By MIKE HARRIS

RICHMOND, Va. - Everything is open for evaluation said University of Massachusetts football coach Kevin Morris after Saturday's loss to top-ranked Richmond.

That includes the quarterback spot, which may have a new look when the Minutemen play next Saturday afternoon at Maine.

Morris switched quarterbacks in the second half of the 34-12 loss at UR Stadium, going from junior Kyle Havens to senior Scott Woodward.

Neither quarterback will submit a highlight reel from a rainy day when the Spiders (7-0, 5-0 Colonial Athletic Association) picked off UMass (4-3, 2-2 CAA) six times. But the statistics did favor Woodward.

Four of the interceptions came against Havens, who completed 10 of 25 passes for 78 yards. Havens also lost a fumble.

Woodward, who had only attempted 10 passes this season before Saturday, was picked off twice. The first interception was returned for a touchdown, and the second was brought back 91 yards to the Minutemen's 1-yard line on the game's final play. Woodward completed 11-of-23 passes for 137 yards and one touchdown - all in the final quarter.

"Tonight we decided to make that change," Morris said. "We need a spark, obviously, because we weren't going the right way offensively. Guys are trying hard, working hard but we needed to try to make a change and that was one of the areas we tried to do that with.

"You can read into it whatever you want," Morris added. "What I read into it is (Woodward) did a nice job, stepped in # we want our guys to be productive and he was productive. Good job by Scott and the offensive line ... they were productive."

Richmond, the defending Football Championship Subdivision champion, has won 16 straight games. In its past 15 home games, Richmond has scored at least 31 points. The Spiders' defense made sure the offense did not have to go too far to get those points Saturday.

UMass outgained Richmond 277 to 236 yards overall. The Spiders were only 2-of-14 on third-down conversions and 1-of-5 on fourth down. But they capitalized on the turnovers.

The Minutemen scored first on a 33-yard field goal by Armando Cuko on the opening drive of the game with 10 minutes, 58 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Richmond then scored the next 27 points.

The Spiders drove only 27 yards for their first touchdown and 26 for their second. Richmond's third score was a 29-yard field goal that the Spiders moved only five yards to set up.

UMass, meanwhile, saved its ball movement for the first and last quarters, gaining only six yards in the second quarter and 16 in the third.

The Minutemen finished their scoring in the fourth quarter on a safety and a 20-yard touchdown pass from Woodward to Victor Cruz (four catches for 58 yards).

UMass senior tailback Tony Nelson, who is recovering from a thigh injury, did not make the trip. Jonathan Hernandez (12 carries) and Chris Zardas (11) each rushed for 37 yards in the rain which left the field muddy.

"Bad weather and all, still it is supposed to be a real good football game and it ended up not being that way," Morris said. "We turned the ball over and if you turn the ball over in the CAA, you're going to lose.

"We're playing on the same field. It's an even playing surface," he added. "They did a better job controlling the rock than we did. Then they took advantage of those turnovers that we gave them, and they earned as well.

"I think it is a combination of putting some pressure on the quarterback, which those D linemen did a great job of tonight, and making good decisions, which I don't know that we did all the time tonight," Morris continued. "The weather - I'm sure you can throw that in, but if we didn't think we could throw we wouldn't have in the rain."

Tyler Holmes, a sophomore linebacker for the Minutemen from Blacksburg, Va., was credited with a game-high 17 tackles. He had a sack, three other tackles behind the line of scrimmage and the only interception by UMass, his third of the season.

"Our offense, they turned it over. We have to be there to pick them up," Holmes said. "Unfortunately we weren't and Richmond came away (with a win).

"Both teams have to play on the same field, so you try not to let (the weather) affect you. You stay in your schemes, try to think about the game, not the weather."