The 2019 University of Maine football team is getting set to kickoff the season on Friday, August 30th at home when Northeast Conference foe Sacred Heart invades Alfond Stadium for a 6 p.m. non-conference kickoff.
Maine is coming off a 10-4 campaign in 2018 and a Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) championship, reaching the semifinals of the FCS playoffs for the first time in school history. The Bears return 15 players to this years unit, eight on defense and seven on offense under first year head coach Nick Charlton. Charlton takes over for Joe Haraysmiak, who left to be a defensive assistant at the University of Minnesota.
Leading the offensive charge is junior quarterback Chris Ferguson (209-371, 22 touchdowns, 11 interceptions in 2018). At wide receiver, Ferguson will return senior Earnest Edwards (53 catches, 839 yards, 10 TD), senior Jaquan Blair (43-572-5), junior Old Town native Andre Miller (16-287-1), and sophomore Devin Young (33-221). Edwards is also a formidable kick returner for the Black Bears and an All-CAA choice. Ferguson will also have new and big targets at the tight end position in 6 foot 5 Shawn Bowman, 6-6 Assumption College transfer Kevin Falaki, and 6-2 Louisville transfer Ori-Jean Charles. At running back, Maine did lose redshirt freshman Ramon Jefferson (1,037 yards) to transfer, but fills that spot with what could be an upgrade with Buffalo transfer Emmanuel Reed who racked up 1,244 yards in 288 career carries at the FBS level with the Bulls. Also helping out the backfield depth will be senior Joe Fitzpatrick (476 yards), Northern Illinois transfer Jordan Rowell, and true freshman Curtis Murray.
Deshawn Stevens leads a defense unit that ranked first in all of the FCS last season in average rushing yards per game allowed (79), and second overall in tackles for loss (117) and sacks (47). Stevens leads three starters that are preseason All-American candidates. Stevens had 120 tackles, 17 for loss, and nine sacks last season. Senior Kayon Whitaker was tied for third in the conference in 2018 with 9.5 sacks. Other notables include senior nose tackle Charles Mitchell and senior tackle Alejandro Oregon who will clog up the middle to help stop the run. Sophomore end Jamehl Wiley had 32 tackles. Stevens along with senior Taji Lowe and junior Jaron Grayer lead a very solid linebacking core. The secondary is led by the final of those preseason All-American candidates in Manny Patterson. Patterson led the conference with 22 pass breakups last season. He will be joined in that secondary by senior Joshua Huffman who sat out 2018 due to academic issues. Sophomore Richard Carr (3 interceptions-tied with Patterson for team lead), and sophomore Katley Joseph (34 tackles) will round out the starters. Juniors Jordan Swann and Erick Robertson, along with sophomore Shaquille St.-Lot and Buffalo transfer Jeremiah Dadeboe will provide depth.
All-CAA selection Liam Dobson leads the offensive line at right tackle, while experienced junior center Chris Mulvey returns as well. Redshirt sophomore Tyler Royal is the other tackle, while sophomores Michael Gerace and Matthias Staalsoe start at guard. On special teams, junior kicker Kenny Doak had a bounce back year making 11 of 18 field goal attempts. Doak kicked last second game winning field goals at home against Villanova and on the road at Rhode Island. The walkoff win over Villanova was a career long kick for Doak (52 yards). Sophomore punter David Gelb returns after a solid 2018 season.
Maine begins the season ranked #7 in the country in the STATS FCS preseason poll, and was picked third in the preseason CAA coaches poll. The Bears play only one conference opponent that is ranked in the top three in the CAA poll with a week three home contest against Towson (picked #2). Maine will also travel to FBS opponents Georgia Southern (Sept 7) and Liberty (October 19). Last year Maine won at FBS school Western Kentucky 31-28, after trailing 21-0 in the first five minutes of the game. Also on the schedule is a road visit to Colgate (Sept 21), who was also part of the FCS playoffs a season ago. If they are able to stay healthy and avoid key injuries, this years edition of Maine football has a chance to be even better than a year ago and record their first back to back winning seasons since 2001 and 2002.
Prediction- 8-4 overall, 6-2 Colonial Athletic Association, share of CAA championship with James Madison and trip to FCS playoffs
Maine wide receiver Jaquan Blair (11) celebrates with a teammate during the Black Bears 55-27 playoff victory at home over Jacksonville State on December 1, 2018 at Alfond Stadium in Orono. Photo by Anthony DelMonaco.
