The University of Maine’s defense has been a bit shaky this season, but it is improving.
The Black Bears made a pivotal stop near the end of Saturday’s 38-34 Colonial Athletic Association football victory over Albany, but coach Nick Charlton said there is still plenty of room for improvement.
The defense looks to take another positive step on Saturday when the 1-1 Black Bears visit 0-2 Stony Brook for a noon CAA game in New York.
UMaine encounters a Stony Brook offense that ranks last (11th) in the conference in points per game (8) and 10th in total yards per game (257.5).
The Black Bears defensive unit ranks seventh in average yards allowed (331) and ninth in rushing yards (184.5). Opponents are averaging a healthy 4.7 yards per carry and UMaine has yet to register a sack.
Charlton said his team did a better job tackling against Albany than it did in the 37-0 loss at Delaware.
“We’re progressing, we’re just not where we need to be yet,” Charlton said. “We gave up too many yards on the ground (145 on 32 carries) and gave them six first downs on penalties, which is way too many.”
The lack of sacks was due in part to Albany’s game plan, which called for quarterback Jeff Undercuffler to release the ball early. He completed only 14 of 36 passes and the Great Danes were only 5-for-14 on third down.
“We’re looking for other ways to rush the passer. We need to be cleaner and be able to communicate and execute better,” Charlton said.
Senior linebacker and co-captain Deshawn Stevens, the team’s leading tackler with 22, said the defense is going through a natural progression.
The Black Bears have a lot of new faces on the line and in the secondary, but he believes they have a lot of talent and need to be more aggressive.
“The next step is to get some sacks and to force turnovers,” Stevens said. “As we continue to develop our chemistry and get on the same page, we will become a more complete defense.”
The loss of linebacker Ori Jean-Charles to injury is going to hurt, Stevens said. He led the team with three tackles for a loss of yardage.
“He is a positive influence on and off the field. He is one of our hardest workers,” Stevens said.
Stevens and Charlton said Stony Brook will provide a stiff challenge, regardless of their record.
“They are run-oriented and they have an athletic quarterback [Tyquell Fields] with some dynamic receivers,” Charlton said. “They’re very physical and fast on defense. They fly around.”
He stressed that special teams play will be critical because of how they can affect the flow of a game.
Stony Brook coach Chuck Priore said UMaine quarterback Joe Fagnano, the CAA Offensive Player of the Week, and wide receiver Andre Miller, who had eight catches for 144 yards and three TDs, are a concern.
Fagnano completed 17 of 29 passes for 249 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for a TD.
“He [Fagnano] and [Miller] are on the same page and they have [plays] designed to get [Miller] the ball,” Priore said. “We’re going to have to play great defense. Like Delaware, we’re going to have to keep the ball in front of us and not give up big plays.”