ORONO, Maine — Big game. Large crowd. Huge disappointment.
The University of Maine football team may have nearly twice the scholarships as the University at Albany, but once the players are between the lines, it’s execution that counts.
The Great Danes demonstrated Saturday night why they are worthy of admittance next season into the Colonial Athletic Association, handing the 22nd-ranked Black Bears a 30-20 setback on Morse Field.
“We want to prove that we can play in the CAA and I hope we answered some questions tonight,” said UAlbany senior tailback Drew Smith, who ran for 114 yards and two touchdowns.
A lively crowd of 7,101 that turned out at Alfond Stadium to watch its team win, instead saw UAlbany (3-1) outperform UMaine (1-2) in all facets of the game.
“You’ve got to get a win for the supporters so, obviously, it was a disappointment,” said UMaine junior quarterback Marcus Wasilewski. “Hopefully, they’ve still got our backs and will come out and support us again in the next one.”
It was the third win over UMaine in four years for UAlbany, which operates with 38 scholarship equivalencies compared with the Black Bears’ 63, the Football Championship Subdivision maximum.
Coming off a seven-point loss last week at No. 5 Youngstown State, UAlbany of the Northeast Conference showed again that it is a formidable FCS program.
“I was telling everybody before [the game], almost isn’t good enough,” said senior linebacker Jon Morgan. “We just have to finish. We have to be the team that we know we can be. I think we’re a good contender.”
Coach Jack Cosgrove’s Black Bears were unable to generate much offense in the first half, then encountered defensive difficulties in the second half.
UMaine also was plagued by penalties (9 for 95 yards), including two holds, two personal fouls and an unsportsmanlike conduct call.
“That’ll be addressed,” Cosgrove said. “You want to point to a lack of discipline, it shows up in penalties.”
The Bears’ defense held UAlbany to three field goals in the first half. Sean Kenny’s kicks came from 44, 39 and 25 yards, the last of which made it 9-0 as time expired in the first half.
Meanwhile, the Maine offense managed only six first downs and 128 yards before intermission against a hard-charging Great Danes defense.
The Bears found a better offensive rhythm in the second half after re-establishing the run game behind junior tailback Ricky Stevens (20 carries, 83 yards). Starter David Hood missed the game with an undisclosed injury.
Wasilewski (23-for-36, 264 yds., 2 TDs, 1 interception) went 16-for-21 in the second half, including eight completions to senior wide receiver Maurice McDonald (11 receptions, 93 yds.).
“I thought in second half we got better at our execution and it just appeared that things were opening up for us,” Wasilewski said.
However, UMaine twice settled for field goals and was not able to stop the Great Danes. UAlbany broke a big play in the third quarter, then tacked on two fourth-quarter TDs to put the game away.
UMaine opened the third quarter with a 10-play, 69-yard drive. A 20-yard completion from Wasilewski to McDonald helped set up a 19-yard scoring strike from Wasilewski to Damarr Aultman. Brian Harvey’s PAT cut UAlbany’s lead to 9-7.
On the Great Danes’ next play, wideout Kevin Chillis went in motion from the left side, took a handoff and raced around right end for a 74-yard touchdown that restored UAlbany’s momentum and made it 15-7.
“They did it the first play of the game and they opened it up again the second half,” said UMaine linebacker Donte Dennis. “We weren’t ready for it, I guess. They got one.”
The Black Bears responded, driving 68 yards for a 31-yard field goal by Harvey that cut the deficit to 16-10 with 4:10 left in the third quarter.
The Great Danes countered, marching 66 yards on eight plays, aided by a pass interference penalty. Smith ran around right end and hurdled cornerback Darlos James on his way to a score that made it 23-10.
Undaunted, a 48-yard pass from Wasilewski to Derrick Johnson and a personal foul penalty helped move the Bears to the UAlbany 8. UMaine settled for Harvey’s 30-yard field goal at the 11:59 mark.
“I thought we needed to get points,” Cosgrove said. “It was a two-score game. I thought there was plenty of time then.”
Ninety-two seconds later, a muffed punt by McDonald gave UAlbany the ball at the UMaine 17. Two plays after that, Kendall James intercepted Will Fiacchi (13-for-29, 132 yds.) at the 3. However, the Bears punted and the Great Danes took over at the UM 36.
Smith’s 28-yard TD jaunt up the middle finished off UMaine, making it 30-13 with 5:48 to play.
“We made too many mistakes on defense and we just can’t do that,” Dennis said.
UMaine scored again on Wasilewski’s 5-yard pass to Johnson, but the 10-point deficit was insurmountable with 2:15 left.
No surprise here.
Hood was hurt?
You play one game at home the entire month of September, and you lay an egg in front of a good crowd…Guess what? Attendance woes will continue…
Yes, everyone showed up except Cosgrove: down by 13 late in the game, just two touchdowns… and you go for a field goal on 4th and goal? Paaaaaaathetic. And the kid in the Papa John’s promotion during halftime was more successful at field goal kicking then UMaine’s kicker at that point.
Couldn’t agree more. I was at that game. That team has a ton, I mean a ton of talent. Wasilewski has a gun for an arm and very talented receivers that can get open but the play calling was horrible, as usual. Congrove is an excellent football coach at the high school level. Coaches, like players, need to push themselves to improve. Cosgrove just doesn’t have what it takes to be a winner. Nice guy, but not a winner. He couldn’t have coached the Pats to victory over Albany last night. Thanks Jack for the years but if you really love the program, step down.
Plus, 7000 peole at that game….Puuuhhhhhlleeeeees. Comp tickets and corporate sponser tickets that were issued and not used may have shown a number of 7k sold but that number was about 5k and I’m being generous, counting security, camera men, cheerleaders, dancers and players.
What dose a ticket cost? bet not enough to cover the cost of gear let alone Cosgroves over 1/4 million dollar pay. I know jack and his wife. I know they are decent people . Just paid way more that he is worth for a part time job. Lets see they are not even allowed to train in the off season by college rules. I like sports but something not needed for an education when it is partly tax payer funded . Not the Cosgroves many trips to New jersey to recruit players It does little to help Maine kids get an education .
part time?
Oh well, isn’t learning to play the game and to work together the object of school sports teams? If folks want to watch, fine, but their expectations would be better for all, if they had none but to get out and watch, if that’s their fancy. Am I naive? yes.
Brutal play calling in the 4th quarter down by 10… I can see not wanting to give up something bad down in your end but really, don’t you have to play to win?
If Coach Cosgrove were paid a decent salary rather than the pittance he now earns, the outcome would have been a victory. He’s a talented coach woefully underpaid, and the team knows it. Let’s remedy that before the next game.
Are you kidding me? Are you his agent? This guy coaches for a 1AA school, that isnt really all that great and you wanna give him more money in an economy where many people cannot put food on the table or pay their rents? Please tell me you are joking.
Not in Maine
Seriously, all it would take is a raise for Cosgrove to win?
No, it would take a bit more. But this would be a good start, don’t you think?
Are you on bath salts?
What a joke he should go now
Ya I know I already pay enough of Cosgrove pay . Through state funding . Tuition if I was going to UMaine.
With the auxiliary income he’s given, he’s the second-highest paid employee at the University of Maine. Only Coach Timmay gets more with the hockey…. Anyway, his salary being “below average” or whatever… heck, the usual response in coaching is “go somewhere”. Worked out for Ferentz pretty well. Lay an egg yet again with a team that has HALF the scholarships you do, with a coach that after 40 years is still being paid less than you…. what does THAT say?
If you read the recent blog by BDN sports columnist Pete Warner–who might as well be an official rather than merely unofficial employee of UMaine Athletics–you’ll see Pete’s adoration of UMaine’s head coaches and his insistence that they’re all woefully underpaid and, save for their loyalty to UMaine, would easily be hired elsewhere. Pete recanted his balanced story about UME Athletics from the weekend BDN earlier this month. No doubt he was pressured to recant. Speaks for itself about the powers that be, doesn’t it? Now he’s back to his pathetic cheerleading stories and blogs. In any case, Pete is implicitly saying that Coach Cosgrove should be paid a lot more, wins/losses aside. Read for yourself.
If the coach were paid a decent salary the outcome would have been different. What does his salary have to do with a poor performance. There are 11 people out there running the ball for his team and the same for the other team. He was out gunned plain and simeple. If he is not happy with his salary then he should move on. bottom line why is always about money and not team effort and spirit.
Maine money is the answer great for Maine
At last check Jack Cosgove made like $260,000 a year with benefits. 63 player get scholarships . lets see only 11 can play at a time. I would have no issue with this if I did not pay taxes . U Maine sport spend like $8 million more than they brought in . maybe football makes a bit of money i say stop funding all sports lets them raise thier own money to play. Sports are not necessary for an education. Look at Bangor High school has a higher drop out rate than even central in Corinth . Teacher paid $15 k more a year and they really need a new $7 million dollar football field right? central dose not even have football. I have nothing against sports except the fact they seem to think more money is better. Do they really need 63 players that have scholarships? I have an Idea you give Cosgrove more money out of your pocket , But give me back what comes out of mine.
Don’t be jealous of Coach Cosgrove. He’s a good man and a wonderful UMaine alum. Better to pay him more and pay the faculty and the staff less to make up the difference. After all, the endless improvements to UMaine’s athletic facilities, and the expenditures on varsity athletes’ special tutoring programs not open to any other students, are richly deserved. Let Stevens Hall and other academic bldgs continue to deteriorate. They’re not part of UMaine’s principal purpose anyway. Maine taxpayers should be proud about supporting UMaine athletics. READ PETE WARNER’S BLOGS TO CONFIRM MY POSITION HERE.
Tax payer should not be maid to pay for this. Way less than 1% of Maine student pay football. Just saying Why should I have to Pay for this ? Cosgrove dose not pay for my sons activities. I would go as far as to say if even 1$ of tax payer money is spent on sport cancel them all. Sorry when I got a job right out of HS. No one paid for my sports.
Yes, your points make sense to many of us who pay taxes that go into UMaine Athletics. But you’ll never get anywhere arguing for change, save for ever more spent on UMaine Athletics. The argument is that the money is worth it because it brings the campus, and fans outside of the campus, together. It’s then said that one can’t put a dollar sign on that sense of community.
You clearly don’t understand the amount of marketing that college athletics, especially college football, provides for a university.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flutie_Effect
So you’re saying that Cosgrove intentionally coached poorly because he thinks he’s underpaid? Sounds like breach of contract to me. Fire his grossly overpaid behind before the sun comes up.
Nothing like running the ball on 3rd and 10. Play calling was a joke last night.
For everything that been said about how awful Maine played last night, Albany’s a damn good football team.
I am not saying Maine is not a bad team just not worth the money . Let them step down a level and play where they belong. Give me a billion to spend I even I could coach the winning team. Ya think.
A $3.5 million budget is too small for a Division I football program. We’re wasting money on subsidizing people for sitting on their butt all day and you complain about a program that has some of the hardest working students on the UM campus? At least these kids work their asses off.
Think of the cost of tuition if we did not have to support the sports programs. Although they would find something else to spend the money on.
this is not big time athletics. Cosgrove has been a loyal employee who provides a mediocre product every year. This is acceptable at Orono. What would the university gain by firing him? Could they get anyone better? probably not. The situation is comfortable for both sides. Give him a few more years until Bob Wilder is ready to come back.
You think a top 8 finish last year out of 122 FCS teams is mediocre?