Image courtesy of ESPN
By Ryan Barry – NEFJ Correspondent
Kickoff: The UMass Minutemen return to action after a much needed bye week to take on the New Mexico State Aggies at McGuirk Alumni Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The game has drawn attention from pundits and fans across college football due to each team’s lack of recent success. While this of course isn’t what either school would want, it’s attention nonetheless, and presents both teams an opportunity to land a win with just one month left in the season.
First down: UMass hasn’t gotten much from their quarterback room this year. It’ll be interesting to see what, if any, adjustments were made in the bye week. Four Minutemen have seen time under center, with redshirt sophomore Garrett Dzuro (12/21, 182 YDS; 22 CAR, 26 YDS) having been tabbed the starter in their two games before the bye week. The Aggies have a surprisingly solid passing defense, as they sit 25th in the nation in passing yards allowed, and have surrendered just eight touchdown passes all season. This may not be the week the Minutemen decide to open up the offense and throw the ball more, but in order to balance the offense they have to give it a shot.
Second down: The Aggies have struggled stopping the run, where they rank 105th in the nation in total rushing defense. No other FBS team the Minutemen have played so far this season has been ranked as low when facing the run, so could this finally be the week we see a breakout game from redshirt senior Ellis Merriweather (66 CAR, 240 YDS, 1 TD)? His impressive 2021 season has yet to matriculate to 2022, as both sophomore Tim Baldwin Jr. (33 CAR, 165 YDS) and redshirt freshman Greg Desroisiers Jr. (32 CAR, 158 YDS, 2 TDS) have both been more effective carrying the ball. Regardless of who gets the call, UMass has the tools to exploit this Aggie weakness.
Third down: The Minutemen aren’t alone in their quarterback struggles. Ranked 124th in total passing yards, just six spots ahead of UMass, the Aggies haven’t been efficient moving the ball through the air. Freshman Gavin Frakes (38/79, 517 YDS, 4 TDS, 6 INTS) has seen snaps next to junior Diego Paiva (32/79, 322 YDS, 4 INTS), but it’s been Frakes who has seen the lionshare of time under center recently. While he’s been no world ender, the true freshman has led the Aggies to two wins in their last three games, both against FBS opponents. The Minutemen defense has hung its hat on their secondary success so far this season, with sophomore Jordan Mahoney and junior Josh Wallace leading the way with five takeaways between the two. Frakes isn’t near the talent of Buffalo’s Cole Synder who threw for 277 yards in their 34-7 win over the Minutemen two weeks ago, so the secondary should still be a strength this week.
Fourth down: It’s been an up and down season for the UMass run defense. Against Buffalo, the Minutemen surrendered 203 yards, but 84 of them came from a single play. Eliminating the big run needs to be top of the priority list for this young defense, who each week seems to give up one backbreaking run that takes the wind out of their sails. The Aggies are led by sophomore Star Thomas (61 CAR, 326 YDS, 3 TDS) and sophomore Jamoni Jones (62 CAR, 217 YDS, 2 TDS). Neither of these backs present something that should be too much for the Minutemen to handle, but Gavin Frakes near five yards a carry when he takes off with the ball from the pocket presents a dual-threat presence that has given them headaches this season.
Extra Point: This is just the second ever meeting between these two schools. Last season the Aggies pulled away from the Minutemen in Las Cruces 44-27 to earn them their second win of the season, and their only against an FBS opponent. These two Independent schools will square off next season in New Mexico to open the 2023 slate. Currently, that’s the last time they are contractually signed to play one another, but given the uncertainty behind each of their conference affiliations, it seems only a matter of time before they link up again.
Final Drive: The Minutemen sorely needed their bye week. The opportunity to get healthy and make adjustments, particularly on offense, could help swing their trajectory upward with a very favorable remaining schedule. New Mexico State was slated to have their bye week next weekend, but an unfortunate tragedy for last weekend’s opponent San Jose State saw that game get postponed. With each squad rested, it should yield a game that’ll be as competitive as last season. Both schools share a number of similarities on and off the field. On the field, they both lack firepower on offense and rely more on the run game, whereas on defense both struggle against the run yet defend quite well against the pass. Off the field they’re both Land-grant universities, they’re both known more for their traditionally stronger basketball programs, they share similar colors, both have a relation to the “Aggie” nickname, and both lack a conference for their football programs. One could say that each school is their own version of one another, just on a different coast. Saturday will be Homecoming at UMass, with weather set to make for a beautiful day. This one should be close with not a lot separating the two, so whoever can turn the ball over the least and move the ball better through the air should come out on top.