Oct. 12, 2001

By PAUL NEWBERRY
AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA -- Ralph Friedgen spent 32 years working for someone else, longing for a chance to run his own program.

Well, it was worth the wait.

Just six games into his long-delayed head coaching career, Friedgen has transformed Maryland into an unbeaten, first-place team - and we're not talking about basketball.

This is football, a sport in which the Terrapins managed just two winning records in 15 seasons - one 6-5, the other 6-5-1 - before Friedgen arrived.

Maryland (6-0, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) already has clinched a winning season and bowl eligibility, no small feat at a school that has earned just one postseason trip since 1985.

Friedgen got his biggest victory yet Thursday night, beating No. 15 Georgia Tech 20-17 in overtime.

"What can you say about these kids?" said the 54-year-old coach. "I thought they were down and out."

Until this season, the same could be said of the entire Maryland program. Three coaches failed to recapture the magic of the early 1980s, when the Terps were a perennial ACC power under Bobby Ross.

This was Maryland's first victory over a ranked team since 1990.

"I don't think it could get any higher," said linebacker E.J. Henderson, who returned a fumble for a touchdown early in the game. "We beat Georgia Tech on national TV. We beat the No. 15 team."

Friedgen took no pleasure in beating one of his closest friends.

He spent the last four years at Georgia Tech, where head coach George O'Leary provided a free hand with the offense and plenty of chances to lobby for a head coaching job.

Finally, after getting passed over once by his alma mater, Friedgen got the call from Maryland.

He has spared no effort to win back skeptical fans, even leading a rendition of the school fight song after a season-opening victory over North Carolina.

On Thursday, Friedgen celebrated Maryland's first victory in Atlanta after six consecutive losses.

"I love to win," Friedgen said. "That's what drives me."

Redshirt freshman Nick Novak kicked a career-long 46-yard field goal on the final play of regulation and connected again from 26 yards in the extra period. The game ended when Maryland's Randall Jones recovered a fumble by Joe Burns.

In all, the Yellow Jackets had six turnovers.

"We got away with one," Friedgen said. "When you get six turnovers, you should win the game handily. We made a lot of mistakes and didn't make plays when we had some opportunities. But again, we found a way to win. ... That's all that counts for me."

While Friedgen made his reputation as an offensive mastermind, the Maryland defense has made the biggest strides.

The Terps, who allowed 25.5 points per game last season, have sliced their average to 14.7. They have 14 interceptions - more than all of last season - and a plus-14 turnover ratio.

Georgia Tech, meanwhile, has lost two games in overtime since moving into the ACC's favorite role. Even so, the Yellow Jackets (4-2, 1-2) aren't ready to concede their chances in the conference race.

"I don't think we are necessarily out of the race," linebacker Ross Mitchell said. "The way the ACC is this year, any team can beat any other."