Minutemen respond
Score 28 unanswered to start, wallop 49ers
AMHERST — It was clear UMass’ tune had changed this week when it returned to practice on Monday.
A thumping at the hands of Florida International last Saturday— their third straight loss — forced the Minutemen to look in the mirror and reassess their priorities. They went full pads at practice all week, raising the intensity. There was still plenty of time left in the season, but without saying it explicitly, they knew they couldn’t afford to drop another game.
To say UMass answered emphatically may be an understatement.
When Marquis Young took the opening kickoff untouched for a 93-yard touchdown, it was apparent the Minutemen were intent on turning a new page. UMass scored 28 unanswered points in the first six minutes of the game, and it looked rejuvenated in a 49-31 victory over Charlotte yesterday at McGuirk Stadium.
“I thought our approach starting on Monday was a good thing,” UMass coach Mark Whipple said. “We practiced well anyways, but there was a little bit more of an edge to practice and a little bit more competition, and I thought that showed up certainly in the first quarter.” After three tough losses on the road, the Minutemen (23) were hoping that a return home, where they crushed Duquesne in the season opener, would be a boost. They looked energized in all three phases, and carried over that intensity from this week’s practices.
“I think it helped a lot,” UMass linebacker Bryton Barr said of the team’s different approach this week. “I really stressed to the defense that we need to carry how we practice into game day, and it showed today.”
Young’s opening return was something they worked on in practice, too. Whipple said he was a block away from hitting it last week, and this week he got all the blocks he needed as he sped down the left sideline and into the end zone.
“I thought it made a statement that the guys were ready to play,” Whipple said.
It fired up his teammates, as well. The UMass defense forced a three-and-out on Charlotte’s ensuing first series, and the Minutemen took advantage of a short field after 49ers punter Kyle Corbett was called down on his own 20. UMass quarterback Michael Curtis, making his first career start after Andrew Ford and Ross Comis were injured last week, quickly found Andy Isabella for a 15-yard score.
Just like that, it was 14-0. The Minutemen were just getting started. On Charlotte’s next possession, Jake Byczko strip-sacked 49ers quarterback Chris Reynolds for UMass’ first sack of the season, setting up another short field. Two play later, Young punched in a 2-yard touchdown.
After forcing another three-and-out, Curtis led a drive that he capped with his own 3-yard rushing touchdown, and the rout was on.
“A lot of people asked me during the week, ‘Are you nervous for your first start?’ and I really wasn’t,” said Curtis, who finished with four touchdowns, two passing and two rushing. “I was prepared, I was ready to go, and ready to get out there and have fun.”
UMass slowed down after that fast start, but remained in control. After Charlotte scored a late touchdown in the second quarter, the Minutemen responded as Curtis led a nine-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 29-yard strike to Jessie Britt.
The Minutemen opened the second half by forcing the 49ers into a turnover on downs, and Curtis capped the seven-play march by diving into the end zone from 2 yards out to make it 42-10. Young opened the fourth quarter with a 45-yard rushing touchdown — his third score of the game — that made it 49-17.
“Going back to being in full pads, having a live look all week and not just walking through the motions,”
said Barr, who had 21 tackles, six for loss. “Every day of the week, going hard. We have to do that I think for the rest of the season. Just continue to play hard.”