Oct. 17, 2002

Recap| Box Score| Notes| Photo Gallery

Head Coach Ralph Friedgen
On the team's overall performance: "It was a good game tonight. I thought our kids came out, especially in the second half. We were struggling in the first half. We just didn't seem to be in sync. It was mistake after mistake after mistake. I felt like we were very fortunate to be up 6-3 at the half. We made some adjustments offensively and defensively and we told our kids that we knew they could play better. I told them it was going to come down to who was going to want it more. It was going to be a dogfight. I think our offensive line stepped up. I think Scott McBrien played better in the second half and Chris Downs, what can I tell you? He had a phenomenal game. I thought our special teams continued to play well and our defense again played an excellent game."

On winning their first ACC game: "It was a big game because it gets us in the win column in the league. From here on out, we just need to take care of business each and every week and I think we'll be in this thing in the end if we can do that."

On future improvements: "I don't think we've played our best yet. There were a lot of mistakes tonight. We're a young team and I do think we are gaining confidence. The thing I like about it is...they know they can play better."

On the defensive secondary: "I don't think there's a better free safety in the league than Madieu Williams. I think our corners are playing pretty good. We brought a lot of dime. The only statistic that counts is the points. As long as we have more points than they do, I'm not into all those other stats. I just want to win."

On the halftime adjustments: "I really didn't get on them at all at halftime. I think I said to them, 'How many think we can play better?' and they all nodded. I said, 'We have to do that if we want to win this football game. We can't go out and play like we just did...this is going to be down to who wants it more. If we commit the same mistakes we did the first half, we're not going to win this thing.' And we went out and put the opening drive in and that helped."

"We made a few adjustments at halftime and I think our offensive coaches did a very good job. They put us in some situations where we were being successful. We changed a few calls, ran a couple different formations and some things started happening."

Scooter Monroe
On receiving over 100 yards: "We've had a lot of good receivers come through [Maryland] the last few years and I guess they just never broke the century mark. I did tonight-it was a good feeling."

On beating Georgia Tech: "This is a big weight off our backs. Georgia Tech is a good football team; obviously a lot of people respect them. We came out and played well offensively. It showed us that we can go up against a good team and perform. And we can do it on Thursday night on national television. We are excited about that and it will just build our confidence for the rest of the year."

Domonique Foxworth
On the secondary: "The secondary is like a microcosm of the whole team. As we get better, the whole team gets better. The great thing about the secondary is that we are all on the same page. When I slip up Madieu [Williams] or Dennard [Wilson] is always there to help me. If they slip up, I am always there to help them. It's just great."

Scott McBrien
On winning on national T.V.: "It seems like when we are on national television, we don't really make it happen. We wanted to go out tonight in front of a national crowd and prove that we can make things happen and win the big game. We started out a bit rusty but we made adjustments during halftime and proved that we can win the big game."

On the running backs: "Chris was running the ball real well and that took a lot of pressure off of me and the whole offense. Whenever you have a back on the roll like that, you want to keep giving him the ball."

"When you have both [Josh Allen and Chris Downs] in there, you can't really key on one. You have to key on them both. They are both big playmakers and they have the potential to make a play when they find a hole. That really allows our offense to get the running game going which opens up the passing game."

Durrand Roundtree
On the Terps' first ACC win: "It makes us feel like the world is on our shoulders. We can accomplish anything if we work together. Things won't always go our way for the whole game. Other teams are good too. They practice just like we practice. It comes down to who executes the best and wants it the most."

Chris Downs
On his 212-yard rushing performance: "Thank God for the offensive line. They did it for me. I'm thankful the offensive line came out and did its job. If they don't do their job, I can't do mine."

On his 64-yard touchdown run: "I just saw a big hole-a big gaping hole. But it wasn't me, it was the offensive line. They pushed [Georgia Tech] off the ball and spread them out."

On the offense: "I feel the offense has a high confidence level right now after these last two wins. We just need to keep building on these victories."