The University of Massachusetts won two games in three seasons from 2019-2021 under Walt Bell. Under new coach Don Brown, UMass jumped from one win in his first season in 2022 to a three-win campaign in 2023.
Looking to build on last year’s success and move UMass football forward before heading into a new era in the MAC, starting in 2025, the Minutemen will have to rely on their top returning players in 2024.
So, who are the Minutemen’s top returning players in 2024?
UMass Minutemen Top 10 Returners in 2024
Analyzing the returning players at every school is a difficult task in the transfer portal era. As such, we’ve included transfer-portal athletes that were included on each team’s roster page to open fall camp in addition to the rostered players from last year.
10) Tyler Rudolph, FS
Tyler Rudolph, a redshirt senior, was a key player for UMass last season, starting in 10 games. He contributed 40 tackles, one sack, one interception, and five pass breakups. He will be one of the leaders in the secondary school for UMass.
Rudolph is the highest-rated Minutemen player in EA Sports College Football 25 with a player rating of 81.
9) Jalen Stewart, MLB
Jalen Stewart is entering his third season with the Minutemen. The junior linebacker made his presence felt in 2023, appearing in 10 games and racking up 30 tackles, with 17 solo and 13 assisted.
He also added one tackle for loss, a sack, and two quarterback hurries. Stewart matched his career-high with seven tackles, including a season-best six solo stops, in the season opener at Auburn on Sept. 2.
8) Ethan Mottinger, RT
If UMass is to move forward in 2024, the offensive line will have to play with significantly more consistency. That starts with their returning vets.
Ethan Mottinger will lead the right side of the offensive line at tackle. The three-year starter returns with a ton of experience and will look to ensure pass protection while creating running lanes for the Minutemen.
7) Isaiah Rutherford, CB
Isaiah Rutherford was a key contributor for the Minutemen in 2023, starting in 11 games. He tallied 22 tackles, with 15 solo and seven assisted, and added a forced fumble, an interception, three pass breakups, and a blocked kick to his stat sheet.
The Arizona transfer demonstrated consistency with at least two tackles in five straight games from Oct. 14 to Nov. 25. He set a career-high at Penn State, recording six total tackles, including a personal best of five solo stops.
6) Jalen John, RB
Jalen John faces the challenge of stepping up to replace Kay’ron Lynch-Adams, who transferred to Michigan State after rushing for 1,157 yards. John had limited opportunities for Massachusetts in 2023, appearing in eight games and rushing for 31 yards on 10 attempts.
His best performance came against Penn State, where he posted 28 yards on nine carries, including a season-long seven-yard run.
Previously, John spent three seasons at Arizona. While he didn’t see any action in 2022, he played in nine games in 2021, making three starts and accumulating 250 yards on 62 carries, averaging four yards per attempt. He also contributed with eight receptions for 42 yards.
UMass will need John to take a giant leap forward in 2024.
5) Taisun Phommachanh, QB
If the UMass offense will continue trending in the right direction, it starts with Taisun Phommachanh. He earned an honorable mention on the College Football Network All-Independent Team in just nine games in 2023.
Phommachanh threw for 1,507 yards, six touchdowns, and six interceptions in nine games during the 2023 season. What sets Phommachanh apart is his exceptional ability to escape the pocket and create plays with his legs when things break down.
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However, after suffering an injury against Auburn in just the second game last year, Phommachanh’s mobility was noticeably limited upon his return. Now in his fifth season of college football — his third school and second year as a starter — he’s looking to regain that dual-threat capability.
In 2022, Phommachanh saw limited action at Georgia Tech, completing two of five passes and rushing 15 times for 56 yards and two touchdowns. Before that, he spent three seasons at Clemson, appearing in 13 games and accumulating 354 yards of total offense.
4) Te’Rai Powell, SS
The speedy but powerful strong safety emerged as a star on the defensive side of the ball for the Minutemen in 2023. Te’Rai Powell earned an honorable mention on the College Football Network All-Independent Team as a safety.
He played in all 12 games during the season, recording 59 total tackles, including 36 solo and 23 assisted, which ranked second on the team. Powell also contributed one tackle for loss, two quarterback hurries, and three pass deflections. He set a career-high with nine tackles in a single game.
3) Josh Atwood, C
The offensive line, pass protection, and run schemes start with Josh Atwood at center. The 6’2″, 325-pound Atwood will anchor the offensive line for the third consecutive year.
Atwood was named to the College Football Network All-Independent Team as a second-team selection at center. He appeared in all 12 games for the Minutemen in 2023, starting every game in the middle.
This marked his second consecutive season with 12 starts following his 2022 campaign. In his third season with the team, Atwood made a significant transition to the offensive side of the ball, switching from defense to becoming a key figure on the offensive line.
2) Gerrell Johnson, LB
Gerrell Johnson is a sideline-to-sideline defender with excellent speed for his size. The 6’3″, 225-pound linebacker will anchor the middle of the Minutemen defense.
Johnson was a consistent presence on the Minutemen’s defense, starting all 12 games in the 2023 season. He recorded 52 tackles, including 17 solo and 35 assisted, two tackles for loss, a sack, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and an interception.
He showed reliability early in the season, registering two solo tackles in four consecutive games from Aug. 26 to Sept. 16. He had a standout performance against Miami, where he posted a season-high nine tackles, including seven assisted.
As a sophomore in 2022, Johnson appeared in all 12 games, notching 54 tackles, with 29 solo and 25 assisted, two tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and a pass breakup.
1) Anthony Simpson, WR
For UMass, the offensive side of the ball starts with Anthony Simpson. In 2024, he will be Phommachanh’s top target.
Simpson was named the College Football Network Independent Wide Receiver of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Independent First Team in 2023.
Starting all 12 games for the Minutemen, Simpson recorded 57 receptions for 792 yards and three touchdowns. He also contributed 93 yards and a touchdown on 11 rushing attempts and returned one kickoff for 10 yards.
Simpson delivered four games with over 100 yards receiving. His standout performances include a career-best seven receptions against Arkansas State, Army, and Toledo.
Against Toledo, Simpson matched his career-high with seven receptions and set a new career-best with 140 yards, highlighted by a 71-yard touchdown catch, his longest to date.
Simpson is looking to bring his raw playmaking ability and excellent hands into 2024.
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