The University of Maine’s struggling football team, now 1-5 and the loser of five straight games, is preparing for Saturday’s contest against visiting Bryant University with new offensive coordinator Sean Green trying to improve an offense that is one of the worst in the conference.
Green, who had previously been the running backs coach, replaced Mikahael Waters, who was fired on Oct. 5. Waters was also the quarterbacks coach.
In the Coastal Athletic Association conference alone, the Black Bears are last among the 13 teams in points scored (14.5), total yards per game (270.17) and touchdowns (9). They are 12th in passing yards per game (174.17) and pass completion percentage (52.04), and 11th in rushing yards (96) and average yards gained per rush (3.11).
Fifth-year head coach Jordan Stevens said he has been pleased with how the players and coaches have responded to the change while adjusting to Green, who is in his first year at UMaine.
Stevens said when it comes to reshaping the offense, the team isn’t going to make any major changes.
“We aren’t in a position where we’re changing the terminology or anything like that with the players,” explained the head coach.
“For us, we just want to continue to find a way to be more balanced in what we’re doing in the run game and pass game. Being better in situational football,” Stevens said. “We have a very talented group on offense starting at the quarterback position down to our offensive line.”
Green will be calling the offense against Bryant, Stevens added. Green has called plays in the past and Stevens is confident in his ability.
As a head coach, Green led Portland and Cape Elizabeth High Schools to state championships and he has also been the quarterbacks coach at the University of New England in Biddeford, where he was involved in the offensive play-calling.
In their last game, a 24-16 loss to Sacred Heart, UMaine alternated quarterbacks Eddie Buehler and Caden Drezek throughout the game until Drezek engineered a six-play, 69-yard scoring drive early in the fourth quarter that cut the lead to 21-16. Drezek played the rest of the snaps.
This is Buehler’s first season in which he has started every game.
Stevens said he didn’t know what their approach will be with the quarterback position on Saturday. He said both did well in the previous game.
“They weren’t the root of our shortcomings against Sacred Heart. We are working through the quarterback position and how we are going to manage it this week,” Stevens said.
Buehler completed one of five passes for 13 yards against Sacred Heart and Drezek completed 12-of-28 for 141 yards.
Buehler has connected on 54.6 percent of his passes (84-for-154) for the season for 828 yards and four touchdowns with six interceptions. Drezek has completed 17 of 40 for 201 yards and a touchdown. He hasn’t been intercepted.
While UMaine is 1-5 overall and 1-2 in the CAA, Bryant is 4-2 and 2-0 in its third season in the conference. The teams play at 1 p.m.
Stevens said redshirt junior tight end Elijah Smalls, who is fourth on the team in receptions with eight for 80 yards, is expected to be back sometime this season after injuring his knee hurdling a Pioneer in the Sacred Heart game. Smalls landed awkwardly out of bounds and didn’t return.