Football Game Notes -- Terps Host UNC for Homecoming

Oct. 27, 2003

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -

Terps vs. UNC Notes (PDF Format)
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The University of Maryland football team returns to Byrd Stadium for its 66th homecoming celebration, looking to return to form and the win column as it takes on the University of North Carolina on Saturday at Noon. Kickoff from College Park is slated for 12:07 p.m. EST with the game being televised by JP Sports (Comcast SportsNet in D.C. and Baltimore) 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 11:30 a.m.

Last week, the Terrapins (5-3, 2-2 ACC) suffered what is arguably their most frustrating loss of the season, losing to Georgia Tech, 7-3, last Thursday night. Despite a strong defensive effort, four turnovers plagued the Terps with the most crucial being a fumble that was recovered at the Terp 18-yard line late in the third quarter and ultimately resulting in the Yellow Jackets' only score of the evening.

North Carolina (1-7, 0-4 ACC) heads into this weekend's contest having lost two in a row, but both by relatively narrow margins. Last weekend, the Tar Heels led Clemson, 28-23, in the third quarter but ultimately fell, 36-28. It was the team's 10th loss in its last 11 conference games.

The Terrapins are 45-18-2 in their history on homecoming and winners of three straight. Maryland has squared off just one other time against North Carolina on homecoming, a 28-10 win in 1985.

After working their way back to the fringe of the Top 25 in recent weeks, the Terps stumble at Georgia Tech took its toll at the polls. This week, Maryland did not receive any votes while it picked up seven votes in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches'poll.

Series Notes -- Terps & Heels

Saturday's game will mark the 66th meeting between the Terrapins and Tar Heels with UNC leading the all-time series 35-29-1.

The Maryland/North Carolina series is one that can best be defined by spurts by one team or the other. The series began with Maryland winning four of seven, but from there it went UNC 9-0-1 from 1927-50; Maryland 8-3 from 1951-62; UNC 6-2 from '63-72; Maryland 9-3 from '73-85; UNC 11-4 from 1986-2000; Maryland two straight.

The Terrapins are seeking a three-game win streak in the series for the first time since the mid '80s, when they ran off four straight from 1982-85.

Last year, the Terrapins got their first win in Chapel Hill since 1988, breaking a string of seven losses to the Tar Heels on their home turf and they did so in dominating fashion. After UNC took an early 7-0 lead on a one-yard sneak by QB C.J. Stephens, Maryland rattled off 59 consecutive points to post the largest margin of victory by either team in the series that began in 1920.

In the 2002 win, Maryland had three plays go for 60 yards or more, the most notable being Steve Suter's 77-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter, his NCAA record-tying fourth of the season. Then-freshman Josh Allen also rushed for 91 yards on just six carries with a pair of touchdowns.

North Carolina holds a 7-4 edge in the last 11 meetings between the two teams, but the Terrapins have won three of the last four in the series and fell just shy of a win in 2000 (13-10). In that 2000 game, both offenses struggled with the Terps holding UNC to four first downs through more than three quarters, but Maryland could not hold the 10-7 advantage it had staked itself with 14:14 remaining in the game. Ronald Curry scored the game-winner on a 25-yard run with 7:24 left.

Quick Hits

Despite having troubles of its own from an offensive standpoint, the Maryland defense was quite stout against Georgia Tech. The Terrapins held the Yellow Jackets to 98 passing yards, 111 yards below their season average and five yards below the average of their top receiver, Jonathan Smith, who was putting up over 103 yards per game coming in (he finished the night with five catches for 43 yards).

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

Nick Novak's missed field goal was his first of the year from less than 40 yards. His last miss (blocks not included) inside of 40 was a 25-yarder than went wide left against Akron in game two of the 2002 season.

In Ralph Friedgen's two-plus seasons, Maryland is 24-0 when leading at halftime. The Georgia Tech game marked the first time in Friedgen's career as a head coach that his team went into the locker room tied.

Maryland's strong defensive numbers in terms of points allowed are even more impressive when considering that the team has had a hard time forcing turnovers, particularly fumbles. Through eight games, the Terrapins have recovered one fumble compared to the opposition's 10.

Scott McBrien's missing the second half of the Georgia Tech game marked the first time in two years that he had left a game for more than a series due to injury.

Bruce Perry had his best rushing game of the season against the Yellow Jackets, going for 75 yards on 17 carries. In doing so, he became the eighth back in Maryland history to surpass 2,000 yards for his career.

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. Eight 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 26-8, 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).

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 after winning five of its last six games and coupled with the team's run at the end of last season, 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 5-3. 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 33-13 (.717) while the other six are a combined 17-47-1 (.269).

Idle Chatter

Prior to the Georgia Tech game, Maryland saw its first open weekend of the season. It is something the Terps have been accustomed to seeing this season -- on their opponent's schedule.

For the season, five of Maryland's 12 opponents will get their bye weeks right before taking on the Terps.

McBrien Returns To Practice

After being pulled from last week's game against Georgia Tech for precautionary measures related to a hit he sustained in the second quarter, quarterback Scott McBrien will return to practice this week without limitations.

This season, McBrien has a 121.5 efficiency rating, throwing for 1,310 yards on 94-of-176 passing. He has thrown six TDs to go along with five 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 since game two. In the last six games, he has completed 76-of-130 passes for 1,139 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions. In that time, his QB rating has been 142.7 while he has also rushed 29 times for 122 yards (4.2 ypc) and a TD.

McBrien is now 16-6 as a starter at Maryland.

In the Terps' win over Duke, McBrien posted a career-high completion total (18) while throwing his 21st touchdown pass as a Terrapin. That total moved 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 pundits 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 15.5 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 UNC game with 986.

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

In 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 12.0 tackles per outing (96 total).

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

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

At his current pace, Jackson will 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 was second on the team in tackles (one behind Leon Joe) with 13 while adding a pass breakup and a QB hurry.

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 11th

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 11th in the NCAA in total defense (286.4 ypg) and fifth in the nation in scoring defense (13.6 ppg). The team ranks second in the ACC in both categories.

In its last six games, Maryland has held its opposition to a total of just 54 points, an average of 9.0 points per game.

The lone touchdown yielded by the Terp defense last week came after a turnover gave Georgia Tech the ball at the Maryland 18. All told, the Terrapins held Tech to 228 yards (98 passing) and just that lone touchdown.

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 eight games this year, the Terps have held their opposition scoreless in 19 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 four 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 two of its opponents below their respective averages coming into the game.

Maryland's opponents are going for an average of 59.6 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 13th nationally and first in the ACC in pass defense, giving up an average of just 174.3 yards through the air per game.

In the last six games, Maryland's opponents have completed a combined total of 74 passes and thrown for just 907 yards (an average of 12.3 completions and 151.2 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.

Cox is currently ranked fifth in the ACC in passes defensed with nine and moved into a tie for 12th on the Maryland all-time interceptions list with the ninth of his career last week against Georgia Tech.

Between them, Maryland's starting defensive backs bring 113 career starts, 24 interceptions and 86 pass breakups.

Maryland has held three opponents this season below 100 yards passing.

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.

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, North Carolina, has starting cornerbacks averaging 5-111/2 and 182 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.

In just his second year as a starter, Starks has become 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 third on the team with 48 total tackles. He is second on the team lead with 8.5 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 51 of his last 59 field goal attempts (88%), with four of the eight misses coming from 50 yards or further.

Novak is 15-of-19 on field goal attempts this season. Just one of the four misses came from inside 40 yards.

With three points against Georgia Tech, Novak now needs nine 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 10th in the NCAA and first in the ACC with an average of 1.9 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. Eight games into his first season as Maryland's starting punter, however, redshirt freshman Adam Podlesh seems unphased.

Podlesh is now averaging 44.0 yards per punt, 18th-best in the NCAA and second-best in the ACC. He has also helped the Terps to the 11th-best net average in the nation at 40.6 yards per punt.

On 37 punts this year, Podlesh has dropped over 40 percent (16) inside the opponents' 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.

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 two players who call the state of North Carolina home as sophomore OG Russell Bonham is from Winston-Salem (Carver HS) and fellow sophomore William Kershaw is from Raeford (Hoke County HS).

On the Maryland coaching staff, offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe was a graduate assistant at NC State in 1975 and defensive line coach Dave Sollazzo was an assistant coach at Guilford College in 1988.

North Carolina has two players who hail from the state of Maryland. Both are from areas close in proximity to College Park as DE Alden Blizzard is from Laurel (Laurel HS) and CB Derrick Johnson is from Upper Marlboro (Eleanor Roosevelt HS).

North Carolina head coach John Bunting was a 1968 prep graduate of Springbrook High School in Silver Spring. He was also a linebackers coach for the Baltimore Stars of the USFL in 1984-85.

UNC offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Gary Tranquill was Navy's head coach from 1982-86 and an assistant at the academy from 1973-75.

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 26-8 in that span with a 16-1 record at home and 8-5 mark on the road.

Maryland was one of just five Division I-A programs to win 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.

Scouting The Tar Heels

North Carolina enters this week's contest with a 1-7 record (0-4 ACC). The Tar Heels have had a good deal of misfortune this year, posting three single-digit losses including one in overtime to Syracuse.

The Tar Heels' strengths in 2003 are nearly the direct opposite of the Terps'. While Maryland's struggles have been on offense this year, UNC has found hardship on the defensive side of the ball.

UNC is last in the ACC and third from last in the nation (115th) in total defense (502.3 avg.) and scoring defense (36.9 ppg).

The Tar Heels have kept themselves in the game on the offensive side of the ball. They average 392.1 yards and 26 points per game while WR Jarwarski Pollack ranks 18th nationally with 6.4 receptions per game.

As he has the last few years, quarterback Darian Durant has been the offenses' leader, pacing the team in passing (160-of-260, 11 TD, six int.) and rushing (68 att., 339 net, four TDs).

The leading tackler in the ACC a year ago, Dexter Reid is head and shoulders above his teammates this year. He has posted a team-high 93 tackles (37 more than any teammate) to go along with two TFLs and three pass breakups.

UNC's John Bunting

John Bunting is in his third year as a head coach at his alma mater. He carries a 12-21 record at the Division I-A level into this weekend's game.

Bunting, a 1972 grad of Chapel Hill and standout linebacker, came back to UNC after serving as a linebackers coach for the NFL's New Orleans Saints. That job came on the heels of posts with the St. Louis Rams (1997-99) and Kansas City Chiefs (1993-96).

Prior to being hired in Chapel Hill, Bunting had previously worked as a head coach, but not at the Division I-A level. His first head coaching job came at Rowan University from 1988-92 after working as the team's defensive line coach in 1987. That head job came after just three years as a full-time coach as he started with his former pro team, the USFL's Baltimore Stars, in 1985 before working a year (1986) at Brown and then moving on to Rowan.

Bunting is the first Carolina alum and first football letterwinner to become the school's football coach since Jim Tatum in 1956.

As a player, Bunting was an All-ACC performer at linebacker before spending 13 years at the professional level (11 with the Philadelphia Eagles; two with the USFL's Baltimore Stars).

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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