Can Jamarr Robinson take the helm and win?

Maryland does not have much to play for right now. The ACC is out of reach and with a 2-7 record, a bowl is not attainable. Worse, Chris Turner was gone down and has a probable MCL injury, so Jamarr Robinson will take the quarterback position most likely against Virginia Tech. As Scott McBrien said on the Terrapin postgame show, five wins sounds a lot better than two, but the road to try to get there is perilous.

Against N.C. State, Robinson took over for Turner who went down, and he seemed to grow as the game went on. He got more comfortable as the game progressed, going from a player who fumbled the snap and constantly ran the ball to a decent scrambling quarterback that made decent short passes. The sophomore had a lot of work to do, but at the very least he shows some promise in the future for Maryland. With the Terps current WR core, Robinson, Torrey Smith and the rest can get a system together, as most of them will return next season. Robinson was listed as the quarterback of the future, and with James Franklin's system, this is our chance to see him at least for one game.

But the first game for Robinson starting (likely) will be against Virginia Tech, one of the few ranked teams in the conference. The crowd likely will not be happy with the team because of recent losses, but Robinson will need to play well, or at least good enough. The Terps do not want to burn Danny O'Brien's redshirt it at all possible.

Robinson will need to use this time wisely. If Turner can return before the season is over he will, especially in the easiest game left, Senior Day against Boston College. The fact is right now Turner is the better quarterback despite criticisms against him, and he gives Maryland the best chance to win. So Robinson needs to use what time he will get on the field to his advantage, because he will be starting next season no question.

As McBrien said, five wins sounds a lot better than two. But with Virginia Tech, at Florida State and Boston College left, the Terps may be lucky to get one more win before the season ends.

(Photo credit: Maryland athletics)

Maryland's Coaching Conundrum

It must be accepted at this point that Ralph Friedgen doesn’t have any magic left in that old silk hat. His team can’t protect the passer, they can’t run the ball, and the defense is slow and out of position. Friedgen is saying all the right things of course, that the goal of reaching a bowl game is still in sight, and that the ACC itself is still up for grabs. I don’t hope to imagine how he plans to reel off four straight, but I understand that he has to keep his players motivated. As far as winning the ACC, even I as a Maryland fan shudder at the idea. If a 6-6 team actually won a major conference, commissioner John Swofford should just airmail that automatic bid to the Mountain West Conference. Needless to say, Swofford won’t have to worry about that. Maryland’s schedule will take care of that, and they can thank the ACC for not having Georgia Tech on their slate. Can you imagine this front 7 trying to read and react to the triple option? I shudder to think about it.

But that isn’t the point, and Friedgen is saying what he should. What I take issue with is the future of the program. Ralph has made it known that he isn’t afraid to burn redshirts late in the season or throw whatever players out there it will take to win this season. Why would you mortgage your future to protect a team that is tanking? Two reasons: pride and fear. Pride because regardless of the consequences later, a head coach wants to win and win now, if for no other reason than your own competitive flare. Fear because he is worried about his job and wants to end the season on a high note to convince his bosses to keep him around.

I have seen a lot of coaches do the latter. Heck, on the other side of the Potomac Al Groh makes a yearly exercise of it and has gotten pretty darn good at it. A whole host of other marginal coaches have tried it late in their careers, but I would question whether this particular marginal coach should be worried about it. The athletic department is only barely in the black, an issue we have raised on ATH before and probably will again in the near future. The fact of the matter is that with Friedgen’s contract it just doesn’t make financial sense to keep him around, though it may be easier to sell Maryland’s many unoccupied luxury boxes if they had a “new regime” to rally behind.

Therein lies the bigger problem. Even if Friedgen goes, is James Franklin really the guy to take over? I wasn’t a fan of him being named the Coach-in-waiting at the time, and I would be loathe to find a Maryland fan who is terribly excited to have him as the head coach. Granted, I could be devastatingly wrong, and he could turn out to be a much better head coach than he is a coordinator. Nevertheless, if Franklin wasn’t the head coach, he would be owed $1 million for his troubles. The Athletic Department doesn’t have that kind of money.

But again, this is one season and Ralph Friedgen has taken this program places where it hadn’t been in decades, so it stands to reason that the future might be even brighter down the road. But it doesn’t look like it right now. Penn State has always robbed Maryland of its in-state recruits, and that is understandable. But more and more teams are reaching into MD’s backyard and drawing recruits who one would think at least have thought of Maryland. It worries me that Friedgen’s squad is only one of many teams making a play for MD high school football players, and not the established presence that other teams need to come in and unseat. It isn’t as though Maryland has another in-state school to compete with like Virginia Tech-Virginia, Georgia Tech-Georgia, or even North Carolina-Duke-NC State. With James Franklin also in charge of recruiting in the state, this makes this only a great worry.

In the end it all comes down to money. I would never toss out Ralph Friedgen based on one season or even the slow decline his program has undergone since his first years on the job. It is clear however that the long term health of this program is in jeopardy, with the team thin on both sides of the line despite recruiting classes that have been in the 26th-38th range among recent years according to Rivals. Could some of the energy put into creating those solid classes gone to the non-skill positions? Regardless, the University can’t afford to fire Friedgen or not give Franklin the job before 2012. Terps fans are left to cross their fingers and hope that either the team reverses the trend of the last 5 years or the athletic department suddenly gets into the black.

Maryland Football In Deep Trouble, Including the Future

It is obvious that there are problems with the Terps football squad right now. At 2-6, the team is one loss away from being non-bowl-eligible, which look likely with their remaining schedule including ranked Virginia Tech plus a road game against Florida State. A loss to Duke last Saturday was the ultimate lowpoint, but the whole season has been a nightmare for Maryland.

The backups don't even look good. A number of young players have had to start. At the skill positions, like running back and wide receiver, the Terps look fine for the future, but at others, like the linemen, the team looks very poor. It is not helped that the backups lost a game against Fork Union this past week.

It is hard to see what can be done in the long term, but some things can be done in the short term to try to help. Part of the problem is that it is hard to see where you should try new things; the Terps have two road games but one of the home games is against Virginia Tech, the toughest game left on the schedule. The coaching staff is in place; nothing anyone can do about that. The school would need to spend around six to seven million plus to fire the whole staff; money which the athletic department does not have.

Sometime in the rest of the schedule Jamarr Robinson should play at quarterback. He is almost guaranteed to be the front runner next year, so he should be the one playing some time, plus you don't want to burn Danny O'Brien's redshirt right now. At running back, play Caleb Porzel. He looks better than Davin Meggett and Gary Douglas, but allow Da'Rel Scott some time if he is healthy. But Porzel is the best healthy back right now with his good speed.

For other positions, play some people that do not have redshirts to burn. Let's see some new linemen play, or some new linebackers, just to see what they can do. Nothing to lose in some cases. But it is important to save some of the freshmen. One of the reasons some teams have been so good is that they can save their freshmen until later.

Enjoy the bye week, NC State is in two weeks.

(Photo credit: McClatchy-Tribune)

Pregame: Maryland vs. Virginia

As Expatriate said, we all are busy this week, so this preview will be shorter than normal.

After last week's loss to Wake Forest, Maryland returns to College Park for homecoming as they take on the Virginia Cavaliers. Both Maryland (2-4) and Virginia (2-3) have had rough starts plus both coaching staffs are on the hot seat, but UVA has won its last two against UNC and Indiana and will be favored to win the game.

In scouting Virginia, they are led by Jameel Sewell, a senior quarterback from Richmond, a player who runs as much as he passes. Their main rusher, Mikell Simpson, is likely out with a neck injury, which will will hurt as he is a solid rusher and good pass catcher. The Cavs have not been able to develop a second tailback, so it may be a running back by committee to see who gets the ball on the ground. With the field very wet and more rain on the way, someone will need to be able to run the ball.

On defense they are led by redshirt freshman linebacker Steve Greer, who has 37 tackles and five for loss. Senior nose tackle Nate Collins could give the Terps trouble, with two sacks on the year.

Key to the game:
It has been raining heavily in the past three days in the state. The field will be soaked and the conditions will be favorable to running the ball constantly. Both sides have issues with running as the starting tailback for each side is out with injury. For Virginia, they will need Sewell to lead the charge from the QB decision, and Maryland will need to figure out their tailback position and get control on the ground.

Prediction:
If Maryland can get a steady gameplan that does not involve constantly throwing the ball in the rain, then I believe their strength at tailback should give them the slight edge. But this game could easily go either way.

Maryland 13, Virginia 10

Postgame Report Card: Wake Forest 42, Maryland 32

Maryland's short reign atop the Atlantic Division is over with the loss to Wake Forest in Winston-Salem. The Deacs had the type of team that could beat Maryland, a strong passing team against a weakened secondary, and they exploited this advantage over and over again.

It is hard to place blame in correct places. Wake Forest is just a better team, could the secondary have really stopped Riley Skinner? Could the Terps running game be effective with the "running back by committee?" But some things clearly went wrong, and Maryland's season could be finished soon. In this report card, the fourth quarter will not be discussed much, because the game was out of hand by then, and Wake clearly let up some. The first half was a complete disaster, being down 35-10, and the Terps had pretty much no hope of coming back after that.

This report card will be mainly based on the first half and right to the point, as the result of the first half tells the whole story.

Offense - Total Grade: C-
Quarterbacks: C-
Chris Turner did well in the second half, when the game was over. During the first half he could not keep drives going and was only marginally decent on throws.
Running Backs: D
Davin Meggett had two decent runs, including one for a touchdown. As a unit, 13 runs for 27 yards.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends: C-
Just like Turner, effective when it no longer mattered. They could not get open enough in the first half.
Offensive Line: C-
Without Bruce Campbell, the line could not get much penetration against the experienced Wake defensive front.

Defense - Overall Grade: D
Defensive Line: D
Was constantly blitzing for Riley Skinner, and almost never succeeded.
Linebackers: C
Alex Wujciak seemed to be the only player on defense that got big plays. The rest of the unit was not effective.
Secondary: F-
Torched all day by Riley Skinner and his receivers.

Special Teams - Overall Grade: A-
Kicker/Punter: A
Every time he plays, Nick Ferrera continues to impress. Converted a 50-yard field goal, punted for average of 40 yards and converted all three extra points.
Coverage and Returners: B+
Torrey Smith had a huge return to set up Maryland's first drive which ended in a touchdown, and the coverage on all other players was fine.

Coaching - Overall Grade: D+
Offensive: D
James Franklin did not have a good gameplan and clearly does not trust the running game at all. Worse, he burned Caleb Porzel's redshirt with two rushes, and he clearly does not look ready. Obviously with the injuries to Campbell and Scott things are bad, but Franklin's gameplan continues to trouble Maryland.
Defensive: C
It is hard to blame the coaching, because what was Don Brown to do? Maryland can't risk dropping seven each time because of Skinner's skill plus Maryland's weak secondary, so Brown tried to blitz the heck out of Wake which is the better idea than dropping everyone back. The problem was the blitzes were never much different than the others, and they were all picked up.

MVP: Alex Wujciak
The only defensive player that was a legitimate threat to the Wake Forest offense.
LVP: Cameron Chism
I have to choose one; Chism was constantly getting beat on coverage, but many players on the secondary could be put here.

Maryland returns next week for their homecoming game against Virginia.

(Photo credit: AP)

Pregame: Maryland at Wake Forest

Maryland got a nice win last week, upsetting Clemson 24-21 and (somehow) sitting atop the Atlantic Division with a 1-0 conference record, but still has a long way to go for bowl contention at a 2-3 overall record. But, as Chris Turner said, win through the ACC and they can go to the Orange Bowl; at least they took the first step. But Maryland hits the road for the first time in a month as they head down to Winston-Salem to take on Wake Forest.

The Maryland Terrapins (2-3, 1-0 ACC) take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (3-2, 1-1 ACC) in a divisional matchup. This contest is also Wake Forest's homecoming game. In their two ACC contests, Wake fell to Boston College but defeated NC State. The highlight of their season came when defeating Stanford. Maryland leads the series 41-15-1, but even though the Terps won last year, the Deacs won the previous two meetings.

Scouting the Competition: Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Any talk about Wake Forest begins with their senior quarterback Riley Skinner (pictured), who is one of the most efficient in the conference. He has completed over 68% of his passes, but does have seven interceptions with his 11 touchdowns. This is a very pass-heavy offense, giving Skinner a number of targets. In just five games, four receivers have over 20 catches, lead by redshirt-junior Marshall Williams with over 400 yards and four scores. The Deacs have a very reliable offensive line; all five starters are redshirt-junior status or higher.

On the ground Wake has a pro-style; playing a few tailbacks and relying on a fullback in goal situations. Josh Adams, Brandon Pendergrass, and Kevin Harris all split carries, averaging less than 35 yards per carry. Redshirt-senior fullback Mike Rinfrette has three scores despite just 35 yards rushing.

The defense though average will probably start 11 players that have used a redshirt year. They can contain, but they likely will not win by forcing turnovers. Some of the key players of the 4-3 defense include redshirt sophomore end Tristan Dorty with four tackles for loss, and redshirt junior linebacker Hunter Haynes with 23 tackles. One problem for Wake is the secondary, as two members of the unit are one and two in tackles.

Things to look out for:
1. Will the Maryland rushing attack work?
Normally Maryland relies on the rushing attack, but two things will hinder its progress. First is Wake's decent rushing defense. But the more important reason is Da'Rel Scott's broken wrist. Maryland will employ a running back by committee with at least three players: Jeff Barker of the Baltimore Sun says Davin Meggett, Gary Douglas, freshmen D.J. Adams and Caleb Porzel could all see time on the ground. Morgan Green is not included, as the coaching staff has said he has not progressed well. I find it doubtful that the Terps would risk Porzel considering his injuries, but even with Scott out, none of the running backs have been good, so Maryland will need someone to step up and get some production. Maryland will have an added problem: Bruce Campbell is out of today's game.

2. Can Chris Turner lead Maryland to another win?
Wake's defensive weakness is in the secondary, and with a problematic running game, Turner will need to have a good day in the air for the Terps to win. He had a great game against Clemson and seemed to be leading the charge into conference play, and Maryland could get a huge morale boost with a win against Wake Forest. The air attack is key, and Chris Turner can make it happen.

3. Can the Maryland secondary handle Riley Skinner and the Wake passing game?
Last year Maryland shut down Skinner and Co., giving up no points all game. The secondary has changed much since then and has been hurt by injuries. Jamari McCollough returning has been helpful and Kenny Tate continues to improve, but the key may be on cornerback Cameron Chism, going into his third start, and Anthony Wiseman. They will deal with two of the key threats the Deacs have, and their success is key to stopping the Wake Forest offense.

Prediction-
Maryland certainly has the capability to win, but I feel they have too many problems that Wake can exploit. The secondary is hurt and is going against Riley Skinner, plus the running game is in dire straits. The Terps will keep it close, but will fall in Winston-Salem.

Wake Forest 24, Maryland 16

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun (Maryland), Collegefootballnews.com (Skinner)

Postgame Report Card: Maryland 24, Clemson 21

The word of the game is…..redemption. Maryland was in major trouble after very bad non-conference play. But the Terps showed they are not out yet. Thanks to some tremendous defensive and special teams play, Maryland pulled out a huge victory and started their ACC schedule off right. There were obvious problems during the game, and Clemson had opportunities. But Maryland was causing the Tigers trouble everywhere they went.

With the victory, Maryland improves to 2-3 overall and 1-0 in the ACC. They will hit the road next week to take on Wake Forest. The win did have a price: Da’Rel Scott broke his wrist and is likely done for the season.

Offense – Overall Grade: C+

Quarterbacks: A-

Chris Turner did everything you could ask of him today, throwing very solid passes and not making a major mistake. 19/26 with 211 yards including two scores and no picks. He also had a few decent runs. Only thing I question is his run to the left on 4th and inches in the fourth quarter, but otherwise he got the job done when Maryland needed it most.

Running Backs: D-

The name on the jersey was irrelevant. Da’Rel Scott, Davin Meggett, and Gary Douglas all were ineffective against the Clemson defense. Meggett took the bulk of the carries and nearly cost Maryland the game with his fumble in the 4th quarter. Those three combined: 21 rushes for 44 yards. Meggett did get a one-yard touchdown at least.

Wide Receivers: B

The depth of wide receiver is finally starting to show, as Maryland had three effective targets today. Torrey Smith continued to be the real threat but Adrian Cannon and Ronnie Tyler got into it as well. Tyler had some issues though holding onto the ball, including dropping a catch that would have been a first down easily, but the unit did well against a solid Clemson secondary.

Tight Ends: B-

Tommy Galt had a couple of nice catches and was a helpful short passing target for Turner. However, a holding penalty on Lansford Watson was very costly on a run.

Offensive Line: D-

There was nearly no containment on the harsh blitz attack by the Clemson defense, and subsequently no running game could be established. Worse, Bruce Campbell might be hurt again, which would be a serious problem for Maryland.

Defense – Overall Grade: A-

Defensive Line: B+

The fact is it is difficult to contain C.J. Spiller, and the line did enough to do just that. Plus when the heat was on for the defense to hold the lead, the line got good penetration to pressure Kyle Parker and cuase him problems. Not a perfect day, but a solid one.

Linebackers: A-

A couple of forced fumbles and effective running on the blitz was a sight for sore eyes for Don Brown. Clemson was trying to throw tricks at Maryland and mostly they did not work. The unit had to deal with Spiller and Jacoby Ford, and although both had their opportunities, neither got a lot done against the unit.

Secondary: A-

Jamari McCollough’s return to the Maryland secondary is huge, as he was making sure Clemson had no deep threats at all. The Tigers had to adjust to put Jacoby Ford in the short field to give him the ball. They had an interception late in the second quarter, but the great play came from coverage all day. Kenny Tate was all around the field today, sacking the quarterback and having good coverage.

Special Teams – Overall Grade: B-

Kicker/Punter: A

Nick Ferrera must have injected some of Travis Baltz’s DNA. He converted his only field goal attempt, a 43-yarder, all three extra points, and had four punts downed inside the 20. He even had a punt where he faked to throw off a would-be tackler and got the punt off a second later. This kid is just a freshman and it is already looking like he could have NFL Draft potential.

Returners: B

A mixed grade, especially on the punt returns. Anthony Wiseman’s lost fumble in the first quarter completely reversed the momentum of the game to Clemson, and he will likely not get his job back. Tony Logan took over and had an excellent punt return to near the goal line in the fourth quarter. Torrey Smith was fine on kickoff returns.

Coverage: D

Most of the time the unit was helped by either Ferrera’s excellent punting skills or the fact that kickoffs were mostly away from Spiller. But after Maryland went up by 11 and kicked the ball to Spiller, he broke a couple of tackles when the Terps clearly should have had him and let him break loose for a score. Spiller is great, but when you have him wrapped up, you need to make the tackle.

Coaching – Overall Grade: B

Offensive: C-

The playcalling looked better this week and drives were sometimes finished off, but the fact is once again the offense did not look great and nearly cost Maryland the game at times. Playcalling is often not judged by the good but often by the bad. When Maryland had chances to finish the Tigers in the second half, strange plays were called. Having a possible pass by LaQuan Williams, a 4th and inches run to the left that failed, etc. Turner’s good day spared James Franklin today some problems, but Franklin nearly cost Maryland the game at certain times doe to bad playcalling.

Defensive: A

The players look like they were finally catching on to the Don’s defense. The defense did not allow any touchdowns in the second half and showed some great blitzes, especially when Maryland needed big plays. The team kept Spiller and Ford in check during the game, and despite some very tough situations in the fourth quarter, the defense delivered by holding their ground. For the first time this year, Don Brown had a great day all game.

MVP: Nick Ferrera

This game was about special teams and defense, and Ferrera’s play was invaluable, especially downing the Tigers inside the 20 four times plus converting his extra points and his only field goal. Pretty good for a freshman.

LVP: Anthony Wiseman

His fumble on the punt in the first quarter completely changed the momentum from Maryland to Clemson. All he had to do was catch the ball and Maryland would have been inside Clemson territory on offense, instead the Tigers got the ball back and got a field goal.

(Photo credit: AP)

Pregame: Maryland vs. Clemson

ACC play begins today for Maryland after a very rough out-of-conference time. The Terps came up just 1-3, with no wins against the three FBS teams they played, capped by a 34-13 embarrassment from Rutgers at home. Chris Turner may be overly-optimistic, but he is right on something, if they do well enough in the ACC, they could go to the Orange Bowl. The "first game to the Orange Bowl" will have to start against the orange team, the Clemson Tigers.

The Maryland Terrains (1-3) host the Clemson Tigers (2-2) in their fourth home game in a row. Maryland begins conference play while Clemson will play their third game against the ACC, going 1-1 with a win over Boston College and a loss to Georgia Tech. The last four times these two have played, the road team was the victor. Clemson leads the overall series 30-25-2. So far this season the two have only had one common opponent: Clemson defeated Middle Tennessee 37-14 while the Terps lost to them 32-31.

In Maryland's current state at 1-3, they will need to go at least 5-3 in conference play to have any chance at a bowl game.

Scouting the Competition: Clemson Tigers

Clemson has changed a lot since Maryland last saw them. Dabo Swinney took over as head coach and got the job after leading the Tigers to a win over South Carolina plus a bowl game. He has had a slow start with his squad thus far, but both losses were to ranked teams and only by a score.

The Tigers are led on offense by senior C.J. Spiller (pictured), an explosive running back that also runs track for the Tigers. He is the primary running back and primary returner, averaging 214.3 all-purpose yards a game, though so far just 4.3 yards per rush. Passing the ball is redshirt freshman Kyle Parker, who has only a 47% completion rate. He does have a prime receiving threat, senior wideout Jacoby Ford, who has 20 catches on the season.

Clemson has a solid defense, but not an invulnerable one. The line is led by senior defensive end Ricky Sapp, who has two sacks and six tackles for loss. The linebacker core is led by redshirt senior Kavell Connor with 26 tackles and a player who has been important for years at Clemson. In the secondary, the Tigers are tied for #4 in the country in interceptions with eight, led by junior safety DeAndre McDaniel's four. McDaniel is also the leader in tackles with 34, which means he is all around the field.

Things to Look For:
1. Can Maryland rely on Da'Rel Scott?
The way to beat Clemson is hitting them hard and often with the rush. Maryland has only one running back, Scott, that can effectively run the ball, as any other backups, including Davin Meggett and others, apparently have not shown enough to James Franklin. Scott has had success when he's held onto the ball, but Maryland has suffered problems due to his fumbling the last two games. With the strong play from the Clemson secondary, the Terps need their best runner to play well. This may depend on how much patience Friedgen and Franklin have with Scott, as they have taken him out on occasions due to the fumbling.

2. Will Maryland show some defense?
The Terps have allowed 38.3 points per game, which is the sixth-worst among FBS teams. Three of the games were against teams without BCS rankings. Injuries to the secondary have been very problematic for Maryland. The fact is the defense needs to show their strength soon. Against Rutgers for three quarters the defense looked solid, but the fourth was a mess due to two long rushing touchdowns. Don Brown's defense cannot allow the same to happen with Clemson, as C.J. Spiller has the potential to be a dangerous weapon if not kept in check.

3. Can Maryland bounce back?
It has been a terrible start for Maryland. Everyone, including Friedgen, Franklin, Chris Turner and the rest of the squad are all coming under fire. In recent history the Terps have been able to bounce back in troublesome situations, but this team may not have what it takes to do that. The fact is Maryland needs a comeback, and it may be too late if they don't win today. With the season possibly on the line and everyone criticizing Maryland's players and personnel, can Maryland get on track?

4. Will the loss of Travis Baltz hurt Maryland?
Baltz, Maryland's reliable punter, is out for the game, and Nick Ferrera will kick and punt for the Terps. Baltz has been amazing for Maryland and has been very helpful in pinning down opponents, and with him out, the Terps need a freshman to be effective. Without Baltz, a key part of Maryland's special teams is gone, and it may hurt Maryland's chances.

Prediction:
This game can be won by Maryland, and if they play everything right they have a chance. But Clemson is physically a stronger team and has done better against better competition. When it comes down to it, I don't believe Maryland has enough to stop Clemson. C.J. Spiller might be the difference-maker with a problematic Maryland defensive line.

Clemson 24, Maryland 13

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun (Terps), SI (Spiller))

ATH Debate: Falco & Windsor on Terrapin Football

So we tried something new this week, as I remember how great it was to listen to Falco and Windsor go off on Maryland sports during their run on the Around The Harbor Radio Show on WMUC. I decided to pose my two compatriots a series of questions on Maryland football, to try to get to the root of what’s wrong with Friedgen’s squad as they limp to a 1-3 record going into conference play.

1) How do you explain Chris Turner's performance so far this season?

Falco: "Chris Turner is playing like as expected. He has an ability to play great games and terrible games, and often there is very little inbetween. This is his third year starting most of the games for Maryland (3rd string in 2007, earned the position with Steffy hurt, Portis suspended), and he has not progressed really at all in that time despite no competition this season. In Maryland's four games, he has played two good ones and two bad ones. Not counting Cal (they are ranked), they only game I really criticize him for not stepping up is Rutgers, as JMU and MTSU he played fine."

Windsor: "Chris Turner's struggles boil down to two things: 1) his offensive line is atrocious, and 2) he wasn't all that good to begin with. Chris Turner is not an elite quarterback, he's a decent college starter. But behind this line, the faults he has are magnified ten-fold. Tim Tebow couldn't win with this offensive line."

2) As for the defense, is it the scheme or the players?

Falco: "It some ways it is both. The defense is young all-around now with Nolan Carroll being out with injury for the year (he was a captain). The only guys with real experience are Alex Wujciak, Adrian Moten, and Jamari McCullough. Obviously changing to a new scheme is tough, and really, Brown's new scheme is hard to figure out. Brown is supposedly an attacking d-coordinator, but the blitzes and run defense don't look effective yet. All you need to know: all four teams that have faced us have scored at least 32 points against us."

Windsor: "It's too early in Don Brown's tenure to say it's him based on the MASSIVE loss of defensive talent. For now, I'm saying it's the players."

3) You both thought this team would do better than most people predicted- what has surprised you the most about the Terps so far?

Falco: "Two things surprise me the most. One is the playing of Chris Turner. He has not played badly, but for a senior quarterback with two years experience at the helm, he has not progressed at all. He has good weapons, with Torrey Smith, Adrian Cannon, and Da'Rel Scott, but with bad passing and bad playcalling from the coordinator, he has looked the exact same. Second, I never expected teams like JMU, MTSU, and Rutgers to be able to take primarily one-dimensional offenses and kill us. JMU is a passing team, MTSU relied on its scrambling quarterback, and Rutgers is a running team. In one form of another, a team we knew how they would try and beat us did it."

Windsor: "Just how bad they are on all sides of the ball; really the offensive line is the biggest surprise. I knew that this unit wasn't great, but Friedgen has always maintained a solid offensive front. The skill position talent is there, and that's what drove up expectations. But without a defense and without an offensive line, I'll be interested to see if they'll win more than one or two more games this season (tops)."

4) Is this team's performance indicative of Ralph Friegen's coaching?

Falco: "I don't claim to know how Fridge coaches exactly. This is by far his worst year at Maryland. Normally Maryland is a competitive squad in-conference, going at least 3-1 non-conference then going around .500 in-conference. I believe he does great with the fans and he clearly cares about the fundraising and local area, though this year his team's performance is not good, at all."

Windsor: "Not indicative of his coaching, it's indicative of recruiting. Where's the talent on the front lines? Nowhere. This is what you get for focusing too much on offensive skill players."

5) How many ACC wins do you think the Terrapins can muster this season? Do you see the potential for much improvement as the season goes on?

Falco: "Looking at the schedule, the Terps should be thanking the stars they don't play in the Coastal Division. They don't play Miami, UNC, or Georgia Tech. But they still have Virginia Tech, NC State, and Florida State to deal with. Knowing Maryland they can pull wins out of the fire, but I would be surprised if they do better than 3-5 in-conference. The fact is the ACC is stronger this year, and I don't believe Maryland can contend with enough teams. Possibly wins against Virginia, Duke, Wake, BC, and Clemson. Possibly."

Windsor: "One, and no."

Why Ralph Friedgen Should Remain Head Coach Through 2009

Maryland is coming off a terrible loss to Rutgers last Saturday, and things look very down for the Terps. They are 1-3 heading into conference play, and with the way the ACC is looking, getting a .500 overall record in going to be very difficult. Many Maryland fans are calling for Ralph Friedgen's firing immediately due to the terrible start.

Before I make my argument, there is no doubt that this Ralph Friedgen's worst start as head coach at Maryland. 1-3 in non-conference is terrible, and certainly it should be suggested that his tenure end after this year. But through all of the problems, Ralph Friedgen should remain the head coach, at least through the end of the 2009 season.

Reason #1: Nobody behind him is better.
Because of Maryland's coach-in-waiting scenario, it would need to be James Franklin. Based on his play-calling, he is not ready for the job. He is set to takeover in 2012 once Fridge's contract runs out, and he'll need that time to get ready for the job. Franklin has never been a head coach, so you need to go with Friedgen for now.

Reason #2: The money cost is too much.
The solution of firing everyone and starting over would be a perilous one, and not a smart one in this economy. To buyout Friedgen's contract you would need a spend a few million. If the athletic department wanted to go further, firing Franklin would eventually cost another million dollars due to the coach-in-waiting contract. Plus another million of so would be needed to hire a new head coach after the season. That is at least five million dollars gone, which is money Maryland athletics can't afford to spend during this economy.

Reason #3: Hasn't he earned a chance to repair the season?
No one believes Ralph Friedgen is the best coach in the conference, but it can be said that he has done well with Maryland. This university is not one that can compete for a national championship in football, and some fans need to realize that. The last three years have seen three bowl appearances for Maryland, including two bowl wins and a combined 23-16 record before this season. Before that he won an ACC Championship, granted not with his recruits, but he still did. Most teams in the conference cannot say they have three bowl appearances in a row. Even though some of the seasons have seen terrible losses, Maryland has found a way to bounce back. I'm not saying Friedgen is a great coach, or even a good one, but Maryland has seen some decent success under his tenure, and he deserves at least a chance to repair the season.

Reason #4: The team is young.
A lot of us had high expectations for the season, and quickly they have come crashing down to earth. But take a close look at the team. Yes they have a senior quarterback and an All-ACC running back. But a number of new starters, especially on defense, are on the team. And they teams they have played with the exception of Rutgers were well-established with a number of veterans returning. Obvious Maryland needed to play better, but with new players they need to gel together to be effective.

Reason #5: Maryland is not playing the brunt of the conference.
If there is any chance for Maryland to comeback this season, they have a great conference schedule to play. The three teams they will not play in the ACC are very strong; Miami, UNC, and Georgia Tech. They will still need to play Virginia Tech, Florida State and the rest of the conference, but if Maryland has a chance to get a bowl appearance, this is the schedule to do it against. If Maryland fails, then that can be used against Friedgen. Maryland last year despite losing to MTSU shutout Wake, so you never know what can happen against the ACC.

It may be time after the season to get rid of Ralph Friedgen as Maryland head coach. But it is in Maryland's best interests to keep him in command for the rest of the year. He clearly is not happy with what has been happening and nor is his team. Let's see how Maryland bounces back before we start firing coaches.

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun)

Postgame Report Card: Rutgers 34, Maryland 13

No one word of the game can describe what happened in this contest. Maryland went up against a team that is about there equal, perhaps a bit better or worse, in a rainstorm in College Park. Instead of having a competitive game, Maryland turned the ball over constantly, could not move the ball, and looked like they completely gave up during the middle of the fourth quarter. Say what you want about Maryland, normally they do not give up in games, most will fight until it is done. But not today. An entire program, from coaches to players to the student section, waved the white flag very early and surrendered to Rutgers, possibly giving up their whole season for it. After all their mistakes, they had a lead at halftime and just a four-point deficit into the fourth quarter, but apparently it didn't matter. By far the 4th quarter was the worst 15 minutes this season. The rain is not an excuse; Rutgers had that problem too, with a backup quarterback.

Now at 1-3, the Terps will have to get a winning record in-conference just to get a bowl appearance. By the look of this team, it is highly unlikely. The ACC is a better conference this season than last year, and although the Terps will not have to go through Miami, Georgia Tech, or UNC, but the rest of the conference it still deadly. But if they don't make a bowl, then all they will have to do is look at their non-conference performances to know why.

Offense - Overall Grade: D-
Quarterbacks: F
Chris Turner had two turnovers that turned into defensive touchdowns, plus two other interceptions, which could have been much more had the ball not been wet and slipped out of cornerbacks' hands. The first defensive touchdown was on the first defensive play. Did all right getting the long pass and had some good throws, but that is all the good Chris Turner did, and the bad far outweighed the good. For someone that claimed this was "his team" coming into this year, he looks the exact same way when he started two years ago, inconsistent and unable to play well when Maryland needs it most.
Running Backs: D
Da'Rel Scott could do nothing today, averaging 2.7 yards a carry, even losing a fumble on one of his better runs. Maryland had all of 29 yards on the ground today. Only reason this is not a worse grade is because the unit only had 14 runs compared to 38 passing plays.
Wide Receivers: B+
Torrey Smith looks like a future star, making great catches during the day even though Rutgers often double teamed him. Adrian Cannon and Ronnie Tyler also played well in the unit. LaQuan Williams made a TD catch, and if he can return to his 2007 form, he could be deadly. A lot of people questioned what Turner could do without Heyward-Bey. The fact is Maryland has a plethora of solid WR targets, and they are a great asset.
Tight Ends: B-
Lansford Watson had three catches, Tommy Galt had two, and the unit helped Turner throw to the middle. Overall not that influential however. Offensive Line: F-
The Rutgers blitz attack completely dominated today. No running game and Turner was hurried all day. Considering Bruce Campbell was back, this unit should have done better. The numbers: Turner sacked three times, 1.2 yards per rush.

Defense - Overall Grade: C+
Note: Before the fourth quarter, the defense had done an excellent job, giving up only three points as unit. But games are 60 minutes long, not 45.
Defensive Line: C
Dominic Natale was not an effective quarterback, getting sacked three times by Maryland, one of them by Travis Ivey, considering the few number of passing plays called. For a good while, the line had the running game contained, but two huge runs in the fourth quarter by Joe Martinek sealed it, both coming on plays where everyone knew a running play was coming.
Linebackers: B
Alex Wujciak had 17 tackles, and was huge tonight. The unit had a lot of tackles, and until the fourth quarter was stellar.
Secondary: C+
The unit often didn't have a chance to have problems, as Rutgers didn't pass often. But a couple of very bad penalties, especially an inexcusable unnecessary roughness on Antwine Perez, kept allowing Rutgers to advance on a drive.

Special Teams - Overall Grade: B
Kicker: A
Nick Ferrera converted two field goals and an extra point. Did his job.
Punter: B
For Maryland's sake, I hope Travis Baltz is all right. He limped off the field after a punt from the goal line. Baltz got a punt off after the ball slipped from his hands despite four people coming after him. But, he did shank a punt for minimal yardage.
Coverage: B-
One good kickoff return for Rutgers, but the other two were not. Overall, Rutgers could not gain anything on special teams, except when a player ran into a returner before catching the ball.
Returners: C+
Torrey Smith was average on kickoff returns, getting about 20 yards per return. Anthony Wiseman got hammered on a punt return, but he held onto the football.

Coaching - Overall Grade: D-
Offensive: F-
James Franklin's gameplan led Maryland to a disaster. In a rainstorm, he is forcing Maryland to pass all day. No running game was established and plays were predictable. On the first offensive play, he comes out five-wide with no backfield. IN A RAINSTORM! No wonder Turner threw a pick six! Plus after the second quarter, the offense had no points. Why he refused to establish a running game in bad weather is inexcusable no matter how much the unit is struggling. Plus, whenever your offensive players give up on a drive, coaching is to blame for part of it.
Defensive: C-
I want to believe Don Brown can be a good defensive coordinator here, but it is not clear yet. His unit had a great first 45 minutes, stopping the Rutgers offense at every turn despite no help from the lackluster offense. Then in the fourth quarter no one can stop the run, even when everyone knows it is coming. The Rutgers offense was one-dimensional, and the defense could not stop them in the fourth quarter. The unit gave up on the final touchdown by Joe Martinek, ending what could have been a great day.
Head Coach: F
I'm not sure to what degree Ralph Friedgen has in blame for the problems with Maryland football, but whenever your team just quits during a game, it shows a lack of discipline and heart.

MVP/LVP:
MVP: Alex Wujciak
The leader of the defense had 17 tackles.
LVP: Chris Turner
Three interceptions, a lost fumble, accounting for two defensive touchdowns, and failed to lead like a captain. I only wish I could pick a coach. Or three.

Today's game is clearly a black mark on the Maryland football program, and I would argue this loss was worse than the Middle Tennessee loss. A team, its coaches, and its fans giving up during the game. Maryland has a very big uphill climb to try to make it to a bowl game, and frankly, the road gets harder from here on in.

(Photo credit: AP, Baltimore Sun)

Pregame: Maryland vs. Rutgers

Maryland had one of their worst losses in history last week, falling to Middle Tennessee State last week 32-31 at home. The Terps season has been incredibly rough to start, losing to MTSU, getting destroyed by Cal, and barely getting past JMU. Now with one final non-conference game left, the Terps look to salvage a win in hopes of a .500 record in conference play for a bowl game.

The Maryland Terrapins (1-2) host another team just off I-95, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (2-1) in a rematch from 2007. That game was memorable to many Maryland fans, as Rutgers was ranked in the top-10, but fell to Maryland 34-24 in Chris Turner's first game as a Terp in New Jersey. Rutgers has played about how everyone expected, losing to Cincinnati but taking care of business against Howard and FIU. Maryland is 6-3 all-time against Rutgers.

If for no other reason, the Terps need a win to give them a good chance for a bowl game. With the ACC looking stronger than last season, the Terps can't afford to be 1-3 going into conference play.

Scouting the Competition: Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Rutgers may have problems even before the game starts. Last week against FIU, freshman starting quarterback Tom Savage suffered a head injury, and it is not known if he will start. If he does not play or can't play every down, then redshirt senior Michigan State transfer Domenic Natale will play. Savage has been effective, and will be a big loss for Rutgers if he can't play.

The Scarlet Knight offense is a primarily running attack. Leading the rushing is junior Joe Martinek, who averages about four-and-a-half yards a carry, and backing him up is junior Jourdan Brooks, who grew up in Germantown, Maryland, averaging about 5.7 yards on 25 rushes. Their attack is bolstered by a strong offensive line, led by future NFLer junior Anthony Davis (pictured) at left tackle. The two receiving threats, and so far the only two threats, are senior Tim Brown and freshman Mohamed Sanu, who combined have 29 catches; the team has just 43 in three games.

Defensively Rutgers is efficient, but not a lockdown squad. The team plays a 4-3 squad. Junior Jonathan Freeny has already amassed four sacks from defensive end, and senior linebacker Ryan D'Imperio has 20 tackles. Their weakness is in the air, allowing 32 first downs in passing plays.

One of the intangibles will be head coach Greg Schiano. He had been offered the Michigan job in the past, and just because he has lost talent like Ray Rice and Kenny Britt does not mean he can't replace it. He is a solid coach and certainly remembers what happened two years ago.

Some things to look for in tonight's game:

1. What will Da'Rel Scott's production be?

After Scott lost two fumbles against MTSU, Friedgen pulled Scott despite that he was averaging nearly nine yards a carry. He is Maryland's most reliable runner by far, and the Terps need him to be successful. Friedgen has said that Scott will not be shut down, but if he fumbles again then he could get pulled again for Meggett. One thing that will help is that Bruce Campbell will finally return to the line, giving Maryland more experience at tackle. But Scott's play is key to the Terps winning, and they need him to play well to give Maryland a chance.

2. Will Chris Turner step up as captain?

The last time Turner saw Rutgers he replaced Jordan Steffy and led the Terps to victory. Right now Maryland is in dire straits, possibly looking at 1-3 and a tough conference road ahead. Turner has played fine in his last two games, but Maryland needs a leader to inspire them, and who better than the quarterback. If Maryland offense can set the tone, then the defense can follow.

3. When will we see some defense?

It has been hard watching Don Brown's defense the first three games. At least 32 points were allowed in all three contests plus Nolan Carroll is out for the season. Rutgers is not a predictable offense but the gameplan should be clear; they wil run the football very often, especially if their starting quarterback does not play. Hopefully the gameplan will include a number of run-stopping play and blitzes to pressure the new quarterback. Let's hope the Don can take care of business against the New Jersey foe.

Prediction:

This is tough, because Rutgers has taken care of business and Maryland is struggling mightily. But if Savage is not starting plus the home-field advantage, I will slightly favor the Terps. But this will need to be a well-coached game by Maryland, as they will need to trust Da'Rel Scott to be effective.

Maryland 31, Rutgers 27

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun (Scott), collegefootballnews.com (Davis))

Free Kicks: Maryland Students Throw Sharp Objects at Me (Edition)

I need to brace myself for the backlash that will come from the first item on Free Kicks this week, so go ahead and line up for the kick...

Free Student Tickets Exacerbating UMD Athletic Budget Shortfall

So the University of Maryland is struggling to fill the coffers of the athletic department, and I can see why. Historically the Terps have emphasized the non-revenue generating sports (lacrosse, field hockey, and soccer to name a few) in addition to the revenue generating sports that generally support the remainder of the department. This commitment is built on the principle that all Maryland sports should be great, regardless of TV deals or other income, and I admire that commitment (I wish more universities felt that way). However, with basketball and football underachieving as of late, the athletic department has been forced to cut costs in any way possible, most recently raising the spectre of cutting certain sports altogether. At the risk of being torn apart by my Maryland grad compatriots, I have a simple solution that is either too blasphemous to mention or just hasn’t been thought of.

When I visited Maryland, I was always astonished at how Windsor and Falco would get their student tickets- loyalty points, applying online, and getting their passes. That is, for free. So many sports are free at Maryland to students, and I always thought that was odd. Would MD-Duke not get enough fans if they had to shell out $10 for the ticket? At my alma mater, the University of Michigan (as most of you readers either know or have guessed by now), where football is king and basketball takes a backseat, basketball season ticket packages cost $115 for students. For football you are talking $250 or more, depending on the season. In Maryland’s case you might have to flip which one costs more, as basketball runs the show in College Park. Additionally, in order to keep the stands full these prices might have to be lowered significantly (or even cut in half), but something is better than nothing. Getting even 10,000 students to buy any of these packages would solve many of the department’s budget problems, and might even eliminate the current shortfall.

The fact of the matter is that the free ticket policy has been a privilege Maryland students enjoy that most other major universities do not provide. Additionally, with the paltry funding from the state, the ceiling on tuition increases and catastrophic losses in the endowment, this is not a time for such luxuries. Tough times call for tough decisions. It is time to give this student comfort up before the University gives up any of the sports it has worked so hard to build up.

Wieters Going Wild
As the Orioles slink towards another sorry finish, throwing out bodies to rack up innings and sending their walking wounded to the showers early for the season, there is a very bright spot heating up at the end of this all-too-long ’09 campaign. After a sluggish start to the season, matt Wieters has raised his average from .265 to .290 over his last 10 games, and on Wednesday launched his 8th home run of the season (the third in his last 10 games). Having played just a little more than half a season, Wieters is coming on strong and turning into the player everyone in Baltimore has been waiting for him to be. Expectations were far too high on this kid, and perhaps as the Orioles have tanked and the Ravens have taken over the media spotlight, it got to the point where he could just be himself and relax at the plate. Orioles fans were awful impatient with Wieters at first, unfairly so, but we can be sure that the hype machine will be back in full swing when the O's catcher reports to training camp in 2010.

So is South Carolina good or Ole Miss bad?

I am not sure that’s a fair question to either team. South Carolina is far too dysfunctional on the offensive side of the ball for me to consider them a truly good team, and Ole Miss had done nothing this season or last season to merit being ranked in the top 5. That said, even I had started to come around on the Rebels, putting as they were averaged out to #5 on this blog and I had seen their beating up on inferior opponents as signs of major improvement. They may yet be a challenger in the SEC West, but I think they are all out of Kool Aid at this point. As for the Gamecocks, they are a talented team defensively, their 41 points given up to Georgia not withstanding- even great defenses get gashed occasionally. I still don’t think Spurrier has a quarterback in Garcia who is capable of carrying this team, and it will hurt him a lot this season- if South Carolina can’t score points, they will be losing a lot of games 13-7 or 14-10. These are probably both back-end top 25 teams or are just outside of the poll when all is said and done.

Prediction for the Weekend:
Okay, so perhaps I whiffed on the prediction last weekend (I am oh so devastated that the Steelers lost and gave the AFC North lead to Baltimore, it really is killing me inside), but I am 1-1 on this segment so far, with this weekend being a toughie. I can’t call a blowout like LSU- Mississippi State looks like, it has to be something that has a good chance of being wrong to really fit the criteria here. How about this: the Arizona Cardinals are going to find their rhythm at home and score with the Indianapolis Colts- they are one of the few teams that can also score in 34 seconds with no time outs. I say the Cards win this one, 35-31.

Postgame Report Card: MTSU 32, Maryland 31

Another loss to the Blue Raiders and the second time Ralph Friedgen says this is the worst loss of his career. Maryland once again proved that they underachieve and do not take some opponents seriously, and paid the price.

Costly turnovers and a solid MTSU quarterback gave the Blue Raiders the win. Three times a Maryland turnover put MTSU inside the Maryland 40, which resulted in 17 points, then Maryland played poor defense to allow the Blue Raiders to drive down the field and get two scoring drives in the fourth quarter. Even with all the turnover issues in the game, the Terps had a chance to stop the Blue Raiders from driving down the field on the MTSU 25 with 1:30 left, and they could not do it.

Chances are Maryland will never play Middle Tennessee State again, so the series will sit at 2-2 forever. The Terps fall to 1-2 with zero wins against FBS opponents.

Offense - Overall Grade: B-
Quarterbacks: B
This game was not Chris Turner's fault; he played very well today. He had two great passes that resulted in long touchdowns for Torrey Smith and had 288 yards in the air today. His lone interception was not his fault, a ball kicked off Davin Meggett's legs. Jamarr Robinson was in for all of one play and fumbled the ball to MTSU, lowering the overall grade of the QBs.
Running Backs: D+
On the one hand, Da'Rel Scott was money when holding onto the ball, getting through small holes and bursting for big yardage. He ended with 141 yards and a score. The problem was his two very costly fumbles that put MTSU in Maryland territory twice. Plus, Davin Meggett was all right catching the ball, but his lack of production running the ball forced the Terps offense to be one-dimensional.
Wide Receivers: B-
Torrey Smith was excellent yet again, catching five passes for 165 yards and two scores, with both touchdowns being over 35 yards and beating one-on-one coverage. Other than him, the corps did not get open enough against the secondary.
Tight Ends: B-
Tommy Galt had two catches, nothing special from the unit.
Offensive Line: B-
Even though the unit is inexperienced, a lot of pressure was placed on them, and they did not hold up too badly. Enough holes were given to allow Scott to run well plus Turner had ample time in the pocket. Not a great day, but probably the best game from them thus far this season. Most of what happened was more to blame on coaching than the players.

Defense - Overall Grade: C-
Defensive Line: C
Some of the play was not bad, including getting solid pressure on Dwight Dasher and causing him problems, sacking him four times. But when it mattered the unit folded, including an offsides call on a 4th and inches on D.J. Francis and in the fourth quarter the unit was easily beaten. Dasher had their number when it counted. Travis Ivey did have a fumble recovery.
Linebackers: C+
It is hard to put a grade on this unit. The rushers of MTSU did not do much at all, and often Alex Wujciak and Adrian Moten were making big tackles, including playing well on the blitz. But they could not catch up to Dasher when he ran plus the final fourth quarter drive was not played well. Then again, it is hard to defend when turnovers force them to play from Maryland territory immediately.
Secondary: D
I understand Carroll and McCollough are out, but Maryland's secondary looked non-existent for most of the game. Cameron Chism, the replacement at corner, seemed like the only solid player of the unit, intercepting two passes, but his missed coverage in the fourth caused MTSU is get in field goal range. But the middle of the field looked open most of the time and Dasher could easily find targets. Kenny Tate falling down near the end zone also allowed a pass close to the goal line.

Special Teams - Overall Grade: B

Kicker: C

Not a good day for Nick Ferrera, missing two of three field goals; one by block, one by missing. Even though the snaps were bad, Baltz got them down correctly so Ferrera should have had them. He did convert all four extra point attempts.

Punter: A

Very solid punting by Travis Baltz, averaging over 40 yards per attempt. He also did a good job at setting the ball on kicking attempt despite some high snaps.

Returners: B-

Average day, Torrey Smith averaged about 18 yards a return on kickoffs, Kenny Tate had a few yards. Nothing special, nothing tragic. Tate needs to be careful, he caught a ball with three around him and did not call fair catch, but it did not result in anything terrible.

Coverage: B+

Again, nothing special, nothing tragic. Desmond Gee, known as a skillful returner, was just average today. Blocked an extra point at least.

Coaching - Overall Grade: D-

Note: This is where I put most of the blame for today's loss. The players messed up some, but the coaches once again did poorly on their gameplan.

Offensive: D-

I do not blame James Franklin for the turnovers, but I do blame him for being obvious and not smart on playcalling, again. He must have believed Scott lost his confidence, because using Meggett as your every down back in the fourth quarter was a terrible decision. Scott may have had two turnovers, but after that happened, you think he'll do it again? If anything he'll hold on tighter! He was ripping up the defense, put in your best back of the game in the 4th quarter. The old routine continues, constantly putting in Jamarr Robinson to run, calling a play action on first down on the final drive in MTSU territory, and running the same routine plays. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I hope he gets a lot better before he is the head coach.

Defensive: D-

Before the fourth quarter, it is hard to put a lot of blame on Don Brown, because MTSU's scoring drives often came off of turnovers that put them in Maryland territory. But in the fourth quarter Maryland stopped blitzing, especially on the final drive, and got away from what was working. Blitzing was clearly throwing Dasher off, or at least forcing him to make a decision. But giving him time with a banged up secondary caused him to have easy access to his receivers. And on the final drive, playing everyone but the D-Line back was a terrible call, and Maryland paid the price for it.

The MVP/LVP:

MVP: Torrey Smith

Tough call between him and Turner, but I go with Smith. He was by far the biggest playmaker with five catches for 165 yards and two scores. He was the only threatening wide receiver Maryland had all game.

LVP: A.J. Francis

I can't choose a coach, so I go with Francis. He was not effective on the line plus committed a false start penalty that gave MTSU a first down on a 4th and inches. Scott is close, but he had a lot of rushing yards despite his two fumbles.

If Maryland wants to be a great program, then they need to take care of business in games like these. Middle Tennessee State is a good team, but Maryland should have had the win today. The Terps will have their final non-conference game against Rutgers next week.

(Photo credit: AP)

Pregame: Maryland vs. Middle Tennessee State

Although it took a fourth quarter comeback plus an overtime period to do it, Maryland defeated James Madison last week 38-35 (OT) to get their first win of the season. The Terps now will have their third non-conference game against an opponent that they will remember all too well.

With Ralph Friedgen saying that Middle Tennessee State's match against Maryland was "their Rose Bowl" last year, he gave the Blue Raiders great bulletin board material. MTSU pulled off a big upset over Maryland in Murfreesboro 24-14, one of the worst losses in Friedgen's career. Now, the Blue Raiders return to College Park for the next game in the series.

The Maryland Terrapins (1-1) take on the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders (1-1) in their third of four non-conference games. MTSU fell to ACC-opponent Clemson in their first game, but the team is considered a solid one in the Sun Belt. Their win came last week against Memphis. This is the fourth meeting of the team, and third in College Park: Maryland is 2-1 in the series, with the home team taking every contest.

Scouting the Competition: Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders

Middle Tennessee's offense is centered around junior quarterback Dwight Dasher (pictured). He lives up to his name, a solid scrambler who can pass and run well. Of the 151 offensive plays MTSU has run this season, he has thrown or run in 104 of them, combining for over 285 yards a game. He was the only starter on offense not to return from last year. The team likes to run a lot of no-huddle plays with many receivers.

Dasher's compatriots include the senior tailback Philip Tanner, who gets the ball near 10 times a contest. His WR corps include redshirt senior Patrick Honeycutt and redshirt sophomore Shane Blissard. But look for Dasher to be the playmaker all game.

On defense, the Blue Raiders have had to rely on some new players, but overall have proven effective thus far to their competition. Senior linebacker Cam Robinson has proven to be a strong player, getting four tackles for loss plus a sack. On the line, redshirt senior Chris McCoy had a big highlight against Clemson, returning a fumble 68 yards for a touchdown, also having a sack and three tackles for loss.

The possible X-factor could be kick returner, senior Desmond Gee, who is known as being dangerous.

Things to Look For:
1. How will the secondary do with their injuries?
The start of the season has not been good for the secondary which has seen its two most senior players go down with injury. Nolan Carroll is out for the season and Jamari McCollough is at least out one more game. The secondary was supposed to be the strength of the defense, however with both them out, this will cause major problems for the Terps today, especially with a quarterback that likes to run. This will put a lot of pressure on Kenny Tate and Cameron Crism, the two non-seniors in the unit, to perform well.

2. How will Chris Turner perform?
This sounds like a question we could ask every week, but the fact is it matters. Last time Turner faced the Blue Raiders he had a terrible night. Turner had a good rebound game against the Dukes last week, and the fact is his success determines the success of the offense.

3. Will the Terps remember last year? Last week?
Maryland has a problem of playing to their competition's level. This is fine against great teams, but when they face team they should defeat, often the game is much closer than it should be. MTSU is a solid squad, but Maryland is favored to win at home. Can Maryland remember what happens if they underestimate opponents? It happened last year, it nearly happened last week.

Prediction-
MTSU will be able to run the ball with Dasher, and they are a very capable team. I believe Maryland will at least do enough to win and take advantage of the inexperienced Blue Raider defense. It will be close, but I give the edge to the Terps due to home field and a reliable kicker.

Maryland 23, MTSU 21

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun (Moten), scout.com (Dasher))

Postgame Report Card: Maryland 38, James Madison 35 (OT)

The word of the game is......whew. Maryland fans are used to excitement at every turn, and today's game sure brought that. JMU had many opportunities to win the game, but numerous penalties spared Maryland from getting upset. Maryland improves to 1-1 and will prepare for Middle Tennessee State next week.

This is one of those games where some fans ask whether Maryland won it or JMU lost it, and really it is close. Maryland had some great moments, especially on offense, but had JMU not committed so many penalties, the Terps might have easily lost this contest. At least they found a way to win, coming back in the fourth quarter and sealing it in overtime. It is one thing to look bad and still win, it is another to actually lose it.

Offense - Overall Grade: B-

Quarterbacks: B-

Chris Turner was a tale of two quarterbacks tonight. At times he looked pretty bad, constantly throwing passes too high and having a very costly pick six, which nearly gave JMU the game in the end. But in the first half he was solid, getting off the quick passes accurately to the flat and leading the Terps to three touchdowns, plus getting the all important touchdown on a 78-yard drive in the 4th quarter to eventually force overtime. Turner needs to be more consistent, but at least he showed great passing in most of the game.

Running Backs: C+

Da'Rel Scott was never a major factor, but he at least kept the ball moving, averaging around four yards a carry. Scott did have a touchdown on a goal line rush, though the Terps need more production from him in the future.

Wide Receivers: B-

Just like Turner, sometimes the receivers were great, sometimes they were terrible. For much of the first half, the corps had to work with WR screens to make their production, as James Franklin was trying to adjust to the problems at the line. Torrey Smith had a tremendous day, catching eight balls for 80 yards plus scoring a rushing touchdown. Adrian Cannon had a good day as well, catching the game-tying touchdown in the end zone, but he and Ronnie Tyler missed some catches they should have had.

Tight Ends: D

No catches as a unit, and average blocking at best. Tommy Galt had a very bad late hit penalty that cost Maryland 15 yards in the fourth quarter.

Offensive Line: B-

Considering that there are four newcomers going against a strong defensive line, the line did all right. Turner was only sacked once and the defensive line did not hinder the passing game too often. But the running game could have been better, as Scott could not get through holes in the line.

Defense - Overall Grade: C-

Defensive Line: C-

Not nearly enough pressure was put on JMU quarterback Drew Dudzik, who never got sacked. JMU could run at will and often the quarterback was the playmaker. Size-wise the Terps needed to play better, especially on some of the runs. But in the final parts of the game, the line performed the way they needed to, stopping JMU to give the Terps a chance in the 4th plus standing pat in overtime.

Linebackers: D+

For the second game in a row, the unit could not tackle properly. They could not cover up tiny holes in the line and Jamal Sullivan often could push for a couple extra yards after getting hit. With Alex Wujciak and Adrian Moten, the unit should be doing better.

Secondary: C

Even though Jamari McCollough is out, JMU receivers were getting open pretty easily at times. Again, like a couple of the units, at times they seemed to lock everything down.

Special Teams - Overall Grade: A-

Kicker: A+

Nick Ferrera kicked the game-winning field goal plus converted all five extra points. Looks like Maryland has their kicker for the next four years.

Punter: A-

Travis Baltz was worked tonight, kicking seven punts for an average of over 42 yards each. He downed two inside the 20.

Returners: B-

This grade is mixed between two events. Torrey Smith got a huge 81-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the first quarter. On the other hand, Kenny Tate had a costly fumble after the ball was stripped from his hands on a punt return, which would lead to a JMU touchdown drive.

Coverage: B+

Had good blocking on kickoffs for Torrey Smith, average on punt returns.

Coaching - Overall Grade: C

Offensive: B

James Franklin employed a good gameplan for the contest. Knowing he would have offensive line issues, he had Turner constantly throwing to his receivers in the flat to directly attack the inexperienced JMU secondary and not risking too much until the Terps had to. His gameplan was good even if the players had problems executing it. Only issue I have is the lack of adapting to the defensive tendencies during the game, as it led to problems in the second half, but piecing the eight-play, 78-yard drive in the 4th quarter to tie the game was great.

Defensive: D

Don Brown needs to teach his players how to tackle and blitz better. JMU is a good team, but Maryland should have been beating them based on matchups; instead the Dukes established a strong, moving offense. The announcers said Brown likes an aggressive defense; if so, they did not get the job done, as Dudzik was not sacked and constantly found problems in the defense, like on his 70-yard run.

The MVP/LVP:

MVP: Torrey Smith

Great day for the sophomore wideout, getting eight catches for 80 yards plus scoring two touchdowns, one rushing and one off a kickoff.

LVP: Tommy Galt

A couple of players could have been named, but Tommy Galt did not get a catch and had a terrible 15-yard penalty on a late hit that cost Maryland a chance on a late 4th quarter drive.

(Photo credit: AP)