Massachusetts Minutemen 2022 College Football Preview

Massachusetts Minutemen 2022 College Football Preview

June 18, 2022

2021 Recap

Record – 1-11

ATS – 4-8

Look what the cat dragged in, yo. Another dismal season of UMass football.

The Minutemen were competitive enough in a small handful of games but they could only tally one win (Connecticut), and that brings their record to 2-26 over the L3Y. There may hope on the horizon as Don Brown returns to take over a team that he did a good job leading from 2004-2008 when they were an FCS squad.


Massachusetts Minutemen 2022 Outlook

OFFENSE

The Minutemen were brutal on offense LY (#123 FBS total offense, #123 passing offense, #128 passing efficiency) but the ground game wasn’t horrible (#79 rush offense) and note that RB Ellis Merriweather is one of the most underrated RB specimens in college football (1,138 5.2, 5 TD LY). They also have a legit #1 WR in Rico Arnold (27, 461, 17.1, 3 TD LY) to build around in the THROW GAME. They’ve added a small handful of transfers to the skill position groups and that should help overall depth. We aren’t very keen on the talent at QB but maybe Brady Olson can take a step forward in 2022 (48%, 8-7 TD to INT LY). Three starters return to an OL unit that wasn’t horrible in 2021, and once again, the theme is TRANSFERS and increasing the overall talent level. We’ll call for them to do a better job of SCORING the FOOTBALL and expect them to book 20+ PPG for the first time since 2018.

DEFENSE

It’s been a HORROR SHOW on this side of the football in recent times as UMass has allowed 43.1, 40.3, 52.7 (!), and 42.9 PPG over the L4Y. They were abysmal across the board LY (#125 total D, #126 run D, #128 pass efficiency D, 11 sacks) but things are looking up with the addition of a defensive-minded head coach and the return of their top-five tacklers (8 RS). The returning experience will be blended with a lot of FRESH MEAT from the transfer portal, and added to a good dose of improved coaching. Keep an eye on LB Jalen Mackie who starred at Dartmouth LY and FS Tyler Rudolph who rolls into town from WE ARE Penn St. We’ll call for a good-sized improvement and for them to allow fewer than 40 PPG for the first time since 2017.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Minutemen were acceptable on special teams LY considering their 1-11 record and they bring back PK Cameron Carson (8-10 FG, 3-3 40+ LY) and their primary KRs. They’ll need to work in a new punter.

Schedule Analysis

Overall – There are some winnable games on the docket (Stony Brook, Connecticut, Buffalo, etc.) but they play seven road games including three in a row in November. Note that they travel to  Eastern Michigan on October 1st and don’t HIT THE HIGHWAY again until November 5th when they tackle the Huskies.

Potential ATS Trouble Spot – October 1st – at Eastern Michigan

This will be their fourth road tilt in five weeks so it looks like a sketchy spot for the road doggie.

Season Win Total

per BetOnline June 18

Over 2.5 +125

Under 2.5 -155

MEGALOCKS says:

Lean: Over

We think they’ll handle Stony Brook and New Mexico St and then they just need to SHOCK THE WORLD once in the other ten games. Will shop around a try and find a ‘2’.

MEGAmazing Tidbit

The Minutemen’s new punter comes from a WICKID HAAARD kicking tradition. AJ Vinatieri is indeed the offspring of legendary NFL PK Adam Vinatieri, the ICEMAN. Vinatieri was the last NFL player to have logged a game before Tom Brady. Amaze the TRIPLE-MASKED PSYCHOTIC KAREN next door with that trivia BOMB.


MEGALOCKS Outlook:

Yes, guy.

There’s a lot of work to be done in Amherst but we feel pretty confident that Massachusetts will play something vaguely resembling college football for the first time in a while. We can’t talk BOWL GAME just yet but our Minutemen DEEP INSIDERS think that 4-8 is a definite possibility.

Go Minutemen!


Want more Massachusetts football ?

WEBSITE

https://umassathletics.com/sports/football

FORUM

http://umass.247sports.com/Board/UMass-Message-Board-Forum-59480

NEWS

http://umass74.blogspot.ca/

https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/113/umass-minutemen