Vanderlinden, Terps Prepare For Season Opener Against Temple - Maryland Terrapins
1/1/1970 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 5, 2000
COLLEGE PARK, MD - Maryland head football coach Ron Vanderlinden held his weekly press luncheon today as the Terps prepare for Saturday's home opener against Temple. Heisman Trophy candidate LaMont Jordan was also present for interviews.
Coach Vanderlinden on the season opener versus Temple:
"Our players are certainly anxious to play someone other than ourselves. We were fairly nicked up going into Friday's scrimmage so we didn't get as much done as we would have like to. We are starting to heal now and we are fairy healthy going into the Temple game."
Coach Vanderlinden on the two areas the coaching staff wanted to focus on during the spring and the start of fall camp:
"As we entered spring and fall camp, our primary concern in building our team both offensively and defensively was to improve our passing game and our pass defense. Just judging at practice, I think we are much further along than we have been and I am encouraged that we are going to have a good passing game as the season goes along. Hopefully that will be reflected on Saturday night."
Coach Vanderlinden on the battles for starting positions:
"Most starting positions are settled. We are going to be listing co-starters at three positions. At left tackle we will have Eric Dumas and Tim Howard, right guard Lamar Bryant and Bob Krantz and at the defensive end position William Shime? and Durrand Roundtree."
Coach Vanderlinden on the quarterbacks: "Our quarterback situation is the best it has been since I arrived at Maryland. I think we have two quality players and I expect both of them (Calvin McCall and Shaun Hill) to play. I am not going to announce a starter to the start of the game. There is no reason to do that to provide more information to Temple than necessary. I think both quarterbacks can execute or our offense and do all the things we want to do offensively just about equally well. "
Coach Vanderlinden on the Temple-Navy game last week and the Owl defense:
"I watched Temple on television Saturday night and I was very impressed by the way Temple played. Navy led the nation in rushing offense and for Temple to hold them to 73 yards rushing and 75 yards passing was really almost unbelievable. Temple has a lot of speed on defense and their linebacker trio is very good. Most Division I teams in the country would like to have their three linebackers. They are aggressive and talented up front particularly their interior two defensive tackles. They have a Freshman All-American in Dan Klecko. As a true freshman, he had eight quarterback sacks, bench presses 440 pounds and squats 770. The player to his right, Russell Newman, had an even more impressive game against Navy."
Coach Vanderlinden on Temple's offense:
"Offensively, their speed was displayed against Navy. Tanardo Sharps, from Meade High School, who was legitimately fast in high school and still is, is a threat to take it the distance every time he gets in the clear."
Coach Vanderlinden on Temple's style of offense:
"Temple has really changed philosophies. They went from a four wide receiver team a year ago to lining up in a conventional offense and running the ball much more forcefully than a year ago."
Coach Vanderlinden on LaMont Jordan:
"I want to give the ball to LaMont Jordan as many times as he can carry it. LaMont has been very healthy the last three years and we want to give him every opportunity to demonstrate the great ability he has."
LaMont Jordan on the chance to set all-time rushing records at Maryland and in the ACC:
"It is important for me to break as many records as I can. I know the more records I break, the more opportunities the team will have to win."
