University of Massachusets Athletics

1997 Player Bios III

1997 Player Bios III




| All-America Candidate and Tri-captain Khari Samuel | Tri-captain Mike Dawson | Tri-captain Geoff Thomas

Ralphael Quinn

#1

Sophomore - WR - 6-0 - 208

Orlando, Fla. (Lake Highland Prep)

Slated as the top backup to Doug Clark at one wide receiver post ... Will see extended action in the coming year in UMass' talented wide receiving rotation ... Showed flashes of his potential over the second half of last season ... Needs to develop consistency in catching the ball and running good routes ... 1996: Saw action in 10 games, making four starts at wide receiver (Buffalo, New Hampshire, Maine, William & Mary) ... Made 12 receptions for 118 yards (9.8 avg.) ... His 12 receptions set a new single season mark for most freshman receptions at UMass, breaking Rene Ingoglia's record of 10 catches set in 1992 ... All 12 of his receptions came in the last four games ... Fourth on the team in yards receiving (118) and receptions (12) ... Had six kickoff returns for 148 yards (24.7 avg.) ... Posted a season-long kickoff return of 27 yards in the 21-14 win vs. Northeastern (Sept. 28) ... Had a career-long reception of 20 yards in the 41-20 win over Buffalo (Oct. 19) ... Made four receptions for 26 yards at New Hampshire (Oct. 26) ... Pulled in two receptions for 25 yards vs. Maine (Nov. 2) ... Recorded career highs in receptions (five) and yards (47) in the loss at William & Mary (Nov. 9) ... Missed the season finale against Connecticut (Nov. 16) with a sprained right ankle ... High School: Played for Coach Frank Prendergast at Lake Highland ... Had 50 carries for 387 yards (7.7 avg.) and eight TDs, along with 23 receptions for 377 yards (16.4 avg.) with five TDs as a senior ... Returned four punts for touchdowns during his senior season ... Also saw action in six games at linebacker, recording 55 tackles (45 solo), including five sacks ... Second team All-State selection as a senior ... Three-time first team All-District and All-Orange County choice ... Three-year team captain ... Led his team to the state playoffs in his junior and senior seasons ... Team captain in basketball as a senior ... Personal: Full name is Ralphael Dominic Quinn ... Son of Loretta Alexis ... Born October 4, 1977 in Orlando, Fla. ... Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.



Adam Quitt

#46

Sophomore - FB - 5-8 - 180

Framingham, Mass. (The Holderness School)

Will challenge for time at the fullback position ... Also a strong special teams performer ... One of the hardest workers on the squad ... An excellent student who has made the Athletic Director's Honor Roll (3.0 GPA) in all four of his previous semesters at UMass ... 1996: Saw action in one game (Boston University) ... Had three carries for four yards in the 43-12 win over the Terriers, including a career-long run of 11 yards ... Named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll with a GPA over 3.0 in both the fall and spring semesters ... 1995: Did not see any game action and was redshirted ... Named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll with a GPA over 3.0 in both the fall and spring semesters ... High School: Attended Framingham High School for his freshman and sophomore years, before transferring to the Holderness School for his final two years ... Did not play football until his senior year of high school, where he saw action at fullback and linebacker for Norman Walker at The Holderness School ... Also a talented hockey player who lettered all four years in high school ... Member of two Class C New England prep school championship teams while at Holderness ... Served as hockey team captain as a senior ... Member of the Framingham High School state championship hockey team as a sophomore ... Voted Most Spirited for Holderness Football as a junior and senior, Most Spirited for hockey as a senior and Most Spirited for baseball as a junior ... Member of Project LEAD (Leaders Educate Against Drugs) as a sophomore at Framingham ... Also a 160-pound amateur boxer for the Framingham Boxing Club as a freshman and sophomore ... Personal: Full name is Adam Nathan Quitt ... Son of Martin and Deborah Quitt ... Born February 18, 1976 in Boston, Mass. ... Majoring in Sociology ... Has ambitions of becoming a U.S. Marine Corps officer.



Dustin Reid

#39

Sophomore - WR - 6-0 - 208

Orlando, Fla. (Lake Highland Prep)

Listed as the backup to Bryan Mooney at the free safety spot heading into preseason ... Made the switch from strong safety to free safety during spring practice ... Strong special teams performer ... Redshirted in 1994 ... 1996: Saw action in all 11 games, seeing the bulk of his action on special teams ... Recorded eight tackles (five solo) on the season ... Posted two solo tackles in the season-opening loss at Villanova (Sept. 7) ... Had two tackles in the win over Connecticut (Nov. 16) ... Had a strong showing in the spring game, recording six total tackles, two interceptions and one pass breakup ... 1995: Did not see any game action ... High School: Played for Bruce MacPherson at Melrose ... Four-year letterwinner at cornerback ... Middlesex League All-Star selection during his senior year ... Team MVP as a senior ... Also a three-year letterwinner in track and two-year letterwinner in basketball ... Personal: Full name is Dustin Michael Reid ... Son of Walter and Kaitlan Reid ... Born March 31, 1976 in Winchester, Mass. ... Majoring in Sport Management.



Brian Riley

#69

Sophomore - OL - 6-5 - 298

Keansburg, N.J. (Keansburg)

Competing for a spot on the two-deep behind Greg Zambelli at right guard ... Good size and athletic ability ... Possesses a tremendous work ethic ... Redshirted in 1995 ... 1996: Did not see any game action ... High School: Three-year starter who played both offensive and defensive line for Jon Schultheis at Keansburg ... Posted 70 tackles, three sacks and three fumble recoveries during his senior season ... Played in the New Jersey All-Star Game after his senior year ... All-State Group I pick by the Woodbridge News Tribune as a senior ... All-Area selection by the Newark Star-Ledger during his senior year ... Also earned All-C Division and All-Monmouth County honors as a senior ... His high school team won the New Jersey Central Group I state title ... Personal: Full name is Brian Joseph Riley ... Son of Dennis and Dale Riley ... Born December 26, 1975 in Hoboken, N.J. ... Majoring in Mathematics.



Khari Samuel

Dan Schneider

#93

Redshirt Freshman - DE - 6-4 - 228

Fitchburg, Mass. (Fitchburg)

Slated as the backup to Jeron Alston at defensive end entering preseason ... Tough, hard-nosed competitor ... Has the size and quickness to be a solid performer ... Redshirted in 1996 ... 1996: Named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll with a GPA over 3.0 for the fall semester ... High School: Four-year letterwinner and three-year starter at defensive tackle for Ray Cosenza at Fitchburg ... Recorded nine sacks as a senior ... Named to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette Super Team during his senior season ... Defensive MVP of the Mid-Wachuset Class "A" league ... Played in the Shriner's All-Star game following his senior season ... Also earned four letters in basketball and track & field ... Team captain for football and basketball as a senior ... Member of the National Honor Society ... Personal: Full name is Daniel Justin Schneider ... Son of Joe and Brenda Schneider ... Born February 28, 1978 in Oelwein, Iowa ... Majoring in Sociology.

Ben Scott

#6

Sophomore - DB - 5-11 - 173

Staten Island, N.Y. (Curtis)

Holds down the starting job at one cornerback position ... Will be asked to cover the opponent's top receiver this coming fall ... Developed confidence while filling in for the injured Kory Blackwell during the middle part of last season ... Should also compete for time at the punt return slot ... Redshirted in 1995 ... 1996: Saw action in 10 games, making two starts at cornerback (Northeastern, Rhode Island) ... Made 24 tackles (18 solo) with one tackle for loss, three pass breakups and one fumble recovery ... Recorded three tackles (two solo) in the 28-10 win at Holy Cross (Sept. 14) ... Made his first collegiate start, posting four tackles (three solo) and recovering a fumble in the 21-14 win over Northeastern (Sept. 28) ... Had a career-high eight tackles (six solo) with two pass breakups in the loss at Rhode Island (Oct. 5) ... Named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll with a GPA over 3.0 for the fall semester ... High School: Utility player for Fred Oliveri at Curtis who saw time both at halfback and defensive back ... Had 77 receptions for 946 yards, ran for 980 yards and scored 21 total TDs during his high school career ... Made 34 receptions for 446 yards, ran for 532 yards on 103 carries and scored 10 TDs as a senior ... All-Borough and Staten Island Advance All-Star selection during his senior year ... Also a New York Newsday and New York Daily News All-Star pick as a senior ... President of his senior class ... Personal: Full name is Benjamin Alexander Scott ... Son of Leon and Celia Scott ... Born February 19, 1977 in Washington, D.C. ... Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.



Scott Shearer

#55

Sophomore - OL - 6-0 - 236

Orlando, Fla. (Boone)

Will compete with DeYate Hagood for the starting post at center ... Made the transition from defensive end to offensive line during spring practice ... Plays with great intensity and determination ... Redshirted in 1995 ... 1996: Did not see any game action ... High School: Played for Phil Ziglar at Boone ... Recorded 304 tackles, 26 quarterback sacks, 15 forced fumbles and eight fumble recoveries while blocking two punts during his scholastic career ... Posted 126 tackles with 14 quarterback sacks, nine forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and blocked one punt as a senior ... First team All-Metro (coaches) and All-County pick during his senior season ... Played in the Florida North-South All-Star Game as a senior ... Team captain and defensive MVP during his senior season ... Earned his high school's Athlete of the Year honor as a senior ... Four-year letterwinner in track and weightlifting ... Also earned one letter in wrestling ... Four-year student council representative ... High school teammate of current UMass quarterback Anthony Catterton ... Personal: Full name is Scott Edward Shearer, Jr. ... Son of Scott and Kathy Shearer ... Born June 7, 1976 in Hialeah, Fla. ... Majoring in Sport Management.



Jeff Smith

#12

Sophomore - QB - 6-2 - 199

Rochester, N.Y. (Worcester Academy)

Enters preseason as the starting quarterback after an impressive true freshman campaign ... Combines a strong arm from the pocket along with the ability to scramble and effectively run the option ... Has amazing poise in the pocket and wants the ball at crunch time ... Possesses a great work ethic and is mature beyond his years ... 1996: Played in 10 games, making seven starts ... Assumed the starting quarterback duties in the Rhode Island game (Oct. 5) ... Completed 70-of-161 passes (.435) for 871 yards with seven touchdowns and eight interceptions ... His 871 yards passing ranks third on the all-time UMass freshman single season passing yardage list ... Ran the ball 81 times for 142 yards (1.8 avg.) and two touchdowns ... Ranked sixth on the team in rushing ... Had a string of 46 passes without an interception to start the season, which was broken in the Boston University game (Oct. 12) ... Completed 5-of-12 passes for 62 yards in his collegiate debut at Villanova (Sept. 7), after entering the game in the fourth quarter ... Replaced Anthony Catterton in the fourth quarter and led the Minutemen to their come-from-behind victory at Richmond (Sept. 21), connected with Erik Henry on a 20-yard TD pass on fourth down with three seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime in the win over Richmond, completed 5-of-11 passes for 76 yards in the Richmond game ... Became the first true freshman to start at quarterback since Vito Campanile (Northeastern, Oct. 30, 1993) when he started the Rhode Island game (Oct. 5) ... Completed 8-of-18 passes for 78 yards while running for 22 yards on 12 carries and his first collegiate touchdown in the loss at Rhode Island ... Went 5-of-10 for 139 yards with two touchdowns, while also rushing for 50 yards on 13 carries in the 43-12 win over Boston University (Oct. 12) ... Connected with Frank Alessio for a career-long 43-yard pass vs. BU ... Was 6-of-13 for 76 yards and one touchdown in the 41-20 win over Buffalo (Oct. 19) ... Also ran for a career-high 59 yards on 13 carries in the Buffalo game ... Completed 13-of-26 passes for 141 yards in the loss at William & Mary (Nov. 9) ... Had his best game of the season, posting career highs in pass completions (18), attempts (39), yards passing (206) and TD passes (three) in the dramatic win over Connecticut (Nov. 16) ... Led UMass to the greatest comeback in school history in that win over UConn, rallying the Minutemen from a 38-19 deficit with 12 minutes remaining to the 39-38 victory, again connected with Erik Henry on a 20-yard TD pass on fourth down with 31 seconds remaining for the game-winning score ... High School: Played one season of prep ball for Brendan Smith at Worcester Academy ... Ranked the No. 1 quarterback in Central Massachusetts by the Worcester Telegram & Gazette ... Passed for 1,800 yards and 18 TDs with a 63 percent completion rate, while leading Worcester to a 9-0 record ... Also lettered in basketball and track ... Had a 3.7 GPA at Worcester ... Played at Greece Olympia High School in Rochester, earning All-Monroe County honors ... Passed for 840 yards and 8 TDs during his senior year at Greece Olympia ... Personal: Full name is Jeffrey Joseph Smith ... Born January 19, 1977 in Rochester, N.Y. ... Son of Jeff and Debbie Smith ... Uncle, Jerry Healey, played football at Northeastern from 1981-1984 .... Majoring in Exercise Science.



Mike Smith

#9

Junior - DB - 5-11 - 184

East Orange, N.J. (Abraham Clark)

Listed as the starter at one cornerback spot entering preseason ... Found a home at the corner after beginning his career at UMass as a wide receiver ... Big-time hitter who is a good cover man ... Has played in 12 career games ... Redshirted in 1994 ... 1996: Saw action in all 11 games ... One of the squad's top special teams players ... Saw time in nickel packages and as a backup to Leggie Beckford at cornerback ... Made 15 tackles (13 solo) with one pass breakup and one interception ... Posted his first collegiate interception and had a pass breakup at Rhode Island (Oct. 5) ... Recorded a career-high six tackles (five solo) in the win vs. Boston University (Oct. 12) ... 1995: Appeared in one game (Lehigh), seeing action on the special teams ... 1994: Named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll with a GPA over 3.0 for the spring semester ... High School: Played for Lou Grasso at Abraham Clark ... Played tailback, wide receiver, tight end and defensive back during his high school career ... Rushed for 586 yards and a team-high seven TDs in only four games at tailback as a senior ... Also averaged five tackles per game at his defensive back post ... Made four interceptions and set a school record with a 100-yard return for a touchdown ... Team co-captain as a senior ... First team All-Mountain Valley Conference pick during his senior year ... Second team All-Area and third team Newark Star-Ledger All-Essex County selection as a senior ... Also played basketball and baseball and ran track ... Tri-captain of the basketball squad during his senior year ... Personal: Full name is Michael Walter Smith, Jr. ... Son of Vanessa and Michael Smith ... Father, Michael, Sr., is the assistant football and basketball coach at Abraham Clark ... Born September 10, 1976 in Newark, N.J. ... Majoring in Nutrition.



Kerry Taylor

#88

Junior - TE - 6-2 -248

Mansfield, Mass. (Mansfield)

All-Atlantic 10 Conference candidate ... Assumes the starting tight end duties after splitting time with Bryan Healy and Erik Henry over the past two seasons ... Has fully recovered from offseason shoulder (right) surgery in December which forced him to miss spring practice ... Great size and good speed ... Excellent run-blocker who is improving at catching the football and running pass routes ... Two of his four career receptions entering this season have been good for touchdowns ... Will also see action on special teams ... Has played in 19 career games, making one start ... 1996: Saw action in all 11 games, making one start (Villanova) in a double tight end set ... Caught three passes for 17 yards (5.7 avg.) and one touchdown ... Returned three kickoffs for 21 yards (7.0 avg.) ... Had a career-long reception of 13 yards in the overtime win at Richmond (Sept. 21) ... Hauled in a 2-yard touchdown reception in the 41-20 win over Buffalo (Oct. 19) ... Helped the Minutemen lead the Yankee Conference in rushing for the second straight season (209.4 ypg) ... 1995: Played in eight games as a true freshman ... Made one reception, a 9-yard touchdown grab in the loss to New Hampshire (Oct. 7) ... Also an outstanding run-blocker ... Helped the Minutemen lead Division I-AA in rushing (302.6 ypg) ... UMass also set school team records for total yards rushing (3,329), rushing yards per game (302.6) and rushing yards per carry (5.2) ... High School: Played tight end and defensive end for Mike Redding at Mansfield ... Made 42 receptions for 750 yards and 10 TDs, along with five two-point conversions during his high school career ... Also posted 60 tackles and 12 quarterback sacks over his career ... Had 30 receptions for 600 yards and seven TDs during his senior season ... All-Attleboro Sun Chronicle and All-Hockomock League selection ... Played in the Shriner's All-Star Game after his senior season ... Also earned letters in track & field and basketball ... Two-time All-League selection in track & field ... Took third place in the triple jump at the New England Championships during his senior season ... Set a school record in the long jump at 20'-4" ... Leading scorer and rebounder for his basketball team as a senior ... Personal: Full name is Kerry Peter Taylor ... Son of Donna Taylor and Peter Osborne ... Born January 24, 1977 in Mansfield, Mass. ... Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.



Darryl Thomas

#5

Senior - WR - 5-10 - 183

Rahway, N.J. (Cranford)

Fifth-year senior who returns after being granted a medical redshirt last season ... Listed as a starter in UMass' talented wide receiving rotation ... Brings leadership and experience to the receiving corps ... Also should challenge for time on punt returns ... Has played in 30 career games, making 22 starts ... 1996: Started the first two games (Villanova, Holy Cross) at one of the wide receiver spots before suffering a strained ligament in his left ankle in the Holy Cross game (Sept. 14) which sidelined him for the remainder of the season ... Was granted a medical redshirt ... Made five kick returns for 68 yards (13.6 avg.) ... 1995: Started 10 games (all but Rhode Island) ... Made a team-high 14 receptions for 186 yards (13.3 avg.) ... Caught three passes for a season-high 74 yards in the loss to New Hampshire (Oct. 7) ... Had a season-long reception of 58 yards in the New Hampshire game ... Also made three receptions for 27 yards in the season finale at UConn (Nov. 18) ... Recorded two catches in each of the first three games (Richmond, Holy Cross and Northeastern) ... 1994: Played in 10 games, missing Delaware with a slight shoulder separation ... Caught a team best 22 passes for 301 yards (13.7 avg.) and one touchdown ... Had at least two receptions in eight of his 10 games ... Caught a career-high five passes for 106 yards against New Hampshire ... Made his first collegiate touchdown reception, a 60-yard grab in the New Hampshire game ... 1993: Played in eight games ... Made eight catches for 77 yards (9.6 avg.) ... Had a season-long reception of 18 yards against UConn ... High School: Played quarterback and defensive back for Nick Brown at Cranford ... All-State and All-Union County selection as a senior ... Rushed for 1,090 yards and 18 TDs and threw for 827 yards and 10 TDs during his senior season ... Played wide receiver in the New Jersey North-South All-Star Game after his senior year ... Team captain as a senior ... Also lettered in baseball, basketball and track ... Personal: Son of Darryl Thomas and Linda Brown ... Born November 21, 1975 in Elizabeth, N.J. ... Majoring in Education.



Geoff Thomas



Jamil Thomas

#94

Junior - DT - 6-2 - 278

Brooklyn, N.Y. (James Madison)

Enters preseason as the backup to Mike Batelli at defensive tackle ... Will see extended action in the fall with UMass' rotating system at the tackle spot ... Made tremendous strides in strength and quickness in the offseason ... 1996: Saw action in the first five games of the season ... Made three tackles (one solo) ... 1995: Did not see any game action ... High School: Played offensive and defensive tackle for Steve Ross at James Madison ... Recorded 100 tackles including a school record 10 quarterback sacks during his high school career ... Made 60 tackles and six quarterback sacks as a senior ... All-City, All-New York Daily News and All-Borough selection during his senior year ... Team captain as a senior ... Played in the Brooklyn Coaches All-Star Game after his senior season ... Personal: Son of Jimmy and Phyllis Thomas ... Born December 3, 1976 in Brooklyn, N.Y. ... His uncle, Cliff Pedrow, was a member of UMass' 1978 football team that played in the first-ever NCAA Division I-AA championship game ... Majoring in Sociology.



Jason Thomas

#15

Sophomore - DB - 6-0 - 180

Poultney, Vt. (Poultney)

Listed as the top backup to Ben Scott at cornerback ... Strong special teams performer ... Solid all-around athlete ... Came to UMass as a quarterback before making the switch to the secondary prior to the 1996 season ... Redshirted in 1994 ... 1996: Saw action in eight games (all but Villanova, Holy Cross and Richmond) ... Received the bulk of his playing time on special teams, but also made spot appearances in the secondary ... Recorded four tackles (three solo) on the season ... Posted a career-high two tackles (both solo) in the win over Connecticut (Nov. 16) ... 1995: Did not see any game action ... Served as the scout team quarterback ... High School: Four-year letterwinner who played quarterback and cornerback for David Copman at Poultney ... All-Northern Adirondock League selection at quarterback during his senior season ... Team captain who led his team to the league crown as a senior ... Also earned four letters in basketball ... Named to the All-League underclassmen Honor Roll in basketball as a junior ... His high school team captured the Vermont Division IV state title in his sophomore and senior campaigns ... Basketball team captain as a senior ... Personal: Full name is Jason Michael Thomas ... Son of Michael Thomas and Debbie Orzech ... Born March 20, 1976 in Rutland, Vt. ... Majoring in Economics.



Jerard White

#3

Sophomore - SS - 6-1 - 208

Fort Washington, Md. (Valley Forge [Pa.])

Returning starter at strong safety after an impressive redshirt freshman campaign ... The lone returning starter in the defensive backfield ... Coaching staff believes he could be one of the most improved players in the league this fall ... Great speed and quickness to the ball ... Solid tackler with a knack for the big hit ... Also should earn time in the kickoff return slot ... 1996: Started all 11 games at strong safety ... Posted 52 tackles (34 solo) with six tackles for loss and five pass breakups ... Second on the team with two interceptions ... Returned 14 kickoffs for a team-high 282 yards (20.1 avg.) ... Finished sixth in the Yankee Conference in kickoff returns (20.1 avg.) ... Recorded seven tackles (five solo), while making his first career interception and breaking up a team-high three passes in the season-opening loss at Villanova (Sept. 7) ... Made seven tackles (three solo) in the 21-14 win over Northeastern (Sept. 28) ... Picked off a pass and went 30 yards for his first collegiate touchdown in the 43-12 win over Boston University (Oct. 12) ... The play marked the first time a UMass player had returned an interception for a touchdown since 1994 (Tony Williams, 31 yards, vs. William & Mary) ... Recorded seven tackles (five solo) with one tackle for loss in the 41-20 win over Buffalo (Oct. 19) ... Had seven tackles (five solo) with one tackle for loss and one pass breakup at New Hampshire ... Posted a career-high 47-yard kickoff return in the Connecticut game (Nov. 16) ... High School: Played one year of prep ball at Valley Forge ... Played his high school football for Archbishop Carroll ... Personal: Full name is Jerard D. White ... Son of Leroy and Pat White ... Born October 27, 1977 in Washington, D.C. ... Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.



Mike Wynne

#67

Sophomore - OL - 6-2 - 285

Somerdale, N.J. (Sterling)

Listed as the starter at left guard heading into preseason ... Good size and physical skills ... Needs to gain experience and consistency ... Excellent performer in the classroom who has posted a perfect 4.0 GPA in three of his four semesters at UMass ... Redshirted in 1995 ... 1996: Did not see any game action ... Posted a perfect 4.0 GPA in both the fall and spring semesters ... Named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll with a GPA over 3.0 in both the fall and spring semesters ... 1995: Did not see any game action and was redshirted ... Posted a perfect 4.0 GPA in the spring semester ... Named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll with a GPA over 3.0 in both the fall and spring semesters ... High School: Three-year starter at offensive and defensive tackle for Jim Gallagher at Sterling ... Honorable mention All-South Jersey choice as a senior ... First team All-Group II defensive tackle during his senior season ... Three-time All-Colonial Conference second team offensive tackle ... Team captain and offensive MVP as a senior ... Also lettered in wrestling ... Personal: Full name is Michael Christopher Wynne ... Son of John and Jacqueline Wynne ... Born October 19, 1976 in Voorhees, N.J. ... Enrolled in the School of Management.