Two Bear backs look to restart run> Johnson, Rich hopeful as Maine opens season

ORONO – Trey Johnson is a rugged tailback with quick feet and good speed. Bert Rich is a slashing, spinning, speedster.

The University of Maine hopes to re-establish its run game between one or both of those backs Saturday when the Black Bears open their inaugural Atlantic 10 football season at Rhode Island.

Bob Jameson and Andre Pam complemented each other superbly while giving Maine two legitimate run threats the last two seasons. They finished as the Nos. 3 and 5 all-time rushers, respectively, in school history.

Coach Jack Cosgrove is optimistic the situation will begin to work itself out against the Rams, even though Johnson and Rich lack game experience at tailback.

“We’re anxious to find out about our tailback position,” Cosgrove said. “We know what we’re working with, but it’s a whole different ballgame on Saturday when you factor in the game atmosphere, game decisions, ball security, blocking, catching and running.”

Rich, a junior from South Portland, smiles when asked about the move from cornerback to tailback, a position he starred at while winning the 1992 Fitzpatrick Trophy, given to the state’s top player.

“I feel reborn, in a sense,” Rich said. “I can have fun again. It’s definitely more my element. I like it a lot better because it’s more reaction and less thinking.”

Rich is smallish at 5-foot-9, 195 pounds, but is elusive while running with the football.

“[Rich] is more speed, cuts, trying to avoid tackles,” Johnson observed. “They can’t really get a handle on him, because he’s not the biggest person.”

Johnson, who redshirted last season after becoming an academic casualty, knows this is a golden opportunity to show his stuff.

“I’m going to come out strong, accomplish my goals of getting the team better, and be a team player,” said Johnson, who hails from Cicero, N.Y.

At 6 feet, 215 pounds, he gives UMaine a more physical presence.

“Trey is definitely a pounder. He’s going to give defenses headaches,” Rich said.

There doesn’t seem to be much of a sense of competition between Rich and Johnson, who watched Pam and Jameson share the running load for two years. Both hope for a complementary relationship.

“I think what they’re planning is to take week to week who’s doing better,” Rich said. “Me and Trey will probably split a lot of time.”

“We’re not even looking at it as a starting position, we’re focusing on just helping the running game,” Johnson said.

Johnson is agile, but also should be able to muscle his way for extra yardage. He ran for 956 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior at Cicero North Syracuse High in 1994.

Rich has breakaway potential and can dart through defenses, but may not be as durable. He missed all of last season with a nagging back injury, which has now healed.

In 1995, Rich the cornerback finished sixth on the team with 61 tackles and also averaged 22.5-yard average on kickoff returns.

This fall, Rich is trying to shake a left hamstring injury. He’s excited about his new position, but admits there are obstacles.

“It takes a while to get your instincts back, to read holes and to cut off people and read their movement,” Rich said.

Rich anticipates having some butterflies when the whistle blows today in Kingston, R.I.

“It’s nervousness with a smile which is good, because I’m excited to get out there again,” he said.