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ORONO – The University of Maine football defensive line has undergone changes over the last few years but never those of the wholesale kind.
This year’s Black Bear squad will debut one of the youngest front fours in recent memory with preseason All-Colonial Athletic Association selection Jovan Belcher, a defensive end, the only proven veteran in the bunch, but nobody wearing sky blue, navy blue and white seems worried.
“We feel extremely confident both in the guys we brought in and the guys who have switched positions,” said defensive line coach Dwayne Wilmot. “We lost five seniors on the defensive line and it’s hard to replace all that with new guys, so we’re asking some of the older guys to fill in either by switching positions, taking over leadership roles or both.”
Junior Jordan Stevens is one of those making a switch, from linebacker to defensive end.
“I’m looking forward to playing end after pretty much playing linebacker my whole life,” said Stevens, who started 10 of 11 games last year at the rover linebacker position and was No. 4 in tackles on the team with 69.
The 6-foot-2, 242-pound Temple native and former Mt. Blue of Farmington standout says things haven’t been as chaotic in camp as might be expected for a young unit.
“We’re doing well. Some of us are still learning, but we’ve had a good camp and we’re going to get better,” Stevens said. “The chemistry’s a lot better with this team. I feel like we have a better sense where we’re going in terms of comfort level and level of play.”
Stevens is one of the “rookies” along with redshirt sophomore Raibonne Charles of Windham and junior college transfer Eric Lee, who’s going from defensive end to tackle.
“It’s been an adjustment for myself with a new school and new position, but everything’s going very well,” said the 6-3, 260-pound Lee, who came to Maine from Dean Junior College in Massachusetts. “Everybody, especially the upperclassmen, is helping me out with the transition and I’d say after the first two or three days, everybody was together and on the same page. It was that quick.”
From what Charles says, he’s just as, if not more, comfortable in his new role, especially after having a year to prepare for it.
“I’m ready, you know? I’ve been waiting for this ever since I committed to Maine,” said Charles. “It’s like a dream come true playing Division I football and starting.”
At 6 feet, 237 pounds, Charles isn’t the prototypical defensive tackle, but he’s used to facing cynicism and doubt.
“I was called a tweener a lot in high school. People would say, ‘Well, if you were taller you could be a defensive end or if you were this, you could be a linebacker,’ so it’s good to see the hard work finally got me somewhere,” Charles said. “I need to keep playing hard because that’s how I got here.”
It may be young, but UMaine’s line, and the rest of its defensive unit, is very fast.
“Across the position, we have very good speed and that’s something we’ll obviously have to utilize to our advantage,” Wilmot said. “Even though we’re younger, I don’t think you can be less aggressive, especially with our speed.
“If you make that mistake at 100 miles an hour, we might be able to outrun our mistakes. If you make it going 50, you don’t have a shot.”
While the kids are getting up to speed, Wilmot knows mistakes will be made, but he’s prepared to live with them.
“The first two years I was here, we had very little turnover, so all we had to do was polish the diamond, so to speak,” he said.
This season, they’re hoping to dig up a diamond or two.
aneff@bangordailynews.net
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