Joe Harasymiak can feel the difference when he stands behind the UMass defense and watches his defensive line rush the passer this preseason.
The Minutemen head coach believes UMass will be better than average up front in the MAC and has the potential to be “great.”
A more disruptive pass rush could unlock considerably more for the rest of the defense.
Harasymiak has been encouraged by what he’s seen throughout preseason camp, particularly when the Minutemen turn their defensive linemen loose in pass-rush situations.
“I think we’re going to be above average, I would believe, with the d-line that we have in terms of MAC play,” Harasymiak said. “When I stand back there and we rush, we have a chance to be great.”
UMass has multiple players contributing to that optimism.
Harasymiak pointed to Andrew Depaepe, William Depaepe, Justin Krueger and Joshua Nobles, while also singling out Romando Johnson for the progress he’s made during camp.
Nobles was expected to be a star for the Minutemen last year before suffering a season-ending injury last August. The Depaepe brothers transferred from Indiana this offseason and Johnson saw limited duty as a freshman in 2025. So the quartet are essentially all newcomers.
“Anytime I’ve been standing back there, you can feel it,” Harasymiak said.
“Just from seeing what a pass rush is supposed to look like over my career, I think we’re having some good battles.”
The results have already started showing up in other areas during camp.
Pressure has led to tipped passes this preseason with quarterbacks being forced to make throws under duress, creating additional opportunities for the secondary.
“We have the ability to get at the passer and you saw some today, some tipped throws, some contested throws for the quarterback,” Harasymiak said, alluding to a couple interceptions the defense pulled in after pressuring the passer.
But sacks themselves will also carry considerable importance.
Harasymiak plans to track them alongside two other areas he believes will be critical to UMass’ success.
“Sacks are huge,” he said. “We have explosive plays and turnover margins. Our third column is going to be sacks because there’s a crazy stat out there for a long time that if you win those three, you’re going to be in good shape.”
The biggest benefit of an improved pass rush may be the flexibility it gives UMass defensive coordinator Jared Keyte.
If the Minutemen can consistently pressure the quarterback with their four defensive linemen, Keyte won’t have to commit additional defenders, allowing him to be less predictable.
“The simplest way to think about it, if I only rush four, I have seven more guys that can move around to different types of coverages,” Harasymiak said.
For a defensive-minded coach like Harasymiak, the possibilities quickly expand from there.
“Your brain kind of gets into your different types of Quarters you can play, your different types of Cover-2, your different Fire Zones you can do,” he said. “Your 2-Inverts, your stuff like that. Your 3-Under/3-Deep if you want to send five.”
The ability to show one thing before the snap and play something different afterward makes the quarterback’s job more difficult, particularly when the defensive front can create pressure without help.
“It just allows you to use more of the pre-snap disguise per se,” Harasymiak said. “And that’s what we need to be able to do.
“It just frees you up more to be able to create some more confusion.”
UMass isn’t going to stop blitzing, but if it can create pressure with four, Keyte can become more selective about when he brings additional rushers and more creative with what the Minutemen show behind them.
“Now you can kind of rush with four, do some different things and we’re getting into that stuff and I think it’s going to pay benefits,” Harasymiak said.
The Minutemen still have to prove their improved pass rush will carry over once the season begins.
But Harasymiak believes the personnel is there, and if UMass can consistently affect opposing quarterbacks with its defensive front, the payoff should be felt throughout the defense.
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