Head coach Steve Addazio kicked off Week One of the college football season with his first weekly press conference on Monday afternoon.
"This is, without a doubt, the best UMass team that we have faced since I've been here," he told a packed room full of reporters. "They've got a lot of talent, both sides of the ball. They've got great speed."
Minutemen at Work
On Saturday, UMass gave FCS opponent Duquesne the biggest beatdown of the weekend in a 63-15 blowout, the most points the Minutemen have scored since joining the FBS. Behind an improved offensive line, the aerial attack thrived thanks to redshirt senior Andy Isabella, who caught two touchdown passes and added another score on the ground. He extended his streak of games with multiple receptions to 25, two behind Virginia's Olamide Zaccheus for the national lead.
"He makes a lot of explosive plays," junior cornerback Hamp Cheevers said of Isabella. "He can make plays down the field and short. He's very versatile. He's a really good player, you just gotta go by detail and focus and technique."
After losing both starting corners to the NFL Draft, Addazio is confident that his new No. 1 can rise to the occasion.
"Hamp is a proven player in ACC competition," Addazio said. "He had maybe one of the best camps of everybody. Hamp can flat run now. He’s a fast guy, has great anticipation on the ball."
Cheevers, who will likely match up against Isabella, has the luxury of playing in front of one of the nation's best defensive back duos in Lukas Denis and Will Harris.
"I feel like our safeties are the best in the nation," Cheevers said. "They've got my back no matter what. It helps me play even more aggressively."
Quarterback Andrew Ford, a Phil Steele Preseason All-Independent First Team selection, finished 13-of-19 for 186 yards and two touchdowns in limited action. He sat out the second series as the Minutemen used Week Zero as a warm-up of sorts for their second-highest ranked opponent of the year behind No. 3 Georgia.
“BC is a different beast next week, not to take anything away from Duquesne," UMass head coach Mark Whipple said on Saturday. "They have bigger guys who are faster. AJ Dillon will have their attention, and their two safeties. [Connor] Strachan is back. We’ll put the tape on Monday morning."
Whip & Daz
Addazio's relationship with Whipple goes all the way back to their days coaching high school football in Connecticut. While coaching at New Haven, Whipple lived in Cheshire, where Addazio coached for seven years.
"I have so much respect for Mark Whipple," Addazio said. "I've known Mark Whipple a long time. In fact, I remember when I was a high school coach in Connecticut, and he'd bring a box of donuts in."
The two crossed paths regularly at New Haven Football Foundation dinners and have maintained a friendship ever since.
"I saw him all the time," Addazio said. "He'd come over, see me all the time. I got to know Mark really good. Whip's a great guy. Always liked him, always respected him. He's a really good offensive mind. I've talked to him even in my history of different job opportunities."
Last year, Whipple's passing offense at UMass ranked 17th in the country. This year, with a wealth of senior starters returning on offense, the Minutemen will test BC's vaunted secondary. And Addazio is prepared for his longtime pal to have a couple tricks up his sleeve.
"He understands how to attack defenses as the play caller," Addazio said. "He's going to throw the ball down the field. I always felt that Mark was a guy who's a gambler. He's going to take his shots. They're going to have trick plays."
Dynamic Dillon
Simply put, it's going to be hard to take A.J. Dillon off the field this season.
"There's more parts of my game now," the sophomore explained. "I'm gonna be running the ball, catching the ball, blocking. So that was a big thing for me: I never wanted to be put in a spot where the coaches couldn't rely on me to be out there, you know. So if it's third down, fourth down, overtime, I want everyone in the stadium to know they can count on me."
After an offseason of improvement, Addazio has a tough time finding a comparison for Dillon.
"His uniqueness is his sheer power and size and speed," Addazio said. "But he also has the finesse of a smaller guy. He's got great hands. So he's got great fine motor skills. I've never seen anybody like him. He's unique, very unique. And he can make you miss in the hole on top of it all. He's a different type of guy. He's a special, special guy."
Although the staff may want to ease him into what might be a strenuous season for the workhorse back, it's difficult to hold back a beast like Dillon. As a true freshman, he averaged over 30 carries a game during the final seven games after bursting onto the scene at Louisville. The potential for an entire season with that level of production is scary to think about.
"The growth that AJ has had has been phenomenal. Your simple question, will his role expand, every down back? Yes. I can't wait to see him catching the ball in the backfield out of the perimeter."
Unprompted, Addazio compared Dillon to member of BC's backfield—one who, interestingly, didn't appear on the depth chart (the list stopped after No. 2 running back Travis Levy).
"I look at a young player in David Bailey right now, it's funny, David's another one of those young, talented backs," Addazio. "Watching him right now reminds me of where A.J. was a year ago."
With four-star recruit Patrick Garwo set to campus next year, the Eagles backfield should be absolutely stacked for the next few years.
"In all my years of playing football, this is the best team I've ever been a part of," Dillon said. "This team, this year. So whatever that is, I feel like we're going to reach our max potential. With this group, we're going to come out to each game with everything we have. Whatever that potential is, I know we're going to reach that. 100 percent confident."
Brown Is Back
All eyes will be on Anthony Brown and his right knee as he makes his long-awaited return to Alumni Stadium this weekend.
"100 percent ready to go," Addazio said of his starting quarterback. "Shackles are off, but I know he's not going to be hit until Saturday."
"Like anybody else, you've been away from football for a while, missed spring practice, that kind of stuff, takes a little bit back to get going again, get in the groove," Addazio said. "That will be a little bit of an adjustment curve in there, I'm sure."
At the end of the day, if the Eagles can limit penalties and come away with the victory, the sixth-year head coach shouldn't have too much to complain about.
"All that matters in Game One is getting a W, okay? That gives you a chance to regroup and get ready for Game Two," Addazio said. "You just need to be the best team on that field on that day."
"This is, without a doubt, the best UMass team that we have faced since I've been here," he told a packed room full of reporters. "They've got a lot of talent, both sides of the ball. They've got great speed."
Minutemen at Work
On Saturday, UMass gave FCS opponent Duquesne the biggest beatdown of the weekend in a 63-15 blowout, the most points the Minutemen have scored since joining the FBS. Behind an improved offensive line, the aerial attack thrived thanks to redshirt senior Andy Isabella, who caught two touchdown passes and added another score on the ground. He extended his streak of games with multiple receptions to 25, two behind Virginia's Olamide Zaccheus for the national lead.
"He makes a lot of explosive plays," junior cornerback Hamp Cheevers said of Isabella. "He can make plays down the field and short. He's very versatile. He's a really good player, you just gotta go by detail and focus and technique."
After losing both starting corners to the NFL Draft, Addazio is confident that his new No. 1 can rise to the occasion.
"Hamp is a proven player in ACC competition," Addazio said. "He had maybe one of the best camps of everybody. Hamp can flat run now. He’s a fast guy, has great anticipation on the ball."
Cheevers, who will likely match up against Isabella, has the luxury of playing in front of one of the nation's best defensive back duos in Lukas Denis and Will Harris.
"I feel like our safeties are the best in the nation," Cheevers said. "They've got my back no matter what. It helps me play even more aggressively."
Quarterback Andrew Ford, a Phil Steele Preseason All-Independent First Team selection, finished 13-of-19 for 186 yards and two touchdowns in limited action. He sat out the second series as the Minutemen used Week Zero as a warm-up of sorts for their second-highest ranked opponent of the year behind No. 3 Georgia.
“BC is a different beast next week, not to take anything away from Duquesne," UMass head coach Mark Whipple said on Saturday. "They have bigger guys who are faster. AJ Dillon will have their attention, and their two safeties. [Connor] Strachan is back. We’ll put the tape on Monday morning."
Whip & Daz
Addazio's relationship with Whipple goes all the way back to their days coaching high school football in Connecticut. While coaching at New Haven, Whipple lived in Cheshire, where Addazio coached for seven years.
"I have so much respect for Mark Whipple," Addazio said. "I've known Mark Whipple a long time. In fact, I remember when I was a high school coach in Connecticut, and he'd bring a box of donuts in."
The two crossed paths regularly at New Haven Football Foundation dinners and have maintained a friendship ever since.
"I saw him all the time," Addazio said. "He'd come over, see me all the time. I got to know Mark really good. Whip's a great guy. Always liked him, always respected him. He's a really good offensive mind. I've talked to him even in my history of different job opportunities."
Last year, Whipple's passing offense at UMass ranked 17th in the country. This year, with a wealth of senior starters returning on offense, the Minutemen will test BC's vaunted secondary. And Addazio is prepared for his longtime pal to have a couple tricks up his sleeve.
"He understands how to attack defenses as the play caller," Addazio said. "He's going to throw the ball down the field. I always felt that Mark was a guy who's a gambler. He's going to take his shots. They're going to have trick plays."
Dynamic Dillon
Simply put, it's going to be hard to take A.J. Dillon off the field this season.
"There's more parts of my game now," the sophomore explained. "I'm gonna be running the ball, catching the ball, blocking. So that was a big thing for me: I never wanted to be put in a spot where the coaches couldn't rely on me to be out there, you know. So if it's third down, fourth down, overtime, I want everyone in the stadium to know they can count on me."
After an offseason of improvement, Addazio has a tough time finding a comparison for Dillon.
"His uniqueness is his sheer power and size and speed," Addazio said. "But he also has the finesse of a smaller guy. He's got great hands. So he's got great fine motor skills. I've never seen anybody like him. He's unique, very unique. And he can make you miss in the hole on top of it all. He's a different type of guy. He's a special, special guy."
Although the staff may want to ease him into what might be a strenuous season for the workhorse back, it's difficult to hold back a beast like Dillon. As a true freshman, he averaged over 30 carries a game during the final seven games after bursting onto the scene at Louisville. The potential for an entire season with that level of production is scary to think about.
"The growth that AJ has had has been phenomenal. Your simple question, will his role expand, every down back? Yes. I can't wait to see him catching the ball in the backfield out of the perimeter."
Unprompted, Addazio compared Dillon to member of BC's backfield—one who, interestingly, didn't appear on the depth chart (the list stopped after No. 2 running back Travis Levy).
"I look at a young player in David Bailey right now, it's funny, David's another one of those young, talented backs," Addazio. "Watching him right now reminds me of where A.J. was a year ago."
With four-star recruit Patrick Garwo set to campus next year, the Eagles backfield should be absolutely stacked for the next few years.
"In all my years of playing football, this is the best team I've ever been a part of," Dillon said. "This team, this year. So whatever that is, I feel like we're going to reach our max potential. With this group, we're going to come out to each game with everything we have. Whatever that potential is, I know we're going to reach that. 100 percent confident."
Brown Is Back
All eyes will be on Anthony Brown and his right knee as he makes his long-awaited return to Alumni Stadium this weekend.
"100 percent ready to go," Addazio said of his starting quarterback. "Shackles are off, but I know he's not going to be hit until Saturday."
"Like anybody else, you've been away from football for a while, missed spring practice, that kind of stuff, takes a little bit back to get going again, get in the groove," Addazio said. "That will be a little bit of an adjustment curve in there, I'm sure."
At the end of the day, if the Eagles can limit penalties and come away with the victory, the sixth-year head coach shouldn't have too much to complain about.
"All that matters in Game One is getting a W, okay? That gives you a chance to regroup and get ready for Game Two," Addazio said. "You just need to be the best team on that field on that day."
