UMass walks into Thursday’s season opener at Rutgers as a heavy underdog, but there’s at least a real sense around the program that things are moving in the right direction.
That’s the read from veteran broadcaster Jay Burnham, one of the most connected voices around UMass football and the Minutemen as a whole. Burnham believes the challenge on the road against a Power Four opponent is steep, but he also sees signs that UMass has taken steps forward this offseason.
“A lot would have to go right: turnovers, explosive plays, etc. I know teams always go into games expecting to win, but it feels like the fan base is itching to see any progress whatsoever, especially on offense,” Burnham told Scarlet Nation this week.
“The 11.1 points per game last year ain't gonna cut it and UMass (does) have a new offensive coordinator with a track record of success in this league.”
Burnham, who serves as the play-by-play voice for football and men’s basketball and hosts the UMass Sports Insider television show on NESN, said the program’s growth this offseason is tied to head coach Joe Harasymiak. Harasymiak is entering his second year in Amherst after previously serving as Rutgers’ defensive coordinator from 2022-24.
“It feels like 'Coach H' has a much better runway to get his players and culture established for year two. He's beloved by his players and UMass has elevated their resources to hopefully compete this year,” Burnham said.
He also pointed to a broader shift around the program.
“It’s been a rough decade for UMass for sure. However, they are finally getting established in a conference and now are able to consistently play like-minded institutions while using TV, College Football Playoff money and revenue share funds that all come fully into play for this year.
There is an expectation to win and there should be. UMass is a thriving university in an amazing location with more resources and funding than many 'Group of Five' peers.”
Rutgers coach Greg Schiano echoed some of that respect when he spoke with the media Monday, noting the talent on the UMass roster. He specifically mentioned quarterback Pop Watson, who was recruited by Rutgers, and 6-foot-3 wide receiver Joe Griffin.
Burnham said those two local products stand out for good reason.
“No doubt there are high hopes for the two local products returning home in Pop Watson and Joe Griffin,” Burnham said.
“Both have won multiple state high school titles in Massachusetts and played at the 'Power Four' level. For the first time in what feels like forever, UMass will not have to play three 'Power Four' schools and they have several returners who were injured early in the season last year along with a very talented transfer and freshman class. The staff feels like the defensive line depth will also be a factor in turning things around.
“Hard to miss those two. In addition to Griffin, TY Harding is back after missing most of last year with injury and it feels like UMass has at least three running backs with experience that they trust.”
In Other News...
Rutgers Just Turned One Ugly Loss Into A Program-Wide Embarrassment
Rutgers loss to UMass was ugly enough on the field, but the timing and circumstances made it sting even more. The Scarlet Knights paid the Minutemen $1.55 million to come to town, only to watch UMass snap a long losing streak with a 37-21 win that immediately turned into a source of embarrassment well beyond the final score. It was the sort of result that lingers because it says as much about perception as performance, and Rutgers found itself getting dragged into that conversation almost as quickly as the game ended.
The reaction on social media was swift, with plenty of criticism directed at the coaching staff and plenty more speculation about where the program goes from here. For new athletic director Keli Zinn, the loss only adds to the pressure around a football program already trying to prove it can move forward with some stability. In a sport where optics matter almost as much as wins and losses, this was the kind of afternoon that can hang around long after the scoreboard has been cleared. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Fans Are Facing The Greg Schiano Question Again
Greg Schiano is back in the familiar position of having to steady the Rutgers program while questions swirl around the bigger picture. Now in his seventh season of his second stint in charge, he heads toward 2026 with a 31-41 record in that stretch, and the early tone has hardly helped calm the noise. Rutgers opened with a loss to UMass, a team that arrived with a long active losing streak, and the Knights were already digging out of a 17-point halftime deficit before the night even had a chance to settle.
For a fan base that has seen this movie before, the issue is not simply one bad result in September. Schianos contract puts a real price tag on any change, with a buyout that would cost Rutgers about $17.3 million if he were fired at the end of the season. So the question hanging over the program is the same one that always seems to come back: whether Rutgers is looking at another uphill year under a coach it knows well, or whether the season is already drifting toward a decision point no one wants to reach too soon. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Just Opened The Season With A Loss Fans Cant Ignore
UMass arrived in Piscataway as a huge underdog and walked out with a result Rutgers cannot brush aside. The Minutemen snapped a long skid against FBS opponents by beating Rutgers 37-21 in Week 1, doing it with a balanced offense and a disruptive defense that made life miserable for the Scarlet Knights throughout the afternoon.
Pop Watson was at the center of it, throwing for 189 yards and three touchdowns while adding 40 rushing yards. UMass also brought real edge on defense, piling up seven tackles for loss and five sacks while forcing a handful of Rutgers mistakes, the kind of opening-week mess that leaves a coaching staff with plenty to clean up before the schedule gets any deeper. [Read more 🡒]