The University of Maine football team isn’t likely to contend for a Football Championship Subdivision playoff berth but should at least rack up four wins which is equal to the win total of the last two seasons combined.
The Black Bears are coming off back-to-back 2-9 seasons with eight of those 18 losses coming by seven points or less.
Third-year head coach Jordan Stevens is optimistic about the upcoming season, feeling he and his staff have addressed the needs of their team moving forward. The Black Bears open the season against Colgate University at 7 p.m. Friday at UMaine’s Morse Field.
The wide receiver corps returns intact and features four wide receivers who caught at least 28 passes last season along with a tight end who snared 22.
Three of the four defensive linemen who started in last year’s season finale against the University of New Hampshire return and another, who was the team’s fourth-leading tackler, is also back.
Quarterback Derek Robertson transferred to fellow Coastal Athletic Association school Monmouth but Stevens and his staff brought in transfer Carter Peevy from Mercer University in Georgia and that should be an upgrade. Peevy is a dual-threat quarterback who can extend plays and drives with his running while Robertson couldn’t.
Peevy completed 66.45 percent of his passes for 2,284 yards and 11 touchdowns with five interceptions and ran the ball 125 times for 324 yards and 12 TDs with his longest run being a 75-yarder. Robertson lost 104 yards on 29 carries with his season-high scamper being just nine yards.
And Peevy led Mercer to a FCS playoff berth.
So when you combine an improvement at the quarterback spot; one of the most seasoned receiving corps in the FCS featuring Jamie Lamson (49 catches-552 yards, 6 TDs), Montigo Moss (37-408, 3 TDs), Joe Gillette (36-570 5 TDs) and Michael Monios (28-296, 1 TD); a quality tight end in Cooper Heisey (22-187, 3 TDs) and three starting offensive linemen in center Joe Horn and guards Jack Boutaugh and Nicolas Cruji, the offense can’t help but be significantly better than a year ago.
UMaine averaged 23.5 points per game, which was 77th among 122 FCS teams, along with 359.8 yards (59th).
The key for the offense will be the establishment of a consistent running attack that can produce at least an average of 150 yards per game after last year’s team managed only 79.7 yards which was 119th.
UMaine used to be known for its smash-mouth running game that wore opposing defenses down.
A strong running game will also free up the wide receivers and tight ends and make it easier for them to get open.
Montana State transfer Jaharie Martin, a bruising 225-pounder, will join redshirt-senior Tavion Banks and junior Brian Santana-Fis as the primary ball-carriers. All offer something a little bit different. Banks played in only four games due to injury.
Center Horn, who started every game as did Cruji, has just returned to practice this week due to injury so he will likely miss the opener at home against Colgate.
Redshirt freshman Anthony Iliano will start in Horn’s place.
Virginia Military Institute transfer Andrew Kocan and Lafayette transfer John Olmstead will be the starting tackles and versatile redshirt-sophomore Tyler Williams, who started six games a year ago, can play tackle or guard.
“Offensively, we have a really veteran team. We have a veteran receiver group and tight end group; we are returning four guys up front who have played significant time for us and we added a guy like John Olmstead to our offensive line who was part of a championship team at Lafayette,” said Stevens. “And (Peevy) was in the (FCS) playoffs last year as was Olmstead.”
He called all of his wide receivers “playmakers” and said getting the ball in their hands is vital.
There is simply nowhere to go but up for the porous Black Bear defense.
The Black Bears allowed 32.73 points (tied for 103rd), 416.3 yards (99th), 239.3 passing yards (95th) and 177 rushing yards (93rd) per game. Opponents converted on third down 49.6 percent of the time and only four teams had a worse third-down defense conversion percentage.
They gave up 53 plays of at least 20 yards including 19 that went for at least 40 yards. There were nine running plays that went for at least 30 yards.
Stevens said the defense should be significantly better.
“We’ve really improved our linebacker room and our secondary. We have a good blend of older guys and young guys on defense. We feel like we’ve improved a lot there,” said Stevens.
He said eliminating those explosive plays has been a big point of emphasis since January.
“And we feel like we can do that with the guys we have and the schemes we have,” said Stevens. “I’ve seen a real passion from the guys in that group and in the whole team overall.”
End Xavier Holmes (51 tackles) and tackle Izaiah Henderson (49) were the team’s third and fourth-leading tacklers. Henderson, who was bothered by nagging injuries, was tops in tackles for loss (9.5) and sacks (4) while Holmes was second in both at 7.5 and 2.5.
Nose tackle John Costanza (26 tackles) and end Jacob Tuiasosopo (13 tackles) were also starters and are back.
UMaine averaged only 1.27 sacks per game which was tied for 109th so that has to improve to help limit the big plays.
The linebacker corps features returnees in juniors Tyshawn Stewart, the team’s second-leading tackler a year ago with 58, and Latrell Couchman (27), sophomore Jabari Odoemenemem (23), and senior Christian Thomas.
Thomas missed all but three games with a hip injury but is back healthy this season.
That linebacker corps has been bolstered by the addition of transfers Kesean Dyson from St. Francis (Pa.), where he had 33 tackles and led the team in tackles for loss (7.5) and shared the top spot in sacks (3), and Jeremaine Baker from Yale where he had 23 tackles in 10 games in 2023.
In the secondary, the Black Bears have added four transfers in cornerbacks Dorian Blackwell (Nevada) and Isaiah Watson (Samford) and safeties Kenneth Cooper (Merrimack) and Jayden Curry (South Florida) to go with returnees Alhaji Kamara (31 tackles) and Jamaree Gibson (19 tackles) at the corners and Shakur Smalls (15), Robby Riobe (18) and Devin Vaught (4) at safety.
Graduate student Riobe and senior Smalls appeared in just four games each due to injury last season.
Joey Bryson handled kickoffs last fall and will also be handling the place kicking after the departure of Cody Williams, who was 7-for-10 in field goals and made all 32 extra-point kicks. Aiden Cadogan is back as the punter.
The early schedule is more favorable than in past years.
Friday’s Colgate game is crucial from a confidence standpoint and is a winnable game as are games three and four at home to Monmouth and at Merrimack.
Game two at FCS power Montana State will be a real challenge.
