University of Massachusets Athletics
UNH-UMass Football Rivalry Among Best Around
August 18, 2006 | Football
Aug. 18, 2006
By Mike Zhe
Portsmouth Herald
AMHERST, Mass. -- Kyle Harrington is reminded of the University of New Hampshire's recent football success every time he goes home, which may explain why he doesn't mind sweating through workouts under a hot Pioneer Valley sun.
The University of Massachusetts senior fullback is the only Granite Stater slated to start this year for the Minutemen, who held a preseason media event Tuesday at McGuirk Stadium. But the ties between the programs are deep enough for both sides to be aware of the other.
The Athens and Sparta of the Atlantic 10's North Division seem poised for another clash atop the standings, even if the head-to-head meeting won't come until Nov. 4 in Durham. It's no stretch to say that game will go a long way toward shaping both seasons.
And both offseasons.
"It stinks going home, especially after last year, hearing about what's happened at UNH," said Harrington, a Plaistow resident who starred at Timberlane. "You hear it here and there every year, but more this year. A lot of my friends go to UNH so I hear it a lot from them too."
Last year, both teams brought a single loss into their hyped Oct. 29 meeting here, a thrilling, 34-28 UNH win led by wide receiver David Ball's four touchdowns.
While the Wildcats (11-2) ran the table after that and earned the No. 1 seed for the playoffs, UMass lost two of its last three, finished 7-4 and was on the outside looking in.
UNH quarterback Ricky Santos and the Wildcats defeated rival Massachusetts last season in a key game that helped the team win the Atlantic 10's North Division. The teams meet this season on Nov. 4 in Durham.
UMass coach Don Brown had no interest Tuesday in talking about UNH or anything beyond his team's Sept. 2 opener with Colgate. But he does like his team's depth and its chances.
"You're supposed to be positive in the preseason, but I actually feel that way," he said.
In the North Division, these two programs are in a class by themselves. UMass has finished second to UNH the last two years, and shared the A-10 title in 2003 when the 'Cats were just starting their turnaround.
UMass has six defensive starters back from a team that ranked third in I-AA in total defense (261 yards), plus some impact transfers. UNH has seven offensive starters back from a team that ranked second in I-AA in total offense (493 yards) and third in scoring offense (41.7 points).
The biggest discrepancies are in the polls, which Brown and his counterpart at UNH -- Sean McDonnell -- would gladly set on fire. But the UMass players see the 'Cats getting 22 of 27 first-place votes in their division, and a No. 2 national ranking compared to their own No. 10.
And it doesn't quite compute.
"Every year I've been here I think we've been disrespected in polls and all that stuff," wide receiver Brandon London said. "But we usually don't end up as good as we should be. It's really gotten to the guys this season, with all the talent we have coming back."
The 6-foot-4 London is one of just a handful of A-10 wideouts who merit mention in the same group as Ball. He's joined on offense by second-year quarterback Liam Coen and superb tailback Steve Baylark, who's bidding to become the third player in I-AA history to rush for at least 1,000 yards in four straight seasons.
The other two? Adrian Peterson of Georgia Southern and UNH's Jerry Azumah.
Even in the trenches this rivalry is interesting.
Nick Diana is a 300-pound, backup offensive lineman for the Minutemen, but three years ago he was a touted freshman recruit at UNH. He left Durham after one year, disillusioned by what he said was a poor relationship with the coaches and an inability to get the necessary reps in practice.
"You come here and everyone's in the mix, even the freshmen," Diana said. "They give you a chance to practice as much as the ones.' Up at UNH, you watch the ones' when you're a freshman. I didn't see a way I could get better by just watching."
After 1½ years at a junior college near his home on Long Island, Diana came to UMass last spring. He has two seasons of eligibility left and already has Nov. 4 circled on his schedule.
"It's going to be a little bit different than it is against Colgate or those other teams," he said.
Diana is one of 12 offseason transfers, and hardly the most notable. Nine are from I-A programs, including touted tailback Tim Washington, who earned three letters at Syracuse and has just one year of eligibility remaining.
UNH, by contrast, hasn't had a I-A transfer since guard Tim Carignan left Auburn in 2003.
"I'm a big believer in taking I-A transfers," Brown said. "I'll take guys that are looking for playing time.
"The beautiful thing about I-AA football is you can turn your team over in one year. That's what we're trying to develop every year -- reload and put the best team on the field that we can."
Two-and-a-half weeks before the opener, that team looks pretty good.
