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After controlling most of the first half play in the Colonial Athletic Association opener against the eighth-ranked College of William and Mary, the Black Bears stumbled in the second half, relinquishing the 14-3 lead and conceding to the Tribe 24-21 last Saturday at University of Maine’s Morse Field
It looked good early on for the Black Bears, forcing the Tribe to a three and out on the first drive of the game.
The Black Bears had success moving the ball on their first possession, as junior quarterback Warren Smith completed his first four throws of the day. On a third and ten, junior running back Pushaun Brown ran it nine yards to the Tribe three-yard line. On the ensuing fourth and one, head coach Jack Cosgrove elected to go for it, rather than take a field goal. Brown’s run was stuffed for a loss of two by William and Mary safety Brian Thompson.
When asked about the decision to go for it, Cosgrove didn’t hesitate to stand behind his decision.
“It was fourth and one. I’ve been doing this for 18 years, fourth and one you go for it,” Cosgrove said. “College football field goals aren’t as automatic. Down close like that, you’ve got to be able to run the football, show some sign of physicality. We’ve been doing that for years.”
The Black Bear defense held its ground on the next possession, forcing a consecutive three and out. The Tribe was unable to pick up a first down the entire first quarter.
After a lackluster punt by Tribe punter David Miller gave the Black Bears quality field position, Smith mirrored his first drive on UMaine’s next possession, completing four consecutive passes. After an incomplete pass to Brown, Smith went back to fundamentals and handed it off to the running back, who busted past the goal line for the first points of the game.
The Black Bears started the second quarter with possession, but proceeded to punt away after a three and out of their own.
The Tribe’s next drive was almost cut short, as the interception opportunity slipped through UMaine junior linebacker Donte Dennis’ hands. William and Mary showed their first sign of offensive life with a successful play-action pass from quarterback Mike Callahan to wide receiver Ryan Moody.
The Tribe rushed the ball down to the Black Bear five-yard line, and on fourth and three, elected to go for the field goal, narrowing the margin to 7-3.
The teams exchanged three and out on each of their next drives. The Black Bears gained good field position off a punt return by junior defensive back Trevor Coston. Smith looked good again on this drive, completing all five passes, including a 20-yard screen to senior wide receiver Desmond Randall that brought the Black Bears inside the Tribe’s 10-yard line. Brown rumbled eight yards into the end zone, scoring his second touchdown of the half.
The defense of UMaine stifled any chance of the Tribe sneaking point up before the half, as sophomore defensive lineman Doug Alston and senior defensive lineman Omar Jacobs took turns sacking Callahan.
The half ended shortly thereafter with the Black Bears in complete control. The Tribe were only able to amass 97 offensive yards through the first two quarters, while the Black Bears exceeded 200 yards.
“We had a great first half running the ball,” Brown, who ended the first half with 73 rush yards and two touchdowns said.
Brown obtained the starting spot after first string running back junior Jared Turcotte was absent due to his wife being in labor.
Neither team produced much in the third quarter, as most of UMaine’s offense kept allowing penalties to halt drives.
“We were still moving the ball, but we kept getting penalties that set us back,” Brown said. The Black Bears accumulated 55 yards in penalties in the third quarter alone.
“We were certainly guilty of making mistakes,” Cosgrove said.
The Black Bears continued to dominate on both ends, as freshman defensive back Michael Mangiarelly picked off Callahan for the first turnover of the game, as UMaine strolled into the final quarter the ball and score on their side.
The teams swapped possessions early on in the fourth. With 10 minutes left, the Tribe made a switch at quarterback and brought on University of North Carolina transfer Michael Paulus.
Paulus just escaped an interception on his first throw, when the pass careened out of senior defensive back Steven Barker’s hands. The extra opportunity for the Tribe proved costly for the Black Bears, as William and Mary marched down the field to the Black Bear 10-yard line. The next play saw Tribe running back Courtland Marriner punch it in for the score, bringing the deficit to one possession, 14-10.
It took less than 30 seconds for the Black Bears to relinquish the lead, as Smith’s second pass on the drive was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Tribe linebacker Dante Cook.
“I didn’t see the middle linebacker get over there, thought we had an easy completion,” Smith said. “He undercut it and picked it off. Good play on their part.”
The Black Bears caught a break at the end of their next drive. After punting away, Tribe return man B.W. Webb fumbled the kick, which was recovered at the Tribe 20-yard line by UMaine freshman wide receiver Derrick Johnson.
Another penalty for the Black Bears pushed them back five yards, but was quickly countered by a 17-yard reception from Smith to sophomore tight end Jeff Falvey. Smith then completed his only touchdown pass of the game, to Desmond Randall to regain the lead with less than three minutes left, 21-17.
The Tribe’s last drive began at the there own 30-yard line. Paulus proceeded to connect on consecutive passes with wide receiver Chase Hill, bringing William and Mary close to midfield. On third and 12, Paulus completed a 15-yard pass to keep the drive alive. As the clock ticked to just under a minute, William and Mary lined up for second down on the Black Bear 21-yard line.
Paulus dropped back and lofted the ball towards the gowal line, where Hill was able to maintain possession while surrounded by Black Bears, giving the Tribe what would ultimately be the deciding score.
UMaine’s last gasp attempt at trickery failed in the closing seconds, as The Black Bears weren’t able to pull off comeback drive and lost the CAA opener 24-21.
“I’ve experienced some tough losses here,” Cosgrove said. “This is as tough as it gets. We have only ourselves to blame. We had a lack of discipline — a complete lack of discipline, which is a poor reflection on the head coach. We were certainly guilty in the form of making mistakes. I’m incredibly disappointed in what transpired in the second half.”
There isn’t too much to take from such a crushing defeat, but the team, somber in expression during the post game, looked at the first half as what this team could be.
“I think we were working on who we could be, what we could become as a football team,” Cosgrove said.
“We showed signs of being the most explosive offense in the country,” Smith said. “When I see us kill ourselves, it’s crushing.”
The Black Bears were hoping to pick up their first home victory and first conference victory on the night where the UMaine 2010 Hall of Fame class was honored at halftime.
Looks like both those firsts will have to wait until next Saturday, when the Black Bears take on rival University of New Hampshire at Morse Field.
Bangor Daily News