AMHERST — The list of what UMass did wrong Saturday is lengthy.
All of the Minutemen’s various mistakes and miscues were evident even before coach Walt Bell flips on the game film Sunday morning. But it won’t be about rehashing the 48-20 loss to Southern Illinois, it’ll be about learning from them as UMass sets its eyes on Charlotte next week.
And in order to move past Saturday’s disappointment, it’ll start with everyone being honest with themselves about what they could have done better against the Salukis.
“The most important thing that we all do as an organization is to make sure we’re introspective,” Bell said. “To make sure when we all look in the mirror, we’re doing all the things that are required of good football. That’s how we live, how we eat, how we go to school, how we practice, how we teach, how we learn, to the detail. If we can improve there, the good football will take care of itself.”
Redshirt junior running back Bilal Ally and graduate transfer linebacker Jarvis Miller are important leaders on a young UMass squad. Both of them stressed the importance of continuing to stay positive in the locker room and making sure their teammates don’t dwell on mistakes.
But Miller was even more direct when asked to discuss how UMass can begin moving past the frustration. He said it’s impossible for anyone in that locker room – himself included – to point fingers at anyone else for the loss and that his teammates need to make sure they correct the mistakes they made and never let them happen again.
“The next day is the next day, the game is done, move onto the next opponent,” Miller said. “Look at the film, be critical of yourself and make sure you don’t make the same mistake twice. You don’t want to step back, you want to keep progressing. People don’t realize how hard it is to win a college football game, the little things really add up. Those film sessions after the game (are important). Making sure you don’t make the same mistake twice because those mistakes that you make, another team is going to try to exploit it the next week.”
BRITO TAKES THE REINS — Early in the third quarter, UMass quarterback Randall West tossed an ill-advised pass toward Brennon Dingle in the end zone. It was intercepted by Jeremy Chinn before it got to the cutting receiver, and it ended up being the final throw of the day for the redshirt senior.
Bell turned to junior Andrew Brito to lead the UMass offense for the rest of the second half. Brito finished 6 of 10 for 73 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw an interception, which came after he threw a pass slightly high to Sadiq Palmer and the ball ricocheted off the senior receiver’s fingertips and into the Madre Harper’s hands. West, meanwhile, was 9 of 17 for 125 yards and the interception.
Bell said the decision to insert Brito with UMass only down 24-13 did not signal a definitive changing of the guard at quarterback for the Minutemen. Instead, he said there were concerns about some of the throws West made and he wanted to give Brito a chance to prove himself.
It is unclear if the decision will re-open the quarterback competition that lasted throughout fall camp.
“We had some decision-making issues, we had some misses, we had some forces,” Bell said. “We were pressing, we threw the ball into coverage a couple of times. I just felt like we wanted to give (Brito) a chance to play and see what happened. By no means does that mean Randall is out forever or that Brito has been anointed as the starting quarterback. Just trying to bring some life to the team and give Andrew a chance.”
CURSE OF DAY 250 — The last time UMass played on Sept. 7 before Saturday was in 2013. Coincidentally, that was the previous occasion the Minutemen lost to an FCS foe, falling 24-14 to Maine at Gillette Stadium. Also a coincidence is that it was UMass’ home opener after losing on the road at a Big Ten opponent.