Two games into the season, University of Massachusetts football coach Jim Reid isn’t ready to call in Robert Stack… yet.

(Stack: “The Yankee Conference champion Minutemen were last seen Nov. 10, 1990, when they beat Villanova 3-0. Since then, they’ve dropped four straight, including an 0-2 start this season. If you have any information on their whereabouts….”)

Maine coach Kirk Ferentz said there’s nothing mysterious about UMass’s slow start heading into Saturday’s critical clash between the Minutemen and 0-2 Maine in Orono (1 p.m.).

“They’ve played two nationally ranked football teams,” said Ferentz, neatly explaining the Minutemen’s 24-7 loss to No. 8 Delaware and a 22-20 setback against 10th-ranked Holy Cross last week.

Reid, the 1973 Maine grad who has led UMass to three YC titles in five years, thinks his squad’s problem is a bit more complex.

“If you try to do too much yourself, you throw all your schemes and defenses out of whack. I see that happening,” said Reid.

“Some of the boys are pressing a little too hard,” continued Reid. “We’re 0-2. We didn’t want to be 0-2. We need to handle it with a little more poise.”

The defensive freelancing and lack of poise Reid refers to has manifested itself in some ugly numbers rung up by the opposition. The Minutemen are yielding 422 yards a game, including an uncharacteristic 254 on the ground – this from a unit that returned 10 starters from the YC’s top defense of a year ago (278 total yards per game).

A nagging ankle injury to All-YC outside linebacker Mario Perry hasn’t helped (he’s doubtful for Maine), but Reid expects more from a veteran unit that includes senior inside linebacker Matt Tulley, senior noseguard Jim Mancaruso, and junior cornerback Don Caparotti.

“We had so many mental mistakes on defense (last) Saturday, we made more than we made the whole year last year,” he said.

Offensively, meanwhile, UMass is dealing with a quarterback controversy and the inconsistency that inevitably follows.

Option-running specialist Tom Fasano started against Delaware and was ineffective, leading Reid to switch to senior drop-back passer Paul Tornatore. In two games Tornatore has completed an impressive 22 of 34 passes for 301 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 interception, but…. 0-2.

“We’re not established at quarterback,” said Reid, who is 3-2 against his alma mater. “We’re an option football team. We have to go with a two quarterback system. It’s my fault we didn’t Saturday. We had a 14-3 lead. I’m not sure who’ll finish (against Maine), but we’ll probably start Paul Tonatore.”

Quarterbacks aside, UMass has three explosive offensive weapons in senior tailback Jerome Bledsoe (80.5 yards per game), senior split end Lamar Newsome (9 catches, 153 yards, 3 TDs), and 5-foot-5 sophomore flanker/kick returner Eric Thimas (21.3 yards per return).

The offensive line is big, averaging 6-4, 272 pounds from tackle to tackle. Mainstays are senior tackles Kai Dietiker (6-4, 265) and Rich Cavanaugh (6-6, 290).