Football Game Notes -- No. 9 Maryland at NC State
11/12/2001 7:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 12, 2001
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
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The Game
- The University of Maryland football team looks to close its dream season in style as it heads to Raleigh, N.C., to take on the NC State Wolfpack this Saturday. At stake for the Terrapins is sole possession of their first Atlantic Coast Conference title since 1985 and a spot in the Bowl Championship Series as the representative from the ACC. Kickoff for the game, which will be televised nationally by ESPN, is set for 7:50 p.m. EST.
- National Coach of the Year candidate Ralph Friedgen and the Terrapins (9-1, 6-1 ACC) wrapped up at least a share of their first title since '85 last week with an impressive 37-20 win over Clemson (their first in the series since 1992) in front of 52,462 at Byrd Stadium, the fourth-largest crowd in stadium history. Maryland got help from this week's opponent -- NC State -- before it even took the field against the Tigers as the Wolfpack handed Florida State a shocking 34-28 loss at Doak Campbell Stadium.
- The Terrapins are ranked No. 9 in the ESPN/USA Today and No. 10 in the Associated Press polls. The national ranking marks the Terps' seventh week in the Top 25. The ranking is the Terrapins' highest since being ranked seventh at the start of the 1985 season and the first time it has been in the top 10 of both major polls this year.
- Maryland moved up in the latest Bowl Championship Series rankings this week, chiming in at 12. The Terps were eighth in the first ranking of 2001, fell out after losing to Florida State and were 15th last week.
- NC State (6-3, 4-3 ACC) is coming off of its biggest win since the last time it beat Florida State (1998) and has now won three straight games after starting the season 3-3. Last weekend's victory not only helped the Terrapins move into sole possession of first place in the conference, but it was also the first loss handed to the Seminoles at home by an ACC team since they joined the conference. The Pack are now bowl eligible and look to improve their standing with potential postseason suitors this weekend.
- Should the Terrapins win this week, they will become the first Maryland team since 1976 and just the fifth ever to win 10 or more games in a season. In addition, they will become the first team other than Florida State since the Seminoles joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1992 to win the conference title outright.
An ACCeptional Win
- Maryland's win over Clemson last weekend marked another chapter in a storybook season for the Terps. The victory, coupled with a Florida State defeat, ensured the Terrapins of their first conference title since 1985 and also put this year's team in the class of some of the finest in school history in terms of accomplishment.
- With the win over the Tigers, Maryland notched its ninth win which matched the total of the 1985 squad, a team that went 9-3.
- This year's team is the 10th in school history to win nine games or more and the first ever to win seven games at home, besting the 6-0 mark at Byrd Stadium achieved by the 1976 team.
- The Terrapins are 9-1 for the first time since 1978 (a season which saw Maryland finish 9-3) and for just the third time since 1955. It is just the seventh time in school history the Terps have won nine of their first 10 (1949, 1951, 1953, 1955, 1976, 1978, 2001) and just the third time in the last 46 years.
- The last time the Terps won more than nine in a season was 1976 when the Jerry Claiborne-led Terrapins finished 11-1 with their lone loss coming in the Cotton Bowl against Houston.
To the Victor...
- With the Terrapins catching the national eye with their play this season, several Terps are being recognized for their efforts.
- Three Maryland players have been dubbed semifinalists for national awards. E.J. Henderson is a semifinalist for the Butkus Award recognizing the nation's top linebacker, Brooks Barnard is a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award which is given to the nation's top punter, and Bruce Perry has been named a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award, which is awarded to the nation's top offensive back.
- In addition, Ralph Friedgen has been mentioned numerous times for his efforts as the favorite for National Coach of the Year honors.
Series Notes
- Saturday's game marks the 55th meeting between the Terrapins and Wolfpack. NC State leads the all-time series -- which began in 1917 -- 27-25-2.
- NC State has won four of the last five games in the series and eight of the last 10.
- NC State is in the midst of its best run in the series, having won 11 of 15 games since 1986. The Pack's current run comes on the heels of Maryland's best stint, a 13-3-1 run from 1971-85. During that period, the Terps ran off a series-best six straight wins from 1980-85.
- Last year's game marked the biggest win of Maryland's season and renewed bowl hopes -- if only temporarily -- for the Terps with two games remaining in the season. In that game, a 35-28 Maryland win in two overtimes, Shaun Hill took over in the second half after the Wolfpack had staked a 21-6 halftime advantage. Hill led the Terps back to a tie and ultimately the win. Hill's one-yard touchdown run in the second overtime frame was the game winner, giving the Terrapins a win in the first overtime game in school history.
- The overtime game of 2000 was the Wolfpack's third of the season, but NC State's first loss of the three.
- The last time a ranked Maryland team played NC State was in 1983. That game was similar to this year's contest in that the Terrapins were seeking an ACC championship and were closing out their campaign at NC State. In that game, the 20th-ranked Terrapins came away with a 29-6 victory, clinched their first ACC title since '76 and went on to play Tennessee in the Citrus Bowl (a 23-20 loss).
Busting Out of their Shells
- Maryland started this season with the defense ahead of the offense and talk that Ralph Friedgen's first season as a head coach would see the offensive mastermind own a team whose defense is better than its offense. As the season has progressed, the defense is still performing well, but the Maryland offense has quietly shaped up as one of the most potent in the country and school history.
-Against Clemson, Maryland posted 407 yards of offense while scoring 37 points (34 of which came before Clemson scored its first touchdown). That yardage total is the most Maryland has posted against Clemson since 1992 and the 37 points are 19 points shy of what the Terps have scored in the last eight meetings combined with the Tigers.
- The Terrapins have scored 367 points this season, an average of 36.7 per game. With the 37 points against Clemson, the Terps have now scored more points than any team in school history, surpassing the mark of 353 set by the 1951 and 1982 teams. (Note: the 1951 squad scored 353 in just nine games while the 1982 team did it in 11).
- Maryland's balanced offensive approach was never more apparent than in the FSU game. The Terps gained 214 yards on the ground and 214 through the air, ran 38 times and passed 37, and earned 10 first downs via the rush and 10 via pass.
- The Terps are one of only nine teams in Division I-A to average over 200 yards per game passing and rushing.
- On the season, Maryland's offensive balance has been uncanny. The Terps are averaging 232.5 yards on the ground and 211.3 through the air.
- In their game against Duke (which could probably be considered the point in the season the offense started clicking), the Terps ran 90 plays and posted 697 total yards of offense. That yardage total is the second most in Terp history (802 vs. Virginia, 1975) and 11th most in ACC history.
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) Note: Totals reflect years coaching prior to the 2001 season.
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 reins 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-) 9-1 (6-1) Same 2nd-winningest 1st-year coach in ACC lore
Friedgen's Unprecedented Debut
- With Maryland's clinching at least a tie of this year's Atlantic Coast Conference crown, head coach Ralph Friedgen became the only coach in ACC history to win or share the championship in his first year as a head coach.
- Friedgen is still on the verge of other conference marks. At 9-1, he is the second-winningest coach in the first year of his tenure in ACC history. Should the Terps win out, Friedgen would break the mark of 10-2 set by Clemson's Ken Hatfield in 1990.
- Friedgen's 7-0 start to his first year as a head coach at Maryland is the best in the 109-year history of the University of Maryland football program. With the win over Duke that moved the Terps to 7-0, Friedgen passed legendary Maryland coach H.C. "Curley" Byrd who opened his coaching career in College Park with six consecutive wins. Byrd accomplished the feat in 1911 (when he took the team over with two games remaining) and 1912.
- The 7-0 start also tied the all-time ACC record for consecutive wins by a first-year coach in the conference as he would matched Duke's Fred Goldsmith whose team started 7-0 in 1994 (the Blue Devils finished 8-4 that year).
The Dynamic Duo
- Tailbacks Bruce Perry and Marc Riley have given the Terp rushing attack quite a punch this year. Perry has already rushed for more yards (1,151) than Terrapin opponents have rushed against them (959), while Riley is second on the team with a career-high 334 yards.
- Perry and Riley have eached rushed for 10 touchdowns this year. It marks the first time in school history that a pair of backs have rushed for 10 or more TDs in the same season.
Getting Defensive
- With one regular season game remaining in 2001, the Terrapin defense has established itself as a unit to be reckoned with. Though the personnel is not drastically different from a year ago, the results have been as Gary Blackney's unit has used a high-pressure, blitzing style that has left opponents with virtually no choice but to try to beat Maryland through the air.
- Maryland gave up just 341 yards to a high-powered Clemson offense while sacking the Tigers three times, posting nine TFLs, four interceptions and seven pass breakups. The game plan coming in was to limit the effectiveness of Woodrow Dantzler and the Terps accomplished that convincingly. Dantzler ran for just 30 yards, passed for just 153 yards and was intercepted three times, the most in any game during his illustrious career. He was replaced midway through the fourth quarter with the Tigers trailing, 34-6.
- After a tough outing against Florida State, the Terp defense bounced back against Troy State in resounding fashion. Maryland notched a season-high eight sacks and added 12 tackles for loss. Troy State was held to 271 yards of offense and minus-one yard rushing.
- The Terrapins have held four opponents under 100 yards rushing this season. Maryland went all of last season without holding an opponent under the century mark on the ground.
- Florida State and Georgia Tech have been the only teams this season to throw for over 300 yards against the Terps (it happened five times a year ago).
- The Terps' best defensive performance against the rush came against Troy State as it held the Trojans to minus one yard on the ground.
- Maryland forced six turnovers against Georgia Tech (including three George Godsey interceptions) and held the Jackets to 50 yards rushing, 72 yards less than their previous worst effort of the season and fewest since being held to 28 yards by North Carolina in 1997.
- In the Virginia game, Maryland gave up 345 total yards but held the Cavaliers to just 64 yards on the ground, over 70 yards below their season average coming in. The Terps were stingiest in the first half, giving up just one rushing yard to UVa.
- 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.
- The 124 yards of offense that the Terps held Eastern Michigan 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 opponents averaged 25.8 points per game against Maryland. This year, the Terps are holding opponents to 19.1 points per game (best in the ACC).
- Terp opponents are averaging 2.7 yards per carry this season.
- Maryland's defense is second in the nation in interceptions (23) and second in turnovers forced (32). The 23 interceptions are most by a Terp team since 1965 (also 23).
- The Terrapins lead the Atlantic Coast Conference in sacks with 36 (seven more than any other ACC school).
- Last year's unit allowed an average of 440 yards per game. This year's "D" is yielding an average of 332.9 yards per contest and 95.9 per game on the ground (12th best nationally).
Perry a Doak Semifinalist
- Sophomore Bruce Perry, a player who entered fall drills battling senior Marc Riley and freshman Jason Crawford for the starting job, was named one of eight semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award last week. The Doak Walker Award recognizes the top back in collegiate football.
- The Philadelphia, Pa., native had another strong outing in the Terps' win over Clemson. Perry led all rushers with 90 yards on 21 carries and caught three balls for 37 yards and a third quarter touchdown.
- Perry opened this season with five straight 100-yard games and is currently 19th in the nation and first in the ACC in rushing yards per game (115.1 ypg) after leading the nation for three weeks (from after the Wake Forest game to after the Virginia game).
- Perry now has 1,151 yards on the season. That total already ranks fourth in the Maryland single season annals and gives him the most yards ever by a Maryland sophomore. With 91 yards this week, he can move as high as third and ahead of Steve Atkins' 1978 total of 1,261.
- In games one through three this year, Perry actually eclipsed the 100-yard mark by the half.
- Perry'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.
On This Date
- The Terrapins have played 15 games in their history on November 17 and have posted a record of 9-6 on the date. The Terps have taken on NC State twice on the 17th, both wins. The ledger:
Year Result Opponent 1990 W, 35-30 at #8 Virginia 1984 W, 41-23 Clemson 1979 W, 28-7 Louisville 1973 W, 28-13 at Clemson 1967 L, 17-35 at Wake Forest 1962 L, 14-17 Clemson 1956 L, 0-13 at South Carolina 1951 W, 53-0 NC State 1934 L, 14-17 at Indiana 1928 W, 18-2 Virginia 1923 W, 26-12 at NC State 1917 L, 0-57 at Penn State 1906 W, 16-0 at Rock Hill 1897 L, 6-16 Gallaudet 1893 W, 16-6 Orient Athletic Club
Seniors Bid Adieu
- A total of 19 seniors face their final regular season game as members of the Maryland football team in this weekend's battle with NC State. The following is a list of those players:
Name Varsity Letters Hometown Melvin Fowler, C *** Wheatly Heights, N.Y. Guilian Gary, WR *** Horseheads, N.Y. Monte Graves, LB ** Annapolis, Md. Richard Harrigan, CB St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Isl. Charles Hill, DT *** Palmer Park, Md. Shaun Hill, QB * Parsons, Kan. Tony Jackson, SS *** Ellicott City, Md. Eric James, TE *** Washington, D.C. Randall Jones, FS *** Frederick, Md. Reggie Lewis, LB ** Chicago, Ill. Rod Littles, SS *** Gainesville, Fla. Marlon Moye-Moore, LB *** Brandywine, Md. Matt Murphy, TE *** New Haven, Mich. Tony Okanlawon, CB *** Forestville, Md. Marc Riley, TB ** Coram, N.Y. Vedad Siljkovic, PK * Montenegro, Yugoslavia Ryan Swift, LB *** Hinsdale, Ill. Aaron Thompson, LB *** Baltimore, Md. Daryl Whitmer, WR *** Waldorf, Md.
Man in the Middle
- Junior E.J. Henderson has become a player to watch on the national scene for 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 enters his last game of 2001 by leading the Terps in tackles in nine of 10 games.
- Henderson currently leads Maryland in tackles (130) and tackles for loss (25). He is currently on pace to post 143 tackles this season.
- Against Clemson, Henderson fell one shy of his career high for tackles with 17 (13 solo), had four tackles for loss, his first career interception, a pass breakup and two sacks.
- With 25 TFLs this season, Henderson has posted the best single season in modern Maryland history. His four tackles behind the line against Clemson broke the record of 24 set by the legendary Randy White in 1974, the first season the stat began being kept at Maryland.
- Twice this season, Henderson has tied his career high for tackles with 18 (the last time being against Georgia Tech). In that contest, he also added four tackles for loss and a sack.
- In his two-plus years at Maryland, Henderson has notched double-digits in tackles 15 times.
- Dating back to last year, Henderson has finished with double-digit tackle performances in 12 of the last 14 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, Butkus and Nagurski candidate, Henderson has averaged 13.2 tackles per game (185 total) in his last 14 games dating back to last year.
The Word is Out
- E.J. Henderson began this season as he finished the last -- with Maryland faithful feeling he was one of the top linebackers and best-kept secrets in the nation. Judging by the national recognition Henderson has gotten in the second half of this season, the secret no longer exists.
- Midway through the season, Henderson was named one of 12 semifinalists for this year's Butkus Award which recognizes the top linebacker in the nation.
- After earning national defensive player of the week honors for his play against Georgia Tech, Henderson was added to the Bronko Nagurski Award watch list. The Nagurski Award recognizes the top defensive player -- regardless of position -- in the nation.
- Last week, Henderson was recognized (along with teammate Bruce Perry) as a semifinalist for national player of the year by the Football News.
New Look Terps
- The Terrapins entered 2001 knowing that they would have a new look with a different helmet and uniforms, a new coaching staff and a new tailback (to replace LaMont Jordan). What they couldn't have known was just how different this year's team would be from those in the recent past.
- With its ninth win in the bag, Maryland has assured its first trip to a bowl since 1990, has already won more games overall and in conference than it did all of last year, and has won its most games since 1985.
- The Terrapins' six ACC wins this year equals its total in the previous three years combined.
- With Maryland's win over Duke, it posted five wins in the Atlantic Coast Conference for the first time since 1985. Should the Terps win their season finale at NC State, they will earn their most ACC wins (7) ever, besting the six by the 1985 squad.
- The Terrapins' win over Georgia Tech was their first over a ranked opponent in 34 games. The last time Maryland had beaten a ranked foe was in 1990, when it beat then No. 8 Virginia to earn a berth in the Independence Bowl, the team's last bowl appearance.
- The Terps have won multiple road games in the conference for just the third time since 1987. Should they win this weekend, they would match the total of the 1985 team, the last to win three.
King of the Hill
- Though his numbers for the season are not Heisman material, there is no questioning that senior Shaun Hill is the leader of the Terrapin offense and one of the top performers in the ACC.
- With two games left in the regular season, the Parsons, Kansas, native is a key component in an offense that has helped lead the way to nine impressive wins. With Hill under center, the Terps have committed just 12 turnovers (two others have occurred after Hill has left the game and one occured on a kickoff).
- Hill was his usual, effective self against Clemson. He was 12-of-21 passing for 189 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran 12 times for 54 yards, running the option well.
- Hill was the key component of one of the best offensive displays in team history in this year's game against Duke.
- In his performance against the Blue Devils, Hill became just the third quarterback in ACC history to gain over 300 yards passing and 100 yards rushing in the same game. The first was FSU's Charlie Ward (395 pass/111 rush against Maryland in 1992) and the second was Clemson's Woodrow Dantzler earlier this year against NC State (333 pass/184 rush).
- Hill did not have his best game against Georgia Tech (20-of-39, 210 yds., 2 int.), but he was able to move the Terrapin offense when it mattered most. With 1:18 left in regulation, he completed 4-of-6 passes for 51 yards to move Maryland into range for Nick Novak's game-tying 46-yard field goal as time expired.
- In 13 games as a Maryland starter (dating back to last year), Hill has a record of 10-3 and mastered the best comeback of the last two years, erasing a 21-6 halftime deficit in last year's overtime win against NC State.
- On the season, Hill has accounted for 17 touchdowns (11 pass, six rush) while turning the ball over just eight times (all interceptions).
Fowler Anchors O-Line
- Senior honors candidate Melvin Fowler heads up an offensive line that has become a unit to watch as the season has progressed. Fowler, who was on this season's "watch list" for the Lombardi Award (recognizing the top interior lineman in Division I-A), has now started 43 consecutive games at center and is the lone senior listed on the offensive line's two-deep heading into the NC State game.
- Of the 10 players listed on the depth chart for the NC State 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 multiple spots).
- Despite its youth, the line is not without experience as four starters (Fowler, Wike, Bryant, Crawford) return from a year ago.
- With one game left in the regular season, the Maryland O-line has allowed just 16 sacks and has helped the Terps churn out an average of 232.5 rushing yards per game, eighth-best in the nation.
Gary Moving Up Charts
- 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. After making a surprise return to play in game one, the Horseheads, N.Y., native has gone on to post another strong season and is again leading the Terrapins in receiving.
- Gary has led or tied for the team lead in receiving in seven of 10 games this season.
- With a team-high five catches for 93 yards against Clemson, Gary has now caught at least one ball in each of the last 21 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 five receptions in the Clemson game, Gary moved into a tie for sixth on the Terp career charts with 106 receptions, tying the mark of Barry Johnson (1987-90). He also moved into eighth on the all-time yardage list with 1,478.
- 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 third on the school's career list with 567 return yards.
"A.T." = All-Time TFL Leader
- Senior linebacker Aaron Thompson -- who started the season as one of just five ACC players on the 2001 Butkus Award "watch list" -- has continued his solid play this year.
- Thompson enters the NC State game having started all 43 games of his career at Maryland.
- Through 10 games, Thompson is tied for second on the team in sacks (4.5) and is third in TFLs (10).
- 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 45 for his career.
- In addition, Thompson now needs just seven TFL yards to become the school's all-time leader.
- With his sack against Troy State, Thompson moved into ninth all-time at Maryland with 15.5 for his career. With two more sacks this year, Thompson can move as high as the number eight spot on the Maryland career list.
- The Baltimore native's 17 TFLs in 1999 rank tied for fourth on the Terps' single-season charts.
Barnard A Guy Semifinalist
- Junior All-America candidate and Ray Guy semifinalist Brooks Barnard has picked up where he left off a year ago, ranking third nationally and first in the ACC with a 44.6 yard punting average.
- Of Barnard's 50 punts on the year, 16 have been downed inside the 20 (11 inside the 20 and five inside the 10) and 14 have been 50 yards or further.
- 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.
- 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 addition to his gross punting average, Barnard has also helped the Terps' punt cover team excel as he has a 40.4 net punting average, fourth-best in the nation and tops in the ACC.
In the Nick of Time
- Nick Novak started his freshman season struggling to hold onto his job as the Terps' full-time placekicker. After five games, he was 4-of-10 with his longest effort going 33 yards. Then, just when his team needed him most, he transformed into one of the league's best kickers in the Georgia Tech game.
- With the whole country watching, Novak hit a 46-yarder with time expiring to send the Tech game into overtime and then won it with a 26-yarder in the first overtime frame. It started an amazing run for the Charlottesville, Va., native.
- Starting with the game-tying kick at Georgia Tech, Novak has now made 11 of his last 13 attempts, with the lone misses being a 50-yard attempt that kicked off the midpoint of the right upright and a 62-yard attempt that fell just a few yards short.
- Novak's kicks have not all been chip shots either. The sequence of the nine kicks (successful kicks are bold): 46, 26, 50, 23, 51, 33, 50, 25, 46, 29, 62, 20, 26.
- Novak has tied the school record for PATs in a season (39 - Jess Atkinson, 1982) and is now just two shy of tying the single-season record for field goals (17 - Dan Plocki ('88), Atkinson ('84).
- With four field goals against Troy State, Novak became the first Maryland kicker to boot four in a game since Dan Plocki kicked four against Wake Forest in 1985, a span of almost 17 years.
- Novak is now 15th nationally with 1.5 field goals per game.
Local Ties
- Maryland has one player who calls the state of North Carolina home as true freshman Russell Bonham played at Carver High School in Winston-Salem.
- Maryland offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe was a graduate assistant at NC State in 1975 and defensive line coach Dave Sollazzo coached at Guilford College in 1988. In addition, Terp inside linebackers coach Rod Sharpless is a native of Jacksonville, N.C.
- The Wolfpack have three players who call the Old Line State home. In alphabetical order: OL Brian Archis (Bel Air), OL Antoine Colvin (Baltimore) and DE Drew Wimsatt (Damascus).
- NC State running backs coach Dick Portee was an assistant coach at Maryland from 1982-89.
Opportunistic Terps
- After forcing 25 turnovers in the last seven games, Maryland now ranks second in the nation (behind only Miami, Fla.) with a +1.70 turnover margin average.
- The Terps' success has come in their ability to hang onto the ball as much as anything else. The team has gained 32 turnovers (nine fumbles, 23 interceptions) and has lost only 15 (seven fumbles, eight interceptions) for a +17 total.
- Maryland has lost the turnover battle in just one game this year -- the Florida State game. Against Maryland, the Terps forced four turnovers and gave up just one.
- Maryland's 23 interceptions are most in the nation and 11 more than its total from the entire 2000 season.
In The Zone
- The Terps have been solid in 2001 in the red zone both offensively and defensively.
- Through 10 games, Maryland is 45-of-55 (81.8%) in the red zone with 35 touchdowns. The 10 stumbles have been four missed field goals, three loss of downs, two interceptions and one fumble.
- In the last three games, the Terrapins were a perfect 16 of 16 in the red zone (11 TDs, five field goals).
- Opponents have made it into Maryland's red zone just 29 times this season and have come away with 13 TDs and seven field goals (20-of-29 overall).
- When the Terps have been in the red zone this year, they have scored touchdowns 64 percent of the time. Opponents have scored TDs 45 percent of the time against them.
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.
- The 1951 team was honored at halftime of this year's Duke game.
Consecutive Starts
- Several Terrapins currently own significant streaks of consecutive starts. By number of starts: C Melvin Fowler - 43, OLB Aaron Thompson - 43, and OG Todd Wike - 31.
- Terps not listed above who have started the most games overall (not consecutive) include: OT Matt Crawford - 30, CB Tony Okanlawon - 27, NT Charles Hill - 25, LB E.J. Henderson - 21, and LB Mike Whaley - 20.
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).
Scouting The Wolfpack
- NC State enters this weekend's contest fresh off one of the biggest wins in school history after defeating Florida State 34-28 in Tallahassee. The loss ended FSU's 39-game winning streak over ACC opponents at home and improved the Wolfpack to 6-3 overall and 4-3 in the ACC.
- The victory over the Seminoles was even sweeter for NC State since it was Homecoming in Tallahassee and it was the first loss for Bobby Bowden on Homecoming, dropping his record to 25-1.
- NC State was led offensively by the potent one-two punch of sophomore quarterback Philip Rivers and senior tailback Ray Robinson. Rivers was 26-for-33 for 245 yards passing while Robinson carried the ball 21 times for 106 yards and two touchdowns to guide the Pack to the win. Robinson was also Rivers' favorite target, finishing with a team-best eight receptions for 39 yards.
- The Wolfpack's offense has been impressive all season long as they have averaged 28.2 points per game. On the opposite side of the ball, the NC State defense has been steady, as the Pack has allowed 21.4 points per game. One stat that stands out is that the Wolfpack have played their best football early in the game, outscoring their opponents 147-90 in the first half.
- As effective as the play of Rivers and Robinson has been for the Wolfpack offense, senior outside linebacker Levar Fisher is one of the nation's top defenders. Fisher is a semifinalist for the Butkus Award and for the Defensive Player of the Year by the Football News after winning ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors a year ago. Fisher is State's all-time leading tackler.
NC State's Chuck Amato
- In just his second season in Raleigh, Chuck Amato has quickly transformed NC State into an ACC contender. After leading the Wolfpack to an 8-4 record that included a come-from-behind 38-30 win over Minnesota in the 2000 Micronpc.com Bowl, Amato has the Pack at 6-3 in 2001 and fighting for their second bowl berth in as many years.
- Amato arrived at NC State after spending 18 seasons at Florida State under Bobby Bowden. While at FSU, Amato directed the Seminole defensive line for 14 seasons before becoming the linebackers coach for four years.
- Amato began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Easton High School in Easton, Pa. Since that time, Amato has spent time at three schools including a nine-year stint at NC State where he worked his way from being a graduate assistant from 1971-72 to eventually becoming the Pack's defensive coordinator from 1976-79. After State, Amato spent two seasons at Arizona before his 18-year tenure in Tallahassee.
- A 1969 graduate of NC State, Amato was both football player and wrestler in college. Amato played linebacker for the Wolfpack and won two ACC titles in two different weight classes as a grappler.
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 163-99-1 within the friendly confines of Byrd (capacity 48,055).
Bowl Information
- In preparation for the Terrapin football team's upcoming bowl appearance, the University of Maryland Athletic Department is providing the following preliminary information on ticket availability and travel arrangements for Terrapin Club members, football season ticket holders, students, alumni, faculty/staff and general public.
- First priority on purchase of bowl tickets will go to Terrapin Club members. Second priority will go to 2001 football season ticket holders who are not Terrapin Club members. Third priority will go to alumni, faculty and staff who are not Terrapin Club members or football season ticket holders. If tickets remain, they will be made available to the general public. Twenty percent of Maryland's allotment will be set aside for purchase by University of Maryland students with a valid I.D.
- Ticket applications will be mailed to Terrapin Club members and 2001 football season ticket holders on or about Nov. 14.
- Details of the Terrapin Club travel package will be available for all Terrapin Club members within two days of the announcement of bowl selection. This information will be provided via e-mail, www.terrapinclub.org, www.umterps.com, and direct mail.
- Anyone who is not currently a Terrapin Club member is encouraged to join between now and Dec. 5 in order to receive Terrapin Club member bowl ticket benefits.
- For further information on how to join the Terrapin Club, please call 301-314-7020.
