UMass Head Coach Charley Molnar Discusses Status Of Minutemen, Previews Game Against Vanderbilt
BOSTON (CBS) -- The UMass Minutemen are coming off a 37-7 loss to Kansas State last week to fall to 0-3 on the season, but head coach Charley Molnar was still able to find the positives.
"I think the silver lining is that we've shown now that all three phases of our team can perform," Molnar told Marc Bertrand. "None of them have performed consistently, but now the offense has shown that we can move the ball, we can drive consistently, we can make some plays down the field in the throw game, we've been consistently getting four- or five-yard runs, and we've got a few more now at 10 or greater. Everything just kind of picked up in the last game for us on offense, special teams certainly has had some bright moments, and so has our defense. So I think we're closer to getting our team put together so to speak."
Coming up this Saturday, the Minutemen will host SEC opponent Vanderbilt. The Commodores are 1-2 on the season, with the losses coming against Ole Miss and 13th-ranked South Carolina.
"They've got a receiver [Jordan Matthews] that may be one of the best in the country," Molnar said. "This guy can really fly, he's athletic, he has super hands, and the quarterback is good enough to get the ball to him over and over again."
Molnar also talked about how encouraging it is to see some players from Massachusetts contributing to the team.
"When we say 'Made In Mass.,' we want to have a football team that the state of Massachusetts can be proud of, and players on the team represent the Commonwealth. The best and the brightest student athletes we can get, we want to put them out on the field on Saturday afternoons. Both of those young men [A.J. Doyle and Joe Colton] happen to be part of our very first year where we really made an emphasis to go out and get some Massachusetts players that could make a difference for us. ... I think that our fan base really enjoys watching both young men play because they remember them from high school.
"As the season goes on, hopefully we'll see moer and more Massachusetts kids go out there and make a contribution for the Minutemen."
