.png&type=webp)
University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Liberty
Massachusetts Football Hosts Liberty On Saturday
October 03, 2022 | Football
Minutemen and Flames kickoff at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
| University of Massachusetts Football Game Notes & Information | |
| Game 6 | Massachusetts (1-4) vs. Liberty (4-1) |
| Date | Time | Saturday, October 8 | 3:30 p.m. |
| Location | Amherst, Mass. | McGuirk Alumnni Stadium |
| Tickets | Purchase Tickets Here |
| Series History | Liberty leads, 3-1 Last Meeting | Williams Stadium, Lynchburg, Va. | Liberty 62, UMass 17 |
| Game Notes & Team Information | Massachusetts: Game Notes | Game Program | Record Book Liberty: Game Notes |
| Watch | ESPN+ |
| 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. -- University of Massachusetts football returns to McGuirk Alumni Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 8, to host Liberty University. The game, presented by ALKU, is set for a 3:30 p.m. kick on ESPN+.
SERIES HISTORY
Liberty leads the all-time series 3-1-0, with the teams having met in each of the last four seasons.
The first meeting between the two teams on Nov. 3, 2018 was one of the more memorable games in recent history for the Minutemen as they won a triple overtime shootout 62-59 on Homecoming Weekend at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. Wide receiver Andy Isabella recorded 303 receiving yards and two touchdowns on only nine receptions, which made Isabella the first receiver in FBS history with 300 or more receiving yards on fewer than 10 catches. He accomplished the feat despite not playing any of the three overtime periods due to injury. The 303 receiving yards set a program record.
Liberty then evened the series on Nov. 2, 2019 with a 63-21 win at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. The series shifted to Lynchburg, Virginia for the past two seasons with the Flames posting wins of 45-0 (Nov. 27, 2020) and 62-17 (Oct. 30, 2021).
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
FORCING THE ISSUE
Massachusetts has forced opponents into seven turnovers this season including four interceptions and three fumbles.
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 has two interceptions in each of the last two games (Jordan Mahoney and Josh Wallace versus Stony Brook and Mahoney and Boykin at Temple).
Mahoney's 96 combined return yards ranks third in the FBS, trailing only Chris Jefferson of Purdue (127) and John Torchio of Wisconsin (100).
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 reciever 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.
Isaiah Holiness rushed one-yard into the endzone 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.
GETTING DEFENSIVE
The UMass defense is ranked 50th in FBS (353.0 ypg in five games played)
The Minutemen have held opponents to a 17-for-55 (.309) mark on third down, which ranks 33rd in FBS.
CAPTURING CAREER MARKS
Isaiah Holiness' first touchdown as a Minuteman marked the first rushing touchdown of his career at Toledo (9/10). In addition, Tim Baldwin Jr., ran for 29-yards at Toledo (9/1), marking the longest rush of his career. Gino Campiotti also recorded a career-long rush of 22 yards at Toledo (9/10).
MAKING OUR DEBUT
In the season opener, 24 Minutemen made their debut . Three were members of the team last season, four are true freshman and 17 transfered into the program for the 2022 season.
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 theCollege 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.
