Football Schedule W's & L's

As do most people who cover a specific football team both professionally and in the college ranks, it is always a fun exercise to take a look at the schedule and predict W's and L's before the season starts.

Steak here, to lay out my W's & L's for the season:


08/30/08 vs. Delaware --> W

09/06/08 at Middle Tennessee State --> W

09/13/08 vs. California --> L

09/20/08 vs. Eastern Michigan --> W

09/27/08 at Clemson --> L

10/04/08 at Virginia --> W

10/18/08 vs. Wake Forest --> L

10/25/08 vs. North Carolina State (Homecoming) --> W

11/06/08 at Virginia Tech --> L

11/15/08 vs. North Carolina --> W

11/22/08 vs. Florida State --> W

11/29/08 at Boston College --> W


Wow, So I have them at 8-4. Did not really realize that one. Hey, to quote Kevin Garnett, "ANYTHING'S POSSIBLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"

I actually think that the VT game could be the surprise Win of the year, but I am gonna play safe to begin with and of course until we find out who is starting for the Terps.

We will have to get the predictions of Curry & Crab as well.

Jackson's Loss, Ball's Gain?

With the Stephen Jackson missing up to 2 weeks in Rams training camp, Ex-Terp and undrafted free agent Lance Ball has been given extended looks in the backfield. In an article about all the undrafted picks with Rams, Ball receives some praise:

With Jackson making Rams nation nervous, Lance Ball has been given plenty
of extra time to make an impression in camp. The Maryland product has been
running well and making catches, even scoring one of two TDs in last weekend's
scrimmage. It'll be tough for Ball to make the 53-man roster once Jackson comes
back, with Brian Leonard guaranteed a spot and Antonio Pittman getting the third
thanks to his downhill speed. If he continues his camp run through the
preseason, he'd be hard to turn away from the practice squad.

Could be tough for Ball to make the roster, but at least he is making the best of the opportunity.

UMD Football: News & Notes

A few more notes from the 2nd day of practice for the Terps at Training Camp courtesy of www.umterps.com:

*The Terps have only practiced for two days, but Friedgen indicated after Tuesday's practice that some players atop the depth chart are being pushed. Redshirt freshman Torrey Smith is pushing incumbent starter Isaiah Williams at X receiver. Williams has started the last two seasons, but Smith was singled out in the spring as a potential difference maker by Friedgen and the rest of the coaching staff.

*Senior left tackle Scott Burley, who was a second-team All-ACC choice, is trying to fend off a challenge from Bruce Campbell, who played as a true freshman last season.

*Friedgen also singled out freshman running back Davin Meggett for his play during camp. Meggett has not only showed quickness running the ball, but also blocked a punt in special teams drills.

Terps' Burning Questions

Heather Dinich, who covers the ACC on ESPN.com with a very up to date blog, answers three burning questions about the Terps heading into the 2008 season.

"1. How will the ongoing battle at quarterback affect the team chemistry?
This is a similar situation to what's going on at Virginia Tech, and who knows, maybe Friedgen will play both Jordan Steffy and Chris Turner in situations that play to each of their strengths. Regardless of what happens, they both have reason to believe it's their job. Steffy looked legitimately good this spring, but Turner proved he was more than capable last year when Steffy suffered a concussion.

2. How much more productive will the offense be under first-year coordinator James Franklin?
This was a smart hire because Franklin recruited half the players he's now coaching, and his addition to the staff allows Friedgen the luxury of being the head coach without having to worry about calling the plays. Look for Franklin to throw more deep balls this season and for receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey to catch them.

3. How important is this season for Friedgen?
Maryland has had three losing seasons in the past four years. No wonder the local media isn't chipping at the lock on the gate to see spring practice. In 2006, the Terps beat Purdue in the Champs Sports Bowl, but that was their lone bowl win since the 2003 Gator Bowl. The athletic department is heavily invested in stadium renovation and trying to sell luxury suites. Somehow, though, (namely a sweet contract and a metro audience where the Ravens, Redskins, Orioles and Nats divert some of the attention) Friedgen has escaped the hot seat. "

Heather was a guest on the Steak, Crab, & Curry Show last Spring and the interview can be heard on our podcast. The podcast is available for download on iTunes.

You can also read the ACC Blog by Heather here.

**Also, on the blog, Heather broke down the power rankings of the ACC:

The Terps were ranked 4th with the description "The Terps could be this year's darkhorse, as Ralph Friedgen made a smart off-season hire in offensive coordinator James Franklin and has playmakers with the potential to flourish in the West Coast offense. The key will be how he uses -- not appeases -- his quarterbacks."

Maryland Football News & Notes

Here are a few early notes that have come out about the Terps Football Team:

* Freshmen Kenny Tate, who was ranked as the 16th best wide receiver nationally, will be asked to move to strong safety for the season and may return to receiver next year

* Sophomore Dominique Herald, a linebacker-safety, was suspended for the opening game for violating team rules.

* Offensive lineman Tyler Bowen, defensive lineman Joe Vellano and wide receiver Kevin Dorsey will miss August practices with injuries

* Offensive lineman Evan Eastburn transferred out of the program. Defensive tackle Dean Muhtadi was placed on scholarship earlier in the summer. If another scholarship opens up at some juncture, chances are it goes to Olugbemi Otulaja

Heyward-Bey Featured!

Terps' wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey is starting to gain some serious attention as a stud wide-out in the ACC this season. The redshirt junior's numbers have grown in each season and he is poised for another big season.

The Washington Post staff writer, Steve Yanda, did a great job of praising and preaching the talents of Heyward-Bey. Heyward-Bey talked about the adjustments he had to make going from high school to college Division-I ball,

"the transition was a struggle. In high school, the routine had been simple -- sprint off the line, blow past the secondary, catch the deep throw, accelerate toward the end zone."

You can read the full article here.

The Debate rages On

Rivals.com recently took a look at the ever-growing debate of where Gary Williams stands in relation to his job status. Two different writers for the site took opposing sides and offered their best arguments for each case.

Coach Williams is responsible for the only Men's National Championship in school history and was able to reach back to back Final Four's, something coach Lefty Driesell was never able to accomplish.

Here were the stated arguments:

Writer Andrew Skwara puts GARY WILLIAMS ON THE HOT SEAT:

"Last season sealed it for me. Maryland didn't just disappoint. The Terrapins underachieved – woefully. This should have been the team with which Williams beat back the critics. He had one of the nation's best playmakers at point guard (Greivis Vasquez) and another guard (Eric Hayes) who could also dish the rock. Vasquez ranked first in the ACC in assists and Hayes was sixth. There was also depth and experience on the inside. Senior big men James Gist and Bambale Osby ranked second and third in the league in blocks and fourth and 11th in rebounding.
The potential was there. The Terps knocked off then-No. 1 North Carolina in the Dean Dome.
However, that same team lost to Ohio and American at home. Maryland went 1-6 against the top five teams in the ACC. The Terps lost six of their last eight games, including four by double digits. The bulk of the blame has to go to Williams. He's not getting the most out of his players, not even close. That becomes a bigger problem when you're not a great recruiter, something Williams has never resembled. Williams has a great résumé and it's tough to look past that national title, but I think someone else can do better. Maryland, with the fertile D.C. recruiting area nearby, has a big fan base and one of the nicer arenas on the East Coast. If Williams doesn't get it done this season, I say give someone else a chance. "

Editor Bob McClellan says GARY WILLIAMS IS NOT ON THE HOT SEAT

"I can't argue that Williams' recent teams have underachieved, particularly last season.
But I come at this from a different perspective. My alma mater is Northwestern, a school that has never been to the NCAA Tournament. As in never, zip, bupkus. So when you talk about getting rid of a guy who has brought your school its only national title, not to mention another Final Four appearance and a bunch of NCAA bids in a row, it's kind of hard for me to fathom.
No, Maryland isn't on a par with Northwestern. But in a league with North Carolina and Duke, Williams got the Terps to the Holy Grail. The Left-hander couldn't even do that, but Williams did. I'm not saying you can live off a national title forever, but you ought to be able to come pretty close. He still gets players a lot of other schools would like to have. I'm somewhat alarmed that he isn't getting more out of them, but who's to say he can't find a way to light the fire this season or next? Williams hasn't forgotten how to coach. It's not like he has been losing lately, it's just that he hasn't been winning enough. His teams have won at least 19 games for the past 14 consecutive seasons. A couple of the recent NIT teams were "just-missed" NCAA Tournament teams. Maryland would be foolish to jettison Williams. Until he fields a losing team, he ought to be considered plenty safe."

You can read the full article on Rivals.com here.

Where do you feel the Gary Williams debate is at?! Please do comment.

Terps Open Up Football Season

Tomorrow, Monday, the Terps will open up the preseason camp at 4:15 EST PM. The Terps will embark on a 3-way grueling schedule that will lead up to the home opener against Delaware on August 30th.

The Terps will first and foremost need to take care of the QB issue. Who will start week 1, Jordan Steffy or Chris Turner? Or perhaps Josh Portis??

The Terps seem to be set on using Da'Rel Scott and Morgan Green at running back to split the duties and will have All-ACC candidate Darrius Heyward-Bey to anchor the passing game. An experienced offensive line will return to protect whoever the quarterback may be. It will also be interesting to see how the addition of offensive coordinator James Franklin will factor into the attack.

Here are some preseason predictions and accolades that UMTerps.com has gathered:

Maryland Preseason Rankings/Honors
Team
National Rankings:
34th...Lindy's
42nd...Athlon

ACC Predictions:
4th/Atlantic...Athlon
4th/Atlantic...Lindy's
5th/Atlantic...Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association (ACSMA)
6th/Atlantic...The Sporting News

Unit Rankings:
1st-ranked OL in the ACC...Athlon
1st-ranked OL in the ACC...Lindy's
2nd-ranked Special Teams in the ACC...Lindy's
4th-ranked LBs in the ACC...Athlon

Individual
Scott Burley, #77, Offensive Lineman
Honorable Mention All-America...The Sporting News
Second Team All-ACC...Athlon
Second Team All-ACC...Lindy's

Darrius Heyward-Bey, #8, Wide Receiver
Honorable Mention All-America...The Sporting News
Fastest Receiver in ACC...The Sporting News
Second Team All-ACC...Athlon• Second Team All-ACC...Lindy's
16th-ranked WR in Nation...Lindy's

Dave Philistin, #34, Linebacker
Nagurski Trophy watch list
Butkus Award Candidate...The Sporting News
First Team All-ACC...The Sporting News
First Team All-ACC...Blue Ribbon Yearbook
First Team All-ACC...Lindy's
11th-ranked ILB in Nation...Lindy's
Second Team All-ACC...Athlon

Jaimie Thomas, #76, Offensive Lineman
Second Team All-ACC...Athlon
Second Team All-ACC...Lindy's

Edwin Williams, #60, Offensive Lineman
Rimington Trophy watch list
Preseason All-ACC...Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association (ACSMA)
All-ACC...The Sporting News
First Team All-ACC...Lindy's
First Team All-ACC...Blue Ribbon Yearbook
Second Team All-ACC...Athlon

UMD: Best Athletic Facilities!

The Princeton Review conducted a study in which it polled 120,000 students at 368 different colleges about different school's academics, campus life, sports, etc.

The survey was 80 questions long and the results were published in the annual Princeton Review Guide.

Based on the results, the University of Maryland was voted as the top athletic facilities in the nation beating out Texas A&M, Florida, and Tenneesse! Maryland also ranked highly in college newspaper and how well the students pack the stadiums!

Preseason Coaches Poll

The Preseason Coaches Poll was released today and the Top 5 goes like this ...


1. Georgia (22)
2. USC (14)
3. Ohio State (14)
4. Oklahoma (3)
5. Florida (5)

Where do the Terps check in?

Answer: Honorable Mention Section with 4 Votes

Other ACC Teams in the Top 25: Clemson (#9), Virginia Tech (#15)

Others Receiving Votes: Florida State, Boston College, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Georgia Tech