Quote:Along with football admin duties, Bjorn will also be the Chief Administrative Officer. UMass AD Ryan Bamford recruited Bjorn, and the newly created position speaks to the priority of football on campus. He’s been URI AD for 18 years.

Thank you lord. He should investigate the NIL role and communications with coaching staff. The portal recruitment has been a failure in both basketball and football. A player on a UMass podcast said many of the portal guys are two faced. Vet these guys better!

There are a lot of fans upset with our AD, who someone reported is making 803k. His seat is warm, if not hot or very hot.


Thread on UMass board:
The site administrator and owner of UMassHoops has move the thread and merged to the Other Sports subforum, despite it specifically state to be for football and belonged in the Football subforum. As owner of UMassHoops, who named it.


Thread on URI board.
https://keaneyblue.com/viewtopic.php?t=10493

Letter to Football Supporters

Quote:Dear Massachusetts Football Supporters,

I am writing to share an important staff update with you that will be announced publicly later today. I am pleased to share that student-athlete alum and former senior associate athletics director, Thorr Bjorn ’90, will be re-joining our department as the Senior Deputy AD, effective December 1. Thorr is currently in his 18th year as the director of athletics at URI. Prior to his engagement with the Rams, he served in the athletic department at UMass over a span of 15 years in various capacities. I am very excited to welcome him home to the flagship.

A copy of the press release is attached here for your information.

In Thorr’s new role, he will serve as our Chief Administrative Officer, helping Deputy AD/Chief Operating Officer Kirsten Britton and me oversee the daily functional management of the department. Of note, Thorr will be the sport administrator for the football program – his office will be in the Jacobson Performance Center. Thorr’s strong relationship with his alma mater, tremendous relationships with football alumni, previous experience in administration at UMass, and strong existing relationship with Coach Harasymiak, will undoubtedly serve our program well.

Football is one of the most important ingredients to our overall success as a department and this appointment secures a tremendous administrative presence, voice and colleague to help us grow Massachusetts football immediately.

Thorr will be on campus tomorrow joining Coach H and me at a 1:30pm press conference which will be available on our YouTube Channel here. He will also be around for the team’s two mid-week home MACtion games this month to observe and meet/reconnect with people.

I promise we are working diligently and investing aggressively but strategically to make Massachusetts football a MAC championship program. This appointment is a BIG step in the right direction to help us reach our lofty goals. THANK YOU for your support, positive energy and belief in our process.

With Gratitude,
%7Bc3a68560-9eda-4521-a791-cf56a6339220%
Ryan Bamford
Director of Athletics

Is it face-saving to recruit your own possible replacement? Bjorn is about to have the "incoming head coach watches his new team's bowl game" type of experience through the rest of the regular season. Speaking of that, it'd still be surprising if there's a coaching change at end of '25, but can you say "never" if they go winless?

Most of the conversation probably will center on UMass, but Rhode Island as an AD opening is interesting. URI football is on the upswing in a depleted conference that makes you wonder about being left behind on the FCS power rungs, but then again, you can see the Rams being a big dog going forward with UNH/Maine. Being the lead dog (or one of them) in a conference is all you can ask in the FCS northeast, even as the Patriot ascends past the CAAFB and the FCS national landscape is still run by the mid/west.

Rhody cares more about basketball anyway, I know. But from a football perspective, URI is an intriguing (IDK how attractive?) vacancy for an AD. How much longer will they punch above their historical weight on the football field? I do lose track of the Meade upgrades conversation. The venue doesn't necessarily have to be gangbusters in the new CAAFB.

Press Release posted by NEFJ by Kevin Stone
https://x.com/kstone06/status/1986116443...09/photo/1

Quote from X by Rene

Quote:Rene Ingoglia @reneingoglia 1h
I’ve know @thorrbjorn for over 30 years…he’s a tremendous administrator and an even better person. Love the move #Flagship ?

How long did UMass' most recent 5 year plan last? 4 weeks?

The only thing. That i know changed, was increased $$, but not the plan. Part of the reasons Thorr Bjorn is moving from the URI AD to Senior Deputy AD at UMass is the Football Vision 2024 plan.
He signed a 5 year contract that is a 7% salary raise from URI. What does that say about a high, debatable, mid major basketball conference compared to a MAC job, a step down from AD and a football program that is at the bottom of FBS.

It also signals that UMass is serious about football and is driving the bus.

(11-05-2025 03:33 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  The only thing. That i know changed, was increased $$, but not the plan. Part of the reasons Thorr Bjorn is moving from the URI AD to Senior Deputy AD at UMass is the Football Vision 2024 plan.
He signed a 5 year contract that is a 7% salary raise from URI. What does that say about a high, debatable, mid major basketball conference compared to a MAC job, a step down from AD and a football program that is at the bottom of FBS.

It also signals that UMass is serious about football and is driving the bus.

I think it's a big deal for UMass. I wish you guys luck as you continue building your program!

THIS TIME IT'S DIFFERENT!

UMass and football. Buffalo was once a laughing stock and football and they have mostly figured it out to at least be occasionally competitive.

Kent is starting to figure it out so that auto win is not there.

Still no answer on the pod scheduling for the 12 team MAC next year and who UMass is paired with. Buffalo and ?. Which Ohio school gets stuck not playing Ohio schools on a regular basis. Kent.....Akron and they have close proximity so it would make sense that they would be in same pod.

Probably why there has been no announcement. MAC will probably go back to mystery scheduling that led to Toledo not playing Miami for 12 years.

This quote is from article on Hustle Belt abd explains Thorr's history/connection with UMass and info on URI, which occasionally discussed as a possible expansion canidate. Will say think it down the list and Thorr would probably not be returning to UMass if URI was going to FBS.

Quote:Bjorn, a three-year letterwinner for UMass football who graduated in 1990, returns to Amherst after 18 years with the Rams. In that time, Bjorn has developed a reputation as one of Division I’s best athletic directors, winning the NACDA FCS Athletic Director of the Year award in 2016 and 2025.

“When Ryan shared his detailed vision, path to success and the University’s strong commitment and investment in athletics and the football program, I was truly humbled by the opportunity to be part of it,” Bjorn said via press release. “I am excited to work alongside Ryan and head coach Joe Harasymiak and his staff and to help build a championship-caliber football program in the Mid-American Conference. In addition, I look forward to collaborating with our coaches, staff, alumni, fans and donors to advance a culture of championship excellence — in the classroom, in the community and on the fields of competition.”

In his tenure at URI, the Rams won 40 total league titles between tenures in the Coastal Athletic Association and the Atlantic 10 Conference— including 11 over the last three years— and established themselves as one of the A-10’s best overall programs, with only Virginia Commonwealth (17) winning more titles since 2023.

Bjorn’s specialization has been in applied fundraising and spending, with his most recent success being the acquisition of $65.8 million from the Rhode Island state budget earmarked to facility improvements for URI’s football, baseball, softball, soccer and swimming programs.

Other major spending projects on Bjorn’s resume include the construction of the Soloviev Basketball Practice Facility, which opened in 2023 and cost $8 million, and the Ryan Family Student-Athlete Center, which opened in 2014 and cost $5 million. In his time at URI, Bjorn has acquired and spent over $25 million from both internal and external sources to improve various facilities.

Bjorn previously served in various administrative roles at UMass in two separate stints, eventually rising up to the rank of interim athletic director in September 2003. In his time as interim AD, Bjorn was responsible for the creation of a sustainability report for a potential move to what is now called the Division I FBS level. Bjorn is also credited with securing UMass’ apparel deal with Adidas, the installation of a multi-million dollar video board inside Mullins Arena and replacing the turf at McGuirk Alumni Stadium.

Bjorn is set to be introduced to UMass media for a press conference on Thursday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time.

Won't be around to post the press conference video but will get to watch it this evening and perhaps parts earlier.
https://www.hustlebelt.com/umass-minutem...an-bamford

(11-05-2025 03:33 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  It also signals that UMass is serious about football and is driving the bus.

I guess you're wondering why URI doesnt realize that football drives the bus and instead focuses on basketball first. I guess its a money thing. Too expensive to go all in on football when you don't get enough state money help.

(11-05-2025 12:01 PM)DanSteenkamer Wrote:  Most of the conversation probably will center on UMass, but Rhode Island as an AD opening is interesting. URI football is on the upswing in a depleted conference that makes you wonder about being left behind on the FCS power rungs, but then again, you can see the Rams being a big dog going forward with UNH/Maine. Being the lead dog (or one of them) in a conference is all you can ask in the FCS northeast, even as the Patriot ascends past the CAAFB and the FCS national landscape is still run by the mid/west.

Rhody cares more about basketball anyway, I know. But from a football perspective, URI is an intriguing (IDK how attractive?) vacancy for an AD. How much longer will they punch above their historical weight on the football field? I do lose track of the Meade upgrades conversation. The venue doesn't necessarily have to be gangbusters in the new CAAFB.

They've only been punching about their weight for a few years now. They were bad in most of the 90s and 2000s and it took a long long time for them to get it right and they are doing it in spite of the subpar facilities. The Meade upgrades is just basically replacing the entire main stand. The other stand will remained unchanged since its too close to the basketball arena and they arent doing anything with the end zones. New capacity will be less than 7,000.

Theres not much interest for college football in Rhode Island. URI played Brown last month at a neutral site and the stadium was less than 50% filled. Were are talking a small state where it only takes you less than a hour to get from where URI is located to the stadium where the game was. Their fans couldnt bother to drive that short of a distance to fill the stadium. Not much college football culture here. Browns location to the stadium is a much shorter distance and their fans couldnt fill the stadium either.

Press conference from early this afternoon. Starts of about the move to the MAC was a significant decision. It's a football move, a bold move. Thorr's hire is another piece and put all the pieces together to build a winning program. It will not happen immediately, but you need to align all the pieces.

Thorr loved URI and his boss and UMass was the only one he would ever consider. Ryan talks about the role, the decision process, stadium improvements and clarifications, responsibilities, roles including scheduling. History, relationships with all three and having that trust for making difficult decisions and deliverables.

They keep showing this press conference on the feed of the UMass-Maine hockey game.

Bamford has a nice watch on- did he get that in recognition of his 100th press conference explaining what he's going to do to fix UMass?

(11-06-2025 10:33 AM)Steve1981 Wrote:  This quote is from article on Hustle Belt abd explains Thorr's history/connection with UMass and info on URI, which occasionally discussed as a possible expansion canidate. Will say think it down the list and Thorr would probably not be returning to UMass if URI was going to FBS.

Quote:Bjorn, a three-year letterwinner for UMass football who graduated in 1990, returns to Amherst after 18 years with the Rams. In that time, Bjorn has developed a reputation as one of Division I’s best athletic directors, winning the NACDA FCS Athletic Director of the Year award in 2016 and 2025.

“When Ryan shared his detailed vision, path to success and the University’s strong commitment and investment in athletics and the football program, I was truly humbled by the opportunity to be part of it,” Bjorn said via press release. “I am excited to work alongside Ryan and head coach Joe Harasymiak and his staff and to help build a championship-caliber football program in the Mid-American Conference. In addition, I look forward to collaborating with our coaches, staff, alumni, fans and donors to advance a culture of championship excellence — in the classroom, in the community and on the fields of competition.”

In his tenure at URI, the Rams won 40 total league titles between tenures in the Coastal Athletic Association and the Atlantic 10 Conference— including 11 over the last three years— and established themselves as one of the A-10’s best overall programs, with only Virginia Commonwealth (17) winning more titles since 2023.

Bjorn’s specialization has been in applied fundraising and spending, with his most recent success being the acquisition of $65.8 million from the Rhode Island state budget earmarked to facility improvements for URI’s football, baseball, softball, soccer and swimming programs.

Other major spending projects on Bjorn’s resume include the construction of the Soloviev Basketball Practice Facility, which opened in 2023 and cost $8 million, and the Ryan Family Student-Athlete Center, which opened in 2014 and cost $5 million. In his time at URI, Bjorn has acquired and spent over $25 million from both internal and external sources to improve various facilities.

Bjorn previously served in various administrative roles at UMass in two separate stints, eventually rising up to the rank of interim athletic director in September 2003. In his time as interim AD, Bjorn was responsible for the creation of a sustainability report for a potential move to what is now called the Division I FBS level. Bjorn is also credited with securing UMass’ apparel deal with Adidas, the installation of a multi-million dollar video board inside Mullins Arena and replacing the turf at McGuirk Alumni Stadium.

Bjorn is set to be introduced to UMass media for a press conference on Thursday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time.

Won't be around to post the press conference video but will get to watch it this evening and perhaps parts earlier.
https://www.hustlebelt.com/umass-minutem...an-bamford

This one is not at you Steve.... See the Bold above...

You and I both know that the University's "commitment and investment" is a 100% bullschidt statement. That made me laugh out loud...

(11-06-2025 08:16 AM)Eldonabe Wrote:  THIS TIME IT'S DIFFERENT!

A lot was said, but the actions were light with football. Moving to the MAC Conference was a football move and an announcement Football is driving the bus. The nah sayers rallied that did not want Football driving the bus. What is different now is we have leaders committed to football. Football is not just another sport, as Mike, owner of UMassHoops buried the Thorr announcement in the 'Other Sports' sub forum. Not the ‘Football’ forum or even the 'General Discussion' forum. The basketball love folks are beside themselves and continue to attack the football program.

What is different now is the leaders did not flinch, go quiet but doubling down. They are looking at their shortcomings, checking their egos, and address the issues. Our AD, Ryan Bamford office is in the Mullins Center and naturally is closest to hockey and basketball.

We are spending major money, over 1M on football coaching staff, hiring a successful AD to help out a sport he loves. We now have a senior athletic administrator, who played football am loves UMass football, understands the challengers of the AD role, and is now in the Football Jim Hunt Performance Center. He is a good listener and learned to ask the why. Or as the School of Management taught us, find the causes and not to treat the symptoms.

What is different is that we are now building the administrative support, investing money in staff, NIL, and facilities to win. It will be a process that has and will not have immediate results, which is very, very hard on all of us.

Clearly it is not without problems or concerns. My concern that the Senior Administrator in charge of NIL and supporting coaches is invisible and the NIL investments to date seemed a failure. I don’t know the why. Thorr said he will not be involved with NIL, but will help support it. I hope the NIL Administrator works better with the rest of the administration and especially with the coaching staff, recruits and to some extent their families.

(11-06-2025 08:48 PM)ccd494 Wrote:  They keep showing this press conference on the feed of the UMass-Maine hockey game.

Bamford has a nice watch on- did he get that in recognition of his 100th press conference explaining what he's going to do to fix UMass?

Maine is on the sea... maybe that explains all this salt?

Here's why we keep needling you on this: all UMass has done is talk for 15 years. All UMass is doing is talking now. They've said they are doing things in the past. They've said they are doing things now. They've thrown money at administrators in the past. They are throwing money at administrators now. Someone's got to read you "The Boy Who Cried Wolf."

I'm also skeptical that Thorr Bjorn is some great savior. He's 60 years old, and his big splash hire of Archie Miller (5 years, $10ish million) hasn't resulted in a finish above 10th place. He's not leaving URI in the lurch here- he's beating the posse on the way out of town. URI basketball is THE sport that matters, and his two hires post Dan Hurley have not been winners. And Miller is an expensive mistake. He wasn't going to be allowed to make another one.

(11-07-2025 10:19 AM)ccd494 Wrote:  Here's why we keep needling you on this: all UMass has done is talk for 15 years. All UMass is doing is talking now. They've said they are doing things in the past. They've said they are doing things now. They've thrown money at administrators in the past. They are throwing money at administrators now. Someone's got to read you "The Boy Who Cried Wolf."

I'm also skeptical that Thorr Bjorn is some great savior. He's 60 years old, and his big splash hire of Archie Miller (5 years, $10ish million) hasn't resulted in a finish above 10th place. He's not leaving URI in the lurch here- he's beating the posse on the way out of town. URI basketball is THE sport that matters, and his two hires post Dan Hurley have not been winners. And Miller is an expensive mistake. He wasn't going to be allowed to make another one.

You need to separate the change in the move to the MAC 15 years ago. This is the first year we left the A10 and in the MAC. We have never paid a million dollars for a football coaches salary, never. We never had our AD admit he is not an expert with football and needs help with someone he trust. That he needs a senior administrator dedicated to football to get the program to be successful. We never hired a senior Football administrator, who will be located in the Football Facility and not cross campus. We never before said the football is driving the bus!

URI renewed Thorr's AD contract this past June for 5 years. URI Football, the sport Thorr played at UMass took time develop at Rhodes Island. He learned from his mistakes and URI has been ranked in the Top 20 of FCS football for the past 2 years.

Until we turn the corner, can understand your comments, but it is so easy based on results to say nothing has changed. But underneath it all, a lot is changing and we all want to win.

(11-07-2025 10:16 AM)Dr Dawgma III Wrote:  

(11-06-2025 08:48 PM)ccd494 Wrote:  They keep showing this press conference on the feed of the UMass-Maine hockey game.

Bamford has a nice watch on- did he get that in recognition of his 100th press conference explaining what he's going to do to fix UMass?

Maine is on the sea... maybe that explains all this salt?

What I was thinking was that we didn't see any UMass fans trashing the threads about the new Maine construction in the Stadium Renovation and Construction thread. Just let the UMass guys be happy for a bit.

(11-07-2025 10:55 AM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(11-07-2025 10:16 AM)Dr Dawgma III Wrote:  

(11-06-2025 08:48 PM)ccd494 Wrote:  They keep showing this press conference on the feed of the UMass-Maine hockey game.

Bamford has a nice watch on- did he get that in recognition of his 100th press conference explaining what he's going to do to fix UMass?

Maine is on the sea... maybe that explains all this salt?

What I was thinking was that we didn't see any UMass fans trashing the threads about the new Maine construction in the Stadium Renovation and Construction thread. Just let the UMass guys be happy for a bit.

They aren't! Steve is, because he's getting what he wanted (burning down UMass's entire athletic department to tilt at the quixotic windmill of football, and not even successful football, the type of football that cashes a check because ESPN wants to air Ohio State-Texas playoff games). The basketball and hockey fans are miserable!