He's not a MAC coach yet. Technically he took an FCS job because the "new football season" begins July 1, 2012. But effectively Charley Molnar, Notre Dame's offensive coordinator, was introduced as Massachusetts head football coach, making him the 14th head man in the MAC. That's the rule: you always need a fourth for euchre and a 14th for superconferencing.
I mentioned this briefly earlier today but it needs to be reiterated: he's a branch of the Brian Kelly coaching tree and has been since 2006 at Central Michigan. Prior to that he did some combination of QB/WR coaching at WMU, EMU and Kent State for about 12 seasons. He knows the lay of the land, and I can't help but think that factored into their decision.
He graduated from Lock Haven, which is the farthest thing from a football school you can be while still having varsity football. So he's coached QBs like Dan LeFevour and Tony Pike. (And Jonathan Drach, for you early-21st century WMU kooks.) He's led along receivers like Mardy Gilyard and Bryan Anderson.
Analysis: I don't really have any groundbreaking insights, to be honest with you, other than how UMass will fare overall in their first FBS year. It's probably going to be painful. It was with NIU and Buffalo and UCF. Marshall may be the exception that proves the rule as they won the MAC their first year. (And in 2012 the Minutemen will not be eligible for the championship, nor for bowl bids.) UMass isn't even an FCS powerhouse but they certainly have room to grow and the '12 season is going to be somewhat of a trial-and-error.
But I can say this about Molnar: he looks a little bit like Peter Lorre. If you have a better comparison I'm open to suggestions.