UMass OC Mike Bajakian Promises Success For The Future
New UMass offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian is convinced of the culture shift happening in Amherst under new regime.
AMHERST, Mass. - UMass’s new head of the offense is noticing a culture shift he didn’t see in his long coaching career prior to stepping foot in Amherst.
“What we are experiencing here at our program, in our culture, energy, enthusiasm…it’s as good as I’ve ever been around,” new offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian said. “The buy-in from the players has been outstanding.”
Before joining the Minutemen, Bajakian coached at numerous NFL and college programs. He spoke about some of the blunders he has made as a coach, and how he has fixed them at UMass in regards to the scheme.
“(The scheme is progressing) slowly but naturally,” Bajakian said. “I’ve made the mistake of being too aggressive with install. We are going to take it slow.”
The slow-developing logistics might be something to keep an eye on, but Bajakian emphasized the scheme hasn’t been the most pivotal thing on his mind.
“The most important thing for us right now is to master our style of play, our effort, our tempo, and physicality,” he said. “We are going to coach effort before we coach assignment, alignment, scheme.”
Bajakian also preached the importance of the basics. Through his experience, he learned that no matter what level he coached at, the game wasn't altered.
“Football is football,” he said. “A lot of the drills and techniques don’t change. It’s just the speed at which guys execute it that changes. You’ve just gotta coach the fundamentals.”
The speed that he mentioned is certainly present with one of his veteran wide receivers, T.Y. Harding.
“He brings some juice,” Bajakian said of the speedy Massachusetts native. “He’s got the ability to do something with the ball in his hands…I’m really happy with what he has brought to the table so far.”
Harding is entering his fourth season in Amherst and has become every defensive player's nightmare. His multi-touchdown games against Northern Illinois and Wagner have given him a reputation as one of the best players UMass was able to keep after the change of coaching staff.
Bajakian then discussed some of the quarterbacks who will be throwing Harding the football next season.
“(Grant Jordan and A.J. Hairston) are working hard,” he said. “They are conscientious. They are putting in hours on their own. They are asking good questions…Those guys are doing a good job of supporting one another and competing.”
Bajakian has some difficult decisions to make in the quarterback room as the 2025 season approaches.
With former starter Taisun Phommachanh getting injured towards the tail end of last year, Hairston got excellent experience in games against Mississippi State, Liberty, Georgia and UConn. He is joined by Jordan, aYale transfer, who has shown his arm talent in almost every practice. That is not to mention Brandon Rose, a transfer from Utah, who joined Bajakian on his way to Amherst. The question now becomes, when will Bajakian and head coach Joe Harasymiak decide the starting quarterback.
“The sooner the better, but I think that level of evaluation and competition is going on at all positions,” he said. Next year at this time, sure we’d like to say that more definitively.”
Overall, he continued to emphasize the attention to detail the players have given the coaching staff.
“I don’t hear or see anybody second-guessing what we are doing,” Bajakian said.
As practices continue and the spring game draws near, it will be interesting to see if that buy-in stays consistent all the way down the line as the Minutemen look to foster a new and improved offense under Bajakian.
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