Football Game Notes -- Terps Host The Citadel

Sept. 8, 2003

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -

Terps vs. The Citadel Game Notes in PDF Format
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The University of Maryland football team will seek its first win of the season this Saturday as it returns to the friendly confines of Byrd Stadium for its 2003 home opener against The Citadel. Kickoff from College Park is set for 6:00 p.m. EDT with the game being broadcast by the Terrapin Radio Network (radio pregame starts at 5:30 p.m.).

Maryland's tough going in the early season continued last week as it fell, 35-10, to then 10th-ranked Florida State in Tallahassee. As they had two years ago in Doak Campbell Stadium, the Terrapins jumped out to a first quarter lead but were unable to maintain it. The Terps are now 0-2 (0-1 ACC) for the first time since 1997, a season which -- coincidentally -- saw Maryland fall to a MAC school (Ohio University) in its opener before falling to Florida State.

This week's game marks the second consecutive week that The Citadel will travel to the Mid-Atlantic. After winning big in their season opener, the Bulldogs took a step back last weekend by falling 41-7 at Delaware, Division I-AA's 14th-ranked team.

Maryland is 53-26-1 (.665) all-time in home openers. It carries a five-game home winning streak into this weekend's contest -- with that last stumble being the '97 loss to Ohio -- and is 13-1 at Byrd Stadium under Ralph Friedgen.

Series Notes

This weekend's meeting will be the first ever between the Terrapins and Bulldogs.

This year will mark the second consecutive season that Maryland has taken on a team from the Southern Conference as it handed Wofford a 37-8 defeat in 2002.

Maryland has four coaches with ties to The Citadel: Ralph Friedgen, Charlie Taaffe, Dave Sollazzo and Al Seamonson (see "Coaching Connections" on next page and "Local Ties" on page 5). Taaffe is the school's all-time winningest coach and led the Bulldogs to the only double-digit season in school history (11-2 in 1992).

D.J. or E.J.?

Two games 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 is currently tied for the team lead and ranks tied for second in the ACC with an average of 13.0 tackles per outing.

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.

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 gets under way, he is in position to place his name in 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. After just two games in 2003, Friedgen ranks tied for eighth with former Terp mentor Jerry Claiborne and will move into a tie with Clemson's Tommy Bowden with his next victory.

Friedgen will become the conference's winningest third-year coach with six wins this season. Lou Holtz (26-8-2, NC State, 1972-74) and Danny Ford (26-9-0, Clemson, 1979-81) are currently atop that list.

No other coach in Maryland history had won more than 17 wins in his first two seasons. Bobby Ross' 25 wins from 1982-84 is the school record for wins in three seasons.

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. Below is a list of the company they keep:

A Wealth of Experience

The coaching experience does not end on the Terrapin coaching staff 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.

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 this week's opponent - 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).

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 14 seniors are listed atop the chart at their respective positions.

Defense Returns Nine

The Terrapin defense was outstanding last year, finishing seventh nationally in points allowed. The good news in 2003 is the unit that returns has barely changed, losing just two starters from a year ago.

Maryland was very stingy when it came to the scoreboard last year. 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).

In their 11 wins last year, the Terps allowed just 14 touchdowns and an average of 11 points per game.

Maryland finished the 2002 season ranked second in the ACC in sacks (32).

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. Two games into '03, that trend is continuing.

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.

Though its success in holding down FSU's rushing attack was limited, it did hold All-America candidate Greg Jones to 88 yards with 44 coming on one attempt.

In the last two seasons, Maryland has held its opposition below 100 yards rushing five times.

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.

Maryland's projected starters in week three average 6-2, 217 pounds.

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 isn't a slot receiver (Derrick Fenner, 5-11) is under 6-0 tall.

This week's opponent, The Citadel, has starting cornerbacks averaging just over 5-11 and 175 pounds.

What's In A Name?

It may be a bit premature, but just based on the fact that junior Randy Starks has been compared by some media to Terp legend Randy White speaks volumes about how far the third-year defensive tackle's game has come.

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 already caught the eye of some media members. Most notably, ESPN.com picked the junior as its preseason ACC Defensive Player of the Year.

Starks' tackle total was tops in the ACC among defensive tackles last year and third among defensive linemen, overall.

The Waldorf, Md., native came up with his 11th career sack in the season opener against NIU. He is currently third on the team with 12 total tackles.

Automat-Nick

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

Starting with his game-tying kick at Georgia Tech in '01, Novak has made 38 of his last 43 field goal attempts, with three of the misses coming from further than 50 yards.

Novak is 3-of-3 on field goal attempts this season with each attempt coming from 44 yards and beyond.

Against Florida State, Novak made his only field goal attempt -- a 44-yarder -- and converted his only PAT. In doing so, he moved into fourth on the Maryland all-time points scored chart (he now has 225).

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-yard line.

With 1.71 field goals per game, Novak finished last year ranked atop the ACC and fifth nationally. He led the league's kickers in scoring (8.9 ppg) and in field goal percentage (85.7).

In last season's Virginia game, Novak broke the school record of 17 field goals set by three players (most recently Dan Plocki in 1988). Novak finished the season having converted 24 field goals.

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 6 of 9 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. Two games into his first season as Maryland's starting punter, however, redshirt freshman Adam Podlesh seems unphased.

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 over two years.

The average starting spot for NIU on the drives that followed Podlesh's eight punts was the 19-yard line. (Start spots in succession: 20, 9, 17, 10, 19, 20, 25, 31).

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.

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.

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

Though Maryland and The Citadel lack any players from their opponent's home state this weekend, the two teams are far from being without ties.

As stated previous, Ralph Friedgen (offensive coordinator, 1977-79 and defensive line coach, 1973-76), Charlie Taaffe (head coach, 1987-96), Al Seamonson (special teams/linebackers/wide receivers, 1987-99) and Dave Sollazzo (defensive lineman, 1973-76) all have ties to The Citadel. Coach Friedgen still maintains a home he bought in the Charleston area when coaching there.

The Bulldogs' offensive coordinator John Zernhelt earned three letters and three ACC rings at Maryland during Jerry Claiborne's tenure (Zernhelt lettered in 1974, '76 and '77). Head coach Ellis Johnson was a defensive lineman, along with Sollazzo, under Friedgen in the mid-70s.

Terps Among Nation's Elite

Over the course of the past two years, the Maryland football program has been among the best in the nation. The Terrapins are 21-6 in that span with a 13-1 record at home and 7-3 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 were 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 joined 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 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 who 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 Bulldogs

The Citadel is 1-1 after last weekend's 41-7 loss at No. 14 Delaware.

Despite their stumble against the Blue Hens, The Citadel offense is still averaging 35.5 points per game and a robust 420.5 yards of offense per outing.

Former Clemson quarterback Willie Simmons is the Bulldogs' starting quarterback. Through two games, Simmons is 19-of-37 for 303 yards with a pair of TDs and two interceptions. Scooter Johnson is the team's leading receiver this year and is currently the school's eighth-leading all-time receiver.

Defensively, The Citadel has been stout against the pass, holding its opposition to just 95 yards per game. Opponents are averaging 227.5 yards through the air as Delaware's Andy Hall threw for a career-high 283 yards and three touchdowns last weekend.

Rover Michael Ballentine looks like a player to watch as he has posted four sacks in the first two games this season. Free safety Shawn Grant leads the team thus far with 16 tackles.

The Citadel's Ellis Johnson

Ellis Johnson is in his third season at the helm of The Citadel's football program. The 1975 graduate of the military college has posted a 7-17 record in his tenure.

Johnson came to Charleston in 2001 after spending four seasons as Alabama's defensive coordinator. He has over 20 years coaching at the collegiate level, spending time -- in addition to Alabama -- at notable programs such as Clemson, Southern Mississippi and East Carolina.

In his first stint at Alabama, Johnson was a linebackers coach under Gene Stallings when the Tide won the 1992 national championship.

A native of South Carolina, Johnson was diagnosed with Hodgkins disease in 1993, an ailment he completed five months worth of treatment for and has not seen ill effects of since.

Byrd Stadium

Now in its 54th year of operation, Byrd Stadium continues to serve as the home of the Terps. Opened on September 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.

Heading into the season, the Terrapins are 174-101-1 within the friendly confines of Byrd.

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

In two seasons under Ralph Friedgen, the Terrapins are 13-1 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.

Now less than a week from the Terps' home opener, the athletics department has sold a school-record total of more than 28,000 season tickets.

As of September 8, 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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