AMHERST — Even in the midst of a difficult start to his tenure, Walt Bell refuses to lose sight of the bigger picture.
UMass might be 0-3 with all three losses coming by more than 20 points, but that didn’t deter Bell from sticking to the script he’s had since being hired 10 months ago. He said he was happy that UMass put together a good Tuesday and Wednesday practice combination, calling it the team’s most consistent consecutive workdays this season.
It’s those little details that are a benchmark for Bell as he evaluates his team this season. The losses — albeit disappointing and perhaps frustrating at times — are not going to impact how Bell views this season.
“I’m more concerned with this football team learning how to play winning football,” Bell said. “Does that mean we’re going to get the outcomes that we want? Who knows. But I’m more emotionally invested in the process right now.”
“I lose sleep over the process,” Bell added. “I lose sleep over how we practice, the details of how we practice (like) running on and off the field, ensuring that our culture when we have everything we need here in place that we’re prepared to go win football games”
Bell’s public message echoes what is being said behind close doors to a team still trying to find its way. UMass has been forced into playing a lot of younger players through injury and lack of depth, and it has created a juggling act for Bell and his staff. In the coaches’ offices, there are different whiteboards for scheming ways for the Minutemen to play as many freshmen as possible while allowing them to maintain their eligibility for a redshirt year by participating in four games or fewer.
The strategy might not result in victories on the scoreboard this year, but Bell said everyone is aware of what the most important goals are for the program.
“Everybody understands what we’re doing,” Bell said. “We’re committed to the process of building a program. Long term, that’s the most important thing that we do, that we stay committed to the process of winning. We’re emotionally invested in the process of winning, we’re not emotionally invested in the outcome.”
That vision for the future was what sold many of Bell’s recruits to come to Amherst in the first place. Players like quarterback Andrew Brito came to UMass understanding that the football team was one of the least successful on campus, and they continue to preach determination to change the program.
Those players also understand that it will take time for UMass to find its footing as a program. As one of Brito’s junior college coaches texted him over the weekend, “Rome wasn’t built in a night.” But Brito said there isn’t an ounce of doubt that UMass isn’t on the right path to success.
“I’m tired of this team being the worst part about this school’s athletics,” Brito said. “I want this team to change around and it’s not going to happen overnight. … We have a first-year head coach who’s a great head coach, I have confidence in myself and we just have to come together as one. I believe over time, we’re going to have something special here within the next couple of years.”
In the interim, Brito is charged with helping the offense escape from its early season funk. He said it’s imperative for all 11 players to be on the same page in order for the unit to have success, and things haven’t clicked just yet.
However, running back Cam Roberson said the signs are there in practice that the offense is ready to put up points in bunches. It just needs the performance on the field during the week to translate onto the field every Saturday.
“It’s all about being more consistent as far as our plays,” Roberson said. “We are running the ball really effective. Once we’re able to pass the ball as effective as we are running the ball, we’ll be really good. In practice, we throw the ball really good, it’s just about putting it all together during the games. Once we do that, we’ll be tough to beat.”
SCHEDULE UPDATES — UMass announced 24 new and updated dates for future football games on Wednesday.
The Minutemen added 2021 road games at Pittsburgh and Florida State, two notable opponents for different reasons. Former coach Mark Whipple is currently the offensive coordinator at Pittsburgh, and Bell was the offensive coordinator at Florida State last season before being hired by UMass.
UMass, which is already scheduled to visit Auburn next season, booked another trip for Sept. 2, 2023. And the 2022 road trip to Boston College that was bumped off the schedule two weeks ago was rescheduled for Sept. 6, 2025.
There were two other new games in the release, home dates against FCS foes Merrimack (2023) and Wagner (2024).
Josh Walfish can be reached at jwalfish@gazettenet.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshWalfishDHG. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage.