University of Maine quarterback Joe Fagnano, who suffered a high ankle sprain in a 55-7 loss to James Madison in the second game of the season, will start for the Black Bears in Saturday’s noon game against Football Bowl Subdivision team UMass.
Fagnano has been practicing for over a week but didn’t play in Saturday’s 22-17 loss to Stony Brook.
“I’m excited to play,” said junior Fagnano, who completed 28 of 47 passes for 326 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions before getting hurt.
Redshirt freshman Derek Robertson has filled in for him and completed 121-of-238 passes for 1,505 yards and 12 TDs with four interceptions. He was 17-for-32 for 160 yards in Saturday’s 22-17 loss to Stony Brook. He threw for two touchdowns but was intercepted twice, once in the end zone and the other at the end of the game as UMaine tried to mount a comeback.
Under NCAA eligibility rules established in 2018, Fagnano is able to play in four games and retain his year of eligibility even though he is playing in the second half of the season, UMaine head football coach Nick Charlton said.
“We’re excited about Joe coming back. He’s a tremendous leader,” said graduate student linebacker Ray Miller, the team’s leading tackler. “He’s one of my favorite guys on the team.”
Fagnano said he always expected to come back this season. He got his first opportunity to play as a freshman after a season-ending foot injury to Chris Ferguson in the sixth game of the 2019 season, making for two fall seasons in a row that UMaine has lost their starting quarterback.
Fagnano completed 121 of 184 passes for 1,835 yards and 17 TDs with three interceptions that year. In the four-game spring season, he was an All-Colonial Athletic Association second team pick when he went 67-for-116 for 795 yards and eight TDs. He was intercepted once.
He said he knows there will be an adjustment period early on Saturday but it won’t last long. He said he was able to stay involved by helping Robertson and the offense from the sidelines and in practice. He said watching games has its benefits and Charlton called him “mentally sharp.”
“You see the game through a different lens. When you take a step back, it’s more mental,” he said. “You’re seeing it rather than doing it. You learn a lot about yourself.”
With Fagnano back and now with Robertson gaining experience, “I haven’t seen a better quarterback room” at UMaine. The starting quarterback is looking forward to the challenge of playing an FBS team right off the bat, saying UMass’ 1-8 record belies their talent.
“It’s a great opportunity,” he said. “They’re a great team regardless of their record.