University of Massachusets Athletics
DOUBLE SESSIONS START FOR UMASS FOOTBALL TEAM
August 24, 1987 | Football
AMHERST -- Coach Jim Reid greeted 103 candidates for the 1987 University of Massachusetts football team last weekend. The Minutemen launched two weeks of double sessions which were scheduled to end on Sept. 3.
UMass, coming off of an 8-3 season which gave them a piece of the Yankee Conference championship with UConn and Delaware, opens the 1987 season with a home game against YanCon opponent Maine on Sept. 12.
Reid has two of the top quarterbacks in the Yankee Conference healthy and available. Dave Palazzi, a junior from Leominster, was the 1985 YC Rookie-of-the-Year. Tim Bryant, a Junior from Lawrence, replaced Palazzi in last year's opener when Palazzi was sidelined with a separated shoulder. Palazzi saw limited duty through 1986 and Bryant was chosen the YC Rookie-of-the-Year.
Big losses that Reid and his coaching staff will be looking to fill in the next two weeks include 230 pound fullback Al Neri, three starters on the offensive line and safety Bob Shelmire.
Returning to action in 1987 is runningback Ted Barrett. A senior from North Attleboro, Barrett was slated to be the starting tailback last year, but underwent three operations for colitis. He missed all of 1986 and the 1987 spring practice session. Barrett returns at 195 pounds and is given an excellent chance of replacing Neri at fullback.
Offensively, UMass returns tailback Kevin Smellie (Mississauga, ON) who scored 12 TDs last year and wide receivers Dan Rubinetti (Union, NJ), Jay Dowdy (E. Orange, NJ) and Mike Trifari (Montville, NJ).
Also, tight end Mike Kelley (Shrewsbury), placekicker Silvio Bonvini (W. Caldwwell, NJ), tri-captain and center Pete Montini (Ansonia, CT) and tackle Mike Barrette (Amherst) return as starters.
Defensively, the Minutemen will look to All-American inside linebacker John McKeown (Biddeford, ME), tri-captain and inside backer Vito Perrone (Manchester, CT) and outside linebacker Todd Rundle (Essex Jct., VT) to lead a group of eight returning starters. McKeown and Rundle have been listed in several publications as pre-season All-Americans.
Nose guard Joe Cullen (Weymouth) and tackle Dan Charron (Rutland, VT) started last year along with cornerbacks Andrew Thomas (Toronto, ON) and Kirk Williams (Malden) and strong safety Scott Brown (Watertown). Tri-Âcaptain Jim Vertucci (Stone Ridge, NY) is expected to start at free safety. Dimitri Yavis (Albany, NY) has been UM's punter for the past two years.
About the Archives
This is a digitized version of a press release from the University of Massachusetts archives, before the start of online publication. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, UMass does not alter, edit or update them. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other items. Please send reports of such problems to the appropriate sport contact in the UMass Athletic Communications office.
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UMass, coming off of an 8-3 season which gave them a piece of the Yankee Conference championship with UConn and Delaware, opens the 1987 season with a home game against YanCon opponent Maine on Sept. 12.
Reid has two of the top quarterbacks in the Yankee Conference healthy and available. Dave Palazzi, a junior from Leominster, was the 1985 YC Rookie-of-the-Year. Tim Bryant, a Junior from Lawrence, replaced Palazzi in last year's opener when Palazzi was sidelined with a separated shoulder. Palazzi saw limited duty through 1986 and Bryant was chosen the YC Rookie-of-the-Year.
Big losses that Reid and his coaching staff will be looking to fill in the next two weeks include 230 pound fullback Al Neri, three starters on the offensive line and safety Bob Shelmire.
Returning to action in 1987 is runningback Ted Barrett. A senior from North Attleboro, Barrett was slated to be the starting tailback last year, but underwent three operations for colitis. He missed all of 1986 and the 1987 spring practice session. Barrett returns at 195 pounds and is given an excellent chance of replacing Neri at fullback.
Offensively, UMass returns tailback Kevin Smellie (Mississauga, ON) who scored 12 TDs last year and wide receivers Dan Rubinetti (Union, NJ), Jay Dowdy (E. Orange, NJ) and Mike Trifari (Montville, NJ).
Also, tight end Mike Kelley (Shrewsbury), placekicker Silvio Bonvini (W. Caldwwell, NJ), tri-captain and center Pete Montini (Ansonia, CT) and tackle Mike Barrette (Amherst) return as starters.
Defensively, the Minutemen will look to All-American inside linebacker John McKeown (Biddeford, ME), tri-captain and inside backer Vito Perrone (Manchester, CT) and outside linebacker Todd Rundle (Essex Jct., VT) to lead a group of eight returning starters. McKeown and Rundle have been listed in several publications as pre-season All-Americans.
Nose guard Joe Cullen (Weymouth) and tackle Dan Charron (Rutland, VT) started last year along with cornerbacks Andrew Thomas (Toronto, ON) and Kirk Williams (Malden) and strong safety Scott Brown (Watertown). Tri-Âcaptain Jim Vertucci (Stone Ridge, NY) is expected to start at free safety. Dimitri Yavis (Albany, NY) has been UM's punter for the past two years.
About the Archives
This is a digitized version of a press release from the University of Massachusetts archives, before the start of online publication. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, UMass does not alter, edit or update them. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other items. Please send reports of such problems to the appropriate sport contact in the UMass Athletic Communications office.
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