Where is the Program Today? 

Last weekend, the Minutemen found success on the football field picking up their second win against Wagner. However, this win comes during what has been an underwhelming season for UMass. Fans believed that last season’s three wins, their best since 2018, could have been a sign of changing times.

However, the Minutemen have struggled up and down this season with their only two wins coming against FCS opponents. On the offensive side of the ball, they are averaging a mere 19.1 points per game which ranks No. 121 in the country out of 134 teams.  At 330.1 yards per game, they rank No. 112 nationally. 

As a team, UMass is tied for No. 79 in the nation for total turnover margin at -0.12 meaning they turn the ball over slightly more often than they force one themselves. The Minutemen also have a +19.8 scoring margin this season against FBS opponents meaning they are losing games by an average of 20 points. 

UMass football last saw success as a member of the FCS’ Colonial Athletic Association during the mid-2000s where they made an appearance in the 2006 FCS championship game. Despite losing, they returned to the playoffs in 2007 but lost in the quarterfinals. 

After those playoff appearances, the Minutemen made big changes moving from the FCS division to the FBS in 2011. With this, the Minutemen saw a step up in competition on the field, as well as for recruits, but most importantly a chance for increased profit. 

On the note of finances, UMass’ athletics budget has increased dramatically since its emergence as an FBS football program. In 2010, their athletic department budget was around 36.5 billion dollars. In 2021, they spent 68.39 billion dollars. Attributing the entire increase to the football program is unfair, but UMass did need to add 22 scholarship roster spots upon moving from FCS to FBS. In addition, they also needed to add 22 women’s scholarship spots across other sports to remain Title IX compliant. 

Today, the Minutemen are known as an independent in the landscape of college football, which is largely a dying breed. This means they are not a member school of any conference for football. Currently, Notre Dame, UConn and UMass are the only remaining independent schools in football. Notre Dame has a successful football team that has made multiple college football playoff appearances. UConn on the other hand, has had struggles but is on the path to making a bowl game this season. 

Joining a New Conference

To combat this, The Minutemen took a step forward this past year by announcing a move to the Mid-American Conference (MAC). The Minutemen originally joined the MAC in 2012 when moving to the FBS, but only in football. In 2016, UMass left the MAC for its independent status. 

Now, UMass is moving all of its sports to the MAC from football all the way to track & field. With this move comes tremendous financial implications, according to the most recent Form 990 filed by the MAC in 2022, they grossed just above 40 million dollars. That number is evenly distributed to all colleges in the league for a total of around 2.3 million dollars per team. 

As an independent, UMass football receives no money for any televised games. The MAC currently has a deal with ESPN that expires in 2026/2027. Under the current agreement, teams receive about 800,000 dollars, but the new television deal could see payouts between 2-2.5 million dollars. 

Even though excitement levels have been high, the product on the field has failed to come close to matching fandom. In the 12 full seasons since making the move to the FBS level, the Minutemen own a 24-112 record. 

Unfortunately for the Minutemen, their record against MAC opponents is also 8-40 since moving up to the FBS level in 2012. This includes winless records against Toledo, Bowling Green and Central Michigan among others. UMass will certainly be able to beat those MAC teams now that they are in the same conference though, right? 

Coaching in Transfer Portal Era Football

Currently, Don Brown is in his third season as head coach of the Minutemen. However, this season has exemplified the shortcomings of the program. UMass has been playing sloppy and undisciplined football while struggling to create an offensive identity with mediocre quarterback and offensive line play in that time frame. 

In an era of transfer portal football UMass has seen more harm than good come from it. Players who excel at UMass rarely have any motivation to stay with the program, because there has been no short or long-term success with the program. For example, running back Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams left for Michigan State this past offseason. The year before, cornerback Josh Wallace left for Michigan and won a national championship with them. 

On the other end of the spectrum, UMass struggles to bring in elite talent, due to a lack of winning prowess. Oftentimes, they bring in former four and five-stars from big-name programs who struggled for playing time. Players at lower collegiate levels rarely transfer to UMass as they are in search of playing under the brightest lights with the biggest stakes. 

However, UMass does not just struggle to find talent in the transfer portal, the local recruiting trail has hardly been friendly either. The New England region is not a high-school football hotspot in any sense of the word. 

Since 2012, there have been 121 three-star recruits according to 247 Sports. As the state’s flagship program and one of three FBS programs in New England, one could expect the Minutemen to pick up those recruits, however, they have only amassed 10. Over the past five years, they have only brought in two three-star recruits from Connecticut as well. 

“We’ve made strides there through our high-school recruiting and through our portal recruiting,” said Brown. Put it together and I think that’s a positive.”

However, in 2024 UMass had the No. 128 high school recruiting class according to 247 Sports, slightly worse than their No. 127 ranking in 2023. In addition to this their portal recruiting class was ranked No. 80 in 2024, down from No. 61 in 2023. 

Brown should be fired this offseason, but UMass will once again be forced to examine a list of head coaching candidates who are rebounding from recent firings or have struggled to lead programs in the past. 

This past offseason, offensive coordinator Steve Casula left for Michigan to be their tight ends coach. The Minutemen did not have a long list of exciting candidates before bringing Shane Montgomery into the fold. 

Montgomery spent one season with Charlotte as their offensive coordinator in 2018, leading them to the No. 123 ranked offense in the nation that year. After that stint, he found himself at a MAC school in the University at Buffalo in 2021 where he led them to the No. 116 offense. 

After two abysmal FBS stints, Montgomery came to UMass and turned an offense many fans had high hopes for into one of the weakest in the country. Whether it was conservative play calling or struggling to properly utilize the talent at hand, the Minutemen are in rough shape right now. 

What to do About McGuirk? 

A lone interesting spot of the season so far, came earlier this month when Missouri came to town. This was the first SEC opponent to ever come to Amherst. While Missouri beat UMass 45-3, a crowd of over 16,000 turned out to enjoy the game. 

However, as I attended this game I could not help but notice my surroundings at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. McGuirk is surrounded with gravel and dirt which often flies around the air as people walk around. The speakers were difficult to hear from the student section, not due to crowd noise, but rather poor quality. In addition, the stadium is not very comfortable nor does it have a unique environment. 

National media was not impressed by the stadium either. Saturday Down South beat reporter, Connor O’Gara likened McGuirk to a “middle school locker room.” 

On top of that, fans have begun playfully calling McGuirk, “The Junkyard.” Ideally, with some of the money being brought in with the MAC, UMass athletics along with the state of Massachusetts may be willing to make some stadium improvements. 

To be clear, UMass does not need a state-of-the-art stadium, but improved amenities, and creating a comfortable environment for fans will provide some help in improving the program. 

How Have Other Programs Fared? 

College football in New England has always been difficult. UConn has found itself in a similar boat to UMass as a flagship state institution, but UConn is starting to find some success. They went 6-6 in 2022 after hiring Jim Mora before losing to Marshall in a bowl game, but it was their first bowl since 2015. This year they are off to a 5-3 start with another bowl game in their sights. If the Huskies can begin to find success in New England, then maybe the Minutemen can too. 

There is also a challenge in moving up from the FCS to the FBS level due to increased competition. However other schools like James Madison moved up to the FBS level three years ago, and so far they have achieved a 25-7 record. Sam Houston State also made the switch to FBS last year and after a disappointing 3-9 season a year ago, they have achieved a 6-2 record and bowl eligibility to start this season. 

Success is possible despite the increase in competition, and I will be closely watching the University of Delaware as another state flagship program making the move to FBS starting next season. If Delaware finds success at the FBS level it may be time to start asking some deeper questions about the future of the football program here. 

UMass football needs to take the next step soon. The lack of a conference has always been cited as a reason why UMass struggles, but that excuse will be gone starting next season. It is time for UMass to move the program forward.