Football 10/6/2003 8:00:00 AM Maryland Athletics

Football Game Notes -- Terps vs. Duke

Terps vs. Duke Notes (PDF Format)
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Oct. 6, 2003

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland football team looks to continue its strong play and shoots for its fifth-straight win this weekend as it plays host to the Duke University Blue Devils in an Atlantic Coast Conference matchup. Kickoff from Byrd Stadium is slated for 6:05 p.m. EDT with the game being broadcast locally by the Terrapin Radio Network. Radio pregame on WMAL (630 AM in D.C.) and WBAL (1090 AM in Baltimore) starts at 5:30 p.m.

The Terrapins (4-2, 1-1 ACC) got their first ACC win of 2003 a week ago, snapping a three-game Clemson win streak with an impressive 21-7 victory over the Tigers. In the win, Maryland held Clemson to just 10 yards rushing -- 110 below its average -- while allowing just one touchdown and just one drive of longer than three minutes.

Duke comes into this weekend's game having lost two in a row after spending last week idle. The Blue Devils are 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the ACC.

After dropping out of the rankings following their season opener, the Terrapins moved another step closer to a return to the Top 25 as they earned votes in both polls this week. Maryland received 22 votes in the most recent Associated Press poll and 32 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' poll.

Series Notes -- Terps & Blue Devils

Saturday's game marks the 47th meeting between the Terrapins and Blue Devils. The series began in 1932 and Maryland owns a 28-18 advantage in the all-time series.

When looking at the all-time ledger between the two schools, a line can almost be drawn between the 1972 and 1973 seasons. From the start of the series until 1972, Duke held a 14-3 advantage and at one point rattled off wins in 11 of 12 meetings. From 1973 on, Maryland has been in control of the series for the most part, winning 25 of 29. The Terps' best run went from '73 to '88 as they won 15 in a row.

Maryland is 9-3 in the last 12 versus Duke with two of the three losses to the Blue Devils coming at home.

In last season's game at Wallace-Wade Stadium, the Terrapins scored 45 unanswered points, mixing long drives with quick strikes en route to a 45-12 win. Three of the scoring drives were over eight plays and 77 yards while Steve Suter returned a punt 63 yards for a touchdown and Latrez Harrison caught his second career touchdown pass on a 69-yard strike from Scott McBrien in the third quarter.

The last Duke victory in the series was one of the toughest in the last few years for Maryland. In 1999, the Terrapins were 5-2 and feeling good about their bowl chances when the 1-6 Blue Devils came to town. The end result was a 404-yard passing day from Spencer Romine and a 25-22 win that was the first of four consecutive losses to end the season and the end of any postseason dreams for Maryland.

The large average margin of victory over Duke the last two seasons (38) is somewhat of an aberration in the recent series between the two teams. Since 1986, the Terrapins had not beaten the Blue Devils by more than 17 points, despite owning a 12-4 record over that span.

Anatomy of a Streak

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

On the offensive side of the ball, the Terps are averaging 467 yards per game in their four wins behind 218.8 yards rushing and 248.3 yards passing per outing. Most importantly, the team has scored 153 points in the stretch, an average of 38.3 per game.

Though the offensive attack has been outstanding and certainly much improved over the first two games of the season, the story over the course of the last four 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 6.8 points per game, 92.3 yards on the ground, 132.3 through the air and 224.5 overall.

Though the offense has been drastically different since the first two games, the defense's statistical improvement is possibly just as much a reflection of the improvement on offense. The Terp defense did not play as well in games one and two as it is now, but it did not perform poorly, either. One factor that can be pointed to is the amount of time the defense has spent on the field as in the first two games, the Maryland offense averaged 26:26 of possession time while in the games since, it has averaged 33:34, giving the defense much more of a breather in games three through six.

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 four weeks, 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 875 yards and passed for 993, along the way posting an average of 27 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 6.8 points in the last four games. As it stands, the defense has held two of four opponents under 200 yards of offense, three of four under 150 yards passing and all four below 14 points.

The big numbers in the last four 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:

	Category	'03 2-game Avg.	'03 6-game Avg.	2002 Avg.
	Rush Offense	92.5    	176.7   	198.8
	Pass Offense	117.0   	204.5   	190.6
	Total Offense	209.5   	381.2   	389.4
	Scoring Offense	11.5    	29.3    	32.2
	Rush Defense	127.5   	104.0   	128.6
	Pass Defense	248.5   	171.0   	210.1
	Total Defense	376.0   	275.0   	338.8
	Scoring Defense	27.5    	13.7    	16.3

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 is once again positioning himself to move to the top of the record books once again.

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. Midway through the 2003 regular season, Friedgen has moved within one victory of the top of the list of third-year coaches.

With the Terps' next win, Friedgen will tie 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).

No other coach in Maryland history had won more than 17 wins in his first two seasons. With his team's win against Clemson, Friedgen tied Bobby Ross' 25 wins from 1982-84, the Maryland record 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 couple that with the team's play the last four weeks -- 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, the team is now 4-2. 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 32-12 (.727) while the other six are a combined 17-47-1 (.269).

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 126.8 efficiency rating, throwing for 1,025 yards on 72-of-133 passing. He has thrown five TDs to go along with three 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 four games, he has completed 54-of-87 passes (.621) for 854 yards with five touchdowns and one interception. In that time, his QB rating has been 161.2 while he has also rushed 21 times for 106 yards (5.0 ypc) and a TD.

Last weekend, McBrien posted the third three-touchdown passing game of his career at Maryland. In the process, he moved into the school's career top 10, passing Shaun Hill and moving into a tie with Stan Gelbaugh (1981-85) for ninth with 20 touchdown passes.

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.

Suter Owns All-Time Mark

After sitting out the first game of the season with a hamstring pull, fear was that junior Steve Suter would take some time before making an impact on the Terps this season. Five games later, those fears are non-existent.

Last week, Suter had little impact on special teams as he only had one kickoff return for 18 yards. He did, however, make his presence felt again on offense as he 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.

Against 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 this weekend's game with 935.

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.

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 16.2 yards per touch whether it be rushing, receiving or in the returns game.

Action Jackson

Midway into 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 second in the Atlantic Coast Conference with an average of 11.8 tackles per outing (71 total).

In addition to his tackle totals, Jackson has posted 4.5 TFLs, two sacks, one interception (returned for a touchdown), six QB hurries, one forced fumble and one blocked kick.

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

Against Clemson, Jackson posted 10 tackles (nine solo) to go along with one sack, 1.5 TFLs and one quarterback 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 On Fire

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 12th in the NCAA in total defense, allowing an average of just 275 yards per game. The team is also second in the ACC in total defense and scoring defense (13.7 ppg).

In its last four games, Maryland has held its opposition to just 27 points while yielding just 898 total yards combined in those contests. That's an average of 224.5 yards per game.

Last weekend, 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 is starting to maintain its stinginess of a year ago. 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 six games this year, the Terps have held their opposition scoreless in 13 quarters.

Nowhere To Run

In 2002, 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. Thus far in '03, that trend is continuing.

Maryland has held its opponents below 100 yards in three of six 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 73.2 yards below their rushing average 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.

In Gary Blackney's two-plus years as the Terps' defensive coordinator, 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 16th nationally and second in the ACC in pass defense, giving up an average of just 171.0 yards per game through the air.

In the last four games, Maryland's opponents have completed a combined total of 42 passes and thrown for just 539 yards (an average of 10.5 completions and 134.8 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.

Last weekend, the group defensed seven of Charlie Whitehurst's passes, with Madieu Williams coming up with a key interception in the fourth quarter, stopping a Clemson 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 105 career starts, 23 interceptions and 82 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.

This week's opponent, Duke, has starting cornerbacks averaging just over 5-10 and 183 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 his 12th career sack in the Eastern Michigan game. He now stands just three sacks from the Maryland career Top 10.

Starks is currently fourth on the team with 30 total tackles. He is third on the team with five TFLs to go along with two 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 46 of his last 52 field goal attempts (89%), with four of the six misses coming from 50 yards or further.

Novak is 10-of-12 on field goal attempts this season. His lone misses were a 52 yard attempt against West Virginia and a 48-yarder into a stiff wind against Clemson.

With three points against Clemson, Novak now needs 26 points to move into second place on the Terps' all-time scoring list.

In the Terps' season opener, Novak was outstanding. He converted both of his field goal attempts, easily hitting from 46 and 50 yards. He made his only PAT of the night and forced touchbacks on two of his four kickoffs. NIU's average starting spot after his four kicks was their own 17.

A first team All-ACC selection a year ago who ranked fifth nationally in field goals, Novak is currently 16th in the NCAA and first in the ACC with an average of 1.67 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 60 percent (6-of-10) 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. Six games into his first season as Maryland's starting punter, however, redshirt freshman Adam Podlesh seems unphased.

Podlesh is now averaging 45.0 yards per punt, ninth-best in the NCAA and second-best in the ACC. He has also helped the Terps to the eighth-best net average in the nation at 41.6 yards per punt.

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.

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.

Homeboys

In his first signing day with the Terps (2001), Ralph Friedgen said that in addition to landing some of the top recruits nationally, one of his goals was to make sure that all of the best players in the state of Maryland stayed in state and became Terps.

Over the course of the past six years, the Maryland-D.C.-Virginia recruiting area has been tapped more successfully in each ensuing year. In 1997, just 23 players on the Maryland roster hailed from either Maryland, D.C. or Virginia, with six of those serving as opening-game starters. Since that time, however, numbers in both categories have risen steadily. Below is a look at the trend:

	Md./D.C./Va.	'97	'98	'99	'00	'01	'02	'03
	Players on Roster	23	34	39	46	49	54	56
	Starters*	6	5	7	12	10	14	10
	*reflects number of starters in the season opener.

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 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

Maryland has a pair of players who call North Carolina home as OG Russell Bonham (Winston-Salem) and LB William Kershaw (Raeford) are both from the state.

Terp wide receivers coach James Franklin set seven school records as a quarterback under Duke QB coach Jim Pry, who was the offensive coordinator at East Stroudsburg during Franklin's playing days. Special teams coach Ray Rychleski also coached with Pry at East Stroudsburg.

Duke has five players who call the Old Line State home. Paul Campitelli (Dunkirk/DeMatha HS), Mike Dowling (Baltimore/Gilman School), Alex Green (Hyattsville/Northwestern HS), Malcolm Ruff (Baltimore/Gilman School) and Corey Sobel (Potomac/DeMatha HS) are all from the area.

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 25-7 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 and Virginia Tech -- schools that will be a part of the conference next year -- the ACC 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 Blue Devils

Duke enters this weekend's contest in College Park with a 2-3 record (0-2 ACC). The Blue Devils had last week off after losing two straight.

The Blue Devils opened the season 2-1, falling at Virginia in their opener and then beating Western Carolina and Rice. In the last two games, however, they have lost by a combined score of 84-17.

On offense, the Blue Devils average 330.2 yards a game behind a balanced attack that sees them go for 157.0 rushing and 173.2 passing per outing. They have successfully held onto the ball this year, averaging 32:40 a game of possession time.

Over the last three years, TB Chris Douglas has been one of the ACC's most versatile backs. The team's leading rusher with 395 yards (79 per game), Douglas is also the team's leading scorer (18 points) and fourth in receiving (9 receptions).

Mike Schneider and Adam Smith have shared time at quarterback this year with Schneider (50-of-100, 584 yards, three TDs, two interceptions) getting the majority of the work.

Duke has given up a respectable average of total defense this year (370.4 yards per game), but has struggled against the run (157.0 ypg/4.7 ypc) and in scoring defense (27.6 ppg).

Safety Terrell Smith leads the team and is one of the ACC's leading tacklers with 12.6 stops per game (63 total). DE Phillip Alexander has been the team's playmaker this year on defense, notching six sacks and 14 TFLs.

Duke's Carl Franks

Carl Franks is in his fifth season at the helm of the Duke football program. Midway through 2003, he holds a 7-43 record as a Blue Devil.

Franks came to Duke in 1999 after nine seasons at the University of Florida where he held several different posts including assistant offensive coordinator and running backs coach from 1995-98.

In his nine seasons in Gainesville, Florida went to eight bowl games and won the 1996 national championship by way of a 52-20 win over Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.

The current stint is Franks' second at Duke as a coach. His first was, like the Florida job, under coach Steve Spurrier during the most successful run in recent Duke history. Franks was a wide receivers/tight ends coach from 1987-89, a period in which the Blue Devils got better each season and ultimately earned a co-championship in the ACC in 1989 along with a berth in the All-American Bowl.

A 1983 graduate of Duke, Franks was an Academic All-ACC performer in 1982 and three-year letterman who played running back and tight end.

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 177-101-1 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 16-1 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 Terrapins" Johnny Holliday is celebrating his silver anniversary with the Terps this year, as the hall-of-fame broadcaster is celebrating his 25th season as the key cog in the Maryland broadcast team.

With a long list of credentials that includes covering the 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics, the Winter Olympics in '84, '88 and '94, 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.

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 Maryland football games have been moving higher and 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.

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