The Professor - The Coaching Career of James Xavier

[Captain Canada]

Let's hope some of these 1 stars can develop into solid players down the road. Next season might be a tough challenge.

spoiler alert: they won't

We lost to Kansas?

False kings.

also a recruiting tip: too much dip on your chip

Start your board small, enough to put at least 25-40 points into each player. As you land more players and free up points, then you add to the board.

Appreciate the advice. Still figuring things out, but I sort of like the challenge of it all.

[Captain Canada]

Week 1 Preview: vs #17 Boston College


Record: 0-0, 0-0 ACC
Head Coach: Bill O'Brien
Offensive Scheme: Pro Style
Defensive Scheme: 3-4 Multiple

Returning Team Leaders
Passing: Thomas Castellanos (219-339, 2,788 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, 9 interceptions)
Rushing: Thomas Castellanos (109 carries, 457 rushing yards, 4 touchdowns)
Receiving: Lewis Bond (44 catches, 605 receiving yards, 8 touchdowns)
Blocking: 0 sacks allowed, 0.0 PPG
Defense: No significant stats recorded

Injuries
No Injuries

Boston College Projected Starters
QB #1 Thomas Castellanos, Sr | 5’9”, 196 lbs | 87 overall
HB #20 Alex Broome, Rs Jr | 5’6”, 183 lbs | 81 overall
WR #11 Lewis Bond, Rs Sr | 5’11”, 199 lbs | 89 overall
WR #6 Jaedn Skeete, Jr | 6’2”, 191 lbs | 83 overall
WR #9 Jerand Bradley, Rs Sr | 6’5”, 222 lbs | 80 overall
TE #87 Matt Ragan, Rs Jr | 6’5”, 246 lbs | 83 overall
LT #71 Jude Lowry, Rs Jr | 6’5”, 308 lbs | 82 overall
LG 65 Logan Taylor, Rs Sr | 6’7”, 308 lbs | 85 overall
C #66 Drew Kendall, Rs Sr | 6’4”, 299 lbs | 87 overall
RG #56 Eryx Daugherty, Rs So | 6’3”, 298 lbs | 74 overall
RT #58 Ryan Mickow, Rs So | 6’7”, 306 lbs | 72 overall
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DE #90 Ty Clemons, Sr | 6’3”, 273 lbs | 82 overall
DE #17 Edwin Kolenge, Rs Jr | 6’3”, 248 lbs | 77 overall
DT #99 Gilbert Tongrongou, Rs Jr | 6’3”, 263 lbs | 82 overall
OLB #8 Jaylen Blackwell, Rs Sr | 6’1”, 226 lbs | 82 overall
MLB #33 Owen McGowan, Rs Sr | 6’0”, 232 lbs | 77 overall
MLB ##36 Billy Van Pelt, Rs Jr | 6’1”, 218 lbs | 74 overall
OLB #7 Sione Hala, Rs Jr | 6’1”, 218 lbs | 80 overall
CB #24 Amari Jackson, Sr | 5’11”, 188 lbs | 81 overall
CB #13 Max Tucker, Jr | 5’11”, 187 lbs | 81 overall
FS #28 Carter Davis, Rs So | 6’1”, 179 lbs | 82 overall
SS #20 KP Price, Jr | 6’1”, 200 lbs | 84 overall
K #95 Liam Connor, Sr | 6’2”, 207 lbs | 77 overall
P #35 Ivan Zivenko, Rs Jr | 6’5”, 194 lbs | 77 overall
KR #2 Jayden McGowan, Sr | 5’7”, 180 lbs | 99 overall

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Coach James Xavier's Offensive Gameplan

"We want to start our season off on the right foot, and being able to draw a team like Boston College to start things off is right up our alley. They have an experienced team on offense and we all know that their coach, Bill O'Brien, is an experienced guy with tons of creativity. He rules with an iron first. On offense, we're going to have to match that intensity. We're feeling things out; training camp isn't the same as the regular season. These guys are fiending to get going and I'm looking forward to letting them loose. Ahmad [Haston] has been fiending to put doubters to bed. He's ready to show out. Take care of the ball and execute on our opportunities to put points on the board."

[Captain Canada]

‣ CFB 2025 Regular Season, Week 1 - Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium, Hadley, Massachusetts
(0-0, 0-0 ACC) Boston College Eagles at UMass Minutemen (0-0, 0-0 MAC)

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BC | 7 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 24
MASS | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 28

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Dominant run game featuring two-headed monster leads UMass on upset victory over Boston College

The UMass Minutemen came into the 2025 season with heightened expectations. The roster was depleted but motivated. Sophomore quarterback Ahmad Haston was set to prove that he had earned the job, not had it fumbled into his hands. The offense came correct against Bill O'Brien's number-17 ranked Boston College and slid past them, winning the season opener, 28-24.

The redzone offense came correct for the Minutemen, with all four of their touchdowns for the day coming from within the 10-yard line. The defense held as steady as possible, despite allowing two touchdowns in the second half to a scrambling Boston College offensive unit. Running backs Jalen John and C.J. Hester both scored two touchdowns for the Minutemen, with the latter pushing over the century mark on 25 carries.

"We had visions to start off like this," commented offensive coordinator James Xavier. "We knew we could hang with this team if we limited the mistakes. We didn't even play our best football, which we're currently capable of doing. We've got a lot more in the clip to unload. We'll be getting better next week."

Haston performed well, throwing for 254 passing yards, despite an interception that set back a crucial drive from the Minutemen. The defense remained steady and got the ball back.

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Scoring Summary
1st Quarter
Alex Broome, 1-yard run (Liam Connor kick) [6:53]

2nd Quarter
Jalen John, 1-yard run (Riley Moore kick) [8:21]
Liam Connor, 32-yard field goal [5:38]

3rd Quarter
C.J. Hester, 3-yard run (Riley Moore kick) [6:59]
Alex Broome, 9-yard pass from Thomas Castellanos (Liam Connor kick) [3:20]

4th Quarter
C.J. Hester, 7-yard run (Riley Moore kick) [9:56]
Lewis Bond, 51-yard pass from Thomas Castellanos (Liam Connor kick) [8:24]
Jalen John, 1-yard run (Riley Moore kick) [4:16]

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Player Stats
QB Ahmad Haston: 21-33, 254 passing yards, interception
QB Thomas Castellanos: 15-18, 236 passing yards, 2 touchdowns

HB CJ Hester: 25 carries, 102 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns
HB Jalen John: 5 carries, 24 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 reception, 58 receiving yards
HB Alex Broome: 19 carries, 86 rushing yards, touchdown, 3 receptions, 26 receiving yards, touchdown

WR T.Y. Harding: 9 receptions, 89 receiving yards
WR Jacquon Gibson: 4 receptions, 25 receiving yards
TE Magnus Von Saldern: 2 receptions, 35 receiving yards
WR Lewis Bond: 4 receptions, 82 receiving yards, touchdown
WR Jaedn Skeete: 4 receptions, 82 receiving yards
WR Jayden McGowan: 2 receptions, 37 receiving yards

CB Ryan Barnes: 7 tackles
DT Aaron Beckwith: 4 tackles, 2 tackles for loss
OLB Derrieon Craig: 2 tackles, sack
OLB Daveon Crouch: 10 tackles, tackle for loss, sack
OLB Jaylen Blackwell: 7 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, sack
DT George Rooks: 6 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, sack

[Caesar]

Coach was dialing up runs like it's 1992.

[Captain Canada]

Coach was dialing up runs like it's 1992.

We run the ball in this household

[Captain Canada]

Week 1 Top Stories
#3 Georgia dominates #5 Miami 52-24 at the Bank of America Stadium
#4 NC State topples #14 Ole Miss in a convincing 30-3 win behind OLB Sean Brown’s 5 tackles and sack
#22 Washington State might rise up the rankings after fending off Tulane, 42-28
UMass slides past rival Boston College in a massive upset, taking them down 28-24

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Week 1 MAC Results
No Results

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Week 2 MAC Matchups
No Results

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Heisman Watchlist
HB Makhi Hughes, Rs Jr » 12 carries, 48 rushing yards (L 42-28 at #17 Washington State)
HB Dylan Sampson, Sr » 14 carries, 36 rushing yards (L 38-13 vs #7 Clemson)
WR Evan Stewart, Sr » No stats
HB CJ Baxter, Jr » 16 carries, 69 rushing yards, touchdown, 3 receptions, 19 receiving yards, touchdown (W 27-25 vs Troy)
HB Damien Martinez, Sr » 4 carries, 17 rushing yards, touchdown (L 52-24 vs #1 Georgia)

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Players of the Week
QB Dermaricus Davis (UCLA): 83-7 W vs FCS West - 23-34, 296 passing yards, 6 touchdowns, 10 carries, 54 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns
DE Peter Woods (Clemson): 38-13 W at Tennessee - 6 tackles, 4 sacks
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WR Tyson Davis (Central Michigan): 38-3 W vs FCS East 6 receptions, 105 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns
DE Jordan Ross (Bowling Green): 27-24 L at Marshall - 5 tackles, 2 sacks, forced fumble

[djp73]

[Agent]

Aside from the pick, nice job from Haston in the season opener.

[Captain Canada]

Aside from the pick, nice job from Haston in the season opener.

It was such a dumb, forced ball trying to get to the corner of the end zone. Got undercut. Oh well, we move.

[Captain Canada]

Reports of “fracture” between OC Xavier, HC Brown has UMass split

AMHERST, MA -- When head coach Don Brown was brought back on board for a second stint as the leader in Amherst, his first call was to an old student of his from back during his days as the defensive coordinator at the University of Michigan. He was now a head coaching superstar back in his home state of Florida, and Brown had to sell him a dream to lure him away.

“I didn’t make it easy for him,” remembers offensive coordinator James Xavier at the UMass press day ahead of the season. “He knew I wanted this - to make the jump - but I’m not just a football coach. I’m a husband and a father, and that comes first. I needed to know I was walking into a situation that had a good work-life balance. That I was walking into something that was going to allow me to be me.”

Since walking onto campus, the Minutemen have seen an evolution. From a laughing stock Independent team going nowhere fast to a fledgling MAC team featuring one of the top offenses in the country, let alone the conference.

Coach Xavier has gotten a lot of the credit, from people on campus, to college football analysts, to the players themselves.

“Coach X has been fundamental in our growth,” commented quarterback Ahmad Haston, currently a redshirt sophomore who was given the keys to the team last season after a hot-and-cold outing from former quarterback Taisun Phommachan. “He just gets it. He knows who we are and what we need to get us going. He talks to you like a person and wants your input on what we think is best. Going to war for him every Saturday is made so much easier when you genuinely like the guy.”

One of the hotter prospects for a future head coaching job, Coach Xavier doubled down last off-season, signing a reported four-year extension to stay on at UMass. The alleged perks aligned his power with that of head coach Brown - more say on the roster configuration and recruitment.

For an old-school coach like Brown, who sees his coordinators and extended staff as just that - staff - it has reportedly rubbed him the wrong way. Brown enjoys the success, but is quick to give credit to more than just the evolved offense.

“Our defense deserves a lot more credit; they’ve held us in a number of games last year. They get put in some tough situations and always stand tall when we need them to,” he said last season while the Minutemen sprang to an 8-5 record, including their first Bowl game victory in program history at the Division I level.

A power struggle seems evident, and one would consider that Coach Xavier has his eye on the door despite his consistent statements saying his loyalty lies with Massachusetts.

“Everyone always thinks a coordinator at the college level is always fiending for a head coaching job. I’m not. I like where I’m at. UMass has welcomed me with open arms, and I’m happy to be here. My wife and my son love it here. This isn’t the NFL, where you’re always looking for the next opening. I’ve made real connections here, and that’s what this game is built on: community and connections,” he said when asked about his openness to move on in the future.

The air isn’t necessarily hostile in the UMass coaching room. But, reports suggest, it isn’t entirely friendly anymore either.