The Massachusetts football team is returning to McGuirk Alumni Stadium to open the 2024 season against Eastern Michigan. This is the fourth consecutive meeting between the Minutemen and Eagles before UMass joins them in the Mid-American Conference in 2025.

During their last meeting in 2023, UMass fell just short in the Eagles’ territory, losing 19-17. After Eastern Michigan answered the Minutemen’s touchdown with one of its own, the missed extra point gave UMass an opportunity to stretch down the turf into field goal range and return to Amherst with a win. They could not capitalize on it, however, allowing the Eagles to scrape by.

Putting their history behind them and closing preseason practice, the Minutemen and their head coach Don Brown are hungry for another successful season in the UMass books.

“I remember when I was just a freshman at Clemson, I was getting ready for my first game, and now it’s my last season,” quarterback Taisun Phommachanh said. “So it has definitely hit home for me knowing I have a couple games left in college and I want to make every one count, so I’m ready to go.”

Last season, Phommachanh injured his knee in Week 2 at Auburn, ruling him out for three games and severely impacting his running ability. This was an early advantage that fostered hope for the 2023 season before being forced to rely on key players, like Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams who will not return for the upcoming season.

Hoping to bounce back for his senior season, Phommachanh took his time preparing this summer with the new faces to his offensive crew, returners like wide receiver Anthony Simpson and incoming offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery.

“He’s confident, putting both feet on the ground, and going where he’s got to go and doing it as fast as he wants to do it,” Brown said of his quarterback.

Despite losing reliable players, like Lynch-Adams and Greg Desrosiers Jr., Brown is excited about the success he anticipates will come with the crew of long-time returners. Simpson, offensive lineman Josh Atwood, safety Tyler Rudolph and defensive backs Isaiah Rutherford and Te’Rai Powell are some of the notable players among this group ready to build upon their successes from last season.

Newcomers, though, have been joining the UMass squad from February, all the way to July, putting the Minutemen in a position to refine their strengths across the roster and put the old pieces together with the new.

“We feel deeper than we’ve been,” Brown said.

In the running back position, redshirt junior Jalen John, incoming redshirt junior Brandon Campbell and incoming redshirt freshman Cookie Desiderio bring a different element to the field by using their size over their speed to find holes and gain yards.

“They add a different element to our offense. We get the balls out in space, [they] can run downhill. It just makes our offense more dynamic having those guys here,” Phommachanh said of Campbell and the rest of the newcomers. “They’re great add-ons to the locker room… I think we’re gelling very well.”

The Eagles have also needed to adjust new players to their playbook over the summer, preparing new faces for starting slots on the turf. Heading to McGuirk, Eastern Michigan introduced 53 student-athletes to its roster, including 28 from the transfer portal to fill in the gaps of their roster losses.

One of these losses will be on the opposing side of the field on Saturday. Tim Grant-Randall finished his senior season with Eastern Michigan after three years as a defensive lineman before flying to Amherst and joining the Minutemen.

Though UMass’ defense was a key component to last year’s close matchup, overcoming four turnovers and paving the way for a last-minute game decider, the Minutemen are prepared for anything.

“It’s the first game of the season… We could come out and do something totally different, they could come out and do something totally different.” Phommachanh said. “We just [have] to play our ball, play UMass football.”

Kickoff against the Eagles is set for 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31 and can be watched on ESPN+.

“I’m grateful that [the first game] is here in front of our home fans, in front of our people,” Phommachanh said. “So we definitely want to go out and put on a show for them, make them proud.”

Sydney Ciano can be reached at [email protected] or followed on Twitter/X @SydneyCiano.