Bangor’s Vanidestine perseveres as backup 5th-year Maine senior doesn’t regret choices

ORONO – While first-year players on the University of Maine football team spent this initial week of preseason practices dazzled at times by the newness of the college experience, Joe Vanidestine felt no such angst.

The fifth-year senior from Bangor has seen it all before.

“You see the freshmen come in and you remember how you felt when you were a freshman,” said Vanidestine during media day at Alfond Stadium on Friday. “Now for me it’s more teaching the other guys as opposed to when I was a freshman when I was always asking questions, questions, questions.

“It’s just nice now where I’m at that I know how things work and I know what’s going to happen. It’s nice to have that experience, and the younger guys look up to you and you feel that from them and it’s a good feeling.”

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Vanidestine is a study in perseverance in a sport that is as taxing mentally as it is demanding physically.

A 2001 graduate of Bangor High School, where he played three sports and helped lead the Rams to the 2001 Class A basketball state championship and a berth in the 2000 Class A football state final, Vanidestine joined the UMaine program after a year at the Taft School in Watertown, Conn.

Vanidestine considered playing Division III football, which likely would have ensured a more prolific career in terms of on-field production, but he has no regrets about testing himself at the Division I-AA level.

“I did look at those schools, but when it came down to it I wanted that challenge, and I think I got it when I came here,” he said. “Playing here has showed me some things about myself; I proved to myself that I could do it. I wanted a challenge, and it really worked out the way I wanted it to. I feel like this was a good fit for me.”

After sitting out a redshirt year, he gradually worked his way up the Black Bears’ depth chart and earned a scholarship.

As a sophomore he had one start at free safety and also had a pass interception in a game against Northern Colorado.

Vanidestine saw action in 10 games last year, primarily on special teams and kickoff coverage. He is expected to play a similar role last fall, as well as serve as a backup free safety.

“Joe’s very trustworthy out there whether it’s in the defensive backfield or on special teams,” said Maine coach Jack Cosgrove, whose Black Bears open the 2006 season at Youngstown (Ohio) State on Saturday, Sept. 9.

“That’s the advantage of having Joe Vanidestine versus a first-year guy in the game. He’s experienced, he’s done it, he knows it, and it’s second nature to him as opposed to having a big mistake by a first-year player that turns into a touchdown.”

When Vanidestine does conclude his football career at Maine, it probably will be remembered as much for subtle contributions as it will for big plays.

“Joe has been a resilient, persevering young man,” said Cosgrove. “He’s got great football intellect, his skill level is way up in the weight room and in indoor workouts in the dome. He’s developed his speed and change of direction, and now the intellect has made him what you might call a cagey veteran. This whole enterprise is incredibly important to him, and all the guys on the team know that.”

A member of the 2005 Atlantic 10 All-Academic Team and a Maine Scholar-Athlete, Vanidestine already has marched with his graduating class and is taking a couple of classes this fall to complete his undergraduate studies in business.

“In a lot of ways this has been a success for me, because I feel I came from the bottom in some ways, yet I feel like I have confidence in myself to do the job if I’m given a chance,” said Vanidestine. “That’s all anybody needs or asks for. Obviously it would be nice to be out there for all four years like some guys are, but it doesn’t always work out that way.

“But a lot of goals I’ve had I’ve reached. I’ve done well in school and stayed out of trouble, and it’s all been pretty good.”

Plenty of goals remain for Vanidestine and the Bears, including trying to improve on back-to-back 5-6 finishes in 2004 and 2005.

“I’m going to do the best I can, and hopefully an opportunity will arise for me,” he said. “I think I can get the job done, and I’ll do the best I can. If I’m a backup, then I’m a backup and I’ll play special teams, that’s fine. I want this team to win, that’s what I want.”