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Is this a thread about looking to the future and the 2026 UMass Football season or is this thread about looking backwards and bitching about Coach Whipple being fired after going 16-44? Nothing but respect for Coach Whip - but it was 8 yrs ago, Its 2026, Coach Joe is in charge, he's rebuilding the program and deserves our support.

Maybe a little of both I'm all for coach joe: 1.5M has got to be the top of MAC salaries. If he keeps it close against Rutgers and beats Sacred Heart and Stonehill I'll think he is the greatest. Don't care if they are 1AA. I'll try to go to a few games this year. My son got into Penn State so there may be a Happy Valley roadtrip.

Zoo, your kid better not go to Fitchburg State or something after name dropping all the big schools

ZooMass84 wrote: Sat Feb 07, 2026 11:29 am My son got into Penn State so there may be a Happy Valley roadtrip.

You can't even get out to Amherst, how the hell are you going to get to State College?

UMass1991 wrote: Fri Feb 06, 2026 11:28 am

ZooMass84 wrote: Fri Feb 06, 2026 11:02 am I can't believe how this program has tanked since Mark Whipple "left". Did Bamford not renew his contract or was he fired? 2017 and 2018 we were competitive 4-8 4-8 and Whip had us in close games against P5 teams as soon as he was hired i.e. Vandy and Colorado in 2014. Hoping we are competitive against Rutgers this year and beat both Sacred Heart and Stonehill but I don't know what to expect. the only saving grace in all this is if we go 0-13 or 0-12, then we get put on notice by the MAC and might get booted.

He was fired

Zoo beating dead horses is what he does. Do we have to keep talking about a Whipple era that wasn’t that great?. It was 8 years ago now.

Quann wrote: Sun Feb 08, 2026 11:18 am

UMass1991 wrote: Fri Feb 06, 2026 11:28 am

ZooMass84 wrote: Fri Feb 06, 2026 11:02 am I can't believe how this program has tanked since Mark Whipple "left". Did Bamford not renew his contract or was he fired? 2017 and 2018 we were competitive 4-8 4-8 and Whip had us in close games against P5 teams as soon as he was hired i.e. Vandy and Colorado in 2014. Hoping we are competitive against Rutgers this year and beat both Sacred Heart and Stonehill but I don't know what to expect. the only saving grace in all this is if we go 0-13 or 0-12, then we get put on notice by the MAC and might get booted.

He was fired

Zoo beating dead horses is what he does. Do we have to keep talking about a Whipple era that wasn’t that great?. It was 8 years ago now.

beating dead horses and losing at blackjack

Nice to know sooner than later and different impressions from tonight's Boston gathering.


How about some info on how many positions are left to fill and when will they be filling them. As after Spring Games and when is the Spring game. Think Rolling Ridge may have mentioned 7 scholarships left a few weeks ago.

There are some pictures from the UMass Club on facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/UMassFootball

would love to know how many people were in attendance not including the players and coaches , based on the pictures they are showing i bet less than 40 as attendance at the event has decreased each year. I have gone to all of them since they started having the event and the attendance decreased each year , just like the amount of wins of the football team, Bamford needs to be let go !

How many PWO can teams take? Do they get NIL money? I didn’t expect to see as many walk on offers/signees as we have recently. I kind of thought with the 105 man roster walk ons would be phased out.

Steve81 wrote: Thu Feb 19, 2026 8:36 pmHow about some info on how many positions are left to fill and when will they be filling them. As after Spring Games and when is the Spring game. Think Rolling Ridge may have mentioned 7 scholarships left a few weeks ago.

Coach said seven positions left to fill at the sports luncheon a couple of weeks ago. I don't attend the Boston events anymore because we relocated back to the Valley a couple of years ago, so I don't have any update on that figure. I would guess that it is still basically accurate.

I was registered but something came up and I couldn't make it into Boston. These are always nice events and I always suggest people go. At the very least, one can get to experience the UMass Club.


The Department emailed multiple times saying "there's still time to register"... so between that and very few details about the event on twitter (and none here), I'm going to assume this one wasn't all that well attended. That's a shame.

InnervisionsUMASS wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 8:57 am I was registered but something came up and I couldn't make it into Boston. These are always nice events and I always suggest people go. At the very least, one can get to experience the UMass Club.


The Department emailed multiple times saying "there's still time to register"... so between that and very few details about the event on twitter (and none here), I'm going to assume this one wasn't all that well attended. That's a shame.

It is an absolute shame, as the Umass Club in Boston is an outstanding place to hold an event. it just shows you how frustrated people are with the direction of the football program under Bamford. It is time for a change at the top position. As i have mentioned elsewhere, why do you think Bamford is still at Umass ? There are no other places that want him, which is a reflection of his performance.
I have talked to alot of alumni, and people are starting to boycott, by not going to home events and also stop making donations to the school until Bamford is let go. Has a survey been done on this site regarding Bamford's popularity rating ?

pk77 wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 10:30 am

InnervisionsUMASS wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 8:57 am I was registered but something came up and I couldn't make it into Boston. These are always nice events and I always suggest people go. At the very least, one can get to experience the UMass Club.


The Department emailed multiple times saying "there's still time to register"... so between that and very few details about the event on twitter (and none here), I'm going to assume this one wasn't all that well attended. That's a shame.

It is an absolute shame, as the Umass Club in Boston is an outstanding place to hold an event. it just shows you how frustrated people are with the direction of the football program under Bamford. It is time for a change at the top position. As i have mentioned elsewhere, why do you think Bamford is still at Umass ? There are no other places that want him, which is a reflection of his performance.
I have talked to alot of alumni, and people are starting to boycott, by not going to home events and also stop making donations to the school until Bamford is let go. Has a survey been done on this site regarding Bamford's popularity rating ?

Marty is in the few pictures online. Hopefully, he sees the dwindling support and realizes the cause. I'm sure Thorr's presence in contrast to Ryan's would have been stark. Hopefully, those that need to see it, could see it and realize Thorr's current position and the set up with he and Ryan "together" in untenable.

minutefanjsf wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 11:05 am

pk77 wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 10:30 am

InnervisionsUMASS wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 8:57 am I was registered but something came up and I couldn't make it into Boston. These are always nice events and I always suggest people go. At the very least, one can get to experience the UMass Club.


The Department emailed multiple times saying "there's still time to register"... so between that and very few details about the event on twitter (and none here), I'm going to assume this one wasn't all that well attended. That's a shame.

It is an absolute shame, as the Umass Club in Boston is an outstanding place to hold an event. it just shows you how frustrated people are with the direction of the football program under Bamford. It is time for a change at the top position. As i have mentioned elsewhere, why do you think Bamford is still at Umass ? There are no other places that want him, which is a reflection of his performance.
I have talked to alot of alumni, and people are starting to boycott, by not going to home events and also stop making donations to the school until Bamford is let go. Has a survey been done on this site regarding Bamford's popularity rating ?

Marty is in the few pictures online. Hopefully, he sees the dwindling support and realizes the cause. I'm sure Thorr's presence in contrast to Ryan's would have been stark. Hopefully, those that need to see it, could see it and realize Thorr's current position and the set up with he and Ryan "together" in untenable.

Financial support is important as well. See a poster on the locker room and think the Gridiron Club raise 50k on the first batch of lockers for late December and January alone.

As far as going, been to the UMass Club and prior on State Street as well. This is more a personal thing, but have been a few times and the last time came away thinking, that is over 2 hours there, stressing about being able to see and pull into underground parking in traffic and then paying at a different spot was a bit. On the long drive home, just decided for me, it was not worth going. Most of the information will eventually hear later as the Spring game and from people.

pk77 wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 10:30 am As i have mentioned elsewhere, why do you think Bamford is still at Umass ? There are no other places that want him, which is a reflection of his performance.

And as at least one other person said before in responding to your same comment - that doesn't mean UMass has to keep him here.