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University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Ohio
Football Returns Home For Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day
September 27, 2017 | Football
Minutemen host Ohio Bobcats on Sat., Sept. 30 at 3:30 p.m.
| UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS FOOTBALL WEEKLY RELEASE | |
| Game Six | Massachusetts (0-5 overall) vs. Ohio (3-1) |
| Date | Time | Saturday, Sept. 30 | 3:30 p.m. (ET) |
| Location | McGuirk Alumni Stadium |
| Series History | Ohio leads, 2-0. Last meeting: Ohio 51, Massachusetts 23; Nov. 29, 2013 |
| Game Notes | Massachusetts | Ohio | Mid-American Conference |
| Live Statistics | Sidearm Sports |
| Listen (Online) | 560 AM WHYN | TuneIn Radio App (Josh Maurer, Peter Brock & Matt Goldstein) |
| Listen (Radio) | 105.5 WEEI FM [joined in progress] & 560 AM WHYN (Western Massachusetts/Springfield), 95.9 FM (South Shore), 830 AM (WCRN) |
| Watch | Eleven Sports | NESN | UMass All-Access |
| Team Information | Massachusetts | Ohio |
| @UMassFootball | @UMassAthletics | @CoachWhipUMass | |
| UMass Football | UMass Athletics | |
| Gameday Events | Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day | UMass Athletics Hall of Fame Weekend | Honoring 1972 Boardwalk Bowl Team |
| Tickets | 866-UMASS-TIX | UMass Ticket Central | Mullins Center Box Office (M-F; 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.) |
Ford Could Take A Lesson On Reliability From Ford
UMass football quarterback Andrew Ford has at least one touchdown pass in each of his last 15 games played. This streak ranks Ford fifth in the nation for consecutive games with a touchdown pass. Ahead of Ford are Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma, 30 games), Chase Litton (Marshall, 24), Trace McSorley (Penn State, 19) and Brent Stockstill (Middle Tennessee, 18). It also represents every game of Ford's career with a pass attempt.
Keep It 100
Three UMass football receivers have games with 100 or more receiving yards in 2017, including tight end Adam Breneman and wide receivers Andy Isabella and Sadiq Palmer. Breneman and Isabella have two games each with 100 or more yards. Breneman did so against Hawai'i (179) and at Coastal Carolina (126). Isabella eclipsed 100 yards at Coastal Carolina (101) and against Old Dominion (105). Palmer did so at Temple (117).
Massachusetts ranks tied for the fourth-most receivers with 100 or more yards in a game this season alongside Louisiana Tech, SMU, Virginia and Washington State. Oklahoma State and Louisiana each have four while Arizona State leads the nation with five.
Gigantically Slim & Trim
Ray Thomas-Ishman, Sr., stands 6-foot-5, 350 pounds entering his sophomore season. One year ago, as a true-freshman starter, Thomas weighed in at 392 pounds while holding down the left guard spot for 11 of his 12 appearances. Thomas started at left tackle in one appearance during 2016, at Old Dominion, his slated full-time placement on the line in 2017. Despite losing 42 pounds, Thomas is still the largest offensive lineman on the team by 20 pounds (Derek Dumais).
Big Play Andy
Junior wide receiver Andy Isabella was a part of UMass football's three longest plays from scrimmage over the opening five gam20es. Isabella caught a 60-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Ford against Old Dominion, returned a kick 44 yards against Hawai'i and rushed for a 42-yard gain at Tennessee.
Initially listed as a running back during his freshman season (2015), Isabella moved to wide receiver before the 2016 campaign. Of the 13 plays that gained 30 or more yards this season, Isabella had a part in seven of them: four passing plays, two kick returns and one rush.
Finding Gaps
The Massachusetts defense has 23.0 TFLs over the last two games with 11.0 at Temple and a single-game season high of 12.0 at Tennessee. Prior to the two most recent contests, the UMass defense had 11.0 TFLs total over the opening three games (5.0 vs. Hawai'i, 2.0 at Coastal Carolina, 3.0 vs. Old Dominion).
Over the last two games, a dozen different Minutemen recorded at least an assisted-TFL, while five of those defensive players earned at least 0.5 TFLs in each game. Linebacker Jarell Addo and defensive end Da'Sean Downey each had 4.0 TFLs against the Temple and Tennessee offensive lines, with 2.0 TFLs by each Minuteman in each game.
Addo-ing Up Some Big Tackle Numbers
First-year linebacker Jarell Addo has 4.5 TFLs among 20 total tackles over his first five games started at outside linebacker. Addo, a redshirt-sophomore, moved to linebacker and redshirted in 2016 after he played 2015 as a defensive back. All 4.5 of his TFLs came during the previous three games. In that same span, Addo had 17 of his 20 tackles, including a career-high nine at Tennessee.
In The Name Of The Father, Son And Holines
Redshirt senior defensive lineman Sha-Ki Holines is the active leader among Minutemen in tackles for loss. Two appearances into his 2017 season, Holines has 21.5 TFLs, including 6.0 sacks, over 36 games played. He posted 3.0 as a freshman, 9.0 for 30 yards lost as a sophomore and 7.0 covering 31 yards as a junior. His 2.5 sacks for 21 yards lost as a junior ranked as his single-season most. He missed the opening three games of 2017 due to injury, but totaled a pair of TFLs for seven yards lost in his debut against Temple and added an assisted TFL at Tennessee.
Whipple Approaches All-Time Wins Record
Head coach Mark Whipple is three wins away from moving into first all-time in UMass history for career victories. Whipple owns 57 triumphs over his two tenures as the program's leader (1998- 2003; '14-present).
Vic Fusia (1961-70) currently ranks first in UMass football history with 59 victories. Whipple is one of five coaches in team history with at least five winning seasons. Fusia leads the way with eight while Don Brown (2004-08), Harold "Kid" Gore (1919-27), Mel Taube (1931-35) and Whipple each have five.
