ORONO — Villanova will bring a No. 6 ranking and one of the nation’s premier quarterbacks to Alfond Stadium on Saturday.
Behind John Robertson, the Wildcats are putting up 41.5 points per game, tops in the Colonial Athletic Association.
Maine’s offense was maligned much of the season but may have come up with a defining drive last Saturday to beat Towson in the final minute.
That offense is going to be pressured to keep pace with Villanova (3-1, 1-0 CAA), just as it did last year in a thrilling 37-35 road victory.
“We’ve got more energy,” Black Bears senior wide receiver Arthur Williams said of an offense still riding high from its 27-24 win last week. “No. 6 is coming in here and we’re going to knock them down.”
Williams was one of a parade of receivers who helped jumpstart Maine’s best offensive showing of the season. He caught four short passes to loosen up the Towson defense and let sophomore quarterback Dan Collins get into a rhythm.
Darmarr Aultman, another senior, had five catches, two on fourth down.
But it was in the slot that Maine may have discovered some new threats. Jordan Dunn, a sophomore, had six catches for 80 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner, in his finest game. Freshman Jared Osumah picked up 56 vital yards on his two catches.
“One of my setbacks last year was a lack of confidence,” said Dunn, who scored one touchdown as a situational receiver a year ago. “I wanted to be more of an impact player this year, a guy that can make plays with the ball, can take the hit going across the middle, get the first down for the team when it needs to and also block on the perimeter.”
Dunn, at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, can be a big target in the middle of the field and help open the outside for the speedier Aultman and Williams.
“He’s physical and he’ll take the hit for you,” Collins said. “It’s nice knowing you have a guy out there who’s going to make plays for you.”
Maine (2-2, 1-0) did lose one option at wideout last week when freshman Micah Wright separated his shoulder returning a punt; he’ll miss at least four weeks.
But Collins said having four wide receivers to spread the field, along with tight end Jeremy Salmon, has given him confidence that he can exploit holes in opposing defenses, even the unusual 3-3-5 formation Villanova uses.
“When you see yourself on film, you want more of that,” Collins said after completing 19 of 29 passes for 225 yards and two scores. “When I go out in practice now, I want to see myself make all the right reads, throw all the right throws. I think it’s just a better attitude, a better feeling knowing you can take what the defense gives you.”
The Villanova defense doesn’t get much notoriety compared to its offense. But it has come up with big goal-line stands twice this season and has proved difficult to run against.
“I think they’re maybe a little overshadowed with John (Robertson) and the numbers we’re putting up offensively right now, but they’ve been really solid in our first few games,” said Wildcats associate head coach Mark Ferrante.
Collins, despite his strong game, will continue to split time with freshman Drew Belcher, who completed 3 of 5 passes for 47 yards at Towson, but was sacked three times. Typically, Belcher has led every third series the past two weeks.
Maine Coach Jack Cosgrove said that system has helped both be better quarterbacks, after the Black Bears scored only 10 points in each of their first three games. “They’re both part of the game plan,” Cosgrove said. “Danny played his best game, so did Belch. So if that keeps happening it’s only going to help our football team.”
Having eight trusted receivers will help as well. If Maine gets into another shootout with Villanova, perhaps it won’t be at such a disadvantage after all.
“There’s a lot of juice out there with us,” Dunn said of the offense.
“The conference knows who Darmarr is, they know who Art is, but they still don’t know who me, Jared Osumah and Micah Wright are. The coaches know that we’re able to make plays, that’s why they have confidence in us to do so.”
Actually, after catching a game-winning touchdown last week, it’s a safe bet the conference knows exactly who Dunn is. But that doesn’t mean he can’t continue to make an impression.
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