The University of Maine has lost another football player to the NCAA transfer portal.
Senior linebacker Xavier Nurse announced on Twitter that he has put his name into the portal to transfer to another school.
“I want to thank the University of Maine for a great four years but, with that being said, I am entering the transfer portal as a grad transfer with two years of eligibility remaining,” wrote Nurse.
His departure means the Black Bears will be without all three linebackers who started the final game of the regular season against the University of New Hampshire. Brian Lee Jr. and Adrian Otero, who shared the team lead in tackles with 72 apiece, have both graduated.
Nurse joins senior quarterback Joe Fagnano in the portal. Fagnano announced his intentions last month.
Nurse, a 6-foot-3, 240-pound native of Brooklyn, New York, was 12th on the team in tackles this fall with 29. He had four tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He also had an interception and two quarterback hurries.
In 2021, Nurse was fourth on the team with 60 tackles including two for loss and a pair of sacks. He broke up three passes and forced a fumble.
During the abbreviated four-game spring schedule in 2021, he had four tackles in four games.
Nurse led Brooklyn’s Erasmus Hall High School to the 2018 City Championship and he was an All-City and All-Conference selection.
The Black Bears are expected to return the three back-ups who all received playing time this season.
Sophomore Vince Thomas played in 10 of UMaine’s 11 games and had 16 tackles and a fumble recovery, redshirt freshman Latrell Couchman had eight tackles in 10 games and forced a fumble, and sophomore Tyshawn Stewart appeared in seven games and had two tackles.
Head coach Jordan Stevens and his staff will have to revamp the defense in the offseason.
UMaine finished 87th among 123 teams in the Football Championship Subdivision in both most points allowed per game (31.6) and most yards allowed (412.5).
The Black Bear defense also allowed 54 plays of at least 20 yards en route to a 2-9 campaign, 2-6 in the Colonial Athletic Association.
