UMass Minutemen: CFN College Football Preview 2021

College Football News Preview 2021: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the UMass season with what you need to know.

College Football News Preview 2021: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the UMass season with what you need to know.


Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
Top Players | Keys To The Season
What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
UMass Schedule Analysis
– UMass Minutemen Previews
2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015

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2020 Record: 0-4 overall
Head Coach: Walt Bell, 3rd year, 1-15
2020 CFN Final Ranking: 127
2020 CFN Preview Ranking: 126
2019 CFN Final Ranking: 130

UMass Minutemen College Football Preview 2021: Offense

12 points. That’s how many the Minutemen scored in the rough four game season. It’s a program in a constant state of transition, the transfer portal is playing a big role in trying to get things going in the third year under Walt Bell, and there’s nowhere to go but up after averaging just 188 yards and three points per game.

The passing game tried out just about everyone possible – with four quarterbacks throwing at least nine passes – but the team might finally have the guy to settle the gig with Tyler Lytle coming in from Colorado. Garrett Dzuro is back after leading the team with 215 passing yards and two picks – he completed just 42% of his passes.

Leading receiver Samuel Emilus is gone through the transfer portal, and the receiving corps loses four other parts to other places. However, Jermaine “OC” Johnson is back after catching 14 passes for 96 yards, and tight end and backup quarterback Josiah Johnson returns along with Taylor Edwards. There’s enough in place to get a big more out of a midrange passing game.

The offensive line didn’t generate a thing for the ground game and struggled in pass protection, but there’s excellent size and enough bulk to at least try to get more physical. Three starters are back in the interior, and help is coming from the transfer portal, but the backs have to rise up.

Four are leaving through the transfer portal, but the Minutemen are bringing in Kay’Ron Adams from Rutgers to go along with 6-2, 227-pound former JUCO transfer Ellis Merriweather – the only RB to gain more than seven yards – running 42 times for 115 yards.

– What You Need To Know: Defense
Top Players | Keys To The Season
What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
UMass Schedule Analysis

NEXT: UMass Minutemen College Football Preview 2021: Defense

2021 UMass Minutemen Football Schedule: Analysis, Best and Worst Case Scenarios

Breaking down and analyzing the 2021 UMass Minutemen football schedule with the best and worst case scenarios.

Breaking down and analyzing the 2021 UMass Minutemen football schedule with the best and worst case scenarios.


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2021 UMass Football Schedule

Full schedule analysis with best and worst scenarios below

Sept. 4 at Pitt

Sept. 11 Boston College

Sept. 18 Eastern Michigan

Sept. 25 at Coastal Carolina

Oct. 2 Toledo

Oct. 9 UConn

Oct. 16 OPEN DATE

Oct. 23 at Florida State

Oct. 30 at Liberty

Nov. 6 Rhode Island

Nov. 13 Maine

Nov. 20 at Army

Nov. 27 at New Mexico State

UMass Minutemen Football Schedule Analysis: The Minutemen should be able to come up with a few wins with dates against Rhode Island, Maine and New Mexico State, but they’ll go through a whole lot of humping to get there. They’ll likely be double-digit underdogs in each of the first five games before getting UConn at home.

UMass Minutemen Football Schedule Best Case Scenario: UMass pulls off a shocker against either Eastern Michigan or Toledo, beats UConn, and takes care of three of its last four games for a five-wins season.

UMass Minutemen Football Schedule Worst Case Scenario: It’s an ugly first five games before losing to UConn at home. Every games a blowout loss on the way to an 0-8 start before losing to either Rhode Island or Maine, and the loss to New Mexico State closes out the rough season with a clunker.

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College Football News Preview 2020: UMass Minutemen

College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the UMass Minutemen season with what you need to know.

College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the UMass Minutemen season with what you need to know.


Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
Schedule Analysis
– UMass Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015

2019 Record: 1-11
Head Coach: Walt Bell, 2nd year, 1-11
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 129
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 130
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 128

No one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.

5. College Football News Preview 2020: UMass Minutemen Offense 3 Things To Know

Head coach Walt Bell is about offense. The former offensive coordinator at Florida State, Maryland and Arkansas State has a brutal task to try getting the UMass football program going, and it starts with being able to move the ball.

The O averaged fewer than 300 yards and 20 touchdown per game with no downfield passing game whatsoever and without enough of a ground attack to make up for it. Now it has to move on without its best offensive star.

Cam Roberson was the second-leading rusher with 355 yards and two scores, but now he’s likely being moved to wide receiver. JUCO transfer Ellis Merriweather is a 6-1, 220-pounder who’s built to carry the workload along with 225-pound senior Gilberto Torres.


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Four starters are expected to return back to a line that wasn’t miserable in pass protection, but didn’t do enough for the ground game. 6-7, 300-pound senior Larnel Coleman is a keeper at left tackles, and there’s decent size across the board.

The passing game needs to be able to rely on a steady quarterback after four got a shot last year. 6-4, 215-pound JUCO transfer Kyle Lindquist was brought in to settle everything down, but 5-8, 170-pound Andrew Brito is back after seeing time throughout last season, throwing for 830 yards and seven scores with six picks.

Leading yardage receiver Zak Simon returns after catching 32 passes for 355 yards and two scores. Brennon Dingle is transferring to UTSA, Jessie Britt is transferring to Duquesne, and top tight end Kyle Horn is bolting.

However, 5-10, 165-pound sophomore Jermaine Johnson is back after leading the team with 37 grabs – he’s a short-range target and 6-1, 200-pound junior Samuel Emilus brings a little bulk – he caught 27 passes.

NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: UMass Minutemen Defense 3 Things To Know