One of the University of Maine football team’s top linebackers is leaving the program.

Lofa Tatupu, the team’s Rookie of the Year last fall, will transfer to a school on the West Coast and will not be with the Black Bears when preseason camp opens in August.

University of Maine coach Jack Cosgrove said he has no idea about Tatupu’s plans and only heard from Tatupu in late June that he wanted to leave the program.

Tatupu and his father, former New England Patriots standout Mosi Tatupu, told Cosgrove Lofa needed to be closer to his mother, who lives in San Diego.

Cosgrove said the timing of Tatupu’s decision and notification “lacked a little bit of courage.”

“I can understand the whole family thing,” he added. “Throw the importance of family at Jack Cosgrove and I can bend. But this was done with little integrity.”

Cosgrove feels betrayed by Tatupu’s timing and the decision itself. He tried a few times to talk Tatupu out of leaving, to no avail.

Maine was the only team to offer a scholarship to the 5-foot-11, 214-pound Plainville, Mass., native.

Tatupu had a stellar freshman season. He was third on the team with 55 tackles in 10 regular-season games and led the Bears with three interceptions. Maine was 9-3 last year, won a share of the Atlantic 10 title, and won its first postseason game to advance to the NCAA I-AA quarterfinals.

Cosgrove isn’t sure what role Tatupu’s father played in his decision. He coached Lofa at King Philip High School.

“I would think he [did have a role],” Cosgrove said. “He played college football, pro football, coached [Lofa Tatupu] in high school. … I would have hoped we would get more help from him, [to tell Lofa to] try another year at Maine, and if you don’t like it you can transfer.”

Cosgrove has a number of players on the roster he can plug into Tatupu’s spot, including South Portland’s Rob Kierstead, a part-time starter.

Incoming freshman Matthew King of Stoughton, Mass., will likely get a closer look, Cosgrove added. The 6-3, 210-pounder was the defensive MVP of the Massachusetts Shrine game – as Tatupu was in 2000.

“It’s kind of spooky,” Cosgrove said. “But we’ll take another look at Matthew, possibly fast-forward him and a couple of other guys.”

Cosgrove declined to comment on Tatupu’s preparedness for Division I-A, if that’s where the linebacker ends up.

“He obviously thinks he’s ready,” Cosgrove said.

UM’s Picard may face surgery

UMaine baseball standout Alain Picard, who helped lead the Black Bears to the America East championship last spring, is facing the possibility of surgery.

Picard has been bothered during the last two years by an injury to his right (throwing) elbow and the condition has prevented him from throwing lately during his stint with the Chatham A’s of the prestigious Cape Cod League.

UMaine coach Paul Kostacopoulos said Picard is expected to have the elbow evaluated by a second doctor to determine whether surgery is necessary to repair the injury.

“He’s not able to throw right now,” Kostacopoulos said. “He’s not [playing] right now. They’re in the wait-and-see mode.”

Picard, who will be a senior next season, batted .340 last spring with six home runs, 53 runs batted in and 14 stolen bases. However, he spent much of the season as the designated hitter because of injuries to his hamstring, shoulder and elbow.

Picard was an All-America East second-team pick at catcher.