Although it seems to have just entered, Massachusetts is soon leaving the Mid-American Conference.
With UMass making the switch from the MAC following the 2015 season, it has two more seasons to prove its validity as a Division I program after a disappointing 1-11 campaign last year.
Coach Mark Whipple talked about how much the Minutemen appreciate the conference and what it does for their program, although they haven’t been able to ‘make any noise.'
The Minutemen went 1-7 in MAC play last season, but like the rest of the country, they are starting to realize how powerful of a football conference the MAC can be.
“Having a possible chance to get to a bowl game, I really think that’s been a great benefit of the MAC,” Whipple said. “It’s not just any conference, the MAC is a solid football conference. They’ve had a lot of success outside, and it’s a real good place for it.”
Whipple also added that the conference has helped shaped UMass as a solid football program.
UMass junior wide receiver Tajae Sharpe said the team wants to enjoy their last seasons in the conference, although they won’t alter their approaches.
“You want to approach every season the same,” Sharpe said. “We’re not trying to focus on what’s being said about the future, we want to focus on now. We love being in the MAC, so if this may be our last year we want to enjoy it as much as possible.”
Sharpe agreed that the struggle on the field has yielded them from some benefits of having the title of being a MAC football program.
“The MAC is a great conference to be in, but in order to seek some of those benefits, we have to win a few more games.”
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