UMass > MAC for all sports in 2025-2026

[huskymedic]

Can you imagine playing football games on Tuesday and Wednesday nights? Or, playing a really crappy crappy basketball schedule? Anybody who ever suggests UConn should join the MAC should be banned from the board.

 

[ZooCougar]

Can you imagine playing football games on Tuesday and Wednesday nights? Or, playing a really crappy crappy basketball schedule? Anybody who ever suggests UConn should join the MAC should be banned from the board.

Being in the MAC is not what UMass’s problem is. They could play 12 games at noon on ABC and still go 0-12.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[ZooCougar]

Moar overhead. That’ll fix her.

 

[Kolumbo]

Thorr seems like a great UMass guy. He hired Dan Hurley after all. Just wonder if UMass needs someone with FBS experience

 

[ZooCougar]

Thorr seems like a great UMass guy. He hired Dan Hurley after all. Just wonder if UMass needs someone with FBS experience

Thorr looks like Viking Barry Alvarez.

 

[Fishy]

I don’t know what UMass is doing, but I am certain that whatever it is, they’re not doing it well.

My idea is take the $450,000 that this is probably costing them to hire another empty suit on the org chart and put that into NIL.

 

[ZooCougar]

This guy gets it. Wasn’t long ago that we were in the same boat.

 

[cellocgg]

I'm sure more overhead with a new, made-up position will fix UMass Football

 

[KryHavok]

As we were where UMass currently are, I think we can confidently say:

They are in a terrible situation, and nothing they do seems to make things get better. I don't wish their ills on any non-ACC school (some BIG, little-12, and SEC schools deserve it though).

 

[ZooCougar]

As we were where UMass currently are, I think we can confidently say:
View attachment 112967
They are in a terrible situation, and nothing they do seems to make things get better. I don't wish their ills on any non-ACC school (some BIG, little-12, and SEC schools deserve it though).

Oklahoma State and Cincy can have it all

 

[huskymedic]

“Bjorn started his professional career as an intern at the University of Connecticut before returning to UMass. He spent 15 years with the Minutemen in various roles, rising to associate athletic director for his last four. Bjorn was also the school’s interim athletic director for a few months from September 2003 to February 2004 and finished a master’s degree in higher education.”

 

[How Sway?!]

As we were where UMass currently are, I think we can confidently say:
View attachment 112967
They are in a terrible situation, and nothing they do seems to make things get better. I don't wish their ills on any non-ACC school (some BIG, little-12, and SEC schools deserve it though).

We were never lose to Bryant bad. This is an all time low for am FBS program.

UMass should serve as a precautionary tale for those in the fan base who want us to join a conference just for the sake of it. Playing for a conference championship is not worth the trade off of having to play 5 midweek games in front of max 5K people.

 

[ZooCougar]

We were never lose to Bryant bad. This is an all time low for am FBS program.

UMass should serve as a precautionary tale for those in the fan base who want us to join a conference just for the sake of it. Playing for a conference championship is not worth the trade off of having to play 5 midweek games in front of max 5K people.

Again. It is mind bogglingly wrong to say that they are this bad because they joined the MAC. There simply is no evidence. They would be this bad even if they were Indy. They haven’t even won 10 games total yet in this decade.

And in no way shape or form am I pushing for us to join the MAC. So don’t try to pin that strawman.

 

[ZooCougar]

As we were where UMass currently are, I think we can confidently say:
View attachment 112967
They are in a terrible situation, and nothing they do seems to make things get better. I don't wish their ills on any non-ACC school (some BIG, little-12, and SEC schools deserve it though).

Yup we almost lost to YALE! In 2021 we were simply awful.

 

[cellocgg]

I feel like UMass really needs a former P5 AD, or at least one with some kind of FBS experience. Thorr seems like a great dude but we are talking about Rhode Island after all, another small-time state flagship. I don't think he's gonna be saving them

Does UMass want a serious athletic department like they once had? Or will they settle to be another URI/UNH/UVM

 

[How Sway?!]

Again. It is mind bogglingly wrong to say that they are this bad because they joined the MAC. There simply is no evidence. They would be this bad even if they were Indy. They haven’t even won 10 games total yet in this decade.

And in no way shape or form am I pushing for us to join the MAC. So don’t try to pin that strawman.

I wasn't blaming the MAC for UMass problems. That's clearly an institutional issue that won't get fixed without heavy investment.

My post was directed at those who think that competing for a conference title would automatically make us a better football program. As shown by UMass, there are a lot more factors outside of conference affiliation.

 

[ZooCougar]

I feel like UMass really needs a former P5 AD, or at least one with some kind of FBS experience. Thorr seems like a great dude but we are talking about Rhode Island after all, another small-time state flagship. I don't think he's gonna be saving them

Does UMass want a serious athletic department like they once had? Or will they settle to be another URI/UNH/UVM

They need at least $1.5M in Revenue Sharing/NIL and a coach that isn't dumber than a rock like Harasmiyak.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Has UMass with Bamford’s involvement hired his replacement?

 

[shizzle787]

Has UMass with Bamford’s involvement hired his replacement?

That is what I am thinking. The football team is 0-9 and the basketball team lost at home to Marshall. Time for a change.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

$25 million for McGuirk. On the plus side, it's on campus. That's about it.

After years of ‘deferred maintenance,’ UMass AD Ryan Bamford announces multimillion-dollar investment in football

UMass athletic director Ryan Bamford says the school will invest millions of dollars into their football program.

www.boston.com

"The stadium renovation will be completed in three phases, Bamford said, starting with upgrades to the fan experience before the 2026 season. The second and third phases will be be structural and aesthetic upgrades to be completed by 2028."

 

[cellocgg]

So the AD just admits he hasn't been doing his job? Why does him being primarily at the Mullins Center mean he can't give Football proper attention?

 

[ZooCougar]

Umm. What else does he have to work on?

Who is protecting this guy?

 

[jostar1]

“Bjorn started his professional career as an intern at the University of Connecticut before returning to UMass. He spent 15 years with the Minutemen in various roles, rising to associate athletic director for his last four. Bjorn was also the school’s interim athletic director for a few months from September 2003 to February 2004 and finished a master’s degree in higher education.”

"Bjorn said he agreed to a five-year deal with UMass for an annual base salary of $395,000, plus cost-of-living adjustments and incentives — a raise and a touch more security compared to his current terms at URI."

 

[KryHavok]

"Bjorn said he agreed to a five-year deal with UMass for an annual base salary of $395,000, plus cost-of-living adjustments and incentives — a raise and a touch more security compared to his current terms at URI."

He's taking over the worst FBS program in the country...anything greater than 3 to 4 wins a season at this point and he'll be given a golden parachute.

 

[Waquoit]

I assume the player didn’t qualify academically to get into the graduate program.

You assume incorrectly. The player easily qualified.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Unclear Bjorn’s a good answer for Umess’ woes, but a report indicated he’s 5 years away from a full UMess or Bay State pension due to his prior 15 years working in the Minutemen athletic department.

 

[Hoophound]

Unclear Bjorn’s a good answer for Umess’ woes, but a report indicated he’s 5 years away from a full UMess or Bay State pension due to his prior 15 years working in the Minutemen athletic department.

This really looked like two older guys wanting to work together from the beginning. Sure seems like Bjorn’s buddy throwing him a bone. This is a waste of 400k. If Bjorn can fix the football program, make him AD and fire his buddy.