Is It Time For UMass QB Hairston To Get His Shot?
If starter Brandon Rose remains sidelined next week, is it time to see if AJ Hairston can give the Minutemen offense a surge?
There’s some truth to the saying “If you listen to the fans, you’ll be sitting up there with them.”
But that doesn’t mean fans can never be correct.
Since the end of the 2024 season, UMass fans have been eager to see the continued development of quarterback AJ Hairston.
Even as new head coach Joe Harasymiak brought in a pair of transfers from the Portal - one up from the Ivy League and one down from the Big 12 - many fans remained parked in Hairston’s corner.
It went beyond loyalty.
Hairston’s emergence late in 2024 was one of the few bright spots from a 2-10 season. A true freshman, Hairston preserved a year of eligibility by sitting the first eight games of the 2024 season, but provided a reason for hope in the final four.
The Pompano Beach, Fla., native’s numbers over four games weren’t exactly eye-popping - 40-73, 480 yards, 5 TDs and 0 interceptions - but he shared quarterback duties in the majority of those games and flashed enough arm talent for Minutemen fans to become fans.
Of course, it was obvious there would be no smooth inheritance of the QB1 position as soon as the new staff brought in Grant Jordan from Yale and Brandon Rose from Utah as transfers this offseason.
At that point, Hairston’s own portal options may have been limited, but they certainly weren’t non-existent. Yet, he decided to stay and compete for the job.
It wasn’t a huge shock to see Rose named as the starter after a couple of weeks of training camp this summer and while Harasymiak never officially named a backup, it was no surprise to see Jordan be the first one in when Rose went down with an injury in the Bryant game and be the starter against Iowa with Rose still sidelined.
In roughly about the same amount of time on the field, Rose and Jordan’s numbers are comparable. Rose is 27-for-44 for 217 yards with one interception and no touchdowns while Jordan is 24-for-38 for 248 yards with one interception and no touchdowns. Jordan has rushed for two touchdowns, although he’s also been sacked seven times against just two for Rose.
In limited duty against Bryant and Iowa, Hairston is 7-for-12 for 84 yards. He hasn’t been sacked and hasn’t thrown a pick or a touchdown.
Rose’s status for next week’s game at Missouri is unclear, although Harasymiak’s repeated statements that x-rays on his injured shoulder were negative would seem to suggest him being ready to go after a bye week is at least a possibility.
If Rose is healthy enough to play, it’s difficult to imagine the Minutemen not sending him out as the starter against the Tigers. If he was good enough and possessed a high enough ceiling to win the starting job a month ago, five quarters of “just OK” play (minus two major turnovers) probably won’t do much to change the staff’s mind on that decision.
Meanwhile, Jordan has also been up-and-down, although his ability to extend plays with his legs has been even more impressive than we imagined and he’s certainly shown himself to be tough.
That dual-threat ability is what gave Jordan the edge over Hairston in the race to be QB2, but as valuable as it’s proven to be, obviously it hasn’t been enough for the 0-3 Minutemen.
Facing another Power-4 opponent in Missouri, the UMass offensive line is certain to be tested again and whoever the quarterback is will likely be under heat for much of the game.
But, at this point in the season, it may be worth giving Hairston a full shot, especially if Rose is still sidelined. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Hairston won’t bring as much with his legs, but he brings immense ability with his arm.
And if UMass’ quarterback is going to be running for his life all game, it’s going to be a long day regardless of who’s doing the running.
Also, there’s more that goes into avoiding sacks than running. In a small sample size to be sure, Hairston’s been under less pressure than Jordan has, which may be attributed to getting the ball out quicker or the other guys on the field being more comfortable for whatever reason.
Acknowledging a contradiction on our part, it’s also important not to set Hairston up to fail - or at least not to hold it against him if it doesn’t work out because of the duress he’s put under. We’re not sure what would qualify as an “ideal situation” to start for the Minutemen right now, but facing a Power-4 defense certainly doesn’t.
If Hairston and the UMass offense are simply overwhelmed by the Tigers’ pass rush, that shouldn’t disqualify Hairston from getting additional opportunities - should they arise - during conference play.
Harasymiak can use all of the goodwill he can garner from the fanbase right now and the simplest way to grab a tiny bit would be to give Hairston a shot. But that shouldn’t play any role in his decision.
Of course, neither can the fact that Hairston was initially QB3. Where head coaches can often be hesitant to make a change at the position for fear of seeming to acknowledge a mistake, Harasymiak comes across as a leader with no such fear.
In reality, the most important position on the team isn’t the reason UMass has looked so bad so far. Still, the most scrutinized position in the sport will continue to be so this season in Amherst.
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I realize it was a very small sample size and against Georgia's 2 and 3's. But what stood out to me was it APPEARED that the moment wasn't to big for Hairston. No happy feet; no patting the ball 100 times. Went through his progressions. You HAVE to have a vertical game. If the coaching staff likes Hairston as much as they say they do, you have to give him a legitimate chance. If not, HE IS GONE!!!