UMass' new Sr. Deputy AD Thorr Bjorn joins The Flagship Pod🚩 Here's @thorrbjorn explaining why he's so excited to return to his alma mater, his thoughts on @coachharasymiak & why he's confident in the future of @UMassFootball Full pod drops tomorrow morning.

Good luck to @UMassFootball signee @davechiavegato3 today as he and his @XBHS_Football teammates try to win their 3rd straight Massachusetts Division 1 Super Bowl Championship.   (1) St. John’s Prep vs. (3) Xaverian Saturday, December 6th - 6:45 PM at @GilletteStadium #MassMade

🚨Entering the transfer portal🚨 RS Freshman @AjHairston4 threw for 9TD and 1437 passing yards as a Minuteman @Andy_Villamarzo @On3sports @247SportsPortal @TransferPortal @4dsports_

I will be officially entering the portal with 2 years of eligibility left! 30 tackles, 5 pbu’s and 2 tfls with one of the lowest allowed passer ratings in the mac with over 400 snaps this season! Thankful for this journey and I’m excited to see what’s to come🙏🏾

UMass QB Grant Jordan plans to enter the transfer portal with one year of eligibility remaining. Jordan, the third-string QB, completed 62.9% of his passes in seven games of action with five TD's to his name. #UmassTwitter #MACtion #Flagship @Grant_Jordan3 @yalefootball

UMass DB @brennanbailey8 announced he is planning to enter the transfer portal with two years left of eligibility. Bailey started down the stretch with no Barnes or Magee. Another loss for the UMass secondary. #UmassTwitter #Flagship #MACtion @UMassCommand @UMassFootball

UMass WR Jacquon Gibson is planning to enter the transfer portal, per Hayes Fawcett. Gibson finished the 2025 season with 63 receptions for 616 yards as the team captain. He has one year of eligibility left. #UmassTwitter #Flagship #MACtion #transferportal #NCAA

All-MAC UMass honorees First Team: P Keegan Andrews Second Team: DE Marques White Third Team: LB Tyler Martin & WR Jacquon Gibson

UMass landed 21 prospects on National Signing Day who @coachharasymiak believes represent the future of the program. “We’re investing, we’re changing this place from the ground up and I’m really excited about that.” @Coach_Osumah @UMassCaleb https://t.co/iFuTX1wy85

Several of the 21 prospects UMass signed today will enroll early, making their way to Amherst for good next month. UMass Early Enrollees QB Aedan McCarthy WR David Moore WR Drew Alsup OL Will McNamara DB Terron Johnson DB Corey Warner

@8maxin1 @_CoachT8nk @247SportsPortal @RivalsPortal UMass LB Donovan Dyson plans to enter the transfer portal after three years with the Minutemen. Dyson provided depth in the linebacker room after the team lost Dean Shaffer and Timmy Hinspeter. #UmassTwitter #MACtion #Flagship @UMassFootball @UMassCommand @TheCursiveU

That concludes Joe Harasymiak's NSD press conference.

Harasymiak: I feel very comfortable where I am now vs. where we were last year in going into portal period.

Harasymiak on differences in building roster this year: Since the Bowling Green game ended, I focused on finishing off this recruiting class. Next will be postseason meetings. These will be different because I've been with these guys.

Harasymiak: There are tough people in this region and we weren't really tough this year, let's be honest. People around this region have toughness...We have to get back to that.

Harasymiak on recruiting New England: It's extremely important. I really don't care where you come from as long as you're a good player and you're obsessed, but it's easier to get those guys here.

Harasymiak: We have a good idea of what we're looking for in the Portal. We graduated six players OL, we need explosive players who can take the ball; need help on DL and in the secondary as well.

Harasymiak: I've been very vocal about investing in high school recruiting; this is evidence. Now, our guys will start going home. Don't come back until 1/27. Will have postseason meetings coming up and then the Transfer Portal. You've got to get ahead of it.

Harasymiak: A lot of the guys you see aren't ranked & I don't mind that because that immediately goes on social media and that's how people who don't work very hard recruit.

Harasymiak: For us to hang onto these guys after the season we had this year, speaks volumes.

Harasymiak on how he knew they were obsessed with football: The way they speak, the way they pay attention in meetings. Evaluated more than highlight tape; wanted to look at a game they lost and how they played late in those games.