UMass finished their season with a bleak 31-18 finish against UConn last weekend. Overall, the Minutemen started the season red hot picking up a road victory over a strong New Mexico State team that is currently 10-3 and playing in the C-USA championship this weekend. However, after that UMass would drop their next seven games by a combined 309-142. 

Following this UMass picked up back-to-back wins against Merrimack and Army. The success would be short-lived as UMass would get trounced by Liberty and end the season with a disappointment at home against UConn. UMass undoubtedly struggled this season and was pushed around in big moments by teams they should have been able to fight against. 

Head Coach Don Brown assembled a fully redesigned roster heading into this season including nine freshmen and 22 transfers. Of course, not every single player was able to make their presence known on the field, but some showed out and their performances are worth celebrating. Here are the UMass football superlatives for the 2023 season.

Offensive Player of the Year: Running Back, Kay’ron Lynch-Adams

No player who dominated week in and week out more than Lynch-Adams this season. With former running back Ellis Meriweather graduating, Lynch-Adams took over as the bellcow back for the UMass offense and did not disappoint. He posted 1,157 yards on the ground, the most since Jonathan Hernandez ran for 1,190 in 2011 for the Minutemen.

Lynch-Adams had his most dominant game of the season in the win against Army where he posted 234 yards on the ground. The star running back also led the team with 12 total touchdowns on the season. Lynch-Adams found the endzone in 8/12 games and two of UMass’ three victories. Unfortunately for Lynch-Adams, he is out of eligibility after spending two years at Rutgers and three at UMass. There is a possibility that Lynch-Adams may be able to seek a grad transfer to another program. Lynch-Adams will also have the option to declare for the NFL draft and possibly get onto a 90-man NFL roster next preseason.

Defensive Player of the Year: Safety, Tyler Rudolph

Rudolph finished his second season with the Minutemen with 40 total tackles, the fifth-highest on the team. Rudolph also impressed in the secondary, with four pass breakups on the season which tied for second on the team. Rudolph undoubtedly played his best game of the season in week one against New Mexico State. He posted eight tackles and a sack and then continued to build from there with two pass breakups the next week against Auburn. Rudolph also recovered a fumble against his former team, Penn State.

The future for Rudolph is hard to estimate. Rudolph has already spent six years playing college football including four with Penn State, and two with UMass. Rudolph could have one more year of eligibility left due to the bonus COVID year granted in 2020. If Rudolph wants to spend another season in Amherst he will get the opportunity, but he could also seek professional opportunities in the NFL or the newly merged XFL and USFL. 

Newcomer of the Year:  Wide Reciever, Anthony Simpson

Simpson transferred to the Minutemen after spending two seasons with the University of Arizona. The junior wideout was a star weapon in the Minutemen passing attack this season, totaling 792 yards in the air, over 300 more than the second leading receiver. Simpson also added 96 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Simpson’s 792 yards were the most by a Minutemen receiver since Andy Isabella had 1,698 in 2018. The Bloomfield, Connecticut native had over 100 yards receiving in four separate games, including the season finale. Looking ahead to next season, Simpson will likely benefit from another offseason of working with a healthy Taisun Phommachanh throwing to him. 

Homegrown Player of the Year: Defensive Tackle, Billy Wooden

Wooden began his UMass career in 2019 and posted five starts in his first season. From there Wooden’s dominance on the defensive line continued to grow. He would post 15.5 tackles for a loss through his first four seasons in Amherst, but in 2023 he was dominant adding 11.5 tackles for a loss as well as 6.5 sacks. Wooden particularly dominated against New Mexico adding 3.5 tackles for a loss and a forced fumble. Wooden also added a pass deflection against Eastern Michigan. Even though Wooden’s career is over in Amherst, his year-after-year improvement is a testament to his play strength and hustle for the team.

Play of the Year: Ahmad Haston’s First Collegiate Touchdown

Following the injury suffered by Phommachanh against Auburn, Carlos Davis stepped in, but after an injury sent him out against New Mexico, UMass needed a miracle to fight for a win. Haston, a freshman quarterback stepped in like a poised veteran, going 5/5 for 102 yards including a deep shot to Anthony Simpson for a 65-yard touchdown, sending the Minutemen to overtime.

Most Improved Player of the Year: Tight End, Gino Campiotti

For those who have not followed UMass closely this year, they may be surprised to see Campiotti listed as a tight end, because he played last year with the Minutemen as a quarterback. The California native was primarily a dual-threat quarterback passing for 257 yards and rushing for 390 in the 2022 season. However, with Phommachanh, Davis and Haston entering the fold Campiotti had to make a switch. The fifth-year senior decided to play tight end for the Minutemen and found success catching the ball 21 times for 289 yards, the fourth most on the team. Campiotti also led the team with four receiving touchdowns including the game-opening touchdown against UConn. His willingness to switch positions to benefit the team and his immediate success make him a no-brainer for most improved player.

The final results of UMass’ season will certainly be disappointing to many fans. However, the increased win total and outstanding performances from individual players leave high hopes for a strong 2024 season.