Football Practice Report No. 6
8/15/2002 8:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 15, 2002
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Tailback Bruce Perry was back in action for a second straight day and the battle for the starting quarterback position remained tight as the University of Maryland football team went through day six of fall camp on Thursday.
Perry, who has been bothered by an abdominal injury which first surfaced last December as the Terps prepared for the Orange Bowl, worked out in both sessions on Thursday. The 5-9, 196-pound junior, last year's Atlantic Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Year, had missed most of fall camp and all of spring practice while nursing the injury. Perry rushed for 1,242 yards a year ago.
"Bruce was pretty good [Wednesday night], but he was a little more limited [Thursday]," said head coach Ralph Friedgen, last year's consensus national coach of the year. "But he's practicing, and that's good. Yesterday, he made some really good cuts. I didn't see any problems. Today he looked a little bit more tentative."
At quarterback, junior transfer Scott McBrien and redshirt sophomore Chris Kelley continue to take a majority of the snaps as they battle for the right to take over the signal-calling duties vacated by Shaun Hill, the leader of last year's record-setting offensive unit who now is the No. 3 quarterback in the Minnesota Vikings camp.
"At times both players really shine, and you think, 'Whoah, they've turned the corner,'" said Friedgen. "Then in the next [practice] period it won't be so good. It's close. Scott McBrien is in the lead, but not by much. He has improved tremendously since the spring. And I'm really amazed at how Chris is running - it's like he was never injured. He's throwing the ball better than in the spring. He's throwing on balance, his technique is a lot better, and he's throwing on the run very well. I may play both of them. The way it is going right now, one gets hot and the other gets hot."
Friedgen says he expects to name a No. 1 quarterback following the team's scrimmage on Tuesday.
Of greater concern to the second-year Terrapin coach is his depth in the offensive line. A series of injuries has depleted the ranks and disrupted Friedgen's hopes for more continuity from his offensive unit. Friedgen is particular worried about who will back up at center, where sophomore Kyle Schmitt, who has never started a game, is taking over for four-year starter Melvin Fowler, now with the Cleveland Browns.
"I'm not disappointed with where we are at, in fact in some areas I think we are ahead of where I thought we would be," said Friedgen. "I think these freshmen are going to give our defense a shot in the arm and give us the depth we didn't have in the spring."
Terrapin Notes
-- Backup guard Ed Tyler, who suffered a broken right fibula in Wednesday's evening practice, is expected to be out of action for approximately two weeks.
-- The Terps have moved sophomore Curtis Williams back to safety after working him at linebacker since last spring. "He was getting frustrated," said Friedgen, "and with [true freshman] D'Qwell Jackson coming on we felt we could do that."
-- Senior cornerback Jamal Chance is getting first-team reps in place of two-year starter Curome Cox, who underwent successful surgery to repair the volar plate in the middle finger of his right hand on Monday. Cox is expected to be sidelined about two weeks.
-- Tailback Mario Merrills, a redshirt freshman who had risen to the top of the depth chart with a solid fall camp, suffered a dislocated shoulder on Thursday, although Friedgen felt the injury would only sideline him for a few days.
-- Newcomer Stephon Heyer has shown indications of contributing as an offensive tackle in his first year, according to Friedgen, who says the ability of the true freshman to play in 2002 gives the team more flexibility with its offensive line rotation.
-- Friedgen on All-America linebacker E.J. Henderson: "E.J. is looking real good. The only thing he really hasn't done is tackle yet. But he's shedding blocks and he's running well. I feel good about him."
The Terps are slated for 8 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. workouts on Friday. Practices are open only to MGN and Terrapin Club members. Reservations must be made to the football office (301-314-7095) in advance.
