Jared Turcotte was itching to get on the field at the University of Maine last fall, but had to wait his turn.

He hopes his turn starts today.

Turcotte and the Black Bears open their spring practice session today at Alfond Stadium. The session lasts through May 2 and includes the Fourth Annual Jeff Cole Memorial Scrimmage on April 26.

“I want to go in and show the coaches I am the starting fullback,” Turcotte said. “I want to show that I can compete with everybody else and be a contributor to the team.”

The former Lewiston High School star tailback was hoping for a chance to do that when he reported to practice last August. But with coach Jack Cosgrove pegging him as a H-back/fullback in his scheme and with senior Anthony Cotrone already ensconced in the starting lineup, it didn’t take long for Turcotte to understand that sitting out his first season would have long-term benefits.

“It was definitely the best option for me and the team as well,” Turcotte said.

Going from being on the field all the time at Lewiston to being relegated to the sideline in Orono took some adjustment, but Turcotte said being redshirted allowed him to focus on getting bigger, stronger and faster for the 2008 season and immerse himself in the Black Bear playbook.

The eight months spent as an observer should start to pay off now, just when competition for the starting H-back job is wide open.

“If I were to have not redshirted last year, I think I would have been kind of lost out on the field, not really knowing what I’m doing,” he said. “Coming into this spring, I feel like I know what I’m doing, so I won’t have to think. I’ll be that much faster off the ball.”

Thinking less in game conditions usually requires a great deal of preparation during the week leading up to the game. Turcotte said there is no comparison between the preparing he did while winning the Fitzpatrick Trophy at Lewiston and the work that goes into playing at Maine.

“Preparation for the game on Saturday is so much more than just practice,” he said. “You spend many hours during the week watching film and studying the opponent, as opposed to in high school where you’d watch film for an hour and that would be that.”

Turcotte suffered a setback when he tore a meniscus while weightlifting early in the offseason and was unable to participate fully in the Black Bears’ offseason program for about a month. He said the knee is fine now and doesn’t anticipate it hindering his performance during the spring session.

“I mostly did upper-body stuff during that month, and my upper body is as strong is ever, but I’ve got to step up a little bit on my lower body in the weight room,” he said.

He said he’s put on about 20 pounds since reporting to his first practice last August and is up to about 235 pounds. Since returning from winter break, the team has been holding 6 a.m. workouts five days a week in preparation for spring practices, most of which begin at 5:45 a.m. sharp, so as not to conflict with morning classes.

Turcotte’s primary duty as an H-back would be to block for senior tailback Jhamal Fluellen, who rushed for 1,052 yards last season. But Turcotte said he would like to get a chance to prove he can run the ball this week, too. Cotrone carried the ball just 15 times in seven games last season. More than half of those carries, eight, came in a 38-7 loss to Massachusetts.

The Black Bears have just one H-back listed on their roster with college playing experience, Wellington Talkpa. He will be a senior next season and has played in 10 games, with three starts, in his career at Maine. Redshirt freshmen Derek Buttles and Derek Session are also listed at H-back.

Two locals on the roster have changed positions during the offseason. Former Lisbon star Levi Ervin is switching from safety to linebacker for his sophomore season, while Mt. Blue alum Jordan Stevens is shifting from linebacker to defensive end for his junior campaign.