2002 Football Outlook, Part VI
8/7/2002 8:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 7, 2002
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The following is the sixth installment of an eight-part series that will look at each facet of the 2002 University of Maryland football team starts its first day of freshman workouts. With the first day of full-squad practice scheduled for Saturday, August 10, this series first looked at the offense and the quarterback position (July 30); the running backs (Aug. 1); wide receivers and tight ends (Aug. 2); the offensive line (Aug. 5); the defense and defensive line (Aug. 6); the linebacking corps (today); the defensive backfield (Thursday, August 8); and the special teams (Friday, August 9).
PART VI: LINEBACKER
The linebacking corps finds itself as one of the more interesting units on the Terrapin roster. On one hand, it has the most talent and experience of any position on the Maryland defense. On the other hand, it is a position that has some question marks as fall camp opens due to injury and graduation. It is a position that could start the season a little short-handed while at the same time, it could finish the season as one of the top units on the team.
The most recognizable cog is senior E.J. Henderson, a player who made a name for himself nationally in 2001 while earning consensus All-American and ACC Player and Defensive Player of the Year recognition. It is a given that Henderson will start in the middle ("Mike") and be the anchor of the Terp defense as he was a year ago. The question is what game will be his first as he underwent surgery on his back in early April. When he does find the field - whether it is in the opener or not - Henderson can be counted on to lead the defense with his hard-nosed play that finds him making plays from sideline to sideline and, more often than not, in the opposition's backfield.
Backing up Henderson at "Mike" will be Andrew Henley and possibly Bernie Fiddler while newcomer Reggie Holmes will also get a look. Henley is an athletic playmaker who will likely get the nod should Henderson's health be an issue. Fiddler will back him up unless the position looks in good hands (i.e., Henderson is healthy) in which case he will likely move back to fullback. Meanwhile, Holmes is a high school All-American who -- at a minimum -- will have a chance to watch and learn from the best this school has seen in an effort to groom him for future playing time.
At the "Will" (weakside) linebacker spot, Leon Joe looks to continue his trek toward becoming one of the top linebackers in the ACC. Joe is as athletic as any player on the roster and showed at times last year the ability to make plays all over the field. After getting his feet wet as a starter a year ago, big things are expected in this, his junior season. Behind Joe, there is a cluster of players who will be vying for playing time in the fall. Curtis Williams and Maurice Smith both saw time there in the spring. Williams is a converted safety who has a nose for the ball and made big plays when on the field last year, whether it was in a game or scrimmage situation. Smith played mostly on special teams as a true freshman, but will get more of a look at linebacker this season. In addition, a pair of newcomers - D'Qwell Jackson and William Kershaw - will also have a chance to earn playing time this fall.
The "Sam" (strongside) linebacker position will be a highly-contested battle for the starting job as a pair of returnees look to replace the departed Aaron Thompson. Leroy Ambush performed well in the spring and came away atop the depth chart while second-year player Ricardo Dickerson (last year's scout team co-player of the year on defense) will continue to push the speedy junior for the starting role. Dickerson is a hitter who combines good speed, quickness, cover skills and aggressiveness. His primary needs right now are experience and comfort in the defensive system.
Though the competition for the starting strongside position will be tight, happenings at the "Leo" (rush end) position could be the most dynamic at the start of fall camp. Last year's starter (Mike Whaley) did not make the cut academically and the one certainty is that a new face will man the position. Sophomore Jamahl Cochran, sophomore Jon Condo and junior college transfer Andrew Wojcik all participated in spring drills and enter fall camp listed in that order on the depth chart. Cochran is a solid run-stopper and Condo is attempting to see time beyond his duties as a long snapper, while Wojcik is a junior college transfer who was shifted from end in the spring.
Where the position gets interesting is with the influx of newcomers who are expected to challenge for anything from playing time to the starting role. Chief among the candidates at "Leo" are Shawne Merriman and Randy Earle. Merriman enters his first season as one of the most decorated players of the incoming recruiting class, while Earle has good size and showed the ability to get upfield as a prep despite nearly constant double-teams. In all, any one of five players could end up taking the first snap against Notre Dame on August 31st, and preseason will be an interesting one to watch at "Leo."
"Obviously, E.J. Henderson is a big key to our linebacking unit," said Friedgen. "If we can get him back healthy, we will be able to keep from shuffling people around that much. Overall, we have some real talent at linebacker and it will be a position to watch down the road with some of our newcomers. Players like Shawne Merriman, Reggie Holmes and D'Qwell Jackson will get a look this year and hopefully we can find a good mix between who is healthy and who is ready to play."
