LAST UPDATED ON September 30, 2013 UMASS FOOTBALL NEWS CLIPS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER A.J. Doyle living the dream as UMass’ starting quarterback Nick Canelas, Daily Collegian A.J. Doyle had a chance to lead the Massachusetts football team to an upset. Trailing by a mere three points to Vanderbilt early in the third quarter on Saturday, the Minutemen had the ball and another chance to take their first lead of the afternoon. Doyle had been playing well to this point in just his second start of the season, completing 17-of-22 passes for 121 yards and a first-quarter touchdown that tied the game at 7-7 at the time. Pinned back at his team’s own 3-yard line and down 10-7, the sophomore quarterback went to work. His first pass of the drive on second-and-9 went nine yards to Bernard Davis. First down. Two plays later, he dropped back to pass, immediately found an opening in the Commodores’ defense and ran the ball for a 9-yard gain. This time, however, Doyle came up limping. He grabbed his left leg after the play and needed help from the training staff to work his way back to the sideline. It certainly didn’t look good for Doyle, who had battled all through training camp and in the first two games of the season as a backup for this very opportunity. But Doyle was fine. According to the quarterback, it was simply a twisted ankle. Once he got it taped and got the green light from the trainers, he was ready to go. Meanwhile, Mike Wegzyn was leading the Minutemen into Vanderbilt territory in his first appearance since being benched at halftime against Maine in Week 2. Doyle approached UMass coach Charley Molnar. “I’m ready to go,” Doyle said. “Get out of here,” Molnar said jokingly. Wegzyn stayed in. But the drive stalled. On the next series, Doyle was back on the field. The end result wasn’t pretty for UMass – the Commodores pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 24-7 victory – but after all the challenges he endured just to fulfill his dream of becoming a Division I starting quarterback, there was no way he was letting a minor injury potentially ruin this opportunity. Beginnings Playing quarterback has always been a passion of Doyle’s. Whether it was in the backyard or in Pop Warner as young as 7 years old, Doyle has always loved being the one in control. Even in basketball he said the ball was always in his hands. In baseball, he was a pitcher. So why would football be any different? “There’s something about it,” Doyle said. “I like being the guy, like being in control, having the ball in my hands.” Doyle was given that opportunity sooner than he had expected his freshman year at Catholic Memorial High School in West Roxbury. Exactly one week before the first game of the season, the Knights’ starting quarterback and captain suffered a sprained ankle during the team’s last scrimmage. Doyle, despite being just a freshman, was his backup. So for the very first game of his very first year of high school, Doyle was called upon to lead Catholic Memorial to a season-opening win over Haverhill. The pressure was on. Doyle had never been more nervous for a start in his life, even to this day. “I was a freshman, I didn’t want to screw up,” Doyle said. But he delivered. Doyle threw his first career touchdown pass and led the Knights to a win. LAST UPDATED ON September 30, 2013 UMASS FOOTBALL NEWS CLIPS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER “A.J. had size and speed and skill so he fit the bill even though he was a young player,” Catholic Memorial Athletic Director and football coach Alex Campea said. “He had a touchdown pass, managed the game, did a great job and I do recall that he told me, ‘Coach, you don’t know how many butterflies I had,’ and I go, ‘Well, that’s a good thing. It means you’re excited to play the game.’” Doyle was used sparingly for the rest of the season, but was the starting quarterback from his sophomore through senior year. He was a two-time captain, Catholic Conference MVP and also played linebacker. “He’s very competitive, he’s driven to excel, so he got better every year from sophomore year to junior year to senior year,” Campea said. “He worked on his skills, he worked, obviously during the season, but he worked hard in the offseason to make himself a better football player. I think those are attributes all coaches look for in their players: willingness to work hard, get better as his years went along at CM and now as his time is moving along at UMass.” There was a time, though, when UMass was no longer a possibility for Doyle. Decisions Doyle received several scholarship offers during the college recruiting process. The one that stood out to him the most was from Atlantic Coast Conference school North Carolina State. However, that scholarship was to play linebacker. He accepted anyway. But as he was going through summer workouts at Catholic Memorial and started what would be his final season as a quarterback, he had a change of heart. He de-committed from NC State. “Just going through the summer workouts for my high school and through camp and starting the season and really just loving playing quarterback and loving being that guy, there was just no way I wanted to give up that dream,” Doyle said. Once he came to that decision, one of the first people he told was Campea. “Coach, I’m gonna de-commit because, although NC State is a great school, it’s a great opportunity, but I really don’t want to play linebacker. I want to play quarterback at the next level,” Campea recalled Doyle saying. “A.J. I think you can,” Campea responded. “I think you’re more than capable of being a Division I college quarterback. But are you willing to give that up right now?” According to Campea, Doyle consulted his parents and they agreed that it was the right choice to make. From there, his coach advised him to inform then-Wolfpack coach Tom O’Brien of his decision to de-commit. Doyle listened and was ready to move on to become a college quarterback. “Once his mind and heart were in the right place, meaning wanting to be a quarterback at the next level, made the decision, I was happy for him and that opened up the door to what has transpired, which is the opportunity to go to UMass and play as a Minuteman,” Campea said. “I know he’s happy about it, I know his parents are happy about it and he realizes there’s a lot of work to be done, but he’s not afraid of that.” The best offer that remained came from Molnar at UMass. And there was no way he was passing that up. “I just couldn’t give up playing quarterback and so I decided while I still had the opportunity and I had these four or five years, that I’d take this chance and play quarterback at the college level,” Doyle said. Things certainly didn’t get any easier for Doyle from there. He still had a long way to go before that chance to fulfill his dream would finally come. Waiting Doyle was one of Molnar’s first recruits at UMass, but it didn’t mean the starting quarterback job was a lock. Molnar gave Wegzyn, then a redshirt freshman, the nod for the 2012 season and Football Bowl Subdivision opener at Connecticut. For the next 10 games. Doyle saw action in seven of those games, but didn’t make his first collegiate start until the season finale against Central Michigan. In that time, he said he never second-guessed his choice to de-commit from NC State, or to come to UMass. He was simply working hard and waiting for his time to come. “I knew we were a young team and I knew I had a lot to learn and a lot to improve upon so it was just a matter of time before I started to get starts,” he said. Doyle certainly capitalized on his opportunity once it finally came. He completed 30-of-45 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns against the Chippewas. Although UMass lost 42-21, he kept the Minutemen within reach for most of the game. LAST UPDATED ON September 30, 2013 UMASS FOOTBALL NEWS CLIPS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER Most notably, he opened the door for what was expected to be a fierce quarterback competition in the offseason. It didn’t quite work that way, however. An undisclosed injury set Doyle back during spring practice and Molnar named Wegzyn the clear front-runner heading into training camp. But Doyle kept battling. He returned to Catholic Memorial over the summer to train with Campea and some former teammates, as well as set an example for the current Knights team. He returned to Amherst with his sights set on getting back in the race for the start in the season opener against Wisconsin. It didn’t come. Doyle was frustrated and turned to Campea, who he still communicates with regularly. His old coach told him to keep his head up. “As his coach and knowing A.J., I tried to be as positive as I could,” Campea said. “I said, ‘Hey, your time will come, keep working, I’m sure the coaches will see your attitude, your work ethic, your ability,’ and I believe that’s taken place.” Doyle played a combined three quarters in relief through the first two games, both games UMass lost. Doyle’s play was mediocre at best, but Wegzyn was worse. Wegzyn completed less than half of his passes, led the Minutemen to just one score and was nowhere near as effective as advertised. Doyle came in for the second half of that second game against Maine on Sept. 7, and although the final score – 24-14 in favor of the Black Bears – may not show it, he was immediately a calming presence. That ultimately earned him the start the next game against Kansas State. In that game, which UMass lost 37-7, Doyle shook off a first quarter interception for a touchdown to lead the Minutemen into the red zone twice. They led 7-6 after 15 minutes of play. The final outcome wasn’t what UMass had hoped, but Doyle wasn’t rattled by the atmosphere at Kansas State and Molnar was pleased with his quarterback’s performance. “He was on the money today, and he doesn’t always do that in practice,” Molnar said after the game. “But today, he was sharp and his decision-making was pretty good. There was one or two he definitely missed, and we’ll work on those things and make sure we don’t miss them again. But I felt very confident with him out there tonight.” Hopeful It may have taken some time, and certainly some obstacles to overcome, but Doyle finally appears to have the starting quarterback job secured. For him, it’s a dream come true. Since the moment he de-committed from NC State, all he’s ever wanted to do was play quarterback. He hopes for a chance to extend his career as a quarterback at the next level, but is aware of what it will take. If that doesn’t work out, Doyle said he would like to coach one day, of course, as a quarterbacks coach. “Playing quarterback has always been a part of me,” Doyle said. The hope to play at the highest level hasn’t left Doyle’s mind quite yet, however, and it appears he’s not the only one who gives him a chance. “I think he’s got all the skills necessary to be successful,” Campea said. “I haven’t coached him in two years, but what I know is that he’s a big, strong, physical player who’s athletic. I think once he has an opportunity and UMass has an opportunity to put all the pieces of the puzzle together, I think that success awaits him along the way.” Family of alumnus Paul Manganaro gives major gift to UMass football Connor Snell, Daily Collegian The University of Massachusetts Athletics Department has received a major gift on behalf of the Manganaro Family, committed by UMass alumnus and former Minuteman Paul Manganaro and his brother David. The gift will support the UMass football program as well as its new Football Performance Center, scheduled for completion in time for the 2014-2015 academic year. In recognition of the family’s donation, UMass Athletics has pledged to name the new coaches offices in the Football Performance Center under the title Manganaro Family Football Office Suite. Paul Manganaro, who played for the Minutemen from 1982-86, was a part of two Yankee Conference championship teams (1982, 1986), was an All- Yankee Conference linebacker during his junior year and served as a team captain during his senior year. LAST UPDATED ON September 30, 2013 UMASS FOOTBALL NEWS CLIPS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER “After receiving an outstanding education at UMass, it is now time for me to return the sincere and honest commitment given to me by the University and its fine football program,” said Managanaro in a UMass press release. David Manganaro, a graduate of Providence College, agreed with his brother’s sentiments, but felt another responsibility as a Massachusetts business leader to support the flagship university of the Commonwealth. “The impact that the game of football has made on my family cannot be understated and as a Massachusetts business leader I strongly believe that supporting our flagship university and its football program is something that will benefit us all in so many ways,” David Manganaro said in the release. UMass coach Charley Molnar also expressed his gratitude toward the Manganaro family’s gift, which he sees as another example of alumni support for the team’s elevation into the Football Bowl Subdivision. “I am pleased that Paul continues to be a leader for UMass football long after his time on the field has ended,” Molnar said in the release. “It will be an honor to walk into the Manganaro Family Football Office Suite while we are working on building a program that is nationally recognized for excellence on and off the field. His generous gift demonstrates his gratitude for what this great institution has done for him and his philanthropy sets the bar for other Minutemen to follow … his gift will help provide the next generation of Minutemen the resources to succeed.” Aside from coaches offices, the new Football Performance Center is also slated to be the new home for UMass football, with offices, locker rooms, meeting rooms, a new strength and conditioning space, athletic training space and the new Martin and Richard Jacobson Press & Skybox Complex. The 55,000 square foot facility is scheduled for completion in time for the return of several home games to McGuirk Stadium in the 2014 season. Charley Molnar excited to have Commerce High's Sha-ki Holines back in the UMass football fold Dan Malone, Springfield Republican AMHERST – University of Massachusetts football coach Charley Molnar didn’t waste much time deliberating when the Minutemen’s recruiting coordinator approached him about the possibility of bringing Sha-ki Holines back into the team’s recruiting plans. “It took me about three seconds to say ‘Yeah, I want him back,’” Molnar said Wednesday. “All the bad feelings I had just totally disappeared.” Those bad feelings weren't directed so much towards Holiness, a 2013 graduate of Commerce High School in Springfield, as they were meant for the winding series of events that led to the 6-foot-4, 230-pound defensive end to eventually make his way back to UMass. A three-star recruit, Holines originally committed to play for the Minutemen in the summer of 2012. He soon changed his mind, however, deciding that he’d rather head south to player for Paul Pasqualoni at UConn. That left Molnar with a sour taste in his mouth. “When we lost him initially, it just crushed us. Only because we thought so highly of him and we knew that he loved it here at UMass. We couldn’t understand (why he chose UConn),” Molnar said. “And then to take it a step further, as I was envisioning this ‘Made in Massachusetts’ initiative, here’s an excellent Massachusetts football player that’s a half-hour away, had him in our hands and he slipped through our fingers. So it was doubly frustrating.” Those frustrations morphed into elation as Molnar took to Twitter Wednesday morning to share the news of Holines’ decision to transfer to UMass. “To have him back in the fold is really exciting,” Molnar said. Per NCAA rules, Holines, who is officially enrolled at the university and began practicing with the team earlier this week, will be forced to sit out the rest of the season as a redshirt. He’ll then have four years of eligibility left and count toward UMass’ 2013 scholarship class. Earlier this summer at the Minutemen’s first annual recruiting clambake in July, former UConn signee Jason Sylva also changed his mind in favor of joining UMass. Sylva, a two-star recruit and also a Massachusetts native from Marion, currently plays linebacker for Dean College and will join the Minutemen next season. For Molnar, flipping high-profile local recruits from rival schools such as UConn is of tremendous importance. “We want to be able to recruit against the best teams in New England, the best teams on the east coast,” he said. “We want to compete with them, not only on the recruiting trail, but on the field as well. So, in order to do that, we need to get the best players from the region to compete with them. “If we’re always taking the second-level player, we’ll never catch up to them.” INJURY REPORT: After four weeks of play, UMass is nursing a plethora of injuries. But Molnar said he expects up to 19 of the Minutemen’s 22 starters to be back on the field when they head to Bowling Green on Oct. 12 after the bye week. Players expected back include running backs Stacey Bedell (ankle) and Lorenzo Woodley (ankle), as well as defensive end Trey Seals (undisclosed) LAST UPDATED ON September 30, 2013 UMASS FOOTBALL NEWS CLIPS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER who missed the Vanderbilt game. Quarterback A.J. Doyle has been confined to a walking boot on his left foot this week, but said it was precautionary measure. Jordan Broadnax (knee) is still not practicing, and Molnar has yet to make a decision on whether the team will redshirt the junior running back. Linebacker Steve Casali (undisclosed) is listed as questionable and wideout Shakur Nesmith, who hasn’t played since the season opener because of an injured shoulder, has been upgraded to probable. Safety Joe Colton, who left against the Commodores after only four plays when one of his own players rolled up on his right leg, was on crutches Wednesday following an MRI on his knee. His initial diagnosis was a slight tear of the MCL, and he expects to miss only a few weeks. For UMass football, bye week 'couldn't have come at a better time' Dan Malone, Springfield Republican AMHERST – After four weeks, the University of Massachusetts football team is beat up in more ways than one. The Minutemen are the very definition of a reeling team. Like last year, they opened with a killer non-conference schedule and have nothing to show for it in the win column. They've been outscored by more than 100 points (130-28). For large stretches, UMass hasn't even been competitive. For those reasons alone, the Minutemen probably deserve a break. But the players are also pretty dinged up physically, with several at key positions nursing injuries. Because of that, coach Charley Molnar said the bye week before the Mid-American Conference opener at Bowling Green Oct. 5 "couldn't have come at a better time." "Like every football team in America, we've had our assortment of bumps and bruises," he said to reporters Monday during his weekly segment on the MAC coaches' teleconference. "As we enter the MAC phase of our schedule, I think the bye comes at a really, really good time for us." A little rest might be just what the doctor ordered. Molnar called the rash of injuries "mind-boggling," but said most of the players who participated in Saturday's loss to Vanderbilt should be ready to go in two weeks. Starting safety Joe Colton, a relative bright spot on a defense that's been pushed around by just about everyone, left the game early in the first quarter with an undisclosed knee injury and is likely out awhile. Already without preseason starter Jordan Broadnax, the running-back group absorbed another blow when Stacey Bedell and Lorenzo Woodley exited with ankle injuries. That's to say nothing of the pounding quarterback A.J. Doyle took, forcing backup Mike Wegzyn into service for a stretch, or any existing injuries, such as those to Rob Blanchflower (undisclosed), Shakur Nesmith (shoulder) or Steve Casali (undisclosed). But the bye week won't only be about getting players healthy. Molnar bristled at the idea UMass is getting any sort of a vacation. "I don't know if it's two weeks off; we've got a lot of work ahead of us," he said. The Minutemen are using the extra time to get back to the most basic of basics, such as footwork, eye discipline and hand placement. "Really, the next few days, though, we're gonna go back to fundamentals, as if it was maybe the first couple days of summer camp," Molnar said. "Just touch upon the basic things that separate good football players from great ones, and not-so-great ones from the good ones." The plan also calls for more of the younger, inexperienced players to take added reps during practice. That plays into the strategy of resting key injuries, while also preparing replacements in the event those bumps and bruises never heal. "(We'll) give them some more to get them ready in case we need them during this critical second part of the season," Molnar said. BYRNE, CLEMONS STAND OUT: Immediately following the loss to the Commodores, Molnar said he could think of no players who stood out with particularly impactful performances. After reviewing the game film, however, that was no longer the case. "I think, on defense, I was really impressed with the way that Kevin Byrne played and Galen Clemons," Molnar said. "Those two guys really played hard, made a lot of plays and just, I thought, had great motors. Galen didn't have as many tackles as Kevin ... but both those guys were just forces on the inside on defense." Byrne and Clemons combined for 11 tackles (one for loss) and a forced fumble. LAST UPDATED ON September 30, 2013 UMASS FOOTBALL NEWS CLIPS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER Despite numbers to the contrary, Charley Molnar pleased with UMass secondary Dan Malone, Springfield Republican AMHERST — The numbers defending Vanderbilt's passing attack Saturday weren't exactly pretty. They haven't been pretty all season, really. But University of Massachusetts coach Charley Molnar said Monday during his weekly segment on the Mid-American Conference coaches teleconference that believes the Minutemen's secondary is coming along just fine. Even if not everyone would agree just looking at the stat sheet. "The back end of our defense has been playing fairly well," Molnar said. "I know we've given up some big plays, so you might want to argue with me. But, overall, these guys play hard down after down, and they're (playing) pretty good pass defense." Against the Commodores, the goal was clear: Keep Jordan Matthews contained. Coming into the game, the senior wideout was fifth in the nation with 131.7 receiving yards per game. Last year, he torched UMass for 10 receptions and 112 yards. For the most part, the secondary was successful in that venture, as Matthews was held to 76 yards and a touchdown on eight catches. The highlight of the day came on cornerback Randall Jette's leaping interception in front of Matthews deep down the sideline on Vanderbilt quarterback Austyn Carta- Samuels' first attempt of the day. Molnar called holding Matthews under a hundred yards "an accomplishment," one that might've been even more impressive if not for the tremendous individual effort Matthews displayed in fighting back across the width of the field and leaping over a defender for his fourth-quarter score. But, like Molnar said, there's certainly an argument to be made against his claim. While Matthews was kept somewhat in check, his running mate Jordan Krause, who was a career backup before this season, set new highs with six receptions for 105 yards, including a 42-yard touchdown. In total, UMass is allowing 209.8 yards per game through the air, which is second in the Mid-American Conference. But that number is deceiving, as the Minutemen have faced the 16th-fewest passes in the nation (86). The team's 9.8 yards allowed per attempt (second to last in the MAC) is a bit more indicative of the kind of success, or lack thereof, that UMass has had defending the pass this season. Things likely won't be getting any easier coming out of the bye week when the Minutemen head to Ohio to face Bowling Green, either. The Falcons, led by sophomore quarterback Matt Johnson — whose been named MAC offensive player of the week twice already — are second in the conference in passing at 292.8 yards per game. A.J. Doyle, offense seeking consistency for UMass Mark Chiarelli, Daily Hampshire Gazette AMHERST — The University of Massachusetts football team’s offensive production has been rather meager through four games. Averaging only seven points and 258.5 yards per game, UMass’ spread offense has failed to pack the necessary punch to remain in games against stiff nonconference opponents. Injuries to tight end Rob Blanchflower and Jordan Broadnax, combined with a change at quarterback after just two games, have added to the offensive woes. But the Minutemen believe consistency will improve the offense. A bye week gives them extra time before they play at Bowling Green on Oct. 5. “It’s just a matter of one play and this (offense) is gonna explode,” quarterback A.J. Doyle said. “This team’s gonna average 40-plus points a game once it does explode because this is a scary offense. With the players that we have here, it’s gonna be a scary thing to play against.” Doyle’s optimism stems from an encouraging performance against Vanderbilt. He completed 20-of-28 passes, including 17-of-21 in the first half, and threw for 133 yards and a score. In four games this season, Doyle’s completed 63.9 percent of his passes. LAST UPDATED ON September 30, 2013 UMASS FOOTBALL NEWS CLIPS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER “I would say he’s grown a lot since summer camp,” UMass coach Charley Molnar said about Doyle’s development. “He becomes more and more poised, more and more confident of himself and the people that are around him. Last year he was full of self-doubt, doubted the people around him. ... I think right now, at least in the last two games, he’s shown that when he’s confident in himself and the people around him he can be pretty good.” Molnar’s no stranger to the development of proficient college quarterbacks. As the quarterbacks coach at Central Michigan in 2006, Molnar oversaw the development of then-freshman Dan LeFevour, who led the nation’s 13th- ranked offense en route to being named the Mid-American Conference freshman of the year. At Cincinnati, Molnar oversaw the maturation of Tony Pike, who threw for 49 touchdowns in three seasons. Pike was drafted in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers, while LeFevour went to the Chicago Bears in the same round. Molnar said Doyle possesses certain qualities similar to other quarterbacks he’s had in his spread offense system. “He’s got a nice, quick release,” Molnar said. “I think that’s vitally important in a spread offense to get the ball out of his hands, make fast decisions and get the ball out of his hands quickly and efficiently.” Doyle, who averages almost 8 yards per completion, said the development process of a quarterback isn’t instant. “Obviously, I’d like to do a lot better than I have on the field,” Doyle said. “I’d like the results to show. I know I’m a lot better player than when I stepped on the field a year and three months ago.” Molnar said he doesn’t get the same opportunities to work hand-in-hand with the quarterbacks like he’s done in the past. “It’s not as much, I wish I could,” Molnar said. “There’s so many things during the course of practice that take my attention. ... I’m not hands on with the quarterbacks like I’d like to be.” Doyle’s soaking up the information Molnar can share with him. “He’s been a huge help always telling me what I should do on certain plays, what reads and what coverage, where I should go, protection checks, everything,” Doyle said. “He’s always been hands-on but at the same time, he doesn’t put too much emphasis on being just an offensive guy.” UMass running backs look to heal during bye week Matt Vautour, Daily Hampshire Gazette AMHERST — This weekend’s bye week gives the University of Massachusetts a chance to head to Ohio not woefully thin at running back. UMass coach Charley Molnar hoped to have Stacey Bedell and Lorenzo Woodley back in action when the Minutemen head to Bowling Green on Oct. 5. “If everything goes as planned they should both be ready for Bowling Green,” Molnar said. “They should both be ready.” Both backs were injured in Saturday’s loss to Vanderbilt. Injured junior Jordan Broadnax, who entered preseason as the projected starter, isn’t expect to return in time to face the Falcons. Broadnax played as a true freshman in 2011, so he still has a redshirt year available. Molnar said he isn’t ready to start thinking about utilizing it yet. “I don’t want to say that yet. I’m going to wait to see how his injury progresses,” Molnar said. True freshman Daquan Mack has yet to see action for UMass. Mack had a slow start to the preseason after missing most of summer session completing academic requirements in high school. Molnar said Mack’s come on lately, but if Woodley and Bedell return, Mack would likely redshirt. “I’m on the fence about him. He’s just getting ready to play now. If we don’t use him now we probably won’t use him all year,” Molnar said. “If we can make it through Bowling Green and our running back depth stays good, we’ll look to redshirt him. If he played in summer camp like he’s playing right now, he’d have been active all season long.” The Minutemen were scheduled for just two full practices on Tuesday and Thursday. They had meetings and lifting scheduled for Monday and Wednesday. Friday is a scheduled day off. Molnar hoped to use the practices to get longer looks as some players who haven’t made much of an impact yet. “Over the next several days we’re really going to try to give our second line guys and our guys who look like they may or may not redshirt, one more opportunity to see what they can do to help us in 2013,” said Molnar, who pointed to redshirt freshman linebacker Vondell Langston and true freshman receiver D.J. Woods. LAST UPDATED ON September 30, 2013 UMASS FOOTBALL NEWS CLIPS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER “We want to see if Vondell can be ready to help us. We want to get him some quality reps and see if he can make some plays,” Molnar said. “We want to see if D.J. Woods can help us at the receiver position as a backup, to see if he’s got any flexibility, to see if he can go from inside receiver to outside receiver before the year is out.” MAC AWAITS — Molnar liked having his bye week separating nonconference and Mid-American Conference play and hoped the week off would help the team put its 0-4 start behind it. “It’s great timing for us. It allows us to refocus on our goal, which is to do as well as we can in the MAC East,” he said. “It does allow us to go into the next stretch of the season as relatively fresh as we can be. We’ve got our bumps and bruises, but most, not all, are going to recover over this bye week. I’m excited to see what our team is going to look like next Monday or Tuesday when we got back out of the field.” UMASS ALUMNI CLUB — The Baltimore Ravens have drawn even with the New York Giants in the race to have the most former Minutemen. The defending Super Bowl champs claimed Jeromy Miles off waivers from the Cincinnati Bengals. Miles will likely play special teams and compete for time in the secondary with former Minuteman James Ihedigbo. McDonough: UMass puts together best performance of season against Vanderbilt By: Cameron McDonough September 22 Daily Collegian FOXBORO – There are two ways to look at the Massachusetts football team’s 24-7 loss to Vanderbilt on Saturday; either glass half empty or glass half full. The glass half empty pessimist will mention that the Minutemen are 0-4 this season, including blowout defeats against Kansas State and Wisconsin and a loss to Football Championship Subdivision member Maine. They will also mention how the team is now 0-9 at Gillette Stadium, and some might even say that they shouldn’t be playing football with the big boys in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The glass half full optimist will admit that UMass is now 0-4 and winless in its history in Foxboro, but they also have the clear eyes to look beyond the scoreboard, which is imperative when dealing with a young and inexperienced team in only their second season in the FBS. They will also mention that the Minutemen played their best game of the season against Commodores, albeit for only three quarters. UMass did indeed look like a much-improved team against Vanderbilt on both offense and defense before the game got away from it in the fourth quarter. A.J. Doyle looked comfortable in the pocket in his second straight game at starting quarterback after taking over for Mike Wegzyn. Doyle finished 20-of- 28 throwing the ball with one touchdown and no interceptions. He did only amass 133 yards through the air, as he was primarily throwing short passes to Tajae Sharpe and Rob Blanchflower, who played in his first game since last season on Saturday. His longest pass was only 10 yards, but he effectively saw what the Commodore’s defense was giving him and exploited it. He was also effective with his legs when he couldn’t find an open receiver. Instead of spending too much time in the pocket, he led the Minutemen with 29 yards on the ground. On UMass’ only touchdown drive of the day, he led the offense down the field for its longest scoring drive of the season on a 14-play, 75-yard drive, which lasted 6 minutes, 23 seconds. He went 6-of-7 for 33 yards on the drive, including a 4-yard touchdown pass to Sharpe, which knotted the game up early in the second quarter. He also ran for 15 yards on the drive and was aided by solid running by Lorenzo Woodley and Stacey Bedell and a pass interference penalty by the Commodores. If that Doyle shows up in Mid-American Conference play, and if he is helped by a more consistent running game, this offense could have some successful afternoons in October and November. But perhaps the most encouraging thing for the Minutemen after Saturday was the play of the defense. UMass held a Southeastern Conference team, which won nine games, including a win in the Music City Bowl, last season, to 239 total yards and 10 points through three quarters. The most significant achievement for the defense was holding Vanderbilt to 166 total yards on the ground after allowing an NCAA worst 323 rushing yards per game through its first three contests. The defense also kept the Commodores’ leading receiver Jordan Matthews at bay for most of the game before he scored a highlight-reel touchdown after he caught the ball on one side of the field and proceeded to run across the entire field, making multiple defenders miss and leaping into the end zone. By the time that Matthews scored, though, the defense was clearly gassed after trying to keep Vanderbilt at bay for so long. The defense was also not getting much help from the offense, which despite its clear improvements, only managed to give the defense seven points to work with. The Minutemen had multiple opportunities to put more than seven points on the board, but in what has been a recurring theme with this team, they couldn’t turn them into scoring drives, putting more pressure on the defense. UMass made it inside the Commodores 40-yard line three more times after the touchdown drive, but came up empty, including a missed field goal by Blake Lucas as time expired in the first half. LAST UPDATED ON September 30, 2013 UMASS FOOTBALL NEWS CLIPS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER It would be unfair not to mention the multiple injuries that the Minutemen had to overcome. The most significant of those injuries came when Doyle limped off the field with an apparent leg injury after he was hit on one of his scrambles in the third quarter. He was replaced by Wegzyn, who played well in relief, but once Doyle returned, the offense never seemed to get back in sync like it was in the first half. The offense was also without Woodley and Bedell at times in the backfield, and the defense was without defensive back Joey Colton in the secondary due to injuries. It’s hard enough to beat an SEC team with all of your players on the field after all. So the bottom line is that UMass played one heck of a football game on Saturday, especially for three quarters. They were effective on offense, especially on its longest scoring drive of the season. Doyle played well for a second straight game despite his injury, and he looks to have cemented his role as starting quarterback going forward. And the defense played well, especially against the run. If the Minutemen didn’t catch the injury bug, they might have even been able to make the game closer than it was in the end. But the offense still needs to work on converting on its opportunities, which will not only put some more points on the board, but also help out the defense. So UMass may have lost on Saturday, but the real losers are those who see the glass half empty. There’s nothing but optimism surrounding this game for the Minutemen. UMass makes strides By: John Connolly Boston Herald September 22 FOXBORO — The University of Massachusetts continued to experience growing pains as it makes the leap into big-time college football, dropping a “war of attrition” to visiting Vanderbilt, 24-7, in front of a Gillette Stadium crowd of 16,419 yesterday afternoon. But after consistently failing to keep games close against teams from top-flight conferences since jumping to FBS last season, UMass gave the SEC- dwelling Commodores all they could handle for three quarters and trailed 10-7. Vandy dominated the rest of the way, holding a 10:47-4:13 time of possession advantage and scoring two touchdowns to clinch its second straight win over UMass (0-4). Vanderbilt (2-2) increased its lead to 10 points when senior 6-foot-3 receiver Jordan Matthews (eight catches, 76 yards) caught a button-hook and raced across the middle of the field before athletically leap-frogging UMass defender Randall Jette at the goal line for an 11-yard touchdown with 13:44 remaining. On its next possession, Vandy compiled a seven-minute drive, covering 89 yards in 14 plays with redshirt sophomore Jerron Seymour (15 carries, 56 yards) cementing the deal with a 1-yard scoring run. UMass welcomed back senior tight end Rob Blanchflower (seven catches, 42 yards) for his first action of the season, but lost running backs Stacey Bedell and Lorenzo Woodley to injury. Fourth-stringer Jamal Wilson was UMass’ main back in the fourth quarter. “At the end of the day we lost the football game but I thought our team played very, very hard,’’ UMass coach Charley Molnar said. “We just ran into a string of injuries today and it was almost mind-boggling. We were just losing guys with ankles and feet, nothing major. We were trying to mix and match our offense, defense and special teams.’’ UMass sophomore cornerback Randall Jette halted Vandy’s opening drive when he picked off Commodores quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels with his third career interception. The Minutemen failed to capitalize when quarterback A.J. Doyle (20-of-28 , 133 yards) subsequently fumbled and Vanderbilt’s Adam Butler recovered. The visitors grabbed a 7-0 lead later in the opening quarter when Carta-Samuels hit Jonathan Krause (six catches, 105 yards) for a 42-yard score. UMass responded with its most successful drive of the season, marching 75 yards in 14 plays and consuming 6:23 off the clock with Doyle connecting with sophomore receiver Tajae Sharpe on a 4-yard TD hook-up in the second quarter. Vanderbilt, which held an 8-yard edge in total offense (239-to-231) through three quarters, wore UMass down in the final stanza, outgaining the Minutemen 167-17 and scoring twice, including the dazzling TD back-breaker by Matthews. UMass defensive line gets positive results out of switch back to 4-3 By: Daniel Malone MassLive September 21 FOXBOROUGH — Just as abruptly as it arrived, the University of Massachusetts football team's 3-4 defensive alignment was gone. LAST UPDATED ON September 30, 2013 UMASS FOOTBALL NEWS CLIPS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER After three weeks of disappointing results and lopsided scores, UMass coach Charley Molnar elected to make the move back to the 4-3 look the defense had used throughout preseason training camp and much of last season. The results, especially early in the Minutemen's 24-7 loss to Vanderbilt Saturday when players were still fresh, were largely positive. UMass held the Commodores, who came into the game averaging 32.7 points per game, to just 10 in the first half. The defensive line, which featured starters Kevin Byrne and Justin Anderson at end with Galen Clemons and Daniel Maynes at interior tackle, played stiffer than it had all season and and appeared rejuvenated by the change. In particular, the shift helped allow Byrne to make plays up and down the line of scrimmage, including a career-high nine tackles and a forced fumbled that ended a Vanderbilt drive deep in UMass territory. "The biggest difference is, at the end of the day, you have four big guys out on the field at all times. And that might be more of our strength to have those first four out there," Molnar said, adding that he does have some concern about not having enough capable backups to support the added down lineman. "But when those four guys are out there and fresh, the first four were pretty good," he said." Anderson, a much-hyped transfer addition from Maryland that had struggled to find his footing with the defense, liked what he saw out on the field Saturday. "The defensive ends enjoy that formation more because we can be on the edge. The defensive tackles like it more because they can go straight ahead and just play football," said senior lineman Justin Anderson, who finished with a career-high seven tackles, one for loss. "It was great being back on the edge, so I enjoyed it." Molnar said a number of factors went into making the switch back to the 4-3. "Some of it was just based on our available personnel. And as guys got banged up over the course of the last couple weeks, that was one major decision," he said. "Number two was the fact that some of the things that we wanted to do with our defense, some of the guys just weren't as effective with it as we believed that they would be. And then, number three, just the style of play that Vanderbilt used. So, it was really a perfect storm at the right time to go and use more 4-3 defense today." Certainly, the final numbers don't look great — 27 points, 406 yards and 23 first downs allowed. Sooner or later, Vanderbilt's high-octane Southeastern Conference offense was going to have its way against the Minutemen's transitional Football Bowl Subdivision defense. But any step in the right direction is a major improvement for a defense that's been lacking an identity. "We can definitely build upon it, " Anderson said. "Coach (Phil) Elmassian came into the locker room and told us that this is the foundation and we need to keep building upon it and moving up." Even with the change, however, the defense still generated little to no pass rush. Through four games, UMass has only two sacks, something that Anderson said is "eating us inside." "We really want to get (to the quarterback), so that's one thing that we are really going to be focusing on this bye week," Anderson said. "Coming out the next week we are just going to focus on getting sacks and working on the pass rush to get to the quarterback. We're doing real good against the run, you know, but we need to step it up and get some pass rush." Whether or not the move back to the 4-3 is a permanent one is unclear. With injuries mounting, Molnar wasn't quite sure how he'll approach scheming for the team's next game against Bowling Green on Oct. 5. "I think our health is gonna have a lot to do with it," Molnar said. "Not just the health of the defensive line, but also our outside backers have a lot to do with it. And even the inside backers because, at the end of the day, with a lack of inside backers, some of the outside guys have to move inside due to injury. So, we're constantly trying to evaluate those things as we go through our preparations." UMass downed by Vanderbilt in Rob Blanchflower’s return By: Nick Canelas | September 21, 2013 Daily Collegian FOXBORO – With the return of Rob Blanchflower and a change in defensive alignment, the Massachusetts football team initially looked reloaded on both sides of the ball against Vanderbilt on Saturday. But injuries to five different players, including a third quarter ankle injury by quarterback A.J. Doyle, who returned for the next series, and poor fourth quarter play ultimately did the Minutemen in. UMass hung around with the Commodores for three quarters on Saturday, but was overcome by a Vanderbilt offensive surge in the game’s final 12 minutes for a 24-7 loss in front of 16,419 at Gillette Stadium in the first ever home game for the Minutemen against a Southeastern Conference opponent.