Thorr Bjorn

[Crank]

My assumption is that this is both a buyout issue for Bamford's contract as well as a goodwill gesture to allow him some time to "pursue other interests" without the stain of being fired on his resume. It also gives Thorr a bit of a buffer to get up to speed as well. I don't see any way he would have taken the job as a step down (even if the pay is slightly higher) without some assurances that he'd be taking over. I also don't see the UMass administration approving a new $400k add to staff out of thin air.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

I think there are others coming with Thorr

I am hoping for at least one person to come (back) to UMass with him.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

My assumption is that this is both a buyout issue for Bamford's contract as well as a goodwill gesture to allow him some time to "pursue other interests" without the stain of being fired on his resume. It also gives Thorr a bit of a buffer to get up to speed as well. I don't see any way he would have taken the job as a step down (even if the pay is slightly higher) without some assurances that he'd be taking over. I also don't see the UMass administration approving a new $400k add to staff out of thin air.

Well put AI recap of everything I've said


But yes, this!

[MikeUMA]

Presser is live.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zkc0bvtOkak

It's Bamford, Thorr, and Coach Joe on the stage. No Reyes or Meehan, which I find disappointing.

Ryan spoke to the decision to bring on Thorr, that it was entirely his idea, he pitched it to Reyes, and Reyes OK'd it.

For what it's worth, Thorr also talked a tiny bit about some of the other UM athletic coaches (Frank, Carvel, etc), and how he's excited to be part of the whole UM Athletics family.

Ryan answered something about the chain of command, relative to him and Thorr. Ryan positioned it somewhat about being stretched a bit thin and now Thorr can devote his energy to football and be more of an active advisor with Coach Joe. The very last thing Bamford said before it ended caught my attention: "I have a tremendous excitement to make sure Thorr has the authority too, as I referenced, I'm doing a lot of traveling, raising a lot of money, there's a lot of things we want to get done to support these programs, especially football, and I have tremendous belief and feel strongly that when I'm gone Thorr can make decisions not only for football but for the department as well."

Read into those bits I took away what you will. I want to believe I heard a couple of hints at succession in the top AD chair.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Press Conference was exactly what was expected, just reiterating yesterday's press release.

[eldonabe]

Press time January 20th, 2026

Umass and Ryan Bamford announce their mutual decision and agreement to part ways....

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Press time January 20th, 2026

Umass and Ryan Bamford announce their mutual decision and agreement to part ways....

Finally someone else took a guess.


From the Ryan Bamford thread in the Football Forum:

Odds on when the announcement is made that Ryan is leaving? Start getting your guesses in.


I am going with a 2/15 date for the announcement, with a June exit.

I originally said February 15th, but that's a Sunday... so I'm going to slightly edit my guess to February 16th.

EDIT: Stupid President's Day... make that February 17th instead.

[MikeUMA]

I originally said February 15th, but that's a Sunday... so I'm going to slightly edit my guess to February 16th.

2/16 is President's Day, and state government loves their holidays, so I don't think it'd be then. Call it 2/17.

I like the ~90 days from now mindset though. If they didn't say it today, they're not going to say it in the immediate future.

Assuming for a moment that change will be made, I think the earliest it'd be is 12/1/25. Football ends with the 11/25 game, then you have Thanksgiving Weekend, so the following Monday.

But the more I think about this, the more I wonder what the long-term plan really is, if any. So I give up with the speculation for now. It's driving me nuts and UM athletics already have way too much rent free space in my head. (EDITED)

[InnervisionsUMASS]

I originally said February 15th, but that's a Sunday... so I'm going to slightly edit my guess to February 16th.

2/16 is President's Day, and state government loves their holidays, so I don't think it'd be then. Call it 2/17.

I like the ~90 days from now mindset though. If they didn't say it today, they're not going to say it in the immediate future.

Assuming for a moment that change will be made, I think the earliest it'd be is 12/1/25. Football ends with the 11/25 game, then you have Thanksgiving Weekend, so the following Monday.

But the more I think about this, the more I wonder what the long-term plan really is, if any. So I give up with the speculation for now.

DAMN IT. February 17th then. Thanks for pointing that out.

[eldonabe]

I originally said February 15th, but that's a Sunday... so I'm going to slightly edit my guess to February 16th.

2/16 is President's Day, and state government loves their holidays, so I don't think it'd be then. Call it 2/17.

I like the ~90 days from now mindset though. If they didn't say it today, they're not going to say it in the immediate future.

Assuming for a moment that change will be made, I think the earliest it'd be is 12/1/25. Football ends with the 11/25 game, then you have Thanksgiving Weekend, so the following Monday.

But the more I think about this, the more I wonder what the long-term plan really is, if any. So I give up with the speculation for now. It's driving me nuts and UM athletics already have way too much rent free space in my head. (EDITED)

I am sure Steve will be in to clarify all of this, but were we not told that the New, New, "This Time It's Different Plan" would be unveiled in December or January? That gives me pause that this fucking school is actually not canning Bamford. Why on earth would he be the one to deliver this?

Fuck - JUST FUCK!!!!!!!!

[Steve81]

Press conference from early this afternoon. Starts of about the move to the MAC was a significant decision. It's a football move, a bold move. Thorr's hire is another piece and put all the pieces together to build a winning program. It will not happen immediately, but you need to align all the pieces.

Thorr loved URI and his boss and UMass was the only one he would ever consider. Ryan talks about the role, the decision process, stadium improvements and clarifications, responsibilities, roles including scheduling. History, relationships with all three and having that trust for making difficult decisions and deliverables.
https://youtu.be/I9Yy_KCpGy8

[Steve81]

Mike, Thorr's hire is a football move and belongs on the football forum.

[inthescoop]

I don't think Thorr is a replacement hire for Bamford like some here. You guys are thinking with logic and our administration does not think with logic. Ryan was the head of the press conference, our chancellor wasn't even there. It's quite clear that Ryan has complete control of the athletics world at UMass and if anything, our Chancellor and the UMass administration think even higher of Ryan now. "Whoa, what a good idea, way to use your budget properly and be selfless, Ryan!!" He made it clear that they didn't reach out of pocket for the hire, they had an opening position that was sitting there for a while. He brought running water in 2018, savior. I bet he brings up that hockey national championship in every single meeting as well.

Classic body language: When Thorr spoke highly of UMass joining the MAC, Ryan had his head up the entire time. Because it happened, it's real. Then when Thorr spoke about stadium renovations and Ryan's vision of it, Ryan's head then went down for a bit. Because there is no real vision of future stadium plans, the "designs" have been in works for years now, but Thorr recently finalized monies and changes to the URI stadium.. I think that's why he really needed Thorr on board, to finally fix that stadium because it's a been there, done that for Thorr. Ryan has been stuck when it comes to the stadium

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Mike, Thorr's hire is a football move and belongs on the football forum.

No, it belongs here. He will be the AD by July 1st.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

I don't think Thorr is a replacement hire for Bamford like some here. You guys are thinking with logic and our administration does not think with logic. Ryan was the head of the press conference, our chancellor wasn't even there. It's quite clear that Ryan has complete control of the athletics world at UMass and if anything, our Chancellor and the UMass administration think even higher of Ryan now. "Whoa, what a good idea, way to use your budget properly and be selfless, Ryan!!" He made it clear that they didn't reach out of pocket for the hire, they had an opening position that was sitting there for a while. He brought running water in 2018, savior. I bet he brings up that hockey national championship in every single meeting as well.

Classic body language: When Thorr spoke highly of UMass joining the MAC, Ryan had his head up the entire time. Because it happened, it's real. Then when Thorr spoke about stadium renovations and Ryan's vision of it, Ryan's head then went down for a bit. Because there is no real vision of future stadium plans, the "designs" have been in works for years now, but Thorr recently finalized monies and changes to the URI stadium.. I think that's why he really needed Thorr on board, to finally fix that stadium because it's a been there, done that for Thorr. Ryan has been stuck when it comes to the stadium

Ryan certainly seemed very checked out.