If Maine’s offensive formations and schemes look a little similar to UMass fans Saturday, it’s not a coincidence.
Liam Coen, who is in his second season as Maine’s offensive coordinator, took a lot of his concepts from what he learned working for UMass coach Mark Whipple.
“I’d say very similar in a lot of senses. I definitely took a ton of what Coach Whip does,” Coen said Monday. “We’re probably a little more run-based than they are. We have the FCS leading rusher in the country (Josh Mack, 1,152 yards). But schematically and Xs and Os wise, we’re extremely similar. A lot of what I learned about how to get your best players the ball comes from Coach Whip.”
Coen, who is still UMass’ all-time leading passer 10 years after his career ended, remains an ardent fan of his alma mater from afar, which will make whatever happens in Saturday’s 4 p.m. game at Fenway Park bittersweet.
“I’m coaching against a guy that got me into the profession and really is a mentor and a really good friend,” Coen said of Whipple. “A lot of the guys on staff are friends and former teammates. Anytime you get into a competitive atmosphere you forget about that stuff and you just go out and compete. But it will be fun to see those guys before the game and shake their hands after the game.”
Coen is regularly in touch with Scott Woodward, his close friend and former backup. Woodward replaced him as the Minutemen’s quarterbacks coach.
Coen regularly spends social time with members of the UMass staff in the offseason.
“Coach Whip gets a house every summer in Newport and I’m from there so I see him,” Coen said. “I played golf with the staff and went out in Newport with the staff. I speak to Scott Woodward on a weekly basis.”
Coen went to Orono after two years as Whipple’s quarterbacks coach at UMass. He’d previously been the QB coach at Rhode Island and Brown. The chance to be a coordinator, design and call plays helped convince him to move to college football’s northern most outpost.
“I thought I was ready to make that move. I felt like I had leaned enough offense from Coach Whipple and Phil Estes at Brown. It’s been great,” Coen said. “It’s a college town. People really do enjoy football up here.”
The Black Bears, who were 3-8 before he arrived, went 6-5 last year, partially due to the development of senior quarterback Dan Collins, a first-year starter who is now in the CFL. Maine is 4-4 this season.
“We’re doing OK this year. We’ve lost some tough ones,” he said. “It was definitely the right move for me.”
Whipple recruited Coen to play at UMass, but never coached him as he left to become the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks coach. But they stayed in touch even before working together.
“I recruited him from when he was a sophomore. He had a great career. It was hard for him when I left, but Donny (Brown) coming in was good for him. He came out to see me anywhere I was in the NFL,” said Whipple, who knew Coen was ready for greater responsibility when he left Amherst. “I was happy for him. I didn’t want to see him leave but I want to see everyone help themselves. He’s done a really good job there.”
Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage