University of Massachusets Athletics
Minutemen Set To Face Kansas State
September 08, 2003 | Football
Sept. 8, 2003
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GAME DAY QUICK FACTS
The Teams: #10 (I-AA) UMass (1-0, 0-0 A-10) vs. #7 (I-A) Kansas State (3-0, 0-0 Big 12)
Date: September 13, 2003
Time: 2:00 p.m. (EDT)
Place: Kansas State Stadium (50,000), Manhattan, Kan.
UMass Football Radio Network: Bob Behler, play-by-play; Bob Pickett, color; WRNX 100.9 FM, Holyoke, flagship
Mid America Sports Network: Wyatt Thompson, play-by-play; Stan Weber, color; KMKF 101.5 FM, Manhattan, flagship
Series Record: First Meeting
THE SERIES WITH KANSAS STATE: This year's game marks the first meeting between the Minutemen and the Wildcats on the gridiron. The contest will also be the first for UMass against a Big 12 Conference opponent, as well as its first-ever trip to the Sunflower state. UMass has never faced a school from the state of Kansas before.
MINUTEMEN AGAINST I-A FOES: When UMass faces Kansas State this week, it will mark the fourth time in the last five years the Minutemen have faced a Division I-A foe. Last season, UMass dropped a 56-24 decision at No. 17 North Carolina State, while in 2001 it played at Marshall, falling 49-20. In 1999, the Minutemen played at Toledo, when they lost 24-3. Prior to that, UMass had not played a I-A school since Sept. 17, 1988, when it dropped a 44-17 decision to Ball State in Muncie, Ind. Since Division I-AA was formed in 1978, UMass has a record of 8-14 against I-A foes, with the last victory being a 26-10 triumph over Ball State on Sept. 1, 1984, at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. Here is a look at every game the Minutemen have played against Division I-A schools since the beginning of the 1978 season (Note: Dartmouth, Harvard, Holy Cross and Villanova are former Division I-A members which now compete in Division I-AA):
Year Opponent Score
1978 Villanova L, 21-25
at Harvard L, 0-10
Rutgers L, 11-21
at Holy Cross W, 33-8
Boston College W, 27-0
1979 at Villanova L, 7-35
at Harvard W, 20-7
Holy Cross L, 18-20
at Boston College L, 3-41
1980 Villanova W, 24-12
at Holy Cross W, 17-13
Boston College L, 12-13
1981 Holy Cross W, 13-10
Dartmouth W, 10-8
at Boston College L, 22-52
1982 Boston College L, 21-34
1983 at Toledo L, 13-45
1984 Ball State W, 26-10
1988 at Ball State L, 17-44
1999 at Toledo L, 3-24
2001 at Marshall L, 20-49
2002 at North Carolina State L, 24-56
LARGE CROWD EXPECTED: This week's game should feature one of the largest crowds ever to witness a UMass football game. The current record stands at 51,221, set on Sept. 28, 2002, at North Carolina State. The second largest crowd to see the Minutemen play was 30,846, on Nov. 19, 1977, at Boston College. In its first two home games this season, Kansas State has averaged 43,178 fans.
CAIN AMONG NATION'S BEST: Senior All-America linebacker Jeremy Cain (Tamarac, Fla.) should be one of the top candidates for the 2003 Buck Buchanan Award, which is presented by The Sports Network to the top defensive player in the nation. In the season opener against Central Connecticut State, Cain totaled six tackles with a sack and two tackles for loss, in addition to blocking a punt through the end zone for a safety. Last season, Cain led the team with 133 total tackles, including 97 solo stops, 18 tackles for loss and seven sacks. He easily led the Atlantic 10 Conference in solo tackles (no other player had more than 85), while ranking sixth nationally in Division I-AA with an average of 8.1 solo stops per game. During the 2002 season, Cain reached double figures in tackles eight times, including each of the final six games of the year. He was also a two-time Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week selection in 2002, following victories over Maine and American International College. At the conclusion of the 2002 season, he was named a second team All-American by Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette, in addition to earning second team All-Atlantic 10 honors. Over the course of his career, Cain now has 262 total tackles, including 184 solo stops and 32 tackles for loss. He enters this week's game ranked ninth all-time at UMass in career solo tackles.
MINUTEMEN LOOK TO START SEASON 2-0: With last week's 51-7 victory over Central Connecticut State, UMass won its season opener for the fourth time in the last five seasons. If the Minutemen were to defeat Kansas State this week, they will begin the year with a 2-0 record for the second straight season, but only the second time since 1986. The last time UMass won more than two consecutive games to begin a season was also 1986, when it won its first four games before falling to Delaware in week five. The school record for most consecutive victories to begin a season is held by the 1975 squad, which opened the year with eight straight wins before finishing 8-2.
WHIPPLE RECORDS 40TH UMASS VICTORY: Now in his sixth season as head coach of the Minutemen, Mark Whipple has a 40-23 mark while on the UMass sideline. With last week's victory over Central Connecticut State, he became only the third coach in school history to record 40 victories. The school record for most wins is currently held by Vic Fusia, who posted a 59-32-2 mark from 1961-1970. Dick MacPherson ranks second with a 45-27-1 record, while Whipple stands third. Whipple has a career record of 112-56 in 16 years as a collegiate head coach, including six seasons at UMass (40-23 / 1998-present), four years at Brown (24-16 / 1994-97) and six seasons at New Haven (48-17 / 1988-93). In 2000, Whipple became the first Minuteman coach in 20 years to lead his team to three consecutive winning seasons. The last UMass coach to accomplish the feat was Bob Pickett, who led the Minutemen to four straight winning years from 1978-1981. Whipple is also the only coach in school history to win 20 games in his first two seasons.
BAYLARK HAS IMPRESSIVE DEBUT: Sophomore tailback Steve Baylark (Apopka, Fla.) had an outstanding afternoon against Central Connecticut last week, in the first game of his collegiate career. He led the UMass offense by rushing 22 times for 141 yards and two touchdowns against the Blue Devils. Baylark, who sat out last season, is expected to take over the starting tailback spot this week. A two-time All-Metro and All-Orange County selection by the Orlando Sentinel at Apopka High School, Baylark rushed for 1,445 yards on 147 carries during his senior year in 2001, averaging 9.2 yards per attempt.
COSTELLO HAS BIG DAY IN OPENER: Junior cornerback Steve Costello (Kingston, N.Y.) was one of the leaders of an impressive defensive effort for the Minutemen against Central Connecticut State. He led the UMass defense with eight tackles on the afternoon, while recording a sack and intercepting a pass, which he returned for 24 yards. Costello, who took over as a starter midway through the 2002 season, now has 51 career total tackles, along with five interceptions. He now leads all active UMass players in career interceptions.
KROHN TO LEAD UMASS OFFENSE: Senior All-America candidate Jeff Krohn (Phoenix, Ariz.) is now in his second year as the starting quarterback for the Minutemen. In the season opener against Central Connecticut State, he hit on 17 of 28 passes for 186 yards with a pair of touchdowns. During the 2002 season, Krohn completed 152 of 287 passes for 2,032 yards and 16 touchdowns, while also leading the team with 1,957 yards of total offense. He placed sixth on the UMass single season list with 2,032 passing yards, which was also the third-highest mark in school history by a junior. During his career with the Minutemen, UMass has posted a 9-2 record in the 11 games Krohn played, with one of the losses coming against Division I-A North Carolina State. Krohn transferred to UMass in January of 2002 from Arizona State University, where he led the Pacific-10 Conference in passing efficiency in 2001. He started nine games for the Sun Devils in 2001, completing 115 of 213 passes for 1,942 yards and 19 touchdowns with seven interceptions. Over the course of his Arizona State career, Krohn completed 240 of 467 passes for 3,693 yards and 31 touchdowns with 13 interceptions.
MCKENZIE BACK FOR FIFTH YEAR: Fifth-year senior All-America candidate Anton McKenzie (Medford, N.Y.) continues to be one of the top players on the UMass defense from his strong safety spot. In the season opener against Central Connecticut State, McKenzie recorded seven total tackles with one sack, in addition to recovering a fumble and returning it five yards for a touchdown. Last year, McKenzie ranked second on the team with 117 total tackles, including 85 solo stops, nine tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, seven pass breakups and one interception. His top game last season came against Villanova, when he recorded a career-high 18 total tackles, while also blocking a 38-yard field goal attempt in the final minute of play to preserve a one-point victory. Following that contest, McKenzie was named Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week, Dinn Brothers UMass Athlete of the Week and a College Sporting News Division I-AA All-Star, in addition to winning the Coca-Cola Gold Helmet as the Division I Player of the Week in New England. McKenzie enters this week's game with 221 career total tackles, to go along with 21 tackles for loss, seven forced fumbles and 17 pass breakups. He also has two career interception returns for touchdowns, tying the all-time school record.
UMASS IN THE RANKINGS: The Minutemen are ranked in all of the major national polls heading into this week's game. Here is a look at where UMass currently stands in each of the polls:
Poll Sports ESPN / Don
Network USA Today Hansen
Preseason 14 17 16
September 1 12 no poll 15
September 8 10 10 11
DEFENSE DOMINATES IN OPENER: The UMass defense turned in another outstanding performance in the season-opening 51-7 victory over Central Connecticut State. The Minutemen allowed only 162 total yards and seven points, in addition to holding the Blue Devils to -2 rushing yards. The game marked the fourth time UMass has held its opponent to a touchdown or less since the beginning of the 2002 season. The Minutemen also accomplished that feat against Central Connecticut State (52-3 win), James Madison (14-7 victory) and Delaware (17-7 win) last season. In addition, UMass gave up its fewest yards of total offense since allowing only 106 yards against American International College on Oct. 21, 2000 (21-0 victory), while holding the opposition to negative rushing yardage for the first time since allowing American International College -5 yards on Sept. 14, 2002 (42-13 win).
HOWARD AND PEEBLER TO LEAD REVAMPED RECEIVERS: Senior Jimmie Howard (Camden, N.J.) and junior Jason Peebler (Modesto, Calif.) have taken over as the starting wide receivers for the Minutemen this season, after UMass lost its top three players at the position due to graduation. In the season opener against Central Connecticut State, Peebler led the team with six catches for 85 yards, while Howard totaled four receptions for 67 yards and a touchdown. Howard, who returned to the lineup last week after redshirting during the 2002 season, now has 26 career receptions for 446 yards and six touchdowns. Peebler, who split time between tailback and wide receiver in 2002, has now totaled 31 career catches for 501 yards and four scores. Both Howard and Peebler will also serve as kickoff returners for the Minutemen in 2003.
JAMES LOOKING FOR ANOTHER BIG YEAR IN SECONDARY: Sophomore free safety Shannon James (Stratford, Conn.) looks to have another outstanding season in 2003, while teaming with Anton McKenzie to give UMass one of the top pairs of safeties in the nation. In the season opener against Central Connecticut State, he made six total tackles, with one tackle for loss and a pass breakup. In 2002, James led the team with 10 pass breakups, while tying for the team lead in interceptions with four. He also ranked third on the team in total tackles with 111, while posting five tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. James had one of his top games of 2002 at James Madison, where he earned Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week honors after totaling nine tackles with a fumble recovery and a pass breakup, in addition to rushing 48 yards for a touchdown on a fake punt. Over the course of his UMass career, he now has 117 total tackles, four interceptions, 11 pass breakups and six tackles for loss.
MINUTEMEN LOOKING TO GO OVER .500 ALL-TIME: This week, UMass has a chance to put its all-time record over the .500 mark. The Minutemen enter the Kansas State game with an all-time record of 488-488-51. The last time UMass had an overall record over .500 came following a 17-10 victory over Williston Academy on Oct. 8, 1887, which made its all-time mark 11-10-3. In fact, UMass was once 87 games under .500 (218-305-46) in its all-time record, following a 20-6 loss to Boston University of Oct. 31, 1959. Since then, the Minutemen have posted an impressive 270-183-5 record to close in on the .500 mark. (Thanks to Eric Gemunder of the I-AA College Football Weekly Preview for his input on this note.)
BROWER CONTINUES TO SHINE: Senior All-America defensive tackle Valdamar Brower (Florence, Mass.) looks to once again be among the nation's premier defensive linemen in 2003. Last year, while playing through injuries and facing constant double and triple teams, Brower recorded 53 total tackles, including 39 solo stops, 14 tackles for loss, seven sacks, six pass breakups, 16 quarterback hurries and three blocked kicks. One of his top games came at James Madison, where he totaled 10 tackles with three tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup. Against Delaware he recorded four tackles with a sack and three tackles for loss, and against American International College he totaled four sacks for 23 yards among his six total tackles. At the conclusion of the 2002 season, he was named a second team All-American by Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette, in addition to earning first team All-New England and second team All-Atlantic 10 honors. In 2001, Brower earned All-America honors from The Sports Network, the Associated Press, and Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette, after leading the team and the Atlantic 10 with 10 sacks for 70 yards, to go along with 57 total tackles and 24 tackles for loss. Brower enters this week's game with 22 career sacks, to rank fifth all-time at UMass.
DEEP DEFENSIVE LINE RETURNS: UMass may have the best defensive line in the nation this season, with eight experienced players competing for the three starting spots. In addition to All-American Valdamar Brower, seniors Doran Davis (Elmont, N.Y.) and Ian Dyche (Reston, Va.) return to the starting lineup. Davis led all UMass defensive linemen with 58 total tackles and 16 tackles for loss last year, and posted three sacks in the season opener against Central Connecticut State. Dyche has also been a force, putting up career totals of 96 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and five sacks. In addition to the three returning starters, UMass has all three of their backups returning in senior Malik Hall (Detroit, Mich.), senior Mike Haynes (Attleboro, Mass.) and sophomore Keron Williams (Lake Park, Fla.). Hall totaled 20 tackles last year, while Haynes posted 46 tackles and Williams made 13 stops. And if returning all six players from the 2002 two deep was not enough, senior Colin Christopher (Grand Rapids, Mich.) will also compete for a starting spot. Christopher, a transfer from Indiana University, totaled 24 tackles with five tackles for loss and three sacks during his career with the Hoosiers.
MCGUIRK MAGIC: UMass has been tough to beat in the friendly confines of McGuirk Alumni Stadium since Mark Whipple took over as UMass' head coach prior to the start of the 1998 season. The Minutemen have gone 23-8 at home from 1998 to present, improving their all-time record at McGuirk to 131-69-2. Since 1992, UMass has had a losing record at home only once, while posting a home record of 44-21 during that span. The Minutemen also have a mark of 16-5 at McGuirk Stadium against Atlantic 10 Conference opponents under Whipple.
THREE STARTERS RETURN TO ANCHOR OFFENSIVE LINE: The UMass offensive line, which posted a solid season in 2002, returns three starters to pave the way for the Minuteman offense this fall. Leading the way is senior guard Carmen Collins (Syracuse, N.Y.) who has now started 30 career games over four seasons. Other Minutemen with a good deal of experience are junior tackle Rob Kane (Londonderry, N.H.) with 22 career starts and sophomore tackle Colin Stoetzel (Grafton, Mass.) with eight starts. In addition, redshirt freshman center Alex Miller (Fairfax, Va.) and redshirt freshman guard David Thompson (Norfolk, Va.) both made their first career starts against Central Connecticut State. Junior tackle O.J. McBride (Sunrise, Fla.), who has eight career starts, is expected to sit out the 2003 season due to injury.
UMASS AGAINST RANKED TEAMS: The Minutemen faced three ranked Division I-AA opponents in 2002, defeating No. 2 Maine 20-10 and No. 4 Villanova 17-16, while falling at No. 18 Northeastern 42-17. UMass faced four ranked opponents during the 2001 season, defeating No. 15 Rhode Island 24-7, and falling 35-7 at No. 23 Delaware, 36-6 at No. 12 Hofstra and 37-7 at No. 20 Maine. Since the beginning of the 1998 season, UMass now stands 12-12 against ranked opponents. The Minutemen concluded the 2000 season with a 1-2 record against ranked opponents, while going 2-3 against ranked teams in 1999 and 6-3 in 1998. UMass' six victories over ranked opponents in 1998 set a school single season record. The Minutemen also stand 8-10 against ranked teams at home over the last 10 years, including a 3-8 mark against top 10 teams at home. Prior to last year's back-to-back victories over Maine and Villanova, UMass had lost eight straight home games to top 10 opponents, since a 43-29 win over No. 7 Delaware on Oct. 23, 1993.
KIMENER LOOKING FOR ANOTHER STRONG SEASON: Senior linebacker Mark Kimener (Oakton, Va.) has developed into one of the top playmakers on the UMass defense, and should have another strong season in 2003. Last season, Kimener ranked fourth on the team in total tackles with 93, including 16 tackles for loss and four sacks. He also recorded two pass breakups, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and two key interceptions. His first interception came at James Madison, when he picked off a fourth quarter pass in the end zone to help preserve a 14-7 win. Kimener's other pick came late in the third quarter of the Delaware game, when he intercepted a pass and returned it 18 yards for a touchdown, increasing UMass' lead from 10-7 to the final 17-7 margin. Kimener was also one of UMass' top defensive players in 2001 with 83 tackles, eight tackles for loss and four sacks, and he is the only Minuteman to record over 80 tackles in each of the last two seasons. Entering this week's game, Kimener has career totals of 183 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and eight sacks.
MINUTEMEN BRING IN PRESEASON ACCOLADES: Four members of the UMass football team have been selected as preseason All-Americans heading into 2003. Senior defensive tackle Valdamar Brower earned first team honors from Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette, while also being a second team selection by both The Sports Network and Lindy's. Senior linebacker Jeremy Cain, senior quarterback Jeff Krohn and senior strong safety Anton McKenzie were also honored by Don Hansen's Football Gazette, with Cain being named to the second team, and Krohn and McKenzie both earning honorable mention distinction.
UMASS STARS EARN PRESEASON HONORS FROM A-10: Ten members of the UMass football team have been selected to the 2003 preseason All-Atlantic 10 Conference teams. Senior defensive tackle Valdamar Brower, senior linebacker Jeremy Cain, sophomore tailback R.J. Cobbs (Parsippany Hills, N.J.), senior quarterback Jeff Krohn and senior strong safety Anton McKenzie were all selected to the first team in voting by the conference's coaches and media. In addition, senior offensive tackle Carmen Collins, junior cornerback Steve Costello, senior defensive end Doran Davis, sophomore free safety Shannon James and senior linebacker Mike Ziccardi (Coral Springs, Fla.) all earned second team honors.
MINUTEMEN NEAR TOP OF NCAA STAT LEADERS: Four Minutemen are currently ranked among the NCAA Division I-AA statistical leaders, through games of Sept. 6. Junior cornerback Steve Costello leads the way by standing fourth in interceptions, while sophomore tailback Steve Baylark is seventh in both scoring and rushing yards. The rankings:
Category NCAA Rank Player/Team No./Avg. Rushing Defense 2 UMass -2.0 Interceptions 4 Steve Costello 1.0 Total Defense 5 UMass 162.0 Scoring 6 UMass 51.0 7 Steve Baylark 12.0 Rushing Yards 7 Steve Baylark 141.0 21 UMass 211.0 Scoring Defense 12 UMass 7.0 Net Punting 16 UMass 39.7 Total Offense 20 UMass 432.0 44 Jeff Krohn 178.0 Completions 24 Jeff Krohn 17.0 Points Responsible For 29 Steve Baylark 12.0 29 Jeff Krohn 12.0 Passing Yards 29 UMass 221.0 Receiving Yards 30 Jason Peelber 85.0 Receptions 32 Jason Peebler 6.0 All-Purpose Yards 33 Steve Baylark 143.0 Pass Efficiency 42 Jeff Krohn 118.7
UMASS ON THE 13TH: In this week's game against Kansas State, the Minutemen will be playing on September 13 for only the third time in school history. UMass won its first game on Sept. 13, posting a 24-21 home victory over Richmond in 1986. The last game for the Minutemen on this date came during the 1997 season, when they dropped a 49-6 decision at Maine.
MINUTEMEN AMONG THE A-10 LEADERS: Several Minutemen are currently ranked among the Atlantic 10 leaders in various statistical categories, through games of Sept. 6. Tailback Steve Baylark leads the league in rushing (141.0 yards/game) and stands second in scoring (12.0 points/game), while cornerback Steve Costello is tied for the conference lead in interceptions (1.0 picks/game). Quarterback Jeff Krohn ranks fourth in passing yards (186.0 yards/game), freshman punter Christian Koegel (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) stands fourth in punting (44.3 yards/punt), and wide out Jason Peebler is fifth in both receptions (6.0 catches/game) and receiving yards (85.0 yards/game). As a team, UMass leads the league in rushing defense (-2.0 yards/game), while standing second in total defense (162.0 yards/game) and ranking third in scoring offense (51.0 points/game), rushing offense (211.0 yards/game) and punt returns (9.2 yards/return).
MINUTEMEN ON THE RADIO: All University of Massachusetts football games can be heard live on the UMass Football Radio Network, with WRNX 100.9 FM (Holyoke) serving as the flagship station. Bob Behler is in his fifth season as the play-by-play announcer, while former UMass head coach Bob Pickett is in his sixth year as color analyst and Eric Kopf enters his second season as host of the pregame, halftime and postgame shows. This week's list of affiliates on the UMass Football Radio Network includes WCAP 980 AM (Lowell / Boston) and WATD 95.9 FM (Marshfield / Boston). In addition, WMUA 91.1 FM, the UMass student station, will carry most Minuteman football games during the 2003 season.
THE Mark Whipple SHOW: Head coach Mark Whipple's weekly radio show, "The Mark Whipple Show," airs live from The Hangar Pub & Grill in Amherst each Thursday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. during the season on WRNX 100.9 FM. 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 ON TELEVISION: UMass will once again make a number of appearances on live television during the 2003 regular season. The Minutemen will have two games carried by The Football Network, on October 25 at Villanova and on November 15 at Delaware. In addition, the home game against Hofstra on October 18 will be shown by CN8 on Comcast Cablevision, while the home game with Northeastern will be carried on College Sports Television. The Minutemen have a record of 10-7 in televised games since the beginning of the 1998 season, including a 7-4 mark against Atlantic 10 opponents.
MINUTEMEN LOOK FOR BACK-TO-BACK EIGHT WIN SEASONS: UMass enters the 2003 season looking to post eight or more wins for the second straight season and the fourth time in the last six years. The Minutemen have only had eight or more victories in back-to-back years on three occasions in school history. The 1963 team posted an 8-0-1 record, followed by a 8-2 mark in 1964, while UMass posted an 8-3 record in 1977 and then advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA championship game with a 9-4 mark in 1978. The last time the Minutemen had consecutive eight win seasons came in 1998 (12-3 and the NCAA Division I-AA title) and 1999 (9-4 with a trip to the quarterfinals). All told, UMass has won eight or more games in a season 13 times in its history.
KANSAS STATE HEAD COACH BILL SNYDER: Bill Snyder is in his 15th season as the head coach of the Wildcats, owning an overall record of 119-51-1. He has directed one of the most spectacular turnarounds in college football history, as before his arrival, it took Kansas State 48 seasons (1941-1988) to total just 116 wins. Named National Coach of the Year in 1991, 1994 and 1998, Snyder has led the Wildcats to 10 bowl games, posting a 6-4 record. Snyder, who earned his bachelor's degree from William Jewell College in 1963, spent 10 years as the offensive coordinator at Iowa before taking over as the head coach at Kansas State.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS: Kansas State enters this week's game with a 3-0 mark, and is ranked seventh in the nation by the Associated Press. The Wildcats have defeated California (42-28), Troy State (41-5) and McNeese State (55-14) so far this season. Junior tailback Darren Sproles leads the Kansas State offense with 325 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 48 carries. Senior quarterback Ell Roberson has completed 21 of 47 passes for 502 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions, while also rushing for 251 yards and four scores on 38 carries. Senior wide out James Terry has been the Wildcats' top receiver, bringing in nine catches for 271 yards and two scores. Senior linebacker Josh Buhl leads the Kansas State defense with 40 total tackles on the season, while senior strong safety Rashad Washington has two interceptions and junior defensive end Kevin Huntley has posted five sacks.
EXTRA POINTS: Freshman placekicker Michael Torres (Thiells, N.Y.) had an impressive collegiate debut against Central Connecticut State, hitting on all four of his extra point attempts, while recording touchbacks on seven out of eight kickoffs ... Former UMass head coach Dick MacPherson, who led the Minutemen to a 45-27-1 record from 1971-1977, has been named the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston's 2003 Man of the Year. MacPherson will be honored at the club's annual NFL Alumni Charity Dinner on Oct. 23 ... Senior linebacker Jeremy Cain, senior quarterback Jeff Krohn and senior strong safety Anton McKenzie will serve as the tri-captains of the 2003 Minutemen ... UMass has scored in 93 straight games since a 34-0 loss to Rhode Island on Sept. 30, 1995 ... The Minutemen have scored in 110 consecutive home games since a 17-0 loss to Holy Cross on Sept. 17, 1983.