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University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
New Mexico
Football Hosts New Mexico On Saturday
September 18, 2023 | Football
Minutemen and Lobos kickoff at 3:30 p.m. at McGuirk Alumni Stadium on ESPN+.
| University of Massachusetts Football Game Notes & Information | |
| Game 5 | Massachusetts (1-3) vs. New Mexico (1-2) |
| Date | Time | Saturday, September 23 | 3:30 p.m. |
| Location | Amherst, Mass. | McGuirk Alumni Stadium |
| Tickets | Purchase Tickets Here |
| Series History | First Meeting |
| Game Notes & Team Information | Massachusetts: Game Notes | Don Brown Presser | Game Program | Record Book New Mexico: Game Notes |
| Watch | ESPN+ |
| Listen | WHMP 101.5 FM, 1240AM & 1400AM | WCRN 830 AM App: Download The Varsity Sports Network on your mobile device |
| Live Statistics | StatBroadcast |
| @UMassFootball | @FBCoachDBrown | |
| UMass Football | |
| UMass Football | |
AMHERST, Mass. -- University of Massachusetts football welcomes New Mexico to McGuirk Alumni Stadium on Saturday, September 23. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
SERIES HISTORY
UMass and New Mexico will be meeting for the first time in series history.
A junior wide receiver, Simpson posted touchdowns in back-to-back games to open the season and now has 14 catches for 289 receiving yards. His 289 receiving yards rank 26th in FBS (first among independents).
In the win at New Mexico State, the Arizona transfer had a 10-yard TD run for the game's first score. Then at Auburn, he took a swing pass 58-yards for his second TD of the season. It marked the first two career touchdowns for the Bloomfield, Connecticut native. He also has four carries for 33 yards this season. He posted 101 receiving yards at Eastern Michigan, including a career-long 67-yard connection in the second half.
QUICK HITS
Massachusetts held Eastern Michigan to a 3-for-12 mark on third down last Saturday and now ranks tied for 38th in the FBS in third down defense (13-for-39/.333).
UMass is tied for 12th in FBS with three fumble recoveries and ranks 11th in FBS with seven turnovers gained (four interceptions and three fumble recoveries).
Billy Wooden is one of 11 FBS players with at least two fumble recoveries this season.
Kay'Ron Lynch-Adams has 237 rushing yards through the first three games, which ranks 14th in FBS.
PICK SIX
Massachusetts has a pair of pick sixes through the first three games of the season. Isaiah Rutherford grabbed an interception and returned it for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the season-opening win at New Mexico State (Aug. 26), while Dashaun Jerkins returned an interception for a touchdown against Miami (Sept. 9).
The two interception returns for a touchdown are tied with Utah State, Syracuse and Arkansas for the most in the FBS.
All told, the Minutemen have four interceptions this season with Tyler Rudolph (vs. Miami) and Michael Oppong (at New Mexico State) also posting interceptions. The four interceptions rank tied for sixth in FBS.
KAY'RON RUNNING WILD
Redshirt junior Kay'Ron Lynch-Adams is putting together a breakout season as the lead back for the Minutemen. A 2023 Phil Steele Preseason All-Independent Second Team member, Lynch-Adams has logged 366 rushing yards on 71 carries so far this season. He has added six catches for 48 yards.
Against New Mexico State to open the year, he totaled two touchdowns, marking his first career multiple touchdown game. He posted 101 yards on 14 carries at Auburn, including a 28-yard run, for his first career 100-yard game.
Last week at Eastern Michigan, Lynch-Adams carried the ball 26 times for a career-high 129 yards. His 366 rushing yards on the season ranks third in FBS (second among independents), trailing only Audric Estime of Notre Dame (521) and Nate Noel of App State (420).
Lynch-Adams joined the Minutemen for the 2021 season after spending two years at Rutgers. Last season, he rushed 84 times for 297 yards and a career-long, 66-yard touchdown.
SIXTEEN STRONG
Sixteen University of Massachusetts football players earned Phil Steele 2023 Preseason Independent Team honors it was announced on June 12.
The list of honorees included First Team selections George Johnson III (WR), Billy Wooden (DT), Jerry Roberts Jr (LB), Jordan Mahoney (CB), Cameron Carson (K) and Greg Desrosiers Jr (KR).
The Second Team honorees included Kay'Ron Lynch-Adams (RB), Mark Pope (WR), Josh Atwood (C), Cole Garcia (OG), Marcus Bradley (DE), Gerrell Johnson (LB), Tyler Rudolph (S), CJ Kolodziey (P), Isaac Ross (PR) and Ethan Dumont (LS).
UMass ranked second with the 16 selections, trailing only Notre Dame (18) but finishing ahead of Army West Point (13) and Connecticut (11)
POWER FIVE TRANSFERS FOR 2023
Massachusetts added 15 transfers into the program with previous power five experience:
JB Brown - Arizona
RJ Edwards - Arizona
Jalen Harrell - Miami
Shambre Jackson - Florida State
Dashaun Jerkins - Ole Miss/Vanderbilt
Jalen John - Arizona
Tyler Martin - Arizona
Steven Ortiz - Minnesota
Taisun Phommachanh - Georgia Tech/Clemson
Mark Pope - Miami
Jerry Roberts Jr. - Arizona
Isaiah Rutherford - Arizona
Anthony Simpson - Arizona
Matt Smith - Duke
Jermaine Wiggins Jr. - Arizona
COACHING AT THE ALMA MATER
UMass employs three alums in full-time coaching roles in 2023, including assistant head coach/special teams coordinator/defensive lines coach, Ben Albert, defensive line coach, Valdamar Brower and associate head coach/offensive line coach, Alex Miller.
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
Two additional coaching staff members earned a degree from UMass in analyst Jesse Monteiro '17 and Graduate Assistant Garrett Dzuro '23.
