Joe Fagnano had a memorable season as a starting quarterback at the University of Maine in the fall of 2019.
He completed 121 of 184 passes (65.8 percent) for 1,835 yards and 17 touchdowns after taking over for the injured Chris Ferguson. He averaged 229.8 passing yards with only three interceptions.
But Fagnano and the Black Bears had a rude awakening in last Saturday’s season-opening 37-0 thumping at Delaware. They hope to bounce back in Saturday’s noon home opener against 13th-ranked Albany on Morse Field at Alfond Stadium.
Albany opened with a 24-20 win at New Hampshire, holding the Wildcats to 186 total yards.
Fagnano is coming off his worst game as a Black Bear in which he completed 10 of 23 throws for 61 yards as the offense produced only 112 total yards and six first downs.
“It falls on me to get the offense moving. I wasn’t myself. I didn’t play up to my level. I can play a lot better,” Fagnano said.
The Delaware game is in the rearview mirror, he said.
“We have to play like we know how,” the Williamsport, Pennsylvania, native said. “I have to get my keys right, recognize the defenses and make better throws.
“I have to be on the same page with my receivers and running backs,” he added. “Albany is a good team. They’re physical and they play fast.”
Fagnano is matched against Albany sophomore quarterback Jeff Undercuffler. He was a freshman All-American in 2019 when he led the Football Championship Subdivision with 41 touchdown passes as 9-5 Albany reached the second round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
He threw three TD passes against UNH.
“He’s a talented quarterback,” UMaine head coach Nick Charlton said. “We have to try to get him to move around. We can’t let him pick us apart.”
The Black Bears are looking forward to getting back on Morse Field.
“We’re fortunate to have a home game. It’s nice to have that familiarity and it has come at the right time. But we know it’s going to be a big challenge,” Charlton said.
Albany coach Greg Gattuso said he won’t be misled by UMaine’s lopsided loss to Delaware.
“It was a game that just got away from them early and that can happen,” Gattuso said.
“Every year when we do our postseason evaluations, we feel that Maine is always one of the best teams we play,” Gattuso said.
Gattuso noted Albany hasn’t had much recent success against UMaine, which has won the last five meetings.
Charlton said to beat Albany, the Black Bears must play physical, aggressive defense, be more disciplined and fundamentally sound on special teams and string together drives on offense.