ORONO — The defining moment of Monday’s Maine football scrimmage came inside the 1-yard line, where a pair of second-year players went head to head.

Running back Nigel Beckford tried to dive over safety Mozai Nelson. Nelson nailed Beckford in the thigh, flipping him onto his helmet just short of the goal line.

Beckford scored easily on the next play, his second touchdown of a steamy afternoon. Both players sent a message during the first scrimmage of the summer – we’re fast, we’re physical, we’re ready to make our mark.

“Me and Beckford are going at it,” said Nelson, a redshirt freshman who earlier in the scrimmage intercepted a Drew Belcher pass over the middle. “A couple of days ago on the blitz, I nailed him, so he was out for me. But I saw him in the open and just went up and made the tackle, just hit him.”

Nelson is a little-known player who may be on the verge of being a breakout star among five young safeties the Black Bears are playing. Not only did he redshirt last season, but he spent the spring toggling between weekday football practices and track meets on the weekends, meaning he missed the Saturday scrimmages.

But Nelson is also a solid 6 feet, 205 pounds, and he showed Monday that he isn’t afraid to stick his nose into the fray. He is the backup at strong safety to Darrius Hart, and also has moved into the team’s nickel and dime coverage packages. It was in the nickel defense, when he replaced Sherrod Baltimore, that Nelson made his interception.

“He’s really asserted himself,” Maine Coach Jack Cosgrove said of Nelson. “He’s smart. He can really run. In this game, if you’ve got fast guys like that, you’ve got a chance to make some plays.”

Nelson said football remains his sport of choice, although he plans to continue running track – where he competes in the sprinting events.

“There’s a lot of wear and tear on the body, but I take care of my body. I listen to the trainer,” Nelson said. “I had high hopes for myself (for this football season). Just going on the field and being able to put it out for everyone to see really just feels good.

“My biggest strength is my knowledge of the game. People think I’m just fast and can get to places, but no, I see splits, I know formations and that helps me out.”

Nelson wasn’t fast enough to catch Beckford, with whom he’s developed a good-natured rivalry in recent practices, on an 81-yard touchdown burst early in the scrimmage. Beckford’s were the only two touchdowns the offense generated.

Beckford was adamant that no one was catching him. Not this year. Twice last summer, as a true freshman, Beckford took off on long runs only to be caught from behind near the goal line. He promised that would not happen again, and was true to his word Monday.

“It was just a regular inside zone play, wide open, line blocked it up, saw the hole, ran through it and I was gone. Nobody touched me, so the line did a good job,” Beckford said. “I’ve been in the playbook and seeing it more. After that first year I get the little nuances to how we run our zone and how the defense lines up, and where it’s going to hit. I knew exactly where to go and it opened up just like it should have.”

Beckford later picked up 20 yards on a third-and-1 play on the drive that led to his second touchdown. He was the star of the afternoon, which was heartening to Cosgrove because there is little depth at tailback for the Black Bears. Darius Benders played some, but fumbled once. Sacoy Malone sat out with an injury. Freshman Terry Loper, the most highly touted newcomer at the position, left the team last week to return to his Pennsylvania home, indicating he was done with football.

“It’s scary,” Cosgrove said of having only one proven running back with the season opener less than three weeks away. “This time last year we were seeing some of those spectacular runs that indicated a guy that needed the weight room and needed a routine. (Beckford) found it. He struggled a little bit in the offseason, he had a couple of days where he and I weren’t best friends. But I think he got the message. I really like what he’s done since the end of the semester. He had an OK spring, and we had a conversation about setting expectations a little higher. He made a tremendous commitment to his body. I think we’re going to see a much more physical runner.”

Beckford said he is carrying 198 pounds on his 5-9 frame, but that he’s been able to maintain that weight, which he struggled to do last summer. He has a healthier appetite, and that hunger is carrying onto the field.

“I think we showed we can compete,” Beckford said of the offense. “Obviously, the defense has been practicing with us, they’re familiar with us, they’re a veteran defense, so they know what we run.”

NOTES: Freshman tight end Jordan Craig also quit the team in his first week, returning to his home in New Jersey while saying he had lost his desire to play football, Cosgrove said. … Middle linebacker Christophe Mulumba Tshimanga, defensive end Trevor Bates and wide receiver Jordan Dunn, all projected starters, sat out the scrimmage for precautionary reasons. All are expected to be back for the final scrimmage next Tuesday. … Cosgrove said quarterbacks Dan Collins and Belcher, each of whom was intercepted once, showed great command in the huddle but didn’t do enough to prove they deserve to start Sept. 5 at Boston College. He expects that position battle to last at least into next week.

 

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