ORONO, Maine — When the University of Maine football program took down rival University of New Hampshire in the last game of the 2021 regular season, the Black Bears retained the Brice-Cowell musket for the next season. But the program will not keep its head coach.
UMaine officially announced Wednesday that Nick Charlton is moving on from the program after taking an assistant head coach and offensive coordinator job at the University of Connecticut.
UConn is a NCAA Division I FBS program and competes in the American Athletic Conference.
Charlton leaves Maine after a 6-5 season. The team went 5-1 over its last six games.
"While we are sorry to see Nick leave Orono, we are happy for him to have this exciting new opportunity," UMaine Athletic Director Ken Ralph said in a release. "We will always be grateful for what he did for our program. UConn is getting an excellent football coach."
Ralph named Andrew Dresner as interim head coach as he begins a nationwide search to find Charlton's replacement. Dresner served as the offensive coordinator for the Black Bears for the last three seasons.
"I am very pleased [Dresner] was willing to accept the interim position," Ralph added. "He has proven himself to be an excellent coach and strong administrator. Maine football is in great hands."
Charlton's departure is not the only coaching news announced Wednesday that will shake up the Maine-UNH rivalry.
Longtime head football coach for the Wildcats Sean McDonnell announced he has retired from the program after 23 seasons as head coach. McDonnell has been part of the UNH coaching staff for 30 years and also played collegiate football with the program.
"It's time," McDonnell said in a release from UNH Wednesday. "It's time for a new face, new ideas and a new way of doing things around here. I can't begin to say thank you enough for the opportunities the University of New Hampshire has given to me: as a student, as an assistant coach and then as its head football coach. This has been the honor of a lifetime."
An announcement regarding the Wildcats' next head coach is expected in the coming days. McDonnell won 157 games, including 100 conference victories, during his time at UNH.
McDonnell's coaching tree includes current UCLA and former NFL head coach Chip Kelly and current Ohio State head coach Ryan Day.
"It's a great day to be alive and to be a New Hampshire Wildcat," McDonnell said in Wednesday's release.
