The University of Maine football team faces a difficult challenge this week.

Coming off a gut-wrenching 24-17 overtime loss at Villanova, coach Jack Cosgrove’s Black Bears (1-2) are faced with the task of regrouping and focusing on Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. Colonial Athletic Association clash with No. 3 Massachusetts.

When UMaine runs onto Morse Field at Alfond Stadium in Orono, redshirt freshman Adam Farkes will make his first collegiate start at quarterback.

With the Bears struggling, Farkes was inserted late in the first half of last Saturday’s game. He directed two second-half scoring drives to help put the Bears in position to win.

“I think Saturday gave us an indication of the way we want to go with our football team,” Cosgrove said during Monday’s CAA teleconference.

“He’s [Farkes] going to be the guy now that we’re going to move forward with in terms of running our offense,” he added.

Sophomore Mike Brusko, who won the job during preseason, has been unproductive as a passer and has not been able to consistently get UMaine into the end zone.

Villanova coach Andy Talley is convinced Farkes will give the Bears a better shot to win.

“I think he’s [Farkes] the guy,” said Talley, a 28-year coaching veteran. “Brusko just really had a tough time throwing the ball. I don’t know if he’s a better passer than that, but [Saturday night] he certainly struggled with it.”

Through three games, UMaine has accounted for only 12.7 points and 250 total yards per contest, including only 218 yards through the air.

The Bears are last in the CAA in all three categories and have no passing touchdowns and three interceptions, two thrown by Brusko.

“He’s an athletic kid, a smart kid, a very coachable young man,” Cosgrove said of Farkes, “and we’re excited to give him the opportunity.”

Farkes showed his mettle at Villanova, moving the Bears to the VU 11-yard line to set up a potential game-winning field goal that was missed.

However, it was UMaine’s last play of the game, in overtime, that impressed Talley.

“Farkes stuck it right in there,” he said of a scrambling pass to Kenny Fersner. “The official called [Fersner] out of bounds, thank goodness. That’s as good a pass as you would want a kid to throw, under duress. We chased him all around and he stuck it in there.”

It was Brusko’s advantage in experience and his on-field leadership that helped him win the job initially. Cosgrove realizes Farkes’ inexperience may show up for a while.

“There’s a learning curve here and Adam is learning as we go,” Cosgrove said.

“There’s going to be mistakes made, but I think when you measure it, the biggest thing is: Did we move the chains? Did we drive the football? Were we successful in operating the offense?” he explained. “Those things, in the second half of the game this past weekend, were much more positive than what we went through in the first half.”

Close losses plague Bears

Another key dynamic for UMaine is psychologically shaking off yet another hard-fought loss. Last season, the Bears lost three league games by a combined 10 points.

Saturday’s setback, which came after a missed field goal sent the contest into overtime, has Cosgrove shaking his head.

“We hadn’t been able to finish some things off last year and here’s an opportunity to win and we didn’t get it done again this year,” he said. “It’s a hard loss for the guys.”

Senior co-captain John Wormuth believes the team will be able to bounce back just fine.

“We had chances to win, so that’s all you could ask for,” Wormuth said. “We’ve really got to get better at that and take those chances and win the game.”

Kiefer sets UMaine mark

UMaine punter Kash Kiefer continued his outstanding kicking at Villanova and set a school record in the process.

The 5-foot-11, 188-pound junior from Bridgeport, W.Va., gave the Bears a boost in the third quarter when he hammered an 82-yard punt – from the UM 12-yard line to the VU 6.

Aided by a tailwind, the ball carried 65 yards in the air, then took a favorable bounce on the AstroPlay surface.

Kiefer’s punt bettered the 76-yarder turned in by Mike Mellow against Northeastern in 2004.

Kiefer ranks third in the CAA this season averaging 42.6 yards per punt.