A Jersey Guy: UMass headed in right direction
Six months ago, the scene at UMass was vastly different.
Men's basketball and football, the two prime revenue producing sports, were debris strewn areas of under achievement and an even more damaging characteristic--being totally non-relevant
UMass athletic director Ryan Bamford knew his future in Amherst, would be determined by the moves he made--or didn't --make.
He also knew it would not be an easy fix in either sport, especially football, which was fighting for survival as a program, or at least survival a the FBS level.
Bamford had learned on the job as an AD, dealing with a variety of issues, including the plight of a football program which had no league, a terminal illness for programs not named Notre Dame, Army or BYU. seldom survive.
He also had to accept the consequences of his own mistakes, the hiring of Walt Bell in football and Matt McCall.
Bamford, who had brought respectability with his hires in men's hockey (as well as a national championship) and women's basketball, knew he had no margin for error with either hire.
But he also had to fight a rising tide in Amherst, that football at UMass would not succeed at the FBS level. Or was even worth funding at any level
He then had to hire someone who could fill more than the survivor role for running a doomed program.
Bamford stepped back into the future by bringing back veteran (and former UMass assistant and former head coach) Don Brown.
Brown had coached at the highest levels in college football with stints in the ACC and Big Ten. He was also a force of nature who could energize a program.
Switching to men's basketball, Bamford knew UMass needed someone to lead UMass back to the upper tier of the A10 conference,
Brown, with stops at Boston College, Michigan and Arizona, as well as his UMass pedigree, was the right choice at the right time and perhaps in right place.
How much Brown can turn around at UMass will be an ongoing question, but if he can't do it than no one really can.
In basketball, the issue was different. UMass has proven it can compete for the national championship in basketball. It has proven it can be a Top 20 program.
Fitting the right coach into the slot is the issue.
McCall was a misfit and the experiment ended after five years.
Bamford again had no wiggle room for mistakes.
He had to get this hire right and in finally working out a deal which brought former South Carolina coach Frank Martin to Amherst, UMass may have another right person, right place, right time situation.
Martin has Final Four credentials--South Carolina reached that level five years ago.
He knows how to win, how to build. He also has other baggage not involving basketball, which must be factored into the equation.
Bamford worked hard at putting the deal, which was announced on Thursday, together.
The offshoot of all of this is evident for UMass
In the early spring of a new year, there is reason for hope at UMass.
It is far too early to make any great projections, but at least UMass has a chance.
And that is because Ryan Bamford, in this instance, appears to have done his job very well.