The Massachusetts football team’s passing game kept the Minutemen (1-3) alive on Saturday, putting up three of the team’s five touchdowns and minimizing the effects of penalties and a non-explosive run game that traditionally dominates the UMass field.
Jakobie Keeney-James’ performance against Central Connecticut State University marked his most successful game with the Minutemen, even without a notable presence in the third quarter. The graduate wide receiver ended Saturday with 95 receiving yards and one touchdown, surpassing his 93-yard afternoon against Toledo in Week 2.
“[Keeney-James is a] highly competitive guy and he was a huge factor [on Saturday],” head coach Don Brown said. “Big plays for us and he [has] more years ahead of him.”
In the second quarter, quarterback Taisun Phommachanh connected with the graduate wide receiver, securing UMass’ second touchdown.
At the Blue Devils (2-2) 15-yard line, Phommachanh looked right to Keeney-James who beelined for the corner of the end zone. Turning inside to complete the pass as the defender reached forward at a last moment attempt to strip the ball from his arms, the Minutemen doubled their lead, 14-0.
As CCSU halted UMass’ rushers from running the game, key completions to the wide receiver redeemed errors that set the offense back.
At the start of the Minutemen’s third scoring drive at their own 18-yard line, they were faced with an early third down situation after suffering a loss of six yards on the first play of the drive. Turning back to his receiver, Phommachanh looked up the middle of the field and found Keeney-James at the 29-yard line. After completing the pass, he slowly inched UMass out of its own territory, advancing just before midfield.
The passing game once again pushed the Minutemen ahead on the scoreboard with tight end Owen Anderson finishing the drive in the end zone. Crossing the goal line and tumbling onto the ground after completing Phommachanh’s short, two-yard pass, the Blue Devils were forced to play catch-up once again.
Wide receiver T.Y. Harding also set a personal record, catching his first career touchdown that tied the game at 28 and put the Minutemen back in a winner’s mindset that carried into the fourth quarter.
The depth of UMass’ wide receivers did not stop at Keeney-James and Harding. Sterling Galban and Jacquon Gibson had crucial catches on scoring drives.
Just before Keeney-James’ touchdown, Gibson caught the 19-yard pass that placed the Minutemen in better field position at the 15-yard line. With momentum sparked in the passing game, this completion put Phommachanh and Keeney-James in the right mindset to complete the drive on a high note.
After a seven-yard gain, Galban was Phommachanh’s favorite first quarter target as he jumped into the air to haul in the ball despite landing just short of the first down. Continuing the drive that ended in Jackson Paradis’ first career touchdown, Galban stayed wide open for Phommachanh’s 17-yard pass and extended the play to put UMass on the Blue Devils’ 21-yard line. Before Harding’s touchdown, Galban caught Phommachanh’s short, 10-yard pass up the middle for a first down after the run game slowed with a one-yard gain on the previous play.
Gibson and Galban ended their afternoons with three receptions for 43 yards and five receptions for 41 yards respectively.
The Minutemen head back on the road to meet the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks next Saturday, Sept. 28 with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m.
“We had come too far and had worked too hard to not finish the game,” Brown said.
Sydney Ciano can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter/X @SydneyCiano.
