ORONO (NEWS CENTER Maine) -- After losing a member of the UMaine football family and some time off, the Black Bears are back on the gridiron.
They're moving forward and say that's what Darius Minor would have wanted.
"I think everyone just wanted to get back to playing football. You know, I think that's what he would have wanted. You know, his family wants us to just be a team and get back to what we love doing and that's why he was ultimately here so it's good to get back out here and just kinda be together." Head Coach Joe Harasymiak said.
Darius is being remembered through training camp. On Saturday night, someone left a cardboard cutout of his number, 39, with a nod to UMaine and his high school team in Orange County, Virginia.
The Black Bears consider themselves a close knit team, senior tight end, Drew Belcher said.
"But having that be a freshman, having that be a younger guy I think you know, made the seniors and the younger guys come closer together," he added.
The team plans to be there for the Minor family in anyway they need, but they are also preparing for the season with their first scrimmage on Monday.
"We just gotta come out fast and build some confidence and have a great scrimmage, score some points." Belcher said.
The Black Bears kick off their season on Thursday August 30 at 7 p.m. at Alfond Stadium against the New Hampshire Wildcats.