AMHERST — UMass will have at least two new faces on its football coaching staff in 2018.
Athletic director Ryan Bamford confirmed Monday that the contracts of special teams coordinator Mark Michaels and tight ends coach Jason Palermo would not be renewed.
Michaels, who also coached rush ends, was in his second stint at UMass with head coach Mark Whipple. Michaels also worked under Whipple at New Haven and Brown. He was the special teams coordinator for the Minutemen’s Division I-AA national championship in 1998.
He was working at a high school in Florida when Whipple hired him to replace Ted Daisher, a holdover from Charley Molnar’s staff in 2015.
The Minutemen struggled on kick coverage all season and with placekicking before senior Logan Laurent was healthy.
Palermo, who spent two seasons at UMass, had previously coached offensive line at Austin Peay.
Whipple, who is on the road recruiting, could not be reached for comment.
NOTES — UMass tight Adam Breneman officially signed with Octagon, an agency that will represent him as a professional and aid his NFL draft preparation. Breneman was named an All-American by both Pro Football Focus and College Football News this weekend.
Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage