Colleges: University of Massachusetts
UMass, QB Doyle taking steps
September, 18, 2013
Sep 18
10:41
PM ET
By Jack McCluskey | ESPNBoston.com
The phone call went something like this:
“Hello?”
“Hi, do you know who this is?”
“Your voice sounds familiar, but I don’t really know ... ”
“It’s Charley Molnar, the new coach at UMass. I just wanted to let you know that you’re the first recruit I’ve called since taking over, and that our offer still stands.”
That’s how A.J. Doyle, the Minutemen’s new starting quarterback, remembers the call that ultimately led him to switch his commitment and pledge allegiance to the home-state school making the big leap to the FBS level.
Coach and quarterback first met at a camp in South Bend, Ind., when Molnar was still at Notre Dame.
“It was just a lot of fun,” Doyle said of the Notre Dame camp. “I could tell [Molnar] had a great knowledge of the game and was a guy I could learn a lot from.”
“I looked at him and watched him work and I thought he was a [Division] I-A quarterback,” Molnar said in his weekly MAC conference call. “He just wasn't the guy we were looking for at the time where I was. Certainly, it was a name that resonated with me.”
It resonated enough that Molnar followed up that initial call with an in-home visit, sitting down with Doyle and his parents to discuss the future at UMass.
The coach was convincing.
“I just decided it was the right place for me,” said Doyle, who finished his career at Catholic Memorial by throwing for 11 TDs and only two interceptions as a senior in 2011.
The 6-foot-3, 226-pound Lakeville, Mass., resident said UMass had a lot to offer.
“The opportunity to play quarterback,” he said, ticking off a few things. “The opportunity to stay in-state, where I’ve been my entire life. The opportunity to join a program making the move from Division I-AA to I-A.”
It all added up to reconsidering his previous commitment to NC State, which was bringing him in as a linebacker after filling its need at QB.
Molnar is glad he was able to keep Doyle home. He’s been needed, the coach estimating that Doyle played approximately a quarter of UMass’ snaps in 2012, including a start in the season finale. He finished 55-for-97 for 415 yards, three touchdowns and eight interceptions in eight games as a true freshman.
“He made progress through the year, but had an injury that hampered him through spring ball and the summer,” Molnar said. “Only over the last several weeks has he been able to hit his stride. He was able to get in shape and throw the football better.”
That, combined with a sputtering offense through the first one and a half games in 2013, led to the coach calling on Doyle at halftime of the loss to Maine in Week 2. He led a late scoring drive against the Black Bears, then got the start against Kansas State in Week 3.
When the Minutemen (0-3, 0-0 MAC) host Vanderbilt (1-2, 0-2 SEC) on Saturday (noon ET on ESPNEWS and WatchESPN), the first time UMass has hosted an SEC opponent, Doyle will be under center again.
Though the stats still are far from pretty, with Doyle finishing the 37-7 loss to K-State 21-for-31 passing for 186 yards and two interceptions (one a pick-six), Molnar believes the offense is taking positive steps.
“We had 17 first downs with pretty good balance, with seven rushing and 10 passing,” Molnar said. “We threw the ball better from an efficiency standpoint.”
The head coach was quick to point out that the two interceptions weren’t all Doyle’s fault.
“Things happen on the field that were beyond his control,” he said. “Obviously at the end of the day, the interceptions go against him, but there were other people involved in those. I feel like we took a step forward at the quarterback position and, all in all, our team is going to be in a good place going forward.”
Doyle’s first turnover was taken back 38 yards for a TD, putting the Minutemen in an early hole on the road in Manhattan, Kan. But the sophomore wasn’t deterred. He led the team on a 46-yard scoring drive to end the first quarter with a 7-6 lead.
Unfortunately, that was the end of the scoring for the UMass offense.
With just 21 points in their first three games, the Minutemen rank dead last nationally (No. 125) in scoring average at 7.0 points per game. They are No. 104 in passing yards per game (166.3) and No. 110 in rushing yards per game (95.67).
Clearly, there is room for improvement.
“I felt like there were some throws that I made that were pretty good,” Doyle said, “but there were a lot of things I can improve upon heading into this Vanderbilt game.”
Things like making his protection checks better, being tighter with his footwork and hitting open receivers more consistently.
“This is all stuff I can work on through the entire week in practice,” Doyle said, “so that when I get in the game I can say, ‘Now I’ve seen this in practice the entire week, here’s what I have to do,’ and just go out and do that.”
Molnar likes to say the Minutemen are pounding at a rock as they continue to work in Year 2 of the transition, and that eventually that rock is going to break.
“I honestly feel we’re just a play away from this exploding where we’re putting up 30, 35, 40 points a game,” Doyle said. “When that rock explodes it’s gonna be a scary thing and we’re gonna be a scary team to play against.”
That day may not arrive this weekend against a Vanderbilt team that has held its own in losses to two teams currently in the Top 25, but the Minutemen believe it’s coming.
Only time will tell if Doyle will lead them there, but Molnar believes he’s just scratched the surface so far.
“The best football for A.J.,” Molnar said, “is in his future.”
Jack McCluskey is an editor for ESPN.com and a frequent contributor to ESPNBoston.com. Follow him on Twitter @jack_mccluskey.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Orlin WagnerUMass QB A.J. Doyle hopes to lead the Minutemen to their first win of the season against Vanderbilt.
“Hi, do you know who this is?”
“Your voice sounds familiar, but I don’t really know ... ”
“It’s Charley Molnar, the new coach at UMass. I just wanted to let you know that you’re the first recruit I’ve called since taking over, and that our offer still stands.”
That’s how A.J. Doyle, the Minutemen’s new starting quarterback, remembers the call that ultimately led him to switch his commitment and pledge allegiance to the home-state school making the big leap to the FBS level.
Coach and quarterback first met at a camp in South Bend, Ind., when Molnar was still at Notre Dame.
“It was just a lot of fun,” Doyle said of the Notre Dame camp. “I could tell [Molnar] had a great knowledge of the game and was a guy I could learn a lot from.”
“I looked at him and watched him work and I thought he was a [Division] I-A quarterback,” Molnar said in his weekly MAC conference call. “He just wasn't the guy we were looking for at the time where I was. Certainly, it was a name that resonated with me.”
It resonated enough that Molnar followed up that initial call with an in-home visit, sitting down with Doyle and his parents to discuss the future at UMass.
The coach was convincing.
“I just decided it was the right place for me,” said Doyle, who finished his career at Catholic Memorial by throwing for 11 TDs and only two interceptions as a senior in 2011.
The 6-foot-3, 226-pound Lakeville, Mass., resident said UMass had a lot to offer.
“The opportunity to play quarterback,” he said, ticking off a few things. “The opportunity to stay in-state, where I’ve been my entire life. The opportunity to join a program making the move from Division I-AA to I-A.”
It all added up to reconsidering his previous commitment to NC State, which was bringing him in as a linebacker after filling its need at QB.
Molnar is glad he was able to keep Doyle home. He’s been needed, the coach estimating that Doyle played approximately a quarter of UMass’ snaps in 2012, including a start in the season finale. He finished 55-for-97 for 415 yards, three touchdowns and eight interceptions in eight games as a true freshman.
“He made progress through the year, but had an injury that hampered him through spring ball and the summer,” Molnar said. “Only over the last several weeks has he been able to hit his stride. He was able to get in shape and throw the football better.”
That, combined with a sputtering offense through the first one and a half games in 2013, led to the coach calling on Doyle at halftime of the loss to Maine in Week 2. He led a late scoring drive against the Black Bears, then got the start against Kansas State in Week 3.
When the Minutemen (0-3, 0-0 MAC) host Vanderbilt (1-2, 0-2 SEC) on Saturday (noon ET on ESPNEWS and WatchESPN), the first time UMass has hosted an SEC opponent, Doyle will be under center again.
Though the stats still are far from pretty, with Doyle finishing the 37-7 loss to K-State 21-for-31 passing for 186 yards and two interceptions (one a pick-six), Molnar believes the offense is taking positive steps.
“We had 17 first downs with pretty good balance, with seven rushing and 10 passing,” Molnar said. “We threw the ball better from an efficiency standpoint.”
The head coach was quick to point out that the two interceptions weren’t all Doyle’s fault.
“Things happen on the field that were beyond his control,” he said. “Obviously at the end of the day, the interceptions go against him, but there were other people involved in those. I feel like we took a step forward at the quarterback position and, all in all, our team is going to be in a good place going forward.”
Doyle’s first turnover was taken back 38 yards for a TD, putting the Minutemen in an early hole on the road in Manhattan, Kan. But the sophomore wasn’t deterred. He led the team on a 46-yard scoring drive to end the first quarter with a 7-6 lead.
Unfortunately, that was the end of the scoring for the UMass offense.
With just 21 points in their first three games, the Minutemen rank dead last nationally (No. 125) in scoring average at 7.0 points per game. They are No. 104 in passing yards per game (166.3) and No. 110 in rushing yards per game (95.67).
Clearly, there is room for improvement.
“I felt like there were some throws that I made that were pretty good,” Doyle said, “but there were a lot of things I can improve upon heading into this Vanderbilt game.”
Things like making his protection checks better, being tighter with his footwork and hitting open receivers more consistently.
“This is all stuff I can work on through the entire week in practice,” Doyle said, “so that when I get in the game I can say, ‘Now I’ve seen this in practice the entire week, here’s what I have to do,’ and just go out and do that.”
Molnar likes to say the Minutemen are pounding at a rock as they continue to work in Year 2 of the transition, and that eventually that rock is going to break.
“I honestly feel we’re just a play away from this exploding where we’re putting up 30, 35, 40 points a game,” Doyle said. “When that rock explodes it’s gonna be a scary thing and we’re gonna be a scary team to play against.”
That day may not arrive this weekend against a Vanderbilt team that has held its own in losses to two teams currently in the Top 25, but the Minutemen believe it’s coming.
Only time will tell if Doyle will lead them there, but Molnar believes he’s just scratched the surface so far.
“The best football for A.J.,” Molnar said, “is in his future.”
Jack McCluskey is an editor for ESPN.com and a frequent contributor to ESPNBoston.com. Follow him on Twitter @jack_mccluskey.
There’s been a change at the top of the UMass depth chart. Time will tell what difference it makes on the field.
A.J. Doyle will be the starter at quarterback for the Minutemen against Kansas State on Saturday (7 p.m. ET), replacing Mike Wegzyn. Doyle, a 6-foot-3, 226-pound Lakeville, Mass., native and former Catholic Memorial star, came into UMass’ 24-14 loss to Maine after halftime this past weekend and finished 7-for-17 passing for 67 yards and a touchdown.
The scoring strike came in the fourth quarter and pulled the Minutemen back to within 10 points after Maine had reeled off 24 unanswered. But it wasn’t enough to rally the team in its home opener at Gillette Stadium, as the Minutemen fell to their longtime FCS rival.
“We started off fast and went right down the field and scored in four plays,” UMass coach Charley Molnar said during his weekly MAC conference call. “We had a lot of confidence and what typically happens with teams who haven't won a lot of football games with a lot of young players is we just had small, individual breakdowns.
“It certainly hurt us offensively. It could have been anything from an errant throw to a misread by the quarterback to an offensive lineman oversetting on a defensive end. All those small accumulation of errors added up to a very poor offensive performance.
“Defensively, we played OK. At the end of the game, I think we were a little bit gassed and couldn't get the stop that we needed to get off the field and get the ball back to the offense to give us a chance.”
The Minutemen finished just 5-for-16 on third-down conversions, produced only 265 yards of total offense -- including just 64 rushing -- and turned the ball over twice. Certainly not the performance they were hoping for in the home opener, especially considering that the schedule doesn’t get any easier.
In Week 3, the Minutemen (0-2, 0-0 MAC) travel to Manhattan, Kan., to face Bill Snyder’s Wildcats (1-1, 0-0 Big 12). In Week 4, they host Vanderbilt (1-1, 0-1 SEC).
Then after a week off, conference play begins with a road trip to Bowling Green.
After watching tape of the Minutemen allowing Black Bears QB Marcus Wasilewski to outgain them by himself -- the senior going 20-for-28 passing for 267 yards and adding 10 carries for 76 yards and a touchdown -- the Wildcats may be licking their chops.
Through two games, the Minutemen have allowed 16 plays of more than 20 yards -- including six TDs from more than 30 yards out.
Molnar, ever optimistic despite the dreary results to date in UMass’ transition to the FBS level, said his message to his team this week remains a positive one.
“First off, it doesn't matter if we are playing Maine, Kansas State or anybody else; we go into each and every game with the objective to win,” he said. “Also, each and every player is trying to be a better player this week than they were a week ago. If we can get 11 players on offense and 11 players on defense to be better players, we will be better units and ultimately a better team.
“Our guys are in a good place and I think it would be real easy to get down, but our guys know their best football is ahead of them. Our trajectory is going up and they really believe that we are not too far off.”
Jack McCluskey is an editor for ESPN.com and a frequent contributor to ESPNBoston.com. Follow him on Twitter @jack_mccluskey.
A.J. Doyle will be the starter at quarterback for the Minutemen against Kansas State on Saturday (7 p.m. ET), replacing Mike Wegzyn. Doyle, a 6-foot-3, 226-pound Lakeville, Mass., native and former Catholic Memorial star, came into UMass’ 24-14 loss to Maine after halftime this past weekend and finished 7-for-17 passing for 67 yards and a touchdown.
[+] Enlarge
Mike McGinnis/Getty ImagesWith the UMass offense struggling, former Catholic Memorial star A.J. Doyle gets a shot at the helm.
“We started off fast and went right down the field and scored in four plays,” UMass coach Charley Molnar said during his weekly MAC conference call. “We had a lot of confidence and what typically happens with teams who haven't won a lot of football games with a lot of young players is we just had small, individual breakdowns.
“It certainly hurt us offensively. It could have been anything from an errant throw to a misread by the quarterback to an offensive lineman oversetting on a defensive end. All those small accumulation of errors added up to a very poor offensive performance.
“Defensively, we played OK. At the end of the game, I think we were a little bit gassed and couldn't get the stop that we needed to get off the field and get the ball back to the offense to give us a chance.”
The Minutemen finished just 5-for-16 on third-down conversions, produced only 265 yards of total offense -- including just 64 rushing -- and turned the ball over twice. Certainly not the performance they were hoping for in the home opener, especially considering that the schedule doesn’t get any easier.
In Week 3, the Minutemen (0-2, 0-0 MAC) travel to Manhattan, Kan., to face Bill Snyder’s Wildcats (1-1, 0-0 Big 12). In Week 4, they host Vanderbilt (1-1, 0-1 SEC).
Then after a week off, conference play begins with a road trip to Bowling Green.
After watching tape of the Minutemen allowing Black Bears QB Marcus Wasilewski to outgain them by himself -- the senior going 20-for-28 passing for 267 yards and adding 10 carries for 76 yards and a touchdown -- the Wildcats may be licking their chops.
Through two games, the Minutemen have allowed 16 plays of more than 20 yards -- including six TDs from more than 30 yards out.
Molnar, ever optimistic despite the dreary results to date in UMass’ transition to the FBS level, said his message to his team this week remains a positive one.
“First off, it doesn't matter if we are playing Maine, Kansas State or anybody else; we go into each and every game with the objective to win,” he said. “Also, each and every player is trying to be a better player this week than they were a week ago. If we can get 11 players on offense and 11 players on defense to be better players, we will be better units and ultimately a better team.
“Our guys are in a good place and I think it would be real easy to get down, but our guys know their best football is ahead of them. Our trajectory is going up and they really believe that we are not too far off.”
Jack McCluskey is an editor for ESPN.com and a frequent contributor to ESPNBoston.com. Follow him on Twitter @jack_mccluskey.
ESPN.com is breaking down the nonconference men's basketball schedules for each team in nine of the country's top leagues, including the Atlantic 10. Here's Myron Medcalf's take on UMass' foes:
MASSACHUSETTSCLICK HERE for the rest of Medcalf's analysis of the A-10's nonconference schedules.
Toughest: LSU (Nov. 12), Charleston Classic (Nov. 21-24)
Next-toughest: BYU (Dec. 7), Florida State (Dec. 21), Providence (Dec. 28)
The rest: Boston College (Nov. 10), Youngstown State (Nov. 17), at Eastern Michigan (Dec. 3), Northern Illinois (Dec. 14), at Ohio (Dec. 18), Miami-Ohio (Jan. 4), at Elon (Jan. 18)
Toughness scale (1-10): 6 -- With Chaz Williams returning, UMass could make its first appearance in the NCAA tournament in more than a decade. The team’s nonconference slate, possesses a few opportunities for wins that will impress the selection committee. The Minutemen will face LSU in just their second game of the 2013-14. A matchup against New Mexico in the second round of the Charleston Classic is a possibility (have to get past Nebraska first). BYU, Florida State and Providence could be interesting games to look back upon on Selection Sunday.
UMass set to host Maine in Gillette opener
September, 6, 2013
Sep 6
8:10
PM ET
By Jack McCluskey | ESPNBoston.com
Week 1 went pretty much the way it was supposed to.
The Minutemen went into their opener at No. 21 Wisconsin with realistic expectations, hoping for a win but knowing they would likely start the 2013 season with a loss.
They did.
“Looking back at the Wisconsin game, they were a superior football team,” coach Charley Molnar said in his weekly conference call with the media. “I knew that going in and our team knew that going in. We felt like we had to play a near perfect game [to win], and in our sport, it's really, really hard to do with any team, especially a young team, such as ours.
“Our guys played hard, we were disciplined for the most part, we had some foolish penalties, but our guys were somewhat assignment-sound. We just weren't able to make any plays, and it really cost us at the end.”
The end was a 45-0 loss, with the Badgers piling up 393 rushing yards and nearly 600 yards of total offense.
But then the Badgers were coming off a Rose Bowl appearance, while the Minutemen were coming off a 1-11 season in Year 1 as an FBS program.
Week 2 brings UMass’ home opener at Gillette Stadium (2 p.m. ET on ESPN3), with a familiar foe on the opposite sideline in the Maine Black Bears.
The UMass-Maine rivalry goes all the way back to 1909 and includes 58 previous meetings at the FCS level. The 59th meeting will be the first time the teams play with UMass at the Division I level.
“I'm sure this game is awfully important to them, and we're going to have to bring our very, very best in order to win the game, there's no doubt about it,” Molnar said.
Maine opened the season with a 23-6 win at Norfolk State. Quarterback Marcus Wasilewski had 209 yards passing -- including an 85-yard TD toss to Zedric Joseph -- and 54 yards rushing in the win.
“As far as their ability to control the football, I think we are going have to make some turnovers, more than we did this past game, in order to upset their rhythm,” Molnar said of the Maine offense.
But the Black Bears’ defense got more attention from the UMass boss.
“I think watching their defense, they run a number of different pressures and coverage schemes. So, they keep your quarterback busy all afternoon,” Molnar said. “I think that they are aggressive on defense with lots of different looks that they like to use. I think it's going be a real challenge for us offensively.”
That means the Minutemen need more from starting QB Mike Wegzyn, who finished 9-for-23 passing for 73 yards and one interception against Wisconsin.
“For the most part, he took what the defense gave him,” Molnar said of Wegzyn’s day in Camp Randall. “There were some plays where I think he would've liked to have had them back. There was some tight coverage and he tried to get the ball in there -- where he had time and could've moved on to his next receiver.
“For the most part, he played poised and I thought he took a step up from some other games that he played last year.”
While the competition won’t be anywhere near as tough as it was in Week 1, the Minutemen will have to step up their game in Week 2 to prove to their fans that they’re ready to make Year 2 better than Year 1.
Jack McCluskey is an editor for ESPN.com and a frequent contributor to ESPNBoston.com. Follow him on Twitter @jack_mccluskey.
The Minutemen went into their opener at No. 21 Wisconsin with realistic expectations, hoping for a win but knowing they would likely start the 2013 season with a loss.
They did.
“Looking back at the Wisconsin game, they were a superior football team,” coach Charley Molnar said in his weekly conference call with the media. “I knew that going in and our team knew that going in. We felt like we had to play a near perfect game [to win], and in our sport, it's really, really hard to do with any team, especially a young team, such as ours.
“Our guys played hard, we were disciplined for the most part, we had some foolish penalties, but our guys were somewhat assignment-sound. We just weren't able to make any plays, and it really cost us at the end.”
The end was a 45-0 loss, with the Badgers piling up 393 rushing yards and nearly 600 yards of total offense.
But then the Badgers were coming off a Rose Bowl appearance, while the Minutemen were coming off a 1-11 season in Year 1 as an FBS program.
Week 2 brings UMass’ home opener at Gillette Stadium (2 p.m. ET on ESPN3), with a familiar foe on the opposite sideline in the Maine Black Bears.
The UMass-Maine rivalry goes all the way back to 1909 and includes 58 previous meetings at the FCS level. The 59th meeting will be the first time the teams play with UMass at the Division I level.
“I'm sure this game is awfully important to them, and we're going to have to bring our very, very best in order to win the game, there's no doubt about it,” Molnar said.
Maine opened the season with a 23-6 win at Norfolk State. Quarterback Marcus Wasilewski had 209 yards passing -- including an 85-yard TD toss to Zedric Joseph -- and 54 yards rushing in the win.
“As far as their ability to control the football, I think we are going have to make some turnovers, more than we did this past game, in order to upset their rhythm,” Molnar said of the Maine offense.
But the Black Bears’ defense got more attention from the UMass boss.
“I think watching their defense, they run a number of different pressures and coverage schemes. So, they keep your quarterback busy all afternoon,” Molnar said. “I think that they are aggressive on defense with lots of different looks that they like to use. I think it's going be a real challenge for us offensively.”
That means the Minutemen need more from starting QB Mike Wegzyn, who finished 9-for-23 passing for 73 yards and one interception against Wisconsin.
“For the most part, he took what the defense gave him,” Molnar said of Wegzyn’s day in Camp Randall. “There were some plays where I think he would've liked to have had them back. There was some tight coverage and he tried to get the ball in there -- where he had time and could've moved on to his next receiver.
“For the most part, he played poised and I thought he took a step up from some other games that he played last year.”
While the competition won’t be anywhere near as tough as it was in Week 1, the Minutemen will have to step up their game in Week 2 to prove to their fans that they’re ready to make Year 2 better than Year 1.
Jack McCluskey is an editor for ESPN.com and a frequent contributor to ESPNBoston.com. Follow him on Twitter @jack_mccluskey.
UMass heavy underdog at Wisconsin
August, 30, 2013
Aug 30
10:45
AM ET
By Jack McCluskey | ESPNBoston.com
The odds are against them. Heavily.
When the Minutemen kick off the 2013 season, Year 2 at the FBS level for coach Charley Molnar & Co., it will be as a massive underdog to No. 23 Wisconsin.
Most betting lines have the Badgers pegged as about a 45-point favorite, playing at home Saturday (noon ET) in Camp Randall Stadium. And considering the Minutemen got throttled by 50 the last time they played a top-tier Big Ten team (a 63-13 loss to Michigan at the Big House in Week 3 last season), that doesn’t seem an outlandish number.
But that won’t stop Molnar from spreading an optimistic message about the upcoming season.
“Going into our first game, we are a more confident team than we were a year ago,” he said Monday, according to a transcript of his weekly MAC conference call. ”We are playing harder and playing together. We are still young in several spots and will play a lot of true freshmen again this year just like last season, but I see good things coming up.”
The Minutemen return 17 starters from last season, including quarterback Mike Wegzyn, tight end Rob Blanchflower (the team’s captain) and left tackle Anthony Dima (an Outland Trophy watch list member) on offense.
However, Blanchflower and would-be starting running back Jordan Broadnax will miss the Wisconsin game with injuries. Michigan transfer Ricardo Miller will step in for Blanchflower, with Stacey Bedell taking the place of Broadnax.
Perhaps the biggest challenge the Minutemen face will be on defense, where in 2012 they struggled to stop the run (ranking 117th out of 124 FBS schools in rushing yards allowed per game at 224.75). That just so happens to be Wisconsin’s greatest strength, as the Badgers finished 13th in the country in rushing yardage per game at 236.36.
So while it’s a long shot at best, Molnar isn’t setting his sights on anything but a win in Week 1.
“It's to go out there to win a football game,” he said of the team’s mindset against Wisconsin. “We're certainly not going out there with any other thought in mind. We are going out there to play our very best and play as close to perfect football as we can.
“They are awfully good -- they’ve been to the last three Rose Bowls, so it's certainly a great program. We're going to give them our best shot and I certainly think that our guys are going to step up to that challenge.”
Jack McCluskey is an editor for ESPN.com and a frequent contributor to ESPNBoston.com. Follow him on Twitter @jack_mccluskey.
When the Minutemen kick off the 2013 season, Year 2 at the FBS level for coach Charley Molnar & Co., it will be as a massive underdog to No. 23 Wisconsin.
Most betting lines have the Badgers pegged as about a 45-point favorite, playing at home Saturday (noon ET) in Camp Randall Stadium. And considering the Minutemen got throttled by 50 the last time they played a top-tier Big Ten team (a 63-13 loss to Michigan at the Big House in Week 3 last season), that doesn’t seem an outlandish number.
But that won’t stop Molnar from spreading an optimistic message about the upcoming season.
“Going into our first game, we are a more confident team than we were a year ago,” he said Monday, according to a transcript of his weekly MAC conference call. ”We are playing harder and playing together. We are still young in several spots and will play a lot of true freshmen again this year just like last season, but I see good things coming up.”
The Minutemen return 17 starters from last season, including quarterback Mike Wegzyn, tight end Rob Blanchflower (the team’s captain) and left tackle Anthony Dima (an Outland Trophy watch list member) on offense.
However, Blanchflower and would-be starting running back Jordan Broadnax will miss the Wisconsin game with injuries. Michigan transfer Ricardo Miller will step in for Blanchflower, with Stacey Bedell taking the place of Broadnax.
Perhaps the biggest challenge the Minutemen face will be on defense, where in 2012 they struggled to stop the run (ranking 117th out of 124 FBS schools in rushing yards allowed per game at 224.75). That just so happens to be Wisconsin’s greatest strength, as the Badgers finished 13th in the country in rushing yardage per game at 236.36.
So while it’s a long shot at best, Molnar isn’t setting his sights on anything but a win in Week 1.
“It's to go out there to win a football game,” he said of the team’s mindset against Wisconsin. “We're certainly not going out there with any other thought in mind. We are going out there to play our very best and play as close to perfect football as we can.
“They are awfully good -- they’ve been to the last three Rose Bowls, so it's certainly a great program. We're going to give them our best shot and I certainly think that our guys are going to step up to that challenge.”
Jack McCluskey is an editor for ESPN.com and a frequent contributor to ESPNBoston.com. Follow him on Twitter @jack_mccluskey.
UMass picked to finish last in MAC
July, 23, 2013
Jul 23
8:53
PM ET
By Jack McCluskey | ESPNBoston.com
Coming off a 1-11 debut season at the Football Bowl Subdivision level in 2012, perhaps it’s no surprise that UMass again has been picked to finish at the bottom of the Mid-American Conference in 2013.
The Minutemen received just 29 points in the voting by media members in attendance at MAC media day in Detroit on Tuesday, finishing seventh and last in the East Division and tying Eastern Michigan (sixth and last in the West Division) for fewest total points.
Ohio, with 15 first-place votes and 164 points, was chosen to win the East, while Northern Illinois, with 16 first-place votes and 138 points, was chosen to win the West. Northern Illinois, which returns 16 starters from the team that went to the Discover Orange Bowl after a 12-2 season that included an 8-0 conference mark, received 14 of 25 votes to win the MAC title game.
Toledo and Ohio were tied for second with three votes each to win the MAC title game.
UMass coach Charley Molnar knows his team still will be young and inexperienced in 2013, but he believes the Minutemen in Year 2 are “light years” ahead of where they were in Year 1. The only team that UMass beat in Year 1, Akron, also finished the season with a 1-11 record.
The Zips, coincidentally, were picked to finish sixth in the East, one spot ahead of the Minutemen.
The full results of the voting, with first-place votes in parentheses, are as follows:
East Division
1. Ohio (15) 164
2. Bowling Green (8) 154
3. Kent State (1) 119
4. Buffalo (1) 101
5. Miami 78
6. Akron 53
7. UMass 29
West Division
1. Northern Illinois (16) 138
2. Toledo (5) 122
3. Ball State (3) 108
4. Central Michigan (1) 67
5. Western Michigan 61
6. Eastern Michigan 29
The Minutemen received just 29 points in the voting by media members in attendance at MAC media day in Detroit on Tuesday, finishing seventh and last in the East Division and tying Eastern Michigan (sixth and last in the West Division) for fewest total points.
Ohio, with 15 first-place votes and 164 points, was chosen to win the East, while Northern Illinois, with 16 first-place votes and 138 points, was chosen to win the West. Northern Illinois, which returns 16 starters from the team that went to the Discover Orange Bowl after a 12-2 season that included an 8-0 conference mark, received 14 of 25 votes to win the MAC title game.
Toledo and Ohio were tied for second with three votes each to win the MAC title game.
UMass coach Charley Molnar knows his team still will be young and inexperienced in 2013, but he believes the Minutemen in Year 2 are “light years” ahead of where they were in Year 1. The only team that UMass beat in Year 1, Akron, also finished the season with a 1-11 record.
The Zips, coincidentally, were picked to finish sixth in the East, one spot ahead of the Minutemen.
The full results of the voting, with first-place votes in parentheses, are as follows:
East Division
1. Ohio (15) 164
2. Bowling Green (8) 154
3. Kent State (1) 119
4. Buffalo (1) 101
5. Miami 78
6. Akron 53
7. UMass 29
West Division
1. Northern Illinois (16) 138
2. Toledo (5) 122
3. Ball State (3) 108
4. Central Michigan (1) 67
5. Western Michigan 61
6. Eastern Michigan 29
BC's Freese, UMass' Johnson on watch lists
July, 10, 2013
Jul 10
8:07
PM ET
By Jack McCluskey | ESPNBoston.com
Though both Boston College and UMass struggled in 2012, it wasn’t all bad for the Eagles and Minutemen. Amidst the wreckage were some standout performances, ones capable of giving hope to beleaguered fan bases.
Two of those performances got a couple of specialists some recognition on Wednesday, as Nate Freese and Colter Johnson were named to the watch lists for the Lou Groza and Ray Guy awards, respectively.
Freese, a rising senior for BC, was one of the most accurate field goal kickers in the country, finishing 18-for-20 on field goals (.900). He enters 2013 tied for third nationally in field goals per game, at 1.4.
Johnson, a rising senior for UMass, led the MAC in punting average at 43.6 yards per kick. The 6-foot-4, 200-pounder had 66 punts for 2,880 yards as the Minutemen went 1-11 in their debut season in the FBS.
Freese is one of 30 kickers, including four from the ACC, on the Groza award watch list; Johnson is one of 25 punters on the Guy award watch list.
And while their production in 2012 got them this far, it’s a safe bet that both would trade some of their individual opportunities for more team wins in 2013.
Two of those performances got a couple of specialists some recognition on Wednesday, as Nate Freese and Colter Johnson were named to the watch lists for the Lou Groza and Ray Guy awards, respectively.
Freese, a rising senior for BC, was one of the most accurate field goal kickers in the country, finishing 18-for-20 on field goals (.900). He enters 2013 tied for third nationally in field goals per game, at 1.4.
Johnson, a rising senior for UMass, led the MAC in punting average at 43.6 yards per kick. The 6-foot-4, 200-pounder had 66 punts for 2,880 yards as the Minutemen went 1-11 in their debut season in the FBS.
Freese is one of 30 kickers, including four from the ACC, on the Groza award watch list; Johnson is one of 25 punters on the Guy award watch list.
And while their production in 2012 got them this far, it’s a safe bet that both would trade some of their individual opportunities for more team wins in 2013.
UMass football tries to drum up enthusiasm
May, 22, 2013
May 22
9:20
PM ET
By Jack McCluskey | ESPNBoston.com
The spring session completed, University of Massachusetts football coach Charley Molnar can now turn his full attention to recruiting.
But instead of future players, Molnar and the Minutemen are setting their sights on future fans. The school has planned events in the Greater Boston area and Western Mass. through June, hoping to drum up enthusiasm about UMass football at the FBS level headed into Year 2.
Molnar knows it’ll be a hard sell after his program went 1-11 in Year 1 in the Mid-American Conference.
“I think we’re light years ahead of where we were a year ago as a football team,” Molnar said by phone Wednesday. “We still have some areas of concern. The biggest thing now is lack of depth at certain positions.”
The head coach pointed to offensive line and wide receiver as two trouble spots. Molnar said he usually likes to have between 12 and 14 wideouts on the roster, with 10 or 11 of those players on scholarship. At the moment, he said, the latter number is more like 7 or 8.
“I can’t create depth overnight,” he said. “We’re going to have to play young players at a lot of positions again this year.”
That includes the O-line, a clear position of need for the Minutemen after they struggled to both run the ball and protect the quarterback consistently in 2012.
“The improvement was good, the depth again is an area of concern,” Molnar said of the offensive line. “You’re talking about an influx of new football players at that position. How many guys are going to be ready to be quality backups remains to be seen.”
The Minutemen haven’t added just players, bringing in four new coaches in the offseason (including the first strength and conditioning coach dedicated solely to football in the school’s history). It’s all geared toward reaching two goals: success on the field and in the stands.
UMass averaged 10,902 fans at its five home games in 2012, down from more than 13,000 in its last FCS season in 2011. Two of the five games at Gillette Stadium drew fewer than 10,000 fans, with a low of 6,385 in the season-closing loss to Central Michigan.
Molnar said people, recruits and fans alike, have been receptive to UMass. And he expects the more than $34 million construction project underway at McGuirk Stadium, upgrading the facility to meet MAC standards and building a new “performance center” to house the football locker room, weight room and coaches offices under one roof, to enhance the Minutemen’s status going forward.
“Right now our facilities would have to rank at the very, very bottom of 1-A football,” he said. “A year from now our facilities will be at the top of mid-major football and better than what many BCS programs have to offer.”
But even with gleaming new digs, there’s no guarantee the product on the field will look a whole lot better in 2013.
“On the inside looking out we could see a lot of signs of progress that fans in the stands couldn’t see,” Molnar said. “The fans only understand wins and losses. … We’ve certainly closed the gap. I wouldn’t say we’ve arrived by any stretch of the imagination.”
When you’re trying to build a program, and a fan base, from the ground up, perspective is important.
“As a fan they’ll look at wins and losses, and so will I,” Molnar said.
But for now, progress will be measured in smaller increments than that.
“Do we turn the ball over less?” the coach said. “Do we have fewer pre-snap fouls? False starts. Illegal formations and substitutions. These are things that go wrong before the ball’s ever snapped. Let’s just get the ball snapped and go from there.”
Jack McCluskey is an editor for ESPN.com and a frequent contributor to ESPNBoston.com. Follow him on Twitter @jack_mccluskey.
But instead of future players, Molnar and the Minutemen are setting their sights on future fans. The school has planned events in the Greater Boston area and Western Mass. through June, hoping to drum up enthusiasm about UMass football at the FBS level headed into Year 2.
Molnar knows it’ll be a hard sell after his program went 1-11 in Year 1 in the Mid-American Conference.
[+] Enlarge
Mark L. Baer/US PresswireCharley Molnar says UMass is far ahead of where it was last year, but still lacks depth in key areas.
The head coach pointed to offensive line and wide receiver as two trouble spots. Molnar said he usually likes to have between 12 and 14 wideouts on the roster, with 10 or 11 of those players on scholarship. At the moment, he said, the latter number is more like 7 or 8.
“I can’t create depth overnight,” he said. “We’re going to have to play young players at a lot of positions again this year.”
That includes the O-line, a clear position of need for the Minutemen after they struggled to both run the ball and protect the quarterback consistently in 2012.
“The improvement was good, the depth again is an area of concern,” Molnar said of the offensive line. “You’re talking about an influx of new football players at that position. How many guys are going to be ready to be quality backups remains to be seen.”
The Minutemen haven’t added just players, bringing in four new coaches in the offseason (including the first strength and conditioning coach dedicated solely to football in the school’s history). It’s all geared toward reaching two goals: success on the field and in the stands.
UMass averaged 10,902 fans at its five home games in 2012, down from more than 13,000 in its last FCS season in 2011. Two of the five games at Gillette Stadium drew fewer than 10,000 fans, with a low of 6,385 in the season-closing loss to Central Michigan.
Molnar said people, recruits and fans alike, have been receptive to UMass. And he expects the more than $34 million construction project underway at McGuirk Stadium, upgrading the facility to meet MAC standards and building a new “performance center” to house the football locker room, weight room and coaches offices under one roof, to enhance the Minutemen’s status going forward.
“Right now our facilities would have to rank at the very, very bottom of 1-A football,” he said. “A year from now our facilities will be at the top of mid-major football and better than what many BCS programs have to offer.”
But even with gleaming new digs, there’s no guarantee the product on the field will look a whole lot better in 2013.
“On the inside looking out we could see a lot of signs of progress that fans in the stands couldn’t see,” Molnar said. “The fans only understand wins and losses. … We’ve certainly closed the gap. I wouldn’t say we’ve arrived by any stretch of the imagination.”
When you’re trying to build a program, and a fan base, from the ground up, perspective is important.
“As a fan they’ll look at wins and losses, and so will I,” Molnar said.
But for now, progress will be measured in smaller increments than that.
“Do we turn the ball over less?” the coach said. “Do we have fewer pre-snap fouls? False starts. Illegal formations and substitutions. These are things that go wrong before the ball’s ever snapped. Let’s just get the ball snapped and go from there.”
Jack McCluskey is an editor for ESPN.com and a frequent contributor to ESPNBoston.com. Follow him on Twitter @jack_mccluskey.
Victims honored at UMass spring game
April, 21, 2013
Apr 21
4:13
AM ET
By
Brendan Hall | ESPNBoston.com
AMHERST, Mass. -- Gary Menin's last-minute decision to take part in the halftime ceremonies at UMass' annual spring game Saturday wasn't by design.
Menin, a 30-year-old attorney, held back tears as he explained the shock of hearing the news Friday morning of the death of his former roommate of two years in Somerville. He collapsed to his knees and broke down in his Milton home, in shock and disbelief.
Sean Collier, a 26-year-old MIT campus police officer, was slain in the line of duty during the nearly 20-hour manhunt for two suspects connected to Monday's Boston Marathon bombings.
"I didn't know him in the capacity of a cop. I knew him grilling in the backyard. I knew him playing Frisbee in the park by Tufts," Menin began, eyes welling up. "He's a real person, and now a lot of people aren't going to get to know him. They'll read about him, but you don't get to hear his voice, or play 'Rock Band' with him, you know, stuff you do with roommates."
Saturday afternoon at McGuirk Alumni Stadium, those who were unable to finish Monday's marathon were invited to run a ceremonious "finish" at halftime of the annual intrasquad scrimmage that concludes spring practices. Menin was among the six taking up the offer, running a lap around the perimeter of the gridiron and finishing with a scamper across the 50-yard line, with football players forming a gauntlet along the last 50.
Menin, a UMass alum, was one-tenth of a mile from the finish line when the explosions went off, and found himself circumnavigating around the block another mile to find his family, who were waiting at the finish line at the time.
He may not find closure over losing his former roommate to such senseless violence.
"If this is how I feel, I can't imagine what his family is going through," Menin said.
But he felt honored to be able to partake in today's ceremonious run.
"Unfortunately I found out very last minute I wanted to do this for Sean," he said. "It's nice to have everyone here. Everyone's been so great in Boston, but in Massachusetts and all around the world as well."
Shrewsbury resident Lisa Lunt, 30, was stopped a few miles back from the finish line when the explosion went off, and Saturday wielded an American flag during the lap -- just as she did for the entire race on Monday, as a tribute to servicemen deployed overseas.
"I'm a UMass alum, and today I really wanted to be a part of it," Lunt said. "If people can die overseas for our country, I can carry a flag for 26 miles. It's a small price to pay."
Players also paid tribute to Collier and the three victims who lost their lives in Monday's bombing by placing the full names of each on their nameplates on the backs of their jerseys. Defensive back Randall Jette wore the nameplate of Collier; he was joined by linebacker Stanley Andre (Martin Richard), wide receiver Klysmann Afonso (Krystle Campbell), tight end Brandon Howard (Lu Lingzi), and tight end Rob Blanchflower, who wore a "#BostonStrong" nameplate.
"I know how it is growing up in Dorchester," says Andre, who hails from the same part of Boston as Richard, the 8-year-old who lost his life in Monday's bombing. "Dorchester is a tough neighborhood. Not to see him grow, it's tough to experience and witness. It's really an unfortunate tragedy."
Afonso, a midyear walk-on from Medford, grew up on the city's Lawrence Street, a short distance from the 29-year-old Campbell's Park Street residence. And while he didn't know Campbell or her family personally, he knew folks that were close to her.
"I know some of my friends who have worked with her family and said she was just a joy to be around," he said. "I was so proud to have her name even on my nameplate. That was just a huge honor for me to represent Medford, her and the bombing victims."
UMass head coach Charley Molnar called Saturday's event "really high" on the list of most memorable moments of his decades-long coaching career.
"This is was much bigger than I ever thought it would be," he said.
He also said he plans on trying to run for next year's race.
"After the events on Monday, I was absolutely determined that I want to run Boston in 2014," he said. "I'm going to enter my first marathon in Long Branch, N.J., in a few weeks, and just see where I'm at, and maybe get a couple more under my belt to see if I can qualify."
Menin, a 30-year-old attorney, held back tears as he explained the shock of hearing the news Friday morning of the death of his former roommate of two years in Somerville. He collapsed to his knees and broke down in his Milton home, in shock and disbelief.
Sean Collier, a 26-year-old MIT campus police officer, was slain in the line of duty during the nearly 20-hour manhunt for two suspects connected to Monday's Boston Marathon bombings.
[+] Enlarge
Brendan Hall/ESPNBoston.comRunners who were prevented from completing the Boston Marathon cross the finish line at UMass.
Saturday afternoon at McGuirk Alumni Stadium, those who were unable to finish Monday's marathon were invited to run a ceremonious "finish" at halftime of the annual intrasquad scrimmage that concludes spring practices. Menin was among the six taking up the offer, running a lap around the perimeter of the gridiron and finishing with a scamper across the 50-yard line, with football players forming a gauntlet along the last 50.
Menin, a UMass alum, was one-tenth of a mile from the finish line when the explosions went off, and found himself circumnavigating around the block another mile to find his family, who were waiting at the finish line at the time.
He may not find closure over losing his former roommate to such senseless violence.
"If this is how I feel, I can't imagine what his family is going through," Menin said.
But he felt honored to be able to partake in today's ceremonious run.
"Unfortunately I found out very last minute I wanted to do this for Sean," he said. "It's nice to have everyone here. Everyone's been so great in Boston, but in Massachusetts and all around the world as well."
Shrewsbury resident Lisa Lunt, 30, was stopped a few miles back from the finish line when the explosion went off, and Saturday wielded an American flag during the lap -- just as she did for the entire race on Monday, as a tribute to servicemen deployed overseas.
"I'm a UMass alum, and today I really wanted to be a part of it," Lunt said. "If people can die overseas for our country, I can carry a flag for 26 miles. It's a small price to pay."
Players also paid tribute to Collier and the three victims who lost their lives in Monday's bombing by placing the full names of each on their nameplates on the backs of their jerseys. Defensive back Randall Jette wore the nameplate of Collier; he was joined by linebacker Stanley Andre (Martin Richard), wide receiver Klysmann Afonso (Krystle Campbell), tight end Brandon Howard (Lu Lingzi), and tight end Rob Blanchflower, who wore a "#BostonStrong" nameplate.
"I know how it is growing up in Dorchester," says Andre, who hails from the same part of Boston as Richard, the 8-year-old who lost his life in Monday's bombing. "Dorchester is a tough neighborhood. Not to see him grow, it's tough to experience and witness. It's really an unfortunate tragedy."
Afonso, a midyear walk-on from Medford, grew up on the city's Lawrence Street, a short distance from the 29-year-old Campbell's Park Street residence. And while he didn't know Campbell or her family personally, he knew folks that were close to her.
"I know some of my friends who have worked with her family and said she was just a joy to be around," he said. "I was so proud to have her name even on my nameplate. That was just a huge honor for me to represent Medford, her and the bombing victims."
UMass head coach Charley Molnar called Saturday's event "really high" on the list of most memorable moments of his decades-long coaching career.
"This is was much bigger than I ever thought it would be," he said.
He also said he plans on trying to run for next year's race.
"After the events on Monday, I was absolutely determined that I want to run Boston in 2014," he said. "I'm going to enter my first marathon in Long Branch, N.J., in a few weeks, and just see where I'm at, and maybe get a couple more under my belt to see if I can qualify."
In previewing the Atlantic 10 tournament, which begins Thursday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, ESPN.com college basketball writer Eamonn Brennan lists UMass point guard Chaz Williams as one of his five players to watch and lists the Minutemen, who open play Thursday night at 9 against George Washington, as his sleeper pick:
Sleeper pick: This is kind of a funny question, because as I mentioned in the intro, at the start of the season it felt as though this league had about 10 sleepers. Those ranks have dwindled, of course, but there are still plenty of threats that didn't get a first-round bye. Xavier has improved steadily over the course of the season (and the first rule of Xavier is never bet against Xavier); Richmond is a threat to get hot and rattle off a handful of wins with Derrick Williams back from injury; anything can happen with Charlotte, but it's a tough out; and Saint Joe's … well, OK, let's not go too far. If I had to settle on one, I'd probably go with UMass. The Minutemen are the team with the most on the line, and they certainly have the talent to go deep.CLICK HERE to read the rest of Brennan's A-10 tourney preview.
The pairings are set for the Atlantic 10 tournament, with the sixth-seeded University of Massachusetts to open against No. 11 George Washington on Thursday night (9 p.m.) at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The winner of that game will face No. 3 seed Temple in the quarterfinals. The Owls beat VCU, 84-76, on Sunday.
UMass, which was 9-7 in the A-10 for the second straight year, suffered what may have been their worst loss of the season -- at least in terms of their standing in the eyes of the NCAA tournament selection committee -- at the hands of the Colonials, losing 79-76 on Jan. 19 in Amherst. The Minutemen trailed much of the day and fell behind by 16 in the second half before staging a furious rally that fell short.
UMass' chances of getting an at-large bid to the Big Dance appear slim, although wins of Temple and second seed VCU in the semifinals could conceivably at least put them in the bubble conversation. But clearly if the Minutemen want their first NCAA bid since 1998, they'd best win four games in four days. And the way the bracket sets up, they could have four teams who already have beaten them -- GW, Temple, VCU and St. Louis or Butler -- lined up ahead of them.
The winner of that game will face No. 3 seed Temple in the quarterfinals. The Owls beat VCU, 84-76, on Sunday.
UMass, which was 9-7 in the A-10 for the second straight year, suffered what may have been their worst loss of the season -- at least in terms of their standing in the eyes of the NCAA tournament selection committee -- at the hands of the Colonials, losing 79-76 on Jan. 19 in Amherst. The Minutemen trailed much of the day and fell behind by 16 in the second half before staging a furious rally that fell short.
UMass' chances of getting an at-large bid to the Big Dance appear slim, although wins of Temple and second seed VCU in the semifinals could conceivably at least put them in the bubble conversation. But clearly if the Minutemen want their first NCAA bid since 1998, they'd best win four games in four days. And the way the bracket sets up, they could have four teams who already have beaten them -- GW, Temple, VCU and St. Louis or Butler -- lined up ahead of them.
Former University of Massachusetts pitcher and Pittsfield, Mass., native Matt Torra, a 28-year-old minor leaguer still working at earning a shot in the bigs, hopes to open some eyes while pitching for Italy in the World Baseball Classic next month.
Torra's paternal great-grandfather was born in Italy, which makes him eligible for that country's team in the WBC.
"I'm really looking forward to that opportunity," Torra told the Daily Hampshire Gazette. "I think it's going to be a great experience."
Torra, who was a sandwich pick (between the first and second round) in the 2005 MLB draft, signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals in December and expects to be assigned to the team's Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse.
"As I'm getting later in my career as a minor leaguer, joining the Nationals is hopefully going to give me that boost that I need," Torra told the Gazette. "Hopefully something positive comes of it."
Torra was profiled last summer in a feature story by ESPNBoston.com contributor Marty Dobrow (CLICK HERE).
Torra's paternal great-grandfather was born in Italy, which makes him eligible for that country's team in the WBC.
"I'm really looking forward to that opportunity," Torra told the Daily Hampshire Gazette. "I think it's going to be a great experience."
Torra, who was a sandwich pick (between the first and second round) in the 2005 MLB draft, signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals in December and expects to be assigned to the team's Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse.
"As I'm getting later in my career as a minor leaguer, joining the Nationals is hopefully going to give me that boost that I need," Torra told the Gazette. "Hopefully something positive comes of it."
Torra was profiled last summer in a feature story by ESPNBoston.com contributor Marty Dobrow (CLICK HERE).
UMass' Morgan (knee) done for season
January, 15, 2013
Jan 15
6:03
PM ET
By Steve Richards | ESPNBoston.com
The University of Massachusetts' hopes to make the NCAA men's basketball tournament for the first time since 1998 have taken a major hit with news that junior guard Jesse Morgan will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL.
Morgan, the Minutemen's starting shooting guard and their second leading scorer at 13.4 points per game, was injured in Thursday's 70-62 loss at St. Louis. Morgan's right knee buckled as he drove to the hoop and he howled in pain while being tended to by team trainers.
The initial diagnosis was a sprain, but after Morgan was seen by doctors on Tuesday, the tear was discovered. He is expected to have surgery next month.
The Minutemen are 11-4, 1-1 in the Atlantic 10.
Coach Derek Kellogg likely will use senior Freddie Riley in Morgan's place, as he did in Sunday's 77-73 win at Fordham. In that game, Kellogg also used regular point guard Chaz Williams in the off-guard slot with freshman Trey Davis playing the point.
“I feel bad for Jesse obviously,” Kellogg told the Daily Hampshire Gazette. “He’s worked really hard to be one of our team leaders and one of our better players. To have an injury like that cost him the rest of his junior year is tough for him. It’s tough for our team to a certain extent. We have some other guys that are ready to step up and play for Jesse.”
In addition to being an explosive scorer, as evidenced by his 35-point effort against Ohio on Dec. 19, Morgan is UMass' top perimeter defender and a key 3-point threat, which is a big part of the Minutemen's offense.
While Riley has been a solid contributor both offensively and defensively over the last half-dozen games, averaging just over 11 points, he's been a bench player most of his career. Even if Riley approaches Morgan's production, the loss in depth figures to hinder the aggressive, pressing defense the Minutemen have used with good results the last couple of seasons.
Davis had the best game of his career against Fordham with 12 points and 4 assists in 21 minutes.
Morgan, the Minutemen's starting shooting guard and their second leading scorer at 13.4 points per game, was injured in Thursday's 70-62 loss at St. Louis. Morgan's right knee buckled as he drove to the hoop and he howled in pain while being tended to by team trainers.
The initial diagnosis was a sprain, but after Morgan was seen by doctors on Tuesday, the tear was discovered. He is expected to have surgery next month.
The Minutemen are 11-4, 1-1 in the Atlantic 10.
Coach Derek Kellogg likely will use senior Freddie Riley in Morgan's place, as he did in Sunday's 77-73 win at Fordham. In that game, Kellogg also used regular point guard Chaz Williams in the off-guard slot with freshman Trey Davis playing the point.
“I feel bad for Jesse obviously,” Kellogg told the Daily Hampshire Gazette. “He’s worked really hard to be one of our team leaders and one of our better players. To have an injury like that cost him the rest of his junior year is tough for him. It’s tough for our team to a certain extent. We have some other guys that are ready to step up and play for Jesse.”
In addition to being an explosive scorer, as evidenced by his 35-point effort against Ohio on Dec. 19, Morgan is UMass' top perimeter defender and a key 3-point threat, which is a big part of the Minutemen's offense.
While Riley has been a solid contributor both offensively and defensively over the last half-dozen games, averaging just over 11 points, he's been a bench player most of his career. Even if Riley approaches Morgan's production, the loss in depth figures to hinder the aggressive, pressing defense the Minutemen have used with good results the last couple of seasons.
Davis had the best game of his career against Fordham with 12 points and 4 assists in 21 minutes.
Morgan's career night sparks UMass
December, 19, 2012
12/19/12
11:17
PM ET
By Steve Richards | ESPNBoston.com
AMHERST, Mass. -- Despite a 5-3 record and a season's worth of heart-stopping victories, the University of Massachusetts men's basketball team really hadn't found its rhythm entering Wednesday night's game at the Mullins Center against Ohio.
But on Wednesday, junior guard Jesse Morgan hit a groove that would make salsa-dancing UMass alum Victor Cruz jealous.
Morgan erupted for 35 points and sparked a 23-1 first-half run that paced UMass (6-3) to its best outing of the season, an 85-76 win over the Bobcats (7-4).
Morgan's outburst came on 12-of-18 shooting, 7-of-10 from beyond the arc. He came within 3 points of the school record at the Mullins Center set by Marcus Camby in 1996. Morgan's previous career high was 25 points last season.
"I've seen him do that before, but to see him do that in a college game was really kind of uplifting for the team, I think uplifting for the fans," UMass coach Derek Kellogg said. "And as a coach, when he's rising up and you think it's going in, instead of praying it goes in, I felt really confident."
Save for Sampson Carter's uncontested layup off the opening tip, the Minutemen came out disjointed on both ends of the court, with Ohio taking an 18-6 lead after a UMass turnover and a breakaway layup by D.J. Cooper with 15:19 remaining. At that point, the Bobcats were 6-of-8 from the floor, the Minutemen 2-of-7. That would change in a heartbeat.
Out of the break, the trio of Cady Lalanne, Maxie Esho and Freddie Riley entered the game and helped provide the energy and spark the Minutemen were lacking. Add in some unconscious shooting by Morgan, and UMass had found its formula for success.
Lalanne and Esho took control of the paint under the UMass hoop and started cleaning up the glass, which was a problem in the early going. Offense? That was Morgan's department.
The junior from Philadelphia was coming off his worst game of the season, and one of the worst of his career, hitting just 1 of 9 shots in a 78-73 overtime win over Elon on Saturday. In fact, Morgan has had trouble finding his stroke much of the season. In his previous six games, he was just 25-for-81 from the field (31 percent) and 14-for-37 (38 percent) from behind the arc. Take out a 7-for-14 game against Northeastern on Dec. 4 and the numbers fall to 27 percent from the field and 33 percent from deep.
But Morgan has shown in the past he can heat up in an instant. Morgan's outburst in the first half Wednesday was a certified bonfire. Morgan fueled the 23-1 run, scoring 16 points, that exhibited the promise UMass has fulfilled only sporadically to this point in the season.
In a flash, the 18-6 deficit was a 29-19 lead, with Morgan doing much of the damage from 3-point land. He finished the half with 22 points and was 4-for-4 on 3-balls, and UMass led 48-40.
After Ohio erased the Minutemen's lead in the first five minutes of the second half, Morgan had another outburst, immediately answering with the first of his three 3-pointers as part of a 13-2 spurt that put UMass in control for good.
Morgan said he was firing away from his "in-the-gym range." "After a while I just black out," he said. "Shots just fall."
But Morgan's night started with an emphasis on defense, as he was the primary defender on Cooper, Ohio's leading scorer and floor general.
Morgan said the assignment helped him get in the flow of the game.
"Coach was talking about what a good player he is so I want to step up and take on the challenge. I didn't visualize this," Morgan said, referring to his career night offensively. "I visualized that I was going to play defense and play well."
While it's hard to look past a night like Morgan's, we all know that 3-point shots can come and go. More encouraging for the long-range hopes of the Minutemen was the performance of Lalanne, who asserted himself in particular on the offensive glass and showed the energy UMass will need from him.
"I thought he played a really good game," Kellogg said of the 6-foot-9 Lalanne. "Defensively he took up a lot of space and those offensive-rebound putbacks are huge."
Lalanne finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds (5 offensive) in 23 minutes, and came up big defensively at key stretches.
It was Lalanne's second game after serving a 12-day suspension, missing one game, after his Dec. 1 arrest for disorderly conduct at an on-campus event. Since a solid outing in the season opener against Harvard, Lalanne's impact had been limited, averaging 4.3 points and 4 rebounds in less than 20 minutes per game.
Lalanne said he used the time off to get his legs stronger and get his wind up.
"I'm feeling a lot better," he said. "Coach has said to bring energy so that's what I'm trying to do."
But on Wednesday, junior guard Jesse Morgan hit a groove that would make salsa-dancing UMass alum Victor Cruz jealous.
Morgan erupted for 35 points and sparked a 23-1 first-half run that paced UMass (6-3) to its best outing of the season, an 85-76 win over the Bobcats (7-4).
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Howard Smith/USA TODAY SportsJesse Morgan, pictured here in action last season, entered Wednesday night's game focused on defense but put on a shooting clinic.
"I've seen him do that before, but to see him do that in a college game was really kind of uplifting for the team, I think uplifting for the fans," UMass coach Derek Kellogg said. "And as a coach, when he's rising up and you think it's going in, instead of praying it goes in, I felt really confident."
Save for Sampson Carter's uncontested layup off the opening tip, the Minutemen came out disjointed on both ends of the court, with Ohio taking an 18-6 lead after a UMass turnover and a breakaway layup by D.J. Cooper with 15:19 remaining. At that point, the Bobcats were 6-of-8 from the floor, the Minutemen 2-of-7. That would change in a heartbeat.
Out of the break, the trio of Cady Lalanne, Maxie Esho and Freddie Riley entered the game and helped provide the energy and spark the Minutemen were lacking. Add in some unconscious shooting by Morgan, and UMass had found its formula for success.
Lalanne and Esho took control of the paint under the UMass hoop and started cleaning up the glass, which was a problem in the early going. Offense? That was Morgan's department.
The junior from Philadelphia was coming off his worst game of the season, and one of the worst of his career, hitting just 1 of 9 shots in a 78-73 overtime win over Elon on Saturday. In fact, Morgan has had trouble finding his stroke much of the season. In his previous six games, he was just 25-for-81 from the field (31 percent) and 14-for-37 (38 percent) from behind the arc. Take out a 7-for-14 game against Northeastern on Dec. 4 and the numbers fall to 27 percent from the field and 33 percent from deep.
But Morgan has shown in the past he can heat up in an instant. Morgan's outburst in the first half Wednesday was a certified bonfire. Morgan fueled the 23-1 run, scoring 16 points, that exhibited the promise UMass has fulfilled only sporadically to this point in the season.
In a flash, the 18-6 deficit was a 29-19 lead, with Morgan doing much of the damage from 3-point land. He finished the half with 22 points and was 4-for-4 on 3-balls, and UMass led 48-40.
After Ohio erased the Minutemen's lead in the first five minutes of the second half, Morgan had another outburst, immediately answering with the first of his three 3-pointers as part of a 13-2 spurt that put UMass in control for good.
Morgan said he was firing away from his "in-the-gym range." "After a while I just black out," he said. "Shots just fall."
But Morgan's night started with an emphasis on defense, as he was the primary defender on Cooper, Ohio's leading scorer and floor general.
Morgan said the assignment helped him get in the flow of the game.
"Coach was talking about what a good player he is so I want to step up and take on the challenge. I didn't visualize this," Morgan said, referring to his career night offensively. "I visualized that I was going to play defense and play well."
While it's hard to look past a night like Morgan's, we all know that 3-point shots can come and go. More encouraging for the long-range hopes of the Minutemen was the performance of Lalanne, who asserted himself in particular on the offensive glass and showed the energy UMass will need from him.
"I thought he played a really good game," Kellogg said of the 6-foot-9 Lalanne. "Defensively he took up a lot of space and those offensive-rebound putbacks are huge."
Lalanne finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds (5 offensive) in 23 minutes, and came up big defensively at key stretches.
It was Lalanne's second game after serving a 12-day suspension, missing one game, after his Dec. 1 arrest for disorderly conduct at an on-campus event. Since a solid outing in the season opener against Harvard, Lalanne's impact had been limited, averaging 4.3 points and 4 rebounds in less than 20 minutes per game.
Lalanne said he used the time off to get his legs stronger and get his wind up.
"I'm feeling a lot better," he said. "Coach has said to bring energy so that's what I'm trying to do."
UMass' Lalanne reinstated from suspension
December, 16, 2012
12/16/12
9:04
PM ET
By Jack McCluskey | ESPNBoston.com
University of Massachusetts center Cady Lalanne was reinstated to the team Friday by athletic director John McCutcheon after being suspended for 12 days following his arrest at an on-campus event.
Lalanne, who had started all six games prior to his suspension, missed two contests -- both wins -- before returning for Saturday’s 78-73 overtime win over Elon.
The 6-foot-9, 250-pound sophomore had six points and six rebounds in 12 minutes off the bench against the Phoenix. He’s averaging 5.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in 2012-13.
Lalanne was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, assault and battery on a police officer and resisting a police officer making a lawful arrest on Dec. 1.
According to the university, the case is still pending but until it is resolved Lalanne will be eligible to practice and play with the Minutemen.
Lalanne, who had started all six games prior to his suspension, missed two contests -- both wins -- before returning for Saturday’s 78-73 overtime win over Elon.
The 6-foot-9, 250-pound sophomore had six points and six rebounds in 12 minutes off the bench against the Phoenix. He’s averaging 5.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in 2012-13.
Lalanne was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, assault and battery on a police officer and resisting a police officer making a lawful arrest on Dec. 1.
According to the university, the case is still pending but until it is resolved Lalanne will be eligible to practice and play with the Minutemen.
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Jack McCluskey
Jack McCluskey is an editor for ESPN.com and covers college sports and more for ESPNBoston.com. Send any questions or comments for Jack here and follow him on Twitter (@jack_mccluskey).