With the college football recruiting period entering full swing, programs across the country are experiencing significant roster turnover.
The Massachusetts football team is no different. Just days after the Minutemen landed a pair of highly touted running back recruits and a transfer safety from Pittsburgh, UMass lost several familiar faces from its 2015 team.
Shadrach Abrokwah, Christ Carter, Sharif Custis, A.J. Doyle, Daiquan Kelly, Tyrell Smith and Lorenzo Woodley are no longer with the team, according to UMass spokesperson Molly O’Mara. The news was first reported by the Maroon Musket.
None of the seven players are currently listed on UMass’ official roster, and the team did not offer further explanation for the removal.
Smith is the most surprising name on the list after the 6-foot-6, 323-pound left tackle started every game during his junior and senior seasons, with the exception of the Minutemen’s 2015 season finale at Buffalo, which he missed for undisclosed reasons. Smith also made some appearances at guard during his freshman season.
Doyle started at quarterback for 10 games during his freshman and sophomore seasons – one as a freshman, nine as a sophomore – but was moved to tight end before the start of the 2014 season when Minutemen head coach Mark Whipple named Marshall transfer Blake Frohnapfel the starting quarterback. Doyle redshirted in 2014 and made eight appearances at tight end during the 2015 season.
Woodley, a three-star recruit according to 247sports.com coming out of high school, ran for 765 yards on 198 carries in 29 games with UMass. Woodley scored seven touchdowns in his career, however none came in 2015. At the time of his signing, Woodley was the highest-rated prospect to ever join the Minutemen.
Abrokwah was a former walk-on that first saw action in the final two games of the 2013 season and led the Minutemen in carries (122), rushing yards (578) and touchdowns (seven) in 2014. However Abrokwah only had 11 carries throughout the 2015 season.
Both Woodley and Abrokwah lost playing time when senior Jamal Wilson returned from injury and freshmen Marquis Young and Sekai Lindsay emerged as other options in the backfield.
Carter appeared in five games last season as a defensive lineman, while Custis started in nine games including one start.
Kelly, who was previously enrolled at Penn State, did not make an appearance for UMass in 2015.
Andrew Cyr can be reached at [email protected], and followed on Twitter @Andrew_Cyr.
