University of Massachusets Athletics
Football To Face Georgia Southern In NCAA Quarterfinals
November 28, 1999 | Football
Nov. 28, 1999
THE SERIES WITH GEORGIA SOUTHERN: This week?s game marks only the second meeting between the Minutemen and the Eagles, and the first time UMass will play a game in the state of Georgia. The Minutemen won the first meeting with Georgia Southern 55-43 in the 1998 NCAA championship game, played in Chattanooga, Tenn. UMass stands 2-0 all-time against current members of the Southern Conference, including last year?s win over Georgia Southern and last week?s victory at Furman. The Eagles stand 10-4 all-time against members of the Atlantic 10 Conference, but have gone only 1-3 since the beginning of the 1997 season. Five of the Eagles games against A-10 schools have come in the NCAA Tournament, with wins over Maine (31-28 in 1987), Villanova (52-36 in 1989) and Connecticut (52-30 in 1998), and losses to Delaware (16 7 in 1997) and UMass. Current members of the Atlantic 10 Conference stand 170-156-7 all-time against schools presently in the Southern Conference, including a 3-9 record in NCAA Tournament games.
GAME DAY QUICK FACTS
The Teams: #10 UMass (9-3, 7-1 A-10) vs. #2 Georgia Southern (10-2, 7-1 Southern)
Date: December 4, 1999
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Place: Allen E. Paulson Stadium (18,000), Statesboro, Ga.
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)
Georgia Southern Sports Network (Nate Hirsch, play-by-play, Frank Inman,
color, WMCD 100.1 FM, Statesboro, flagship)
Series Record: UMass leads, 1-0
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 6-3 in the I-AA playoffs and an overall mark of 7-5 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), the 1972 Boardwalk Bowl (downing California-Davis 35-14) and 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.)
1999 Furman W, 30-23 (OT)
(NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs, Greenville, S.C.)
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.
MINUTEMEN TIE LONGEST WINNING STREAK IN SCHOOL HISTORY: UMass enters this week?s game against Georgia Southern with an eight-game winning streak, tying for the most consecutive victories in school history. The season marks the fifth time the Minutemen have won eight games in a row. 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.
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 five games, throwing for at least 250 yards four times. Last week at Furman, he completed 28 of 41 passes for 287 yards and a pair of touchdowns without an interception. In the regular season finale 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. 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. Over the last five weeks, Bankhead has averaged 277.4 passing yards per game, completing 106 of 156 attempts with seven touchdowns and three interceptions. For the season, Bankhead has completed 237 of 373 passes for 2,783 yards and 16 touchdowns. He currently stands second on the UMass single season lists for passing yards, completions and attempts, while his completion percentage of 63.5 would set a new school single season record.
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 at Furman, Shipp carried 36 times for 170 yards and a pair of touchdowns, in addition to catching four passes for 15 yards. In the regular season finale 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 1,742 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns on 363 carries, while also catching 47 passes for 268 yards and another score. He leads the team in rushing, all-purpose yards (2,010 yards) and scoring (138 points on 23 touchdowns), while ranking second in total offense (1,742 yards) and third in receptions.
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.
NINE WINS TIE FOR SECOND MOST IN UMASS HISTORY: With last week?s victory over Furman in the NCAA first round, UMass improved its overall record to 9-3 on the season. The Minutemen have now tied for the second-most victories in school history, behind only last season?s team (which went 12-3). This year marks the fifth time the Minutemen have recorded nine victories in a single season. UMass first won nine games in the 1901 season when it posted a 9-1 mark. The Minutemen also accomplished the feat in 1972 with a 9-2 record, in 1978 with a 9 4 mark and in 1993 with a 9-2 record.
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 6,702 yards and 898 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 540, 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 50 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 (.601) and second in total offense (6,530 yards).
ZULLO MAKES HIS MARKS IN THE RECORD BOOKS: Sophomore wide receiver Adrian Zullo (Pompano Beach, Fla.) broke the all-time school record for career touchdown receptions during last week?s victory at Furman. Zullo caught a 15-yard scoring strike from Todd Bankhead in the first quarter for the 17th touchdown reception of his UMass career. He breaks the mark of Jimmy Moore, who set the record last season when he caught 16 touchdowns during his only year with the Minutemen. With his 75 catches for 1,151 yards and nine scores so far this season, Zullo ranks second on the UMass single season lists for receiving yards and catches, and third on the list for touchdowns. He has also joined 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 104 receptions for 1,620 yards, ranking second in school history in both yards and catches. He needs only five receptions and 51 yards this week to become UMass? all-time leader.
ZULLO KEEPS BRINGING IN THE CATCHES: Sophomore wide receiver Adrian Zullo, who has been the top receiver for the Minutemen all season, had another huge game against Furman last week. Zullo totaled 10 catches against the Paladins for 121 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing once for 10 yards. Two weeks earlier against William & Mary, he caught six passes for 72 yards, leading the team in receiving yards and tying for the team lead in catches. 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). 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 12 games, Zullo has totaled 75 receptions for 1,151 yards and nine touchdowns, while also rushing 10 times for 121 yards and another touchdown.
THE LAST TIME ? UMASS 55, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 43 (12/19/98): No. 12 UMass used a well balanced offensive attack to win its first ever national championship with a 55-43 victory over top-ranked Georgia Southern at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn. Marcel Shipp rushed for a championship game record 244 yards and three touchdowns on 35 carries, while also catching three passes for 38 yards. Todd Bankhead also had a big day completing 17 of 25 passes for 152 yards, without attempting any passes after the intermission. The Minutemen set a championship game record with 55 points, while the 98 total points scored in the game were also a new record. UMass jumped on top of Georgia Southern early, scoring three first quarter touchdowns on the way to a 38-21 halftime lead. Shipp opened the scoring with a 25-yard run on the opening drive of the game, then Kole Ayi made the score 14-0 when he recovered a Greg Hill fumble and ran it in from nine yards out. Hill scored on a 40-yard run to cut the lead in half, but after Ayi recovered another fumble deep in Georgia Southern territory, Jamie Holston hit Adrian Zullo from seven yards out on a halfback pass to make the score 21-7. Shipp and Bankhead both added touchdown runs in the second quarter, with Jason Cherry also kicking a 22-yard field goal to account for UMass? 38 first half points. The Minutemen had 346 yards of total offense before the break, 187 on the ground and 159 through the air. Georgia Southern cut the lead to 38-33 with a pair of long touchdown drives in the third quarter, before the UMass running attack put the game out of reach. Kevin Quinlan and Shipp both scored on two-yard runs early in the fourth quarter to give the Minutemen an insurmountable 52-33 advantage. A field goal by Cherry with 2:21 to play made the score 55-36, before a late touchdown by the Eagles concluded the scoring. Georgia Southern finished the game with 457 rushing yards and 595 yards of total offense, but was unable to overcome the seven turnovers it was forced into by the Minutemen. Hill rushed for 228 yards and two scores on the day, while Adrian Peterson added 161 yards and two touchdowns. Ayi led the UMass defense with 16 tackles, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles, while Khari Samuel added 15 tackles and two forced fumbles.
OFFENSE HAS ANOTHER IMPRESSIVE SEASON: With 62 points against Connecticut in the regular season finale, the Minutemen moved into second place on the school single season list for most points scored. UMass has now totaled 394 points on the year (32.8 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). UMass has also recorded the second highest single season mark in school history for total offense with 5,276 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.
POSTSEASON RECORDS FALL AGAINST FURMAN: The Minutemen set a number of new records for single game postseason performances during last week?s victory at Furman. UMass set six team records and tied one other, while six individual records were set and one other tied. The Minutemen broke the team postseason records for total offense (498 yards), first downs (28), passing yards (287), completions (28), passing attempts (41) and total offensive plays (88), while tying the mark for most touchdown passes (two). Todd Bankhead set new records for passing yards (287), completions (28) and attempts (41), in addition to tying the mark for touchdown passes (two). Adrian Zullo set new records for receptions (10) and receiving yards (121), while sophomore placekicker Jason Cherry (Butler, Pa.) set a record for the longest field goal with his 34 yarder.
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 10th-seeded Minutemen defeated No. 7 Furman in their opening game and face No. 2 Georgia Southern this week, while the 12th-seeded Dukes fell to No. 5 Troy State 27-7 in the opening round. 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: In the regular season finale against Connecticut, Marcel Shipp broke the UMass single season record for rushing touchdowns. He ran for three scores against the Huskies to break Rene Ingoglia?s school record of 19 (set in 1995). With two more scoring runs against Furman last week, Shipp now has 22 rushing touchdowns on the season. 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 5,040 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 6,251 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 (136.2) and carries (930), second in rushing touchdowns (44), 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 at Furman, he picked up his seventh interception of the season to halt a Paladin drive during the fourth quarter, in addition to making two tackles. White also had an interception in the regular season finale against Connecticut, 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 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 top 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 eight-game winning streak, the play of the defense has been the key to UMass? success. In the last eight games, the Minutemen have allowed an average of only 13.8 points per game, while giving up an average of only 255.8 yards. Only one team has scored more than 20 points against UMass in the last eight games, with four of the eight teams being held under 250 yards of total offense. In addition, the Minutemen have forced 24 turnovers over the last eight weeks, an average of three per contest. For the season, UMass is allowing opponents 17.2 points and 308.8 yards of total offense per game, with a pass efficiency rating of 87.77.
UMASS AGAINST RANKED TEAMS: The Minutemen have faced four ranked teams so far this season, posting an overall mark of 2-2. UMass defeated No. 18 Delaware 26-19 and No. 8 Furman 30-23 in overtime, while falling to No. 22 Villanova 26-21 and No. 6 Hofstra 27-14. Since the beginning of the 1998 season, UMass now stands 8-5 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.
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. Last week at Furman, Ayi ranked second on the team with 10 tackles, marking the ninth time this year he has reached double figures in tackles. 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. 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 27 games. For the season, Ayi has totaled 139 tackles, including 100 solo stops. He has also moved into third place on the all-time UMass list for solo tackles, with 247 during his career as a Minuteman, while also ranking fifth in total tackles with 348. Ayi is only the fifth player in school history to make over 200 career unassisted tackles.
ROBINSON CONTINUES STRONG PLAY IN SECONDARY: Sophomore free safety Jeremy Robinson (Syracuse, N.Y.) is having another big season in the UMass secondary. Last week at Furman, Robinson recorded a team-high 13 tackles, with 10 solo stops, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup. 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 95, including 63 solo stops. He has also made 11 tackles for loss, to go along with four sacks, six interceptions, six pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.
MINUTEMEN WIN 18TH CONFERENCE TITLE: With the victory over Connecticut in the regular season finale, 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.
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. Whipple, who sports an overall mark of 21-6 (.778) during his first two seasons in Amherst, 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 93-39 (.705) in 12 years as a collegiate head coach, including four years at Brown and six seasons at New Haven.
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.
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 21-6 (.778) 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 918 total points and 573 points against league foes over the last two years to lead all Atlantic 10 schools in scoring.
UMASS IN THE RANKINGS: The Minutemen entered the postseason 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
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 at Furman, Smith ranked second on the team in tackles with 10, including nine solo stops and a pair of pass breakups. In the regular season finale against 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 he 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 97, including 68 solo stops. He also has nine tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions and four pass breakups.
DEFENSE MAKES MORE PICKS: The UMass defense has forced opposing quarterbacks into a number of mistakes this season, making 27 interceptions in 12 games. The Minutemen finished the regular season ranked second in the nation in interceptions, behind only Davidson (28 picks). In the regular season finale against 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 leads the team in interceptions with seven, while Robinson stands close behind with six.
QUINLAN HAS BIG DAY OFF THE BENCH: Sophomore tailback Kevin Quinlan (Somerville, Mass.) had the third 100-yard rushing game of his career against Connecticut in the regular season finale. 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.
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 43 tackles through 12 games, including 17 tackles for loss and four sacks. He now has career totals of 220 tackles (including 117 solo stops), 14 sacks and 32 tackles for loss.
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. Last week at Furman, Higgins caught five passes for 87 yards and a touchdown, setting a new career high for receiving yards. He also had big games earlier in the season against New Hampshire (career-high seven receptions for 74 yards, Hofstra (six catches for 63 yards), Maine (four receptions for 44 yards and his first career touchdown) and Delaware (five catches for 55 yards). Higgins ranks second on the team in receptions this season, with 48 catches for 553 yards through 12 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).
PARKER FILLS UP THE MIDDLE: Senior defensive tackle Aaron Parker (New Brighton, Pa.) has been one of the unsung heroes for the UMass defense this season. Last week at Furman, Parker recorded four tackles, including a key sack for six yards in overtime. A week earlier against Connecticut, he had three tackles with a sack for six yards. Parker also recorded eight tackles against Rhode Island with two sacks and a forced fumble, while making a season-high nine tackles in the victory at Maine. On the season, Parker leads the team in sacks with seven for 46 yards. He also leads all UMass defensive linemen with 45 total tackles, including 26 solo stops and eight tackles for loss.
ELEVEN MINUTEMEN EARN ATLANTIC 10 HONORS: Eleven members of the UMass squad were honored by the Atlantic 10 when it announced its all-conference teams on Nov. 24. Six Minutemen were first team All-Atlantic 10 selections, in linebacker Kole Ayi, tight end Sean Higgins, free safety Jeremy Robinson, tailback Marcel Shipp, cornerback Jerard White and wide receiver Adrian Zullo. Four other UMass players were second team selections in quarterback Todd Bankhead, linebacker Matt Dawson, defensive tackle Aaron Parker and offensive guard Mike Wynne, while defensive end Chris Price earned third team honors. The Minutemen had the second-most all-conference selections in the league, behind only James Madison?s total of 12.
MINUTEMEN AMONG THE A-10 LEADERS: Several Minutemen ranked among the A-10 leaders at the conclusion of the regular season. Marcel Shipp stood 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 ranked second in receiving yards (93.6 yards/game) and third in receptions (5.9 catches/game), while Todd Bankhead stood 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 were tied for third in the league in interceptions (0.6 picks/game), while freshman Doug White (Claremont, Calif.) ranked first in extra point percentage (100.0) and freshman David Sanger (Cocoa Beach, Fla.) was fourth in punting (40.0 yards/punt). Kole Ayi ranked second in the conference in tackles (11.8 tackles/game), while senior defensive end Chris Price ranked second in the league in tackles for loss with 16 and White led the conference in pass breakups with 13. As a team, UMass led 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). (Note: The Atlantic 10 does not include statistics from postseason games in its totals.)
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: The regular season finale 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.
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 three more solid games, tying for the team lead with five tackles against Connecticut while also making five tackles against both William & Mary and Furman. 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 51 tackles, including five tackles for loss.
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 20 of 33 fourth down attempts for a 60.6 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 56.7 percent success rate. UMass has now been successful on 58.6 percent (41 of 70) of its fourth down conversions since the beginning of the 1998 season. By comparison, UMass opponents converted on only 21 of 49 fourth down attempts over the last two years, good for only .429 percent.
SHIPP NEAR TOP OF NCAA STAT LEADERS: Marcel Shipp headed a list of six different UMass players who were ranked in the NCAA Division I-AA statistical leaders at the conclusion of the regular season. Shipp stands sixth nationally in scoring. (Note: The NCAA does not include statistics from postseason games in its totals.) 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
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.
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. Next year, the Minutemen are scheduled to face Kansas State on Sept. 23.
ABOUT THE EAGLES: Georgia Southern enters today?s game ranked second in the nation, while also being the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles have a 10-2 record on the year and tied for the Southern Conference title with a 7-1 mark in league games. Georgia Southern is making its third consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs and its 11th appearance all-time. The Eagles have an all-time record of 27-6 in the NCAA Tournament, having won national championships in 1985, 1986, 1989 and 1990. Georgia Southern has one of the top offenses in the nation, averaging 51.8 points and 560.7 yards per game. The Eagles rely heavily on their rushing attack, averaging 431.4 yards per game on the ground. Sophomore fullback Adrian Peterson leads the team with 1,941 yards and 29 touchdowns on 265 carries, while senior quarterback Greg Hill has run for 1,290 yards and 20 scores on 166 carries. Georgia Southern throws for only 129.3 yards per contest, but Hill has completed 59.8 percent (67 of 112) of his passes with 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Defensively, the Eagles are led by sophomore linebacker Jason Neese with 86 total tackles, while freshman defensive tackle Fred Pesqueira has 72 tackles and a team-high five sacks.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN HEAD COACH PAUL JOHNSON: Paul Johnson is in his third season as the head coach at Georgia Southern and has an overall career record of 34-6. The Eagles have advanced to at least the NCAA quarterfinals in each of his first three years in Statesboro. The 1997 and 1998 Southern Conference Coach of the Year, Johnson also received the 1998 Eddie Robinson Award as the top coach in Division I-AA. Prior to his arrival at Georgia Southern, Johnson spent two years as the offensive coordinator at Navy and eight seasons as offensive coordinator at Hawaii. A 1979 graduate of Western Carolina, Johnson previously spent four years as an assistant coach for the Eagles from 1983-86.
EXTRA POINTS: Last week, the Minutemen won the first game they have ever played in the state of South Carolina, downing Furman 30-23 in overtime ? The UMass offensive line did not allow Furman to sack UMass quarterback Todd Bankhead last week. The game marked the first time since last year?s victory over Maine that the Minuteman did not allow any sacks ? 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 ? 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.
