Steve Casula – New England Football Journal®

UMass: Brown believes offense will turn things around; defense already doing so

September 28, 2022

Photo – Amy Palmieri/AP On Tuesday night during his weekly media availability, UMass head coach Don Brown did something many may never expect an old school coach like him to do. He brought up analytics. Brown was asked if the defense and offense are progressing to his liking through the first few weeks of the season even though results haven’t showed up on the scoreboard as fast as he and…

UMass: 10 takeaways from training camp

August 12, 2022

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We visited with the UMass Minutemen on Thursday. It was their first day in pads and as you can imagine, it was a lively, spirited practice and that is putting it mildly. Here are ten takeaways from UMass camp. 1. Don Brown is as intense as ever: When it comes to intensity, very few coaches can match Don Brown. He was in mid-season form as soon as we walked into…

UMass: 3 things to watch for as UMass kicks off fall camp

August 1, 2022

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The UMass Minutemen kick off fall camp this week. It is the first camp for old friend Don Brown and his staff. After a busy off-season which saw Brown and his staff upgrade the talent through the transfer portal and raise the bar, UMass is ready to put it all together on the field. The Minutemen kick off on September 3rd at Tulane. Here are three things I will be…

UMass: Ahead of what could be a huge year on the field, Merriweather is immersing himself in day-to-day athletic duties off of it

April 15, 2022

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Photo: UMass Athletics To fans of the UMass football team, star running back Ellis Merriweather is arguably the most recognizable, popular player within the program. To the folks that work in the athletic department in Amherst, he’s just another student athlete trying to navigate his way through classes, tests and papers, all while being yelled at by Don Brown, Damian Mincey or Steve Casula at practice on a regular basis….

UMass: Spirited practice on Saturday proves the culture change is already taking shape for the Minutemen

April 3, 2022

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AMHERST – At about 9:55 on Saturday morning inside the practice bubble just outside of McGuirk Stadium, ACDC’s Thunderstruck blared over the loud speakers. With local recruits and their families on hand, the UMass football team quickly brought the energy level from a 10 to a 15 as the offense and defense split up for some early two-minute work. By 10:11, Brown called the team together around the 35 and…

UMass : 3 observations from spring practice

April 2, 2022

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Calling a UMass practice energetic might be an understatement. The atmosphere at Saturday’s spring practice was electric as coaches and players alike were running around like mad men. It is controlled chaos and it is exactly how Don Brown and his coaching staff likes it. From start to finish, the tempo was fast. There was the occasional water break/team gathering but by in large, there was not much down time….

UMass: 5 things to watch for as the Minutemen open up spring practice

March 29, 2022

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It is finally here. The day UMass football fans have been waiting for. The start of spring practice. Ever since Don Brown was hired in December, the Flagship Faithful have been pointing to this day. It is the start of a new era for UMass football. The road to restoration begins now. Expectations are high. Real high! Brown and his staff are ready to meet those expectations. Brown was giving…

UMass: Minutemen add four new players on National Signing Day while Brown, Casula & Dudzinski meet with the media as new culture continues taking shape

February 3, 2022

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Photo: @UMassFootball The term “Dude Mass” is becoming more and more popular by the day because of the players, staff and culture Don Brown is trying to bring back to UMass. On Wednesday, Brown took another big step towards continuing to change the way people view the team in Amherst by adding four new players on National Signing Day. Jeremiah McGill (DB), Derrieon Craig (LB), Donovan Turner (DB), and Aaron…

UMass: Don Brown’s first staff has a good blend of experience and youth

December 25, 2021

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Don Brown’s staff at UMass features a good blend of youth and experience. Brown, defensive coordinator Keith Dudzinski, offensive coordinator Steve Casula, running backs coach Damien Mincey and defensive back coach Darrell Perkins all have lengthy resumes and have ties to Brown and UMass. The rest of the staff also has ties to Brown and the school but they are young in term of college coaching experience. Tight ends coach…

UMass: Brown goes the familiar route in appointing Casula and Dudzinski coordinators

December 21, 2021

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Surrounding yourself with the right people is important when turning a program around. Especially a program like UMass, which has really struggled in recent years. It is why Don Brown had to hire coaches he knows and trusts. Especially at the coordinator positions. Brown hired two coordinators that he has a history with. That is not unusual by the way. That is how it works in football. He worked with…