It was time for the Massachusetts football team to pivot. Any plans of an injury-free quarterback room in 2024 were thwarted against Mississippi State, as the team’s reliable starter Taisun Phommachanh left with an injury that will sideline him for the rest of the season. With three games to play against tough opposition, UMass (2-8) needed to find a new signal-caller.
Against Liberty on Saturday, the choice, or choices, were made. Head coach Don Brown went with a two-quarterback system, utilizing a pair of freshmen in AJ Hairston and Ahmad Haston. With Haston having little in-game experience and Hairston having none, it was time for trial by fire against a Flames (7-2, 4-2 Conference USA) defense that only allowed 22 points per game.
The duo met expectations and then some, combining for 163 passing yards and 69 rushing yards in the Minutemen’s 35-34 overtime loss to Liberty. Even in high-pressure situations, the quarterbacks kept their composure and made the right plays for UMass to nearly pull off an upset.
“Obviously, these guys have been practicing with us so we kind of knew what we were getting,” Brown said. “I thought they kept their cool about them. Not every snap was perfect but I thought they represented themselves really well.”
While both quarterbacks played throughout the game, the majority of snaps went to Hairston. The true freshman looked wise beyond his years, showcasing his arm talent and poise to lead the Minutemen downfield for points. The Pompano Beach, Florida native went 13-of-25 for 163 yards passing, and while he certainly made mistakes, those were offset with flashes of brilliance.
Some of Hairston’s best work came with UMass’ back against the wall. After a Quinton Cooley touchdown run gave Liberty its first lead of the game, Hairston trotted out facing a fourth-quarter deficit with just over 13 minutes to play. What followed was an efficient, methodical drive by the Minutemen, as the team went 75 yards in around seven minutes to retake the lead late. Part of the credit lies in the play of the true freshman, as Hairston stepped up and found Jakobie Keeney-James over the middle multiple times to keep the possession alive.
One of UMass’ most promising plays came earlier in the contest via Hairston’s arm. After running the ball on 18 of the first 21 snaps, offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery finally allowed his quarterback to look deep midway through the second quarter. Hairston took the opportunity and ran with it, delivering a perfect back-shoulder throw to T.Y. Harding for a 32-yard gain. For a quarterback who had spurned a scholarship offer from Miami (FL) to play in Amherst, that throw and others like it offered a glimpse into what made Hairston such an intriguing prospect.
“He’s a little better thrower,” Brown said. “We think that’s AJ’s strength…he can throw it, he’s a good teammate and he’s only going to get better and better.”
Haston was used one-dimensionally by the Minutemen on Saturday, but his role was still effective. With the team relying on Hairston’s arm, the redshirt freshman was brought in on handoffs and option plays. It wasn’t the prettiest work at times, but Haston picked up 62 yards and a score on the ground through his speed and decision-making.
That rushing touchdown, the first of Haston’s career, offered the best example of how successful the team’s new strategy under center could be. After Hairston used his arm to set up a first-and-goal, the quarterback who Brown says, “runs more like a tight end” was pulled in favor of the more mobile option. That decision led to a third-down option play that Haston made the right read on, pulling the ball back and getting to the end zone for a lead-changing score.
“You’re playing two young quarterbacks, it just seems like we’ve had to do that not only this year but over the last two years at times,” Brown said. “I think we’ve learned how to manage it better now and, you know, away we go.”
Things won’t get any easier for both quarterbacks, as UMass’ next game is against No. 12 Georgia on Saturday, Nov. 23. That matchup will kick off at 12:45 p.m. on the SEC Network.
Dean Wendel can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @DeanWende1.
