Analysis
The University of Maine football team’s woes continued on Saturday in its 37-21 home loss to Albany.
When you allow 473 yards and lose the turnover battle 3-0, you aren’t going to win, especially when one of the turnovers is a 68-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
When defensive end Brian Abraham scooped up a fumble by UMaine quarterback Derek Robertson and scampered for a TD to make it 17-7 in the second quarter, that represented a 10 to 14-point swing.
A potential UMaine field goal or touchdown turned into an Albany touchdown.
UMaine answered with a four-yard TD pass from Robertson to Mike Monios to cut the lead to three with 5:08 left in the half.
But UMaine’s inexperienced defense was torched for touchdowns on Albany’s next possession and the Great Danes’ first two possessions of the second half as Albany built a 37-14 cushion.
On those three TD possessions, the Great Danes had to convert just three third downs and each covered at least 71 yards.
On the two third-quarter TD drives, running back Faysal Aden rushed for 86 yards on eight carries.
He had carried just once in the first half and lost a yard.
“We just weren’t able to get any negative plays (on first and second downs) to give us an advantage on third down. (The defense) couldn’t get off the field,” said UMaine head coach Jordan Stevens during Monday’s weekly Coastal Athletic Association coaches media conference zoom call.
UMaine’s third-down defensive issues continued as Albany went 6-for-12 on third down to drop UMaine’s percentage to a 49.2 percent success rate. Only five of the 122 teams in the Football Championship Subdivision have a worse percentage.
Robertson was also intercepted twice with one occurring at the Albany one-yard line late in the third period after UMaine had a first down at the Albany 16-yard line.
“We can’t turn the ball over,” said Stevens.
Robertson took full responsibility for all three turnovers, saying “I have to be a lot better.”
UMaine’s inability to stop the Great Dane offense was magnified again early in the fourth quarter after UMaine pulled to within 37-21.
The Great Danes got the ball with 11:04 remaining after Robertson’s 11-yard TD pass to Tristan Kenan.
The Black Bear offense never touched the ball again until there were just 12 seconds remaining as Albany put together an 18-play drive that included a first down after the Great Danes found themselves in a first-and-25 predicament.
“I thought we would get two more possessions,” said Stevens. “Our defense had done an outstanding job getting the ball back to our offense in our two previous games.”
UMaine’s defense has been decimated by injuries with four important starters, two linebackers and the two safeties, sitting out the Albany game.
Just three of the defensive starters had started 10 or more career games coming into the contest.
On the plus side for UMaine, junior wide receiver Michael Monios, filling in for injured reception leader leader Joe Gillette, caught a career-high 10 passes for 96 yards and junior defensive tackle John Costanza had a team and career-high seven tackles.
Monios and Costanza had just seven career starts between them entering the game.
“Michael had a great week of practice and carried it into the game. The focus he has brought to the week and throughout the season has really paid. He made some contested catches and some tough third down catches,” said Stevens. “John continues to get better. His role was much more minimal last year. He has been a starter this year and has been really consistent. I’m proud of his mental focus and mental toughness throughout the season.”
There are just two games remaining, a home game with 4-4 Hampton (2-3 in the CAA) on Saturday at 1 p.m. and the season finale against arch-rival New Hampshire on Nov. 18 at 1 in Durham, N.H.
The Black Bears are now 2-7 overall, 1-5 in the conference, and would love to begin to build momentum for next season with a pair of wins.
But that will be a tall order.
Hampton leads the CAA and is ninth in the country with its 225.9 rushing yards per game average. They have three players with at least 425 rushing yards on the campaign.
UMaine is 120th in rushing with just 77.2 yards per game which makes the Black Bears one -dimensional and easier to defend.
However, UMaine has the 16th best passing attack in the FCS, averaging 265.7 passing yards per game, and Hampton has been surrendering 236.4 yards per game through the air which is only 91st best.
There are no quick fixes for UMaine’s issues this season other than the hope they will get better in all areas in their final two games as its inexperienced players gain experience on both sides of the ball. After the season, they have to hit the NCAA transfer portal and the recruiting trail hard to bring in a good, large class for next season.
The beauty of having a long-standing rivalry game is it is like a season within itself.
A win over your arch-rival can erase the bitter taste in your mouths after a difficult campaign.
