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University of Massachusets Athletics
Massachusetts Football Camp Countdown - Defensive Line
August 23, 2022 | Football
Jay Burnham breaks down the Minutemen's d-line group with coaches Ben Albert and Valdamar Brower.
Continuing our Camp Countdown conversations, Jay Burnham stat down with assistant head coach & defensive line coach Ben Albert and defensive line coach Valdamar Brower. The duo, both UMass alumni, bring great pride in the program to the d-line room. Both Albert and Brower made it clear that, to play defensive line under Don Brown means being physically and mentally tough. Their point of emphasis is that everything on defense starts up front from the line. "We are the tip of the spear," said Albert.
According to Albert, the group has been focusing on winning junction points, developing hands, get off and movement. "We have to develop to win one-on-one situations," he stated.
Brower added that their room is filled with excitement and the group is ready to run through a wall for Coach Brown. Every day is an evaluation on and off the field. Their main elements to improve on every day are the ability to bend, have balance and burst.
DEPTH FROM THE TRANSFER PORTAL
During the offseason, UMass bolstered its defensive line depth with the additions of 6-2, 205-pound Marcus Cushnie out of Florida State and 6-3, 275-pound Marcus Bradley from Vanderbilt. Cushnie played in all 12 games last season for the Seminoles and appeared in 23 contests over two seasons at Alabama A&M in 2018 and 2019. Bradley appeared in two games for the Commodores last fall after heading to Vanderbilt out of Gaithersburg, Maryland as a four-star prospect. Albert considers them a foundation to build a defense around.
Ben Albert on Cushnie and Bradley: "Both of those guys are capable of winning junction points in pass rush situations. Just having them immediately has improved our ability to rush the passer when you have two athletic guys on the edge in today's world of college football, that's a great starting point."
RETURNING TALENT
UMass has some familiar names on its defensive line this season as Viczaril Alobwede, Devin Baldwin and Uchenna Ezewike all return for the Minutemen.
Alobwede, a 6-4, 260-pound sophomore has 16 games under his belt since coming to Amherst in the fall of 2020. Baldwin joined the Minutemen last season as a transfer from Rutgers and recorded 17 tackles over seven games as a redshirt freshman. He stands 6-5 and 275 pounds. Ezewike had a breakout year in 2021, seeing action in all 12 games and totaling 25 tackles. The 6-3 255-pound redshirt junior appeared in a combined six games over the previous two campaigns.
Valdamar Brower on Alobwede: "Vic is someone that improves daily and does a lot of good things at a lot of different positions. We're really excited about his improvement, lead by example, demeanor, respect in the locker room, respect in the meetings. Vic is a special guy"
Valdamar Brower on Ezewike: "Uchenna has some great twitch, great pass rush ability, good leadership qualities great teammate, so we're excited to have him as well."
Valdamar Brower on Baldwin: "Devin Baldwin is coming along strong. We're excited to see what he's able to do when he gets fully cleared, but he's cleared to do some things and you see some quick twitch movements and his length is exciting"
VETERAN LEADERSHIP
Juniors Billy Wooden and Cletus Mathurin give UMass veteran leadership among its defensive line group. Wooden, who is 6-1, 310 pounds, is coming off an injury but has appeared in 24 games in his UMass career, including 10 as a sophomore in 2021. Mathurin played in all 12 games in 2021 and all four games in 2020 after taking the field in eight games in 2019. He weighs in at 305 pounds and stands 6-1.
Ben Albert on Wooden and Mathurin: "They both have great leadership qualities. The speed of the leader determines the rate of the pack and those guys set a great standard for what it means to be a defensive lineman here at UMass." -
NEWCOMERS
Kofi Asare, a 6-5, 215-pound freshman from Worcester and 6-6, 270-pound redshirt freshman Tyson Watson who came to UMass from Michigan State have shown potential and flashes and have been hard at work in the weight room changing their bodies.
Valdamar Brower on the newcomers: "A big thing is trying to improve daily. Get some of those younger player jitters out of them. The next time they're put in that situation you see improvement, which is very encouraging and exciting"
INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR
Massachusetts has some international flavor on its defensive line thanks to alumnus Brandon Collier of PPI Recruits who helped bring 6-3, 285-pound sophomore Hugo Klages to UMass from Spain and 6-4, 260-pound freshman Magnus Von Saldern from Germany. The two haven't been playing the game as long as most American-born student-athletes, but have been exposed to high caliber athletes and have a sense of what it's going to take for them to have success.
Ben Albert on Klages and Von Saldern: "They both have great physical traits that project success playing this sport."
Valdamar Brower on Klages and Von Saldern: "Both those guys have a unique maturity to be this far away from their home. Those guys are very serious and hard workers."
According to Albert, the group has been focusing on winning junction points, developing hands, get off and movement. "We have to develop to win one-on-one situations," he stated.
Brower added that their room is filled with excitement and the group is ready to run through a wall for Coach Brown. Every day is an evaluation on and off the field. Their main elements to improve on every day are the ability to bend, have balance and burst.
DEPTH FROM THE TRANSFER PORTAL
During the offseason, UMass bolstered its defensive line depth with the additions of 6-2, 205-pound Marcus Cushnie out of Florida State and 6-3, 275-pound Marcus Bradley from Vanderbilt. Cushnie played in all 12 games last season for the Seminoles and appeared in 23 contests over two seasons at Alabama A&M in 2018 and 2019. Bradley appeared in two games for the Commodores last fall after heading to Vanderbilt out of Gaithersburg, Maryland as a four-star prospect. Albert considers them a foundation to build a defense around.
Ben Albert on Cushnie and Bradley: "Both of those guys are capable of winning junction points in pass rush situations. Just having them immediately has improved our ability to rush the passer when you have two athletic guys on the edge in today's world of college football, that's a great starting point."
RETURNING TALENT
UMass has some familiar names on its defensive line this season as Viczaril Alobwede, Devin Baldwin and Uchenna Ezewike all return for the Minutemen.
Alobwede, a 6-4, 260-pound sophomore has 16 games under his belt since coming to Amherst in the fall of 2020. Baldwin joined the Minutemen last season as a transfer from Rutgers and recorded 17 tackles over seven games as a redshirt freshman. He stands 6-5 and 275 pounds. Ezewike had a breakout year in 2021, seeing action in all 12 games and totaling 25 tackles. The 6-3 255-pound redshirt junior appeared in a combined six games over the previous two campaigns.
Valdamar Brower on Alobwede: "Vic is someone that improves daily and does a lot of good things at a lot of different positions. We're really excited about his improvement, lead by example, demeanor, respect in the locker room, respect in the meetings. Vic is a special guy"
Valdamar Brower on Ezewike: "Uchenna has some great twitch, great pass rush ability, good leadership qualities great teammate, so we're excited to have him as well."
Valdamar Brower on Baldwin: "Devin Baldwin is coming along strong. We're excited to see what he's able to do when he gets fully cleared, but he's cleared to do some things and you see some quick twitch movements and his length is exciting"
VETERAN LEADERSHIP
Juniors Billy Wooden and Cletus Mathurin give UMass veteran leadership among its defensive line group. Wooden, who is 6-1, 310 pounds, is coming off an injury but has appeared in 24 games in his UMass career, including 10 as a sophomore in 2021. Mathurin played in all 12 games in 2021 and all four games in 2020 after taking the field in eight games in 2019. He weighs in at 305 pounds and stands 6-1.
Ben Albert on Wooden and Mathurin: "They both have great leadership qualities. The speed of the leader determines the rate of the pack and those guys set a great standard for what it means to be a defensive lineman here at UMass." -
NEWCOMERS
Kofi Asare, a 6-5, 215-pound freshman from Worcester and 6-6, 270-pound redshirt freshman Tyson Watson who came to UMass from Michigan State have shown potential and flashes and have been hard at work in the weight room changing their bodies.
Valdamar Brower on the newcomers: "A big thing is trying to improve daily. Get some of those younger player jitters out of them. The next time they're put in that situation you see improvement, which is very encouraging and exciting"
INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR
Massachusetts has some international flavor on its defensive line thanks to alumnus Brandon Collier of PPI Recruits who helped bring 6-3, 285-pound sophomore Hugo Klages to UMass from Spain and 6-4, 260-pound freshman Magnus Von Saldern from Germany. The two haven't been playing the game as long as most American-born student-athletes, but have been exposed to high caliber athletes and have a sense of what it's going to take for them to have success.
Ben Albert on Klages and Von Saldern: "They both have great physical traits that project success playing this sport."
Valdamar Brower on Klages and Von Saldern: "Both those guys have a unique maturity to be this far away from their home. Those guys are very serious and hard workers."
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