Fordham should be easy test for Bears

The Fordham University football team has one thing on its side – history – Saturday when it takes on Maine at Jack Coffey Field in The Bronx, N.Y.

The two teams have met on the football field only once previously, in 1921. The Rams beat the Black Bears 25-14, then went on to roll up a school-record 101-0 victory over Washington College of Maryland the following week.

Aside from that, Fordham appears to be an underdog against UMaine. Coach Nick Quartaro’s Rams are coming off a 4-6-1 season, the program’s best in eight seasons of Division I-AA competition. In fact, the four victories were as many as Fordham had managed in its previous four seasons combined.

One major difference between the two programs is scholarships. While Maine boasts the equivalent of 55 scholarships, Fordham competes in the Patriot League, which does not allow athletic scholarships.

Fordham has posted an 0-4-1 record against Yankee Conference teams, including last season’s 3-3 tie against Richmond in The Bronx, since joining the Patriot League in 1989.

This year’s Fordham squad has significant reloading to do. The Rams return only four starters on offense and six on defense.

Offensively, Fordham has shown a propensity to throw the ball. The Rams averaged 259 yards per game through the air in 1995, but are looking to an untested quarterback in Kevin Szocik and two All-Patriot League linemen.

The team’s top returning rusher is Andre Robinson, who netted only 163 yards last season. Junior wideout Larry Leith is a threat after making 31 catches for 461 yards and four touchdowns a year ago. He also led the Patriot League with a 23.5-yard average on kickoff returns.

Fordham’s defensive standouts include All-Patriot tackle Carl Barbera, a 6-foot-3, 255-pounder who was the team’s second-leading tackler with 88. He also was tabbed the league’s preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Other keys are linebackers Jack Pieracini and Tim Baumgardner. Pieracini led the squad with 115 hits last fall.

The Rams’ trouble spot could be in the secondary, where all four starters were lost to graduation.