Lots of Terps Goodness of news and notes and predictions has come through with the ACC Blog on ESPN.Com. One of our favorite writers and ACC beat reporters, Heather Dinich has recently updated her blog with a rankings of the hardest schedules and games to watch in the ACC. Some of the highlights below:
ACC's Hardest Schedules:
1. Georgia Tech -- Paul Johnson has back-to-back road games in the ACC against Boston College and Virginia Tech in the first three weeks, plus road trips to Clemson, UNC and rival Georgia. Yikes. The only breaks are the fact Wake and Maryland aren't on there. And Duke is.
7. Maryland -- The Terps get road trips to Clemson and Virginia Tech, plus a tough nonconference home game against Cal and a visit from Wake Forest. By the time these guys play Duke again, the Blue Devils just might win.
12. North Carolina -- The Tar Heels don't play Clemson, Wake Forest or Florida State -- three of the top teams in the Atlantic Division. And they've got Virginia Tech early (Sept. 20). If there was ever a year for Butch Davis to take advantage of his schedule and a watered-down division, this would be it.
Top 10 Games To Watch:
5. Maryland at Clemson, Sept. 27: Ralph Friedgen loves playing in Death Valley, and the Terps have a team that could surprise a few people, the Tigers included. The addition of first-year offensive coordinator James Franklin, backup quarterback Josh Portis, and a veteran offensive line make Maryland a dark horse.
You can read the full posts and Heather's preseason predictions here.
5 DAYS TIL KICKOFF!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Steak's Cut on the QB Situation
The answer to the summer long debate about who should and who would be the starting quarterback for your Terrapin offense on August 30th, opening day, has finally been addressed. The answer is Senior Jordan Steffy.
Steffy and his 5 career starts and 14 overall games played will be lining up behind Preseason All-ACC center Edwin Williams against the Blue Hens of Delaware, with Chris Turner listed second on the depth chart and Josh Portis third.
But is this the right choice?
The answer in one word is no. In my opinion, Steffy should have been listed third on the depth chart with Chris Turner given the first opportunity at the starting job and Josh Portis in between.
Shouldn’t the guy who defeated two Top 10 teams in a season be given a fair opportunity to continue his success? An unrated squad led by Turner went on the road and put up 34 points on Rutgers, who continued to slide out of the rankings for the remainder of the season.
Is that not enough? How about a 42-35 shootout at home against #8 Boston College? Turner essentially went blow for blow with Heisman candidate and top rated quarterback in the country Matt Ryan and came out on top!
When given the opportunity at the beginning of the season at a Top 10 team in West Virginia, Jordan Steffy came up very small. Other than that, Steffy did not face much competition and the results were mediocre. The quarterback position is fortunate enough to be graced with one of the most exciting receivers in the country, Darrius Heyward-Bey and when you fail to get him the ball through out a game it frustrates the fan base constantly.
If you would like to argue that Steffy had a completion percentage of 67.3 versus Turner’s 63%, which shows consistency in a lot of people minds, then I will refute that by saying Jordan is a classic conservative and check-down quarterback who can manage a game. Similar to another quarterback in town a few years back in Baltimore who a little bit of success, Trent Dilfer.
I would be remiss, if I did not point out the fact that those Ravens had the best defense in the league, something of which the Terps don’t currently possess at this time and point.
So I say, why not live a little? Why not throw the deep ball? Why not utilize Mr. Heyward-Bey, a top 10 talent in the ACC hands down? Why not use Chris Turner, who the students and fan base fell in love with and who managed the Terps to some huge victories last season?
Turner’s 1:1 touchdown to interception ratio isn’t all that much to get excited about, but I must also point out that Turner’s longest touchdown pass of the season was 78 yards, almost 40 yards longer than Steffy's longest touchdown pass. Ok, so Turner is a little more erratic with his throws but from his games last year I think it also shows that he willing to take chances and utilize his options.
According to Coach Ralph Friedgen, none of the quarterbacks really separated themselves in both spring practices and summer camps. So I ask why you landed on Jordan Steffy as your starter.
Coach Friedgen also mentioned that Josh Portis will be used in specific situations. I am very pleased to hear this revelation about the quarterback situation. Portis’ skill set and mobility should not go untapped and hopefully we will be able to see what the Florida transfer can do when given the opportunity. You see this situation work out a lot of times in places like Florida, LSU, and Virginia Tech most recently.
Don’t get me wrong though, it is not as if I won’t root for Jordan Steffy when opening day kicks off, but in my opinion Chris Turner had earned the opportunity to try and continue where he left off last season.
Steffy and his 5 career starts and 14 overall games played will be lining up behind Preseason All-ACC center Edwin Williams against the Blue Hens of Delaware, with Chris Turner listed second on the depth chart and Josh Portis third.
But is this the right choice?
The answer in one word is no. In my opinion, Steffy should have been listed third on the depth chart with Chris Turner given the first opportunity at the starting job and Josh Portis in between.
Shouldn’t the guy who defeated two Top 10 teams in a season be given a fair opportunity to continue his success? An unrated squad led by Turner went on the road and put up 34 points on Rutgers, who continued to slide out of the rankings for the remainder of the season.
Is that not enough? How about a 42-35 shootout at home against #8 Boston College? Turner essentially went blow for blow with Heisman candidate and top rated quarterback in the country Matt Ryan and came out on top!
When given the opportunity at the beginning of the season at a Top 10 team in West Virginia, Jordan Steffy came up very small. Other than that, Steffy did not face much competition and the results were mediocre. The quarterback position is fortunate enough to be graced with one of the most exciting receivers in the country, Darrius Heyward-Bey and when you fail to get him the ball through out a game it frustrates the fan base constantly.
If you would like to argue that Steffy had a completion percentage of 67.3 versus Turner’s 63%, which shows consistency in a lot of people minds, then I will refute that by saying Jordan is a classic conservative and check-down quarterback who can manage a game. Similar to another quarterback in town a few years back in Baltimore who a little bit of success, Trent Dilfer.
I would be remiss, if I did not point out the fact that those Ravens had the best defense in the league, something of which the Terps don’t currently possess at this time and point.
So I say, why not live a little? Why not throw the deep ball? Why not utilize Mr. Heyward-Bey, a top 10 talent in the ACC hands down? Why not use Chris Turner, who the students and fan base fell in love with and who managed the Terps to some huge victories last season?
Turner’s 1:1 touchdown to interception ratio isn’t all that much to get excited about, but I must also point out that Turner’s longest touchdown pass of the season was 78 yards, almost 40 yards longer than Steffy's longest touchdown pass. Ok, so Turner is a little more erratic with his throws but from his games last year I think it also shows that he willing to take chances and utilize his options.
According to Coach Ralph Friedgen, none of the quarterbacks really separated themselves in both spring practices and summer camps. So I ask why you landed on Jordan Steffy as your starter.
Coach Friedgen also mentioned that Josh Portis will be used in specific situations. I am very pleased to hear this revelation about the quarterback situation. Portis’ skill set and mobility should not go untapped and hopefully we will be able to see what the Florida transfer can do when given the opportunity. You see this situation work out a lot of times in places like Florida, LSU, and Virginia Tech most recently.
Don’t get me wrong though, it is not as if I won’t root for Jordan Steffy when opening day kicks off, but in my opinion Chris Turner had earned the opportunity to try and continue where he left off last season.
Chris Turner Close to Transferring
According to the Washington Post, Quarterback Chris Turner was seriously considering transferring from Maryland after the quarterback decision by Coach Friedgen.
After Jordan Steffy was announced as starter, Turner took a solid 2 days and several chats with family members to make the decision to stay a Terp.
When asked how close Turner had come to transferring, John Turner (father)
said, "All the pieces were in the right place if he wanted to."
Monday, August 18, 2008
YOUR STARTING QUARTERBACK...
Well it is official, the three-man race for starting quarterback for the University of Maryland football squad is over...for now... Jordan Steffy is your starter.
After the morning practice today, Coach Ralph Friedgen announced that senior Jordan Steffy would be starting against Delaware when the team opens up the season against Delaware on August 30. Turner is listed as 2nd on the depth chart and Portis will be 3rd.
Although, Friedgen did say that Portis will definitely play in games and will some sort of X-factor role. Friedgen also did not rule out the possibility of playing 2 or even 3 quarterbacks in a game!
Is this the right decision?
Source: UMTerps.com, ACC Blog - ESPN.COM
BONUS CUTS:
- Cornerback Richard Taylor was taken to the hospital today after practice
Terps in the NFL
The Baltimore Sun did an excellent job of running down some of the recent football Terps and their where abouts this training camp. The only Terp to be drafted this year was Dre Moore, who went to Tampa Bay. Here are some of the highlights of the article:
-According to Scout.com, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden thinks defensive tackle Dre Moore -- Maryland's lone draft choice -- has a ways to go before making an impact:It was obvious, though, that Gruden thought fourth-round pick Dre Moore, a defensive tackle out of Maryland, was behind the rest of the class."You know, this is not a game where you want to do too much thinking at that position," Gruden said. "You've got to get off the ball, you've got to be disruptive, and he is getting better. I think he's getting in better shape. The tempo and the speed of this game is probably a little bit foreign to him but he does have talent."
- Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis that an injury to backup linebacker Heath Farwell will open the door for Erin Henderson to receive more playing time.Childress said Henderson, the undrafted free agent, will get more reps in practice. Henderson has shown flashes in camp and had a solid debut Friday with five tackles.
- An injury to Green Bay Packers backup tight end Tory Humphrey could pave the way for Joey Haynos to claim the No. 2 spot on the depth chart. The Green Bay Press-Gazette reports that Haynos' speed and blocking have impressed Packers coaches:Haynos is extraordinarily long-levered at 6-8, 268 pounds. He primarily worked as a blocker and possession receiver at Maryland, where he had 67 receptions for 687 yards and three touchdowns over his last two seasons. McAdoo said Haynos is the most fundamentally sound blocker among the rookie tight ends, and in training camp, Haynos has shown an ability to get downfield, too.
You can read the rest of the article here . A highly recommended read!
BONUS CUTS:
- SI.com has its ACC preview up, the Terps are predicted to finish 3rd in the Atlantic at 4-4 in ACC play
-They also pegged Darrius Heyward-Bey as the 5th most outstanding player in the ACC
-According to Scout.com, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden thinks defensive tackle Dre Moore -- Maryland's lone draft choice -- has a ways to go before making an impact:It was obvious, though, that Gruden thought fourth-round pick Dre Moore, a defensive tackle out of Maryland, was behind the rest of the class."You know, this is not a game where you want to do too much thinking at that position," Gruden said. "You've got to get off the ball, you've got to be disruptive, and he is getting better. I think he's getting in better shape. The tempo and the speed of this game is probably a little bit foreign to him but he does have talent."
- Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis that an injury to backup linebacker Heath Farwell will open the door for Erin Henderson to receive more playing time.Childress said Henderson, the undrafted free agent, will get more reps in practice. Henderson has shown flashes in camp and had a solid debut Friday with five tackles.
- An injury to Green Bay Packers backup tight end Tory Humphrey could pave the way for Joey Haynos to claim the No. 2 spot on the depth chart. The Green Bay Press-Gazette reports that Haynos' speed and blocking have impressed Packers coaches:Haynos is extraordinarily long-levered at 6-8, 268 pounds. He primarily worked as a blocker and possession receiver at Maryland, where he had 67 receptions for 687 yards and three touchdowns over his last two seasons. McAdoo said Haynos is the most fundamentally sound blocker among the rookie tight ends, and in training camp, Haynos has shown an ability to get downfield, too.
You can read the rest of the article here . A highly recommended read!
BONUS CUTS:
- SI.com has its ACC preview up, the Terps are predicted to finish 3rd in the Atlantic at 4-4 in ACC play
-They also pegged Darrius Heyward-Bey as the 5th most outstanding player in the ACC
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Terps Links
Here are a roundup of some of the Terps football stories going around town:
* New Offensive Coordinator James Franklin has put a spark into the Terps offense this offseason
* Recruited as wide receivers, Nolan Carroll and Terrell Skinner have made smooth transactions to the secondary
* Incoming freshman Kenny Tate has also been asked to move from receiver to safety for the upcoming season
* The Terps will lean on the senior offensive line this season
* Maryland Coach Ralph Friedgen said yesterday that defensive lineman Travis Ivey will miss the next three to six weeks because of a broken foot
* Josh Portis has been making a case to be named the starting quaterback for week 1
* New Offensive Coordinator James Franklin has put a spark into the Terps offense this offseason
* Recruited as wide receivers, Nolan Carroll and Terrell Skinner have made smooth transactions to the secondary
* Incoming freshman Kenny Tate has also been asked to move from receiver to safety for the upcoming season
* The Terps will lean on the senior offensive line this season
* Maryland Coach Ralph Friedgen said yesterday that defensive lineman Travis Ivey will miss the next three to six weeks because of a broken foot
* Josh Portis has been making a case to be named the starting quaterback for week 1
Monday, August 11, 2008
Terps Football News & Notes
After not posting for a few days, here are some of the news and notes of the Terps Football squad courtesy of www.UMterps.com:
* The coaching staff had a chance to evaluate the film of Saturday's scrimmage with the off day. Friedgen echoed what he mentioned after the scrimmage, "there were good things and some things we've got to get a lot better at." He praised the work of the secondary which had two interceptions (Nolan Carroll and Kevin Barnes) and thought the offensive line didn't play as well in the scrimmage as it had during the first week of practice. Individuals who stood out included Travis Ivey, Jeremy Navarre and Rick Costa
* As far as the quarterbacks, Friedgen pointed out that offensive coordinator James Franklin's thoughts were that Chris Turner and Jordan Steffy were `about even again', and that Josh Portis `played better and managed the game better, but missed a couple throws.' Friedgen still thinks that Portis has shown improvement since the spring and practiced well in Monday's first workout
* University of Maryland senior quarterback Jordan Steffy has been nominated for the 17th annual Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, Allstate Insurance Company and the American Football Coaches Association recently announced. Steffy, a fifth-year player from Leola, Pa., joins 70 fellow nominees who were selected from the more than 50,000 football student-athletes at all four-year collegiate institutions based on their exemplary involvement with charitable organizations and community service projects
* The coaching staff had a chance to evaluate the film of Saturday's scrimmage with the off day. Friedgen echoed what he mentioned after the scrimmage, "there were good things and some things we've got to get a lot better at." He praised the work of the secondary which had two interceptions (Nolan Carroll and Kevin Barnes) and thought the offensive line didn't play as well in the scrimmage as it had during the first week of practice. Individuals who stood out included Travis Ivey, Jeremy Navarre and Rick Costa
* As far as the quarterbacks, Friedgen pointed out that offensive coordinator James Franklin's thoughts were that Chris Turner and Jordan Steffy were `about even again', and that Josh Portis `played better and managed the game better, but missed a couple throws.' Friedgen still thinks that Portis has shown improvement since the spring and practiced well in Monday's first workout
* University of Maryland senior quarterback Jordan Steffy has been nominated for the 17th annual Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, Allstate Insurance Company and the American Football Coaches Association recently announced. Steffy, a fifth-year player from Leola, Pa., joins 70 fellow nominees who were selected from the more than 50,000 football student-athletes at all four-year collegiate institutions based on their exemplary involvement with charitable organizations and community service projects
James Gist to Italy??
In a brief note, www.rotoworld.com reported that an Italian website had wrote that Spurs 2nd round pick James Gist was going to be signed by a professional Italian team. However, the website was written in Italian and tough to translate.
The San Antonio-Express News denied that report, and said that Gist had not signed overseas. If Gist did sign though, the Spurs would be able to retain his rights for when and if he did come back to the U.S.A.
Stay Tuned as we will try to keep you posted on Gist's hoops career.
The San Antonio-Express News denied that report, and said that Gist had not signed overseas. If Gist did sign though, the Spurs would be able to retain his rights for when and if he did come back to the U.S.A.
Stay Tuned as we will try to keep you posted on Gist's hoops career.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Terps Football Odds N Ends
Here are a few links about the Terps Football squad so far this Training Camp:
- E.J. Henderson is trying to find his way on the Vikings Roster
- Lance Ball is performing well at scrimmages for the St. Louis Rams
- Have the Terps hit a ceiling under coach Ralph Friedgen?
- Josh Portis is impressing at camp with his QB play
- The Dallas News did an interview with undrafted rookie Keon Lattimore of the Dallas Cowboys
- E.J. Henderson is trying to find his way on the Vikings Roster
- Lance Ball is performing well at scrimmages for the St. Louis Rams
- Have the Terps hit a ceiling under coach Ralph Friedgen?
- Josh Portis is impressing at camp with his QB play
- The Dallas News did an interview with undrafted rookie Keon Lattimore of the Dallas Cowboys
Terps Football News & Notes
Heather Dinich of ESPN.com updated her ACC blog recently with some news and notes from practic here:
" *The secondary has to replace three of four starters from a year ago, but this group led a ramped up defensive charge in the first day of full pads. DB's Nolan Carroll, Jeff Allen and Kevin Barnes each made interceptions. Carroll produced what was perhaps the play of the day when he dove to make a shoestring catch on a pass deflected by defensive lineman Mack Frost.
* The defense implemented blitz package drills for the first time.
* Is former Florida QB Josh Portis finally making a move? Ralph Friedgen said Portis looked the best on Wednesday.
* The standout offensive play, though, came from redshirt freshman receiver Tony Logan, who caught a touchdown on a deep fade pattern, prompting offensive coordinator James Franklin to exclaim, "That's beautiful! I love these touchdowns -- the defender can't find the ball!"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
