What will it take in 2026?

[InnervisionsUMASS]

9-3 is terrible at his job. LOL

[eldonabe]

I sort of dread posting this below as it is just piling on but I have to do this.... The Athletic recently put out a piece on the 10 worst G6 Jobs. It is ugly and as you can imagine our beloved Umass Minutemen made the cut. In fact 3 MAC teams made it - From the Article:




1. Kent State

Points: 100
First-place votes: 6
Last winning season: 2020

The Golden Flashes removed the interim tag from Mark Carney in late October. He won five games this season, and that should be viewed as a major step forward considering Kent State won just one game over the previous two seasons.

Sean Lewis, currently the head coach at San Diego State, went 24-31 at Kent State from 2018 through 2022, and he was considered a miracle worker.

There’s no real history of success. The resources are lacking, as is the commitment. And there are several losses baked into the schedule every season because the program has to play so many “buy” games against P4 powers — the Golden Flashes played Texas Tech, Florida State and Oklahoma this season.

“Virtually impossible,” a G5 personnel staffer said.

2. UMass

Points: 98
First-place votes: 8
Last winning season: 2010 (FCS)

The Minutemen returned to the FBS ranks in 2012 and have yet to post a winning season. They went 0-12 in 2025 and have lost 16 consecutive games dating back to last season. They haven’t beaten an FBS opponent since October 2023.

It was coach Joe Harasymiak’s first season, so we’ll have to look for any small sign of progress next season. But with no real blueprint or roadmap for success in the program’s history in the FBS, it’s going to be tough.

“Bad location, lack of resources, no history or previous success, hard recruiting footprint,” a P4 running backs coach said.

4. Akron

Points: 62
First-place votes: 5
Last winning season: 2015

The Zips have not posted a winning record since 2015. Coach Joe Moorhead led the team to a 5-7 mark this season — a sign of unquestionable progress since the program had not won that many games since going 7-7 in 2017.

Similar to Kent State, the resources and commitment are lacking, though Moorhead has improved things in recent years. He’s won nine games over the past two seasons. The Zips won seven games in the four seasons before his arrival.

“Low resources, poor academics, not a great town, no pedigree,” a G5 personnel staffer said. “It’s a very tough place to sell and win.”

Other schools that received first-place votes: FIU (2), UConn (2), Boise State (1), Bowling Green (1), Oregon State (1), UAB (1)

A P4 assistant coach on the G5: “Whew, those are way harder jobs now because if you have anyone decent, they leave you. The much shorter list is, what are good G5 jobs?”

[stevemaz]

i think you are going to find this will be a thing of the past. 3,6,9,13

I think it going to be easier over time to recruit the midwest kid who is just below Big Ten standard or is an upperclassmen backup on a big Ten school for transfers. You get the same quality big school education/campus life as the Big Ten schools and 4 road games a year in the midwest so parents can easily see you play. UMass will become top MAC program before moving over to another conference in 2030.

My "positive trolling has no ceiling" LOL..but in this case I am dead on..

[Old-School]

I'll probably get roasted for this but buy super low and hire Sherrone Moore.. doesn't have to happen now, could be next season/offseason. Thinking football here. Looking back, Pat Fitzgerald could have been a super hire last season but he was still on that blacklist.. a season later, Michigan State takes him no problem, people moved on

Edit: decision may change shortly, heard Sherrone has been arrested. Can't have a coach calling plays behind bars

This is how Ryan Bamford has stayed employeed for mulitple YEARS with zero results. ZERO departmental scandals that have been made pubically!!!! Cannot have the coach allegedly banging a member of his staff!!!!!!

Shout out to Lou Roe

[PreecherJenkins]

I'll probably get roasted for this but buy super low and hire Sherrone Moore.. doesn't have to happen now, could be next season/offseason. Thinking football here. Looking back, Pat Fitzgerald could have been a super hire last season but he was still on that blacklist.. a season later, Michigan State takes him no problem, people moved on

Edit: decision may change shortly, heard Sherrone has been arrested. Can't have a coach calling plays behind bars

This is how Ryan Bamford has stayed employeed for mulitple YEARS with zero results. ZERO departmental scandals that have been made pubically!!!! Cannot have the coach allegedly banging a member of his staff!!!!!!

Shout out to Lou Roe

that was not under bamford, there is atleast one that got pushed under the rug really quickly.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Cut down for size

The "bad location" thing is such a crock of shit. I get the rest, but there are plenty of schools in the middle of nowhere that do well in their major sports. That's just as bad as Massachusetts people saying Amherst is too far away.

[eldonabe]

Cut down for size

The "bad location" thing is such a crock of shit. I get the rest, but there are plenty of schools in the middle of nowhere that do well in their major sports. That's just as bad as Massachusetts people saying Amherst is too far away.

I agree with that. I think we are spoiled up here with the closeness of a lot of things compared to those outside of the northeast and Cali. a 90 minute ride to Boston is nothing, but for them coming here in 90 minutes is an eternity.

[Juice Stand]

^Definitely, that's always been a crock. We're in the northeast corridor with major highways running N/S (I-91) and E/W (I-90) nearby. Bradley Intl Airport is less than an hour away and much easier to deal with than Logan. And for the flight averse, Amtrak rail runs through Northampton. Amherst is pretty darn easy to get to.

[Old Cage]

Probably 20-30 qualified candidates from just here:

COACH PORTAL JOB WIRE
A Special Teams Graduate Assistant opportunity is now open at UMass (FBS)
This is an elite entry point into FBS football operations

[TruBluMaroon]

Cut down for size

The "bad location" thing is such a crock of shit. I get the rest, but there are plenty of schools in the middle of nowhere that do well in their major sports. That's just as bad as Massachusetts people saying Amherst is too far away. I’m

I don’t look at the bad location strictly in distance, you also need to factor in what else is available in the general area. The factor of being located in a Pro area versus a non-Pro area is also a factor in location.
Being in a state with so many other colleges is also a negative in location.
Focusing on just football and basketball; how many of the schools that others say the location is comparable have 3 pro football teams and 3 pro basketball teams within three hours of campus? Others in comparable areas according to some are located in their state capital…..legislators like to have people pat them on the back and tell them they are doing a great job on Saturday! Think Joe Malone during the Calipari era and that dude took a
Limo from Boston!

So , there are many more differences than similarities with many in the location argument.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

^

Maybe? The post gave no context, so I'm going to stick with my take on this "bad location" thing... it's bullshit and lazy.

[minutefanjsf]

Cut down for size

The "bad location" thing is such a crock of shit. I get the rest, but there are plenty of schools in the middle of nowhere that do well in their major sports. That's just as bad as Massachusetts people saying Amherst is too far away.

I don’t look at the bad location strictly in distance, but you also need to factor in what else is available in the general area. The factor of being located in a Pro area versus a non-Pro area is also a factor in location.
Being in a state with so many other colleges is also a negative in location.
Focusing on just football and basketball; how many of the schools that others say the location is comparable have 3 pro football teams and 3 pro basketball teams within three hours of campus? Others in comparable areas according to some are located in their state capital…..legislators like to have people pat them on the back and tell them they are doing a great job on Saturday! Think Joe Malone during the Calipari era and that dude took a
Limo from Boston!

So , there are many more differences than similarities with many in the location argument.

Those things should be a bonus, IMO. The location argument usually is that there are fewer elite players in the NE to draw local talent from, so getting the talent is difficult. The airports, and trains make Amherst must closer than most of the country realize. I don't buy the location as an issue, either. If location were an issue, Storrs would be worse.

[TruBluMaroon]

^. UConn is about 30 minutes from the Connecticut State House ($$$) and those connections with NO major colleges to draw the legislature’s attention away from UConn.

UMass does not have those built in advantages.

[minutefanjsf]

^. UConn is about 30 minutes from the Connecticut State House ($$$) and those connections with NO major colleges to draw the legislature’s attention away from UConn.

UMass does not have those built in advantages.

I get that. That is not about "location". "Location" is about being in the northeast and near "civilization" when used as a reason the UMAss job is difficult. Resources is another argument/point. Storrs and Amherst are literally the same distance from Bradley and Amherst has more/closer access to trains. That is my point about location and why it holds no water.

[UMass1991]

Went on a school tour of UVA and Penn State. Now, both of those schools are located in in the middle of nowhere