ORONO, Maine — Although this offseason will be the shortest the University of Maine football team has ever had, players and coaches can't wait to return to the field. On Tuesday, the Black Bears and all Colonial Athletic Associations (CAA) schools took part in the conference's annual Media Day.
After a 2-2 record in a modified spring season that was cut short due to COVID-19 protocols at other schools, UMaine was predicted to finish in ninth place in the 12-team conference. Those predictions were made by CAA head coaches and media relations directors.
Despite the average record, Maine head coach Nick Charlton said he was proud of his team and what the players were able to accomplish in the spring while not recording a single positive COVID test within the program.
“I mean, you want to talk about last spring and the commitment it took our players not to have a positive test. It meant they went to football and literally went back to their rooms," Charlton added.
The majority of the team has been on campus in Orono since June, Charlton added. Wide receiver Andre Miller and defensive lineman Jamehl Wiley joined Charlton at the virtual media day and said the summer workouts have been great for building chemistry.
“And now that we have a full upcoming season, a full summer to prepare to grow as a team and as an organization, we’re really excited for the opportunity," Wiley said.
Miller is the only Black Bear to be named to the CAA All-Conference preseason team. He said he is hoping his success from the shortened spring season to continue into the fall.
Before any CAA games kick off next month or in early September, the conference will finalize COVID-19 testing protocols and guidelines according to Commissioner Joe D'Antonio.
“There will be protocols associated with testing, definitely for unvaccinated student-athletes and even potentially on some of our campuses for vaccinated student-athletes," he added. “A game’s a game. Somebody's life is somebody’s life and we’re never going to take risks with those kinds of decisions.”
None of the protocols are official but D'Antionio mentioned the final guidelines will be released soon. Vaccination rates among programs was also a common subject brought up during the morning.
D'Antionio expects the vaccination numbers at member schools to increase as the season draws closer.
Maine will open its season at home in Orono against the University of Delaware on Thursday, Sept. 2.