ORONO, Maine — Eddie Buehler said ever since he came on his official recruiting visit to the University of Maine, he dreamt about landing the job as the Black Bears’ starting quarterback.
It has finally happened.
Buehler won a three-man battle for the job and will be taking snaps from center for the first time when the Black Bears open their season against Coastal Athletic Association rival Towson University on Thursday, Aug. 27. Kickoff is at 6 p.m.
The North Kingstown, Rhode Island, native is a redshirt junior in his third year in Orono, and he beat out redshirt junior Caden Drezek from Connecticut and redshirt freshman Michael McMaugh from New Hampshire.
“I couldn’t be happier,” said the 6-foot-3, 223-pound Buehler on Tuesday at media day. “We have a great group. It was a hard competition with two other great quarterbacks.
“I’m honored to have this opportunity,” Buehler added.
“Eddie has fire. Eddie has fight and a competitive edge to him,” UMaine head coach Jordan Stevens said. “He wants to be the starting quarterback at Maine. He loves his team and his teammates, and it’s hard not to get behind that.”
Stevens said Buehler also won the job through his “consistency, how he has gone about his business over the last seven and a half months and through his development as a leader. He has a vocal presence. He wants to lead. His work ethic is tremendous.”
As for his physical attributes, Stevens called him an “accurate passer who can extend plays with his legs. And when he gets downhill, he’s fast. He can eat up ground. From that perspective, he’s been terrific.”
Buehler said his consistency, his connection with his teammates and his ability to move the ball helped him win the job.
“Your teammates have to love you off the field as well as on the field. You have to be the same guy off the field as on it,” Buehler said. “When I’m on the field, they all have to trust me and that comes with my play as well. They have to trust that I’m the best guy for the job.”
Buehler said his on-field philosophy is to “pass the ball first. Push it down the field. I can definitely use my legs when I need to. I’m very confident in my ability to tuck the ball and get yards when we need it. If it’s third down and I need to tuck it and run through some contact, I will be able to do that. I put on some weight this offseason. I’m really excited to run the ball.”
Buehler led North Kingstown High School to the 2021 Rhode Island Division I championship and Phillips Exeter Academy to the Northeast Prep School conference title in 2023. He was an all-conference first team selection at both schools.
“Seeing how all three quarterbacks came out and competed every day, we were going to be happy with whoever they ended up picking,” said All-CAA offensive tackle and co-captain Anthony Iliano. “Eddie is a great pick because I’ve seen his drive, his competitiveness and also that he’s a great leader of this team. I have full faith in him. I think he’s going to do great things for this football team this year.”
“Eddie has great traits,” said redshirt junior defensive end and co-captain Kye Pressley. “He has leadership. He has great accuracy. I’m excited for him.”
Buehler said all three quarterbacks were supportive of each other and pushed each other, and he was never at a point where he became complacent and comfortably confident he had won the job “because I had two other guys chasing me and doing a great job of it.”
“It was such an elite quarterback room. We all wanted what was best for the team and we put the team first. We helped each other,” he said.
Stevens said he has confidence in all three quarterbacks.
“They all really elevated their games. They’re all great, hard-working kids. Coach [Mikahael] Waters did a tremendous job developing those players,” said Stevens, referring to the Black Bears’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Buehler was a redshirt two years ago behind Mercer University transfer Carter Peevy and then didn’t see any playing time behind Peevy last season.
“My freshman year, I sat back and learned from Carter. He did a great job,” said Buehler. “Last year, I competed for the second string job, and it didn’t go the way I wanted.
Drezek was the backup last year and appeared in two games, completing 7 of 13 passes for 58 yards. He was intercepted once.
McMaugh was a redshirt in his first season at UMaine last fall.