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University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
New Mexico State
Minutemen Welcome New Mexico State for Homecoming Weekend
October 24, 2022 | Football
Massachusetts closes out a three-game home stand on Saturday
| University of Massachusetts Football Game Notes & Information | |
| Game 8 | Massachusetts (1-6) vs. New Mexico State (2-5) |
| Date | Time | Saturday, October 29 | 3:30 p.m. |
| Location | Amherst, Mass. | McGuirk Alumnni Stadium |
| Tickets | Purchase Tickets Here |
| Series History | New Mexico State leads, 1-0 Last Meeting | Las Cruces, New Mexico | NM State 44, Buffalo 27 |
| Game Notes & Team Information | Massachusetts: Game Notes | Game Program | Record Book New Mexico State: Game Notes |
| Watch | ESPN3 |
| Listen | WEEI 105.5 FM | WCRN 830 AM App: Download The Varsity Sports Network on your mobile device |
| Live Statistics | SideArm Stats |
| @UMassFootball | @FBCoachDBrown | |
| UMass Football | |
| UMass Football | |
AMHERST, Mass. -- After a bye week, the University of Massachusetts football closes out a three-game home stand on Saturday, October 29, welcoming New Mexico State University to McGuirk Alumni Stadium for a 3:30 p.m. contest on ESPN3.
SERIES HISTORY
Last season's meeting between Massachusetts and New Mexico State on Nov. 27, 2021, marked the first meeting in series history. The Aggies came away with a 44-27 win on that day in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
At quarterback, Garrett Dzuro went 12-for-23 for 124 yards with one touchdown. Ellis Merriweather led the Minutemen with 168 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. With that performance in the season finale, Merriweather surpassed the 1000-yard mark to become the first UMass player to do so since Tony Nelson in 2008.
On defense, Josh Wallace had seven tackles (five solo), while Uchenna Ezewike finished with six tackles (three solo), including 1.5 sacks.
FORCING THE ISSUEMassachusetts has forced opponents into 13 turnovers this season, including eight interceptions and five fumble recoveries.
The eight interceptions are tied for 27th in FBS.
The Minutemen are +3 in turnover margin this season on 13 turnovers gained versus 10 turnovers lost to rank tied with Georgia, Georgia State, Florida and Michigan for 43rd in FBS (0.43).
In the game at Temple (Sept. 24), Jordan Mahoney and Noah Boykin each had an interception and Nahji Logan and Ethan Dumont had fumble recoveries. It marked the first time Massachusetts forced an opponent into four turnovers since the 62-59 triple overtime win over Liberty on Nov. 3, 2018.
Massachusetts had two interceptions against Stony Brook (Mahoney and Josh Wallace), at Temple (Mahoney and Noah Boykin) at Eastern Michigan (Jalen Mackie and Tyler Rudolph) and versus Buffalo (Mahoney and Wallace).
Mahoney has accounted for three interceptions, including a 94-yard interception return for a touchdown in the win over Stony Brook (Sept. 17), two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries including a 22-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown versus Liberty (Oct. 8).
Mahoney's two fumble recoveries are tied for the fifth-most in FBS, while his three interceptions are tied for 14th.
GETTING DEFENSIVEThe Minutemen have held opponents to a 30-for-83 mark on third down (.361), which ranks 52nd in FBS.
On fourth down, opponents are six-for-14 on fourth downs (.429), which ranks tied for 36th in FBS.
Massachusetts is tied for 13th in the FBS with two defensive touchdowns this season, both by Jordan Mahoney.
WELCOME BACK COACH
Head coach Don Brown returns to Massachusetts for his second stint with the football program. Brown was named head coach on Nov. 22, 2021, by Director of Athletics Ryan Bamford, after spending a season with Arizona as the defensive coordinator.
During his first stint as head coach with the Minutemen, he led UMass to the winningest five-year stretch in program history from 2004-2008, accumulating a 43-19 record and making two postseason appearances. He spent the previous 13 years guiding defenses at Maryland, Connecticut, Boston College, Michigan and Arizona.
The Spencer, Massachusetts, native has 45 years of coaching experience to his credit, beginning at Hartford High School in 1977. As a head coach, Brown combined for a 95-45 overall record between Plymouth State, Northeastern and Massachusetts. He also totaled four postseason appearances.
PICK 6
Jordan Mahoney had a 94-yard interception return for a touchdown in UMass' win over Stony Brook, marking the fourth longest interception return for a touchdown in program history:
1. 100 yards: Matt Parent vs. UNH 2008; Nov. 15, 2008
2. 100 yards: Tehran Hunter; at Univ. at Buffalo; Oct 18, 1997
3. 96 yards: Anton McKenzie; at New Hampshire; Nov 09, 2002
4. 94 yards: Jordan Mahoney vs. Stony Brook; Sept. 17, 2022
MINUTEMEN IN THE NFL
Cornerback Isaiah Rodgers is in his third season playing for the Indianapolis Colts. Rodgers was selected by the Colts in the sixth round (211th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft
Offensive lineman Larnel Coleman was selected was a seventh-round pick (231st overall) by the Dolphins in the 2021 NFL draft and made his NFL debut in Miami's week three win over Buffalo (Sept. 25).
Wide receiver Andy Isabella is in his fourth season with Arizona after the Cardinals selected him in the second-round (62nd overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Offensive lineman Elijah Wilkinson is in the midst of his sixth NFL season and first with the Atlanta Falcons. An undrafted free agent signee, he played the first four years of his career with Denver before playing the 2021 season for Chicago.
Offensive lineman Jack Driscoll is playing his third season with Philadelphia. Having played for the Minutemen from 2015-17, Driscoll was a fourth round pick (145th overall) by the Eagles in the 2020 NFL Draft.
100 ON THE GROUND
Redshirt junior Gino Campiotti broke the 100-yard rushing plateau for the first time in his career when he rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown in the loss at Eastern Michigan (Oct. 1).
Campiotti became the first UMass player with 100 yards since Ellis Merriweather had 168 yards at New Mexico State on Nov. 27, 2021. He also became the first UMass quarterback in the FBS era to rush for 100 yards.
TOUCHDOWN FIRSTS
Redshirt junior Gino Campiotti scored his first touchdown in a Massachusetts uniform at Tulane (9/3). The Manteca, California, native, found his way into the endzone on a four-yard rush. Campiotti added his first rushing touchdown at Eastern Michigan (Oct. 1).
Isaiah Holiness had a one-yard rushing touchdown at Toledo (9/10) for his first touchdown as a Minuteman.
Jordan Mahoney (94-yard INT return) and Cam Sullivan-Brown (18-yard TD catch) each recorded their first touchdowns of the season in the 20-3 win over Stony Brook. It was the first career TD for both players.
Greg DeRosiers, Jr. registered the first two touchdowns oh his career with a pair of rushing TD's against Liberty (Oct. 8).
MERRIWEATHER NAMED TO MAXWELL AWARD WATCH LIST
Ellis Merriweather was named to the 86th Maxwell Award Watch List, announced July 18 by the Maxwell Football Club. The award is presented to the College Player of the Year.
Merriweather completed the 2021 year as Massachusetts' first 1,000-yard rusher in the program's FBS era, while accumulating 1,138 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns. He recorded 218 consecutive carries without any fumbles and totaled a career best 39 carries for 171 yards and two touchdowns, leading UMass to its first victory of 2021. Merriweather received 2021 Phil Steele All-Independent Second Team honors.
FIVE MINUTEMEN TABBED PHIL STEELE PRESEASON ALL-INDEPENDENT
Massachusetts placed five members of the team on the 2022 Phil Steele Preseason All-Independent Team, including running back Ellis Merriweather, tight end Josiah Johnson, offensive tackle Max Longman, defensive tackle Billy Wooden and cornerback Josh Wallace. Merriweather earned First Team accolades, while Johnson, Longman, Wooden and Wallace each were named Second Team.
COACHING AT THE ALMA MATER
UMass employs four alumni in a full-time coaching role in 2022 in assistant head coach/special teams coordinator/defensive lines coach, Ben Albert, defensive line coach, Valdamar Brower, associate head coach/offensive line coach, Alex Miller and tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator, Jeff Moore. Albert is a 1995 graduate of the University of Massachusetts and was an All-Conference defensive lineman. During the 2002 and 2003 seasons, he served as the inside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator, where he aided the Minutemen to the 2003 Atlantic 10 Conference championship.
Brower, a 2004 graduate of UMass, was a star defensive lineman for Massachusetts from 1999-2003, playing for then-defensive coordinator Don Brown during the 1999 season.
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
A 2012 graduate of UMass, Moore played receiver for the Minutemen from 2008-12 as awalk-on.
Two additional coaching staff members earned a degree from UMass in analyst Randall Jette '15 and Jesse Monteiro '17.
COEN INDUCTED IN UMASS ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME
UMass football's Liam Coen (2004-08) was one of four inductees to the UMass Athletics George "Trigger" Burke Hall of Fame with the ceremony taking place on Friday, September 16.
Coen was the starting quarterback for the 2005-08 seasons for head coach Don Brown and was a team captain during his redshirt senior year in 2008. The Minutemen were 37-14 overall and 25-7 in conference play (2005 – Atlantic 10; '06-08 – CAA) during his four seasons as the starting quarterback. Coen was selected Atlantic 10 All-Conference Third Team (2006) and CAA All-Conference Second Team (2007, '08). At the time of graduation, he was one of 21 quarterbacks in FCS history with 10,000 or more passing yards in a career. He was 18th all-time in FCS/I-AA history for career passing yards (11,031) and 20th for touchdowns thrown (90).
Coen is currently the career record-holder for passing yards (11,031), pass attempts (1,303), pass completions (830), touchdown passes (90), completion percentage (.639), passer efficiency (152.92), yards per pass attempt (8.47). He holds the UMass single-season record-holder for completion percentage (.650; 2006) and passing efficiency (160.52; 2006).
He helped lead Massachusetts to the 2006 NCAA FCS National Championship Game by going 69-of-109 for 837 yards with six touchdowns during the playoff run. Coen also led the Minutemen to an NCAA postseason appearance in 2007 and won conference championships in 2006 and 2007, as well. He tied the program record for most passing touchdowns in one game (5 at Towson, 2006; vs. Bryant, 2008), and is one of only two quarterbacks to throw five touchdowns in a single game.
Coen spent two seasons as an assistant coach at UMass under then-head coach Mark Whipple in 2014 and 2015. After leaving UMass to serve as the offensive coordinator and QBs coach at the University of Maine (2016-17), Coen then coached in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams in 2018 and 2019, helping the team reach the Super Bowl during his first season as an assistant wide receiver's coach. In March of 2022, Coen was named the offensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams.
