2025 Team Previews - nescacfootballreport.com

2025 Team Previews

AMHERST

Coach: E.J. Mills (entering 28^th year)

Nickname: Mammoths

Location: Amherst, MA

Football – Amherst College

2024 Record: 2-7

’24 NESCAC Football Report Ranking: #9

5-year NESCAC Record: 17-28

2024 Recap (2-7)

Amherst opened the season with back to wins over Bates and Hamilton but then lost 7 straight including lopsided affairs against Tufts, Bowdoin, Colby and Trinity. The Mammoths lost both Little Three games by the combined score of 52-14 and finished the ’24 campaign with a -129-point differential which was 2^nd worst in the league (5 points better than Hamilton).

Offense

Preseason Assets & Question

Top Offensive Assets: Returning starters in each offensive area

Key Offensive Question: Can Amherst snap out of its offense struggles in ’25?

Amherst finished last in the league in offensive yards, and last in rushing yards by a wide margin. Sophomore QB Marek Hill returns, and he showed promise as a dual threat quarterback in the final four games of the season with his imposing 6’3” 230 lbs. frame. Hill will look to cut down on interceptions (8 in ’24) as he gains further experience. The good news is three of the top four Mammoth rushers are back, including their leading rusher, junior RB Demitrius Smith and senior Cato Legaspi; the bad news is the group averaged just 37 yds per game and 1.7 yds per carry. At receiver, their leading receiver has graduated, but most of all the other wideouts and tight ends who caught a pass in ’24 are back, including seniors Carter Jung, Sam Gerber and Keith Delaney. Junior WR Christian Moore should also be involved in the passing game. The tight end room has experience as well, with junior Matthew Diaz and senior Tom Nash back in Amherst. The Mammoths started nine different players on the offensive line in ’24, with seniors Alec Treadway, senior Zach Walker and junior Miles Roberts starting all nine games. Junior Ryan McGurn and sophomore Jonathan McLaughlin saw meaningful snaps in ’24.

Defense

Preseason Assets & Question

Top Offensive Assets: LB/DB Luke Harmon and an experienced secondary

Key Offensive Question: Can the new defensive line improve the pass rush?

Amherst finished middle of the back in yards allowed (5^th) and in the Top 3 in the league in pass defense; the Mammoth defense was on the field more than any defensive unit in the NESCAC and gave up the most points in the league (tied with Bates). On the defensive line, the Mammoths lost all three starters, but return senior Kemit Fisher, junior Jackson Duncan and sophomore Wyatt Morgan, all of whom have seen game action. Amherst will look to increase its sack total in ’25. Junior Ty Kazanowsky should start again at DE/LB and he is joined two linebackers: returning starter senior Damian Carrano and junior Nathaniel Jackson. Kazanowsky and Jackson finished 2^nd and 4^th respectively, on the team in total tackles in ’24. Sophomores Matt Callahan and Noah Onkst could see snaps at linebacker. 1^st Team All- NESCAC DB/LB Luke Harmon returns for his senior campaign; as a junior Luke Harmon led Amherst in total tackles, TFLs, interceptions and sacks. Most of the starting secondary is back around Harmon, including a slew of seniors: corners Miles Harmon and Niles Riding and safeties Matt Monteleone and Kevin Agnew. Junior safety Tylik Sims also has experience in the defensive backfield.

Special Teams

Amherst will need to replace its punter and will also look to improve its field goal kicking, an area where they went just 4 for 8 in ’24. Sophomore Hudson Fulcher-Melendy returns to handle the kicking chores. Carter Jung was an All-NESCAC kick returner last season and Sam Gerber handled punt returns in ’24.

Outlook

Amherst won NESCAC championships in ’13, ’14 and ’15 and won 8 games in ’18, but they have averaged under 3.5 wins over the past five seasons. The Mammoth offense has been a sore spot, finishing either last or next to last in yardage gained in the past 4 seasons. The coaching staff is trying to find the answer at QB: in its past two seasons, Amherst has started 5 different quarterbacks over the course of 13 games in an effort to jump start a stagnant offense. Hill may be the answer, but he will also need improved production from the skill positions and the offensive line. The defense has been solid, led by a true difference maker in LB/DB Luke Harmon. Expect the pass defense to be strong, and the Mammoths could be one of the better defenses in the NESCAC if it gets disruptive play from its defensive line and some help from the offense.