UMD Hoops Get Good News !!

The Terps Hoops Team finally got some good news this offseason! According to Foxsports.com and Jeff Goodman, Recruit Sean Mosley received a qualifying SAT score and will be eligible for the upcoming season for the Terps.

Mosley will join Vasquez and Eric Hayes as a potent three guard rotation that could give other ACC teams problems this season. However, the Terps are still looking for some big man help.

Q & A with Da'rel Scott

The University of Maryland recently ran a question and answer with Terp's Running Back Da'Rel Scott. The article can be found here.

What did you learn from playing with former Maryland running backs Lance
Ball and Keon Lattimore?
"I learned a lot of things. They helped me mature
with my footsteps, with seeing the holes and just staying in the game. They
helped me with being mentally ready because it's a big jump from high school to
here."


What have you been up to this summer?
"Just working out. I'm trying
to get my legs stronger. I've been taking classes, too. My anatomy class is
killing me. This past summer session was pretty much all about my summer
classes."


Walk us through your daily routine.
"I wake up, go to my lab for my
anatomy class, work out, go back to anatomy class, then I have to work out
again. I had to split up my workouts because of class, since it's pretty much
two classes. It's four credits with the lab and the class."


How are workouts going this summer?
"They're going really well. I'm
just trying to get better. I'm just working out with the team and trying to make
them better as well."


Are there any games you are looking forward to in particular?
"All of
them."


Would you say that the summer schedule is easier or harder than the fall
schedule?
"I think it's harder now because it's a lot more aggressive now
because we're trying to get better. During the season, we're maintaining."


How have things changed under the new offensive coordinator, James
Franklin?
"Things are going really well. I have a good relationship with him
because he recruited me when I was in high school. He's made a good amount of
changes. The running style is different. I like this style a lot better because
we run a lot of off-tackle stuff. Since I'm an outside running back, it's more
my style."




Upcoming key dates:

Aug. 2 - Freshmen report to campus

Aug. 3 - Varsity reports to campus

Aug. 4 - Football preseason camp opens/Media Day

Aug. 30 - Season opener vs. Delaware

ACC Hate-O-Meter

On ESPN.com they are running some rankings of the most hated College Football Programs across the country. Heather Dinich is the blogger for the ACC and she presented her rankings of the most hated programs in the ACC:

I warned you. Today is trash talkin' Tuesday. Here's your chance to weigh
in. But first, digest this: The most hated teams in the ACC, ranked from most to
least, based on things seen, read and heard over the years.

1. Miami -- They've got the tradition, the swagger and the
attitude.

2. Florida State -- Opponents hate them because they dominated the
league and the TV ratings for so long, and their own fans hate them when they
lose. Remember the clamoring for the dismissal of Jeff Bowden? Way to show the
love.

3. Virginia Tech -- The Hokies came into the ACC and won two titles in
four years. And even when they're down, they're predicted to win. And just being
associated with Michael Vick is a public relations nightmare.

4. Clemson -- The Tigers make their own fans so frustrated they can't
see straight sometimes. And FSU fans haven't exactly looked forward to the
Bowden Bowl in recent years.

5. Virginia -- Even the Cavaliers' own fans have called for the firing
of Al Groh on numerous occasions, and those outside the program love to rip on
the preppy fans.

6. Maryland -- This is still a basketball school, and opposing fans
throughout the league have carried that venom for Gary Williams into Byrd
Stadium.

7. Boston College -- Maybe it's that smug Northeastern mentality that
can sometimes be as frosty as the weather. Or the fact these guys are Yankee
winners who took some of the spotlight away from an otherwise "southern"
conference.

8. Georgia Tech -- The Yellow Jackets have been just good enough to
ruin somebody's party, and some outsiders knock 'em for being
know-it-alls.

9. NC State -- Most of the hate here comes from No. 10. It could also
be because of Julius Hodge and Chuck Amato, two brash and outgoing
characters.

10. North Carolina -- Most of the hate here comes from No. 9. Well,
that, and the fact everyone is sick about hearing how the Tar Heels are actually
going to be good soon.

11. Wake Forest -- Good luck trying to find one bad word about Jim
Grobe. Then again, fans hate it when somebody plays by the rules AND wins.

12. Duke -- How could you feel anything but sorry for these guys? The
only reason to dislike Duke if you're an ACC fan is because their losses pull
the conference down like a lead weight. Good grief, last in even the
hate-o-meter.

Old Spice Classic

When word came out that the Maryland Terps and the Georgetown Hoyas would be in the same hoops tournament this upcoming Thanksgiving, every basketball fan in the DC Metro area was hoping that the teams would square off.

Well word came out about 10 minutes ago, and Georgetown and Maryland will be on the opposite sides of the bracket. G'town will square off against Wichita State, and the Terps will face Michigan State in the opening round. The only way these two teams will be able to square off will be in the Finals, an unlikely situation.

It's a damn shame these two teams don't meet annually in a cross-town rivalry type deal. It would be a huge success and could be played at the Verizon Center.

Who else would love to see the teams play every year?

Edwin Williams

According to the Baltimore Sun, University of Maryland Center Edwin Williams (Sr.) has been named to the pre-season All ACC Team (#60).

Williams has started 26 consecutive games for the Terps and has also been placed on the Rimington Trophey Watch, awarded to the Nation's top Center.

"Williams, a fifth-year senior from Washington D.C., also earned preseason all-conference honors from Athlon, Blue Ribbon Yearbook, Lindy’s and The Sporting News."

DJ Strawberry at the Point!

2nd Year NBA guard and former Maryland Terrapin DJ Strawberry has been playing hoops in the summer league for the Phoenix Suns' squad. According to http://www.rotoworld.com/, DJ has been averaging 18 points a game and 3 assists a contest for the team. Showing that he is capable of scoring the ball while also distributing.

GM Steve Kerr was quoted as saying that DJ has been running the point in the league but he sees him more as a combo-guard with his height. Eventually the Suns would like to see Strawberry try and spell Steve Nash for a few minutes at a time through out the season at the point.

Blake & Hayes

Remember those instant comparisons of Eric Hayes to Steve Blake as soon as Hayes was recruited by Gary Williams to play at Maryland?

Well according to a report at www.insidenova.com, Hayes will be spending 10 days in Portland to practice and be tutored by Steve Blake on running the point and running the Maryland offense.

"So when looking for someone to teach him more about running Maryland's offense,
playing the point or even preparing for the NBA, it made perfect sense for the
Potomac High School graduate to enlist the services of Steve Blake. "He's got
the same type of game I have," said Hayes, who leaves Tuesday to spend 10 days
working out with Blake in Portland, where Blake plays for the NBA's Trail
Blazers. "He brings the same athleticism to his game like the way I play. He
made it to the NBA with what he had. I can try and pick up some pointers and
possibly do it myself."

Hopefully this practice session between Maryland past and future results in Hayes improving his distribution skill set and also his leadership skills as him and Vasquez will be relied on heavily to lead the team this season as the veterans. You can read the entire article here.

Sam Hollenbach

Former Maryland starting QuarterBack Sam Hollenbach was released today from the Washington Redskins in order to make room for this year's crop of rookies and free agents.

Sam never got into any game action and spent the majority of the year on the practice squad as an undrafted rookie free agent. It is tough to imagine seeing him latch on anywhere else in the NFL.

Gist in Summer Camp

Maryland student newspaper The Diamondback has the scoop on James Gist heading to rookie summer league camp for the Spurs in Vegas. Just don't make it rain to hard Mr. Gist.

"Gist is currently working out in Reno, Nev. On July 9, he'll report to San
Antonio and join the rest of the Spurs' rookies and young players in
preparation
for the NBA's Las Vegas Rookie Summer League.The Silver Spring
native and
2007-08 Second Team All-ACC performer was drafted by the Spurs in
the second
round with the 57th overall pick.Contracts are not guaranteed for
players taken in the second round, and earning a roster spot on an established
Western Conference power like San Antonio may prove to be challenging.NBA teams
are limited to 15 players on a roster, only 12 of which can be active. The Spurs
have 9 players under contract with another, first-round draft selection George
Hill, on the way."

Check out http://media.www.diamondbackonline.com/media/storage/paper873/news/2008/07/03/Sports/Gist-Heads.To.Nba.Rookie.League-3387636.shtml for more on the story.

A Very Important Year for Gary!

Dana O'Neil of espn.com recently wrote an article that documents the decline of the hoops program of UMD since the 2002 title run and how Gary Williams may be feeling the seat beneath start to heat up.

Here are some highlights from the article...

"Williams, once lauded for resurrecting Maryland from the depths of NCAA probation, now enters his 20th season dogged by questions about himself, his program and his status with the university administration.
"Is this a big year? Absolutely," said Kent Greenway, coach of the Richmond Squires AAU team, a power in the D.C.-Baltimore-Virginia hub. "People are questioning how good of a coach Gary is, how good of a job the team is doing recruiting and whether the AD wants [Williams] out. This is a very, very important year."
Yet, in a season with conceivably so much on the line, Maryland starts with only 10 scholarship players. Shane Walker transferred, would-be recruit Tyree Evans never got past the administrative smell test and heralded rookie-to-be Gus Gilchrist elected to transfer to South Florida, where he hopes an appeal will restore a year of eligibility. "

Dana also takes a look at some of the local talent that has slipped through Gary's grasp.

" In the past two years, the Maryland area has produced three top-five NBA
draft picks -- Texas' Kevin
Durant went second and Georgetown's Jeff Green
fifth in 2007, and Kansas State's Michael
Beasley went No. 2 just this past Thursday. Mix in Carmelo
Anthony in 2003, and you get an idea of just how deep the talent pool is
around College Park.
"There's no reason they're not getting some of these
guys," said Curtis Malone, co-founder of the powerful D.C. Assault AAU team.
"It's a great campus, a great facility, great conference. Gary is a good coach.
There's so much talent in the Baltimore-D.C. area, they should be getting more
kids to stay home. I can't put my finger on it."

Here is the link of the article. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=oneil_dana&id=3469331

It is a great read and with Shane Mosley as the only incoming freshman as of now, it makes me a little worried about the prospects of the upcoming Terp season.

Hoops Team set to add a BIG!

In a tumultous offseason that included the losses of James Gist, Boom Osby, Jason McAlpin, Gus Gilchrist, Shane Walker, Bobby Maze, and Tyree Evens, the Terps may be getting some good news soon.

A Chicago native Steve Goins (forward/center, 6'9", 260 pounds) appears to be on his way to College Park for the upcoming season according to Jeff Ermann of turtlesportsreport.com (http://maryland.scout.com/2/766140.html).

According to scouthoops.com, Goins is the 27th ranked center in the nation. Goins averaged 14 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks last year at Currie Metropolitan High (Ill.), on a team that had balanced scoring. Goins was also offered scholarships by South Florida (GUS GILCHRIST!) and Illinois-Chicago. He was also recruited by Kentucky, DePaul, and Minnesota.