributes on special teams with punt returns.
Opposite Smalls is All-CAA cornerback Courtney Robinson who will be entering his second year as a full-time starter. As a true junior in 2007, Robinson led all Minutemen with three interceptions and 48 total tackles including 4.5 sacks.
The combination of Smalls and Robinson is one of the best cornerback duos in the country, according to Brown.
Another decorated member of the secondary is junior free safety Jeromy Miles. A transfer from Navy has been named an All-CAA safety after deflecting 10 passes last season, intercepting two and forcing four fumbles.
Miles started all 13 games in his first season with the Maroon and White and will team up with redshirt senior strong safety Brian Ellis. A converted linebacker, Ellis has made great strides while at UMass and will be in his first year as a full-time starter.
Redshirt Erik Dickson and redshirt sophomore Shane Viveiros will fill in at the safety positions, while redshirt junior Corey Davis will back up Smalls and play as the teams nickel cornerback. Two transfers prior to the 2007 season, senior Keiron Brown (Toledo) and Resaude Goodwin (Boston College) will also back up at cornerback.
Special Teams
Another question mark for the Minutemen is on special teams. The Maroon and White have a strong return game with Robinson returning kickoffs, but there are questions with Smalls returning punts.
Robinson is a skilled return man, who broke a 100-yard return in last season's opener and has averaged 24.5 yards per return in his collegiate career. Wideout Horne will return kicks alongside Robinson.
Backing up Smalls with punt returns will be the speed wideout Cruz. Neither received any punts last year but showed some promise during the spring. They will try to fill the hole left by J.J. Moore.
UMass lost an All-Conference kicker in Chris Koepplin and will leave the kicking duties up to Armando Cuko. The redshirt junior first played as a true freshman in 2005 when he kicked a 41-yard field goal to beat James Madison.
At punter, the Minutemen will look to Brett Arnold. Arnold started off well last year, but as the year went on he became very inconsistent. The former junior college star has worked hard to be more consistent this season.
Backing up Arnold at punter is Woodward, the back-up QB. Woodward will also be the holder on field goals.
Taking care of the long snapping for the Minutemen will be second-string center, Ihne.
Jeffrey R. Larnard can be reached at jlarnard@dailycollegian.com.
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