Football Game Notes -- Maryland at Wake Forest
9/17/2001 8:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 17, 2001
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Maryland vs. Wake Forest Notes in PDF Format
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The Game
- The University of Maryland football team looks to move to 3-0 overall and 2-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference as it will take on Wake Forest University in its first road contest of the 2001 season. Kickoff for the game at Groves Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C., is set for 3:38 p.m.
- The Terrapins and Demon Deacons meet after having last weekend's games postponed due to the national tragedies at the World Trade Center and Pentagon buildings. Maryland was scheduled to play West Virginia last weekend and that game has been moved to September 29th at noon while WFU was slated to face Northern Illinois. That matchup is scheduled to be made up on either November 23rd or 24th.
- Maryland has begun its 109th season of college football in impressive fashion, handing conference foe North Carolina a 23-7 defeat in the season opener two weeks ago and then blasting Eastern Michigan, 50-3, last weekend. Maryland is 2-0 for the third time in the last 10 years but it is only the second time since 1979 that one of those wins was against a conference opponent.
- Wake Forest also enters this weekend with a 2-0 record after an impressive win over East Carolina followed by another win over Appalachian State, its first over the Mountaineers since 1996.
- Should Maryland win at Winston-Salem, it would mark just the second time since 1988 that the Terps have opened the season 2-0 in the ACC. In addition, coach Ralph Friedgen would join Paul "Bear" Bryant (1945) and Jim Tatum (1947) as the only Maryland head coaches since 1943 to open with a 3-0 record in their first season at College Park.
- This Saturday's game can be heard live on WTEM (980 AM) in the D.C. area, but the game will not be heard live on WBAL (1090 AM) in the Baltimore area due to conflicts with the Baltimore Orioles. WBAL will tape delay the broadcast and carry the game after the Orioles' day-night doubleheader while the Terps will be available live in the Baltimore area on WNST (1570 AM).
Series Notes
- Saturday's game marks the 50th meeting between the Terrapins and Demon Deacons. Maryland leads the all-time series -- which began in 1917 -- by a 35-13-1 margin.
- Maryland and Wake Forest have met every year since 1971. That '71 season marked what can be considered the end of a good run in the series for Wake. At the end of the '71 season, the ledger between the two schools was 12-7-1 in Maryland's favor. Since that time, the Terps own a 23-6 record against the Demon Deacons and have won seven of the last 10 meetings.
- Last season, the Terps beat WFU, 37-7. The game marked Maryland's top offensive game of the season against a conference opponent (479 total yards) as well as their largest margin of victory (30) over any opponent in 2000.
- With the exception of a season opener between the two schools in 1958, Maryland and Wake Forest have never squared off with both teams unbeaten.
- The Wake Forest game marks the second time in three games this year that the Maryland game involves a pair of new head coaches and also the second of four times this year that Ralph Friedgen will square off with another ACC coach in his first season as head coach. Wake's Jim Grobe is in his first season after six years as head coach at Ohio University.
Offensive Breakout
- Maryland scored one touchdown in the first three quarters of 2001, but has since gone on a scoring rampage by scoring 64 points in the five ensuing quarters.
- The Terrapins held a 44-0 lead midway through the fourth quarter against Eastern Michigan, the largest lead by a Maryland team since it held a 45-0 lead in an eventual 45-7 win over UNC in 1999. The Terps' 47-point margin of victory was their largest since a 52-0 home win over Wake Forest in 1996.
- The 280 rushing yards by Maryland were 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).
- Maryland ran up 476 yards of total offense and outgained Eastern Michigan by 352 yards. The yardage total is the most by Maryland since it gained 479 against Wake Forest last year.
Defense Off and Running
- Though the season is only three weeks old for Maryland, one fact seems apparent -- the Terrapin defense is much improved over last year. Though the personnel is not drastically different, the results have been. A unit that allowed an average of 440 yards per game a year ago has not allowed more than 276 in either game this year and is thus far yielding an average of 200 yards per contest.
- 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). Two 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 both of their opponents 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, neither opponent has scored more than seven and the average allowed is a paltry 5.0 points per outing.
- Terp opponents are averaging 2.2 yards per carry this season.
- Maryland has yet to allow a touchdown through the air and has not allowed a touchdown (rush or pass) in seven consecutive quarters.
- The Terrapin defense is currently ranked fifth in scoring (5.0 ppg), 17th against the run (71.0 ypg), and 20th against the pass (129.0 ypg) in the NCAA.
On This Date
- The Terrapins have played four games in their history on September 22 and own a 5-1 record on the date. Its lone loss on the date came 45 years ago. The ledger:
Year Result Opponent Site 1990 W, 13-12 NC State College Park 1984 W, 20-17 West Virginia Morgantown, W. Va. 1979 W, 35-14 Mississippi State College Park 1973 W, 23-3 North Carolina Chapel Hill, N.C. 1962 W, 7-0 SMU College Park 1956 L, 12-26 Syracuse College Park
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 Highlghts/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
R. Vanderlinden ('97-00) 2-9 (1-7) 15-29 Beat UNC 45-7 to move to 5-2 in '99
Ralph Friedgen ('01-) 2-0 (1-0) Same Led Terps to opening day win over UNC
Barnard Leads NCAA in Punting
- 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 just twice against Eastern Michigan (46.0 avg.) but the inactivity didn't hurt his average this year as he stands at 49.5 yards per punt, best in NCAA Division I-A.
- Barnard was one of the primary keys to the Terps' success in owning prime field position against UNC as he averaged 50.4 yards on eight punts.
- Of Barnard's 10 punts on the year, six have been downed inside the 20 (four inside the 20 and two inside the 10) and eight 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 two games in 2001, he has already had eight go further than 50 and six downed inside the 20.
LaMont Who?
- Entering 2001, many have had their eyes in the Maryland backfield with the interest of seeing who will replace departed star LaMont Jordan. Jordan, a second-round selection of the NFL's New York Jets, finished his Terrapin career in 2000 as the team's all-time leading rusher with 4,147 yards and as the school's leader in all-purpose yards with 4,960.
- Thus far, sophomore back Bruce Perry has not only led Maryland in rushing, but he has done so in a fashion that has made last season's rushing attack pale by comparison.
- Perry has opened his first season as the Terrapins' starter by posting back-to-back 100-yard efforts and improving his career single-game highs with each outing.
- Against EMU, Perry carried 16 times for a robust 133 yards (8.3 ypc) and three touchdowns -- all before the end of the third quarter. The 133 yards bested his career high of 116 set the week before and the three touchdowns were the first, second and third of his career.
- With his three TDs, Perry became just the 13th player in school history to find the end zone three times in one game via the run.
- Perry enters week three ranked 12th in the NCAA and second in the ACC in rushing with 124.5 yards per game.
Hill a Vital Cog at QB
- Though his numbers are not yet eye-popping, there is no questioning that senior Shaun Hill is the leader of the Terrapin offense.
- Two games in, the Parsons, Kansas, native is playing mistake-free football in leading Maryland to two impressive wins. With Hill under center, the Terps have not committed a turnover (the lone fumble was by backup Latrez Harrison).
- Hill improved in the passing department versus EMU, going 15-of-21 (.714) for 187 yards, and one TD in just over two quarters of work.
- Though his yardage totals are not the highest in the league, Hill's production has been just what the doctor ordered for a team in search of the winning feeling -- four TDs (three passing, one rushing) and no interceptions or fumbles.
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 35 consecutive games at center and is the lone senior listed on the offensive line's two-deep heading into the West Virginia game.
- Of the 10 players listed on the depth chart for the WVU 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 their youth, the line is not without experience as four starters (Fowler, Wike, Bryant, Crawford) return from a year ago.
- Through two games, the Maryland O-line has allowed just three sacks and has helped the Terps churn out an average of 220.5 rushing yards per game, 19th-best in the nation.
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. 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 two games.
- Against Eastern Michigan, Henderson spent most of his day in the opponent's backfield, making eight total tackles (five solo), with three of those coming behind the line of scrimmage in about one half of play.
- Henderson currently leads Maryland in tackles (20) and tackles for loss (6).
- In his two-plus years at Maryland, Henderson has notched double-digits in tackles eight times.
- Dating back to last year, Henderson has finished with double-digit tackle performances in five of the last six games.
- Henderson finished seventh in the ACC in tackles a year ago and is third among those returning in 2001. A viable All-American candidate, Henderson averaged 13.8 tackles per game (55 total) in the four games after his injury last year including 18 in the finale versus Georgia Tech.
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 West Virginia game having started all 35 games of his career at Maryland.
- Through two games, Thompson leads the Terps in sacks (2.5) and is second in TFLs (4).
- 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).
- In addition, Thompson now needs just 30 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.
Gary Regaining Form
- Just over two weeks after being airlifted from practice to the hospital, senior wideout Guilian Gary has resumed playing and seems to be back where he was prior to the incident. The Horseheads, N.Y., native suffered a spinal injury at practice on Tuesday, August 21, and was airlifted to a shock & trauma center in Baltimore where he was ultimately evaluated and diagnosed with a neck sprain.
- Gary led the Terps in receiving against EMU, catching a career-high tying six passes for 76 yards, including a 19-yard TD in the second quarter.
- With his six receptions against Eastern Michigan, Gary has now caught at least one pass in each of the last 13 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 broke into the Maryland career top 20 with his 72nd reception.
- 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 fifth on the school's career list with 483 return yards.
Local Ties
- Maryland has one player who calls the state of North Carolina home as true freshman Russell Bonham (OT) played at Carver High School in Winston-Salem. In addition, Terrapin inside linebackers coach Rod Sharpless is a native of Jacksonville, N.C.
- Terps' special teams coordinator and tight ends coach Ray Rychleski was an assistant at Wake Forest from 1993-2000.
- The Demon Deacons have a total of five players from the Old-Line State. By hometown: DE Joe Salsich (Annapolis), TE Jerome Nichols (Glenn Dale), OG Blake Henry (Towson), DE Jason Finklea (Wheaton) and DB Eric King (Woodstock).
In The Zone
- The Terps have been solid thus far in 2001 in the red zone both offensively and defensively.
- Through two games, Maryland is 8-of-10 in the red zone with eight touchdowns. The lone stumbles were both missed field goals.
- Opponents have made it into Maryland's red zone just once this season and have come away empty.
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 - 35, OLB Aaron Thompson - 35, OG Todd Wike - 23, CB Tony Okanlawon - 16, and LB Mike Whaley - 13.
- Terps not listed above who have started the most games overall (not consecutive) include: OT Matt Crawford - 22, NT Charles Hill - 17, and LB E.J. Henderson - 14.
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).
Terps Earn Votes
- Maryland received votes in both the USA Today/ESPN and the Associated Press polls last week. The Terrapins were given five votes in the coaches' poll and 11 in the AP.
- The Terps got no votes in either poll in the preseason and earned six votes in just the coaches' poll after week one.
Tragedy Hits Home
- Several Maryland players and a coach were personally affected by the national tragedy of a week ago. Fortunately, all involved reportedly escaped unharmed.
- Offensive line coach Tom Brattan's brother and C Melvin Fowler's brother both worked in the world trade center, DB Sal Aragona's mother worked near the twin towers, WR Aaron Smith's father worked at the Pentagon as did CB Curome Cox's sister.
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 Wake Forest
- Like the Terps, Wake Forest has opened its season at 2-0 and opened some eyes in the meantime. First-year coach Jim Grobe has used a strong run offense to help get his team off to its best start since 1996.
- In their two wins, the Demon Deacons have upset a quality opponent in East Carolina (21-19) while breaking a two-game win streak by Appalachian State (20-10) with 14 unanswered points in the second half.
- WFU is averaging 417 yards of total offense per game this season, a marked improvement over last season's 326 yards per game. The Deacs have gotten it done this year on the ground, averaging 249.5 yards per game, a total that ranks ninth nationally heading into the Maryland game.
- Leading the way on the ground has been junior Tarence Williams who has rambled for an average of 137 yards per game, best in the ACC.
- The Demon Deacons have used a two-headed monster at quarterback this year as Anthony Young and James McPherson have each played significantly, and the duo actually took an even 37 snaps apiece against Appalachian State.
- Defensive end Calvin Pace has been among the defensive leaders for Wake Forest as he is fourth on the team in tackles with 13 and leads the team in sacks (2-14) and tackles for loss (3-17).
WFU Coach Jim Grobe
- The 2001 season marks the debut for Jim Grobe at Wake Forest and thus far, things have gone well as no Demon Deacon coach has gone 2-0 in his first year since Bill Dooley in 1987.
- Grobe comes to Winston-Salem by way of Ohio University where he took the Bobcats from a winless season the year before his arrival to a .500 record (33-33-1) in his six-year tenure.
- Prior to working in Athens, Grobe served as an assistant coach at the Air Force Academy for 11 years under long-time Falcon coach Fisher DeBerry. While Grobe was in Colorado Springs, USAFA produced a record of 84-50 and played in seven bowl games.
- Other coaching stints for Grobe included time at Marshall and Emory & Henry.
- A 1975 graduate of Virginia who earned All-ACC academic honors, Grobe is a native West Virginian who also earned his master's degree at UVa.
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.
- Heading into 2001, the Terrapins are 157-103-1 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.
