(UMass Recruit Jewison Dawkins (With Ball)/Sun Sentinel)

• The Minutemen have extended an offer to Jewison Dawkins, a 2014 wide receiver from Plantation, Fla. The news comes from Steve Davis, Dawkins’ high school coach, who mentioned the offer on Twitter. UMass is the first school to offer Dawkins, but Arizona, Bowling Green, South Florida and others are showing interest, according to Rivals. Check out his highlights here.
• Tymashian Clemons, a dual-threat quarterback/athlete from Georgia, has picked up a UMass offer. Varsity Preps’ Chris Smith, a friend of the Maroon Musket, broke the news on Twitter. Clemons also holds offers from Buffalo, Syracuse, Troy and Middle Tennessee State, according to Rivals. Check out his highlights here (NOTE: Fox has Clemons listed as a 2015 recruit, but every other recruiting site has him graduating in 2014).
• 247 Sports’ Barton Simmons is reporting that UMass has extended an offer to Elijah Staley, a 6’6, 2014 dual-threat quarterback from Georgia. The three-star recruit also holds offers from Boston College, Marshall and Mississippi State, according to 247 Sports. Check out his highlights here.
• Trevaughn Rodriguez, an all-purpose back from Daytona, Fla., has picked up an offer from the Minutemen. The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported the offer. Rodriquez also holds offers from Boston College, Memphis, Temple and Wake Forest, according to Rivals. Check out Rodriquez’s hudl highlights here.
• ESPN’s Radi Nabulsiis reporting that the Minutemen extended an offer to T.L. Ford, a 2014 wideout from Cartersville, Ga. Ford has offers from Kansas State, Appalachian State, Georgia State and others, according to 247 Sports. Check out the three-star recruit’s hudl highlights here.
• The New Jersey High School Football Spot tweeted that the Minutemen offered Tommy Hatton, a 2015 offensive lineman from Montvale, N.J. Hatton is already 6’3 and 270 pounds, and holds offers from Boston College, UConn and Rutgers, according to Rivals. It sounds like the big fella “always wanted to stay close to home” and will stay in the Northeast for college.
• Kenneth Rawls, a 2014 wide receiver from Pompano Beach, Fla., tweeted that UMass extended an offer. Rawls has offers from all over, and 247 Sports is predicting that the three-star recruit will go to Minnesota. Check out his hudl highlights here.
• Daiquan Kelly, a 2015 wide receiver from New Jersey, tweeted that UMass extended an offer. According to Rivals, the 6’3, 201-pound athlete also has an offer from Virginia. Here are his hudl highlights.
• Jimmy Moreland, a 2014 cornerback/athlete from Royal Palm Beach, Fla., picked up an offer from UMass. The news comes from PrepBuilders.com. Moreland also has an offer from Marshall, according to Rivals. Check out his hudl highligths here. 

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Amato is a 6’0, 190-pound athlete and was named an All-League performer by the Boston Globe after his junior year.

Check out his highlights here:

Here is the updated list of walk-ons who have committed to UMass.

• Nate Crutchfield, QB: Montclair High School (N.J)
• Klysmann Afonso, WR: Jireh Prep (N.C.)
• Garrett FitzGerald, OL: Catholic Memorial High School (Mass.)/Saint Anslem College (N.H.)
• Logan Laurent, K/P: Exeter High School (N.H.)
• Joe Tyo, OL/DL: Dennis-Yarmouth High School (Mass)
• DuVaughn Beckford, DB: Nantucket High School (Mass)/Assumption College (Mass)
• Nick Valles, RB: Danvers High School (Mass)
• Michael Dowe, Jr., DL: Cromwell High School (Conn)/Western New England University
• Dillon Tighe, WR: Arundel High School (Md.)
• Markus Colin, K: Allentown High School (N.J.)
• Andrew Ellis, LB: Barnstable High School (Mass)
• Costa Toubekis, OL: Dexter High School (Mass)
• Will Giggi, OL: Medfield High School (Mass)
• Aaron Oberst, OL/DL: Phillips Academy (Mass)
• Lukas O’Connor, QB: Culver City High School (Calif.)/Avon Old Farms (Conn)
• Emmett Odegard, LS: Greenwich High School (Conn)
• Jordan Keli’inui, RB/LB: Mashpee High School (Mass)
• Zak Orcutt, QB/S: Mashpee High School (Mass)
• Hunter Burlinson, DB: St. John’s High School (Mass)/Assumption College (Mass)
• Nick Berus, LS: Pine-Richland High School (Pa.)
• Jesse Monteiro, ATH: Brockton High School/Tabor Academy (Mass)
• Chris Sotir, OL: Worcester Technical High School (Mass)
• Shadrach Abrokwah, RB: St. John’s of Shrewsbury (Mass)
• Mike Rapoza, ATH: New Bedford High (Mass)
• Lucas Amato, DB: Salisbury School (Conn)

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(UMass coach Charley Molnar spoke with fans about the program during his Boston.com chat/Andy Heller for the Maroon Musket)

During his chat on Boston.com’s College Sports Blog, UMass coach Charley Molnar answered questions from fans and shed a little light on some burning questions surrounding the program.

Regarding the offensive line, which will be a major concern for the Minutemen heading into the 2013 season, Molnar indicated that the team added a little extra depth in the form of Vincent Westcarr, who will return for his senior year. The 6’4, 304-pound athlete played in 11 games during the 2012 campaign, and will provide some much-needed size and experience to an offensive line strewn with newcomers.

“The offensive line should be better in 2013. Depth will be a concern going into summer camp. We’re hoping that 1 of the 5 new OL will be ready to step up and contribute immediately,” Molnar said. “We have received good news since the conclusion of spring practice; Vince Westcarr has decided to return to play his senior season. He should be an immediate impact player on the OL.”

Molnar also discussed the McGuirk/Gillette scheduling situation. The Maroon Musket initially broke the story regarding UMass’ intention to play three games at a revamped McGuirk Alumni Stadium during the 2014 season. Molnar didn’t give an exact number, but he indicated that homecoming and weeknight MAC games would be played in Amherst.

“We look forward to 2014 when we begin to play some games back on campus. At this time, how the games will be divided between Gillette and McGuirk is undetermined,” he said. “I do know this – we will definitely play our homecoming game and any MAC weeknight games on campus. We will play BC at Gillette and the rest of the schedule will be decided once the MAC schedule comes out next spring. We think our recipe for success will always be a combination of both venues.”

Also discussed was an interesting idea of how to increase the popularity of college football in New England. Molnar wants to play UConn and Boston College every year while simultaneously scheduling one FCS team from the area.

“I have a very doable plan in place,” Molnar wrote. “All 3 1A teams (UMass, UConn, BC) should play each other on an annual basis and each one of us should play 1of the 3 New England based 1AA teams (Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island). Not only will our fans in New England love to see who the New England champion is every year, we would certainly help elevate the 1AA programs in the region.”

Also of note, Molnar said that he hopes to bring UMass to Austin, Texas to play the Longhorns.

“I’ve been fortunate to coach in some of the best stadiums in the country. One stadium I have not coached at is the University of Texas and I hope I can bring the Minutemen to Austin one day!”

When asked about possible 2014 NFL Draft picks, Molnar pointed to Rob Blanchflower (TE), Anthony Dima (OT) and Colter Johnson (P).

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(The Little Ceasar Pizza Bowl could be on the move in 2014/Americajr.us)

One of the Mid-American Conference’s three regular bowl tie-ins could be on the move.

According to Mark Snyder with the Detroit Free Press, the Little Ceasars Pizza Bowl may be moving to Comerica Park for the 2014 season. The move may be necessary, as the Detroit Lions are mulling the idea of hosting a higher-profile bowl at Ford Field.

From Snyder’s article:

Though the status of the current Lions-backed game is unknown, if it enters the Big Ten bowl lineup, that could be a significant boost to its cachet. ESPN.com reported the game would pit the Big Ten against the ACC.

While the current Little Caesars contract is tied to the Mid-American Conference and the Big Ten, everything is on the table going forward. All contracts, including the deal with Little Caesars as the sponsor, run only through this year’s game.

Meanwhile, MLive is reporting that ”Lions officials haven’t ruled out the possibility of playing both the Pizza Bowl and the new Lions-backed bowl game at Ford Field.”

The Little Ceasars Bowl has had a MAC team participate since 1997 (it was the Motor City Bowl until 2009). It is one of the three guaranteed bowl games for the MAC, along with the GoDaddy.com Bowl and the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

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(UMass Recruit Darrell Langham)

• UMass has extended an offer to Darrell Langham, a 2014 wide receiver from Lake Worth, Fla. The news comes from the Palm Beach Post’s Matt Porter, who mentioned the offer on Twitter. Langham is a big target, and stands at 6’5 and 190 pounds. He currently holds an offer from Florida State, according to 247 Sports.
• Alon Smith, a 2014 wide receiver from West Palm Beach, Fla., tweeted that he picked up an offer from UMass. Smith grabbed his first offer from Florida Atlantic over the weekend, according to 247 Sports. Check out Smith’s hudl highlights here.
• Jamil Demby, an offensive lineman from New Jersey, tweeted that UMass visited him on campus. According to Scout, Boston College, Maryland and Rutgers are showing interest. The 6’5, 289-pound athlete is slated to play offensive guard at the next level. Check out his hudl highlights here.
• Mike Gesicki, a Garden State tight end, tweeted that UMass made a verbal offer. It sounds like the Minutemen are going to have to get in line. Gesicki has offers from all over – including Penn State, Miami (Fla.), Rutgers and Wisconsin – and is one of the top 50 tight ends in the country, according to 247 Sports.
• Cinjun Erskine, a 2015 dual-threat quarterback fron New Jersey, picked up an offer from UMass, according to Scout‘s Brian Dohn. Erskine currently holds an offer from Miami (Fla.), according to Rivals. Check out his highlights here. 
• Trevor Knight, an athlete from New Hampshire, tweeted that UMass extended an offer. Knight is a 2014 recruit and plays both quarterback and cornerback for Nashua North. Check out his highlights here.

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(Via Consigli Construction Co., Inc.)

The north wall of McGuirk Alumni Stadium has been torn down to make way for the new football facility.

The UMass football team posted a video of the demolition on Facebook.

For those who want to take a daily look at the progress, the Consigli Construction Company has set up a live webcam.

Check out the proposed final product here.

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(UMass Commit Justin Anderson (#95)/Washington Times)

The UMass football team has picked up its 24th signee for the 2013 class, and as anticipated it’s a fifth-year transfer defensive lineman.

Multiple sources have told the Maroon Musket that Justin Anderson, a defensive end/defensive tackle from the University of Maryland, will transfer to the University of Massachusetts for his final year of eligibility. Anderson also had offers to play at Temple, Illinois and Rutgers for his fifth year.

Anderson played both defensive end and defensive tackle during his time as a Terrapin, and immediately gives the Minutemen some much-needed depth and experience. According to two different sources, Anderson wants to have a shot at an NFL career after the 2013 season.

The 6’5, 280-pound athlete had six tackles in six games during the 2012 season after missing the entire 2011 campaign with a preseason injury.

UMass defensive line coach Dave Sollazzo, who held the same position at Maryland and was also the Terps’ recruiting coordinator, recruited Anderson out fo high school. Multiple sources have told the Maroon Musket that he was instrumental in bringing Anderson to Amherst.

Anderson can play for the Minutemen right away under an NCAA rule allowing players to transfer without penalty if they have completed their undergraduate degree. Last year, Mike Cox (RB), Hafis Williams (DL) and Deion Walker (WR) all used this rule to transfer to UMass and contribute as fifth-year players.

So far, UMass has brought in Ricardo Miller (TE/WR) from Michigan and now Anderson under the fifth-year transfer rule. The Minutemen have one final scholarship to use on the 2013 class.

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