Developing depth across the board is a key component of the football coaching plan at the University of Maine.
Coach Jack Cosgrove’s Black Bears seldom attract front-line recruits, which means they must help their players achieve at the highest level possible. And if somebody happens to go down with an injury, “the next guy’s in,” as Cosgrove often says.
That means the backups also need to gain experience as quickly as possible.
Perhaps there is no better example of UMaine’s player-development plan than Saturday’s 41-17 Colonial Athletic Association victory over Rhode Island.
Sophomore quarterback Chris Treister of Cape Elizabeth earned his first collegiate start in place of injured Warren Smith and proved he is ready for the challenge.
The former Portland High School star completed a school-record 39 passes in 45 attempts, setting a UMaine single-game mark with an .867 completion percentage on his way to a 468-yard, five-touchdown effort.
His completions surpassed the standard of 38 set in 1997 by Mickey Fein.
“I was just real pleased for Chris. I’ve been saying for a long time, I think he’s got the talent to play in this conference, at this level, to the folks here in Maine who it is very important to that state of Maine players are involved up here,” said Cosgrove, who returned to work Sunday after spending Saturday night undergoing tests at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor after experiencing shortness of breath and chest pain late in the URI game.
“[Treister] exceeded what you would have hoped for in a first-time start in an opportunity like this,” Cosgrove added.
Treister quickly developed a good rhythm, working with his receivers on several short throws. He seemed to get better as the game progressed.
The performance earned Treister recognition as The Sports Network’s National Offensive Player of the Week and the CAA’s Offensive Player of the Week.
“It was definitely fun,” a reserved Treister said. “My biggest thing was just stepping in and being a good leader and doing my job, taking care of what I needed to take care of, not trying to do too much.”
UMaine does everything it can to prepare players for that situation when they are thrust into a prominent role.
Kevin Bourgoin, UMaine’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, said Treister has been the beneficiary of getting plenty of work in practice. That includes playing with the first unit and getting as many practice repetitions as the starter as Smith when he was the backup.
“You’ve got to always prepare for a situation like this, so when he gets an opportunity, it’s not like you’re playing a football player or quarterback that hasn’t prepared all week long,” Bourgoin said.
“We didn’t have a special game plan going into the game to make it easier for Chris,” Bourgoin said. “He’s been running this offense; he’s been doing it since he’s been here. It’s the same calls, the same protections, the same pass plays.”
In spite of his confidence in Treister, Bourgoin admitted he didn’t expect the kind of show he witnessed Saturday.
“There’s a difference between practicing and playing in a football game and you never know what you’re going to get,” Bourgoin said.
Senior wide receiver Landis Williams found a tremendous rapport with Treister. He set the UMaine single-game record for receiving yards (220) Saturday, eclipsing the mark of 215 set by Gene Benner in 1969.
Williams also tied Arel Gordon’s 2006 school mark with 17 receptions, which ranks third all time in CAA play.
Williams said the practice reps and pickup ball in the summer with Treister are paying dividends.
“We get to throw with all the quarterbacks, so there’s pretty much a good chemistry between all of us,” Williams said.
Treister, who admitted that waiting to play is the hardest part, nonetheless bought into the philosophy of preparing hard in order to be ready to play when the time comes.
“The biggest thing that coach Bourg stresses and all the coaches stress is, you need to prepare like you’re No. 1,” Treister said. “Just like that, you can be in and that’s what happened to me.”