3identity shift
Massachusetts: the fanbase's identity shifting.
Joe Harasymiak begins his tenure with a 0-12 losing record to confront — UMass is playing for the version of itself that gets invited to the conversation.
Massachusetts0-12Cautious optimism is building around UMass.
belief warmed ↑ 2.8vs prior week
Fanbase belief
Leaning up
57/100 · 53 mentions · top 28% of FBS
~ our readGrounding
running on emotion
0% cite a stat · 7% typical ✓ counted
~ our readVolatility
Chaotic
σ 37 pts
~ our readThe model
#138
CFB Zeitgeist · -13.4
✓ measured3Hope-Doping·Offseason
UMass spent nearly a decade as a homeless independent and just rejoined a conference — and the first season back, a winless one, was less a verdict than the price of finally having somewhere to climb from.
Standard GapA flagship research university with two FCS national titles vs an FBS pr…
Outsiders ask why UMass is even at this level — and the fanbase answers that running football at a flagship has always meant explaining itself to people who'd rather it disappear, and showing up anywa…
offseason · quiet
Roster Reload - UMass
2026 snapshot - 2026-08-06Returning Production76%High continuity
Talent Composite#118 nationally247 composite 488.7
Portal Additions22Primary repair: OT
Portal Losses19Primary pressure: EDGE
Draft Loss0No NFL Draft departures recorded
Recruiting Reload#116Depth class
EDGEin 4 - Andrew DePaepeout 5 - Marques WhiteDowngrade
WRin 3 - Randall Kingout 4 - Jacquon GibsonEven
current room: 194 lbs avg (2025 roster)
QBin 3 - William Watson IIIout 3 - Grant JordanEven
current room: 212 lbs avg (2025 roster)
LBin 3 - Kendric Councilout 2 - Rashad HenryUpgrade
current room: 226 lbs avg (2025 roster)
RBin 2 - Jordan Washingtonout 1 - Brandon HoodEven
current room: 196 lbs avg (2025 roster)
OTin 2 - Greg Knoxout 0Need Filled
Approaching
28 days
until kickoff · at Rutgers · Thu Sep 3 · 22:00 UTC
The experience
UMass is playing for the version of itself that gets invited to the conversation.
Offense: PoorRun/Pass: Pass-first, spreadDefense: Poor
Massachusetts Faces High Volatility with Balanced Portal Churn and Depth Class Recruitment
The team returns 76% of its roster but faces challenges in EDGE and OT positions, while recruiting ranks #116 with a depth-class reload strategy.
- Roster reloadMassachusetts has a balanced portal churn with 22 transfers in and 19 out, but faces a primary pressure position in EDGE and a primary repair position in OT.
- RecruitingMassachusetts ranks #116 in recruiting with a score of 166.97, indicating a depth-class reload strategy.
Data as of 2026-08-03
·
Validated against program evidence
UMass plays for the rung above itself. The off-season is where that gets built.
Massachusetts · the story right now
9 storylines developing
What Massachusetts's coaching hire is really about
the open questioncan a new staff change the trajectory?
coachingthis cycle~readnew
Joe Harasymiak inherits a 0-12 program with 76% production returning — UMass's fourth coach in five seasons now faces the task of proving its identity.
what happenedJoe Harasymiak took over as Massachusetts's head coach, replacing Shane Montgomery. ✓ fact
the contextthe program's third head coach in five seasons
narrative tension · our read
portal2025-06-15~readnew
William Watson III (QB) arrives at UMass as the headline addition in a top-2 MAC portal class — Harasymiak's first step toward escaping 0-12.
what happenedMassachusetts signed a top-62 transfer-portal class — 35 additions headlined by Brandon Rose (QB) from Utah and Grant Jordan (QB) from Yale. ✓ fact
the contexta top-2 portal class in the Mid-American this cycle
narrative tension · our read
program_outlookthis cycle~readnew
Massachusetts enters 2026 — top-quintile returning production contrasts with a 0-12 record, and Joe Harasymiak’s first season will define whether UMass reclaims the version of itself that earns respect in FBS.
what happenedMassachusetts enters 2026 rated No. 136 in 2025 SP+ (-36.6). ✓ fact
the contexttop-quintile returning production in FBS — 1% of production comes back
narrative tension · our read
identitythis cycle~readnew
Joe Harasymiak begins his tenure with a 0-12 losing record to confront — UMass is playing for the version of itself that gets invited to the conversation.
what happenedMassachusetts: the fanbase's identity shifting. ✓ fact
narrative tension · our read
garbage timethis cycle✓ factnew
Elijah Faulkner sees a real spike in usage once the game is out of reach, and his efficiency in competitive snaps sits below the position baseline -- the numbers lean on the opponent giving up.
narrative tension · our read
coordinatorsthis cycle~readnew
Joe Harasymiak begins his tenure with a 0-12 losing record to confront, as UMass plays for the version of itself that gets invited to the conversation.
what happenedMassachusetts: coordinator change reshaping a unit. ✓ fact
narrative tension · our read
garbage timethis cycle~attributednew
Donnie Gray: a garbage time merchant signal screened this season.
narrative tension · our read
garbage timethis cycle~attributednew
Jacquon Gibson: a garbage time merchant signal screened this season.
narrative tension · our read
coordinatorsthis cycle✓ factnew
Massachusetts: coordinator change reshaping a unit.
narrative tension · our read
How past storylines here turned out
AnsweredMassachusetts's head-coaching hire held for another season.
ReplacedMassachusetts's offensive coordinator spot turned over again the following season. See who's next →
The story
The Offseason Ledger · UMass
1 verified update · portal · recruiting · staff · news- Portal
QB Logan Inagawa transfer commits from Drake
Pioneer League quarterback to MAC — Inagawa is competition for the QB1 picture, not a presumed starter.
Transfer portal snapshot
+4.0 net portal points
(raw ledger: +13.9 — unweighted, no position adjustment)OT+6.8
need not filled
LB+3.6
RB+3.4
EDGE-3.0
CB+2.0
WR+1.1
LS+1.0
low confidence
IOL-0.8
QB-0.6
DL+0.3
S+0.1
Top 3 commits
2026 class
★★★☆☆
Aedan McCarthy
#1566 national
★★★☆☆
Terron Johnson
#1754 national
★★★☆☆
Kai Owens
#1846 national
Profiles like a typical incoming wide receiver — 15 of his 25 closest recruiting profiles since 2018 shared the Possession Receiver archetype.~our read · projection from recruiting profile — no college snaps yet
Market outlook
Season expectations
Win total3 booksO/U 2.5
CFP championship#129 in field+100000
MAC title#13 in market+8000
Sportsbook consensus · best odds across multiple books · 2026-08-06
UMass · Next-Season Outcome Band
UMass · Next-Season Outcome BandFloor / Base / Ceiling
Floor 3-9
Base 5-7
Ceiling 8-5
floor3-9No postseason.
base5-7No postseason.
ceiling8-5Bowl game.
Final-season-aware projection: floor / base / ceiling include conference title and CFP games where the model supports them, so a ceiling can exceed a 12-game regular season.
How the room reacted
Developing · Massachusetts · Coaching Confidence
The Joe Harasymiak era at Massachusetts: where it actually stands.
Joe Harasymiak took over as Massachusetts's head coach, replacing Shane Montgomery. It is the program's third head coach in five seasons. The hire has receded from the front page. The roster and recruiting pipeline are the real measure now. The discourse has moved on; what's left is the quiet work of building something.
The saga so far~7 months old
3 weeks agoWhat Happens After You Go 0-12? UMass Coach Joe Harasymiak is About to Find Out — Athlon Sports
Mar 6QB Logan Inagawa transfer commits from Drake — CFBD /player/portal
Jan 22Joe Harasymiak - Football Coach — University of Massachusetts Athletics
The cast who's driving the story · latest headline on each, attributed
Joe Harasymiak Head coach
“What Happens After You Go 0-12? UMass Coach Joe Harasymiak is About to Find Out” — Athlon Sports · 2026-07-10
Shane Montgomery Out
CFB Zeitgeist Read · our take
Joe Harasymiak inherits a 0-12 program with 76% production returning — UMass's fourth coach in five seasons now faces the task of proving its identity.
Next · what to watch
The obvious story is the marquee name; the non-obvious one is roster churn — a coaching change keeps a portal and decommit window open long after the introductory presser. Watch decommitments and portal moves in the next window — that's where this is actually won or lost, not at the podium.
Source of record: Joe Harasymiak took over as Massachusetts's head coach, replacing Shane Montgomery — the program's third head coach in five seasons.
How each room reacted — tap to expand
📣Believers0 bullish/hire items -- the case it's working.›
🧐SkepticsNo prominent dissent — the coverage runs one way.›
The 'show me the body of work' counter -- resume gaps, scheme fits, and 'not that guy' reads.
Nothing in our corpus yet — this door stays open for when there is.
💬The boards1 board mentions — too thin to call a stance. Board mood this week: mostly neutral · anger notable (32%).›
Only 1 of 553 board posts mention it — below our floor to call a community stance. Shown as texture, not a verdict.
"Football season is almost exactly one month away, and the Minutemen begin year two in the Harasymiak era in Piscataway, New Jersey. I plan on going to this game. What are the odds"
r/umass ~ fan take
Board health this week (56 posts): 9% positive · 84% neutral · 7% negative. Team-level weekly mood — not specific to this event. The boards ≠ the fanbase: a self-selected vocal slice.
Where it stands · Massachusetts · Transfer portal Confidence
Massachusetts went deep in the portal this cycle. Portal volume is the start of the story, not the verdict.
Massachusetts signed a top-62 transfer-portal class — 35 additions headlined by Brandon Rose (QB) from Utah and Grant Jordan (QB) from Yale. It is a top-2 portal class in the Mid-American this cycle. Portal pickups don't redshirt. The coverage sees this as a targeted, ready-to-contribute class built for snap competition, not depth-chart filler. The coverage reads this as a credible, targeted haul.
near-unanimous belief
where the takes land · dot = how loud
DOUBTBELIEF
Believers3 bull takes
💬 fans: 5% volume · mostly neutral
The saga so far~5 months old
Jun 19Sherrone Moore, Michigan land running back transfer portal commitment — On3
Apr 9UMass football reshapes defense with 2026 transfer class — Massachusetts Daily Collegian
Apr 2UMass football reloads offense with 10 transfer additions — Massachusetts Daily Collegian
Mar 6QB Logan Inagawa transfer commits from Drake — CFBD /player/portal
The cast who's driving the story · latest headline on each, attributed
Brandon Rose QB · Utah
Grant Jordan QB · Yale
CFB Zeitgeist Read · our take
William Watson III (QB) arrives at UMass as the headline addition in a top-2 MAC portal class — Harasymiak's first step toward escaping 0-12.
Next · what to watch
The non-obvious question after any portal class isn't who signed — it's who just lost their job. Depth-chart displacement is the untold second chapter: one starter-level arrival means a returning contributor is now competing or transferring out. Watch depth-chart competition in fall camp — that's where portal classes win or lose their billing. The boards are already there — one thread raises exactly this.
Source of record: Massachusetts signed a top-62 transfer-portal class — 35 additions headlined by Brandon Rose (QB) from Utah and Grant Jordan (QB) from Yale — a top-2 portal class in the Mid-American this cycle.
Where things stand — tap to expand
📣Believers3 bullish/portal items -- the case it's working.›
The 'portal class fills the gaps' believers -- upgrades at real positions of need.
“Sherrone Moore, Michigan land running back transfer portal commitment”
On3 · 2026-06-19 · read ↗
“UMass football reshapes defense with 2026 transfer class”
Massachusetts Daily Collegian · 2026-04-09 · read ↗
“UMass football reloads offense with 10 transfer additions”
Massachusetts Daily Collegian · 2026-04-02 · read ↗
🧐SkepticsNo prominent dissent — the coverage runs one way.›
The 'portal is a gamble' counter -- departure losses and the 'plug-and-play doesn't work' read.
Nothing in our corpus yet — this door stays open for when there is.
💬The boards5% of recent board volume — quieter than the headlines. Board mood this week: mostly neutral · anger notable (32%).›
This event was in 29 of 553 board posts (5%) over the last 60 days — engaged but not consumed. Fan text shown verbatim, attributed to the community not the individual poster.
"I'm an incoming transfer student, and I got an invitation to participate in the HFA Opportunity Scholars program. The website is a bit vague, and I can't tell what specific support"
r/umass ~ fan take
"So I'm coming in as a transfer cs student this upcoming fall and I'm really interested to join a club that would not only teach me skills and allow me to network with people but bu"
r/umass ~ fan take
Board health this week (56 posts): 9% positive · 84% neutral · 7% negative. Team-level weekly mood — not specific to this event. The boards ≠ the fanbase: a self-selected vocal slice.
Recent Form · last 10 games
Hibernating
Zero of five. Reset territory.
Streak L10Last 5 · 0-5Last 10 · 0-10
The forecast
Opens Sep 3
vs Rutgers · away
Season line2.5 winsover -190
PoorPass-first, spreadPoor
✓ fact on line · ~ our read on style
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
20
MA · 3NJ · 3CT · 2PA · 2AZ · 1CA · 1DC · 1EN · 1+6 more
MA leads the 2026 class with 3 commits. National footprint reaching 14 states.
Where they recruit · 2023-2026
53 signees across 22 states, 2023-2026. FL leads the pull.
Community pulse
No high-engagement r/cfb discussions tracked for this program in the last year.
National spotlight
6 games with TV coverage: 2 cable, 1 conference network, 3 streaming
Kickoff windows: 1 afternoon, 5 primetime
Fumble luck
62% recovery rate on the fumbles they've forced — well above the ~49% league baseline.
5 of 8 forced fumbles recovered; 5 of 12 own fumbles recovered themselves, 2025 only.
Takeaway conversion
15% of tipped/broken-up passes have turned into picks — about the ~19% league average.
2 interceptions of 13 disrupted passes (11 deflected, 2 intercepted), 2025 only.
Penalty battle
62 penalties committed, 56 drawn on opponents — a near-even trade all season.
497 penalty yards committed vs. 511 drawn on opponents, 2025 season total.
The Pulse on UMass
57
Δ +2.8 vs last wk
53
mentions this week · conversation velocity
What moved it — fall camp · last 14 days
Camp
Fall camp open — install + scrimmage cycle
ongoing
Kickoff
Season opener in 16 days
kickoff
"UMass plays for the rung above itself."
— UMass fanbase · recurring line
Fanbase Signals
Cohort Divergence0 pctSpread between sub-fanbase cohorts in the Pulse window.
The Fever Year
Position = mood · width = volume · color = the kind of feeling
Inside the fanbase — all 9 corners
Cr/CFB
GGoogle News
HHustle Belt
CCampus paper
BBluesky
YYouTube
One voice
+0.00whole-room sentiment · even our read
Every cohort from the die-hards to the analytics crowd lands within 0.00 of each other — a rare consensus. The loudest voice in the room:
HHustle BeltBeat · article
And with that, Hustle Belt comes to a close
hustlebelt.com →The room, end to end
skeptical
buying in
Casuals−0.01
Bettors−0.01
Cohort sentiment is a source-weighted model read — never a quote pinned to a person.
What this fanbase keeps coming back to our read · topic model
Topics are model-labeled from Reddit — a rough signal of what this fanbase is circling right now.
400 mentions · 6 sources · week 2026-01. Counts, sources and the divergence rank are measured (fact). Cohort labels and sentiment are a source-weighted model read (our read) — never a quote attributed to a person.
Belief checklight on evidence
~ our readMassachusetts fans are split right down the middle, with almost nothing concrete behind it yet.
backed by facts
the mood
✓ counted We read 56 posts from Massachusetts fans this week.
Fanbase divided: 56% believers, 44% skeptics
Fan opinions split nearly 50/50 right now · See all divided fanbases →
Five Lenses
What people are saying right now
The broader fanbase2 posts
News & campus coverage6 posts
Fanbase Health Index · UMass · high confidence
Fanbase Health Index · UMass · high confidenceStable (51)
DecliningStableGrowingSurging
On-Field — 0-12 (0% win rate)27
Volume — 1020 effective signal-N90
Cohort Engagement — Divergence 0.00 — quiet35
Key stats — 2025 — FBS rank
Points/game#137 / 138 · 1st pct11.1
Pts allowed/game#136 / 138 · 2nd pct38.6
Total yards/gm#136 / 136 · 1st pct247.5
Rush yards/gm#134 / 136 · 2nd pct82.4
Pass yards/gm#124 / 136 · 10th pct165.1
Yards allowed/gm#111 / 136 · 19th pct434.6
Rush yds allowed/gm#131 / 136 · 4th pct222.1
Sacks#129 / 136 · 6th pct13
Interceptions#123 / 136 · 10th pct4
3rd-down conv#132 / 136 · 4th pct30.7%
All 98 stats
Offense / Defense
Total yards
Team2970247.5/gm3.87/play#136 / 136 · 1st pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Opp5215434.6/gm6.38/play#111 / 136 · 19th pct#65 / 70 · 9th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#6 / 12 · 58th pct
Rush yards
Team98982.4/gm1.29/play#134 / 136 · 2nd pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Opp2665222.1/gm3.26/play#131 / 136 · 4th pct#69 / 70 · 3rd pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Rush carries
Team35229.3/gm#132 / 136 · 4th pct#68 / 70 · 4th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Opp52243.5/gm#128 / 136 · 7th pct#67 / 70 · 6th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Rush TDs
Team60.5/gm#135 / 136 · 1st pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Opp302.5/gm#126 / 136 · 8th pct#68 / 70 · 4th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct
Net pass yards
Team1981165.1/gm2.58/play#124 / 136 · 10th pct#68 / 70 · 4th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Opp2550212.5/gm3.12/play#37 / 136 · 74th pct#19 / 70 · 74th pct#6 / 12 · 58th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct
Pass attempts
Team41534.6/gm#50 / 136 · 64th pct#26 / 70 · 64th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct
Opp29624.7/gm#3 / 136 · 99th pct#1 / 70 · 100th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct#6 / 12 · 58th pct
Completions
Team22318.6/gm#95 / 136 · 31st pct#56 / 70 · 21st pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct#6 / 12 · 58th pct
Opp20016.7/gm#14 / 136 · 90th pct#4 / 70 · 96th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Pass TDs
Team80.7/gm#132 / 136 · 4th pct#69 / 70 · 3rd pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Opp292.4/gm#135 / 136 · 1st pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Passer rating
Team98.398.3#135 / 136 · 1st pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#10 / 11 · 18th pct
Opp166.2166.2#135 / 136 · 1st pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Interceptions thrown
Team90.8/gm#74 / 136 · 46th pct#33 / 70 · 54th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Opp40.3/gm#7 / 136 · 96th pct#4 / 70 · 96th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Sacks (def)
Team131.1/gm#129 / 136 · 6th pct#66 / 70 · 7th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct#6 / 10 · 50th pct
Opp332.8/gm#114 / 136 · 17th pct#57 / 70 · 20th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct#6 / 10 · 50th pct
Tackles for loss
Team403.3/gm#133 / 136 · 3rd pct#69 / 70 · 3rd pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#9 / 10 · 20th pct
Opp907.5/gm#129 / 136 · 6th pct#67 / 70 · 6th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct#9 / 10 · 20th pct
First downs
Team18615.5/gm#132 / 136 · 4th pct#69 / 70 · 3rd pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Opp27723.1/gm#111 / 136 · 19th pct#62 / 70 · 13th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct#6 / 12 · 58th pct
3rd-down conv
Team544.5/gm#124 / 136 · 10th pct#66 / 70 · 7th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Opp705.8/gm#75 / 136 · 46th pct#45 / 70 · 37th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
3rd-down att
Team17614.7/gm#48 / 136 · 65th pct#23 / 70 · 69th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct
Opp15012.5/gm#8 / 136 · 95th pct#4 / 70 · 96th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
4th-down conv
Team60.5/gm#131 / 136 · 4th pct#69 / 70 · 3rd pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Opp131.1/gm#58 / 136 · 58th pct#28 / 70 · 61st pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
4th-down att
Team262.2/gm#55 / 136 · 60th pct#30 / 70 · 59th pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct#6 / 12 · 58th pct
Opp191.6/gm#18 / 136 · 88th pct#12 / 70 · 84th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct
Time of possession
Team323:1226:56/gm#132 / 136 · 4th pct#68 / 70 · 4th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Opp396:4833:04/gm#101 / 136 · 26th pct#52 / 70 · 27th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Kicking & Punting
Field goals#125 / 135 · 8th pct9/15 (60.0%)
Extra points12/14
Punting#11 / 136 · 93rd pct46.5 avg · 69 punts
Turnovers & special teams
Turnovers
Team161.3/gm#65 / 136 · 53rd pct#26 / 70 · 64th pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Opp90.8/gm#6 / 136 · 96th pct#3 / 70 · 97th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct
Fumbles lost
Team70.6/gm#51 / 136 · 63rd pct#22 / 70 · 70th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct#6 / 12 · 58th pct
Opp50.4/gm#33 / 136 · 76th pct#16 / 70 · 79th pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
INT return TDs
Team10.1/gm#36 / 135 · 74th pct#19 / 70 · 74th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct#4 / 10 · 70th pct
Opp00.0/gm#1 / 136 · 100th pct#1 / 70 · 100th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct
INT return yards
Team867.2/gm#91 / 136 · 34th pct#44 / 70 · 39th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct#8 / 11 · 36th pct
Opp746.2/gm#42 / 136 · 70th pct#22 / 70 · 70th pct#6 / 12 · 58th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct
Punt ret yds
Team433.6/gm#126 / 136 · 8th pct#67 / 70 · 6th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Opp35229.3/gm#131 / 136 · 4th pct#68 / 70 · 4th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Punt ret TDs
Team00.0/gm#43 / 135 · 69th pct#23 / 70 · 69th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct#3 / 10 · 80th pct
Opp10.1/gm#97 / 135 · 29th pct#52 / 70 · 27th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct#4 / 10 · 70th pct
Kick ret yds
Team16013.3/gm#131 / 136 · 4th pct#68 / 70 · 4th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct
Opp56246.8/gm#106 / 136 · 23rd pct#61 / 70 · 14th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct
Kick ret TDs
Team00.0/gm#40 / 136 · 71st pct#17 / 70 · 77th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct#4 / 9 · 67th pct
Opp10.1/gm#97 / 135 · 29th pct#53 / 70 · 26th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct#8 / 10 · 30th pct
Penalty yards
Team49741.4/gm#120 / 136 · 12th pct#59 / 70 · 17th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Opp51142.6/gm#19 / 136 · 87th pct#13 / 70 · 83rd pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct
Other
Penalties (opp)#10 / 136 · 93rd pct#8 / 70 · 90th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct564.7/gm
Red zone pass rate#14 / 154 · 92nd pct#5 / 70 · 94th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct#4 / 11 · 73rd pct0.50.0/gm
Passes intercepted opponent#50 / 136 · 64th pct#31 / 70 · 57th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct90.8/gm
Fumbles rec (def)#71 / 136 · 49th pct#44 / 70 · 39th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct70.6/gm
Kick ret (opp)#80 / 136 · 42nd pct#49 / 70 · 31st pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct231.9/gm
First down pass rate#85 / 215 · 61st pct#30 / 70 · 59th pct#3 / 13 · 85th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct0.50.0/gm
Fumbles recovered#91 / 136 · 34th pct#48 / 70 · 33rd pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct50.4/gm
Fourth down go rate#94 / 138 · 33rd pct#46 / 70 · 36th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct#10 / 11 · 18th pct0.30.0/gm
Punt ret (opp)#100 / 136 · 27th pct#59 / 70 · 17th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct191.6/gm
Penalties#110 / 136 · 20th pct#51 / 70 · 29th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct625.2/gm
Punt returns#113 / 136 · 18th pct#62 / 70 · 13th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct100.8/gm
H2 epa per play opponent#118 / 143 · 18th pct#57 / 70 · 20th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct0.30.0/gm
Interceptions (def)#123 / 136 · 10th pct#61 / 70 · 14th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#9 / 11 · 27th pct40.3/gm
Kick returns#130 / 136 · 5th pct#66 / 70 · 7th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct90.8/gm
Recruiting rating#136 / 138 · 2nd pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#13 / 13 · 8th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct37.03.1/gm
H1 epa per play#137 / 162 · 16th pct#69 / 70 · 3rd pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct0.00.0
H2 epa per play#141 / 142 · 1st pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct-0.1-0.0/gm
H1 epa per play opponent#148 / 167 · 12th pct#69 / 70 · 3rd pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct0.30.0/gm
Situational
3rd-down conversion
Off30.7%#132 / 136 · 4th pct#69 / 70 · 3rd pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Def46.7%#132 / 136 · 4th pct#69 / 70 · 3rd pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
4th-down conversion
Off23.1%#136 / 136 · 1st pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Def68.4%#125 / 136 · 9th pct#65 / 70 · 9th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct
Turnover margin#112 / 136 · 18th pct#61 / 70 · 14th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct-0.58/gm
Sack rate (def)#121 / 136 · 12th pct#62 / 70 · 13th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#7 / 10 · 40th pct4.4%
Red Zone & Drive Efficiency (2014– , play-by-play derived)
Red zone trips
Team272.2/gm#128 / 167 · 24th pct#67 / 70 · 6th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Opp554.6/gm#159 / 166 · 5th pct#69 / 70 · 3rd pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct
Red zone score %
Team51.9%51.9%#156 / 167 · 7th pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Opp78.2%78.2%#83 / 166 · 51st pct#38 / 70 · 47th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct
Points / drive
Team0.70.1/gm#150 / 167 · 11th pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Opp2.80.2/gm#142 / 166 · 15th pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#6 / 12 · 58th pct
Yards / drive
Team32.72.7/gm#142 / 167 · 16th pct#69 / 70 · 3rd pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct
Opp43.03.6/gm#115 / 166 · 31st pct#56 / 70 · 21st pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Plays / drive
Team6.60.6/gm#72 / 167 · 57th pct#39 / 70 · 46th pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct
Opp6.70.6/gm#101 / 166 · 40th pct#44 / 70 · 39th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Three-and-out rate
Team23.6%23.6%#148 / 167 · 12th pct#69 / 70 · 3rd pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct
Opp9.2%9.2%#137 / 166 · 18th pct#67 / 70 · 6th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Scheme Identity (2014– , play-by-play derived)
Rush rate over expected#84 / 145 · 43rd pct#37 / 70 · 49th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct-1.8%-1.8%
Havoc rate
Team8.4%8.4%#136 / 140 · 4th pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct
Opp20.2%20.2%#135 / 140 · 4th pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Standard-downs success
Team38.7%38.7%#143 / 154 · 8th pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Opp53.6%53.6%#141 / 172 · 19th pct#67 / 70 · 6th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct
Passing-downs success
Team24.4%24.4%#136 / 153 · 12th pct#68 / 70 · 4th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Opp34.7%34.7%#124 / 149 · 17th pct#61 / 70 · 14th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Line yards / carry
Team2.12.1#141 / 143 · 2nd pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct
Opp3.63.6#148 / 155 · 5th pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct
Stuff rate
Team27.0%27.0%#140 / 143 · 3rd pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct
Opp9.8%9.8%#149 / 155 · 5th pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct
Power success rate
Team66.7%66.7%#88 / 137 · 36th pct#46 / 70 · 36th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct
Opp73.7%73.7%#96 / 141 · 33rd pct#49 / 70 · 31st pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Efficiency
Completion %
Off53.7%#133 / 136 · 3rd pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Def67.6%#129 / 136 · 6th pct#69 / 70 · 3rd pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Yards / attempt
Off4.8#136 / 136 · 1st pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct
Def8.6#131 / 136 · 4th pct#68 / 70 · 4th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Yards / completion
Off8.9#135 / 136 · 1st pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct
Def12.8#118 / 136 · 14th pct#63 / 70 · 11th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct
Yards / carry#131 / 136 · 4th pct#68 / 70 · 4th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct2.8
Yards / play#136 / 136 · 1st pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct3.87
Scoring margin#136 / 136 · 1st pct#70 / 70 · 1st pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct#10 / 11 · 18th pct-27.5/gm
FBS rankings · 2025 season · all stats vs 136 FBS programs
Player stats — 2025 season
Quarterbacks
| Player | # | G | Cmp/Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | INT | Rate | QBR | Adj ANY/A | Sack% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pocket Passer · -0.04 EPA/play | 8 | 10 | 107 / 216 | 49.5 | 957 | 4.4 | 4 | 4 | 89.2 | 29.2 | 3.3 | 6.1 | |
Yards by week → Pocket PasserBalanced passer who operates within the system, without one standout number carrying the profile. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. 97 of 183 QBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / attempt4.6 bottom 1th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Trait fingerprint Plays like our readthe one real worry is the accuracy — bottom 2% of FBS quarterbacks in completion rate. | |||||||||||||
| Pocket Passer · +0.03 EPA/play | 9 | 7 | 63 / 110 | 57.3 | 595 | 5.4 | 3 | 2 | 108.1 | 38.8 | 4.0 | 9.1 | |
Yards by week → Pocket PasserBalanced passer who operates within the system, without one standout number carrying the profile. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 97 of 183 QBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / attempt5.8 bottom 10th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts INT rate1.8% 73th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Trait fingerprint Plays like View Grant Jordan's full player page | |||||||||||||
| Pocket Passer · -0.06 EPA/play | 1 | 6 | 52 / 88 | 59.1 | 424 | 4.8 | 1 | 3 | 96.5 | 19.2 | 2.8 | 5.4 | |
Yards by week → Pocket PasserBalanced passer who operates within the system, without one standout number carrying the profile. 97 of 183 QBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / attempt5.2 bottom 4th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Rush yards / carry0.1 bottom 22th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Trait fingerprint Plays like View Brandon Rose's full player page | |||||||||||||
Running Backs
| Player | # | G | Car | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Stuff% | 10+% | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced Back · +0.01 EPA/play | 26 | 12 | 98 | 368 | 3.8 | 2 | 90 | 13.5 | 9 | 27.7 | 8.9 | 4.9% (18/366) | |
Yards by week → Balanced Back· Boom-or-bustPlays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension. his yards come in chunks — feast or famine Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 186 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / carry4.2 bottom 17th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Rush TD rate2.0% bottom 20th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Trait fingerprint Plays like View Brandon Hood's full player page | |||||||||||||
| Balanced Back · -0.00 EPA/play | 24 | 9 | 53 | 245 | 4.6 | 2 | 43 | 8.1 | 7.6 | 19.3 | 8.8 | — | |
Yards by week → Balanced BackPlays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. The most common profile in its group this season — 186 of 349 classified this way. Played in 9 of 21 games this season · junior View Rocko Griffin's full player page | |||||||||||||
| Balanced Back · -0.26 EPA/play | 23 | 10 | 40 | 114 | 2.9 | 0 | 14 | 2.8 | 3.4 | — | — | — | |
Yards by week → Balanced BackPlays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension. 186 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / carry3.8 bottom 10th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Rush TD rate0.0% bottom 6th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Plays like View Elijah Faulkner's full player page | |||||||||||||
| -0.02 EPA/play | 28 | 10 | 26 | 101 | 3.9 | 0 | 27 | 8.6 | 3.4 | — | — | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
Receivers
| Player | # | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slot Technician · +0.16 EPA/play | 2 | 9 | 63 | 616 | 9.8 | 0 | 50 | 16.7 | 24.6 | 27.6% (101/366) | |
Yards by week → Slot Technician· Boom-or-bustRuns precise routes in tight quarters. Volume player who keeps chains moving. his yards come in chunks — feast or famine All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. 97 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Reception volume63 94th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions TD rate0.0% bottom 8th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like our readAscending: his CFB Index score went from the 28th percentile among FBS WRs to the 72nd | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.23 EPA/play | 12 | 11 | 27 | 260 | 9.6 | 0 | 41 | 8.8 | 9.1 | 13.9% (51/366) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception7.7 bottom 7th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions TD rate0.0% bottom 8th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint View Donnie Gray's full player page | |||||||||||
| Complete TE · +0.45 EPA/play | 11 | 10 | 20 | 199 | 9.9 | 3 | 77 | 6.6 | 5.5 | 8.7% (32/366) | |
Yards by week → Complete TENo single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike. 177 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception6.8 bottom 12th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions TD rate15.0% 77th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Max Dowling's full player page | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.02 EPA/play | 7 | 7 | 16 | 144 | 9 | 0 | 21 | 8.3 | 8 | 5.7% (21/366) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception7.8 bottom 8th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions EPA / play (adj)0.0 bottom 4th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Jake McConnachie's full player page | |||||||||||
| Move TE · +0.54 EPA/play | 83 | 6 | 9 | 133 | 14.8 | 1 | 51 | 3 | 5.2 | 4.1% (15/366) | |
Yards by week → Move TELined up out wide as often as inline. Creates mismatches downfield. 34 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception14.8 86th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Reception volume9 bottom 14th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Reece Adkins's full player page | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · -0.08 EPA/play | 5 | 8 | 13 | 113 | 8.7 | 0 | 18 | 6.9 | 6.4 | 7.4% (27/366) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception9.7 bottom 17th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions EPA / play (adj)-0.1 bottom 2th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Tyree Kelly's full player page | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.18 EPA/play | — | 7 | 17 | 104 | 6.1 | 0 | 22 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 6.3% (23/366) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception6.8 bottom 5th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions TD rate0.0% bottom 8th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Kenyon Massey's full player page | |||||||||||
| -0.23 EPA/play | 14 | 8 | 6 | 73 | 12.2 | 1 | 27 | 4 | 4 | 4.4% (16/366) | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| -0.37 EPA/play | 86 | 5 | 7 | 38 | 5.4 | 0 | 16 | 1.8 | 2.3 | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
Defensive Line
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | TFL | Sack | Hur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two-Gap Base | — | 10 | 78 | 27 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. 388 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate1.3% bottom 8th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Derrieon Craig's full player page | |||||||
| 3-Tech Penetrator | 16 | 11 | 43 | 17 | 10.5 | 5 | 3 |
3-Tech PenetratorDisruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield. All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. 269 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate24.4% 85th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readUnranked recruit — top-quartile production against his own recruiting profile | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 9 | 10 | 42 | 18 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 2 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. 388 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate10.7% bottom 34th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View David Onuoha's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 1 | 9 | 35 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 388 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate0.0% bottom 6th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Malcolm Greene's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 49 | 9 | 32 | 8 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 388 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate1.6% bottom 9th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Shambre Jackson's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 11 | 10 | 27 | 9 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 2 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 388 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate9.3% bottom 29th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readBounce-Back: his CFB Index score shows a real arc: 68th percentile among FBS IDLs, fell to 45th, now back up to 73rd | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 29 | 8 | 22 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. 388 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate4.5% bottom 15th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Zach Farris's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 91 | 9 | 18 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. 388 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate0.0% bottom 6th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Shymell Davis's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 10 | 8 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. 388 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate0.0% bottom 6th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Zukudo Igwenagu's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 15 | 6 | 15 | 2 | 1.5 | 0 | 2 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. 388 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate10.0% bottom 31th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Aquan Robinson's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 90 | 7 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. 388 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate0.0% bottom 6th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Tim Passmore Jr.'s full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 33 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. 388 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate0.0% bottom 6th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Erik Hehl's full player page | |||||||
| 54 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
Linebackers
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sack | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced Linebacker | 5 | 11 | 97 | 34 | 63 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Balanced LinebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. 362 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume97 95th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles TFL rate3.1% bottom 19th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like our readBreakout: his CFB Index score climbed from the 11th percentile to the 69th among FBS LBs | |||||||||
| Balanced Linebacker | 44 | 7 | 69 | 20 | 49 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Balanced LinebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 362 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume69 74th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles TFL rate5.8% bottom 31th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like our readBreakout: his CFB Index score climbed from the 1st percentile to the 75th among FBS LBs | |||||||||
| Balanced Linebacker | 19 | 9 | 51 | 12 | 39 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Balanced LinebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 362 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume51 50th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles PD rate0.0% bottom 18th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Rashad Henry's full player page | |||||||||
| Sideline-to-Sideline | 30 | 6 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sideline-to-SidelineRanges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. 102 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Solo tackle rate0.6 77th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Donovan Dyson's full player page | |||||||||
| 52 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 22 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Defensive Backs
| Player | # | G | Tot | PD | INT | TFL | Sack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box Safety | 38 | 9 | 75 | 2 | 0 | 2.5 | 0 |
Box SafetyLives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 166 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume75 94th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Zeraun Daniel's full player page | |||||||
| Box Safety | 3 | 11 | 58 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Box SafetyLives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. 166 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume58 78th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Kendall Bournes's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 6 | 10 | 28 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. The most common profile in its group this season — 419 of 801 classified this way. Played in 10 of 21 games this season · junior · 3-star, 2022 class View Jeremiah McGill's full player page | |||||||
| Press Corner | 12 | 8 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Press CornerLong and physical; jams receivers off their route at the line. 43 of 270 CBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Height6'2" 87th percentile · FBS corners, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Brennen Bailey's full player page | |||||||
| Cover Corner | 24 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cover CornerSteady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play. 141 of 270 CBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate0.0% bottom 8th percentile · FBS corners, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Kamren Watkins-Hunter's full player page | |||||||
| 20 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 13 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 14 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 27 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Kicking
| Player | # | G | FG M/A | FG% | XP M/A | Pts | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steady | 99 | 11 | 9/15 | 60 | 12/14 | 39 | 53 |
Punting
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | Long | In20 | TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cannon | 98 | 12 | 69 | 3211 | 46.5 | 66 | 26 | 2 |
Net average is unavailable — CFBD's punting feed carries gross yards only, with no return-yardage or touchback deduction.
Punt Returns
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 84 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 1.8 | 0 | 5 | |
| Possession Receiver · +0.18 EPA/play | — | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0.8 | 0 | 8 |
2025 stat leaders
final
2025 stat leaders
1.
Tyler Martin
LB
97.0 tot (def)
2.
Derrieon Craig
DL
78.0 tot (def)
3.
Zeraun Daniel
S
75.0 tot (def)
4.
Timmy Hinspeter
LB
69.0 tot (def)
5.
Kendall Bournes
S
58.0 tot (def)
Roster
2025
23
players carry a qualified CFB Index Score this season.
David Onuoha
IDL
#63 of 330
Zeraun Daniel
S
#116 of 544
Marques White
EDGE
#129 of 420
Jacquon Gibson
WR
#157 of 485
Tyler Martin
LB
#205 of 583
Tim Grant-Randall
IDL
#126 of 330
+17 more
UMass · 2025 schedule & results0-12Balanced slateAverage opponent win rate 47% · 1 AP top-25 opponent on the schedule.
| Wk | Date | Us | Opp | Line | Opponent | Result | Record | Conf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 30 | #134 | #79 | +1.5 | Temple | L 10–42 128 | 0-1 | 0-0 |
| 2 | Sep 6 | #142 | #235 | -16.5 | Bryant | L 26–27 67 | 0-2 | 0-0 |
| 3 | Sep 13 | #165 | #31 | +35.5 | @Iowa | L 7–47 120 | 0-3 | 0-0 |
| 5 | Sep 27 | #162 | #17 | +44.5 | @Missouri | L 6–42 138 | 0-4 | 0-0 |
| 6 | Oct 4 | #166 | #78 | +12.5 | Western Michigan | L 3–21 129 | 0-5 | 0-1 |
| 7 | Oct 11 | #198 | #244 | +1.5 | @Kent State | L 6–42 141 | 0-6 | 0-2 |
| 8 | Oct 18 | #233 | #101 | +16.5 | Buffalo | L 21–28 143 | 0-7 | 0-3 |
| 9 | Oct 25 | #228 | #112 | +17.5 | @Central Michigan | L 13–38 143 | 0-8 | 0-4 |
| 11 | Nov 5 | #235 | #159 | +11.5 | @Akron | L 10–44 123 | 0-9 | 0-5 |
| 12 | Nov 13 | #248 | #203 | +9.5 | Northern Illinois | L 3–45 130 | 0-10 | 0-5 |
| 13 | Nov 19 | #263 | #66 | +34.5 | @Ohio | L 14–42 132 | 0-11 | 0-6 |
| 14 | Nov 25 | #262 | #194 | +14.5 | Bowling Green | L 14–45 121 | 0-12 | 0-7 |
Advanced box score (EPA, success rate, explosiveness)▼
| Date | Opp | Result | Yds | TO | TOP | EPA/play | Success% | Explosive% | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 25 | Bowling Green | L 14–45 | 292 | 1 | 27:25 | +0.119 | 41.5% | 114.4% | Blowout loss |
| Nov 19 | @Ohio | L 14–42 | 215 | 3 | 27:17 | -0.088 | 27.5% | 140.1% | Blowout loss |
| Nov 13 | Northern Illinois | L 3–45 | 262 | 1 | 26:19 | +0.036 | 36.2% | 124.6% | Blowout loss |
| Nov 5 | @Akron | L 10–44 | 169 | 3 | 24:47 | -0.061 | 32.7% | 94.4% | Blowout loss |
| Oct 25 | @Central Michigan | L 13–38 | 292 | 1 | 22:07 | -0.155 | 27.8% | 119.5% | |
| Oct 18 | Buffalo | L 21–28 | 306 | 0 | 25:40 | +0.154 | 28.3% | 179.4% | Most explosive |
| Oct 11 | @Kent State | L 6–42 | 271 | 2 | 30:31 | -0.148 | 32.9% | 103.0% | Blowout loss |
| Oct 4 | Western Michigan | L 3–21 | 260 | 1 | 27:34 | -0.215 | 32.8% | 108.5% | Season-low EPA/play |
| Sep 27 | @Missouri | L 6–42 | 124 | 1 | 21:17 | -0.070 | 23.5% | 126.6% | Blowout loss |
| Sep 13 | @Iowa | L 7–47 | 119 | 0 | 27:56 | -0.146 | 36.0% | 68.3% | Blowout loss |
| Sep 6 | Bryant | L 26–27 | 358 | 1 | 36:05 | +0.182 | 45.8% | 121.0% | Season-high EPA/play |
| Aug 30 | Temple | L 10–42 | 302 | 2 | 26:14 | -0.067 | 31.1% | 120.0% | Defense's roughest night |
| Season average (12 games) | 248 | 1.3 | -0.038 | 33.0% | 118.3% | ||||
How They Play · 2025
How They Play · 2025Massachusetts fields a struggling pass-first offense behind a porous, bend-don't-break defense.
Opponent-adjusted percentiles vs all FBS. Bar = where this team ranks — right is better.
Fourth-quarter reliability, corrected
UMass's 4th-quarter offense, before and after garbage time
Raw Q4 EPA/play ranks 0th percentile in FBS. Strip out snaps taken with a blowout margin and it climbs to the 0th — the correction is the finding, not a footnote.
Standard downs vs. passing downs
Does UMass hold up once the down-and-distance turns against them?
5th percentile success on standard downs, 9th on passing downs — little dropoff between the two — a schedule-independent identity.
View all FBS teams as a table
| Team | Standard-downs percentile | Passing-downs percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 82nd | 69th |
| Akron | 20th | 36th |
| Alabama | 47th | 76th |
| App State | 41st | 80th |
| Arizona | 54th | 54th |
| Arizona State | 40th | 37th |
| Arkansas | 90th | 97th |
| Arkansas State | 51st | 40th |
| Army | 37th | 44th |
| Auburn | 73rd | 24th |
| Austin Peay | 56th | 13th |
| BYU | 91st | 46th |
| Ball State | 5th | 3rd |
| Baylor | 70th | 77th |
| Boise State | 42nd | 63rd |
| Boston College | 56th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 10th | 17th |
| Bryant | 7th | 2nd |
| Buffalo | 29th | 20th |
| California | 25th | 66th |
| Central Michigan | 57th | 11th |
| Charlotte | 7th | 7th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 65th |
| Clemson | 49th | 34th |
| Coastal Carolina | 16th | 22nd |
| Colorado | 8th | 48th |
| Colorado State | 29th | 35th |
| Delaware | 66th | 31st |
| Duke | 82nd | 63rd |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 91st |
| Eastern Michigan | 46th | 67th |
| Florida | 52nd | 45th |
| Florida Atlantic | 44th | 61st |
| Florida International | 50th | 26th |
| Florida State | 65th | 90th |
| Fresno State | 22nd | 71st |
| Georgia | 95th | 69th |
| Georgia Southern | 64th | 84th |
| Georgia State | 22nd | 75th |
| Georgia Tech | 92nd | 89th |
| Hawai'i | 33rd | 87th |
| Houston | 61st | 29th |
| Idaho | 30th | 78th |
| Idaho State | 93rd | 14th |
| Illinois | 79th | 95th |
| Indiana | 97th | 98th |
| Iowa | 74th | 19th |
| Iowa State | 80th | 58th |
| Jacksonville State | 59th | 56th |
| James Madison | 77th | 52nd |
| Kansas | 99th | 82nd |
| Kansas State | 37th | 59th |
| Kennesaw State | 44th | 67th |
| Kent State | 15th | 5th |
| Kentucky | 62nd | 29th |
| LSU | 18th | 52nd |
| Lafayette | 0th | 12th |
| Liberty | 65th | 53rd |
| Lindenwood | 4th | 1st |
| Long Island University | 24th | 78th |
| Louisiana | 24th | 23rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 41st | 24th |
| Louisville | 84th | 32nd |
| Maine | 3rd | 18th |
| Marshall | 71st | 62nd |
| Maryland | 11th | 86th |
| Massachusetts | 5th | 9th |
| Memphis | 75th | 68th |
| Merrimack | 1st | 83rd |
| Miami | 80th | 64th |
| Miami (OH) | 33rd | 39th |
| Michigan | 73rd | 74th |
| Michigan State | 48th | 39th |
| Middle Tennessee | 69th | 47th |
| Minnesota | 35th | 33rd |
| Mississippi State | 52nd | 35th |
| Missouri | 76th | 50th |
| Missouri State | 32nd | 50th |
| Murray State | 1st | 6th |
| NC State | 58th | 71st |
| Navy | 95th | 72nd |
| Nebraska | 78th | 51st |
| Nevada | 17th | 16th |
| New Mexico | 38th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 16th | 33rd |
| North Carolina | 14th | 30th |
| North Texas | 100th | 97th |
| Northern Illinois | 9th | 5th |
| Northwestern | 48th | 88th |
| Notre Dame | 88th | 99th |
| Ohio | 69th | 76th |
| Ohio State | 99th | 99th |
| Oklahoma | 39th | 41st |
| Oklahoma State | 14th | 7th |
| Old Dominion | 72nd | 79th |
| Ole Miss | 83rd | 95th |
| Oregon | 93rd | 55th |
| Oregon State | 54th | 25th |
| Penn State | 76th | 73rd |
| Pittsburgh | 35th | 56th |
| Purdue | 46th | 88th |
| Rice | 20th | 0th |
| Rutgers | 71st | 84th |
| SMU | 50th | 57th |
| Sam Houston | 26th | 4th |
| San Diego State | 84th | 1st |
| San José State | 68th | 70th |
| South Alabama | 53rd | 28th |
| South Carolina | 31st | 8th |
| South Carolina State | 10th | 3rd |
| South Florida | 86th | 46th |
| Southern Miss | 27th | 38th |
| Stanford | 12th | 12th |
| Syracuse | 19th | 10th |
| TCU | 63rd | 82nd |
| Temple | 85th | 22nd |
| Tennessee | 97th | 81st |
| Texas | 27th | 61st |
| Texas A&M | 88th | 59th |
| Texas State | 60th | 93rd |
| Texas Tech | 45th | 65th |
| Toledo | 67th | 42nd |
| Troy | 18th | 27th |
| Tulane | 81st | 86th |
| Tulsa | 43rd | 43rd |
| UAB | 34th | 94th |
| UCF | 39th | 20th |
| UCLA | 28th | 48th |
| UConn | 96th | 37th |
| UL Monroe | 13th | 14th |
| UNLV | 78th | 85th |
| USC | 94th | 90th |
| UT Martin | 2nd | 41st |
| UTEP | 3rd | 10th |
| UTSA | 67th | 92nd |
| Utah | 87th | 96th |
| Utah State | 31st | 49th |
| Vanderbilt | 90th | 100th |
| Virginia | 36th | 73rd |
| Virginia Tech | 59th | 21st |
| Wake Forest | 21st | 31st |
| Washington | 98th | 93rd |
| Washington State | 61st | 44th |
| West Virginia | 12th | 18th |
| Western Kentucky | 55th | 80th |
| Western Michigan | 86th | 16th |
| Wisconsin | 6th | 27th |
| Wyoming | 23rd | 15th |
Halftime identity
UMass by half
1st-half offense ranks 16th percentile in FBS; 2nd-half, 1st — competitive snaps only, garbage time excluded from both halves.
Schedule mirage
How much of UMass's number is the schedule?
Raw EPA/play through week 21 is -0.04; 3rd percentile once opponent strength is stripped out, it's -0.02. The widest gap came in week 2: 0.06 raw vs. -0.01 adjusted.
UMass reads strongest in explosive plays allowed (top 8%) and rushing epa allowed (top 75%); the crux lives in epa / play, where UMass sits at the 0th percentile.
offense · strengths lead
defense · higher bar = harder to play against
hidden math · special situations
ELITE · 90+STRONG · 70+AVERAGE · 40-70CONCERN · 10-40BOTTOM · <10
Most Similar Programs · UMass
Most Similar Programs · UMassReads Like
MarylandTier 5 · Similarly-sized rosters up frontUConnTier 5 · Similarly-sized rosters up frontVanderbiltTier 5 · Roughly similar size up front
Static-attribute similarity across tier, archetype, conference, and voice. Not a prediction — a calibration.
Home-Field Advantage · UMass · 2018-present
Elite
21% home win rate vs 6% on the road. margin runs +16.4 better at home. Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium seats 17,000, averaging 62% full (10,605 attendance, 23 games reported).
Home9-32Away3-44
Positional competition · RB room
The carries are split. The job isn’t.
Brandon Hood and Rocko Griffin split the carries (100/157 vs 57/157) -- but the job isn't split the same way. Rocko Griffin produces in bigger chunks.
Brandon HoodRocko Griffin
Carries
the baseline -- every row below is tested against this split, not a flat 50/50
Targets
shared -- dots touch, this room really is a committee here
Top-5-carry share
concentration and EPA/carry agree -- a real boom/bust split
Screened 2 claims, 1 survived, 1 falsified
Positional competition · WR/TE room
The targets are split. The job isn’t.
Jacquon Gibson (WR) and Max Dowling (TE) split the targets (101/132 vs 31/132) -- but the job isn't split the same way.
Jacquon GibsonMax Dowling
Targets
the baseline -- every row below is tested against this split, not a flat 50/50
3rd-down targets
shared -- dots touch, this room really is a committee here
Garbage-time share
shared -- dots touch, this room really is a committee here
Top-5-catch share
concentration alone -- EPA/target doesn't corroborate, read with caution
Screened 3 claims, 0 survived, 3 falsified
What changed
UMass’s play-calling, before and after the change
Offense: Shane Montgomery (2024) → Mike Bajakian (2025)
The biggest shift: red-zone pass rate moved up 23 points. The rest held closer to steady.
1st-down pass rate
Red-zone pass rate
Defense: Keith Dudzinski (2022–2024) → Jared Keyte (2025)
The biggest shift: red-zone pass rate moved up 23 points. The rest held closer to steady.
1st-down pass rate
Red-zone pass rate
Venue texture
63°F average kickoff temp; 6% of games had measurable precipitation; 10 mph average wind.
Based on 64 home games with weather data.
The CFP Era
12 seasons inside the CFP era, no bids yet — the era the program is still trying to break into.
TRAJECTORY · quality-score line · AP rank dotted · CFP bids marked · coach regimes ribboned
Program Quality
AP Rank (inverted)
CFP Appearance
UMass's 2014–2025 record is 24-112. The era is still being written; the CFP line is the one the program is arguing for.
UMass – UConn
The Colonial Clash 10 meetings since 1899
Heat trajectory
Week-by-week rivalry heat isn't tracked yet for this matchup — check back as the 2026-27 season approaches and real fan-intel signal accumulates.
Fan Heat Index
Who's more worked up right now
Cross-fanbase rivalry sentiment for this matchup hasn't been measured yet this week — both sides show as neutral until real signal comes in.
UMass
Awaiting
UConn
Awaiting
UMass
—
UConn
—
THE LAST 5 · year-by-year
- L 2024 Loss recorded.
- L 2023 Loss recorded.
- L 2022 Loss recorded.
- W 2021 Win recorded.
- L 2019 Loss recorded.
All-Time Record
171-321-8
since 1882 · 90 seasons · .342 win rate
HOME
61-102-7
AWAY
61-200-1
NEUTRAL
49-19
1880s
1890s
1900s
1910s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
Program résumé
2Nat'l titles
10Conf. titles
1879Founded
The program, in full — read the essay
UMass went 0-12 in its first full MAC season back. The fanbase still showed up to McGuirk, still sang Rise as One, still answered the question everyone keeps asking about whether a flagship research university should be running an FBS program. The answer, as always, was yes.
The 1998 national championship — Mark Whipple's team, the I-AA title in its last year before the FCS rebranding — is the compass the program still navigates by. UMass knows what it looks like to win at the top of a level. The argument since the 2012 FBS move has been which level, and at what cost. Nine years as a homeless independent, playing road games that amounted to paid losses with no stakes and no standings, were the price of the ambition. The MAC return in 2025 was the first real structure in a decade.
The first season back was a winless one. Joe Harasymiak's debut year, 0-12, the program's bleakest record since making the FBS leap. But the framing matters: this was a roster being rebuilt from the ground up, a staff in its first year, a program playing real conference games for the first time since 2015. The floor was found. Harasymiak is back for year two with the same case every honest rebuild makes — the ladder is now visible, and the bottom rung is a conference win.
The 2026 question for UMass is not whether the program belongs in the MAC. It already answered that by rejoining. The question is whether the second-year roster can win the game that hasn't been won yet in this era — a MAC conference victory, the first step toward bowl eligibility, a height the program has never reached since going FBS. One win turns the story from endurance to progress. That's the only referendum that matters this fall.
How they play
Harasymiak's UMass plays identity-forward, grounded football at a small-stadium venue that creates genuine intimacy for a program structurally honest about the FBS revenue gap. The Minutemen are built through the portal and the walk-on pipeline at a flagship institution, playing for conference stakes the independent years never offered. The register is Pioneer Valley-specific: serious about the level without performing the part, allergic to being framed as a charming upset story.
Steady
UMass 2016–2025. Holding the line. The 10-year slope (+0.00 rungs / yr) doesn't tilt either way — the program lives at roughly Tier 1.
CFP Era · UMass
12 seasons on file
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
down middle peak CFP year
Season Standing · 2025 · 0-12
Season Standing · 2025 · 0-12FBS sub-.500
UMass: Below .500 in FBS play. The rebuild bar.
R0R1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9
Sub-FBSBuildingBowlRankedContenderPlayoff
Mid-American Standing · 2025
13th in the Mid-American
UMass is 13th of 13 in the Mid-American at 0-7. The path to the title is steep — the focus is on bowl access and rivalry wins.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Michigan | 7-1 |
| 2 | Ohio | 5-2 |
| 3 | Toledo | 5-2 |
| 4 | Central Michigan | 5-3 |
| 5 | Miami (OH) | 5-3 |
| 6 | Akron | 4-4 |
| 7 | Buffalo | 4-4 |
| 8 | Ball State | 3-4 |
| 9 | Kent State | 3-4 |
| 10 | Eastern Michigan | 2-5 |
| 11 | Bowling Green | 2-6 |
| 12 | Sacramento State | 0-0 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | 0-7 |
Coaching Era · UMass
Coaching Era · UMassJoe Harasymiak
Joe Harasymiak in year 2 of the rebuild. The methodology is taking shape.
Era Joe Harasymiak · 2025–presentPrev: Shane Montgomery (2024)OC: Max WarnerPrev OC: Mike Bajakian (2025)DC: Jared KeytePrev DC: Keith Dudzinski (2022–2024)
2
years · era
Rituals
Three gameday rituals — the ones outsiders never quite catch.
Minuteman Cannon
since 1972
Replica 1775-era cannon fired by the UMass Pep Band (the Power and Class Marching Band). The cannon connects the program identity to the Massachusetts Minutemen — the Revolutionary War militia the program is named for. Less famous than Texas's Smokey or Tennessee's tradition equivalents, but cleanly tied to regional history.
Power and Class (band tradition)
since 1880s
The marching band's nickname IS the program identity phrase — 'Power and Class' is what UMass calls itself when defining the institution against bigger-program comparisons. Distinct in that the band branding flows back to the football program, not the reverse. Smaller than Big Ten band productions; precise.
Fight Mass (fight song)
since 1970s
Sometimes called 'My UMass' — the fight song variations have shifted with conference moves (Yankee Conference → MAC → independent → Sun Belt). Less iconic than SEC or Big Ten fight songs because UMass football's conference identity has been less stable. The song persists; the affiliation shifts around it.
Sam the Minuteman
since 1972
Costumed mascot — colonial-era militiaman with tricorn hat and musket. Distinct from generic mascots because the figure references actual historical UMass identity (the state's Revolutionary War heritage). Sam's musket is a costume prop, not functional. The mascot was redesigned in the 2000s to look less aggressive — more historical-reenactor than menacing.
Flagship-First Identity
since 2024 (Mark Whipple return era branding refresh)
'Flagship' is UMass's branding for being the flagship campus of the University of Massachusetts system. Used in recruiting, signage, marketing. Frames UMass football as the football program that represents an entire state university system. Less a ritual than an institutional positioning the program adopted post-FBS-transition.
Program memory
What this program never forgets
Most weeks vanish. These didn’t.
The 1998 national championship
Whipple's UMass wins the I-AA title
2012
The FBS leap
UMass moves up to the FBS — ambition that traded a conference home for nine independent years
Heartbreak
Moment of the Year · UMass · 2025
Moment of the Year · UMass · 2025Lost 6-42 at Missouri
Week 5 of 2025. A reckoning loss — the data point the next season must answer.
Unit lineage
UMass’s offense and defense, by coordinator
FBS-relative efficiency percentile per season (2014–2025), same population as the Coordinator Mirror board. Dashed vertical lines mark a coordinator change.
Offense2014–2025
2020 · Angelo Mirando2022–2023 · Steve Casula2024 · Shane Montgomery2025 · Mike Bajakian
Hired for 2026: Max Warner — not yet reflected in on-field data.
Defense2014–2025
2014–2016 · Tom Masella2017–2018 · Ed Pinkham2019 · co-Aazaar Abdul-Rahim / co-Tommy Restivo2020–2021 · Tommy Restivo2022–2024 · Keith Dudzinski2025 (ongoing) · Jared Keyte
Elite (≥70th pct)AveragePoor (≤30th pct)
Chronicle Visuals
Among the most continuous rosters into 2025 — 76% back, anchored by the qb room, only offense to settle.
The portal upgraded the OT room but opened a hole at EDGE.
Massachusetts sits where recruit talent and draft yield largely match.
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