The challenges have been numerous this season for the offensive unit of the University of Maine football team.
The group’s overall inexperience has been exacerbated by injuries, including the loss of the starting quarterback, tailback and two guards.
Even so, the Black Bears demonstrated progress again on Saturday afternoon as a pair of freshmen helped spearhead UMaine to a 20-14 Colonial Athletic Association victory over Rhode Island.
Quarterback Drew Belcher and tailback Nigel Beckford each showed flashes of what coach Jack Cosgrove and his staff hope will be good things to come.
Belcher, who made his first career start a week earlier after redshirt sophomore Dan Collins suffered a season-ending shoulder injury, was much more efficient against Rhode Island.
The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder passed for 151 yards on 15-for-25 accuracy. He did not have any touchdown passes, but again was not intercepted. He was sacked four times.
“He looked like he played with that combination this week of toughness but also like he was having fun,” Cosgrove said during Monday’s CAA teleconference. “He didn’t have that look about him last week [against Albany]. I think he learned a lot from that first start and took it into his second start and played a much better football game.”
Belcher also demonstrated his savvy and toughness as a ballcarrier in UMaine’s spread offense, rushing 21 times for 84 yards.
“I thought he was very physical in his approach,” Cosgrove offered.
Despite facing frequent pressure from the Rams’ pass rush, Belcher appeared much more comfortable and confident on Saturday.
“He made some real big plays on third down for us, not only those completions but a couple took the ball and ran it himself when they were in coverage,” Cosgrove said.
“He was much more aggressive in his thinking.”
The gains came in part due to solid offensive line play, which enabled UMaine (3-5, 2-3 CAA) to possess the ball for 42 minutes, 41 seconds compared to 17:19 for Rhode Island. The Black Bears also converted 11 of 20 third-down situations.
Up front, junior center Bruce Johnson, freshman tackles Jamil Demby and Isaiah Brooks, freshman guard Daniel Burroughs and junior guard Ben Wezel helped pave the way to another productive day running the football.
Beckford became UMaine’s first 100-yard rusher of the season, posting career highs of 107 yards on 25 attempts (4.3 yards per carry). He also found the end zone on a 6-yard run in the third quarter on his way to the CAA Rookie of the Week honor.
While Beckford’s running instincts have been evident to the staff since they opted to place him in the mix, he has benefitted from more playing time and an increased knowledge of the Bears’ offensive scheme.
“[He has impressed with] his ability to continue to grow and learn as a young running back with the patience and the approach to the zone game and our power game as well,” Cosgrove said.
Beckford (5-foot-9, 195 pounds) is the Bears’ leading rusher, but has picked up only 296 yards on 66 carries in eight games (37 yards per game).
“He has an ability to slow down, speed up and find daylight the right way and it’s good to see him advance each and every week,” Cosgrove added.
Throw in 23 yards and a TD on six carries from redshirt freshman Jerickson Fedrick and UMaine netted 211 yards on 55 attempts against Rhode Island.
Injury woes continue
The line to the UMaine training room got even longer on Saturday with an injury to starting strong safety Davonte Burke.
The redshirt sophomore had to be taken off the field on a Gator cart after he injured his right knee on a play in the second quarter.
Burke (6-1, 200), was placed in a brace before he was removed from the field. The first-year starter ranks third on the team with 46 tackles.
He was replaced by freshman Darius Hart.
The Bears also lost junior running back Isaiah Jones, who sustained an undisclosed injury on the opening kickoff and did not return.
With junior Nigel Jones sidelined by an injury, Isaiah Jones had moved into the No. 2 spot at tailback and was sharing reps with Beckford and Fedrick.
Isaiah Jones, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, is averaging 20.8 yards on kick returns this season.
A break for the Bears
The UMaine football team is expected to take a couple of days off early this week as it has arrived at its second open date of the season.
It should be a boon to a squad that has encountered more than its share of injuries.
“We need to assess personnel with regard to health issues and injuries,” Cosgrove said. “We’ve had kind of a bare bones operation a couple weeks at a positions.”
The Black Bears return to action Nov. 8 with a 12:30 p.m. CAA home contest against Richmond at Alfond Stadium.