UMass Set For Home Opener Vs. Boston College On Saturday

University of Massachusetts Football Game Notes & Information
Game 2	Massachusetts (0-1) vs. RV/RV Boston College (1-0)
Date \| Time	Saturday, September 11 \| 3:30 p.m.
Location	Amherst, Mass. \| McGuirk Alumni Stadium \| New Parking Information \| Gameday 101
Tickets	Purchase Tickets Here
Game Notes & Team Information	Massachusetts: Game Notes \| Game Program \| Record Book Boston College: Game Notes \| Media Guide
Watch	NESN+ \| FloSports
Listen	WEEI 105.5 FM \| WCRN 830 AM App: Download The Varsity Sports Network on your mobile device
Live Statistics	SIDEARM
Twitter	@UMassFootball \| @CoachWaltBell
Instagram	UMass Football
Facebook	UMass Football

WHAT'S NEW AT McGUIRK ALUMNI STADIUM IN 2021

In preparation for the home opener against Boston College, please note that parking lots surrounding McGuirk Alumni Stadium will be unavailable to individuals who have not secured parking prior to game day. If you do not secure a parking space prior to game day, free parking is available in remote lots.

For additional information, please click here.

HOME SWEET HOME

The Minutemen are back at McGuirk Alumni Stadium for the first time since November 23, 2019 (658 days), and hosting Boston College in Amherst for the first time since Nov. 6, 1982. The Minutemen are 185-92-2 (.667) all-time at McGuirk Alumni Stadium.

Some of the largest crowds in stadium history have come against Boston College, including a stadium-record of 20,000 against the Eagles on Nov. 25, 1972.

LOOK AT ALL THESE NEW FACES

UMass football features 35 different student-athletes across its offensive, defensive and special teams depth charts. It includes nine on the offensive depth chart, four on the defensive and one on special teams.

Of the 54 total student-athletes featured on the depth chart, 31 are sophomores (7), redshirt freshmen (6) or freshmen (18).

STARTING WITH A BANG

Saturday marks just the third time since 2012 that Massachusetts has begun the season with back-to-back games against Power 5 opponents (2014 and 2016).

HIGH CALIBER TRANSFERS

Massachusetts has 31 transfers on the 2021 roster, including 10 from Power 5 institutions:

Kay'Ron Adams - Rutgers
Willie Allen - Michigan
Devin Baldwin - Rutgers
Noah Boykin - Notre Dame
Eric Collins - NC State
Jay Larosa - Ole Miss
Tyler Lytle - Colorado
Bryson Richardson - North Carolina
Mike Saliba - Arizona
Bryce Watts - North Carolina

FIRST TIMERS

13 different players made their first starts in a UMass uniform on Saturday at Pittsburgh, including eight on offense and five on defense.

THE QB ROOM: A MIX OF YOUNG AND OLD

The Minutemen's quarterback room features two freshmen (Zamar Wise and Brady Olson), two redshirt freshmen (Garrett Dzuro and Luke McMenamin) and one graduate student (Tyler Lytle).

Lytle (6'5'', 225-pounds from Redondo Beach, Calif.) played the 2017-19 seasons at the University of Colorado, appearing in seven career games, including four during 2018 and three in 2019.

In his first collegiate start last week at Pittsburgh, Lytle completed 14-of-31 passes for a career-high 167 yards, and also rushed for one touchdown against the Panthers.

Olson (6'4'', 200-poinds from Bellingham, Mass.), meanwhile, arrived at UMass as a three-star pro-style quarterback rated the No. 20 player in Massachusetts according to the 247Sports Composite listing, and a three-star QB according to ESPN and rated as the 15th-highest player in Massachusetts.

1-2 PUNCH IN THE BACKFIELD

Redshirt junior Ellis Merriweather carried the load in the backfield for the Minutemen in 2020, rushing 42 times for 115 yards (42% of the team's total rushing yards) in his first season after transferring from Garden City Community College.

Merriweather will be aided this season by Rutgers transfer Kay'Ron Adams. Adams played two seasons with the Scarlet Knights in 2019 and 2020, compiling 320 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 83 carries in 18 career games, in addition to six catches for 120 yards and a touchdown.

O-C, TRIPLE O-C

Wide receiver Jermaine "OC" Johnson, Jr. has recorded a catch in 17 straight games, which encompasses his entire collegiate career. It is the longest active streak of at least one reception in consecutive games on the team currently.

He was second on the team with 14 catches for 96 yards in four games last season, and led the team with 52 receiving yards on three grabs last week at Pittsburgh.

In 2019, Johnson Jr. caught 37 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns to become the only true-freshman in the history of UMass football to lead the team in total receptions.

DECKERS NAMED TO PATRICK MANNELLY AWARD WATCH LIST

Evan Deckers has been named to the Patrick Mannelly Award Watch List, announced August 9 by the organization. The award is presented to the top senior long snapper in FBS football.

In a 2020 season abbreviated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Deckers served as Massachusetts' primary long-snapper in all four games. He saw action for each of the team's three field goal attempts as well as on punts and extra points. Deckers was also named Phil Steele Preseason All-Independent First Team in June 2021.

EARNING IT

Two members of the team played as walk-on student-athletes before receiving scholarships in sophomore safety Tanner Davis and freshman linebacker Zack Magdis.

Davis appeared in eight games as a reserve defensive back and as a member of the kickoff and punt coverage units in 2019. He made 10 total tackles, including 2.0 TFLs, and recovered a fumble before earning a scholarship following the season. He followed it up with 24 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 1.0 sacks, three quarterback hurries and a blocked punt in four games in 2020.

Magdis appeared in all four games in 2020, seeing time at linebacker and on special teams coverage and making each of his seven tackles on the season at No. 16 Marshall.

QUARTET TABBED PHIL STEELE PRESEASON ALL-INDEPENDENT

Massachusetts placed four members of the team on the 2021 Phil Steele Preseason All-Independent Team, including long snapper Evan Deckers, tight end/quarterback Josiah Johnson, defensive lineman Avien Peah and defensive back Te'Rai Powell. Deckers earned First Team accolades, while Johnson, Peah and Powell each were named Second Team.

YOUTH MOVEMENT

UMass head coach Walt Bell is among the youngest head coaches in the country. At 37 years old entering the season, he is fifth-youngest in the nation behind only Kane Wommack (South Alabama; 34), Sean Lewis (Kent State; 35), Jake Spavital (Texas State; 36) and Will Healy (Charlotte; 36).

COACHING AT THE ALMA MATER

UMass employs two alumni in a full-time coaching role in 2021 in defensive backs coach Jason Tudryn and run game coordinator/offensive line coach Alex Miller. Tudryn is a 1996 graduate of the University of Massachusetts and is the son of the late-Frank Tudryn, who coached Northampton (Mass.) High School to four Massachusetts Super Bowl appearances in 29 seasons.

Miller developed into one of the most celebrated offensive lineman during his playing days at Massachusetts. His four years starting on the line culminated with multiple first team all-America awards following the team's appearance in the 2006 National Championship Game. Miller cemented his legacy as a durable and reliable centerpiece for the Minutemen with starts in all 50 games played during the 2003-06 seasons

One additional staff member earned a degree from UMass in Chief of Staff Matt Gordon.

WELCOME BACK JIM REID

One of the most respected defensive minds in football, Jim Reid returned to the University of Massachusetts in June 2021 as interim defensive tackles coach.

Reid brings 47 years of coaching experience to the Minutemen, including 19 prior seasons in Amherst. He most recently spent 2016-19 at Boston College, helping the Eagles make two bowl appearances and tutoring 14 All-ACC selections on the defensive side of the ball.

A revered coaching figure in UMass football history, Reid was at the helm of the Minutemen from 1986-91, where he led the program to three Yankee Conference titles (1986, '88, '90) and was named YC Coach of the Year in '88 and '90.

He spent the prior 13 seasons at UMass as an assistant under head coaches Dick MacPherson (1973-77), Bob Pickett (1978-83) and Bob Stull (1984-85) and won six Yankee Conference titles in that span. After joining MacPherson's staff as a graduate assistant in 1973, Reid went on to coach outside linebackers (1975), defensive backs (1976-77) and from 1978-85, served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

BAYLARK TO BE INDUCTED IN UMASS ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME

UMass football's Steve Baylark (2003-06) is one of five inductees to the UMass Athletics George "Trigger" Burke Hall of Fame. The Class of 2021 will be inducted on Friday, September 10 at 6 p.m. on the UMass campus.

Baylark was a four-year starting running back for former head coaches Mark Whipple (2003) and Don Brown (2004-06). He accomplished the rare feat of rushing for 1,000 yards in four consecutive seasons with 1,177 as a freshman, 1,138 as a sophomore, 1,057 during his junior year and 1,960 in his senior campaign. He was one of only three Division I-AA/FCS running backs to do so at the time of graduation. Baylark won all-America second team (2006), Atlantic 10 Conference Offensive Player of the Year (2006) and Atlantic 10 All-Conference First Team (2004, '05, '06).

Baylark finished second all-time in program history for career rushing yards (5,332), all-purpose yards (6,098), all-purpose yards per game (122.0) and rushing attempts (1,104), and third in rushing touchdowns (42), rushing yards per game (106.6) and total touchdowns (47). He spent time in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals (2007) and Denver Broncos (2008) following graduation.

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Players Mentioned

Willie Allen

Devin Baldwin

Noah Boykin

Eric Collins

Tanner Davis

Evan Deckers

Garrett Dzuro

Josiah Johnson

Jay Larosa

Kay'Ron Lynch-Adams

Tyler Lytle

Zack Magdis

Luke McMenamin

Ellis Merriweather

Brady Olson

Avien Peah

Te'Rai Powell

Bryson Richardson

Mike Saliba

Bryce Watts

Zamar Wise

Scoreboard

University of Massachusets Athletics