The University of Maine’s 35-14 loss to Yale University on Saturday not only left UMaine head coach and his staff searching for answers, but also left them looking for personnel.
Several players sustained several injuries, expanding the injury list to seven. Sophomore quarterback Chris Ferguson did not play with a shoulder injury.
UMaine (2-2), ranked No. 25 in the Football Championship Subdivision, must retool the lineup as it prepares for Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. Colonial Athletic Association game against No. 19 Villanova (3-2) at Alfond Stadium.
The Black Bears are 1-0 in the CAA while No. 19 Villanova is 0-2.
The injury list includes cornerbacks Manny Patterson and Jordan Swann, offensive tackle Gunnar Docos, offensive guard Liam Dobson, defensive tackle Alejandro Oregon and running back Ramon Jefferson.
Harasymiak said he expects some of them to return for the Villanova game.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Isaiah Robinson struggled in his first collegiate start, completing 10 of 27 passes for 179 yards. He did throw two TD passes.
“Isaiah didn’t play as well as we thought he was going to. He did play a lot better in the second half. But he missed a lot of throws. Guys were open and he didn’t deliver the ball to them,” Harasymiak said.
Robinson also took several hits, and the Black Bears must tighten up their pass protection.
The status of Ferguson, who injured his throwing shoulder in the first quarter of the 17-5 loss at Central Michigan two Saturdays ago, is not known.
“We’re going to try to get him moving this week and get him to do some stuff,” Harasymiak said. “The biggest thing is for him to get his strength back in his shoulder, and you have to make sure he is healthy enough to survive a game.”
Ferguson has completed 35 of 63 passes for 405 yards in five touchdowns. He has been intercepted once.
Robinson is 26-for-59 for 341 yards and two TDs to go with two interceptions.
The running game also has stalled the past two games, averaging only 2.5 yards per carry. Jefferson, UMaine’s big-play threat out of the backfield, was averaging 5.5 yards per carry.
If he can’t play, it will mean more carries for hard-running North Yarmouth junior Joe Fitzpatrick, the team’s leading rusher with 243 yards on 61 carries (4 ypc).
True freshman Daejuan Sanders, who carried the ball three times for 15 yards against Yale, will be in line to get more reps as the backup.
An inexperienced line has been further tested by injuries.
“We’re going to have to patch it up and get our five best [available] offensive linemen out there,” Harasymiak said. “We’re going to have to do a real good job coaching them and getting the techniques down.”
The defense struggled against Yale as quarterback Kurt Rawlings completed 22 of 36 passes for 306 yards and three touchdowns.
“They were beating us in one-on-ones. Our coverage is going to have to be much better. Their quarterback played really well, and they did a good job protecting him” Harasymiak said.
UMaine still ranks second in the country and first in the CAA in rushing defense, allowing 53 yards per game. In total defense the Black Bears rank eighth and second respectively, at 267.5 ypg.
They are second in the country and first in the league in sacks per game (4.5).
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