University of Massachusets Athletics
No. 5 UMass Set To Battle Army
November 08, 2005 | Football
Nov. 8, 2005
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No. 5 UMASS at ARMY
Saturday, November 12, 2005 • Noon
Michie Stadium, West Point, N.Y.
(40,000/AstroPlay)
TV: ESPNU, Streaming Video: ESPN360
Radio: WRNX (100.9 FM - Flagship)
WCRN (830 AM), WATD (95.9 FM) • UMassAthletics.com
No. 5 UMass Set To Battle Army
• No. 5 UMass heads to Army for Saturday's nationally-televised game on ESPNU with kickoff slated for 12:06 p.m. The Minutemen come into the game with a 7-2 overall record having won six of their last seven games. The lone loss came to this week's No. 1 team in Division I-AA, New Hampshire (34-28 on Oct. 29). Army is 2-6 having won their last two games: 20-0 at Akron and 27-24 at Air Force. The win at Air Force was Army's first at Falcon Stadium in 28 years and kept the Black Knights in contention for the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy with the Navy game set for Dec. 4 in Philadelphia.
• For UMass, the game is the middle in a stretch of three-consecutive road games to finish the regular season as the Minutemen are aiming for their second NCAA playoff berth in three years. The Minutemen played their most complete game of the season winning at Delaware, 35-7, as UMass handed the Blue Hens their worst home loss since 1986. QB Liam Coen threw for 318 yards on 21-of-26 passing and earned the Golden Helmet Award this week, symbolic of being the top football players in New England for the week. He also earned his third straight A-10 Rookie of the Week honor. The Minutemen close out the regular-season at Hofstra on Nov. 19.
• Saturday's game is the fifth consecutive televised game for UMass as ESPNU carries the game nationally and streams it live over the Internet at www.ESPN360.com. Dave Ryan serves the play-by-play announcer while former Alabama coach Bill Curry provides the color commentary.
• The game will also be broadcast live on the UMass Sports Network with Bob Behler in his seventh year as "Voice of the Minutemen." Former kicker Matt Goldstein will handle the color commentary. The pregame show begins at 11:30 a.m. on WRNX (100.9 FM), the flagship of the network.
• Army's Sports Network carries the game over ESPN Radio in New York (1050 AM) with a simulcast available on Sirius Satellite Radio (Channel 131)
UMass Vs. Division I-A
• The game marks the sixth time in seven years UMass has taken on a Division I-A team. Last season, UMass travelled across state to face Boston College and fell to the Eagles, 29-7 on Oct. 2, 2004. Two seasons ago, the Minutemen traveled to then-No. 7 Kansas State and lost 38-7 on Sept. 13. In 2002, UMass dropped a 56-24 decision at No. 17 NC 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 8-16 against I-A foes, with the last victory being a 26-10 triumph over Ball State on Sept. 1, 1984, at home at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. Every game the Minutemen have played against Division I-A schools since the beginning of the 1978 season is listed. (Note: Dartmouth, Harvard, Holy Cross and Villanova are former Division I-A members which now compete in Division I-AA).
• With a capacity of 40,000 at Michie Stadium, this week's game should feature the fourth-largest crowd ever to witness a UMass football game. Army is averaging 31,466 fans per game this season.
• The current record stands at 51,221, set on Sept. 28, 2002, at NC State. The second largest crowd to see the Minutemen play came in 2003 when 46,102 watched the game at Kansas State. Third on the list came last season when 43,262 watched the UMass at Boston College game in Chestnut Hill, Mass. Fourth on the list is 30,846, which came on Nov. 19, 1977, at Boston College.
• UMass is seeking to become the second I-AA school to beat a Division I-A school this season. The only other win for I-AA came as Northwestern State beat La-Monroe, 27-23 on Sept. 1, 2005 in the season opener for both teams. Overall, I-AA teams are 1-48 this against I-A teams this season.
• Last year, three Division I-AA teams to beat a I-A teams including two from the powerful Atlantic 10. UMass' fellow conference foes Maine beat Mississippi State, 9-7 on Sept. 18 and New Hampshire beat Rutgers, 35-24 on Sept. 11. The other win for I-AA came for Eastern Illinois, who beat Eastern Michigan, 31-28 on Sept. 25, 2004.
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Top 7 Tidbits
• UMass faces a Division I-A team for the sixth time in seven years. • UMass should play in front of the fourth largest crowd in school history, at Michie Stadium. • UMass has the best scoring defense, giving up just 10.1 points per game (91total points). • The Minutemen rank third in the nation in total defense allowing 234.56 yards per game and are second in passing defense at 124.11. • Safety James Ihedigbo is tied for the Atlantic 10 lead in sacks with 7.5 and is second in tackles for loss with 12. • Senior All-American Shannon James picked off his fourth pass of the season at Delaware and now has 20, breaking the UMass' career record held by Grady Fuller (1980-83) and Steve Rogers (1967-69). James continues to lead all active players the nation in career interception with 20, in all of I-A and I-AA. • Steve Baylark is fourth in career rushing yards at UMass with 3,250 and is also fourth in carries with 723 and is fifth in career rushing TDs (25). • Punter Christian Koegel is fourth in the nation in punting at 43.4 while UMass as a team is second in net punting at 38.38.
UMass Vs. I-A
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• UMass' defense has one of the nation's best all season. The Minutemen spent most of the season at the top of the defense charts in five categories. After the loss to No. 4 New Hampshire, 34-28 two weeks ago, the defense fell in some of the national rankings, but is still in the top six.
• The Minutemen top the nation in scoring defense giving up just 10.1 points per game, just 91 total in nine games. Through the first six games, UMass had allowed just 36 points with only 15 coming at the hands of the defense as opponents returned both a fumble (Colgate) and two interceptions (Colgate and JMU) for touchdowns. Looking at just the defense, UMass allowed 2.5 points per game for the first six weeks
• With strong showings for the remainder of the season, UMass could vie for a chance to set the all-time NCAA record for best scoring defense in a season at the I-AA level as South Carolina State holds the record set in 1978 at 6.5. The UMass school record is an unreal 1.3 points allowed per game, set in 1963 when the then-Redmen allowed just 12 points in nine games.
• Through the first six games of the season, UMass allowed just ONE offensive touchdown, a one-yard rush by Richmond QB Stacy Tutt in the first game of the season in the third quarter. Prior to the Maine game, the Minutemen did allowed an offensive touchdown for a span of 21 quarters dating from Sept. 1 through Oct. 22. UMass did not allow an offensive touchdown for 322:31.
• UMass has allowed 0.89 offensive touchdowns this season per game (eight in nine games). That number comes close to challenging the NCAA record set by the 1982 Western Michigan team which allowed 0.7 per game allowing eight offensive touchdowns in 11 games.
• Prior to Maine's Ron Whitcomb throwing a 57-yard touchdown pass to Kevin McMahan 6:54 into the game in Orono, UMass had not allowed a passing touchdown the entire season (spanning 24 quarters), dating to last season, UMass had not allowed a passing touchdown for 401:08 -- back to the second quarter of last year's finale against Hofstra.
• UMass is third in the nation in total defense allowing 234.56 yards per game. UMass was No. 1 in the nation for the first seven weeks prior to giving up 426 yards to New Hampshire.
• UMass has held two opponents to fewer than 100 yards of offense this season. The Minutemen set the school record for fewest yards allowed in a game holding Albany to just 31. Against Northeastern, UMass held the Huskies to just 72 yards matching the best performance by the Minutemen against an A-10 team in 1982, when they held New Hampshire to just 67 yards -- the former school record for fewest yards allowed.
• Prior to Maine's 413 yards of offense on Oct. 22, no team had gained more than 291 yards (Richmond on Sept. 1). UMass held Rhode Island, which came into the game averaging 495.0 yards per game to 249 yards on Sept. 24. Then-No. 4 James Madison was held to 157 yards after coming into the Oct. 15 game averaging 467 yards per game.
• UMass is also second in passing yardage defense giving up just 124.1 yards per game. Prior to the Maine game, UMass was the only team allowing less than 100 yards of passing per game. UMass trails Hampton (111.3).
• The rushing defense has not far behind ranking in the top 10 all season prior to this week (14th - 110.4 per game). Delaware picked up a season-high 202 yards on the ground against UMass, which was allowing less than 100 yards on the ground per game.
• Against Albany, UMass held the Great Danes to minus-37 yards rushing, the second best mark in school history. In 1963, UMass kept Vermont to minus-58 yards rushing. UMass has held four of its last five opponents to fewer than 100 yards in both rushing and receiving.
• Despite the loss at Colgate, 17-14 on Sept. 10, the Minutemen held the Raiders to just 167 yards of total offense (85 rushing yards and 82 passing yards). Rhode Island had just 78 passing yards and 171 rushing yards -- which was more than 200 less than their average of 395.0 entering the game for the option-running Rams.
• UMass is also No. 2 in the nation in third-down conversion defense. They have allowed opponents to make just 26.9 percent of third downs at 35-of-130.
• The Minutemen have been dominating and forcing teams to punt early and often. Of 115 drives by UMass opponents this season, only 52 have had more than four plays. UMass has sent teams "three-and-out" 50 times in those 115 drives.
• The defense also ranks fifth in the nation in interceptions with 16. That mark is ever more amazing when you consider opponents have throw just 193 passes against UMass. The four other teams ahead of UMass have had opponents throw for more than 235 attempts this season -- providing more opportunities for interceptions.
• UMass has three players with 10 or more career interceptions: Shannon James (20), Steve Costello (12) and Tracy Belton (10).
• Leading the way on defense is UMass' superb secondary led by first team senior All-American Shannon James, (Stratford, Conn.) who leads all active players in the nation in career interceptions with 20 -- after his fourth of the season at Delaware -- along with junior safety James Ihedigbo (Amherst, Mass.). Ihedigbo leads the Atlantic 10 in sacks at 7.5 and is second in tackles for loss with 12.0. His sacks per game ranks 11th in the nation while his TFLs per game is 30th in the nation. James has 45 tackles -- one of three players on the team tied for second -- while Ihedigbo also has 43 this season. Junior cornerback Tracy Belton (Landover, Md.) has 38 tackles.
• Sophomore linebacker Jason Hatchell (Mullica Hill, N.J.) has been outstanding early with a team-high 78 tackles (8.7 per game) in his first season as a starter. He is 10th in the league in tackles per game. He was named the Atlantic 10's Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 26 after his 12-tackle game vs. Rhode Island. Hatchell has led or tied for UMass' lead in tackles seven times in nine games with 11 vs. Richmond, eight vs. Albany, 12 vs. URI, seven vs. Northeastern, 12 against James Madison and 11 against New Hampshire.
• Senior captain Serge Tikum (Silver Spring, Md.) has been the model of consistency, he has 44 tackles, after a season-high nine vs. Rhode Island and seven vs. Northeastern. Tikum had his first career interception at Maine. Junior linebacker Brad Anderson (Ijamsville, Md.) also has 45 tackles including a career-high 11 against New Hampshire.
• Defensive end Keron Williams (Lake Park, Fla.), continues to wreck havoc in opponents backfield as he has 30.0 tackles for loss in his career including 7.5 this season for 44 yards. Williams is in that three-way tie for second on the team in tackles with 45. Up front, Jason Hatchell's brother nose tackle John Hatchell (Mullica Hill, N.J.) has 28 tackles including 5.0 TFL's for 22 yards along with 2.0 sacks. He had seven tackles vs. Rhode Island and posted four tackles and a sack for a safety against Albany along with four tackles. He also had six tackles at Colgate. Sophomore David Burris (Southbridge, Mass.) has been on a tear of late with 26 tackles in his last four games and 39 overall.
Doing The Safety Dance
• UMass set an NCAA Division I-AA record with three safeties against Albany on Sept. 17. The safeties, one in the second quarter and two in the third, were recorded when Albany quarterback Daniel Bocanegra was caught in the end zone once by John Hatchell and when punter Marc Pallozzi was trapped twice - all the result of poor snaps from center. It has been done twice in Division I-A (Arizona State vs. Nebraska on Sept. 21, 1996 and North Texas vs. UL-Lafayette on Sept. 27, 2003).
The Series: UMass vs. Army
• UMass and Army have played once before with the Black Knights posting a 34-10 victory on Sept. 10, 1977 to open that season for both teams, in West Point.
• In that game, Army senior quarterback Leamon Hall threw for five touchdown passes including three to freshman Mike Fahnestock. The win was the 500th in the history of Army football.
Connections Between UMass and Army
• The Harrington household of Salem, Mass. will be split on Saturday as older brother Peter is a defensive end for Army while his brother Kyle C. Harrington is a true freshman defensive end for UMass and is redshirting this season.
• Army has four players from the state of Massachusetts: senior WR Bruce Brown (Andover, Mass.), senior kicker Joe Riley (Attleboro, Mass.), junior DE Peter Harrington (Salem, Mass.) and sophomore long snapper Craig Kormannshaus (Springfield, Mass.).
• Army's director of football operations Major Bill Lynch of a native of Westwood, Mass., as is his wife Martha.
• UMass has seven players from the state of New York: freshman OL Stephen Babinski (Southampton, N.Y.), redshirt freshman OL Sean Calicchio (Brooklyn, N.Y.), senior cornerback Steve Costello (Kingston, N.Y.), redshirt freshman LB Brian Ellis (Brooklyn, N.Y.), redshirt freshman Michael Meggett (Brooklyn, N.Y.) along with Rochester natives TE Matt Silver and DT Matt Stolte.
Shannon James On Buchanan List
• All-American safety Shannon James (Stratford, Conn.) is a top candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award for the second year in a row as the top Defensive Player in Division I-AA.
• James, a consensus First Team All-American in 2004 and preseason First Team All-American was the A-10 Defensive Player of the Year in 2004. He led the league and was second in the nation in interceptions with eight last season. He was also second on UMass in tackles playing from the secondary. He is the nation's active leader in career interceptions with 20, regardless of division, with three this season.
• James broke the all-time UMass career record for interceptions with his 19th vs. Northeastern -- which was the first of the 19 he returned for a touchdown. He broke the record held by Steve Rogers (1967-69) and tied by Grady Fuller (1980-83).
• UMass was one of two schools in the nation to have a candidate on both the preseason Payton and Buchanan Award Watch Lists for the top offensive and defensive players in Division I-AA, respectively (Furman was the other). Tailback Steve Baylark (Apopka, Fla.) was up for the Payton Award but did not make the midseason list.
UMass' King James
• Senior free safety Shannon James returns for his final season as a preseason consensus first team All-American and candidate for the Buchanan Award. Last season, he was a consensus first team All-American as well as being the A-10 Defensive Player of the Year.
• James is rated as the top Division I-AA prospect for the 2006 NFL Draft by many outlets including NFLDraftScouting.com and Draft.com. He is being touted as a possible second or third round pick.
• He broke the UMass career interception record with his third pick of the season vs. Northeastern (10/8).
• His total is also the most among any active player in the NCAA, regardless of division.
• James finished second in the nation and first in the Atlantic 10 in interceptions per game with eight in 11 games in 2004. He was also second in the nation in picks per game at 0.77. James had six interceptions in the final seven games of 2004.
• A-10 first team in 2004 and 2005 preseason All A-10 selection, James earned A-10 Defensive Player of Week three times in his career.
• He is one of three Minutemen with 45 tackles this season including 23 solo. James is also fifth in career solo tackles at UMass with 246 . Overall, he has 331 total tackles to rank for ninth all-time. He had his 300th career tackle vs. Rhode Island.
UMass' Stevie Wonder
• Junior tailback and preseason Payton Award candidate Steve Baylark is one of the most prolific rushers in UMass history in just his third season. He ranks fourth in career rushing with 3,250 yards and fourth in career carries with 723. He is also fifth in career rushing touchdowns with 25 after he had a ruhsing touchdown at Delaware -- his fourth game in a row with a score. He scored in back-to-back games vs. Albany and Rhode Island and also scored against James Madison and ran for one against Maine.
• A preseason All-American, Baylark is eighth among active players in I-AA in career rushing yards with 3,250, and is fourth among all active players in carries with 697. This season, he has gained 9 35yards on 212 carries and seven touchdowns. He ranks third in the A-10 and 22nd nationally with 103.9 yards per game. After rushing for 1,177 yards in 2003, Baylark led the A-10 with 1,138 yards on the ground last season and added eight touchdowns.
• He has rushed for more than 100 yards 16 times in his career including five times this season and the last three weks in a row after a 109-yard effort at Delaware on Nov. 5.
• He picked up 100 yards against New Hampshire for the third time in his career with 116 on 25 carries along with two touchdowns on Oct. 29. It was his seventh multi-score game of his career.
• Baylark had his career game at Maine on Oct. 22 as he racked up 198 yards -- for his 14th career 100-yard game -- on 30 carries. He had a career-high 64 receiving yards on a career-best six catches including the first two receiving touchdowns of his career. Baylark piled up a career-best 262 total yards including career-highs of 64 yards receiving on a career-best six catches. He scored three touchdowns, including the first two receiving TDs of his career.
• Baylark was named the UMass/Dinn Brothers Athlete of the Week on Monday, Oct. 24 after his performance at Maine.
• Baylark piled up his 12th career 100-yard game in the opener at Richmond with 124 yards in 30 carries. He posted his 13th career 100-yard game vs. Rhode Island with 132 yards on 28 carries on Sept. 24. He has more than 100 yards in seven of the last 12 games, dating to last season.
• Baylark is a preseason All A-10 selection in 2005 after being the first team tailback in 2004 in leading the league in rushing at 1,138 yards. He went for 100 yards in four of the final five games in 2004.
Coen Managing Just Fine
• Redshirt freshman Liam Coen has been solid since taking over as the starting quarterback in the third game of the season vs. Albany (Sept. 17). He has "managed the game" according to coach Don Brown. He is completing 64.3 of his passes (135-of-210) for 1758 yards. His pass efficiency rating of 147.46 ranks fourth in the league.
• As a first-year quarterback, he is having one of the best seasons in UMass history for a freshman. His 1758 yards in seven games is already the second most passing yards by a frosh. Only Matt Guice, who threw for 2,266 in 2001, has more passing yards in his first season.
• He has been named the Atlantic 10's Rookie of the Week each of the last three weeks.
• Coen captured the Golden Helmet as the top player in all of New England College football on Nov. 8 after his performance against Delaware. He threw for 318 yards on 21-of-26 passing and one touchdown in leading UMass to a 35-7 win at Delaware, the Blue Hens worst loss at home since 1986. Coen completed an 84-yard touchdown strike to Rasheed Rancher, which is the second-longest passing play in UMass history.
• Coen had one of the most prolific passing days in UMass history in the loss to No. 4 New Hampshire, as he threw for 401 yards on 31-of-50 passing with two touchdowns. The yardage mark is tied for the second-best day (with Jeff Krohn in 2003 vs. Northeastern) in UMass history as Guice threw for 403, also against UNH in 2001. Coen's 31 completion are third all-time for a game and his attempts are now fifth-most in a game.
• He earned his second straight A-10 Rookie of the Week honor after the New Hampshire game.
• Coen did not threw an interceptions over 13 quarters from one in his first series at Colgate through the first quarter against James Madison. He had 290 yards vs. Rhode Island on 18-of-24 against his homestate team on Sept. 24.
• Coen was named the Atlantic 10 Co-Rookie of the Week on Oct. 23 after his performance at Maine. He threw for 236 yards on 21-of-31 with a career-best three touchdowns.
Go Koegel Go
• Junior punter Christian Koegel was named to the Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference Team. He is the leading returning punter in the league after finishing second in the league to Maine's Mike Mellow last season.
• In 2005, he is averaging 43.41 yards per punt, first in the league and fourth in the nation. He has 14 punts inside the 20-yard line.
• With a 51-yarder at Delaware, Koegel has at least a 50-yard punt in 13 of the last 17 games. That punt landed at the 2-yard line.
• He had a 47.0 average at Maine and pinned the Black Bears at the 1-yard line with his first punt of the game. He had a season-long 60-yarder in the Maine game as well.
• He was named UMass/Dinn Brothers Co-Athlete of the Week on Oct. 18 along with kicker Armando Cuko after his 41.5 yard average against No. 4 James Madison. He had clutch 56 and 55-yard back-to-back punts in the fourth quarter setting UMass in great field position. Six of his eight punts went for more than 40 yards.
• Koegel averaged 41.3 yards per kick last season, which ranks as the third-best single-season in UMass history. His career average of 40.91 is first all-time to David Sanger, who had a 40.6 average from 1999-2002. He moved to the lead after a 45.8 average vs. Northeastern -- in a driving rain storm.
• Koegel averaged a single-game school-record 53.0 yards on six punts and dropped four inside the 20-yard line in Massachusetts' 21-7 loss to Delaware last season on Sept. 25. Four of Koegel's six punts went for over 50 yards. He had a 76-yard boot in the first quarter which was downed at the Delaware one yard line. That punt was the third-longest in school history.
• Against Boston College on Oct. 2, Koegel set another school record for punting yardage in a game with 526 yards on 12 boots for a 43.8 average. Koegel's 12 punts were one short of a school-record as well. The 526 yards also set an Atlantic 10 conference record.
5 Strong, The Line Of Protection
• Through eight games this season, UMass' offensive line continues to serve in the protection of quarterbacks Liam Coen and Tim Day. With senior left tackle Brent Caldwell (Claremore, Okla.), junior left guard Matt Austin (Reading, Pa.), junior center Alex Miller, junior left guard David Thompson and redshirt freshman Sean Calicchio (Brooklyn, N.Y.) at right tackle, UMass did not allow a sack in the season opener at Richmond or against Albany and gave up just two at Colgate and Rhode Island along with single sacks vs. James Madison, Maine and New Hampshire, for just eight in nine games.
• Including last season, the offensive line has allowed just one sack every 36 pass attempts (17 in 613) over the last 20 games. Last season, UMass led the nation in fewest sacks per pass attempt at one every 38 attempts.
• UMass did not allowed a sack in its last three games last season and had not allowed a sack in five of 10 games through the third game this season.
• The line has been solid in leading the way for Steve Baylark who picked up more than 100 yards in nine of the last 14 games including the last three games in a row. He had 124 at Richmond in Week 1 and 132 vs. Rhode Island in Week 4, 198 at Maine , 116 vs. New Hampshire in Week 8 and 109 at Delaware in Week 9. R.J. Cobbs picked up 99 yards vs. Northeastern as the team posted 164 rushing yards.
• Baylark piled up a career-high 198 at Maine as the team gained high 204 in the game.
A Brand New Day
• After the fourth-best passing season in UMass history and coming into the season as the incumbent quarterback Tim Day (Manchester, N.H.) has taken on a new role with the Minutemen -- wide receiver.
• He was unveiled split out against Northeastern on Oct. 8 and made two catches for 25 yards -- both team highs in the rain-soaked game. Day is now listed as a back-up receiver and back-up quarterback to Liam Coen on the depth chart.
• He has six catches for 47 yards this season.
• Day is of course still a capable back-up and he was called upon to perform -- and he did -- against No. 4 James Madison. Day led UMass on both its scoring drives in the fourth quarter as the Minutemen downed the Dukes, 10-7. Day threw for 114 yards and was the holder on Armando Cuko's game-winning kick.
• In 2004, Day threw for 2,481 yards in 2004. He finished with the fourth-most completion (194) and completions (341).
• Day continues to add to his career totals. Through seven games in 2005, he is among the all-time career leaders in several categories. He is second in completion percentage (.558), fifth in passing touchdowns (27), fifth in career passing yards (3,360), fifth in completions (268), and ninth in career passing attempts (470).
• He moved to fifth in completions with his game at Colgate completing 13-of-23 passes for 153 yards.
Ball Hawks Picking Off Passes
• UMass got off to a great start with four interceptions at Richmond on Sept. 1. Currently, UMass is second in the league and is fifth in the nation with 16 interceptions. The Minutemen tied for the conference lead in interceptions last season with 17. UMass has 33 picks over the last 20 games.
• UMass has three players with double-figure totals in career interceptions led by Shannon James (20), Steve Costello has 12 and Tracy Belton has 10. James leads all active players regardless of division in interceptions while Costello is third in all of Division I-AA. Coastal Carolina's Quinton Teal has 13.
• All-American Shannon James has four while Steve Costello, Brandon Smith (Bayonne, N.J.) James Ihedigbo and Cesar Rosario (Paterson, N.J.) each has two.
• Smith had both his interceptions in the opener at Richmond and was named Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week after his big game.
• Rosario returned his second interception 89 yards for a touchdown at Maine, for his first career score. It was the longest interception return by a UMass player since Anton McKenzie had a 96-yard return for a score against New Hampshire in 2002.
• UMass set its sights on the school record of 30 interceptions in a season set in 1978 and is more than a third of the way there.
Making Many Catches
• With J.J. Moore's injury, UMass has looked two a trio of receivers who have handled the job quite well.
• Junior Brandon London has taken over as the top receiver with 46catches for 643 yards and three touchdowns, all the top marks on the team in receiving. London had a season-high 114 yards on a career-best nine catches against New Hampshire on Oct. 29. It was his first career multi-score game. He also had seven catches for 99 yards at Maine on Oct. 22.
• London is sure to be a part of the UMass career receiving leaders once he graduates. To date, he has 80 catches and 1110 yards in 33 games over three seasons. His yardage total is 11th all-time at UMass behind current Arizona Cardinal Marcel Shipp, who had 1,117.
• Senior Dominique Stewart has taken on an added role with Moore's injury and has picked up the slack of late. He has 20 catches for 272 yards this season. Stewart had his best game in two seasons against New Hampshire as he had six catches for 86 yards.
• Stewart moved to 10th all-time in career catches during the UNH game. He now has 86 catches for 1,016 yards. He went over the 1,000 yard mark in the game at Delaware with three catches for 51 yards.
• Sophomore Rasheed Rancher may be the biggest surprise of th
