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The 2001 University of Maine football season began Saturday night against Colgate.
Last season, Maine won three of its last four games, outscoring opponents 141-56. The Black Bears ended the 2000 season with a 5-6 record (3-5 in Atlantic 10).
“I thought we improved,” UMaine head coach Jack Cosgrove said. “We just got better. We were a young team that needed to go through some growing pains, especially on defense.”
The Black Bears return 15 starters. On the offensive side of the field six starters return including junior quarterback Jake Eaton. Last season Eaton set a school record in completion percentage (65.9), which was the highest mark in the Atlantic 10 and the third best nationally.
In a season where he was one of two sophomores selected to the All-New England team, Eaton accumulated 2,265 passing yards and 17 touchdowns. He was a threat to run the ball as well, rushing for 296 yards, which was third on the team.
Senior running back Royston English returns to the fold as the leading rusher on the team. English earned Atlantic 10 co-offensive player of the week honors after 137 rushing yards and five touchdowns against New Hampshire on Nov. 18. His 666 total rushing yards and 10 touchdowns were the highest single season totals by a Maine running back since Bob Jameson in 1996.
The offensive line lost two starters but returns four players who have significant experience. Last year’s offensive line increased Maine’s average rushing yardage from 1999 by more than 40 yards a game. Two tackles sophomore Matt Hammond and senior Zack Magliaro will strengthen the line as returning starters.
Senior tight end and captain Chad Hayes, is UMaine’s top offensive threat this year, Cosgrove said. Hayes is the top returning pass catcher after the departures of All-Conference selections Dwayne Wilmot, Phil McGeoghan and senior Ben Christopher.
“Chad really has been a good football player for us, especially when he is healthy and he is going into this season with a good frame of mind and body,” Cosgrove said. “He’s hopefully going to be a key offensive weapon for us at tight end, not only as a blocker, but as a pass receiver.”
Hayes received several honors during the preseason, which included first team Atlantic 10 honors, selection by Dan Hansen’s National Weekly Football Gazette as a second team preseason All-American and he was named as one of the top five tight ends in the country by the Sports Network.
“I think that’s certainly deserved,” Cosgrove said. “Chad knows he’s going to be a key performer for our offense.”
On defense, Maine has experience with nine starters returning. UMaine’s defense only allowed 14.6 points per game over the last five games of the season. The defensive line will be led by junior Damon Boinske, who ranked second in the Atlantic 10 in sacks last year with nine, and fourth in tackles for a loss with 17. Slated to join Boinske are junior nose tackle Amos Hall and junior Brendan Curry, who was seventh on the team and first among the defensive line with 47 tackles.
Middle linebackers junior Stephen Cooper and junior Rob Kierstad and outside backer senior Ernie Svolto give the Black Bear second line three returning starters. Cooper led Maine last year with 84 tackles and four fumble recoveries. Kierstad was third on the team with 58 stops and Svolto fifth with 53 tackles. Getting a look at outside linebacker spots are red-shirt freshman Matt Dibiase and junior David Ellis.
The defensive backfield was hampered by injuries last year but returns a number of experienced players. Sophomore Devon Goree earned team Rookie of the Year honors on the shoulders of 6.8 tackles per game, the most among first year players in league games in the Atlantic 10. Goree also led the team with three interceptions in eight games.
Senior Lennard Byrd returns as the other starter at cornerback, while UMaine Outstanding Defensive Player Award winner junior Dave Cusano moves from part-time free safety/corner to full-time free safety. Sophomore corner Derek Martinez and freshman corner Will Griffin both return in 2001 from knee injuries.
“We established some young guys,” Cosgrove said. “I think that’s always a great thing to have going for you to build on. We certainly hope that we can feed off that this season.”
Maine is predicted to finish eighth in the 2001 Atlantic 10 preseason poll, as voted by the college coaches and media. Delaware, Hofstra and Villanova rounded out the top three.
But Cosgrove does not take too much stock in the poll.
“I don’t know about the rankings,” Cosgrove said. “I don’t know if the preseason poll tells a heck of a lot, the ones at the end of the year count. It’s a pretty typical ranking for us.”
With the preseason behind them, Cosgrove said the team is ready for the upcoming season.
“It’s a highlight to start the season at home and have support of this community and this campus,” Cosgrove said. “We’re looking forward, we’re excited.
