ORONO – For Jarrod Gomes, there are few experiences in life more exhilarating than putting a hard hit on an opposing receiver or running back.

That’s why the University of Maine senior puts full energy and intensity into every play.

“He’s fearless,” said UMaine defensive coordinator Rich Nagy. “He throws himself in there with everything he’s got.”

In football, at 5-foot-9, 180 pounds, that kind of mentality can have repercussions. And Gomes has paid the price for his hard-hitting style.

During the last two seasons, he has played exactly one snap for the Black Bears. He has spent the rest of the time either nursing injuries or going through rehabilitation, trying to work his way back into the lineup.

This season Gomes, who is on campus for the sixth straight year, has a rare opportunity to play one final season of college ball. The NCAA took his injury woes into consideration and granted him a waiver of its eligibility rules that will allow him to compete during 2005.

“Everything’s going good right now. I’m trying to stay healthy,” a smiling Gomes said after a recent preseason practice.

At 24, the Bolton, Mass., native is the Bears’ elder statesman. This is his 18th year of playing football – “I’ve been playing football longer than some of these kids on the team have been born.” – and he has the battle scars to prove it.

Two years ago, Gomes’ “senior” year was put on hold by a shoulder injury he sustained during the spring scrimmage. It required surgery.

Then, Gomes missed the 2004 season with a knee ailment suffered early in preseason camp.

“It was an overthrown ball and I tried to dive for it and pick it off,” he explained. “I smacked my knee really hard on the [Astro]Turf and I ended up messing up my knee.”

Gomes had surgery, went through rehab, then worked his way back during the spring – unscathed. He has been trying to regain the form that made him a regular on UMaine’s Atlantic 10 championship teams in 2001 and 2002.

Having re-established his foot speed, he now needs only to regain his game timing.

“I’m really seeing the player that played for us three years ago,” Nagy said. “When you go through as much adversity as he’s gone through the last two years, it means a lot to him.”

Gomes is grateful to coach Jack Cosgrove for giving him the chance to keep playing.

“I’m thankful that the coaches believed in me to let me come back another year,” Gomes said.

While the Bears could have declined to offer Gomes scholarship money for a sixth year, that wouldn’t fit the philosophy of UMaine football.

“You want your guys to know that you’re behind them,” Cosgrove said. “When you demand of players the things that we do, the commitment has to be both ways. There was never any issue at all about him if he wanted to finish.”

Gomes has remained committed as a student-athlete. He has already earned a B.S. in physical education and is working on a degree in business management.

Still, Gomes hopes to finish his work on the field. His final comeback attempt begins with Saturday’s exciting season opener against Division I-A national power Nebraska.

Gomes will be counted upon to head up the secondary from his free safety spot. His experience will be pivotal on a unit that will utilized a handful of younger defensive backs this season.

And he’ll do so with his trademark recklessness.

“It’s something that you just can’t control,” Gomes said. “You play your heart out and throw your body around as hard as you can without thinking about injuries.”

The expectations are high, both from within and among UMaine coaches.

“He’s been in big [NCAA playoff] games for us down at McNeese State, at Appalachian State, at Northern Iowa, at Georgia Southern,” Cosgrove said. “He hopefully is going to be able to bring some of that veteran leadership and composure to the secondary.”

Gomes is enjoying being able to share his knowledge of football and his formula for persistence in the face of adversity.

“I feel like a lot of guys look up to me in the sense that they know I’ve been through a lot,” he said.

Gomes will play hard, but isn’t taking anything for granted.

“I’m pretty much always knocking on wood to make sure nothing happens this year,” he chuckled.