Twitter
Facebook
Reddit
Digg
Tell us what you think!Send a letter to the editor about this or any other article in The Maine Campus.
After starting the season with a 2-0 record, the University of Maine football team has since dropped three straight games. The hardest part to swallow? In each of their losses, they have either held the lead or been tied at halftime.
In Saturday night’s 27-17 home loss to the University of Delaware, both squads were tied up at 14 at the half before the Blue Hens scored 14 unanswered to close the game, securing a key conference victory in the process.
“Our inability to close out and finish, that experience factor is something that separates teams in this conference,” said UMaine coach Jack Cosgrove in Monday’s Colonial Athletic Association teleconference.
UMaine hopes to rebound and get back to their winning ways when they travel to play division rival Hofstra University on Saturday at 1 p.m. The game will be televised on Comcast Sports-New England.
As the Black Bears near the midway point of their 2009 campaign, they will have to do some soul-searching — the same soul-searching they did last year at the halfway point.
In 2008, UMaine began the season 2-3 and was plagued by early season losses where they failed to finish games. The veteran group reeled off six straight wins after a lackluster start on their way to the school’s first playoff berth since 2002.
Gone from last year are six defensive starters and two key cogs on the offensive line, as well as All-American fullback Jared Turcotte who is out after undergoing abdominal surgery.
“I think people felt we’d be further ahead than we are, but reality is that we’re a very inexperienced team in a lot of areas, and we’re seeing that,” Cosgrove said. “I think that’s something that’s shown to light this past weekend and in previous weekends.”
A switch from a more wide-open passing offense from a predominant running attack has slowed the learning curve for several offensive linemen. Despite prolific passing numbers from sophomore Warren Smith (563 yards, five touchdowns in past two games), the run game has struggled to complement the passing attack due to inconsistencies on the young offensive line.
Sophomore running back Derek Session surpassed the 100-yard mark in each of his first three games but has been held to just 107 yards combined in the last two games.
In the first half Saturday night, UMaine’s defense was susceptible to the big play, surrendering a 79-yard touchdown strike in the first quarter. The offense responded though, led by Smith. He threw touchdown passes to Desmond Randall and Ty Jones in the first half. He connected with the CAA’s top receiver, Landis Williams 10 times for 104 yards.
A field goal to start on the opening drive to start the second half was all the Black Bears could muster the rest of the way though.
“I thought we had an opportunity on their next drive — we recovered a fumble —to kind of take charge of the game and seize momentum,” Cosgrove said. “We didn’t do it, three-and-out, and from that point on they took control of the football game.”
Cosgrove pointed to a lack of ball possession as one of the determining factors in the loss.
“After an 11-play drive to start the third quarter, we ran 14 football plays the rest of the game and just didn’t get it done,” he said.
Hofstra’s momentum
Perhaps a bigger challenge is on deck for UMaine when they travel to Hempstead, N.Y. for a conference road game against Hofstra. Hofstra (3-2, 1-1 CAA) has been up-and-down to begin the season but may have hit its stride in last Saturday’s upset of No. 7 James Madison.
The Pride allowed only 56 yards passing and 192 total at home on Saturday afternoon to earn their first top-10 win since 2005.
They implement a dual-quarterback system with Cory Christopher and Steve Probst taking the snaps. Each had a passing touchdown Saturday with Christopher adding a score on the ground.
“I saw a great effort by them this past week,” Cosgrove said. “I watched the James Madison game and I thought they had a great plan. They did a great job of blending the run and the pass and working their quarterbacks into the game.”
Senior preseason All-CAA linebacker Luke Bonus (40 tackles) leads a defensive unit that ranks seventh in total defense in the conference.
“I was impressed with their defense,” Cosgrove said. “They run around and they play very, very hard. That’s a group down there that we’ve always thought that about.”
The skinny
It appears both teams are headed in opposite directions after last week’s games. Hofstra is coming off a season-changing and program-changing victory over the defending CAA champions, while UMaine has dropped three straight tough-luck decisions. If the Black Bears are going to come out victorious though, they need more production out of their offensive line in paving holes for Derek Session. The UMaine passing attack is tough for anyone to matchup with as they are loaded at the receiver position. Warren Smith has put up big passing numbers, but he has also had the tendency of throwing interceptions. Hofstra still could be riding high from the James Madison win so this will be the week where UMaine finally breaks through and grinds out a victory on the road.
Prediction: UMaine 27, Hofstra 20
