University of Massachusets Athletics
Football Opens Preseason Practice
August 12, 2004 | Football
Aug. 12, 2004
Day 1 Photo Gallery | Audio: Coach Brown Interview
The 2004 University of Massachusetts football team officially kicked off its preseason preparation on Thursday, August 12, with the first full team practice since the spring workouts ended on May 8. Head coach Don Brown's UMass team returns a total of 14 starters and 38 letterwinners from the 2003 squad which posted an overall record of 10-3, won a share of the Atlantic 10 Conference title with an 8-1 mark in league games, and advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs for the sixth time in school history. Those players are joined this fall by the addition of 20 incoming freshmen and 10 transfers. The players began to report to the football office at 9 a.m., on Thursday. The team went through a compliance meeting for an hour which was followed by lunch. Following a lunch the players were issued their equipment being with the upper classmen down to the newcomers. At the same time as the issue, other players were completing their physicals including weight, height and body fat checks. One of the highlights of the day followed the team held its annual preseason bench press testing. Newcomer John Hatchell, who transferred to UMass from Lehigh, set a new school record lifting 460 pounds. The defensive lineman will sit out the year under NCAA transfer rules. Following Hatchell the next-best lift belonged to senior fullback Rich Demers, who hoisted 445, much to the team's excitement. John Hatchell wasn't the only member of his family to crack the 400-pound barrier as brother Jason, a redshirt freshman lifted 415 -- third-best on the squad. Following the bench press, the team took part in conditioning drills before heading off to dinner. After the meal, the Minutemen finally hit the field, as they took part in a two-hour practice under the lights. The Minutemen are scheduled to hold their next practice on Friday, August 13, beginning at 2:00 p.m. Preseason scrimmages are set to take place on Saturday, August 21, and Thursday, August 26, with the season opener at Delaware State scheduled for Saturday, September 4.
