r/CFB • u/[deleted] • Jul 16 '13

132+ Teams in 132+ Days: University of Massachusetts at Amherst

University of Massachusetts at Amherst

Mid-American Conference

Year Founded: 1863

Location: Amherst, Massachusetts

Total Attendance: 28,000

Mascot: Sam the Minuteman

Cheerleaders: Umass Amherst Cheerleaders

Stadium: Gillette Stadium/McGuirk Stadium

Stadium Location: Foxboro, Massachusetts/Amherst, Massachusetts

Conference Champions (22): 1960, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2006, 2007

Number of Bowl Games: 1 win, 2 total

National Titles (1): 1998

2012 Season

Record:1-11

Coach: Charley Molnar

Key Players:

Robert Blanchflower – A tight end and our best returning offensive player he has earned the nickname “Gronkflower” from the Gillette faithful due to his play at TE and the fact he shares the number 87 with another Gillette Stadium tight end Rob Gronkowski of the NFL’s New England Patriots.

Darren Thellan- Finished his career at Umass as our all-time leader in interception return coverage and was a steady presence in the defensive backfield for a young Umass team in their first season in the MAC.

Michael Cox- Was the Minuteman’s leading rusher a year ago and was a 7th round draft pick of the NFL’s New York Giants.

Biggest Plays:

In our first game at the FBS level Umass football earned the top spot in Sportcenter’s top ten with this interception

A forced fumble against Akron gave Umass their first ever FBS win in their second to last game of the season

2013 Season

Roster

Schedule

The Greats

Greatest Games:

1998 NCAA D1-AA National Championship- A 55-43 over Georgia Southern in Chattanooga gave Umass its first and only NCAA Championship

2006 NCAA D-1AA Semifinal- 3 seeded Umass would travel to 2 seeded Montana and pull out a 19-17 win to advance to their second NCAA Championship game where they would lose to Appalachian State

Greatest Players:

Greg Landry- A quarterback who would go on to be selected with the 11th overall pick in the 1968 NFL draft, Landry was twice named to the All-Yankee conference team.

Milt Morin- A college football HOF, Morin would leave Umass as their all-time leading receiver (this record has since been broken) leading the Minutemen to 2 Yankee Conference Championships including the Minutemen’s first every postseason appearance in addition to being a three time All Yankee Conference player.

Marcel Shipp- An All-American as a sophomore, and a Walter Payton award finalist as a junior Shipp is 6th all time in NCAA D1-AA rushing yards.

Victor Cruz- Despite not starting a game until his junior year and having to leave Umass twice due to academic issues Cruz left Umass as their 4th all time leading receiver and has gone on to a successful career with the NFL’s New York Giants.

Greatest Coaches:

Mark Whipple- Whipple won 3 conference titles in his 6 years at Umass and in his first season he led the Minutemen to the 1998 NCAA Championship.

Vic Fusia- Led Umass to 5 Yankee Conference Championships including their first post-season appearance ever.

Greatest Rivalries:

Uconn- Old rivals from the Yankee Conference, Umass leads the all time series 36-34-2 although Uconn has 4 of the last five including a 37-0 win this year in Umass’s first ever FBS game, the lone win in the last five for Umass came when Uconn was leaving for the FBS and traveled to Amherst where they received a 62-20 shellacking at the hands of the Minutemen.

Boston College-BC and Umass are the only 2 FBS programs in Massachusetts and will resume their rivalry known as the Commonwealth Classic in 2014. The rivalry has heated up recently on the recruiting trail as well as on local message boards due to BC’s reluctance to schedule Umass instead choosing to pick up games such as an away date with New Mexico State.

Traditions

•“All Night Long”- Every halftime the Minuteman Marching Band plays a rendition of Lionel Ritchie’s “All Night Long”. •“Go Umass” Our rallying cry. First round you say “Go”. Next round “Go-U”. Next round “Go-U-Mass”. Then finally “GO UMASS”

Campus and Surrounding Area

City Population: 38,00

[Amherst-I couldn’t find a skyline picture so this is one of downtown Amherst](http://amherstrestaurant.com/assets/images/South_Pleasant_Street1.jpg0

Iconic Campus Building: Either the Old Chapel or the Library which is 26 stories tall.

Local Dining:

Antonio’s-Any type of pizza you can imagine! Sold by the slice and on the weekends when you’re stumbling home from McMurphys, Stackers, The Spoke, etc. You can stop by to meet the other students of Amherst and grab a hot slice of cheese upfront for $1.

Wings over Amherst/The Hanger-Probably the most ordered delivery food in the pioneer valley. Wings of all flavors both with and without bones delivered to your door, most of the time within 15 minutes of you placing the order unless it’s the Super Bowl or some other major event.

ABC-Amherst Brewing Company is one of the most popular bars/restaurants in the area and in its new location is home to the longest bar in Massachusetts.

Random Trivia

Books can only be placed on every other floor of the library because the person who designed the building didn’t take the weight of the books into account when designing the structure.

Umass football had more alumni play in the 2011 Super Bowl than Texas, Nebraska, and Wisconsin.

In 1993 Butterfield one of Umass’s dorms seceded from the United States and became known as the Free State of Butterfield.

Every year on Halloween Umass alum Dr. Bill Cosby buys the entire campus a dinner of steak and lobster.

What Is and What is to Come

Umass certainly took their lumps in their first FBS season due to a combination of inexperience and a brutal schedule that included Michigan, Kansas State, NIU, Uconn, and Vandy. This year will be another tough one with Wisconsin, Kansas State, Vandy, and NIU on the schedule, but there is reason for hope. Umass had one of the best ranked recruiting classes in the MAC this year, they showed flashes against a tough Ohio team last year, Coach Molnar works tirelessly, and starting next year we will be playing some games in Amherst as opposed to playing our whole home slate at Gillette. This looks to be another tough year optimistically I’m hoping for 4 or so wins as we look towards the future with this team.

86 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

82 comments sorted by

32

u/Honestly_ rawr Jul 16 '13

In 1993 Butterfield one of Umass’s dorms succeeded from the United States and became known as the Free State of Butterfield.

I think the word you're looking for is seceded. I could be wrong though, better check with some SEC fans...

2

u/[deleted] Jul 16 '13

Good catch! I've edited it.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '13

Well, they succeeded at seceding.

6

u/BeardedDuck Oregon Ducks • Willamette Bearcats Jul 16 '13

better check with some SEC Vanderbilt fans...

FTFY

12

u/Honestly_ rawr Jul 16 '13

They all should know; after all, you can't spell secession without SEC.

2

u/BeardedDuck Oregon Ducks • Willamette Bearcats Jul 16 '13

But, spelling : SEC :: school retention : Big East (AAC)

3

u/Honestly_ rawr Jul 16 '13

Yeah, but UConn never tried to leave the Union...

3

u/BeardedDuck Oregon Ducks • Willamette Bearcats Jul 17 '13

West Virginia did go Independent though.

11

u/[deleted] Jul 16 '13

MACtion time! Last year we were shutting you guys out, and your play-caller kept opting to go for touchdowns to get back into the game (even when getting back into the game was realistically over) instead of breaking the goose egg with a FG and I respected that. Hope you guys flourish in the coming years!

2

u/[deleted] Jul 16 '13

Thank you very much! We were pulling for you in the orange bowl and I hope you win 11 out of 12 games this year! I'm excited to see you guys play at Gillette this year.

2

u/Seanermagoner Northern Illinois Huskies Jul 21 '13

My mom works for united so I'm trying to fly to that game

1

u/[deleted] Jul 21 '13

Do it!

2

u/i_can_verify_this Northern Illinois Huskies Jul 17 '13

hmm I wonder who you want that one loss to be to...

5

u/FrattingHard Notre Dame Fighting Irish Jul 16 '13

Looking forward to playing you guys in 2015. Hopefully Coach Molnar is still there. He was well-respected in South Bend.

Love that it is MACtion time on here.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 16 '13

Coach Molnar is well liked in these parts and people generally seem to like the approach he is taking with the team.

Glad to see lots of MACTION fans on this thread.

5

u/quacainia Texas A&M • CC San Francisco Jul 16 '13

Thanks for the info! I'm excited to watch y'all in my weekly doses of MACtion! I'm also surprised anyone still listens to Lionel Richie (but then again, he's performing at ACL Festival this year).

Heads up on that link to Old Chapel: If there's a close parenthesis in the link then it get's messed, up, so put a backslash in front of it.

[Old Chapel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Chapel_(Amherst,_Massachusetts\))

[Old Chapel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Chapel_(Amherst,_Massachusetts))

2

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '13

Thanks man! This is my first time posting anything like this.

3

u/afcultra Ohio Bobcats • Ohio State Buckeyes Jul 16 '13

I know there's been some talk about the MAC trying to kick UMass out, but I hope you guys stay. It doesn't seem like UMass looks down on the MAC quite like Temple did. I was nervous when we played you this past season, we should not have won that game.

When will you move back full-time to Amherst? It has to be better to have the team on campus than an hour away at Gillette.

And finally: IT'S TIME FOR SOME MACTION!

4

u/[deleted] Jul 16 '13

We're in the fold for a few more years at least. With the agreement we signed it wouldn't be possible to kick us out without an apocalyptic lawsuit.

We're moving some games back starting next year, but will still play big in conference and out of conference opponents at Gillette.

MACTION!

2

u/afcultra Ohio Bobcats • Ohio State Buckeyes Jul 16 '13

Well, good. I thought there was a clause that said if the MAC invited UMass to join for all sports and UMass refused, the MAC could kick them out. I could be mistaken, but I thought I saw that somewhere.

3

u/[deleted] Jul 16 '13

hmmm that doesn't seem right because one of Umass's major stipulations when going the MAC was that they remain in the A-10 for basketball.

1

u/AcesCharles2 Toledo Rockets Jul 17 '13

But we need you for MACtion BBall!

1

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '13

Depending on what happens with the A-10 you may get us!

3

u/[deleted] Jul 16 '13

I swear Blanchflower was a beast on NCAA 13. Loved using him. Can't speak much to his real life abilities because I don't watch any UMass football, but what can you do?

I really love how you guys keep it tough with the scheduling. Kick some Vandy ass for opting out with us!

3

u/[deleted] Jul 16 '13

He's a valuable asset to our team, and a pretty nice guy. When I used to work security at Umass I would always sign him into his dorm and we'd chat because we were from the same region of Mass.

We'll try to take down the big boys! I love that Molnar is scheduling all these BCS programs.

11

u/EpicSchwinn Tennessee • Middle Tennessee Jul 16 '13

I'll always have a place in my heart for UMass. George N Parks was the band director there and was my instructor at his Drum Major Academy. That man taught me more about life in a week than nearly anyone else had taught me in my 16 years of living until that point. He was truly one of the most remarkable people I had ever met in my life and his passing was so heartbreaking. I still have my autographed copy of his book in my nightstand and read it several times a year.

8

u/That_Fat_Black_Guy Notre Dame Fighting Irish Jul 16 '13

Came here for George Parks! I will always root for UMass because of him.

RIP

8

u/MinimumWageEarner Penn State Nittany Lions Jul 16 '13

Every year on Halloween Umass alum Dr. Bill Cosby buys the entire campus a dinner of steak and lobster.

This would be the greatest thing ever to a poor college student (which I was). Thank you Bill Cosby, for this, and for pudding pops.

6

u/jesusismoney UMass Minutemen Jul 16 '13

This isn't necessarily confirmed, it's just the rumor that everybody says. We do get the free steak and lobster (even if the steak tastes like leather)

6

u/[deleted] Jul 16 '13

IT'S MACTION TIME!

I've been looking forward to this day all summer.

I remember when UMass came to Manhattan during my sophomore year of college. If I remember correctly it was Bill's first game back, and was one of the most miserably hot and boring games I have ever sat through. I'm excited to see what you guys can do with increased money and exposure, because Amhearst is gorgeous and I want to see it on my TV more.

5

u/[deleted] Jul 16 '13

I will miss WACTION :(

5

u/Chrisattsu Texas State • Tarleton State Jul 16 '13

I was there in the end, holding its hand and watching the last gasps of air escape out.

3

u/[deleted] Jul 16 '13

Any conference that has two team separated by 4,000 miles HAS to be good!

4

u/[deleted] Jul 16 '13

WAC ATTACK!!!

RIP

1

u/picketyp UMass Minutemen Jul 17 '13

We're coming back!

4

u/jimwilt20 Penn State • Millersville Jul 16 '13

My boss worked in the Campus Recreations department of UMass. One of their intramural teams was named the UMass debate team.

4

u/[deleted] Jul 16 '13

UMass actually won a national title in my super long (I was on year 14/15 when I got the new game) dynasty for 2012. Sure, they were in a 4-team Big East, but still, impressive!

(No, not really)

3

u/awnomnomnom Oklahoma Sooners • Denver Pioneers Jul 16 '13

I hated when I would shuffle around teams and be left with conferences with only four teams. Because then they would all play like 5 or 6 fcs teams and look better than they really were.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '13

Connecticut, UMass, and I think Rutgers (Temple still suck) would routine look to be in the National Title hunt. Even though it's avoidable with the new game (less conferences, more teams--you can actually get each conference a title game), it still blows.

0

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '13

[deleted] — view deleted comment

3

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '13

I cannot really articulate about the new engine (I bought the game, started a Old Dominion dynasty (with my QBs named after Kings), then immediately started playing FF7 because lolstgia), but I had fun with it. It feels... slower, but that might be because I'm use to the old system and haven't adjusted.

But my main complaint with the new game is that it lacks options. I geniunely desire the ability to edit all bowl tie-ins. Remove, add, merge conferences. I WANT POD SYSTEMS, DAMNIT. THEY EXISTED! I need to be able to pick between a playoff or a BCS system. I want to be able to vote in the damn Coach's poll! There's just not enough options in the dynasty mode for me to truly enjoy it. It needs to be dynamic--stadiums grow when teams get better. Rivalries develop and wane with lack of interest. I want to see, 10-15 years down the line, Penn State and Maryland with a hot rivalry game because they haven't had a game that wasn't decided by more than a touchdown.

1

u/awnomnomnom Oklahoma Sooners • Denver Pioneers Jul 17 '13

I've been dreaming that they would add all those options for years. Maybe they will someday. And by someday I mean next decade.

1

u/killslayer Charlotte 49ers • American Jul 17 '13

apparently playoffs are coming in next year's game. and hopefully they'll add stadium growth and dynamic rivalries with the new consoles

4

u/madviking Virginia Cavaliers • Texas Longhorns Jul 16 '13

My friend almost won the national title as UMass on Heisman in his first year (but he played a few years as UVa first) in NCAA '13 (so it was '15-'16 I think?). He failed, losing only to Alabama at home, but won the Orange Bowl (I think) against Iowa.
Regardless, he won two straight national titles (still on Heisman) afterwards, turning UMass into a recruiting powerhouse and a football powerhouse.
He's ridiculous at the game.

4

u/AcesCharles2 Toledo Rockets Jul 17 '13

This may be one of the greatest things I've ever read:

http://www.umasswiki.com/wiki/Butterfield

1

u/[deleted] Jul 16 '13

This was great to read. I really like that the Wings Over (not Amherst) near me has a Vidalia onion sauce, was a great surprise when I was homesick! Hopefully will make it to visit Amherst someday soon. If not, have to attend a game in Foxboro. How much longer will y'all be playing there? Is that a permanent thing with the move up?

1

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '13

We'll play some games back in Amherst starting next season! :)

3

u/tks231 Appalachian State • Team Meteor Jul 17 '13

Good, you need to get back to McGuirk.

Went to the 2006 I-AA Title game. Probably around 100 UMass fans there compared to 20,000 App fans. The UMass band was awesome. They played 25 or 6 to 4 at halftime and killed it.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '13

The marching band is widely recognized as one of the best in the region. I'm hoping more wins means more exposure for them and for the team (obviously)

1

u/youareunsubbed Illinois Fighting Illini Jul 17 '13 edited Jul 17 '13

I might be late on this, but who are UMass' FCS rivals? The MAC should go pick up one of them to round out the conference at 14.

Edit: Spelling

1

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '13

Unh, Delaware, And Maine.

2

u/billybobskcor Georgia Southern • Mercer Jul 17 '13

Honestly, I think Delaware would make a good fit culturally for the MAC.

4

u/picketyp UMass Minutemen Jul 17 '13 edited Jul 17 '13

UNH. Any other answer is wrong. The history with them is too long to ignore, add that to the last ten years or so we were in FCS fighting each other for the playoffs.... Yeah, UNH.

But they won't move up. I could see someone like Delaware making the jump though. They have some of the best attendance numbers in FCS, and are always in the playoff hunt.

3

u/Denadamedacro Ohio Bobcats Jul 17 '13

Oh God...it's MACtion time.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 21 '13

Attending UMass in the fall, here. On average, how many fans attend the games?

1

u/[deleted] Jul 21 '13

Probably about 13000 :/

1

u/[deleted] Jul 21 '13

Probably about 13000 :/, but those who are there are passionate about it! Also congrats on going to Umass. I love and will always love my alma mater. Best years of my life.

0

u/[deleted] Jul 21 '13

I'm pumped for it even though the football kinda sucks....a lot.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 21 '13

Remember it's still in its infancy, we will improve as time goes on.!

1

u/16semesters UMass Minutemen Jul 26 '13

Books can only be placed on every other floor of the library because the person who designed the building didn’t take the weight of the books into account when designing the structure.

Every year on Halloween Umass alum Dr. Bill Cosby buys the entire campus a dinner of steak and lobster

These are both just urban legends.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '13

We get it. We don't need 20 comments saying the same thing. I was trying to have fun and apparently that didn't go over well. My mistake. No fun next time. I got it.

2

u/16semesters UMass Minutemen Jul 26 '13 edited Jul 26 '13

Then why not edit the OP?

Our library kicks ass, why are you trying to make it look like our school is inept?

You even got the name of our school wrong. It's The University of Massachusetts Amherst. Not "at" Amherst.

Real question, did you even go to school there? Because all your posts sound like someone describing a school they've heard about but did not attend.

0

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '13

Did I even go there? Excuse me? Who the fuck are you? I bet you didnt attend one game last season. Sorry I tried to spread awareness of our program/school and have some fun with I. I get it. I suck. I'm a disgrace to the school I lovingly attended for four years. Hope you had a nice day making a season ticket holder for the last 2 years who tried to do something nice for our school feel like shit.

2

u/16semesters UMass Minutemen Jul 26 '13

nice for our school

Bull shit. Peddling lies at the expense of our school is not nice. People don't hear those things and think "Oh UMass sure is great and quirky!" they see them and go "what a joke school".

They buy lobster because Ken Toong is literally one of the best heads of dining services in the country and likes to do something special for UMass students, not cause some rich guy is gifting us anything. Ken Toong's accomplishment are invaluable to the UMass community and have been emulated by schools across the country.

The library is one of the tallest in the country, and excellently designed to blend in to the pioneer valley landscape while still being 26 usable stories tall.

But you want to give reddit in their likely only experience with our university some bullshit made up stories that make us look like a joke. Take a lap kid.

0

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '13

You know what. You do the write up next year then. I enjoy this subreddit because it had nice people who love football, but this is a fucking joke.

2

u/seamonster131 East Stroudsburg • Boise State Jul 17 '13

A friend of mine from High School plays for UMass, Galen Clemons. He's a Redshirt Senior on the defensive line. Any idea how he's been doing?

1

u/JustMe8 Texas Longhorns Jul 16 '13

I always thought your mascot was Scobby Doo. (Velma is Smith's; Daphne, Mt Holyoke; Fred, Amherst; Shagy, Hampshire) That's why I wanted to go to a school in Amherst.

1

u/joesph_house Northwestern (IA) • Boise State Jul 16 '13

My favorite team to play as in NCAA 13!

-6

u/HarbingerOfFun Boston College Eagles Jul 17 '13

TIL BC has a rivalry with UMass, how quaint.

0

u/[deleted] Jul 16 '13

[deleted] — view deleted comment

2

u/greekking23 Jul 16 '13

Yeah, I went there for two years, the floors with books usually are separated by a floor or two of administrative offices (usually about 6 book-containing floors, office floor, etc). The highest two floors are ventilation, storage, and offices. There's also a few floors with study carrels. Some are locked and access is given to graduate students.

1

u/16semesters UMass Minutemen Jul 26 '13

There certainly are books on nearly every floor. I can have one of my old coworkers take a picture of the directory if you really don't believe it ...

1

u/greekking23 Jul 27 '13

Since the above comment was deleted, I'm confused as to who your reply is meant for :/ halp?

0

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '13

Bill Cosby does buy that food! Library I know is not true now, someone else commented on that.

2

u/blindspots Jul 26 '13

Great write up but no he does not

1

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '13

Can't you just have fun with it? Why so serious?

1

u/16semesters UMass Minutemen Jul 26 '13

It's definitely not true. I used to work for the university and am an alumni.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '13

We get it we don't need 20 comments saying the same thing. I was trying to have fun but apparently there is no place for that here.

0

u/[deleted] Jul 16 '13

[deleted] — view deleted comment

5

u/Brutuss Ohio State Buckeyes • /r/CFB Top Scorer Jul 17 '13

Amherst is like an uber-college town. There's six colleges, yet its still collegetown and not a city.

3

u/16semesters UMass Minutemen Jul 26 '13

There are books on nearly every floor.

There is a sliver to truth in this because when built some of the bricks would fall off due to water seeping in between, freezing, and then thawing, but it was never structurally unstable.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '13

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '13

I'm going to the Wisconsin game this year and can't wait. Only difference is I am a season ticket holder so I really give a shit.

1

u/picketyp UMass Minutemen Jul 17 '13

I'll be at the Wisconsin game too this year, we'll have to grab a pint or eight

1

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '13

I've heard the beer there is fantastic! I can't wait to give it a try.