UMass Football Preview 2025: The Minutemen Are Back in the MAC

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2025 UMass Preview
UMass Offense Breakdown
UMass Defense Breakdown
Season Prediction, Win Total, Keys to Season

UMass Minutemen Preview 2025: Offense

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- New offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian comes in from Utah after spending four years at Northwestern. He's a strong quarterback coach, and in comes Grant Jordan from Yale after throwing for close to 2,000 yards and 22 touchdowns with just three interceptions - and he can run, too.

Bajakian also brought over Brandon Rose from Utah, and AJ Hairston is back after finishing second on the Minutemen after throwing for 480 yards and five scores without a pick.

- The running game wasn't totally awful, but the top guys are gone. The offense got a decent option in Rocko Griffin from UTSA. He was hurt last year, but ran for 483 yards and six scores for the Roadrunners in 2023, and before that, ran for close to 700 yards in three years at Vanderbilt. 

- The offense isn't totally starting over, but it's close. Benjamin Roy is a decent veteran center, he's flanked by new parts from the transfer portal, and Ryan Mosesso is an experienced tackle who'll lock down one spot.

- For a team starting over in so many places, it has a decent-looking receiving corps. TY Harding is a deep threat who caught five touchdown passes, and Jacquon Gibson has speed on the outside.

Former Illinois transfer Owen Anderson is back at tight end - he caught just two passes and one score - with Reece Adkins (UCF) pushing hard for the gig.

UMass Minutemen Preview 2025: Defense

- New head man Joe Harasymiak is a defensive coach by nature, and he'll need to use all his skills and powers to get this up and going.

UMass didn't have a pass rush and couldn't come up with a takeaway, but overall, it wasn't horrible. However, just about everyone is gone, but ... 

- The transfer portal is taking over the defensive front. It's getting back Tim Grant-Randall on the nose, and former Florida State transfer Shambre Jackson is back on the inside, but everything else comes from elsewhere. 

After missing all of last year, Zukodu Igwenagu is back after missing all of last year and going into the portal. Joshua Nobles comes in from Jackson State after a ten-sack season, and Malachi Madison was a strong tackle signing from Virginia Tech.

- Coming over from Rutgers is Timmy Hinspiter with good size and potential in the middle of the linebacking corps. Derrieon Craig is a safety-sized linebacker who's the leading returning tackler with 44 stops. 

- The UMass pass defense wasn't bad, at least statistically, because everyone it played ran the ball. Jeremiah McGill is the best returning safety, joined by DD Snyder from Ball State.

Malcolm Greene played for three years at Clemson and two at Virginia, making 55 tackles in his three years. Now he'll be the team's best corner.

UMass Minutemen Key to the Season

Come up with more defensive plays.
Former head coach Don Brown knows defense, but last year's bunch couldn't come up with third down stops, and it didn't take the ball away, forcing just nine turnovers on the year. The offense isn't good enough to do this on its own.  

UMass Minutemen Key Player

Timmy Hinspeter, LB Jr.
The defense needs a leader to work around. The 6-1, 230-pound Hinspeter saw a little time in his three years at Rutgers, but he only made 21 tackles. He's the likely main man in the middle for the Minutemen.

UMass Minutemen Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss

Top Transfer In: Joshua Nobles, EDGE Sr. 
The Minutemen need a disruptive force on the defensive front, and they're hoping Nobles can be it. He started his career at Western Michigan, moved over to Jackson State, and last year cranked out 57 tackles, ten sacks, and forced three fumbles. He needs to be great, because ...

Top Transfer Out: Kofi Asare, EDGE Jr.
The team's best pass rusher needs to be replaced. Asare is a 6-5, 250-pound end who came up with three sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss, and he's just getting started. He's now a Florida Gator.

UMass Minutemen Key Game

at Kent State, Oct. 11
It's a road game, and it won't be a layup, but it's a MAC game UMass can win. It has a shot against a Kent State team that's starting from less than zero, and by this point in the season, the Minutemen will be as jelled as they're going to be.
- 2025 UMass Schedule Breakdown

UMass Minutemen Top 10 Players

1. Derrieon Craig, LB Sr.
2. Joshua Nobles, EDGE, Sr.
3. Rocko Griffin, RB Sr.
4. Tim Grant-Randall, DT Sr.
5. TY Harding, WR Jr.
6. Jeremiah McGill, S Jr.
7. Grant Jordan, QB Sr.
8. Malcolm Greene, CB Sr.
9. Timmy Hinspeter, LB Jr.
10. Benjamin Roy, C Sr.

UMass Minutemen 2024 Fun Stats

- Passing. Yards: UMass 2,181, Opponents 2,119

- 3rd Quarter Scoring: Opponents 119, UMass 24

- Field Goals: Opponents 14-of-14, UMass 13-of-21

UMass Minutemen 2025 Season Prediction, Win Total, What Will Happen

There's plenty to like about the upgrades, the work in the transfer portal, and the new energy. And it's a huge help to get a MAC schedule to deal with.

Last year, UMass had to play Georgia, Mississippi State, and Missouri from the SEC, and dealt with the star Conference USA team, Liberty. This year, there's a trip to Iowa and a date at Missouri, but playing in the MAC will be a tad easier.

It'll still take some work. 

Akron and Kent State are winnable dates, but both are on the road. Bowling Green will be okay, but the regular season finale at home needs to be gettable. But overall, the new coaching staff is using this year to get up and running.

Set The UMass Win Total At … 2.5

Likely Wins: Bryant

50/50 Games: at Akron, Bowling Green, at Kent State

Likely Losses: Buffalo, at Central Michigan, at Iowa, at Missouri, Northern Illinois, at Ohio, Temple, Western Michigan