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UMass Minutemen football
Current season:
AmericanFootball current event 2024 Massachusetts Minutemen
UMass Amherst Athletics white red grey logo transparent UMass 2020 White Helmet
First season 1879
Athletic director Ryan Bamford
Head coach Don Brown
2nd year, 4–20 (.167)
Home stadium McGuirk Alumni Stadium
Stadium capacity 17,000
Stadium surface FieldTurf
Location Hadley, Massachusetts
Conference [[ConferenceDisplay|Independent

MAC in 2025]]

All-time history
Massachusetts Minutemen Historical Teams
1879
1880 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899
1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899
1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909
1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929
1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
All-time record 577–624–50 (.481)
Postseason bowl record 0–0 (.000)
Claimed national titles 1 (Div. I FCS): 1998
Conference titles 21
Rivalries Boston College (rivalry)
UConn (rivalry)
Heisman winners 0
Consensus All-Americans 1
Current uniform
NCAA-2020 UMass Minutemen Jerseys
Colors Maroon and White

             


Fight song Fight Mass
Mascot Sam the Minuteman
Marching band The Power and Class of New England
Outfitter Adidas
Website UMassAthletics.com

The Massachusetts Minutemen football team, also known as the UMass Minutemen, represents the University of Massachusetts at Amherst located in Amherst, Massachusetts.

The Minutemen are currently part of the NCAA FBS Independents. Previously UMass was a member of the NCAA FBS Mid-American Conference from 2012 to 2015. Prior to that, the Minutemen were a member of the NCAA FCS Colonial Athletic Association. UMass will rejoin the Mid-American Conference in 2025.

The Minutemen play their home games at McGuirk Alumni Stadium (capacity 17,000) in Hadley, Massachusetts. The Minutemen also play some home games at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts - which also serves as the home field for the New England Patriots of the NFL. UMass is currently coached by Walt Bell.

UMass began play in 1879[1] and have since appeared in three FCS National Championship games, winning the title in 1998. The Minutemen began a two-year Football Bowl Subdivision transition period in 2011, becoming bowl eligible in 2013. In March 2014, the Mid-American Conference and UMass announced an agreement for the Minutemen to leave the conference after the 2015 season due to UMass declining an offer to become a full member of the conference.

The Minutemen have subsequently played as an independent through the 2019 season. Template:Asof, the program's 12-game schedules through the 2022 season are fixed, 10 of 12 games are fixed for both 2023 and 2024, and at least three games per season are fixed out to 2028.[2]

Affiliations[]

Seasons[]

2020s[]

Season Coach Record
2024 Don Brown
2023 Don Brown 3-9
2022 Don Brown 1-11
2021 Walt Bell; Alex Miller 1-11
2020 Walt Bell 0-4

2010s[]

Season Coach Record
2019 Walt Bell 1-11
2018 Mark Whipple 4-8
2017 Mark Whipple 4-8
2016 Mark Whipple 2-10
2015 Mark Whipple 3-9
2014 Mark Whipple 3-9
2013 Charley Molnar 1-11
2012 Charley Molnar 1-11
2011 Kevin Morris 5-6
2010 Kevin Morris 6-5

2000s[]

Season Coach Record
2009 Kevin Morris 5-6
2008 Don Brown 7-5
2007 Don Brown 10-3
2006 Don Brown 13-2
2005 Don Brown 7-4
2004 Don Brown 6-5
2003 Mark Whipple 10-3
2002 Mark Whipple 8-4
2001 Mark Whipple 3-8
2000 Mark Whipple 7-4

1990s[]

Season Coach Record
1999 Mark Whipple 9-4
1998 Mark Whipple 12-3
1997 Mike Hodges 2-9
1996 Mike Hodges 6-5
1995 Mike Hodges 6-5
1994 Mike Hodges 5-6
1993 Mike Hodges 9-2
1992 Mike Hodges 7-3
1991 Jim Reid 7-3
1990 Jim Reid 8-2-1

1980s[]

Season Coach Record
1989 Jim Reid 5-5-1
1988 Jim Reid 8-4
1987 Jim Reid 3-8
1986 Jim Reid 8-3
1985 Bob Stull 7-4
1984 Bob Stull 3-8
1983 Bob Pickett 3-8
1982 Bob Pickett 5-6
1981 Bob Pickett 6-3
1980 Bob Pickett 7-3

1970s[]

Season Coach Record
1979 Bob Pickett 6-4
1978 Bob Pickett 9-4
1977 Dick MacPherson 8-3
1976 Dick MacPherson 5-5
1975 Dick MacPherson 8-2
1974 Dick MacPherson 5-6
1973 Dick MacPherson 6-5
1972 Dick MacPherson 9-2
1971 Dick MacPherson 4-4-1
1970 Vic Fusia 4-5-1

History[]

Early history (1879–1977)[]

UMass began playing football on November 22, 1879, when the school was known as Massachusetts Agricultural College, and the team was known as the "Aggies." They were first organized the previous fall by Francis Codman, but did not play their first game until November 22, 1879, defeating the Amherst College freshman team 4–0. As this was their only game that year, 1879 is noted as their first undefeated season, matched only by the 1889 season (2–0) and the 1963 season (8–0–1). Massachusetts later teamed up with Storrs Agricultural College (now the University of Connecticut) and Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (now the University of Rhode Island) to form the Athletic League of New England State Colleges for the purpose of scheduling football matchups between the schools. The first meeting between the Aggies and each of the other schools resulted in a shutout win for Massachusetts, as they defeated Connecticut, 36–0, in 1897 and Rhode Island, 46–0, in 1903. Massachusetts won their 100th game on October 2, 1920, topping rival Connecticut in a 28–0 shutout. The team played their 1000th game on November 11, 2000, losing to conference foe Delaware, 19–31. The team's nickname has endured several changes throughout the years. Though the official nickname remained "Aggies", "Statesmen" was also used interchangeably beginning when the school was renamed to Massachusetts State College in 1931. The nickname was officially changed to the "Redmen" when the name of the college became the University of Massachusetts in 1947.

Pittsburgh assistant coach Vic Fusia took over the Redmen football program in 1961 and under his tutelage, UMass compiled a record of 59–32–2.[3][4] The Fusia era included an undefeated 8–0–1 campaign in 1963 as well as records of 8–2, 7–2, 6–3 and 7–2 in the following years. However, two losing records in three seasons led to Fusia's dismissal after the 1970 season.[5] Denver Broncos linebackers and defensive backs coach Dick MacPherson, a former UMass assistant from 1959–1960, took over after Fusia's firing.[6] Under MacPherson, the Redmen compiled a record of 45–27–1.[7] In response to changing attitudes regarding the use of Native American-themed mascots, they changed their mascot in 1972 to the Minuteman, based on the historical "minuteman" relationship with Massachusetts; women's teams and athletes are known as Minutewomen.[8]

Mark Whipple era (1998–2003)[]

In his first stint as coach of UMass from 1998 to 2003,[9] Mark Whipple won the NCAA Division I-AA national title.[9] His UMass teams rewrote the record books, setting more than 40 team records.[10] The 1998 national championship team posted school records in points scored (524), touchdowns (73), total yards (7,074), passing yards (4,050), completions (306), and first downs (354).[10]

Whipple left college football for a position as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL in 2004.[11]

Don Brown era (2004–2008)[]

In 2004, Northeastern head coach Don Brown returned to UMass, where he'd served as defensive coordinator from 1998–1999 to take over as head coach.[12] During his tenure as head coach from 2004 to 2008, UMass posted the best five-year record in school history, 43–19. In his first year, he led the Minutemen to a 6–5 record, including victories over fourth-ranked Colgate, seventh-ranked New Hampshire, and ninth-ranked Maine. During 2005, Brown helped UMass to a 7–2 start and a final ranking of No. 19. That year, the Minutemen defeated fourth-ranked James Madison and handed Delaware their worst home loss in two decades, 35–7.[13]

Logos/Uniforms[]

Image gallery

</gallery>

Postseason appearances[]

Division II playoffs[]

Season Date Round Opponent Result Location
1977 November 26 Quarterfinal Lehigh L 23–30 Amherst, Massachusetts

Division I-AA playoffs[]

Season Date Round Opponent Result Location
1978 December 9 Semifinal Nevada W 44–21 Reno, Nevada
December 16 Championship Florida A&M L 28–35 Wichita Falls, Texas
1988 November 26 First Round Eastern Kentucky L 17–28 Richmond, Kentucky
1990 November 24 First Round William & Mary L 0–38 Williamsburg, Virginia
1998 November 28 First Round McNeese State W 21–19 Lake Charles, Louisiana
December 5 Quarterfinal Lehigh W 27–21 Amherst, Massachusetts
December 12 Semifinal Northwestern State W 41–31 Natchitoches, Louisiana
December 19 Championship Georgia Southern W 55–43 Chattanooga, Tennessee
1999 November 27 First Round Furman W 30–23 OT Greenville, South Carolina
December 4 Quarterfinal Georgia Southern L 21–38 Statesboro, Georgia
2003 November 29 First Round Colgate L 7–19 Hamilton, New York
2006 November 25 First Round Lafayette W 35–14 Amherst, Massachusetts
December 2 Quarterfinal New Hampshire W 24–17 Amherst, Massachusetts
December 12 Semifinal Montana W 19–17 Missoula, Montana
December 15 Championship Appalachian State L 17–28 Chattanooga, Tennessee
2007 November 24 First Round Fordham W 49–35 Amherst, Massachusetts
December 1 Quarterfinal Southern Illinois L 27–34 Carbondale, Illinois

Head coaches[]

Years Coach Games W L T Pct.
1879–1897 No coach 94 30 58 6 .351
1898 David F. Weeks 6 1 4 1 .250
1899–1900 Fred W. Murphy 20 12 8 0 .600
1901–1903 James Halligan 26 16 8 2 .653
1904, 1907–1908 Matthew Bullock 26 13 8 5 .596
1905 Walter Craig 10 3 7 0 .300
1906 George E. O'Hearn 9 1 7 1 .167
1909 J. W. Gage 9 1 6 2 .222
1910 Willard Gildersleeve 9 1 6 2 .222
1911 Jack Hubbard 9 2 7 0 .222
1912–1915 Arthur Brides 31 12 15 4 .452
1916 George Melican 8 2 4 2 .375
1919–1927 Harold Gore 70 33 32 5 .507
1928–1930 Charles McGeoch 25 6 17 2 .280
1931–1935 Mel Taube 44 29 13 2 .682
1936–1940 Elbert Carraway 44 9 32 3 .239
1941–1942, 1946 Walter Hargesheimer 23 11 11 1 .500
1945, 1947–1951 Thomas Eck 44 17 23 4 .432
1952–1959 Charlie O'Rourke 64 21 39 4 .359
1960 Chuck Studley 9 7 2 0 .778
1961–1970 Vic Fusia 93 59 32 2 .645
1971–1977 Dick MacPherson 73 45 27 1 .623
1978–1983 Bob Pickett 64 36 28 0 .563
1984–1985 Bob Stull 22 10 12 0 .455
1986–1991 Jim Reid 67 36 29 2 .552
1992–1997 Mike Hodges 65 35 30 0 .538
1998–2003 Mark Whipple 75 49 26 0 .629
2004–2008 Don Brown 62 43 19 0 .693
2009–2011 Kevin Morris 33 16 17 0 .485
2012–2013 Charley Molnar 24 2 22 0 .083
2014–2018 Mark Whipple 60 16 44 0 .280
2019–present Walt Bell 16 1 15 0 .063

References[]

  1. UMass Football History. University of Massachusetts Amherst.
  2. Future UMass Football Schedules.
  3. University of Massachusetts Amherst - Steven R. Sullivan - Google Books,University of Massachusetts Amherst - Steven R. Sullivan - Google Books (2004). ISBN 9780738535302.
  4. UMass Athletics. UMass Athletics.
  5. Credo | SCUA UMASS: subject:'Fusia, Vic'. Credo.library.umass.edu.
  6. Syracuse University Athletics - Dick MacPherson, 1981-1990. Cuse.com (February 21, 2008).
  7. Joshua Valley (November 30, 2009). 15 Minutes with Syracuse Coach Dick MacPherson. Bleacher Report.
  8. Controversy has surrounded Minuteman before (May 18, 2003).
  9. 9.0 9.1 [1][dead link]
  10. 10.0 10.1 UMass Football wins 1998 Division I-AA National Championship. Umasshoops.com.
  11. Mark Whipple introduced as Massachusetts' coach. NFL.com (January 14, 2014).
  12. 2016 Football Roster &No. 124; University of Michigan Official Athletic Site. Mgoblue.com.
  13. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named bio

External Links[]

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