12 TEAMS - 12 DAYS: MASSACHUSETTS MINUTEMEN
12 TEAMS | 12 DAYS: MASSACHUSETTS MINUTEMEN
2009 CAA Football Media Guide: Massachusetts Minutemen
The winningest program in the CAA over the last decade enters a new era with a familiar face at the helm, as Kevin Morris has taken over as the head coach of the UMass football team. Morris served as UMass’ offensive coordinator for the last five years and was hired as the 28th head coach in program on Jan. 19, 2009. He replaced Don Brown, who left to become the defensive coordinator at the University of Maryland.
Morris will look to continue the success of the last decade during which UMass has an 80-42 record, good for a 65.6 win percentage, the best among all schools in the league. In those 10 years the Minutemen have captured a league-best four conference titles, most recently with back-to-back crowns in 2006 and 2007.
Since Morris and the majority of the current coaching staff arrived in Amherst in 2004, UMass has a mark of 43-19 (a 69.4 win percentage) with those two conference titles. The Minutemen have two NCAA Tournament berths during that time including a run to the 2006 NCAA Championship game.
With Morris at the helm and nearly the entire coaching staff intact, UMass will continue with the formula established over the last decade. Last season, the team finished with a 7-5 overall record and was ranked in the Top 25 most of the season, listing as high as No. 3 in the nation. The Minutemen have posted seven straight winning campaigns, dating to 2001.
Coming into, 2009 UMass is ranked as high as No. 14 in the preseason polls and has been picked to finish second in the CAA North by the league coaches. UMass features four preseason All-Americans in offensive left tackle Vladimir Ducasse, wide receiver Victor Cruz, linebacker Josh Jennings and free safety Jeromy Miles. Cruz, Ducasse, Jennings, Miles and tailback Tony Nelson were named first-team preseason CAA selections. Miles has been named to the Preseason Buck Buchanan Watch List as the top defensive player in FCS while Nelson is on the Walter Payton Preseason list for the top offensive player.