UMass head coach Joe Harasymiak has emphasized a next-man-up mentality throughout his second season.
That philosophy faced one of its biggest tests on Saturday against Miami-Ohio and could face an even bigger test this coming weekend against Buffalo.
The Minutemen entered Saturday’s game without starting quarterback Pop Watson, turning to true freshman Aedan McCarthy and eventually needing third-stringer Logan Inagawa to finish the game after McCarthy suffered a fourth-quarter ankle injury.
Now, with another MAC game approaching and having lost two straight, UMass faces uncertainty about who will be available at the position.
There is cautious optimism within the program that Watson will be able to return against Buffalo, but the outlook for McCarthy seems less encouraging, although imaging results on McCarthy’s injured right ankle had not yet been returned as of Sunday afternoon.
That could leave Inagawa and junior college transfer Ty McCutcheon as the team’s primary options if Watson is unable to play.
Watson’s injury dates back to UMass’ game against Sacramento State, when he initially hurt himself before aggravating the issue against Eastern Michigan.
Harasymiak said the decision to hold him out against Miami came after extensive consultation with Watson, his family and the medical staff.
“The decision came down to we have to get him healthy,” Harasymiak said. “I just don’t think he was in a position to play to his strength.
“The young man did literally everything possible to try and go. Him, his family, the medical team, we evaluated the situation and made the best decision for him ultimately and our program.”
Harasymiak was hopeful Watson would be able to return but acknowledged the decision could come down to game day.
“I probably won’t know until we get off the plane in Buffalo, probably Saturday, if he can go,” he said. “But he’ll be back. He’ll definitely be back.”
With Watson unavailable, McCarthy made his first collegiate start against Miami and experienced some of the growing pains expected of a true freshman.
The Minutemen designed their offensive approach to take advantage of his arm strength and incorporate quarterback runs, but McCarthy missed several opportunities through the air, particularly on deeper throws.
“We trust Aedan,” Harasymiak said. “He’s got a big-time arm, so we wanted to play to his skill set and I think we did that. We’ve got to execute a little bit better, but again, we’re going to be aggressive. We’ve got to do that. I thought he did a good job pretty much the whole day.”
The uncertainty surrounding McCarthy places greater importance on Inagawa, who entered Saturday’s game with little warning and nearly delivered one of the season’s most dramatic victories.
Trailing 20-10, Inagawa helped secure a field goal in the final minutes to make it a one score game before the real excitement began. Starting at his own 9-yard line with two minutes to play and no timeouts, Inagawa directed a 91-yard touchdown drive, finding Max Dowling for a 21-yard score with one second remaining.
UMass elected to attempt a two-point conversion for the victory, but the play broke down before Inagawa could receive a pass on a trick play. The Minutemen fell 20-19, but Inagawa’s performance offered encouragement about their quarterback depth.
“Incredible,” Harasymiak said. “We get down to essentially QB3. Had to get loose very quickly.
“It’s what this program and this team want to be about. Next-man-up mentality. Keep going. Just really proud of him. Really, really a great job by him.”
Inagawa transferred to UMass after spending last season at Drake, where he rushed for nine touchdowns while serving as a backup. His mobility provides a different dimension to the offense, particularly when plays break down.
McCutcheon, meanwhile, arrived after spending last season at Southwestern College in California. The junior college transfer is more of a traditional pocket passer, giving the Minutemen another option if they need it.
After watching Inagawa nearly lead a remarkable comeback Saturday, Harasymiak has reason to believe his next-man-up message is resonating, but he’d rather not find out just yet.
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