University of Massachusets Athletics
Football To Face Furman In NCAA First Round
November 22, 1999 | Football
THE SERIES WITH FURMAN: This will be the first-ever meeting between the Minutemen and the Paladins. The game also marks the first time UMass will face a team from the state of South Carolina, and the first time the Minutemen will play a game in South Carolina. UMass has only faced one team from the Southern Conference in its history, defeating Georgia Southern 55-43 in last year?s NCAA championship game. Current members of the Atlantic 10 Conference stand 169-156-7 all-time against schools presently in the Southern Conference, including a 2-9 record in NCAA Tournament games.
GAME DAY QUICK FACTS
The Teams: #10 UMass (8-3, 7-1 A-10) vs. #8 Furman (9-2, 7-1 Southern)
Date: November 27, 1999
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Place: Paladin Stadium (16,000), Greenville, S.C.
TV: None
Radio: UMass Football Radio Network (Bob Behler, play-by-play,
Bob Pickett, color, WHMP 1400 AM, Northampton, flagship)
UMass Student Radio (WMUA 91.1 FM, Amherst)
Furman Radio Network (Chuck Hussion, play-by-play, John Ingles,
color, WPEK 98.1 FM, Greenville, flagship)
Series Record: First Meeting
MINUTEMEN MAKE FIFTH NCAA I-AA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCE: UMass is making its fifth appearance in the NCAA Division I-AA Tournament this year, and its second in a row. Last year, UMass won the national championship by defeating McNeese State (21-19), Lehigh (27-21), Northwestern State (41-31) and Georgia Southern (55-43). The Minutemen advanced to the first-ever Division I-AA championship game in 1978, defeating Nevada-Reno 44 21 in the semifinals before falling to Florida A&M 35-28 in the title game. UMass also took part in the tournament in 1988 (falling to Eastern Kentucky 28-17) and in 1990 (losing to William & Mary 38-0). The Minutemen have an all-time record of 5-3 in the I-AA playoffs and an overall mark of 6-5 in postseason games. In addition to its four I-AA tournament appearances, UMass played in the 1978 Division II Tournament (losing to Lehigh 30-23), in the 1972 Boardwalk Bowl (downing California-Davis 35-14) and in the 1964 Tangerine Bowl (falling to East Carolina 14 13).
UMASS IN THE POSTSEASON
Year Opponent Result
1964 East Carolina L, 13-14
(Tangerine Bowl, Orlando, Fla.)
1972 California-Davis W, 35-14
(Boardwalk Bowl, Atlantic City, N.J.)
1977 Lehigh L, 23-30
(NCAA Division II Playoffs, Amherst, Mass.)
1978 Nevada-Reno W, 44-21
(NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs, Reno, Nev.)
Florida A&M L, 28-35
(NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs, Wichita Falls, Texas)
1988 Eastern Kentucky L, 17-28
(NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs, Richmond, Ky.)
1990 William & Mary L, 0-38
(NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs, Williamsburg, Va.)
1998 McNeese State W, 21-19
(NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs, Lake Charles, La.)
Lehigh W, 27-21
(NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs, Amherst, Mass.)
Northwestern State W, 41-31
(NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs, Natchitoches, La.)
Georgia Southern W, 55-43
(NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs, Chattanooga, Tenn.)
UMASS LOOKS TO DEFEND NATIONAL TITLE: Last year, the Minutemen closed out the season with a 55-43 victory over Georgia Southern on Dec. 19, to claim their first ever Division I AA national championship. This season, UMass is attempting to become the first school to repeat as national champion since Youngstown State in 1993 and 1994. In addition to Youngstown State, the only other school to ever repeat as champion is Georgia Southern (in 1985-86 and 1989-90). Before last season, the only time UMass came close to a national title was in 1978, when it advanced to the championship game before falling to Florida A&M 35-28. For all sports, UMass owns three national championships. In addition to last year?s football title, UMass won the 1982 NCAA women?s lacrosse title and the 1973 AIAW women?s gymnastics crown.
SHIPP CONTINUES STELLAR PLAY: Walter Payton Award finalist Marcel Shipp (Paterson, N.J.) continues to show why he is one of the top running backs in the nation. Last week against Connecticut, he rushed 24 times for 142 yards and three touchdowns, despite being taken out of the game after only one series in the third quarter. The previous week at William & Mary, Shipp carried 35 times for 210 yards and three touchdowns, marking the seventh time he has gone over 200 yards during his collegiate career. The performance against the Tribe also included a key 20 yard run on third and 17, when UMass led by only two points in the fourth quarter. Earlier this season at Delaware, Shipp rushed for 176 yards and two touchdowns on a career-high 44 carries. The 44 rushing attempts are the second-highest single game total in school history (behind only Garry Pearson?s 45 against American International College in 1982), and also set a Delaware Stadium record. Previously at Maine, Shipp ran 30 times for 256 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including an impressive 152 yards on only nine carries in the fourth quarter as UMass put the game away. Shipp had another 200-yard performance earlier in the year against Hofstra, running 30 times for 200 yards and two touchdowns. For the season, Shipp has now totaled 1,572 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns on 327 carries, while also catching 43 passes for 253 yards and another score. He leads the team in rushing, all-purpose yards (1,825 yards) and scoring (126 points on 21 touchdowns), while ranking second in both receptions and total offense (1,572 yards).
BANKHEAD HAS ANOTHER BIG DAY: Senior All-America quarterback Todd Bankhead (Escondido, Calif.) has turned in some of his best performances of the season over the last month. Last week against Connecticut, Bankhead hit on 19 of 24 passes (for a 79.2 completion percentage) for 232 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, even though he played only one series after halftime. The previous week at William & Mary, he completed 22 of 37 passes for 250 yards, marking the third straight game and fourth game this season with at least 250 yards. In the victory at Richmond, Bankhead hit on 21 of 27 attempts (for a 77.8 completion percentage) for 296 yards and one touchdown without an interception. He also rushed five times against the Spiders for 26 yards and a pair of scores, including a touchdown run of 28 yards on a scramble in the third quarter. Against Rhode Island, Bankhead completed 16 of 27 passes for a season-best 322 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 15 yards on seven carries with a career-best run of 29 yards. The 322 yards passing against the Rams mark the fifth-best performance of Bankhead?s career and the sixth-best game in school history. He has now thrown for over 320 yards in a game five times in his career, and is the only player in school history other than Brian McNally (389 yards against Connecticut in 1976) to ever throw for over 320 yards. For the season, Bankhead has completed 209 of 332 passes for 2,496 yards and 14 touchdowns. He currently stands second on the UMass single season lists for passing yards, completions and attempts, while his completion percentage of 63.0 would set a new school single season record.
SHIPP AND AYI NAMED FINALISTS FOR NATIONAL AWARDS: Junior tailback Marcel Shipp and junior linebacker Kole Ayi (Nashua, N.H.) have been selected as finalists for the National Player of the Year awards presented annually by The Sports Network. Shipp has been chosen as one of 16 finalists for the Walter Payton Award, which is given to the top offensive player in Division I-AA. Ayi is one of 16 finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award, presented each year to the best defensive player in the country. The recipients of the awards will be announced at the 13th Annual Division I-AA College Football Awards Banquet, to be held at Mickey Mantle?s Restaurant in New York City on December 6.
BANKHEAD BREAKS MORE RECORDS: Senior quarterback Todd Bankhead became the all time UMass leader in career passing yards and attempts during the victory over Rhode Island. Bankhead currently has career totals of 6,415 yards and 857 attempts. He broke the records of Dave Palazzi (1985-88), who threw for 5,402 yards and attempted 766 passes during his career. Two weeks earlier against Maine, Bankhead broke the all-time UMass record for completions. He now has a career total of 512, breaking Palazzi?s record of 409. Earlier in the season, Bankhead took sole possession of first place on the all-time UMass list for career touchdown passes. He hit Marcel Shipp with a 39-yard scoring strike at Villanova for the 39th touchdown pass of his career. He now has 48 career scoring strikes, breaking the old record of Peil Pennington, who tossed 38 touchdown passes from 1971-73. Bankhead also ranks first all-time at UMass in completion percentage (.597) and second in total offense (6,237 yards).
OFFENSE HAS ANOTHER IMPRESSIVE SEASON: With 62 points in the Connecticut game last week, UMass has now scored the second most points in a season in school history. The Minutemen have totaled 364 points on the year (33.1 per game), second only to the 524 points scored in 1998 (33.5 per game). The third highest scoring total in school history is 343 points set by both the 1978 and 1988 teams (the 1978 squad set the record in 13 games and the 1988 team needed 12 games). Last year, the Minutemen scored 380 points prior to their four postseason victories. UMass has also recorded the second highest single season mark in school history for total offense with 4,787 yards on the year. The record of 7,074 yards was set by the 1998 Minutemen in 15 games, while the 1988 team had the third highest total with 4,638 yards in 12 games.
ATLANTIC 10 PLACES TWO TEAMS IN PLAYOFFS: With both UMass and James Madison receiving bids to the 1999 NCAA Division I-AA playoffs, the Atlantic 10 Conference has now sent at least two teams to the tournament for nine straight seasons and 12 times in the last 13 years. The Minutemen enter the playoffs as the No. 10 seed, while the Dukes are the No. 12 seed and will play at No. 5 Troy State. The Atlantic 10 has sent three teams to the tournament five times, with all five occasions coming in the 1990s. The A-10 first qualified three teams in 1991 (Delaware, New Hampshire and Villanova), then repeated the feat in 1993 (Boston University, Delaware and William & Mary), 1994 (Boston University, James Madison and New Hampshire), 1996 (Delaware, Villanova and William & Mary), and 1998 (UMass, Connecticut and Richmond). The Minutemen are the only Atlantic 10 team to ever advance to the championship game, defeating Georgia Southern 55-43 in 1998 and falling to Florida A&M 35-28 in 1978.
SHIPP IN THE RECORD BOOKS: Last week against Connecticut, Marcel Shipp broke the UMass single season record for rushing touchdowns. He ran for three scores against the Huskies to bring his 1999 total to 20, breaking Rene Ingoglia?s school record of 19 (set in 1995). Only a junior, Shipp has already broken the all-time UMass record for career rushing yards. He set the record during the William & Mary game, during which he gained 210 yards. Shipp?s career total now stands at 4,870 yards, breaking the record of Rene Ingoglia (4,624 / 1992-95), and placing him second on the all-time Atlantic 10 rushing list behind only New Hampshire?s Jerry Azumah (6,193 yards / 1995-98). Earlier in the season at Maine, Shipp broke the all-time UMass record for all-purpose yards, amassing 263 yards in the victory. He now has 6,011 career all-purpose yards, breaking the record of Garry Pearson, who totaled 5,277 yards from 1979-82. Shipp also had a school-record streak of 19 consecutive 100-yard games which began against Buffalo last year and was snapped during the win over Rhode Island. In addition, Shipp ranks first all-time at UMass in rushing yards per game (135.3), second in rushing touchdowns (42) and carries (894), and fifth in yards per carry (5.4).
WHITE CONTINUES TO LEAD DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD: Senior cornerback Jerard White (Fort Washington, Md.) has established himself as one of the top cover men in the nation this season. Last week against Connecticut, White picked up his sixth interception of the season, returning it 60 yards for a touchdown. The touchdown was the second of his collegiate career, as he scored on a 30-yard interception return against Boston University in 1996. White has also broken up 13 passes this season, while also shutting down some of the top receivers in the country. William & Mary?s all-time leading receiver Dave Conklin (200 career catches for 3,138 yards and 27 touchdowns), was held to only one catch for 19 yards by White. Earlier in the year, Northeastern?s all-time leading receiver Dave Klemic (159 career catches for 2,573 yards and 32 touchdowns) could manage only three catches for 27 yards when matched up against White. All told, none of the 10 receivers in the Atlantic 10 have caught more than four passes against White this season. Some of White?s other big performances this year came at Maine (one interception, four tackles and four pass breakups) and against Rhode Island (four more pass breakups). White broke the UMass career record for pass breakups during the Rhode Island game and now has 38 in his career, shattering the old school record of 34 held by Garrick Amos (1986-89). Earlier this year, White made two interceptions against New Hampshire, while also picking off passes against Villanova and Toledo. His second interception in the UNH game was named the Compaq National Interception of the Week.
DEFENSE CONTINUES TO DOMINATE: During UMass? current seven-game winning streak, the play of the defense has been the key to UMass? success. In the last six games, the Minutemen have allowed an average of only 12.4 points per game, while giving up an average of only 231.9 yards. No team has scored more than 20 points against UMass in the last seven games, with four of the seven teams being held under 250 yards of total offense. In addition, the Minutemen have forced 22 turnovers over the last seven weeks, an average of 3.2 per contest. The UMass defense has been particularly dominant in the second half of recent games, shutting out three of its last seven opponents in the second stanza. Delaware, Maine and Northeastern were all held scoreless after the intermission, while Richmond and Rhode Island could manage only six second half points each. During the three games in which it posted second half shutouts, the UMass defense allowed an average of zero points, 67 yards and one drive into Minuteman territory during the second half. For the season, UMass is allowing opponents 16.6 points and 298.4 yards of total offense per game, with a pass efficiency rating of 85.95.
MINUTEMEN WIN 18TH CONFERENCE TITLE: With the victory over Connecticut last Saturday, UMass won the Atlantic 10 Conference championship for the first time since 1990. UMass finished the regular season with a 7-1 league record, and tied James Madison, for first place in the conference. The Minutemen have won more league titles than any other team in conference history with their 18 championships (1960, ?63, ?64, ?66, ?67, ?69, ?71, ?72, ?74, ?77, ?78, ?79, ?81, ?82, ?86, ?88, ?90 and ?99). James Madison lays claim to its first conference title since joining the league prior to the 1993 season.
MINUTEMEN RUN WINNING STREAK TO SEVEN GAMES: UMass enters this week?s game against Furman with a seven-game winning streak, the longest streak for the Minutemen since the 1992 squad won seven straight games. With a win this week, UMass can tie the school record of eight consecutive victories, which has been accomplished on four previous occasions. The first streak began when the 1963 team won its final seven games, and ended with a victory over Maine in the 1964 season opener. The 1975 squad matched the record by winning its first eight games of the year, while the 1977 team posted an eight-game winning streak after losing its season opener to Army. The last eight-game winning streak was accomplished by the 1990 Minutemen, who won eight straight following a season-opening tie against Holy Cross. There have also been four seven-game winning streaks in school history (in 1964, 1965-66, 1992 and 1999).
WHIPPLE RECORDS 20TH UMASS VICTORY: In only his second season as head coach of the Minutemen, Mark Whipple picked up the 20th victory of his UMass career against Connecticut last week. Whipple sports an overall mark of 20-6 (.769) during his first two seasons in Amherst, and reached the 20-win mark faster than any other coach in school history (needing only 26 games). Previously, Mike Hodges held the record for fewest games needed to reach 20 wins, going 20-7 in his first 27 games as UMass head coach. Whipple also become the first coach in school history to win 20 games in his first two seasons, as Hodges did not record his 20th win until the sixth game of his third season. Whipple owns a career record of 92-39 (.703) in 12 years as a collegiate head coach, including four years at Brown and six seasons at New Haven.
ZULLO MAKES HIS MARKS IN THE RECORD BOOKS: Sophomore wide receiver Adrian Zullo (Pompano Beach, Fla.) tied the all-time school record for career touchdown receptions at Richmond. Zullo caught a 26-yard scoring strike from Todd Bankhead for the 16th touchdown reception of his UMass career. He is now tied with Jimmy Moore, who set the record last season when he caught 16 touchdowns during his only year with the Minutemen. With his 65 catches for 1,030 yards and eight scores so far this season, Zullo also ranks second on the UMass single season list for receiving yards, third on the list for catches and fourth on the list for touchdowns. He has also joined Jimmy Moore (1,494 yards last season) as the only players in school history to have over 1,000 receiving yards in a single season. For his career, Zullo also has totals of 94 receptions for 1,499 yards, ranking third in school history in yards and fifth in catches.
AYI CONTINUES TO PLAY WELL IN THE MIDDLE: Junior Buck Buchanan Award finalist Kole Ayi continues to be the top tackler on the UMass defense and in the Atlantic 10 Conference. At Richmond, he led the team with 16 tackles, including two tackles for loss and a sack for 12 yards. His performance against the Spiders marked the eighth time this season he has led the team in tackles and the eighth time he has reached double figures. A week earlier against Rhode Island, Ayi led the team with 17 tackles, including two sacks for 21 yards and four tackles for loss. He also picked up 21 yards on an interception return against Rhode Island, after Paul Bolden intercepted a pass and lateraled to him. Following the game, Ayi was selected as the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week. At Delaware, he led the team with 11 tackles, while also making a key interception in the third quarter to set up the field goal which gave UMass the lead at 20-19. Earlier this year, Ayi recorded 13 tackles at Maine, 14 stops against Hofstra, 15 tackles against Toledo, 15 stops at Villanova, and a season-high 17 tackles in the season opener against New Hampshire. He has reached double figures in tackles 16 times in his last 26 games. For the season, Ayi has totaled 130 tackles, including 93 solo stops. He has also moved into fourth place on the all-time UMass list for solo tackles, with 238 during his career as a Minuteman, while also ranking fifth in total tackles with 338. Ayi is only the fifth player in school history to make over 200 career unassisted tackles.
ZULLO KEEPS BRINGING IN THE CATCHES : Sophomore wide receiver Adrian Zullo, who has been the top receiver for the Minutemen all season, had another solid game during the victory at William & Mary. He caught six passes in the game for 72 yards, leading the team in receiving yards and tying for the team lead in catches. A week earlier at Richmond, Zullo caught 11 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown, setting a new school single-game record for receiving yards and tying the record for receptions. The previous record for receiving yards was held by Milt Morin with 181 against Vermont Oct. 30, 1965, while the record for most catches was shared by Tim Berra (against Holy Cross in 1973), Jimmy Moore (at Hofstra in 1998) and Zullo (at Villanova earlier this year). Following the contest, Zullo was honored as the Atlantic 10 Conference Offensive Player of the Week and the WHMP / UMass Athlete of the Week, while also receiving the Coca-Cola Gold Helmet as the Division I Player of the Week in New England. A week earlier against Rhode Island, Zullo caught four passes for 96 yards, while also running 49 yards for a touchdown on a reverse. He also had a team-high seven receptions for 83 yards at Delaware, and four receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown at Maine. Zullo had two other games with over 100 yards receiving earlier this season against Northeastern (seven catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns) and Villanova (11 catches for 125 yards). Zullo also had a big day against New Hampshire in the season opener, catching five passes for 92 yards and four touchdowns. With the four scoring catches, he tied the UMass single-game record which was set by Jimmy Moore last season at Connecticut. Through 11 games, Zullo has totaled 65 receptions for 1,030 yards and eight touchdowns, while also rushing nine times for 111 yards and another touchdown.
ROBINSON CONTINUES STRONG PLAY IN SECONDARY: Sophomore free safety Jeremy Robinson (Syracuse, N.Y.) is having another big season in the UMass secondary. At William & Mary, he led the team with 10 tackles, including a career-high three sacks for 29 yards. Earlier against Rhode Island, Robinson recorded an interception for the fifth straight week, picking off a pass in the UMass end zone to halt a Ram drive late in the first half. He also made eight tackles in the game and broke up three passes. Previously at Delaware, Robinson made six tackles to go along with one pick. The interception was a key one, as it set up a field goal on the final play of the second quarter to help UMass to its come-from-behind victory. Robinson had four tackles and an interception at Maine, and made a team-high five tackles to go along with an interception in the win over Northeastern. He ranked second on the team in tackles against both Hofstra (10) and Toledo (12), while also making 12 tackles in the victory over New Hampshire. For the season, Robinson ranks third on the team in tackles with 82, including 53 solo stops. He has also made 10 tackles for loss, to go along with four sacks, six interceptions and five pass breakups.
WYNNE NAMED NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION SCHOLAR ATHLETE: On October 28, senior offensive guard Mike Wynne (Somerdale, N.J.) was named a National College Scholar Athlete by the National Football Foundation. The distinction is reserved for the 15 best and brightest college football playing seniors in the nation at all levels. Wynne is the first UMass football player to ever receive the award, while also being only the third player in Atlantic 10 history to be so honored, and one of only three Division I-AA players to earn the award this season. Wynne will be awarded an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship and will be honored at the Foundation?s 42nd Annual Awards Dinner, held at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City on Dec. 7. Earlier this year, Wynne was named a Division I-AA College Football Scholar Athlete by Burger King. In honor of Wynne?s outstanding athletic and academic achievements and his commitment to mentoring the community?s youth, Burger King donated $10,000 to the University of Massachusetts general scholarship fund in his name. An official presentation was made to Wynne prior to UMass? game against Hofstra on October 2. A three-year starter on the offensive line for the Minutemen, Wynne carries a cumulative grade point average of 3.93 in Accounting, and will graduate in December.
WYNNE AND SMITH NAMED TO ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT TEAM: Senior offensive guard Mike Wynne and junior strong safety Brian Smith (Wilmington, Del.) have both been named to the 1999 GTE / CoSIDA Academic All-District I team. Wynne and Smith will now be on the ballot for Academic All-America honors, which will be announced in December. A number of UMass players earned academic honors last season, led by Wynne, who was a GTE / CoSIDA second team Academic All-American. In addition, both Wynne and Smith were named to the 1998 GTE / CoSIDA Academic All-District I team and the Division I-AA Athletic Directors Association Academic All-Star Team. Wynne and Smith were also joined by quarterback Todd Bankhead, junior wide receiver Steve Ley (Philadelphia, Pa.) and junior defensive end Dan Schneider (Fitchburg, Mass.) on the Academic All-Atlantic 10 team, while a total of 27 Minutemen had grade point averages of 3.0 or higher during the spring 1999 semester. This year, Bankhead, Wynne and Smith should all be top candidates for Academic All-America honors. Bankhead entered the fall semester with a 3.33 grade point average in Sport Management, while Wynne has a 3.93 grade point average in Accounting and Smith carries a 3.31 grade point average in Computer Science.
SMITH MAKES BIG PLAYS IN SECONDARY: Junior strong safety Brian Smith continues to show why he is one of the top defensive backs in the Atlantic 10. In last week?s victory over Connecticut, he recorded his third interception of the season, while tying for the team lead in tackles with five. At Richmond, Smith had an interception and also ranked second on the team in total tackles with 10. Earlier against Rhode Island, he made 10 tackles while also recording his first interception of the season. At Maine Smith totaled seven tackles, including one tackle for loss and a pass breakup, while against Hofstra ranked third on the team in total tackles with eight and blocked an extra point. He also ranked second on the team in total tackles against Toledo (12), Villanova (12) and New Hampshire (a season-high 14). For the year, Smith stands second on the team in total tackles with 87, including 59 solo stops. He also has eight tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions and two pass breakups.
DEFENSE MAKES MORE PICKS: The UMass defense has forced opposing quarterbacks into a number of mistakes this season, making 26 interceptions in nine games. The Minutemen finished the regular season ranked second in the nation in interceptions, behind only Davidson (28 picks). In last week?s win over Connecticut, UMass totaled three interceptions. Senior cornerback Jerard White had the first pick and ran it back 60 yards for a touchdown, while junior strong safety Brian Smith and junior free safety Lance Overby (Staten Island, N.Y.) both added interceptions later in the game. During the victory over Rhode Island, UMass also picked off three passes. Sophomore free safety Jeremy Robinson made the first pick, while Smith added an interception in the third quarter and junior defensive tackle Paul Bolden (Edison, N.J.) made the first pick of his career during the fourth period. Earlier in the season against Northeastern the Minutemen made six interceptions, tying the school single-game record set against Nevada-Reno in 1978. Redshirt freshman linebacker Corey Potter (Doylestown, Pa.) led the way with a pair of interceptions in the game, while senior linebacker Matt Dawson (Pepperell, Mass.), Robinson, senior cornerback Willie Hemmer (San Diego, Calif.) and junior defensive back Bill Barry (Bedford, N.H.) all had one interception each. The UMass defensive backfield also had a big day in the season-opener against New Hampshire, coming up with four interceptions. Senior cornerback Jerard White led the way with a pair of picks, while Hemmer and Robinson had one interception each. For the season, White and Robinson are tied for the team lead with six interceptions.
THE PRICE IS RIGHT: Senior defensive end Chris Price (Boxboro, Mass.) turned in another outstanding performance for the Minutemen at Richmond. Price recorded six tackles in the game, two of them for loss, with a blocked field goal and a quarterback sack. His blocked field goal came on Richmond?s first possession and kept the game scoreless, while his sack came in the fourth quarter when the Spiders were trying to convert on a fourth and six at the UMass 43-yard line. The performance against Richmond marked Price?s fourth straight game with at least two tackles for loss and his third straight contest with a sack. Earlier against Rhode Island, Price tied his season high with three tackles for loss, including a sack for 13 yards. Price also recorded three tackles for loss earlier this season in the victory over New Hampshire. For the season, he has totaled 40 tackles through 11 games, including 16 tackles for loss and four sacks. He now has career totals of 217 tackles (including 115 solo stops), 14 sacks and 31 tackles for loss.
QUINLAN HAS BIG DAY OFF THE BENCH: Sophomore tailback Kevin Quinlan (Somerville, Mass.) had the third 100-yard rushing game of his career during last week?s victory over Connecticut. Quinlan had 16 carries for 100 yards and a touchdown on the day, while also catching a pair of passes for 28 yards. Prior to the Connecticut contest, Quinlan?s last 100-yard game came against Northeastern, when he rushed 24 times for 127 yards and a pair of touchdowns, in addition to catching three passes for 26 yards. His only other 100 yards game came against McNeese State on Nov. 28, 1998, when he had a team-best 147 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries. With Quinlan and Shipp both rushing for over 100 yards against Connecticut, it also marked the second time this season two UMass backs ran for 100 yards (they also accomplished the feat against Northeastern). Prior to this season, the last time two UMass players rushed for 100 yards in the same game came against Holy Cross on Sept. 14, 1996, when Ron Brockington gained 108 yards and Frank Alessio rushed for 103 yards.
UMASS IN THE RANKINGS: The Minutemen are currently ranked 10th in the nation by The Sports Network, 11th by ESPN / USA Today and fifth by Don Hansen?s Football Gazette. UMass has now been ranked in at least one national poll every week since Oct. 5, 1998, when it broke into the rankings for the first time since the 1995 season. The Minutemen finished last year on top of the Sports Network, ESPN / USA Today and Don Hansen?s Football Gazette polls, marking the first time the Minutemen had ever been ranked No. 1. Here is a look at where UMass has been ranked so far this season:
Poll Sports Network ESPN / USA Today Don Hansen Preseason 2 2 1 Sept. 6 2 no poll 1 Sept. 13 2 2 1 Sept. 20 9 11 11 Sept. 27 16 16 14 Oct. 4 ? ? 24 Oct. 11 25 ? 20 Oct. 18 24 ? 19 Oct. 25 20 20 15 Nov. 1 17 19 13 Nov. 8 17 17 8 Nov. 15 13 14 5 Nov. 22 10 11 5
THE CLASS OF THE ATLANTIC 10: Since Mark Whipple took over as the head coach of the Minutemen prior to the start of the 1998 season, UMass has been the top team in the Atlantic 10 Conference. During the Whipple era, the Minutemen have an overall record of 20-6 (.769) and a 13-3 (.813) mark in conference games. For that time period, UMass leads all Atlantic 10 schools in victories and winning percentage, for marks including both conference and overall records. In addition, the Minutemen have scored 888 total points and 573 points against league foes over the last two years to lead all Atlantic 10 schools in scoring.
UMASS AGAINST RANKED TEAMS: The Minutemen have faced three ranked teams so far this season, defeating No. 18 Delaware 26-19 and falling to No. 22 Villanova 26-21 and No. 6 Hofstra 27-14. Since the beginning of the 1998 season, UMass now stands 7-5 against ranked opponents. Last year, the Minutemen posted wins over No. 5 Hofstra (40-35), No. 20 Villanova (36-26), No. 6 McNeese State (21-19), No. 13 Lehigh (27-21), No. 2 Northwestern State (41-31) and No. 1 Georgia Southern (55-43). The 1998 losses to ranked teams were against No. 3 Delaware (33-30), No. 15 Connecticut (44-41 in overtime) and No. 9 Connecticut (28-27). UMass? six victories over ranked opponents in 1998 set a school single-season record.
HEALEY GETS BACK IN THE FLOW: Senior linebacker Dan Healey (Marblehead, Mass.) made a triumphant return to the UMass lineup during the victory over Richmond. He tied his career high with 10 tackles in the win over the Spiders, while seeing his first action on defense in over a month. Healey had missed the Northeastern and Maine games with a sprained right knee, then played only on special teams against Delaware and Rhode Island. He followed up his performance against Richmond with two more solid games, ranking fourth on the team with five total tackles at William & Mary and tying for the team lead with five tackles against Connecticut. Earlier this season, Healey had a huge game at Villanova with 10 tackles and two sacks for 15 yards. For the season, Healey has now totaled 46 tackles, including five tackles for loss.
MINUTEMEN AMONG THE A-10 LEADERS: Several Minutemen rank among the A-10 leaders at the conclusion of the regular season. Marcel Shipp stands first in scoring (11.5 points/game), second in rushing (142.9 yards/game) and fourth in all-purpose yards (165.9 yards/game). Adrian Zullo ranks second in receiving yards (93.6 yards/game) and third in receptions (5.9 catches/game), while Todd Bankhead stands second in pass efficiency (131.6 rating), third in passing yards (226.9 yards/game) and fourth in total offense (225.5 yards/game). Jeremy Robinson and Jerard White are tied for third in the league in interceptions (0.6 picks/game), while freshman Doug White (Claremont, Calif.) ranks first in extra point percentage (100.0) and freshman David Sanger (Cocoa Beach, Fla.) is fourth in punting (40.0 yards/punt). Kole Ayi ranks second in the conference in tackles (11.8 tackles/game), while senior defensive end Chris Price ranks second in the league in tackles for loss with 16 and White leads the conference in pass breakups with 13. As a team, UMass leads the Atlantic 10 in pass efficiency defense (85.9 rating), scoring defense (16.6 points/game), scoring offense (33.1 points/game), total defense (298.4 yards/game) and turnover margin (+1.1 turnovers/game), while ranking second in total offense (435.2 yards/game), and third in rushing defense (127.5 yards/game), rushing offense (196.4 yards/game) and passing offense (238.8 yards/game).
HIGGINS BECOMES A TOP RECEIVING THREAT: Senior tight end Sean Higgins (Brewster, N.Y.) has turned in some solid performances for the Minutemen so far this season. He had the best game of his career against New Hampshire in the season opener, catching a team and career-high seven passes for 74 yards. Higgins came back at Villanova with four catches for 47 yards, made four receptions for 32 yards at Toledo, then had six catches for 63 yards against Hofstra. At Maine he made four receptions for 44 yards and his first career touchdown, while at Delaware he had five catches for 55 yards. Higgins ranks second on the team in receptions this season, with 43 catches for 466 yards through 11 games. A transfer from Cayuga Community College prior to the 1998 season, Higgins is replacing Kerry Taylor in the starting lineup (Taylor is currently on the New England Patriots? practice squad).
MINUTEMEN TIE SCORING RECORD AGAINST HUSKIES: UMass tied the school single game records for both points scored and margin of victory in the win over Northeastern. The 77-0 victory over the Huskies matched the marks set in a 77-0 win over Wagner on Nov. 14, 1931. The Minutemen tied a school record with eight rushing touchdowns, equaling the mark set against Wagner in 1931 and tied against Cooper Union on Sept. 24, 1932. UMass also set a school record for most extra points made by kick with 11. In addition, four Atlantic 10 Conference records were broken in the game. The Minutemen set new records for points scored and margin of victory in a conference game, breaking the marks held by Connecticut in a 71-6 win over UMass on Oct. 13, 1956. UMass also set new league records for touchdowns and extra points with 11 of each. The old mark of nine touchdowns was shared by New Hampshire (vs. Maine on Sept. 25, 1993), Delaware (vs. Maine on Oct. 28, 1995) and Maine (vs. Boston University of Oct. 18, 1997), while New Hampshire and Maine shared the record of nine extra points from those same games.
FOURTH AND GO: Over the last two seasons, UMass has made a habit of going for it on fourth down. This season, the Minutemen have been successful on 18 of 30 fourth down attempts for a 60 percent success rate. In the victory over William & Mary, UMass converted three out of five times on fourth down, including a two-yard touchdown run by Marcel Shipp on fourth and two in the fourth quarter. Last season, the Minutemen converted on 21 of the 37 times they went for it on fourth down for a 57 percent success rate. UMass has now been successful on 58 percent (39 of 67) of its fourth down conversions since the beginning of the 1998 season. By comparison, UMass opponents converted on only 20 of 47 fourth down attempts over the last two years, good for only 43 percent.
SHIPP NEAR TOP OF NCAA STAT LEADERS: Marcel Shipp heads a list of six different UMass players who are ranked in the NCAA Division I-AA statistical leaders at the conclusion of the regular season. Shipp stands sixth nationally in scoring.
Category NCAA Rank Player/Team No./Avg.
Pass Efficiency Defense 3 UMass 85.9
Scoring 6 Marcel Shipp 11.5
25 UMass 33.1
Rushing Yards 7 Marcel Shipp 142.9
27 UMass 196.4
Turnover Margin 9 UMass +1.1
Interceptions 11 Jeremy Robinson 0.6
11 Jerard White 0.6
Scoring Defense 12 UMass 16.6
All-Purpose Yards 12 Marcel Shipp 165.9
50 Adrian Zullo 122.4
Receiving Yards 17 Adrian Zullo 93.6
Total Defense 21 UMass 298.4
Total Offense 23 UMass 435.2
31 Todd Bankhead 225.5
Receptions 25 Adrian Zullo 5.9
Rushing Defense 28 UMass 127.5
Punting 30 David Sanger 40.0
Pass Efficiency 31 Todd Bankhead 131.6
DEFENSE DOMINATES NORTHEASTERN: The UMass defense turned in one of its finest performances of all-time in the victory over Northeastern. The Minutemen shut out the Huskies while allowing only 72 total yards on the day. In fact, the Huskies managed to cross midfield only once in the game, advancing to the UMass 47-yard line on their second possession of the game. But on its only snap inside UMass territory, Northeastern was forced to punt. The Minutemen also intercepted six passes in the game, while forcing the Huskies into eight total turnovers. Thanks to those turnovers, the offense had an average starting field position of the Northeastern 47-yard line. The shutout was the first by the Minutemen since Sept. 16, 1995, when UMass downed Holy Cross 51-0 at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. The 72 yards of total offense are the third fewest the Minutemen have ever surrendered, ranking behind only a 27-0 win over New Hampshire on Nov. 13, 1982 (67 total yards) and a 42-0 victory over American International College on Nov. 9, 1963 (70 total yards). UMass also held the Huskies to -11 rushing yards and an average of -0.65 yards per carry, the fourth lowest average rushing gain the Minutemen have ever allowed (the record of 1.48 was set against Maine in 1963 and matched against North Carolina Central in 1979). In addition, the six interceptions tied the school record set against Nevada-Reno on Dec. 9, 1978.
MINUTEMEN TAKE ON I-A FOE FOR FIRST TIME IN OVER 10 YEARS: When UMass faced Toledo earlier this year, it marked the first game for the Minutemen against a Division I-A foe since the 1988 season. Prior to the 24-3 loss to the Rockets, UMass? last game against a I-A team came when Ball State posted a 44-17 victory over the Minutemen in Muncie, Ind., on Sept. 17, 1988. Since Division I-AA was formed in 1978, UMass now has a record of 8-12 against I-A foes, with the last victory being a 26-10 triumph over Ball State on Sept. 1, 1984, at McGuirk Alumni Stadium.
UMASS FOOTBALL ON THE RADIO: All University of Massachusetts football games can be heard live on the UMass Football Radio Network, with WHMP 1400 AM (Northampton) serving as the flagship station. Bob Behler has taken over as the play-by-play announcer this season, while former UMass head coach Bob Pickett is in his second year as color analyst. The list of affiliates on the UMass Radio Network includes WXKS 1430 AM (Boston), WGAM 1520 AM (Greenfield), WUHN 1110 AM (Pittsfield) and WNEB 1230 AM (Worcester). In addition, WMUA 91.1 FM, the UMass student station, will carry most Minuteman football games during the 1999 season.
THE MARK WHIPPLE SHOW: Head coach Mark Whipple?s weekly radio show, ?The Mark Whipple Show,? is on live from Rafter?s Sports Bar & Restaurant in Amherst each Thursday from 6:30-7:30 p.m. during the season on WHMP 1400 AM. Bob Behler serves as the show?s host. The show is open to the general public.
COACH?S CORNER WITH MARK WHIPPLE: Every Sunday night at 11:30 p.m., the Coach?s Corner with Mark Whipple can be seen on WGGB TV, channel 40 in Springfield. The short segment, which runs at the tale end of the Sunday night news, features highlights from Saturday?s game and a look ahead to the next week?s opponent. The show will run through the end of UMass? season.
UMASS FOOTBALL ON TELEVISION: Last week?s game against Connecticut was the fifth of five live television appearances for the Minutemen during the 1999 season. The game was shown on Connecticut Public Television in the state of Connecticut. UMass? first four televised games this year came against New Hampshire, Hofstra, Maine and Delaware. The New Hampshire game was carried by the Atlantic 10 Television Network and was shown on Fox Sports New England and WBGN TV (Pittsburgh, Pa.), while the Hofstra game was carried by Fox Sports New York. The Maine game was shown on WABI TV (Bangor) and WPME TV (Portland) in Maine, and the Delaware game, which was carried by the A-10 Network, was shown by Fox Sports New England, Comcast SportsNet, Home Team Sports, WBGN TV (Pittsburgh) and WDRL TV (Roanoke, Va.). The Minutemen have a record of 8-1 in televised games since the beginning of the 1998 season. Last year UMass defeated Hofstra, Rhode Island, Lehigh and Georgia Southern.
FURMAN HEAD COACH BOBBY JOHNSON: Now in his sixth season as the head coach of the Paladins, Bobby Johnson has a career record of 39-29. He has been named one of 16 finalists for the 1999 Eddie Robinson Award, after leading Furman to its first Southern Conference title since 1990. Prior to being named the Paladins? head coach, Johnson spent one season as the defensive coordinator at Clemson in 1993. The native of Columbia, S.C., also spent 10 seasons as Furman?s defensive coordinator before his time at Clemson. Johnson graduated from Clemson in 1973 with a degree in management, and went on to earn his master?s degree in education from Furman in 1979.
ABOUT THE PALADINS: Furman enters today?s game with an overall record of 9-2, and posted a 7-1 record in the Southern Conference to tie for the league championship. The Paladins are making their ninth appearance in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs, and have an overall record of 11-7 in postseason play. Furman won the national title in 1988, defeating Georgia Southern 17-12 in the championship game. The Paladins have won their last two games against Wofford (30-3) and Chattanooga (40-35), and have won four straight home games since falling to Elon 24-22 in their season opener. Furman also owns a victory over Division I-A North Carolina (28-3). The Paladins rank sixth in the country in rushing offense with an average of 288.2 yards per game, while standing 11th nationally in scoring with an average of 37.3 points per contest. Sophomore tailback Louis Ivory leads Furman with 1,376 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on 230 carries, while junior fullback Derek Russell has rushed for 324 yards and 12 touchdowns on 80 carries. Junior quarterback Justin Hill has completed 88 of 140 passes on the season for 1,336 yards and nine touchdowns with five interceptions, while also rushing for 640 yards and eight more scores on 122 carries. Senior free safety John Keith leads the Furman defense with 116 tackles and three interceptions, while sophomore linebacker Will Bouton has 10 tackles for loss among his 114 total tackles.
EXTRA POINTS: With wins at Richmond and William & Mary this year, UMass posted two victories in the state of Virginia in a single season for the first time in school history ? UMass? 62 points scored against Connecticut last week marked the most the Minutemen had ever scored against the Huskies in the 103-year history of the series ? On November 8, UMass Director of Football Operations Frank Forcucci was inducted into the Connecticut Sports Hall of Fame. Forcucci, who was nominated by the Wolcott Circle of Sports, received an official citation from the Connecticut State General Assembly ? UMass sophomore wide receiver Adrian Zullo and freshman linebacker Jeremy Cain (Tamarac, Fla.) attended the same high school (St. Thomas Aquinas) as Furman junior cornerback Andre Stroman ? UMass freshman defensive back Corey Edwards (Orlando, Fla.) went to the same high school (Lake Highland Prep) as Furman redshirt freshman wide receiver Brock Kelsey ? A number of UMass players saw game action for the first time in their collegiate career during the victory over Northeastern on Oct. 9. Two players who made the most of their appearances were sophomore defensive end Joel Sarapin (East Brunswick, N.J.) and junior defensive back Bill Barry. Sarapin recorded three sacks during the final quarter of the game, while Barry came up with an interception on the game?s final play.
