Injury-ridden UMass has challenge in Eastern Michigan

Heavy casualties are the fallout from opening the season with consecutive games against powerful Atlantic Coast Conference opponents.

That is the dilemma UMass coach Walt Bell is dealing with as he prepares the 0-2 Minutemen to host 1-1 Eastern Michigan at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at McGuirk Stadium.

UMass opened the season with a 51-7 road loss against Pitt on Sept. 4. The Minutemen’s home opener was a 45-28 loss to Boston College and both games took a devastating toll from a medical standpoint.

Bell opened the week of practice with nearly half his starting lineup out with injuries, a desperate situation for a young team that lacks depth and experience. UMass is an independent program that only played four games in 2020.

“As of (Tuesday) we are down nine starters,” said Bell. “We are beat up and that’s what you get when you play two ACC opponents in the first two games.

“How many guys we get back by game day is waiting to be seen. But that’s why you recruit and it’s next guy up and we have to figure it out and go play.”

UMass starting quarterback Tyler Lytle was 14-for-31 for 167 passing yards at Pittsburgh and scored the lone Minuteman touchdown. Lytle sustained 10 hits from the Panthers’ defense and was unavailable for the BC game.

Brady Olson, a 6-4, 200-pound, true freshman from Bellingham, made his collegiate debut against BC. After struggling in the first half, Olson found his traction in the second and finished with 14 completions for 214 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.

Lytle is Bell’s quarterback going forward but his status for Eastern Michigan is uncertain. So, which player Bell starts against Eastern Michigan will likely be a game-time decision.

“We are not sure yet and it all still depends on how quickly Tyler can get healthy,” said Bell. “If Tyler is healthy, he will get his chance to play but if he is not, Brady will be the guy.”

BC’s defense had not given up a point in its first six quarters, but UMass took advantage of turnovers and penalties to hang 28 points on the Eagles in the second half.

UMass registered 99 yards of total offense on 25 plays with seven first downs in the first half. UMass regrouped and rolled up 236 yards of offense in the second half that included a 56-yard pass from Olson to Rico Arnold that opened the scoring in the third quarter.

Bell doubles as offensive coordinator and relayed the plays to Olson on sideline checks.

The Minutemen’s fireworks in the second half against BC has Bell optimistic about the match with Eastern Michigan despite the rash of injuries.

“We just executed better and played better football,” said Bell. “We had some of the same opportunities in the first half and didn’t capitalize but we settled in and started playing better football.

“I would say it was the competitive effort, the intent and the purpose. To me, that was probably the best we’ve played since we’ve been here”