MassVarsity

By Zander Manning AMHERST — According to multiple reports, UMass is looking to part ways with head coach Mark Whipple. The news was first reported by Bruce Feldman, a college football writer for The Athletic.  The move comes after a sixth consecutive losing season for the Minutemen (4-8), and fifth in a row with Whipple as head coach. Whipple was given an extension before the 2018 season, but UMass will be forced to buy out his contract. Whipple held a 16-44 record since returning to the Minutemen after spending five years in the NFL. In 1998, he led the Minutemen to a 12-3 record and the Division 1-aa (now Football Championship Subdivision) title. As head coach, Whipple holds a 137-103 record overall and 65-70 record with the Minutemen. Twitter: @zander_manning_

One of the most recent offers made by Boston College was to BC High Class of 2020 offensive tackle/defensive end Ozzy Trapilo. On Tuesday, we reached out to BC High coach Jonathan Brillo to get his thoughts on Trapilo and his development as a player. MassVarsity: I know the name Trapilo pretty well. What is Ozzy's relation to the lineman who also played at BC High and BC? Jonathan Brillo: His father was Steve Trapilo. If you watch the Doug Flutie Hail Mary, he's the offensive lineman that catches Doug Flutie at the Orange Bowl. When I was at BC High, I want to say, I think it was either 1997 or '98. I think it was '97 when Steve came back to help coaching. He basically donated our entire new weight room at the time, all new equipment and everything. So the weight room is named after him, as well. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2004. But he was an excellent, excellent guy. MV: Is Ozzy a first-year starter? JB: He's a first-year full-time. He was with th

In a game that made perhaps the biggest news of the past weekend, Central Catholic went to Everett and shocked the top-ranked Crimson Tide, 23-20, to advance to the Division 1 North final. The Raiders will face St. John's Prep, a team that already owns a win over Central this season, 31-12, in the second week of the regular season. Regardless of what happens in Danvers when those teams meet this week, what Central was able to accomplish in Everett remains a major accomplishment for a team that was not expected to do all that much this season. We reached out to Central coach Chuck Adamopoulos this week to get his thoughts on his young team, the Everett game, and what lies ahead. Here is an edited version of that conversation. MassVarsity: Obviously, a big one Friday night. One of the things we talked about early in the year, juniors all over the offensive line, junior at quarterback, juniors everywhere, really. Did you expect that they'd be able to step into a place li

By Zander Manning   AMHERST — After consecutive overtime quarters with scores on both sides, UMass  finally pulled out a  62-59  victory in the third  on a 22-yard field goal by Cooper Garcia. A leaping  interception  by Jarrell Addo on Liberty's final overtime possession put the Minutemen in prime position to win. UMass improves  to 4-6, while Liberty falls to 4-4. The Minutemen  have won two in a row for the first time all season, and keep their hopes of  qualifying for  a bowl game alive.    Senior wide receiver Andy Isabella  caught  nine passes for 303 yards and two touchdowns. The yardage mark set  a  school record .   “Just a great, great win for our seniors and the guys in the program,” UMass coach Mark Whipple said. “They battled. . . . The fourth quarter  there was a lot of frustration showing. They didn’t seem like the same team I coached last week at UConn. I just got more positive with them and brought them in. . . . We flipped it, I don

By Zander Manning   Going into Saturday’s matchup with Liberty (4-3), UMass is looking to make it two wins in as many weeks after defeating UConn in “The U Game” in East Hartford last weekend.    UMass (3-6) defeated the Huskies last Saturday, 22-17, thanks to a late touchdown by senior Marquis Young. Young  finished  with 26 rushes for 148 yards and a touchdown. The Minutemen are looking to make it two wins in a row for the first time all season, and are also looking to push  one win  closer to qualifying, but not necessarily making, a bowl game for the first time since joining the Football Bowl Subdivision. The Flames, on the other hand, are coming off of two consecutive wins, one over Football Championship Subdivision foe Idaho State, and the other over Sun Belt foe Troy, by scores of 48-41 and 22-16, respectively.   Here are the keys to victory for both squads.   Liberty wins if . . .   The Flames shut down  Young and wide receiver An