Football Game Notes -- Terps at Tech

Oct. 20, 2003

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -

Terps vs. Jackets Game Notes (PDF Format)
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The University of Maryland football team returns to action, searching its sixth-straight win in a nationally televised matchup at Georgia Tech this Thursday night. Kickoff from Bobby Dodd Stadium is slated for 7:45 p.m. EDT with the game being televised by ESPN and broadcast locally on the Terrapin Radio Network. Radio pregame on WMAL (630 AM in D.C.) and WBAL (1090 AM in Baltimore) starts at 7:15 p.m.

In their last outing, the Terrapins (5-2, 2-1 ACC) got their second ACC win of the season, handing Duke a 33-20 loss at Byrd Stadium. The effort was not the Terps' most impressive in its five-game run, but they did shut out the Blue Devils for three quarters before being outscored 20-6 in the final frame. Both Maryland and Georgia Tech enter this week's game coming off of a bye week.

Georgia Tech (4-3, 2-2 ACC) heads into its eighth game as one of the more interesting stories in the conference this year. The Jackets -- picked to finish near the bottom of the ACC in preseason polls -- have had a season of upsets (Auburn, NC State), near upsets (Florida State) and shocking defeats (Clemson), but sit at 2-2 in the conference and having run off two impressive wins in a row to make it back to the .500 mark.

After dropping out of the rankings following their season opener, the Terrapins have slowly continued inching their way back into the national polls. This week, the Terps moved another step closer to a return to the Top 25 as they earned votes in both polls, receiving 45 votes in the both the Associated Press poll and ESPN/USA Today polls. Georgia Tech received five votes in this week's coaches' poll.

Series Notes -- Terps & Jackets

Thursday's game will mark the 16th meeting between the Terrapins and Yellow Jackets. The series began in 1988 and Georgia Tech owns a 10-5 advantage all-time.

Like the last two meetings, this year's game will take place on a Thursday night in front of a nationally televised audience on ESPN. Last year, the Terps had little trouble at home, beating Tech, 34-10. Though the D.C. sniper attacks brought attention to last year's game, the 2001 edition was more memorable from a football standpoint as it served as a national coming-out party for former Tech assistant Ralph Friedgen and his Terps as Maryland beat the Yellow Jackets, 20-17, in overtime on a pair of clutch kicks by then freshman Nick Novak.

Players on this year's roster who made a big impact in last year's win over Georgia Tech include Domonique Foxworth (12-yard fumble return for a touchdown), Novak (two field goals) and Madieu Williams (team-high 10 tackles)s.

The 2001 win at Bobby Dodd Stadium moved Maryland to 6-0 on the season and was a breakout game for Novak. Now a junior, Novak went into that game 4-for-10 with a career long of 33 yards. Since that time, he has gone 50-of-57 (with four of the misses coming from 50 yards or further) and has hit 7-of-11 kicks from 50 yards and beyond, including a school-record tying 54 yarder in the team's last outing.

The Terrapins' dramatic win in their last trip to Atlanta broke a four-game Georgia Tech win streak in the series and was the first-ever for Maryland at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

Though the Terps have beaten Tech just five times in 15 meetings, they have a .571 record (4-3) when Friedgen is not a member of the Yellow Jacket coaching staff (1992-96 Friedgen was with the Chargers and the last two years he was with Maryland). In fact, Friedgen has been a member of the coaching staff of each of the last six winners in the series.

Quick Hits

On the heels of several undefeated teams falling on "Separation Saturday" two weekends ago, Maryland's current five-game win streak is among the longest in Division I-A. The Terrapins are joined by four other schools with a five-game run, the ninth-longest current streak in the nation. Oklahoma and TCU are the nation's leaders with an nine-game streak.

The streaking Terps are no stranger to Georgia Tech the last two years as the Yellow Jackets were Maryland's sixth win in a seven-game streak to start the 2001 season and the fourth win in an eventual eight-game streak last year as well.

The Terrapins have scored first in all seven of their games this year.

The start of each half has been a particular strong point for Maryland this season. The Terrapins are outscoring their opposition 64-10 in the first quarter and 48-10 in the third quarter. The first half has been the team's best half as it has outscored its opponents 124-48.

In Ralph Friedgen's two-plus seasons, Maryland is 24-0 when leading at halftime.

Though they have forced eight turnovers this season, the Terrapins were not able to recover their first fumble on defense prior to Shawne Merriman coming up with a Duke fumble last game.

Anatomy of a Streak

There is such a thing as winning ugly, but with the exception of a couple of quarters in its current five-game win streak, that is virtually the opposite of what Maryland is doing. The Terrapins have dismantled their last five opponents with a strong mix of balance on offense and a stifling defense.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Terps are averaging 447.4 yards per game in their five wins behind 201.2 yards rushing and 246.2 yards passing per outing. Most importantly, the team has scored 186 points in the stretch, an average of 37.2 per game.

Though the offensive attack has been strong and certainly much improved over the first two games of the season, the story over the course of the last five games has been the Terrapin defense. During the streak, the defense has smothered at least one facet of the opponent's attack, whether it be the rush or pass. In that time, Maryland has given up just 9.4 points per game, 102.4 yards on the ground, 159.8 through the air and 262.2 overall.

The team's numbers during the streak took a little bit of a hit against Duke, but a closer look shows that its play was not that dramatically different. Through three quarters, Maryland had held the Blue Devils to zero points and just 201 yards of offense while scoring 27 of their own and racking up nearly 300 yards. With personnel changes by the Terps, however, Duke was able to put up all 20 of its points and another 213 yards of offense in the fourth quarter alone.

Tenured at the Top

With the hiring of Ralph Friedgen and Friedgen's ensuing hires of offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe and defensive coordinator Gary Blackney prior to the 2001 season, the Terrapins got the equivalent of three head coaches atop one coaching staff. Though Friedgen is in just his third season as a head coach, Taaffe (Montreal Alouettes and The Citadel) and Blackney (Bowling Green) each bring significant head coaching experience to the table.

Taaffe and Blackney were able to maintain success virtually everywhere they went as head coaches. 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 (55-47-1).

Blackney was able to achieve success in his own right as a head coach at Bowling Green. In 10 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).

Now in their third seasons at Maryland, the three coaches comprise one of the most experienced triumvirates in college football. With their 88 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.

A Wealth of Experience

The coaching experience on the Terrapin staff does not end with Coach Friedgen and his coordinators. The Maryland staff, overall, possesses a combined total of 187 years of full-time experience at either the collegiate or pro levels.

That total includes four coaches (excluding Friedgen, Taaffe and Blackney) who have been at it for 17 years or more, and the 187 years means an average of almost 19 years of experience per coach on the 2003 staff.

Friedgen's ACCeptional Start

Ralph Friedgen has opened his career as a head coach by setting one coaching record after another and as his third season in College Park moves along, he has once again moved himself to the top of the record books.

Last year, Friedgen became the winningest second-year head coach in ACC history with his 21-5 record, surpassing Clemson's Ken Hatfield by two wins. Seven games into the 2003 regular season, Friedgen has positioned himself at the top of the list of third-year coaches in the conference.

With the Terps' win against Duke, Friedgen tied the record for wins by a third-year coach in the ACC, matching the win totals of Lou Holtz (26-8-2, NC State, 1972-74) and Danny Ford (26-9-0, Clemson, 1979-81). Now 26-7, Friedgen made his way to the top in three less games than Holtz and two less than Ford. With his next win, he will stand alone at No. 1.

No other coach in Maryland history had won more than 17 games in his first two seasons (Friedgen posted 21). With his team's win against Duke, Friedgen broke Bobby Ross' record of 25 wins from 1982-84, the Maryland standard for wins in three seasons.

Coaching Connections

Ralph Friedgen is not the only member of the Terrapin coaching staff with previous 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).

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 school -- 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.

Friedgen was actually Sollazzo's position coach at The Citadel. In addition, the head coach at the college at the time was former Terp mentor Bobby Ross (Bulldog head coach from 1973-77; Terps from '82-86).

Righting The Ship

After a slow start to the 2003 season, both on the scoreboard and in the stat sheet, Maryland has been able to steer clear of its troubles. In the last five games, the Terrapin offense, defense and special teams have all gotten renewed life, posting numbers that have made up for the anemic start of the first two games and put the team right back where it has been the last few years from a statistical standpoint.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Terrapins have returned to the effective balanced attack that has served them so well under coordinator Charlie Taaffe the last two-plus years. Since game two, Maryland has rushed for 1,006 yards and passed for 1,231, along the way posting an average of 26 more points per game than it was able to in its first two games.

The Terp defense has gotten in on the act as well, limiting the opposition to an average of 9.4 points in the last five games. In the run, the defense has held two of five opponents under 200 yards of offense, three of five under 150 yards passing and all but one below 14 points.

The big numbers in the last five games have helped get the team right back where it has been the last few years, statistically speaking. Below is a comparison showing just what the performances have done for the team from a statistical standpoint (totals are team averages through two games in 2003, through seven games in 2003 and for the season in 2002):

	Category	2-game	7-game	2002
	Rush Off.	92.5	176.7	198.8
	Pass Off.	117.0	204.5	190.6
	Total Off.	209.5	381.2	389.4
	Scoring Off.	11.5	29.3	32.2
	Rush Def.	127.5	104.0	128.6
	Pass Def.	248.5	171.0	210.1
	Total Def.	376.0	275.0	338.8
	Scoring Def.	27.5	13.7	16.3

Just Like A Tortoise

Starting 1-2 is never ideal, especially for a team whose expectations were as high as Maryland's coming into 2003. But couple that with the team's play the last five games -- and if last year can be used as any kind of indicator -- maybe it isn't such a bad way to start a campaign.

Last year, the Terps opened 1-2 and then went on to win 10 of their last 11 games, running off eight in a row at one point before dominating Tennessee, 30-3, in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

After a 1-2 start this season, Maryland is now 5-2. Though interesting, it may not be irony that the team has again come back from the depths of a slow start.

Since 1980, Maryland has started a season 1-2 (or worse) 10 times. Ralph Friedgen has been a coach on four of those 10 teams (1982 & '84; 2002-03). The four teams Friedgen has been involved with have a composite record of 33-12 (.733) while the other six are a combined 17-47-1 (.269).

Idle Chatter

Last weekend, the Terrapins saw their first bye week of the season, as did this week's opponents, Georgia Tech. The break comes at a good spot for Maryland, but if bye weeks are the key to success, the team obviously doesn't know it yet.

Though it has an open week on the same week, Tech is the third team in a row that has had its bye prior to playing the Terps with Maryland having won the first two. For the season, five of the team's 12 opponents will get its bye week right before taking on the Terps.

McBrien back On Track

Senior signal caller Scott McBrien has come a long way in three years. In 2001, he ran the scout team offense after transferring from West Virginia. Last year, he fought for and won a starting job only to struggle early in the season. By season's end, however, the Rockville, Md., native had the Terp offense rolling and after a slow start this year, he is again playing like the player who earned offensive MVP honors in last year's Peach Bowl.

This season, McBrien has a 126.0 efficiency rating, throwing for 1,263 yards on 90-of-165 passing. He has thrown six TDs to go along with four interceptions, but his numbers do not tell the entire story.

The 12th-rated passer in Division I-A last year, McBrien has posted his best efforts of 2003 of late. In the last five games, he has completed 72-of-119 passes (.605) for 1,092 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions. In that time, his QB rating has been 150.9 while he has also rushed 25 times for 120 yards (4.8 ypc) and a TD.

McBrien is now 16-5 as a starter at Maryland.

In the win over Duke, McBrien posted a career-high completion total (18) while throwing his 21st touchdown pass as a Terrapin. That total moves him into a tie for eighth on the all-time Maryland list with Dick Shiner (1961-63).

For the second straight season, McBrien threw for three touchdowns against Clemson. It was the first time he had done so in 2003.

Against Eastern Michigan, McBrien threw for a season-high 252 yards and a TD on 14-of-19 passing while completing 8-of-9 passes in the second half to rally the Terps.

Mr. Versatility

After making his mark by tying the NCAA record for punt returns for a touchdown in a season last year and setting the career record for punt return yardage this year, some view junior Steve Suter primarily as a returns specialist. As time has gone on, however, Suter's touches have come in in returns, receiving and rushing, giving the Terps a breakaway threat from all angles.

Now in his second year as a regular at wide receiver and on special teams, Suter has brought an explosiveness unparalleled at Maryland the last few years. In that time, he has averaged 15.7 yards per touch whether it be rushing, receiving or in the returns game.

Against Clemson, Suter caught three passes for 42 yards including his first touchdown of the season, a 25-yarder from McBrien to get the Terrapins on the board in the first quarter. He also had one carry in the game for 24 yards.

At Eastern Michigan, he posted a game- and career-high four receptions for 84 yards, including a 45-yarder before halftime that set up a Nick Novak field goal.

With 42 punt return yards against West Virginia, Suter became Maryland's all-time leader in punt return yardage with 922. He enters the Georgia Tech game with 944.

A year after tying the NCAA record for punt returns for a touchdown in a season (4), Suter notched his first of 2003 by breaking tackles and then bursting free for a 75-yard jaunt against The Citadel.

Suter also owns the Maryland career record for punt returns for a touchdown with five.

Action Jackson

Just past the midpoint of his first season as a starter at middle linebacker, sophomore D'Qwell Jackson looks more like his predecessor E.J. Henderson than a first-time starter.

Jackson currently leads the team and is tied for second in the Atlantic Coast Conference with an average of 11.9 tackles per outing (83 total).

In addition to his tackle totals, Jackson has posted 5.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, one interception (returned for a touchdown), eight QB hurries, one forced fumble and one blocked kick.

Jackson has led the Terrapins in tackles in six of seven games this year. He has also had six games with double-digit tackles (seven career).

At his current pace, Jackson would break the record for tackles by a sophomore at Maryland. The current record holder is Ratcliff Thomas who notched 137 in 1994.

Last game, Jackson again led the team in tackles with 12 (eight solo) while posting a TFL, assisting on a sack and pressuring the quarterback twice.

In his first return to his home state as a collegian, Jackson was easily the Terps' player of the game against Florida State. He finished with 11 tackles (five solo) and a forced fumble, but big plays were what helped him make his mark. On FSU's first offensive play, he stepped in front of Chris Rix's intended receiver, came up with the interception and rumbled 58 yards -- running through Rix along the way -- for what would be Maryland's only touchdown of the game. Later in the quarter, he broke through the line on special teams and blocked a Xavier Beitia field goal attempt to momentarily help the Terps maintain a 10-7 lead.

In his debut as Maryland's starter against Northern Illinois, Jackson led the team with 15 tackles (eight unassisted), a TFL and three QB hurries.

Depth And Experience

This year's Maryland squad is easily the deepest and most experienced of any during Ralph Friedgen's two-plus year tenure in College Park.

The 2003 edition of the Terrapins features 22 seniors, a stark contrast to the '02 Terps, a team with just 10 seniors. Of the 10 seniors on last year's roster, just six were starters at season's end.

A look at the most recent depth chart shows that 13 seniors are listed atop the chart at their respective positions.

Defense Ranked 14th

After an uncharacteristically slow start in its first two games, the Terrapin defense has come on and looks like the same group that has been one of the top units in the country over the last three years.

Entering this week's game, the Terp defense is ranked 14th in the NCAA in total defense (294.7 ypg) and 10th in the nation in scoring defense (14.6 ppg). The team ranks second in the ACC in both categories.

In its last five games, Maryland has held its opposition to a total of just 47 points.

The Terrapins held Clemson to 10 yards rushing and seven points while intercepting Charlie Whitehurst twice (Whitehurst came into the game with just three interceptions for the season).

Against West Virginia, the Terps held an offense that entered averaging 366 yards a game to just 156.

The nation's seventh-ranked scoring defense in 2002, Maryland has maintained its stinginess since Gary Blackney took the reins in 2001. In that time, Maryland has yet to see a season where opponents average more than 20 points per game.

The Terps held opponents scoreless in 30 quarters in '02, second-most of any team in Division I-A football (Kansas State led the nation with 34). Through seven games this year, the Terps have held their opposition scoreless in 16 quarters.

Nowhere To Run

Last season, all but two Maryland opponents were held at or below their rushing average heading into play against the Terps and on average, Maryland held its foes to more than 57 yards below their season averages. With five regular-season games left in 2003, the trend continues.

Maryland has held its opponents below 100 yards in three of seven games this season and held all but one of its opponents below their respective averages coming into the game.

Maryland's opponents are going for an average of 64.7 yards below their rushing average coming into their games with the Terps in 2003. (Note: Northern Illinois' average is based on their mark set during the 2002 season).

The Terrapins held Northern Illinois to 59 yards rushing, 141 yards below their average of the season before. In addition, the defense held Michael Turner -- the nation's leading returning ball carrier -- 69 yards below his average and held him to 51 yards and a 2.1 average in the game's first three quarters.

Since 2001, Maryland has held its opposition below 100 yards rushing seven times.

The Four Corners

Once a liability at Maryland, the defensive backfield is one of the strengths of this year's team. Heading into this week's action, the Terps are ranked 17th nationally and second in the ACC in pass defense, giving up an average of just 185.1 yards through the air per game.

In the last five games, Maryland's opponents have completed a combined total of 62 passes and thrown for just 809 yards (an average of 12.4 completions and 161.8 yards per game).

Described by Ralph Friedgen as four players with "great character," corners Curome Cox, Domonique Foxworth along with safeties Dennard Wilson and Madieu Williams also bring extraordinary skill to the table. All four players started a year ago and all four have spent at least some portion of their collegiate career at cornerback, giving the team one of the most versatile secondaries in the country.

The group defensed seven of Charlie Whitehurst's passes in the Clemson game, with Williams coming up with a key interception in the fourth quarter, stopping a Tiger drive at the Maryland 34.

Against Eastern Michigan, Foxworth came up with the group's first score of the year as he stepped in front of a EMU pass on third down and took it 44 yards for the game's first touchdown.

Between them, Maryland's starting defensive backs bring 109 career starts, 23 interceptions and 85 pass breakups.

Size-Wise

One matchup that could benefit the Terps this year is that of the team's wide receivers against the opposition's defensive backs, as Maryland possesses the best size in years at wide receiver.

Of the 11 wide receivers on the Maryland roster most likely to see significant playing time in 2003, seven are 6-2 or taller. Three are 6-4 and only one player who doesn't spend time as a slot receiver (Derrick Fenner, 5-11) is under 6-0 tall.

Maryland's next opponent, Georgia Tech, has starting cornerbacks averaging 5-11 and 192 pounds.

A Stark Talent

Now in his third year and second as a starter, junior Randy Starks has become a player to watch on the Terrapin defense. The object of nearly constant double teams, Starks has become the focus of opponent's blocking schemes but remains one of the Terps' top producers on defense.

Starks, a viable candidate for the Outland and Lombardi trophies (awards White won in 1974), enters his junior year as a force in the middle along with senior C.J. Feldheim. Starks finished his true sophomore season third on the team in tackles (93) and second on the team in TFLs (12.5) and sacks (6.5) en route to second team All-ACC honors.

Despite only garnering enough attention from the press to earn second-team status a year ago, Starks has caught the eye of some media members. Most notably, ESPN.com picked the junior as its preseason ACC Defensive Player of the Year.

The Waldorf, Md., native came up with 1.5 sacks against Duke, giving him 13.5 for his career. He now stands just 1.5 sacks from the Maryland career Top 10.

The Duke game may have been his most complete performance of this season as he finished with a season-high nine tackles, 1.5 sacks, three TFLs, one forced fumble and three QB hurries while batting down a pass at the line of scrimmage.

Starks is currently fourth on the team with 39 total tackles. He is tied for the team lead with eight TFLs and has 3.5 sacks.

AutoMat-Nick

Placekicker Nick Novak came on midway through the 2001 season and now, just a junior, is widely considered one of the nation's premier kickers.

Starting with his game-tying kick at Georgia Tech in '01, Novak has made 50 of his last 57 field goal attempts (88%), with four of the seven misses coming from 50 yards or further.

Novak is 14-of-17 on field goal attempts this season. His misses were a 52-yard attempt against West Virginia, a 48 yarder into a stiff wind against Clemson and a 40 yarder against Duke when he was fresh out of the training room overcoming an injury suffered on the previous kickoff.

With 14 points against Duke, Novak now needs 12 points to move into second place on the Terps' all-time scoring list.

Novak tied the Maryland school record with a 54-yard field goal against Duke. The kick tied the mark set more than 30 years previous by Steve Mike-Mayer (Sept. 29, 1973).

A first team All-ACC selection a year ago who ranked fifth nationally in field goals, Novak is currently eighth in the NCAA and first in the ACC with an average of 2.0 field goals per game.

Novak -- who entered this season on the "watch list" for the Lou Groza Award -- has hit the only two game-winning attempts of career, beating Georgia Tech in 2001 and NC State in 2002.

The Charlottesville, Va., native has made 64 percent (7-of-11) of his attempts for his career from 50 yards or further.

Off On The Right Foot

Attempting to fill the shoes of your school's all-time leading punter is a daunting task. Seven games into his first season as Maryland's starting punter, however, redshirt freshman Adam Podlesh seems unphased.

Podlesh is now averaging 44.7 yards per punt, 12th-best in the NCAA and second-best in the ACC. He has also helped the Terps to the 10th-best net average in the nation at 41.2 yards per punt.

On 30 punts this year, Podlesh has dropped almost half (14) inside the 20-yard line.

Punting into the wind on five of seven attempts against Clemson, Podlesh averaged 41 yards per kick with three going out inside the 15 and one going out at the Tiger one-yard line. He earned ACC Specialist of the Week honors for his performance.

In front of the fourth-largest crowd in Florida State history, Podlesh averaged 43.7 yards per punt on seven kicks with a long of 52 and three downed inside the Seminole's 20-yard line.

On eight punts against Northern Illinois, Podlesh averaged 45.4 yards per kick, leaving four punts inside the 20 and one inside the 10. He also had a booming 63-yard effort, the longest by a Terrapin in more than two years.

Tough Losses

All seven of Maryland's losses in the last two years have come against the stiffest of competition.

FSU was ranked 19th in 2001, fifth in 2002 and 10th this year when it defeated the Terps. Florida was the fifth-ranked team in the nation when it faced Maryland in the Orange Bowl. Notre Dame -- although unranked at the start of the season -- finished 2002 ranked 17th, while Virginia finished 22nd. This year's season-opening loss came to NIU, a team picked to win the Mid-American Conference and is currently undefeated and ranked in the top 20 of both polls.

Iron Terps

For the third-straight season, Maryland boasted record strength numbers and again posted its highest number of student-athletes earning "Iron Terp" status. In preseason strength and conditioning testing this year, the Terrapins again set four team strength records.

This year's Terps set team records for strength index, power clean, squat and vertical jump, improving on the previous all-time team highs that had been established since such records have been kept (started in 1983).

Not only were new records set, but the team as a whole improved dramatically, as 84 percent of the players on this year's team elevated their personal bests in strength index -- which encompasses all of the tests into one number -- from the year previous.

The player who set the most records at his position this year was the versatile Steve Suter. The standout wide receiver and return man posted records for strength index (768), squat (580 pounds), power clean (352 pounds) and vertical jump (42 inches).

Local Ties

The Terrapins have had their luck over the last few years plucking players out of the Peach State. At present, there are six Terps who call Georgia home: OG C.J. Brooks (Rex/Morrow HS); LB Tim Cesa (Kennesaw/Harrison HS); OT Eric Dumas (Atlanta/Benjamin Mays HS); WR Latrez Harrison (Atlanta/Booker T. Washington HS); OT Stephon Heyer (Lawrenceville/Brookwood HS); and QB Joel Statham (Chatsworth/Murray Co. HS).

Ralph Friedgen isn't the only member of the Terp coaching staff with ties to Georgia Tech. Offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe was with the Jackets as a graduate assistant in 1974 and defensive line coach Dave Sollazzo served as defensive tackles coach there from 1999-2000. The latest transplant, Bill O'Brien, was at Tech from 1995 up until last year where he made his way from graduate assistant to assistant head coach/offensive coordinator.

No Georgia Tech players are from the state of Maryland, but Yellow Jacket defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta was a graduate assistant at Maryland in 1983.

Though this week's meeting will be the second-ever on the college gridiron for Ralph Friedgen and Chan Gailey, it will not mark just the second time they have been on opposite sides of the ball. The duo have been on opposing sidelines as assistant coaches in the NFL four times as Friedgen was an offensive coordinator with the Chargers and Gailey a receivers coach and offensive coordinator with the Steelers (each was on the winning team twice).

Terps Among Nation's Elite

Over the course of the past two-plus years, the Maryland football program has been among the best in the nation. The Terrapins are 26-7 in that span with a 16-1 record at home and 8-4 mark on the road.

Maryland is one of just five Division I-A programs to have won at least 10 games in 2001 and 2002. The four others are Miami (Fla.), Oklahoma, Texas and Marshall.

The Terrapins are joined by just three other schools since 2001 to finish each of those two seasons ranked in the nation's top 15 in both major polls while also residing in the top 15 of both preseason polls for 2003 (Miami (Fla.), Oklahoma and Texas are the others).

Trimming the field even further, the Terps are accompanied only by Miami (Fla.) and Texas as the only three teams in the nation to finish in the NCAA's top 25 in both scoring offense and scoring defense in '01 and '02. Maryland ranked 21st in scoring offense (32.2 ppg) and seventh in scoring defense (16.3 ppg) a year ago while ranking 12th (35.4) and 18th (19.1), respectively, in 2001.

ACC Football on the Rise

Long considered a basketball league, the Atlantic Coast Conference is in the midst of somewhat of a shift in the balance of power.

Last season, four ACC schools finished the season in the Associated Press' Top 25. In this year's preseason Top 25, four ACC schools were ranked in the nation's top 18 in the Associated Press poll and four of the top 17 in the coaches' poll.

With the addition of Miami, Virginia Tech and now Boston College, the ACC's total in this year's preseason polls rises to six of the top 18 teams in the country, a claim no other conference can boast.

Scouting The Yellow Jackets

Georgia Tech enters this week's contest with a 4-3 record (2-2 ACC). The Jackets have been one of the league's most interesting teams in '03.

After being selected just ahead of Duke and in eighth place in the preseason media poll, Tech has gone on a roller coaster ride, most recently winning three straight.

The Yellow Jackets average just 17.6 points per game while allowing 17.9, but only one opponent this season (Clemson) has scored more than 24 against them.

On offense, Georgia Tech's biggest weapon has been WR Jonathan Smith. Smith is leading the ACC with an average of 103.6 receiving yards per game. He has caught 40 balls and two touchdowns and averages 18.1 yards per catch.

Tech has the conference's No. 2 rush defense as it is allowing just 94.6 yards per game.

Linebacker Keyaron Fox leads the team in tackles with 84 (41 solo) while two other players (Daryl Smith, 70; James Butler, 65) have notched over 60 tackles through seven games.

Tech Coach Chan Gailey

Chan Gailey is in his second year as the head coach at Georgia Tech. His 11-8 overall record is also his career record at the Division I-A level.

Gailey took over the reins at Georgia Tech after two successful years as the offensive coordinator with the Miami Dolphins. That stint followed his first head coaching job in the NFL as he was at the helm of the Dallas Cowboys in 1998 and 1999.

Gailey compiled an 18-14 mark with the Cowboys, a job he took after working as an assistant with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1994-97. In his four years in Pittsburgh, the Steelers were divisional champs all four years, appeared in the AFC championship game three times, and earned a berth in the Super Bowl once.

In this, his fourth year as a collegiate head coach, Gailey is spending his first at the Division I-A level. His first head coaching job came in 1983-84 when he led Troy State to a 19-5 record in two years and, ultimately, a Division II national championship in 1984. His other job at the college level was at Samford in 1993 where he went 5-6 before leaving to take the job with the Steelers as a wide receivers coach (he was later promoted to offensive coordinator.

A native of Gainesville, Ga., Gailey first made a name for himself in Gainesville, Fla., where he played QB for the Gators from 1971-73 and earned a bachelor's in physical education in 1974.

Byrd Stadium

Now in its 54th year of operation, Byrd Stadium continues to serve as the home of the Terps. Opened on Sept. 30, 1950, and constructed for a sum of $1 million, 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.

Six games into 2003, the Terrapins are 178-101-1 within the friendly confines of Byrd.

With temporary bleachers installed this season, Byrd Stadium can hold up to 51,500.

In two seasons under Ralph Friedgen, the Terrapins are 17-1 in games played at Byrd Stadium.

Terp Alley

In an effort to restore some tradition on gameday in College Park, the football staff created Terp Alley in 2001, a tradition that has become a part of the gameday experience outside Byrd Stadium.

For every football home game, the entire football team makes its first appearance of the day at "Terp Alley." The team is 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 is led past fans gathered along the street to the football complex by the Maryland band and cheerleaders.

A Class Act

The success of the Maryland football team has not stopped on the playing field in recent years, as the team has improved its academic standing under Ralph Friedgen's watch.

A total of 23 of Maryland's 24 players who count as part of this year's senior class are on schedule to earn their degrees on time.

Five players on this year's team -- OG Ed Tyler, OG Lamar Bryant, CB Curome Cox, TE Jeff Dugan and DT Tosin Abari -- have already earned their degrees.

Tyler earned his degree in economics prior to last season, finishing his course work in just three years. He is currently pursuing a second degree (history).

From the membership has its benefits file: Friedgen lets players line up to eat by grade point average. The Terps must be hungry -- 24 players earned a 3.5 grade point average or better in the spring of 2003.

Building For The Future

When the Terrapins take the field at Byrd Stadium this year, changes will still be taking place at the site that has been home to the Terps since 1950. Some will be apparent as soon as one sets foot in the stadium and others would only be noticeable to the men who wear the Maryland colors on game day.

After getting a state-of-the-art scoreboard and a new academics unit a year ago, the renovation has now moved on to improving other areas. Included in the changes are a remodeled weight room and a dining hall, a hall of fame area and a team meeting auditorium.

In addition to the bright visible new video board, it may go overlooked by some that expansion has already taken place on the building below it, the Gossett Football Team House. Thus far, the coaches' offices have been refurbished as have meeting rooms and the equipment room.

One other change noticeable at the start of fall camp and appreciated by players and coaches alike was the Terps' new practice facility, which features two state-of-the-art grass fields and a field turf, perfect for weeks when Maryland plays on an artificial surface.

A 25-Year Holliday

"Voice of the Terps" Johnny Holliday is celebrating his silver anniversary with Maryland this year, as the broadcaster is in his 25th season as the key cog in the Terp broadcast team.

With a long list of credentials that includes covering numerous summer and winter Olympics and the Masters, the Terps' director of broadcasting may be best known to some fans from his days as a disc jockey in Cleveland, work which ultimately landed him in that town's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and most recently (Oct. 5) in the Radio & Television Broadcasters' Hall of Fame.

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 Comcast Center. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com.

For additional info or to order by phone, call (800) 462-TERP.

Season Ticket Sales Climbing

In the last two years, season ticket sales for Terp football games have moved dramatically higher.

Prior to the start of the season, the total sold was 28,350, an improvement of almost 10,000 tickets from Ralph Friedgen's first season in College Park and more than 12,000 more sold than in 1999.

Maryland has had four home games this year with attendance going over the 50,000 mark in each of the four games. It is the first time in school history that that has happened in any one season.

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