Oct. 1, 2001
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
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The Game
- The 25th-ranked University of Maryland football team squares off with the University of Virginia Cavaliers in an Atlantic Coast Conference matchup at Byrd Stadium. Kickoff for the game -- which will be televised live by JP Sports -- is set for 12:10 p.m..
- The Terrapins are ranked No. 25 in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today polls. The national ranking is Maryland's first since 1995, when the Terrapins made their way to 17th before dropping from the rankings. The last time the Terps finished the season in the Top 25 was 1985 when they finished 18th and went to the Cherry Bowl.
- Maryland has begun its 109th season of college football and the Ralph Friedgen era in impressive fashion, winning its first four games and sitting atop the Atlantic Coast Conference standings with a 2-0 conference mark. Last weekend, the Terrapins beat West Virginia by leading wire-to-wire in a 32-20 victory at Byrd Stadium.
- The Terps used a balanced offensive attack (181 rushing/192 passing) and an oppurtunistic defense (six caused turnovers) in handing the Mountaineers their second loss of the season. In the game, sophomore Bruce Perry continued his amazing start to the 2001 season, rushing for 153 yards on 31 carries. Perry has now run for 100 yards in each of his four starts this year, the first four of his career.
- With the win over the Mountaineers, the Terps moved to 4-0 for the first time since 1995 and just the second time since 1978. It also marked just the third time in the last 16 years that the Terps have beaten both West Virginia and North Carolina in the same season.
-This week, the Terps are attempting to move to 5-0 for the first time since 1978. In that 1978 season, the Jerry Claiborne-led Terrapins opened the season with eight straight wins and worked their way to a No. 5 ranking in the Associated Press poll (Maryland went on to lose three of the final four that year and finish ranked 20th).
-Virginia enters this weekend's game at 3-1 and joins the Terps at the top of the ACC standings with a 2-0 conference record. The Cavaliers beat Duke last week, 31-10, for their third straight win after opening the Al Groh regime with a loss at Wisconsin.
-The Maryland/UVa tilt is one of seven home games on the 2001 docket, the most Maryland has played in the modern era.
Elite Company
-With the Terrapins' 32-20 win over West Virginia and resulting 4-0 record, coach Ralph Friedgen joins some elite company at the University of Maryland. With the win, Friedgen joined legendary Maryland coach H.C. "Curley" Byrd as the only two coaches to open their first season as a Terp head coach with four consecutive wins. Byrd accomplished the feat in 1912.
-Should Maryland beat Virginia this weekend, Friedgen would become the only Terp head coach to open his first full season at 5-0. The start of Byrd's career began with two games left in 1911.
-Byrd actually opened his coaching career with six straight wins as he took over the 1911 team with two games remaining. He won the two games in '11 and then came back and opened his first full season in 1912 with four straight wins. (Note: among Byrd's four wins in 1912 was an opening day victory over Tech High, a regular opponent for Maryland from 1903-1912).
Series Notes
-Saturday's game marks the 66th meeting between the Terrapins and Cavaliers, the most between Maryland and any other school in the Terrapins' 109-year history of football. The two schools have met every season since 1957.
-Maryland leads the all-time series -- which began in 1919 -- by a 37-26-2 margin. The series has only been recently made close by Virginia, prior to 1988, the Terrapins held a 35-15-2 advantage all time.
-Since 1969, the series has been basically feast or famine for one team or the other. From 1969-87, the Terrapins held an 18-1 advantage in the series and at one point ran off 16 wins in a row, the longest streak in the series. From 1988 to the present, the series has gone almost exclusively to the Cavs as they are 11-2 in that span and have won nine straight (Maryland's last win came in 1991).
-The Cavaliers are looking for their fifth straight win in College Park, a feat they have not achieved at any point in the series.
-In last year's 31-23 win in Charlottesville, the Terps dug themselves an early hole and ran out of time trying to get out. Maryland fell behind 21-0 in the first quarter as Virginia's Dan Ellis got off to a quick start passing (6-for-6, 148 yards, 1 TD in the first quarter). Ellis was injured in the second quarter and the Terp defense held the Cavaliers in check. In the final three quarters, Maryland outscored UVa 23-10 but it was not enough.
-The Maryland offensive line has held Virginia without a sack in each of the last two meetings between the two schools.
On This Date
-The Terrapins have played 14 games in their history on October 6 and own a 8-6 record on the date. The ledger:
Year Result Opponent Site
1990 L, 3-31 #23 Georgia Tech Atlanta, Ga.
1984 L, 24-25 #11 Penn State University Park, Pa.
1979 L, 7-27 Penn State College Park
1973 W, 38-0 Syracuse College Park
1962 W, 14-6 NC State Raleigh, N.C.
1956 L, 0-14 #16 Baylor College Park
1951 W, 33-6 George Washington College Park
1945 W, 21-0 Richmond Richmond, Va.
1934 L, 0-7 Washington & Lee Lexington, Va.
1928 L, 19-26 North Carolina College Park
1923 W, 3-0 Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pa.
1917 W, 20-0 Delaware College Park
1916 W, 6-0 Dickinson Carlisle, Pa.
1906 W, 22-0 Baltimore City College College Park
Offensive Breakout
- Maryland scored one touchdown in the first three quarters of 2001, but has since gone on a scoring rampage by scoring 123 points in the 13 ensuing quarters (an average of over nine points per quarter).
- The Terrapins posted 373 yards of total offense against West Virginia. Since a 247-yard performance in the season opener against North Carolina, Maryland has had no fewer than the 373 put up against WVU and is averaging 456 yards per game. In 11 games last year, Maryland gained more than 373 yards just twice.
-With 519 yards of total offense against Wake Forest two weeks ago, the Terps posted their best offensive performance since last year's Middle Tennessee game and the most yards against an ACC opponent since racking up 589 yards in a 52-0 win over Wake in 1996.
-The Terps piled up 297 rushing yards against Wake Forest. That total was more than it gained in any single game last year and most since the last game of 1999, when the Terps rambled for 445 versus Virginia (LaMont Jordan for a school record 306).
-Against Eastern Michigan, Maryland ran up 476 yards of total offense and outgained the Eagles by 352 yards.
Defense Off and Running
-Four games into the 2001 season, the Terrapin defense has already shown that it is a much improved unit over the one that took the field a year ago. Though the personnel is not drastically different, the results have been and the Terps have now shown the opportunity to beat their opponents in more than one way.
-Early on, the Maryland defense held its foes in check by stifling them and limiting their yardage and points. In the last two games, the defense has been opportunistic and been able to hold its opposition in check by forcing timely turnovers.
-Against West Virginia, the Terps forced six turnovers (four interceptions and two fumbles). The four interceptions were the most by a Terrapin defense since they picked off the Mountaineers four times in a 33-0 rout in 1999.
-Maryland allowed just one touchdown through the air and went more than nine consecutive quarters without allowing a touchdown before Wake Forest scored in the third quarter two weeks ago.
- Last season's top defensive performance was in giving up 276 yards of total offense to Duke in a 20-9 win in Durham. That game was one of just two games in which Maryland held its opponent under 300 yards (UNC the other). Three games into this season, Maryland has already matched that total and were it not for a 77-yard run on the first play of the North Carolina game, the Terps would have held two of four opponents this year under 200 yards.
-The 124 yards of total offense that Eastern Michigan was held to were the fewest by a Maryland opponent since 1980 when the Terps held Virginia to a sum of 90 yards.
-The EMU game marked just the sixth time since 1980 that the Terrapins held an opponent under 200 yards of offense. All but one of those games (Wake Forest in '96) came prior to 1983.
-Last season's lowest point total allowed was Duke's nine points, and opponents averaged 25.8 points per game. This year, the Terps are holding opponents to 12.5 points per game, a total that ranks 11th in the NCAA Division I-A ranks.
-Terp opponents are averaging 2.9 yards per carry this season.
-Last year's unit allowed an average of 440 yards per game. This year's "D" is thus far yielding an average of 302 yards per contest.
Three-For-One
-With the hiring of Ralph Friedgen and Friedgen's ensuing hires of offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe and defensive coordinator Gary Blackney, the Terrapins got the equivalent of three head coaches atop one coaching staff. Though Friedgen is in his first stint as a head coach, Taaffe was most recently the head coach of the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes while Blackney spent 10 successful years (1991-2000) as Bowling Green's head coach .
-Taaffe and Blackney have been able to maintain success virtually everywhere they have been. While in Montreal, Taaffe guided the Alouettes to a combined 25-14 record (two seasons) and an appearance in the 2000 Grey Cup. In 1999 and 2000, he was named the CFL's Coach of the Year, making him only the second coach to earn such an honor in back-to-back seasons (Marv Levy the first in 1974) and the first ever to do so in his first two campaigns. In addition, he is the winningest coach in The Citadel's history.
-Blackney was able to achieve in his own right as a head coach at Bowling Green. In 10 successful seasons, Blackney won 60 games (third most in school history), was the only coach in school history to win a bowl game (his Falcons won the 1991 California Raisin Bowl and the 1992 Las Vegas Bowl) and was the only coach to win more than 10 games in back-to-back seasons (11 in 1991, 10 in 1992).
-Though they are new to Maryland, the trio comprises one of the most experienced triumvirates in college football. With their 83 years of combined, full-time experience at the college and/or pro levels, Friedgen, Taaffe and Blackney are the fifth-most experienced trio in Division I-A. Below is a list of the company they keep:
Rk. School Yrs. Staff (Pos./Yrs. of Experience)
1 Penn St. 101 J. Paterno (HC/52), F. Ganter (OC/28), T. Bradley (DC/21)
2 Florida St. 89 B. Bowden (HC/41), J. Bowden (OC/14), M. Andrews (DC/34)
3 Mississippi St. 86 J. Sherrill (HC/31), S. Woods (OC/13), J.L. Dunn (DC/29)
4 Air Force 83 F. DeBerry (HC/33), C. Petersen (OC/13), R. Bell (DC/39)
5 Maryland 82 R. Friedgen (HC/28), C. Taaffe (OC/23), G. Blackney (DC/31)
Maryland Coaches in Year One
- In the modern era of college football at Maryland (i.e. since 1950), there have been 11 different head coaches to take over the reigns of the Terrapin program. By and large, those coaches have not had success in that inaugural campaign, but many have gone on to great heights as their careers in College Park progressed. Below is a look at the 10 coaches since 1950 who preceded Ralph Friedgen:
Coach 1st Year (ACC) Overall Tenure Highlights/Notes
Tommy Mont ('56-58) 2-7-1 (2-2-1) 11-18-1 Beat No. 14 UNC in '57
Tom Nugent ('59-65) 5-5 (4-2) 36-34 Went 7-3 and beat No. 7 Syracuse in '61
Lou Saban ('66) 4-6 (3-3) Same Returned to coaching pros after one year
Bob Ward ('67-68) 0-9 (0-6) 2-17 Last Terrapin alum to serve as head coach
Roy Lester ('69-71) 3-7 (3-3) 7-25 3-3 ACC record T3rd in the conference
Jerry Claiborne ('72-81) 5-5 (3-2-1) 77-37-3 Three ACC titles, 2nd most wins at Md.
Bobby Ross ('82-86) 8-4 (5-1) 39-19-1 Three ACC titles, 24-5-1 all-time in ACC
Joe Krivak ('87-91) 4-7 (3-3) 20-34-2 1990 Independence Bowl
Mark Duffner ('92-96) 3-8 (2-6) 20-35 6-5 season in '95, finished T5th in ACC
Ron Vanderlinden ('97-00) 2-9 (1-7) 15-29 Beat UNC 45-7 to move to 5-2 in '99
Ralph Friedgen ('01-) 4-0 (2-0) Same 1st first-year Terp to open 4-0 since '12
Perry Off and Running, Leads NCAA
- The 2001 season began with Maryland having a situation at tailback that could best be described as a big question mark. Sophomore Bruce Perry was joined by senior Marc Riley and freshman Jason Crawford in a backfield that started '01 touted as a possible three-headed rushing attack. After four games, that three-pronged attack has been replaced by a single back who is working his way into a national honors candidate.
- Bruce Perry has opened the season with four straight 100-yard games and leads NCAA Division I-A in yards per game with 169.5. He opened the season with a 116-yard effort against UNC. Against Eastern Michigan, he took it a step further with 133 yards (on 16 carries) and three touchdowns. Against Wake, he went above and beyond, rushing 30 times for a robust 276 yards with touchdown scampers of 80 and 50 yards. In last week's win over WVU, he rushed 31 times for 153 yards and scored his sixth TD of the season.
- Perry's 678 yards are second most nationally, trailing only Anthony Davis' (Wisconsin) 703 (who accomplished that feat in five games, one more than Perry). Average-wise, Perry is a full 19.5 yards ahead of the nation's next-best rusher, BC's William Green.
- Saturday's game against West Virginia was the first this season that Perry had not hit the 100-yard plateau by halftime.
- The Philadelphia, Pa., native's 276-yard effort against Wake Forest was the second-best single game total in Maryland history and the sixth-best in Atlantic Coast Conference lore.
- The 276 yards were also the most ever against the Demon Deacons, besting the 237-yard effort of South Carolina's George Rogers in 1978.
- With three TDs against Eastern Michigan, Perry became just the 13th player in school history to find the end zone three times in one game via the run.
Rising Star
- Sophomore Bruce Perry is doing his best to help Terp faithful forget about departed star and all-time rushing leader LaMont Jordan. Below are a couple of comparisons between Perry's start and Jordan's Maryland record-setting season of 1999:
Perry '01 Jordan '99
Yards per game 169.5* 148.3*
Yards thru 4 games 525 442
Rush TDs thru 4 games 6 6
Yards Per Carry 6.9* 6.1*
(*averages for Jordan is for the season, Perry through 4 games)
Gary Coming On
- Senior wideout Guilian Gary began this season with uncertainty as a week before the Terps' first game, he suffered a spinal injury in practice that had him airlifted from the practice fields with his football future in question. Four weeks into the season, the Horseheads, N.Y., native has returned at full strength and has been one of Maryland's offensive leaders.
- Gary has led or tied for the team lead in receiving in all four games this season. Against WVU, he finished with six receptions for 81 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown late in the third quarter.
- With his six receptions against WVU, Gary has now caught at least one pass in each of the last 15 games.
- Gary, Maryland's leading receiver the past two seasons, entered 2001 with a chance to both crack the school's top 10 for receptions and become the first Terrapin since All-American Gary Collins (1959-61) to lead the team in three consecutive seasons.
- With his six catches last week, Gary moved into a tie for 13th (with Vernon Joines, '85-88, and John Tice, '79-82) on the Maryland career charts with 83 receptions. He is also now 17th on the all-time yardage list with 1,085.
- In addition to his receiving skills, Gary is also one of the top punt returners in school history. Last season, he became the first Terp to lead his team in punt return yards for three straight years. He currently ranks fourth on the school's career list with 512 return yards.
Hill Fuels Offensive Attack
- Though his numbers are not yet eye-popping, there is no questioning that senior Shaun Hill is the leader of the Terrapin offense.
- Four games in, the Parsons, Kansas, native is a key component in an offense that has helped lead to four impressive wins. With Hill under center, the Terps have committed just two turnovers (the third was a fumble by backup Latrez Harrison against EMU).
- Though he threw for one TD and rushed for another against WVU, Hill did not have his best game. What he did continue, however, was his mistake-free play as it was his third game out of four this year that he did not commit a turnover.
- In seven games as a Maryland starter (dating back to last year), Hill has a record of 5-2 and orchestrated the biggest win of 2000 when he came off the bench against NC State a year ago.
Fowler Anchors O-Line
- Senior honors candidate Melvin Fowler heads up an offensive line that will be a unit to watch as the year progresses and in the future. Fowler, who was named to this season's "watch list" for the Lombardi Award (recognizing the top interior lineman in Division I-A), has now started 37 consecutive games at center and is the lone senior listed on the offensive line's two-deep heading into the Virginia game.
- Of the 10 players listed on the depth chart for the UVa game, only three (Fowler and juniors Todd Wike and Matt Crawford) are not underclassmen. All told, the breakdown includes one senior, two juniors, three sophomores and three redshirt freshmen (Kyle Schmitt backs up at two spots).
- Despite its youth, the line is not without experience as four starters (Fowler, Wike, Bryant, Crawford) return from a year ago.
- Through four games, the Maryland O-line has allowed eight sacks and has helped the Terps churn out an average of 229.8 rushing yards per game, 12th-best in the nation.
Hitman Henderson
- Junior E.J. Henderson is quickly becoming a player to watch on a defense that has been nothing short of outstanding in 2001. The team leader in tackles in 2000 with 109 (despite missing a game-and-a-half due to injury), Henderson has opened 2001 by leading the Terps in tackles in each of their first four games.
- In the win over WVU, Henderson tied his career high with 18 tackles (14 unassisted). He also had three tackles for loss, a sack and a PBU.
- In the last two games, Henderson has racked up 35 tackles and six TFLs.
- Henderson currently leads Maryland in tackles (55) and tackles for loss (12). He is currently on pace to post 151 tackles this season.
- In his two-plus years at Maryland, Henderson has notched double-digits in tackles 10 times.
- Dating back to last year, Henderson has finished with double-digit tackle performances in seven of the last eight games.
- Henderson finished seventh in the ACC in tackles a year ago and is third among those who returned in 2001. A viable All-American candidate, Henderson has averaged 13.8 tackles per game (110 total) in his last eight games dating back to last year.
Thompson on Butkus List
- Senior linebacker Aaron Thompson is one of 69 players (and one of five ACC players) who have been named to the "watch list" for the 2001 Butkus Award which recognizes Division I-A's top linebacker.
- Thompson enters the Virginia game having started all 37 games of his career at Maryland.
- Through four games, Thompson leads the Terps in sacks (2.5) and is tied for second in TFLs (5).
- With four tackles for loss in the UNC game, Thompson moved to the top of the Maryland career list (which began being tracked in 1974) with 39. He broke the school record of 37 held by Charles Johnson (1976-78) and now has 40 for his career.
- In addition, Thompson now needs just 29 TFL yards to become the school's all-time leader.
- With 1.5 more sacks, Thompson will move into the career top 10 at Maryland. Should he match his total of 6.5 sacks from a year ago, Thompson would move into sole possession of the number eight spot.
- The Baltimore native's 17 TFLs in 1999 rank tied for third on the Terps' single-season charts.
Bootin' Barnard
- Junior All-America candidate and Ray Guy nominee Brooks Barnard hasn't taken long in picking up where he left off a year ago. Barnard punted 10 times for 44.6 yards against West Virginia. He ranks ninth nationally and first in the ACC.
- Barnard was one of the primary keys to the Terps' success in owning prime field position in the season opener against UNC as he averaged 50.4 yards on eight punts.
- Of Barnard's 25 punts on the year, eight have been downed inside the 20 (six inside the 20 and two inside the 10) and 12 have been 50 yards or further.
- Barnard finished fourth nationally a year ago in punting average with a school-record 44.7-yard mark and was the second-leading punter among the nation's returnees, trailing only Minnesota's Preston Gruening who led the nation with a 45.2-yard average a year ago.
- Barnard's 44.7-yard average last season bested the previous Maryland mark of 43.8, set by Scott Milanovich in 1993. For his efforts, Barnard was named an honorable mention All-ACC selection as well as an honorable mention All-American by the Football News.
- In 2000, Barnard had a total of 13 punts that traveled further than 50 yards and eight punts downed inside the 20. After four games in 2001, he has already had 12 go further than 50 and eight downed inside the 20.
Local Ties
- The Terrapins have four players who call the state of Virginia home. Starters Curome Cox (Arlington) and Nick Novak (Charlottesville) are joined by Jason Holman (Midlothian) and Maurice Shanks (Hampton) as natives of the state.
- Maryland's coaching ties to Virginia include offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe, who was an assistant at UVa from 1976-80, and offensive line coach Tom Brattan who was the head coach in the late '80's at Highland Springs and Lloyd C. Bird High School in Virginia.
- The Cavaliers have a total of five players from the Old-Line State. By hometown: WR Tavon Mason (Baltimore), LB Beau Dickerson (Bethesda), DE Darryl Sanders (Callaway), G Evan Routzahn (Middletown), and RB Tyree Foreman (Sandy Spring).
- Cavalier coaches with Maryland ties include assistant head coach/LB coach Dan Rocco (Maryland OLB coach, '98-99) and running backs coach Kevin Ross (son of Bobby Ross, former assistant coach at Bowie High School, graduate of High Point HS in Beltsville).
Opportunistic Terps
- After forcing six turnovers against West Virginia, Maryland now leads the nation in turnover margin with a +2.5 per game average.
- The Terps' success has come in their ability to hang onto the ball as much as anything else. The team has gained 13 turnovers (three fumbles, 10 interceptions) and has lost only three (1 fumble, two interceptions).
- Maryland's 10 interceptions are just two shy of their total from the entire 2000 season.
In The Zone
- The Terps have been solid thus far in 2001 in the red zone both offensively and defensively.
- Through four games, Maryland is 14-of-19 in the red zone with 12 touchdowns. The five stumbles have been a pair of missed field goals, twice failing on downs and an interception.
- Opponents have made it into Maryland's red zone just nine times this season and have come away with a pair of TDs and three field goals (5-9).
Coaching Connections
- Ralph Friedgen is not the only new member of the Terrapin coaching staff with ties to College Park, though this is his fourth stint at Maryland (player from 1965-68, graduate assistant from 1969-72, offensive coordinator/offensive line coach from 1982-86 and the present stint).
- Inside linebackers coach Rod Sharpless played linebacker at Maryland from 1972-74, was an outside linebackers coach from 1977-80 and a wide receivers coach for the Terps in '90 and '91. Defensive line coach Dave Sollazzo was a graduate assistant for the Terrapins in 1984 and defensive line coach in '86-87.
- Sollazzo is also one of several coaches with a connection to another institution -- The Citadel. Sollazzo played for (1974-76) and helped coach (1989-98) the Bulldogs, while Friedgen coached there from 1973-79, Charlie Taaffe was a head coach there from 1987-96 and outside linebackers coach Al Seamonson served there from 1987-99.
Homeboys
- On national signing day, 2001, Ralph Friedgen said that in addition to landing some of the top recruits nationally, one of his goals was to make sure that all of the best players in the state of Maryland stayed in state and became Terps.
- Over the course of the past five years, the Maryland-D.C.-Northern Virginia recruiting area has been tapped more successfully in each ensuing year. In 1993, just 23 players on the Maryland roster hailed from either Maryland, D.C. or Northern Virginia, with six of those serving as opening-game starters. Since that time, however, numbers in both categories have risen steadily. Below is a look at the trend:
Md./D.C./No. Va. '97 '98 '99 '00 '01
Players on the Roster 23 34 39 46 49
Opening-Day Starters 6 5 7 12 10
Anniversary of Perfection
- The start of this football season marked the end of 50 years since the only season of perfection at the University of Maryland. The 1951 Terps went 10-0 and defeated top-ranked Tennessee, 28-13, in the Sugar Bowl.
- Led by All-Americans Bob Ward and Ray Krouse, brothers Ed and Dick Modzelewski and QB Jack Scarbath, the Terrapins ran through the entire '51 campaign allowing more than seven points only three times and ultimately sharing the Southern Conference championship with VMI before defeating the Vols to close the season.
- In '51, national champions were anointed prior to the bowl season, thus, Tennessee was that season's national champ while the Terps ranked third.
Consecutive Starts
- Several Terrapins currently own significant streaks of consecutive starts. By number of starts: C Melvin Fowler - 37, OLB Aaron Thompson - 37, OG Todd Wike - 25, CB Tony Okanlawon - 18, and LB Mike Whaley - 15.
- Terps not listed above who have started the most games overall (not consecutive) include: OT Matt Crawford - 24, NT Charles Hill - 19, and LB E.J. Henderson - 16.
Iron Terps
- As a team, Maryland had its strongest offseason in recent history, literally. In preseason strength and conditioning testing this year, the Terrapins set four team strength records.
- This year's Terps set team records for strength index, power clean, squat and bench press, improving on the previous all-time team highs that had been established since such records have been kept (started in 1983).
- Individually, eight Terrapins set records in disciplines at their respective positions, but none were more impressive than DE Durrand Roundtree.
- Roundtree, a junior from Baltimore, set the all-time record for strength index with an incredible 844 (700 is considered high), and set D-line records in the bench (490), squat (760) and vertical jump (36.5 inches).
Terp Alley
- In an effort to restore some tradition on gameday in College Park, the football staff has come up with something that will likely become tradition outside of Byrd Stadium.
- For every football home game in 2001, the entire football team will make its first appearance at "Terp Alley." The team will be dropped off at the circle at the top of Field House Drive (between the football press box and Ludwig Field) approximately two hours before kickoff and it will be led through fans gathered along the street to the football complex by the Maryland band and cheerleaders.
Scouting The Cavaliers
- Virginia comes to College Park with a 3-1 (2-0 ACC) record and riding a three-game win streak after starting the season with a loss to Wisconsin.
- The Cavaliers got off to a rough start this year, falling to Wisconsin and losing their top offensive player, Antwoine Womack, to injury. They have since improved each week and, along the way, upset Clemson, 26-24, on a controversial last second touchdown reception by WR Billy McMullen.
- McMullen has been the Cavs' top offensive player through four games. He is second in the ACC in receptions 25 and leads the league with seven receiving touchdowns.
- On defense, LB Angelo Crowell has led the way with a team-leading 50 tackles, four sacks and four TFLs. He has also caused a fumble and has an interception to his credit.
Virginia Coach Al Groh
- Al Groh is in his first year as head coach at the University of Virginia. Groh, a 1967 graduate of the school, comes to Charlottesville from the New York Jets where he served as head coach in 2000.
- Groh takes over the helm of the Cavalier program after long-time head coach George Welsh stepped down. Welsh is the winningest coach in the history of the program, compiling a 189-131-4 record.
- Prior to his appointment at Virginia, Groh had served 12 consecutive years as a coach in the NFL with stops coming in New York (Giants, 1989-91, Jets 1997-2000), Cleveland (1992) and New England (1993-96). In his lone season at the pro level as a head coach, he helped lead the Jets to a 9-7 record.
- Groh was named head coach of the Jets after the retirement of Bill Parcells at the end of the 1999 season.
- After getting his collegiate coaching start at Virginia, Groh ended up with his first head job at another ACC school, Wake Forest, where he served from 1981-86.
Byrd Stadium
- Now in its 52nd year of operation, Byrd Stadium continues to serve as the home of the Terps. Opened on September 30, 1950, and constructed for a sum of $1 milliion, Byrd was named after Dr. H.C. "Curley" Byrd, a multi-sport star at Maryland who later became the school's head football coach and ultimately its president.
- The Terrapins are 159-99-1 within the friendly confines of Byrd (capacity 48,055).
Ticket Information
- Individual game tickets for Terp home games may be purchased locally at any Ticketmaster outlet or by visiting the Maryland ticket office at Cole Field House. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com.
- For additional info or to order by phone, call (800) 462-TERP.
