AMHERST — Another FCS opponent comes to McGuirk Alumni Stadium on Saturday, with Stonehill arriving in Amherst to face a rejuvenated UMass football team.
The Skyhawks (1-2), members of the Northeast Conference, lost last week to New Hampshire on the road. Stonehill quarterback Jack O’Connell went 27-for-44 for 380 yards and four touchdowns against the Wildcats.
“We have a great opponent obviously coming in here,” UMass coach Joe Harasymiak said. “They probably, rightfully so, watching the three games, they have a chance to be 3-0…I am impressed with them on film. They have our full attention.”
The Skyhawks moved up from Division II to the FCS level in 2022. Eli Gardner enters his 11th season as coach. Cole Clarke is Stonehill’s leading receiver with 11 catches for 169 yards and a touchdown. Shane Eason and Aidan Garrett have a combined 287 yards on 69 carries out of the backfield.
“They have a playmaker at quarterback,” Harasymiak said. “He’s back for his fifth year. He makes them go. He can run it. He can put the ball on a line with speed and drill it in there. He had some great touch passes with pressure in his face against New Hampshire.”
The Skyhawks have 13 tackles for losses through three games.
“They are very aggressive,” Harasymiak said. “They get after you. Third down I think they do a good job of presentation. Dictating protections. Forcing you to make really good decisions under pressure.”
Even with the FCS opponent coming to town and the early season success, the Minutemen have a laser focus on the Skyhawks. Stonehill has an aggressive offensive line, and their wide receivers have done well against man coverage.
“Our program is in no shape to take anybody lightly,” Harasymiak said. “We never will. We’ve learned that lesson for years and we obviously learned it last year. We got to come out and dictate the terms of this game.”
Jordan Washington is set to return from injury this week. Washington played at Murray State the past two seasons. He had 86 carries for 340 yards and three touchdowns last season as a redshirt freshman.
“I think it gives us another element,” Harasymiak said. “Jordan (Washington) has both the physicality of a bigger back and he’s got speed.”
T.Y. Harding won the MAC Special Teams Player of the Week honor with 141 yards on two punt returns, including an 82-yard touchdown.
The game on Saturday is a backdrop to the George “Trigger” Burke Hall-of-Fame Induction Ceremony on Friday night at 6 p.m. in the Campus Center Auditorium.
UMass Athletics plans to induct Greg Cannella (men’s lacrosse 1986-87, 1992-2025), Thomas Carmean (men’s lacrosse, 1985-87), Katie Ferris (women’s lacrosse, 2011-14) and Bill Knight (baseball, 1992-95) into this year’s class.
“It’s a great weekend,” Harasymiak said. “We get to celebrate them on Friday night. Hopefully that brings a lot more people back to campus for Saturday.”
Harasymiak also noted the success of other fall teams on campus. The UMass field hockey team is undefeated after six games. The 12th-ranked Minutewomen knocked off No. 3 Harvard on the road on Sept. 11. The UMass women’s soccer team is 6-1 and has won three straight games.
“We are rolling right now in the fall,” Harasymiak said.
Kickoff on Saturday is set for 3:30 p.m.
