Rich Nagy, the University of Maine football program’s defensive coordinator for the past five years, will be directing a defensive unit at another school next fall.

The 40-year-old Nagy has joined former Maine assistant Matt Griffin and ex-Black Bear quarterback Mickey Fein at Division I-AA Murray State University (Ky.).

Griffin was named the school’s head football coach earlier this week and Fein was named the offensive coordinator.

“I’ve known Matt for a long time. When we were together at Maine, we had a lot of success. I’m hoping for that same thing [at Murray State],” said Nagy. “Having Mickey there is another real big reason for doing this.”

Nagy said it was a “real tough decision. But once I made it, I knew it was the right decision and it’s full steam ahead.

“I loved it at Maine. The people I worked for, the people involved with the program and the people in the area were outstanding. They made it hard for me to leave. Coach [Jack] Cosgrove is one of the finest people I’ve ever met and worked for,” said Nagy.

Nagy said the Murray State job is “really intriguing for me.

“There were a lot of factors involved. The program has a long history of winning. Lately, they haven’t had the success they’ve had in the past. So we have the opportunity to start from the bottom,” said Nagy.

“This is going to be a challenge but it’s one I’m really excited about,” added Nagy.

Nagy, Griffin and Fein will inherit a Murray State team that was 2-9 last fall, 0-7 in Ohio Valley Conference play. The Racers’ last playoff appearance came in 2002.

Their defensive unit surrendered an average of 32.8 points and 338.6 yards per game.

“It’s going to take some hard work. I’m going to try to do the same things we did at Maine. We’re going to have a very aggressive group; they will be disciplined and they will know what they’re doing, assignment-wise,” said Nagy.

Maine’s defense ranked 27th out of 120 teams nationally in total defense (325.6 yards per game) this past fall. Maine went 5-6 overall, 3-5 in the Atlantic 10.

In 2004, Nagy’s defense forced 28 turnovers and it led the Atlantic 10 in turnover margin at plus-10. In 2003, the Maine defense finished third in the Atlantic 10 and 20th in the nation (308.5 ypg) and, in 2002, Maine was first in the Atlantic 10 and ninth in the nation in total defense (267.6 ypg) and scoring defense (15.6 ppg).

Nagy was chosen the I-AA Coordinator of the Year in 2002 by America Football Monthly.

Nagy and his wife Erika, a 1991 Maine graduate, have two daughters, Jordan and Erin.

Lazarski chosen All-American

University of Maine senior center Ben Lazarski was named an NCAA Division I-AA third team All-American selection.

Lazarski, who started all 11 games at center, was previously named a first team All-Atlantic 10 selection and a New England Football Writers’ I-AA All-Star for the second straight year.

Lazarski guided an inexperienced offensive line to a strong finish as the Bears averaged 28.25 points per game over their final four games, three of which were wins.

The 6-foot-1, 278-pound Lazarski, a native of New Windsor, N.Y., was a Black Bear co-captain.