Nov. 5, 2001
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
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The Game
- The University of Maryland football team looks to move one step closer to its first Atlantic Coast Conference title since 1985 as it takes on the Clemson University Tigers this Saturday at Byrd Stadium. Kickoff for the game, which will be televised nationally by espn2, is set for 7:08 p.m.
- The Terrapins (8-1, 5-1 ACC) got back on track last week with an impressive 47-14 win over Division I-A independent Troy State. Maryland put the Trojans away early, scoring the game's first 44 points and ultimately racking up 509 yards of total offense en route to victory.
- With a win against Clemson this week, Maryland will have notched its ninth win. That total would tie the mark set by the 1985 squad that went 9-3. Win number eight by the Terrapins this past weekend is at least two victories better than the totals of each of the last 15 seasons.
- The Terrapins are ranked No. 11 in the ESPN/USA Today and No. 13 in the Associated Press polls. The national ranking marks the Terps' sixth week in the Top 25. The last season the Terps were ranked prior to this one was 1995 and the last time they finished the season in the Top 25 was 1985 when they finished 18th and went to the Cherry Bowl.
- Clemson comes to College Park with a 5-3 record (3-3 ACC) and losers of two of its last three games. The Tigers' last outing was a 41-27 loss in "Bowden Bowl III," the now annual matchup between FSU's Bobby Bowden and CU's Tommy Bowden. In that game at Death Valley, Clemson fell behind 27-10 in the first half and simply could not get back in the game, though it did outscore the Seminoles in the second half.
- This week, the Terps are looking to nail down their first nine-win season since 1985. In '85, Maryland went 9-3, won the ACC title and the Cherry Bowl. The Terps are currently tied atop the ACC standings with Florida State, with conference games remaining versus Clemson (11/3) and at NC State (11/17) while Florida State has NC State (11/10) and Georgia Tech (12/1) still on the schedule.
- Should the Terrapins win this week, two things will occur. First, the team will become just the 10th team in the 109-year history of Maryland football to win nine games or more. And second, the Terrapins will become the first team in school history to win seven games at home. The 1976 team holds the best mark ever at Byrd with a 6-0 mark.
Series Notes
- Saturday's game marks the 50th meeting between the Terrapins and Tigers. Clemson leads the all-time series -- which began in 1952 -- 27-20-2.
- Clemson has been in control of the series since 1981, winning 16 of the 20 games between the two schools (the Terps have won three and the two teams tied in 1986). Prior to 1981, Maryland had a stronghold as the more dominant team as the Terrapins held a 17-11-1 record from 1952-80.
- The last time a ranked Maryland team played Clemson was in 1983. In that meeting, the Terps were ranked 11th and were without a loss in the ACC while the Tigers were ranked 17th. Clemson won the game at Death Valley, 52-27, but because of NCAA sanctions, the Tigers were ineligible for a league title and the game was counted in the ACC standings as a Maryland victory (it was considered a loss in the overall record). The Terrapins were conference champions that year and ultimately played Tennessee in the Citrus Bowl (a 23-20 loss).
- In last year's meeting between the two schools, Clemson won 35-14 behind 464 yards of offense, the Tigers' second-lowest offensive output at that point in the season (through seven games).
- Though Maryland's roster hasn't changed dramatically since last year's game, the names in this year's box score will. Of the players listed for the Terps in last year's box score for rushing, passing and receiving, only three remain. Scooter Monroe, Jafar Williams and Guilian Gary accounted for a combined three receptions and 43 yards a year ago.
- The Terrapins' best chance for a win in the last eight meetings came in 1999 when they took a 24-21 lead early in the third quarter of what was ultimately a 42-30 defeat. In that game, LaMont Jordan ran for four touchdowns, second most in a single game in school history and most since Charlie Wysocki accomplished the same feat in 1981.
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 school history.
- In the Troy State game, Maryland posted 47 points and 509 yards of offense. It marked the third time this year that the Terps had run up more than 500 yards of offense and the third time in the last five games that Maryland had posted 480 or more. The Terrapins are now averaging an ACC-best 447.9 yards per game.
- The Terrapins have scored 330 points this season, an average of 36.7 per game. With 24 more points, the Terps will have 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).
- Against FSU, the Terrapins gained a total of 428 offensive yards. That total was their most since 1993 against the Noles and just 17 yards shy of what the Terps have gained in the last two years combined against Florida State.
- 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.
- On the season, Maryland's offensive balance has been uncanny. The Terps are averaging 234.1 yards on the ground and 213.8 through the air.
- In their offensive breakout game against Duke, 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.
Getting Defensive
- With two regular season games 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.
- After a rough 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).
- 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 this 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.
- 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 three weeks ago.
- 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 19.0 points per game (second-best in the ACC).
- Terp opponents are averaging 2.6 yards per carry this season.
- Maryland's defense is second in the nation in interceptions (19) and turnovers forced (28).
- The Terrapins lead the Atlantic Coast Conference in sacks with 33.
- Last year's unit allowed an average of 440 yards per game. This year's "D" is yielding an average of 332.0 yards per contest and 92.9 per game on the ground (13th best nationally).
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-) 8-1 (5-1) Same Tied best start ever (7-0) by an ACC coach
Unprecedented Debut
- Ralph 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).
BRUUUUUCE
- This 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 eight games, that three-pronged attack has been replaced by a single back who is now being considered as a Doak Walker candidate in just his first year as a starter.
- Perry had only 10 carries as he and others were rested after opening up a sizable lead against TSU, but the Philadelphia native made the most of his touches. Perry ran for 45 yards and a touchdown and also had his first career receiving TD on a 17-yarder from Shaun Hill early in the second quarter.
- Perry opened this season with five straight 100-yard games and is currently 17th in the nation and first in the ACC in rushing yards per game (117.9 ypg) after leading the nation for three weeks (from after the Wake Forest game to after the Virginia game).
- Perry now has 1,061 yards on the season. That total already ranks fifth in the Maryland single season annals and makes him just the second sophomore in school history to run for more than 1,000 yards (Charlie Wysocki 1,140 in 1979).
- 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 14 games in their history on November 10 and have posted a record of 9-4-1 on the date. Among the notables is one of the biggest wins in school history, the miracle comeback at Miami (Terps were down 31-0 at half, won 42-40) and a 6-6 tie in the only game versus Clemson on the date (1956). The ledger:
Year Result Opponent
1990 L, 10-24 at #21 Penn State
1984 W, 42-40 at #6 Miami
1973 W, 33-0 Virginia
1962 L, 7-10 at Duke
1956 T, 6-6 #11 Clemson
1951 W, 40-21 Navy
1945 W, 38-0 Virginia Military
1934 W, 23-0 Virginia Military
1928 W, 6-0 at Yale
1923 L, 14-16 at Yale
1917 W, 13-3 St. John's (Annapolis)
1906 W, 20-4 at St. John's (Annapolis)
1899 L, 0-62 at St. John's (Annapolis)
1896 W, 20-10 Bethel Military
Seniors Bid Byrd Adieu
- A total of 19 seniors are playing their final game at Byrd Stadium this weekend against Clemson. 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 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 eight of nine games.
- Henderson currently leads Maryland in tackles (113) and tackles for loss (21). He is currently on pace to post 138 tackles this season.
- Last week against Troy State, Henderson had 10 tackles, two TFLs, one sack, one forced fumble and one blocked punt.
- With 21 TFLs, Henderson stands second on the Maryland single season list. He now needs just four to break the record of 24 set by the legendary Randy White in 1974.
- 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 14 times.
- Dating back to last year, Henderson has finished with double-digit tackle performances in 11 of the last 13 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 12.9 tackles per game (168 total) in his last 13 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.
- Three weeks ago, 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.
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 eighth win in the bag, Maryland has virtually 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.
- 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 out, 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 their remaining ACC road game (against NC State), 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 eye-popping, there is no questioning that senior Shaun Hill is the leader of the Terrapin offense.
- With two games left in the regular season, the Parsons, Kansas, native is a key component in an offense that has helped lead to eight impressive wins. With Hill under center, the Terps have committed just 11 turnovers (two others have occurred after Hill has left the game and one occured on a kickoff).
- Though he left the Troy State game early, Hill was as effective as he had been all year. In two-plus quarters of work, Hill completed 15-of-22 passes (68 percent) for 228 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
- Hill was the key component of one of the best offensive displays in team history against Duke.
- In his performance against Duke, 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 12 games as a Maryland starter (dating back to last year), Hill has a record of 9-3.
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 42 consecutive games at center and is the lone senior listed on the offensive line's two-deep heading into the Clemson game.
- Of the 10 players listed on the depth chart for the Clemson 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.
- Through nine games, the Maryland O-line has allowed just 14 sacks and has helped the Terps churn out an average of 234.1 rushing yards per game, 10th-best in the nation.
Gary Moving Up the 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 six of nine games this season.
- With a team-high four catches for 79 yards against Troy State, Gary has now caught at least one ball in each of the last 20 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 four receptions in the TSU game, Gary eclipsed the 100-reception plateau and moved into a tie for seventh on the Terp career charts with 101 receptions, tying the mark of Ferrell Edmunds (1984-87). He also ranks 10th on the all-time yardage list with 1,384.
- 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 FSU game having started all 42 games of his career at Maryland.
- Through nine games, Thompson is tied for first 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 last week against TSU, 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 fourth nationally and first in the ACC with a 44.7 yard punting average.
- Of Barnard's 46 punts on the year, 13 have been downed inside the 20 (nine inside the 20 and four inside the 10) and 13 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 2000, Barnard had a total of 13 punts that traveled further than 50 yards and eight punts downed inside the 20. With two games left in 2001, he has already had 13 go further than 50 and had 13 downed inside the 20.
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 eight of his last nine attempts, with the lone miss being a 50-yard attempt that kicked off the midpoint of the right upright.
- Novak's kicks have not been chip shots either. The sequence of the nine kicks (successful kicks are bold): 46, 26, 50, 23, 51, 33, 50, 25, 46.
Local Ties
- Linebacker Mike Whaley is the lone Terp player from the state of South Carolina. The sophomore's hometown is Lexington.
- Terrapin offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe played quarterback at Clemson in 1969. Defensive line coach Dave Sollazzo coached high school ball in South Carolina (Stratford HS, North Charleston HS and Fort Johnson HS) after graduating from The Citadel and he is one of four Maryland coaches who spent time as a coach at the Charleston military school (Sollazzo, Friedgen, Taaffe, and Seamonson).
- The Tigers do not have any players or coaches with ties to the state of Maryland.
Opportunistic Terps
- After forcing 21 turnovers in the last six games, Maryland now ranks second in the nation with a +1.56 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 28 turnovers (nine fumbles, 19 interceptions) and has lost only 14 (six fumbles, eight interceptions).
- Maryland has lost the turnover battle in just one game this year -- the Florida State game. Against Troy State, the Terps forced two turnovers and gave up none.
- Maryland's 19 interceptions are second most in the nation and seven more than its 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 nine games, Maryland is 38-of-48 (79.2%) in the red zone with 31 touchdowns. The 10 stumbles have been four missed field goals, three loss of downs, two interceptions and one fumble. The Terps were a perfect 6-of-6 in the red zone last week.
- Opponents have made it into Maryland's red zone just 25 times this season and have come away with 12 TDs and five field goals (17-of-25 overall).
- When the Terps have been in the red zone this year, they have scored touchdowns 65 percent of the time. Opponents have scored TDs 48 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 - 42, OLB Aaron Thompson - 42, and OG Todd Wike - 30.
- Terps not listed above who have started the most games overall (not consecutive) include: OT Matt Crawford - 29, CB Tony Okanlawon - 27, NT Charles Hill - 24, LB E.J. Henderson - 20, and LB Mike Whaley - 19.
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 Tigers
- Clemson enters this weekend's contest with a 5-3 record and a 3-3 mark in the ACC, good for a fifth-place tie with NC State.
- The Tigers have been up and down in 2001, with both spectacular wins like their 46-44 overtime win against Georgia Tech and big losses like their 38-3 defeat at the hand of North Carolina.
- The Tigers are coming off of a 41-27 loss at home to Florida State. In that game, the Tigers again put up some strong offensive numbers (463 yards total offense), but simply gave up too many more to their opponent (557 total, 369 pass).
- Clemson's offense has been strong all year, averaging 417.1 yards per game of offense. Its problems have come defensively as it has given up an average of 390.1 yards and 28.4 points per game and tallied just 14 sacks, second fewest in the conference.
- Multi-talented Woodrow Dantzler is Clemson's star. The senior quarterback (he is actually a graduate student) leads the ACC in total offense with 312.1 yards per game (92.1 rush/220.0 pass). Dantzler is the most dangerous rushing quarterback in the ACC (and possibly the nation) and he has thrown for 11 TDs compared to just five interceptions.
Clemson's Tommy Bowden
- In four-plus seasons as a collegiate head coach, Tommy Bowden has built a reputation as a coach who can turn a program around. Now in his third year at Clemson, he has posted a 20-12 record since taking over at the South Carolina school and has a career record of 38-16.
- Bowden came to Clemson two years ago after leading Tulane to a 17-4 record in two seasons and an undefeated season in 1998.
- At the start of 2000, the second season seemed to be the charm for Bowden. His second season at Tulane resulted in a 11-0 mark and a berth in the Independence Bowl and he started 8-0 last year. The Tigers stumbled down the stretch, however, losing three of their last four including a 41-20 defeat at the hands of Virginia Tech in the Gator Bowl.
- The son of Florida State legend Bobby Bowden, Tommy began his coaching career in 1978 as a defensive backs coach under his father. Since that time, he has had stints as an assistant at Auburn ('80, '92-96), Florida State again ('81-83), Duke ('84-86), Alabama ('87-89) and Kentucky ('90) before taking over at Tulane in 1997.
- Bowden is a graduate of West Virginia, where he walked on while his father still coached there in 1973. The younger Bowden graduated from WVU in 1976 under head coach Frank Signetti.
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 161-99-1 within the friendly confines of Byrd (capacity 48,055).
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.
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.
