Terp Football Practice Report #4
8/12/2001 8:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 12, 2001
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
University of Maryland's football team made it back outside for its second full-squad practice session Sunday after having Saturday's second workout washed out by a thunderstorm.
The Terps practiced in shorts and shoulder pads for two rain-free hours on the artificial surface field near their grass practice fields, which were still soggy from the heavy drenching they absorbed during Saturday's storm. The late afternoon downpour forced the cancellation of Saturday evening's full-squad workout, although individual units were able to get in some activity at the newly resurfaced indoor practice bubble located adjacent to the university golf course.
Following Sunday's workout, first-year head coach Ralph Friedgen said that things are on schedule despite the fact weather has played havoc with the Terps' original plans.
"You're never satisfied, but I'm not disappointed," said Friedgen, whose team will work out in shorts and shoulder pads again on Monday before donning full gear on Tuesday. "For what we have put in - including the shifting and the motion - we're not going to run it perfectly now, anyway. On Saturday night, we were able to keep up on the installation [of our schemes], but we lost some on conditioning and those things. But I feel satisfied with where we are right now."
Where the Terps are right now is less than three weeks from the 2001 season opener, which will take place Saturday, Sept. 1 when Maryland hosts ACC rival North Carolina at Byrd Stadium in a game televised on a split-national basis by ABC. It is the first of three consecutive home games to open the season, something that has never happened in the modern era for the Terps.
Other notes from Sunday:
-- Friedgen said that redshirt freshman Jon Condo (Philipsburg, Pa.) and true freshman Jesse Kluttz (Fallston, Md.) are continuing to battle for the long-snapping chores. Kluttz is getting extensive prep time on snaps.
-- Junior college transfer Jamal Chance (Ephrata, Pa.), who arrived earlier this week from Lackawanna JC in Scranton, Pa., has been moved from safety to corner, where he has shown potential in his brief time at the position. "It would help us if he could play there," said Friedgen. "We've been impressed with him so far, and he seems to be picking things up well. We'll see what happens when the hitting starts, but we've been encouraged by him."
-- Friedgen expects to see a battle for the starting place kicking job between senior letterman Vedad Siljkovic (Montenegro, Yugoslavia) and redshirt freshman Nick Novak (Charlottesville, Va.). "I think both are pretty good," said the head coach. "As soon as we get into pads, we will make that a real competitive situation and see who can make the pressure kicks."
-- On his true freshman tailbacks, Jason Crawford (Forestville, Md.) and Mario Merrills (Columbia, Md.), Friedgen said: "Both those kids showed a burst and an ability to have good vision and see the cut. Both of them did some things today that jumped out at me."
-- Friedgen continues to be impressed with the showing of true freshman Randy Starks, a defensive lineman from Waldorf, Md. "He is going to be a player," said the head coach.
-- As to the potential makeup of special teams, Friedgen believes he has the talent on hand to comprise some solid units. "I'm always looking for guys who want to jump in there, and we have some guys who want to play special teams," he said.
-- Linebacker Kenneth Jerry (Melbourne, Fla.), a redshirt freshman, has decided not to return to the team for reasons related to his father's illness, according to Friedgen. Another linebacker with Florida ties, senior Kevin Bishop (St. Petersburg, Fla.), has given up the sport and plans to attend law school. Bishop was the Terps' third-leading tackler in 1999. He suffered a torn ACL in his knee late in the '99 season and hurt his other knee toward the end of last season.
Two-a-days continue with 9:15 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. workouts scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. For season ticket information, call 1-800-462-TERP.
