UMass Athletics
By Ryan Barry
NEFJ Correspondent
The UMass Minutemen return to the gridiron for the 2026 season under second year head coach Joe Harasymiak looking to change the narrative of the program.
After a dreadful 2025 campaign that saw the program finish 0-12 for the first time since joining the FBS in 2012, things can only go up from here for a team picked to finish last in the MAC Preseason Coaches Poll.
With an almost entirely new roster, can the Minutemen finally earn the respect they’ve so desperately craved as a legitimate program who belongs at this level? Or will we see more of the same old, same old, at McGuirk Alumni Stadium.
2025 Recap
When you’ve struggled as much as UMass has it’s easy to talk yourself into a turnaround. At the end of summer training camp in August of last year, that’s exactly what happened around circles of the maroon and white fateful.
Maybe Harasymiak’s northeast coaching roots and young attitude is the injection this program needs? Maybe Utah transfer quarterback Brandon Rose is as good as pundits have said and connects with what should be a great wide receiver core? Perhaps all the transfers on defense will rise to the occasion and lock down offenses across the Mid-American Conference?
After the first quarter of game one at home against Temple, in which UMass led 10-7, it seemed like maybe things wouldn’t be the familiar story we’ve seen all these years.
Cut to the second quarter, where the Owls scored 21 unanswered points, followed by another 14 in the second half, annihilating the Minutemen 42-10, and thus cementing a dark omen of what was to come in 2025.
Game two was supposed to be where coach Joe got his first win, hosting FCS-side Bryant who surely would be a tune-up for the Minutemen to show the talent they had on the roster. However, the Bulldogs came to play, upsetting the Minutemen 27-26 and sending fan social media circles into depths of hell not once thought of.
The Minutemen lost ten straight games from there, with a lone near win over Buffalo in October being the only time they didn’t lose by double digits.
Offensive Preview
Quarterbacks
The Minutemen enter 2026 with one of their most prolific transfers in program history with senior William “Pop” Watson III. The Springfield, Massachusetts native returns to the Pioneer Valley hoping to revitalize a passing offense that ranked 118th in the nation last season.
Watson spent three seasons at Virginia Tech, where the 5-foot-11, 200-pound quarterback appeared in 11 games, completing 36-of-63 passes for 558 yards and one touchdown and added 81 rushing yards on 54 attempts with two rushing touchdowns.
The 2022 Gatorade Massachusetts Player of the Year was a highly touted recruit out of famed Springfield Central High School, drawing offers from major Power Five conferences across the country. Unfortunately for Pop, he never fully caught on with the Hokies. who endured three up and down seasons under since fired head coach Brent Pry.
With a fresh start at UMass, the highly touted transfer, who reportedly was one of the program’s highest NIL recruits, could be a game changer. His quickness and mobility give the Minutemen a true dual-threat option that hasn’t been seen in years for the program, while his experience shows with his coolness in the pocket to complete tightly covered passes.
Other than junior Will Perry, who returns for depth at the position, the Minutemen have three new quarterbacks on the depth chart.
Sophomore transfer Logan Ingawa figures to compete for back-up duties after a solid 2025 campaign with FCS-side Drake where he completed 129 of 190 passes for 1,393 yards and nine touchdowns, while rushing 127 times for 398 yards and nine scores.
True freshman Aedan McCarthy and Utah Tech junior transfer Ty McCutcheon round out the rest of the room.
Running back
The Minutemen never recovered from several key transfers before last season and struggled to find a consistent running back, ending the year ranked a putrid 131st in the nation in rushing offense.
Recognizing the importance of finding guys who could carry the ball this season, Harasymiak went out and hit the running back position hard, welcoming in five new backs to the program.
Two FCS transfers, Curtis Kimmons IV (Southeastern) and Jordan Washington (Murray State), arrive with high hopes of making an immediate impact. Kimmons IV earned Second Team All-Sun Conference honors last season after posting 163 carries for 892 yards and 15 touchdowns, while Washington added 86 carries for 340 yards and three touchdowns.
Senior transfer Justin Williams-Thomas is the real question mark after stops at Marshall, California, and Tennessee. With a limited impact at his Power Five stops, in his lone season at Marshall he had 35 carries for 197 yards and two touchdowns for the Thundering Herd. Clearly there is talent here with so many impressive programs taking a chance on him, but can he fully tap into it with the Minutemen?
True freshman TK Davis could provide an impact early, as the highly touted three star recruit had offers from the likes of Pitt, Syracuse, and Virginia Tech. Another true freshman, Justin Lewis, is also an intriguing prospect, with offers from Air Force, Navy, and several prominent Ivy League programs.
The most intriguing returning back is sophomore Elijah Faulkner who had 40 carries for 114 yards last season. Harasymiak seems high on the second year player, so it’ll be interesting to see where he factors in.
If the Minutemen can get at least one of their transfers to hit in addition to Davis, it’ll provide a massive boost to an offense desperate for a running game.
Wide Receivers
No offseason loss stings more for the Minutemen than the departure of wide receiver Jacquon Gibson. A reliable target for every quarterback under center in recent seasons, Gibson became a fan favorite thanks to his hard-nosed play and ability to absorb big hits.
While his transfer to Virginia is difficult, his talents at a bigger program in addition to all he’s had to endure at UMass make the switch incredibly justified.
That leaves a crucial question: who takes over at WR1? Harasymiak is banking on senior T.Y. Harding, who chose to return to Amherst for his final year rather than transfer after an injury-plagued 2025. If the electric wideout can recapture the form from his sophomore year when he logged 334 yards and five touchdowns on 19 catches, it will give this offense a dynamic top target.
Arguably the next most important transfer this offseason was another Springfield native in graduate wide receiver Joseph Griffin Jr. Named to Phil Steele’s Preseason Fourth Team and Athlon Sports All-MAC Third Team Offense, the 6 ‘4 former Boston College and Wisconsin wideout arrives with experience and an already established report with his former Springfield Central quarterback Watson.
After two quiet years in Wisconsin, however, you have to look back to 2023 with BC as his most productive year where he caught 25 passes for 345 yards and a touchdown. If Griffin Jr can rekindle the magic of his high school connection, which we briefly saw at the 2026 spring game, his pairing alongside Harding will be huge.
Senior transfer Devin Matthews from FCS-side East Texas A&M had a productive 2025 campaign with 36 receptions for 649 yards and seven touchdowns, and also arrives with extensive kick return experience, making him an interesting player to watch out for.
True freshman David Moore Jr. is the star of the Minutemen’s recruiting class at the position with offers from Duke, Pittsburgh, and West Virginia, while big framed Kai Owens also arrives after pursuits from several MAC schools.
Junior Kezion Dia-Johnson and graduate Dallas Elliot are returning from last season after not factoring much into the offense, but do have an opportunity to make an impact this season after solid displays at the spring game.
Tight Ends
In a strange twist of fate, the two players returning for 2026 with the most receiving yards from last season actually hail from the tight ends room.
Graduates Max Dowling (20 receptions, 199 yards, three touchdowns) and Reece Adkins (nine receptions, 133 yards, one touchdown) provided a spark on offense last season, with Dowling in particular an option in the red zone.
Rutgers transfer Matt Ogunniyi saw limited action in his time in Piscataway but was a three star recruit out of high school. True freshman Matthew Tybor is an interesting recruit with offers from Army, Liberty, and several prominent FCS programs.
With sophomore Jax Markovich also in line for playing time after getting his feet wet in 2025, the Minutemen have decent options at tight end. With a more balanced offense this season, this group could sneakily be one of the most productive.
Offensive Line
The Minuteman offensive line struggled mightily in 2025 with an average sacks allowed per game rate of 2.83, tied for 118th worst in the nation.
To further bolster an offensive turnaround in 2026, Harasymiak brought in fresh talent to bolster an offensive line core that stands as one of the team’s most important units.
Senior Aitor Urionabarrenechea is a 6-foot-5, 350-pound transfer from Colorado State who competed in all 12 games last year for the Rams. A former three star recruit, he was named to the Athlon Sports All-MAC Fourth Team Offense.
Graduate transfer Greg Knox III had a successful career at FCS-side McNeese State, with the 6′ 6”, 315-pound lineman named to the Pro Football Network Preseason All-MAC First Team.
Two more FCS graduate transfers, Greg Klingensmith (William & Mary) and Nick Dalessandro (Colgate) were brought in to provide depth and necessary years of experience.
In some ways the Minutemen have another new player in graduate Zachary Franks, who never got to compete last season after transferring from Duke due to a season ending injury. If he can bounce back and be healthy, he’ll be a welcome addition as well.
Graduate Jaxon King, senior Peyton Miller, and junior Brock Taylor, are the only players who return with extended runs on the line for the Minutemen from last season.
With so many roster moves, it’s important for this group to find their groove early.
Defensive Preview
Defensive Line
Perhaps the most disappointing element of Harasymiak’s debut season was how poorly the defense performed given his experience on that side of the ball. Finishing 127th in the FBS in total defense last season, this group needs to improve dramatically to give the team a shot at turning things around.
The area that Harasymiak hit the hardest this offseason was the defensive line, which in 2025 registered just 13 total sacks.
Aside from standout graduate Joshua Nobles, who returns to the Minutemen having been named to Phil Steele’s Preseason Third Team and Athlon Sports All-MAC Third Team Defense, nearly the entire defensive line unit is new.
Sophomore transfers Aubrey Melvin (UConn) and Kamarion Thomas (North Carolina) didn’t see much action last season but are hoping for fresh starts in Amherst after being highly touted recruits out of high school.
Rounding out FBS transfers are junior brothers Andrew DePaepe and William DePaepe who arrive from National Champions Indiana after playing depth roles for the Hoosiers. Both players were solid prospects out of high school, so they’ll be incredibly intriguing to watch and see if their potential can be realized.
The transfers with the most game experience arrive from the FCS level. Junior Zachary Betts from Saint Francis (Pa.) is coming off a season with 49 total tackles, including 32 solo, nine tackles for loss and six sacks. Junior Zakar Morris from Albany registered 40 tackles, with 12 solo and 28 assisted, during the 2025 season.
One of the more exciting transfers is Justin Krueger from William & Mary, who was named to the Pro Football Network’s Preseason All-MAC Third Team. The junior earned Third Team All-CAA honors in 2025 after posting 52 tackles, including eight tackles for loss and two sacks.
Harasymiak also has a flurry of exciting freshmen in Robert Ekins, Samuel Mulbah, and CJ Amobi, who had offers from Air Force, Cincinnati, and Navy.
The Minutemen have to be able to get pressure more effectively this season, and it all starts up front with this group.
Linebacker
The strongest group returning for the UMass defense is the linebacking core.
Led by graduate Tyler Martin, who was named to Phil Steele’s Preseason First Team and Athlon Sports All-MAC First Team Defense, this experienced group will set the tone for the identity they’ll hope to have this season.
Martin had the chance to use his final season of eligibility elsewhere but chose to return to the Minutemen after a season in which he had 103 tackles, four for a loss, an interception, and finished on the All-MAC Third Team Defense.
Graduate Timmy Hinspeter also chose to return after a tremendous campaign was cut short seven games into the season with an injury. Named to Phil Steele’s Preseason Third Team and Athlon Sports All-MAC Third Team Defense, his combined experience alongside Martin will be one of the most formidable in the MAC.
Senior transfer Joshua Iseah from North Carolina A&T was named to the Pro Football Network’s Preseason All-MAC First Team after three productive seasons for the Aggies.
Junior Kendric Council from Saint Francis (Pa.), Khari Bendolph from Jacksonville State, and Michael Robinson from Rutgers, round out additional transfers to help fill-in depth roles.
The Minutemen were an abysmal 132nd in the nation in run defense, so if they want to improve those marks and be the as promised resource behind the defensive line, they’ll need to lead by example.
Defensive Backs
At first glance when you see the Minutemen’s 55th ranking in passing yards allowed last season you’d assume that perhaps this was one of their defensive strong suits.
A deeper dive reveals why the raw passing yards were low: teams simply didn’t need to throw against them. Opponents attempted just 297 passes all season, yet still managed 29 passing touchdowns, the second-most allowed in the nation.
Either way, the group as a whole does feature a number of interesting players who’ll want to prove that 55th ranking correctly and shut up the skeptics.
Senior cornerback TJ Magee was named to Phil Steele’s Preseason Fourth Team and is eager to bounce back after his season ended just three games into 2025 after showing promise early.
Junior cornerback Chris Stanley was a highly touted transfer recruit from Garden City Community College, being chased by several Group of Six conference schools, making his arrival an exciting prospect alongside Magee.
Graduate Isaiah Reed was one of the best cornerbacks in the country while at Brown in 2023, leading the Ivy league in interceptions and garnering several postseason awards. The hype leading into 2024 was cut short after an injury four games into the season, leading to a transfer to UCF in 2025 where he seldom saw the field. If Reed can find the magic of his earlier Brown days the Minutemen could have a real playmaker on their hands.
Of the defensive backfield the most experience that returns is the safety position.
Senior Zeraun Daniel was named to Phil Steele’s Preseason Third Team as well as
Athlon Sports All-MAC Third Team Defense, with senior Kendall Bournes on the Athlon Sports All-MAC Fourth Team Defense. Their veteran leadership could make for an exciting tandem.
Graduate DD Snyder’s season was cut short from an injury last year but is expected to be a big contributor, as is senior Jahmad Harmon who comes to UMass after extensive MAC experience at both Ball State and Kent State.
Freshman Kareem Pruitt is also a name to look out for after drawing offers from Kentucky, Temple, and several MAC schools.
If this group, which was decimated by injuries and inconsistency last year can jell, they could be one of the better groups in the MAC.
Special Teams Preview
Junior Derek Morris returns after a solid debut in Amherst where he completed 10 of 16 kicks and set a program record with a 55-yard field goal at Akron, which had topped a record he’d already set himself earlier in the season with a 53-yard field goal against Bryant.
The departure of punter Keegan Andrews will be a tremendous loss, with him being one of the best in team history upon the completion of his career in Amherst.
Hoping to fill the void will be fellow Aussie’s Edward Phillipson and Michael Streeter.
Junior Grant Mills is a highly touted transfer from Ohio State at the long snapper position, and has already earned a nod on Phil Steele’s Preseason Second Team.
Special teams is more than just who’s kicking the ball, which UMass fans know all too well.
The return coverage units were an absolute liability last season. UMass bled 18.53 yards per punt return, a dismal 131st in the nation, while giving up 25.55 yards per kickoff return to rank 123rd in the FBS.
The Minutemen can’t afford to shoot themselves in the foot when opposing teams start their drives, making this a high priority area of improvement.
Game-by-Game Prediction
Away @ Rutgers
Date: Thursday, September 3rd
SP+ Rating: 62
2025 Record: 5 – 7
Prediction: Loss
The Minutemen opened under the lights in Piscataway in 2019, losing 48 – 21 after jumping out to a 21 – 7 lead in the first quarter. I’m hard pressed to think that’ll happen this time around, but keeping this respectable is the goal.
Home vs. Sacred Heart
Date: Saturday, September 12th
SP+ Rating: N/A
2025 Record: 8 – 4
Prediction: Win
No matchup is a walk in the park for the Minutemen who are 4 – 5 all time against FCS programs since joining the FBS. Longtime Sacred Heart coach Mark Nofri is coming off a great season and has momentum of joining the CAA this fall, making this undoubtedly a trap game for UMass.
Home vs. Stonehill
Date: Saturday, September 19th
SP+ Rating: N/A
2025 Record: 4 – 8
Prediction: Win
The Skyhawks are still relative newcomers to FCS having only joined in 2022 and have yet to finish over .500. A loss here would make the Bryant game last season look like child’s play. This is an absolute must win.
Away @ Sacramento State
Date: Saturday, September 26th
SP+ Rating: N/A
2025 Record: 7 – 5
Prediction: Win
To almost any other program, a matchup against an FBS newcomer is circled as a win. For UMass, there’s never a guarantee, especially against a program that was solid at that level. I’m still going to be bold and pick the Minutemen here.
Home vs. Eastern Michigan
Date: Saturday, October 3rd
SP+ Rating: 121
2025 Record: 4 – 8
Prediction: Loss
These games have been typically good against the Eagles, who’ve won the last four matchups. This is a game they can win, but for some reason they always shoot themselves in the foot against EMU, so I’ll wait till they show me they can.
Home vs. Miami (OH)
Date: Saturday, October 10th
SP+ Rating: 81
2025 Record: 6 – 6
Prediction: Loss
In a game that typically draws the best attendance numbers, it’s curious why they picked this, and not Eastern Michigan, for homecoming. This unfortunately screams blowout against one of the MACs best.
Home @ Buffalo
Date: Saturday, October 17th
SP+ Rating: 110
2025 Record: 5 – 7
Prediction: Loss
Last year’s “snow angel” game, the Minutemen will undoubtedly want to get this one right against their official MAC rival. The newly minted “Flagship Cup,” which is sponsored by Milton CAT (can’t forget that), favors the Bulls, but again presents UMass with a winnable game.
Away @ UConn
Date: Friday, October 23rd
SP+ Rating: 107
2025 Record: 9 – 3
Prediction: Loss
A consecutive rivalry game finds UMass traveling south for the “U Game” in East Hartford under the lights. Easily one of the most interesting games on the 2026 calendar, the Minutemen face an unknown Huskies team reeling from the loss of their head coach, quarterback, and lead receiver. I still lean UConn, but we’ll see.
Home @ Ball State
Date: Wednesday, November 4th
SP+ Rating: 134
2025 Record: 4 – 8
Prediction: Win
Ball State were picked two teams ahead of UMass in the preseason coaches poll, making this a must win game for the Minutemen. There’s nothing outstanding about a program who hasn’t had a season over .500 since 2020.
Away @ Toledo
Date: Wednesday, November 11th
SP+ Rating: 108
2025 Record: 8 – 4
Prediction: Loss
The Rockets lost head coach Jason Candle to UConn after ten incredible seasons, and while there figures to be some turnover, there’s still plenty of talent in Northwest Ohio. Good thing this one’s away, as it’ll certainly be a loss.
Home vs. Akron
Date: Wednesday, November 18th
SP+ Rating: 127
2025 Record: 5 – 7
Prediction: Win
Don’t let Akron holding a raffle to be offensive coordinator for their opening series to start the season fool you. They’ve gotten better every year under coach Tom Moorehead. Sure they’re picked three spots ahead of UMass, but this won’t be easy. I lean Minutemen with their history against the Zips, but it’ll be difficult.
Away @ Bowling Green
Date: Saturday, November 28th
SP+ Rating: 115
2025 Record: 4 – 8
Prediction: Loss
NFL legend Eddie George’s debut with the Falcons was up and down. This is how it was at his first coaching stop, leading me to believe that despite the 9th place pick in the preseason MAC poll, he’ll fare better and beat UMass yet again.
Final Season Record Prediction: 5 – 7
With two games against FCS opponents, this record feels closer to what could be a 4 – 8 record, because even myself too was surprised to see 5 – 7 as my record prediction for UMass in 2026.
Still, if we’re sitting here in December and the Minutemen finish just one game below .500 for the first time since joining the FBS, will anyone care? Surely not.
All that’ll be on the mind of fans and pundits alike will be, “is this finally the start of the turnaround?”
Maybe, maybe not. Predicting the Minutemen has become more impossible than guessing how traffic will look on the Mass Pike at any given hour of the day.
Even still, last year the expectations rose higher than they probably should’ve, though no one foresaw a winless season. This time in 2026, there are genuine pieces to be excited about on this team, it just boils down to the age old UMass question…can they actually do it?