Image courtesy of UMass Athletics 

AMHERST – UMass is no longer the worst college football team in the country.

At least for now.

The road to redemption after an 0-12 campaign officially started on Monday morning with the first training camp practice of the summer for the Minutemen.

Following practice, second-year head coach Joe Harasymiak met with the media. Here’s everything he had to say:

Opening statement

“Good to have everybody back. Exciting time of year obviously, getting ready to go. Escaped the weather a little bit there, so it was good. Good first day. We’ve got to…some of our younger guys haven’t practiced with us yet, so just getting them through things, but sometimes the things you take for granted…communication, transitions, stuff like that, we’ve just got to get better at. But, I thought obviously, we’re a more explosive team, we’re moving around better. We had a great summer. Credit to Coach Green and his staff. So, I think we’re in a good spot coming out of day one. Now, it’s just about the progression, stacking days and making sure that we don’t take too many steps back.”

On what the schedule will be like for the summer and how much contact the team will have before the opener

“Yeah, we’ll leave a lot of the contact to the scrimmages. We have two planned. Right now, on consecutive Thursdays, trying to matchup with when we’re playing first on a Thursday, so we’re going to do that. We’ll pretty much go three days in a row. On the fourth day, we’ll kind of do a double walkthrough day. Then give them a day to rest and crank it up. Coach Green has done a great job and us planning this out, coming off the summer, football shape is different. I think you saw a little bit of that today…a lot of that stuff just to get used to that. So, yeah, we’ll have two scrimmages. we’ll go live in those and on the back end, probably seven, eight days out (from the opener) we’ll start to prep for our first game.”

On this time of year being the most demanding time of year and importance of that difficulty 

“Camp is very unique because it’s the only time of year where we don’t get a day off in-between p[practices. The season’s the season. But, in terms of like, the winter, spring, the summer, there’s usually a day off between practices, It’s much different than spring ball. So, you’ve got to get them ramped up, but you have to have a great summer going into this. We’re in shape to do that. But, certainly the demands of going out every day and practicing, I think the mental part becomes really hard, especially for the guys that haven’t done it. That’s where you’ve got to rely on the older guys to push you through it. But, we have a plan and I think our plan is really, really good to kind of progress them, progress them, progress them and then kind of cool off of them and keep ramping them up getting them ready. A lot of the things we did in the summer towards the end were just based on getting them ready for camp shape. But, again carrying weight, the anxiety of playing, plays going against each other, you don’t do a lot of that in the summer, summer is player-led. But, we’re going to keep pushing them, I think we have to. I think that’s the situation we’re in and they’ll rise. There will be some days where they’re feeling it, but those are the days you have to call on yourself to do it the best.”

On the team’s defensive identity 

“I think we need to be more violent. So, coming off of last year obviously statistically wasn’t good in anything. So, I think it starts with violence up front. I think our whole new D-line, we’ve got eight or nine new guys. So, I’m really looking forward to that. Getting (Joshua) Nobles back, things like that, coming off an Achilles, losing him last year. But, it starts with violence. That starts with pre-snap communication, getting lined up. Then, obviously during the play. Shedding blocks, getting to the ball and finishing. Finishing the play with tackling. I think the violence kind of takes care of everything. I think that’s what we need to play. I think that’s kind of how we’re built. But, I think our front seven, the middle of our defense has got to be our strength.”

On Nobles’ recovery

“It’s been good, man. He’s been through a lot. You see guys with ACLs and Achilles’ and it’s kind of become a thing now over the last couple of years. We had a couple in my previous spots and I think the hardest thing is the mental part of being able to put your foot in the ground and do what you used to do. I think once you do that and it gives you the confidence to do that…he looks great. He looks fantastic. He’s an about, probably a little less than a year out right now. I think it happened the first week in camp last year, around that. So, today he was on the side doing some stuff. He’s getting back into it, but I’m proud of his mental make up, to be able to push through that. As a guy who came in here off a 10-sack, 10.5-sack season, now he’s off a year where he had to sit out. When you’re a player…that’s kind of hard. I think he’s done a really good job to put himself in position to get him back and have a really good year.”

On what his ideal base defensive scheme is

“Yeah, we’re a 4-2-5 at heart, I think that’s kind of what I’ve been doing since my days at Maine. Going through it at Minnesota and Rutgers, a lot of the same things go on. We’ll live out of that, but certainly one of the things you have to do in camp – we talked about it last night as a staff – is figuring out exactly who you’re going to be. What are the strengths? I think we got away from that last year a little bit, just in terms of being new to everybody, figuring that out, injury…kind of had to be something we weren’t. So, we need to be able to be a 4-2-5 multiple front. Pressure when we need to, but I think this year with our D-line, we’re going to be able to rush the passer better out of a four-down front which is critical. It sets up everything else. So, it starts there, but any good defense I’ve ever been a part of, it starts up front and it allows the back end to do their thing. In think we’ve got some talent on the back end too.”

On Pop Watson’s first day

“Yeah, Pop’s had a really good progression. I think his arm’s gotten actually stronger. I think it’s gotten more accurate and I’ve always thought he does a really good job in the pocket feeling the rush. He’s able to create a second play. As a defensive guy, creating second plays are huge. When the breakdown happens, it’s going to happen. The best quarterbacks are going to create that second play. His leadership…everyone gravitates towards him. I talked about that since he’s been here and I think now that he’s settled into that role and he’s starting to get with that No. 1 group, he’s starting to take off. I’ve just seen the natural progression and I think his relationship with Coach Warner is critical. I think any OC-quarterback relationship is critical and it’s continue to grow. I’m really excited about him getting out there finally in a game atmosphere because there’s something different in his eye when it’s a scrimmage day or it’s a spring game. That’s what you want. You don’t want the other look that sometimes we get. But, I’m really excited about him.”

On what he learned from his first training camp and if anything’s different 

“Yeah, I would just say it’s going to be a little bit more of a job just managing this team. This team is completely separate from last year’s team. Just how that goes with day-to-day operation, feeling them out, feeling the pulse of the team. But, we’ve got to push them. I’ve talked about toughness and connection with this team since January. We’ve got to be more connected. When you’re more connected you care more. When you care more you become more committed and you become more consistent. The toughness part, we’ve just got to keep pushing them mentally. I think Coach Green’s got them in a great spot physically. I think we’re hitting all the marks we want to hit there to be able to play FBS football and compete and win games. Now it’s about connecting them. This team will be a day-to-day operation to manage them, but we’ve got to push them, for sure.”

On players that have impressed as leaders

“I think Pop for sure. I think on defense you’ve got the two middle guys in there in Timmy (Hinspeter) and Tyler (Martin), which are going to be a great combination there. I think our two corners Isiah Reed and TJ Magee have done a really good job. Zeraun (Daniel) has kind of been out. He played that role last year. With his shoulder, we got him cut right after the year, so he’s always been like a silent leader, like an assassin., I think everyone’s afraid of the smoke in a good way. Offensively, I thin we’re growing. It’s always got to come from the quarterback spot, but certainly, the people around him…I think JT (Justin Williams-Thomas) does a great job leading the running back room. That will grow, but ultimately I think it all starts at the quarterback spot and the middle of our defense has been really strong with that.”

On now having depth at skill positions

“Yeah, it’s been great. Obviously, that was an issue we had, I think just from a depth and talent standpoint. Just being able to get guys the ball. I think you see that through Pop. Pop can do a lot of different things. Certainly on the outside now, we missed T.Y. (Harding) last year. We’ve talked about that, T.Y’s been hurt since I’ve been here. I haven’t really seen T.Y. play other than two quarters. He got in against Iowa in the first quarter and that’s when it was over. So, him, Joe Griffin. If you want to know what they’re supposed to look like, they’re supposed to look like Joe Griff. So, now, he’s got to take this role and this step and do what he’s got to do every day to become the player he wants to be. Certainly, in the running back room, I think that’s way more depth than we had last year. I think it starts with JT. You’e got (Elijah) Faulkner coming back and then you mentioned Curtis (Kimmons IV). Then, we’ve got Jordan Washington coming back from surgery. So, I think those four to lead that group and I think our two freshman are talented. We’ll see if they’re going to be ready. But, I like the takes there at running back.”

On brothers William & Andrew DePaepe

“Andrew is one year older. William is younger. Kind of a process. Like, we started recruiting Andrew and then William kind of came up. Andrew was with Joe Rossi who I know at Michigan State, he was with me at Minnesota and Maine. They’re what you want. They’re a little tapped in a very, very good way. In a football way. They play extremely hard. I love coaching them because of the intensity in their eyes, they listen to you. They take every word you’re saying. Those two guys, they play opposite each other like bookends. If you saw them out there, they both look great and you’ve got Will who’s standing at 6’6.” So, it’s a better D-line with more depth. Those two guys, they play the game the right way. They remind me…they’re both from Iowa. When we used to play Iowa all the time, it’s like a team of those guys. Like, just running around bashing your head in, they’ve got that. So, they must do something out there in Iowa high school football, because they got it.”

On the staff coming together 

“I think the coaches get a little bit forgotten in terms of the mental health and all that good stuff that we pour into a players, that’s always there for them. I have to do a better job of that, making sure I take care of the staff and make sure they’re good mentally because we can get burnt out too. But, I think ultimately, we know the situation we’re in, right? We’ve got to go win. I think I’ve got the group of guys here that understand that. They coach their players extremely hard, but they also love them and pick them up at the same time. It is a demanding environment, but I think it needs to be. That’s what we need to create. I love the guys around me. Offensively, it’s a completely new deal. Our O-line group has a new coach…we’ll go by really, the quarterback and the O-line. I’m excited about the progress they’ve made. Yeah, we’re happy. We’re excited. We get into coach mode a little bit like everyone does and we forget about some of the important things, so we’ve got to step back and do that. We singed up for this. We get it and now we’ve got to go do it.”

On his role with the offense

“I think it’s the same role I’ve always had as a head coach. I think I’ve been around guys that have been very, very successful. I think my role as a coordinator as an assistant coach, I always loved head coaches that gave me the ability to coach, but corrected the things that need to be corrected. The great perspective for me is I’m a defensive coach. So, myself and Max getting together and talking about looks and stuff like that…but, look, Max is a grown man. He’s been so successful and so have those offensive coaches. I’ve got to allow them to do their job. At the same time, step in when things when maybe aren’t going the way we want them to go, you’ve got to get involved. But, we’re aligned. That’s what I like. We’re going to run the ball. We’re going to be physical and we’ve got take shots. That’s what we’ve got to do. I think that’s the identity of our team. I think our tight end group is the most veteran group we have. Guys are back. So, I think that group’s got to lead as well, but, I’ll get involved as much as I need to. It’s like anything, when I’ve been rolling as a coordinator or a position coach, you kind of get in that flow and you have a great relationship. The head coach is there to make sure that he sees thing from another perspective and to make sure we have an open relationship and communication with that.”

On how easy the offense has adjusted to Max Warner’s offense

“I think it’s always a challenge at first. I think buying into the new terminology or the new identity is always challenging at first, especially in the winter. But, I think as we got here…we do a lot of stuff. The way the calendar is now, you install in the winter, you install in the spring, you install in the summer. This is kind of like the fourth time the guys are going to hear the install. It’s not like the old days where you leave for summer and come back. So, certainly a challenge, but I think the open line of communication, I think the demanding environment we create, we hold them accountable and now it’s on them. It’s their choice to do what they say they want to do. I think that’s what I lost my way of coaching last year. We say we want to do something, we’ve got to act that way in every decision we make. Priority decisions. So, we’re doing that. I’m really excited. I think we’re going to be multiple and I can’t wait for those guys to get out there and show what they can do.”

On new quarterbacks Ty McCutcheon & Logan Inagawa

“Yeah, I think Logan got here for June, Ty got here a little bit end of June. So, certainly with Pop’s leadership in the room and taking that role, I think those guys have done a good job. Logan’s got a little bit more probably time in the offense, about a month. I thought you saw they managed it pretty good today. Logan’s extremely smart. Good player. Ty’s got a live arm. He’s just learning it. I think there’s a lot of similarities between Logan and Pop and what they can do. Obviously, can’t forget about the young guy there who’s got the biggest hose on him, the arm, so we’re developing him. I think the two guys have done exactly what they’re supposed to do and now they’ve just got to get the reps in and keep going.”