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University of Maryland Athletics

Football Game Notes -- Terps at Cavaliers

Football Maryland Athletics

Football Game Notes -- Terps at Cavaliers

Nov. 1, 2004

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -

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The University of Maryland football team heads back on the road for the next two weeks with its first stop being this Saturday in Charlottesville, Va., for its annual battle with rival Virginia. Kickoff from Scott Stadium is set for 3:37 p.m., with the game being televised regionally by ABC Sports and broadcast on the Terrapin Radio Network (radio pregame starts at 3:00 p.m.) and nationally on Westwood One.

  • The Terrapins' (4-4, 2-3 ACC) season took a turn on Halloween Eve as their offense came back to life against Florida State and the defense continued its stellar play in a 20-17 upset of the nation's fifth-ranked team. The win was the first ever for the Terps against FSU and kept the team's bowl hopes alive with three games remaining in the regular season. For more on the game, see Quick Hits, Week Eight.
  • Virginia was idle last week after getting back on the winning track with a 37-16 win over Duke on October 23rd. UVa opened 2004 winning its first five games in convincing fashion before falling at Florida State, 36-3, on October 16.
  • The Terrapins are unranked this week, but did receive votes in the latest ESPN/USA Today Coaches' poll. Virginia is ranked 12th by the Associated Press and 13th by the coaches.
  • The last time Maryland won back-to-back games against ranked opponents was 1984 when the Terrapins beat No. 6 Miami, 42-40, in one of the greatest comebacks in college football history before toppling No. 23 Clemson the following week, 41-23, at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium.
  • Saturday's game is the third in a stretch of four tough Atlantic Coast Conference games for the Terps, three of which take place against ranked opponents. Three of the contests in the four-game stretch also take place on the road.

    Series Notes -- Terps & `Hoos

  • Saturday's game will mark the 69th meeting between the Terrapins and Cavaliers, the most between Maryland and any other school in the Terps' 111-year history. The two schools have met every season since 1957.
  • Maryland leads the all-time series -- which began in 1919 -- by a 39-27-2 margin. The series has only recently been made close by Virginia. Prior to 1988, the Terrapins held a 35-15-2 advantage.
  • The Terps have not won in Charlottesville since 1990, a 35-30 upset of the eighth-ranked Wahoos that secured a winning season for Maryland and a trip to that season's Independence Bowl. That win was Maryland's last against a top 10 opponent before last weekend's victory over Florida State.
  • Since 1969, play between the two schools has been basically feast or famine for one team. From 1969-87, the Terrapins held an 18-1 advantage in the series and at one point ran off 16 wins in a row, the longest streak in the series. From 1988 to the present, the series has gone almost exclusively to the Cavs as they are 12-4 in that span, though Maryland has won two of the last three.
  • On a cold, blustery Thursday night last season, Josh Allen ran for 257 yards, the third-best rushing total in school history and the seventh-best in all of Division I-A college football last year as the Terrapins beat UVa, 27-17. In addition, the Maryland defense held reigning ACC Player of the Year Matt Schaub to 186 yards passing and controlled the clock in the fourth quarter to help secure the win.
  • In the Terrapins' last trip to Charlottesville, Virginia came away with a 48-13 win, shocking the Terps. Maryland looked listless after a tiring trip to Clemson the week before and though it took the early lead, it could not stop the Cavaliers' short passing game. The loss snapped an eight-game Maryland win streak and dashed the Terps' hopes for a second consecutive ACC title, an aspiration that was made possible earlier in the day with FSU's loss at NC State.
  • Maryland's win in 2001 broke a string of nine straight losses to Virginia. In their 41-21 win -- a victory that moved the team to 5-0 on the season and what was then its best start in 23 years -- the Terps allowed a 24-7 lead to be cut to three in the third quarter before scoring 17 unanswered points in the fourth to win going away. Bruce Perry was the offensive star, rushing for 143 yards and a TD while catching a career-high eight passes for 51 yards.
  • The Maryland offensive line has held Virginia to just two sacks in its last five meetings (none last year).

    Quick Hits, Week Eight

  • With last week's win over FSU, the Terps defeated the Seminoles for the first time ever in a series that dates to 1966.
  • The Terrapins' win marked only the eighth by an ACC team over FSU since it joined the league in 1992. The Terps join Virginia (1995), NC State (1998, 2001, 2002), North Carolina (2001), Clemson (2003) and Miami (2004) as ACC victors over the Seminoles.
  • The win marked Maryland's first over a top five opponent since Oct. 29, 1983, when the Terps downed No. 3 North Carolina, 28-26, at Byrd Stadium. The Terps' last top 10 win was a 35-30 victory on Nov. 17, 1990, at Virginia.
  • The Terrapin defense allowed Florida State only 50 rushing yards and 17 points -- the lowest in the series. Williams Kershaw and Omarr Savage recorded sacks to help the Terps to four on the night.
  • Terrapin sophomore QB Joel Statham put forth the best effort of his young career, completing 21-of-40 passes for 333 yards and one touchdown. His one-yard plunge in the second quarter gave Maryland a 13-3 lead and was his first career rushing touchdown -- and only the second rushing touchdown of the year allowed by the Seminoles.
  • Statham's touchdown also broke a string of 13 quarters FSU had gone without allowing its opposition to find the end zone.
  • With 333 passing yards, Statham threw for the most yards by a Terrapin against Florida State since 1995, when Scott Milanovich threw for 380 in a 59-17 loss in Tallahassee. Statham's 333 yards were also the most against the Seminoles by any player since Nov. 15, 2003, when NC State's Philip Rivers passed for 422 (28-of-38) in a 50-44 double-overtime FSU victory.
  • With Nick Novak's first quarter field goal, Maryland scored first against the Seminoles for the third time in the last four meetings.
  • Senior Ray Custis' interception off of a Domonique Foxworth tip in the first quarter was his third career interception and second this season. It also marked the first interception by Maryland since the Duke game (game four).
  • Josh Allen's 72-yard catch-and-run in the third quarter was the longest play this season for Maryland. It was also a career-long reception for Allen, his second career receiving touchdown and his first of this season.
  • Saturday's attendance of 52,203 marked the eighth-largest crowd in Byrd Stadium history. With one home game left in 2004, the Terps are averaging 52,047 fans per game this season.

    Friedgen's ACCeptional Start

  • Ralph Friedgen has opened his career as a head coach by setting one coaching record after another and as his fourth season in College Park moves along, he has once again placed his name in several record books for coaching wins.
  • In his three-plus years at Maryland, Friedgen has -- season-by-season -- established himself as one of the top coaches in ACC history. His first season featured an ACC championship and 10 wins, his second had him at the top of the record books for second-year mentors with a 21-5 record, and his third year had him atop the record books of third-year ACC coaches with a 31-8 record. His 31 wins were five more than the list's number-two coaches, Lou Holtz (NC State, 1972-74) and Danny Ford (Clemson, 1979-81).
  • With 31 wins in those first three years, Friedgen ranks seventh on the NCAA's all-time list for third-year head coaches. Along with Miami's Larry Coker (2nd), he is one of two active coaches on the list that features legendary names like Walter Camp (1st), Barry Switzer (4th) and John Robinson (6th).
  • Now with 35 wins, Friedgen ranks tied for first on the ACC list of fourth-year head coaches. With the win over Florida State, he moved into a tie for first with CU's Ford who was 35-10-1 in his four years.
  • Notably, Friedgen now stands just nine wins from tying Ford for the most wins by an ACC coach in his fifth year. Despite only being game nine of his fourth season, Friedgen already ranks seventh on that list. He will tie long-time friend George O'Leary for sixth with his next victory.

    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 197 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 18 years or more, and the 197 years means an average of almost 20 years of experience per coach on the 2004 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 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 and current Army coach Bobby Ross (Bulldog head coach from 1973-77; Terps from `82-86).

    A Milestone Win

  • The Terrapins' 20-17 win over Florida State was notable in many respects. It was a landmark win for the current coaching staff and takes the program to heights not achieved in decades. The win was:
  • Maryland's first in 15 tries against FSU.
  • The team's first over a top five opponent since 1983.
  • The first over a top 10 team under Friedgen and for the school since 1990.
  • The first by Maryland over one of the "big three" in Florida since the Terps beat Miami in 1984, a game that saw them trail 31-0 at halftime.

    Raising the Bar

  • With its win over FSU, Maryland has 35 victories over its last four seasons -- all since Ralph Friedgen took over in 2001.
  • The Terps' total of 31 wins from 2001-03 is the highest three-year win total in school history.
  • Prior to 2003, Maryland's best three-year win total was 28 (accomplished three times). With two more wins this season, the team will match the best four-year total in school history, 37 wins (1975-78).
  • With their loss to NC State, the Terps lost any hope of winning 10 games this season, the first time in Friedgen's tenure that the team will have failed to do so. In the previous 110 years of football, Maryland had never put together three straight nine-win seasons, but Friedgen's teams strung together three-straight 10-win campaigns from 2001-03.
  • Since 1892, Maryland has had seven 10-win seasons, three of which have come in the previous three years.

    RBs Becoming Terp Tradition

  • Historically, Maryland has had a reputation for producing some top-notch quarterbacks. Names like Esiason, Scarbath, O'Donnell and Reich have done nothing to discourage that. In recent years, however, the schools reputation of producing QBs is rivaled only by its production at tailback.
  • Following the departure of LaMont Jordan in 2000, the big question was "who would carry the load?" The answer has come in waves -- Bruce Perry, Marc Riley, Chris Downs, and now Josh Allen and Sammy Maldonado.
  • Now in his third year, Allen has rushed for 1,750 yards and 20 TDs (22 TDs total, rush and rec.). An eight-game starter in 2003, his 257 yards against Virginia marked the 11th-best day in ACC history and the seventh-best in Division I-A last season. He currently ranks 12th on the Terp career yardage list.
  • Allen's one-yard touchdown run against Clemson moved him into seventh all-time on the Maryland career list.
  • Allen has posted four career 100-yard games and one in 2004.
  • Maldonado rushed for 84 yards in the opener and then followed it up with his first career 100-yard game, a 106-yard, two-touchdown effort against Temple.
  • Maldonado is now 10th in the ACC in rushing with 59.8 yards per game and leads the Terps with five touchdowns.

    Defense The Backbone

  • When he was hired to come to Maryland, the talk about the mark Ralph Friedgen would make in College Park was all about offense. What has been unquestionably the team's most consistent force in four seasons, however, has been its defense and it is once again proving to be a force in 2004.
  • Defensive coordinator Gary Blackney's defense has been a unit charactarized by stopping the run and making teams score by moving the ball through the air. With a scoring average of 17.5 points allowed per game since 2001, that feat has obviously been a tall order for Terrapin foes.
  • Maryland's ranking in scoring defense the previous three years got progressively better with each season, as the Terps ranked 18th in 2001, seventh in 2002 and sixth a year ago.
  • In each of the previous three seasons' final defensive rankings, Maryland has had just one team -- Georgia -- finish higher in scoring defense.
  • In `04, the Terps have gotten better and better and now rank 23rd nationally in scoring defense, yielding an average of 17.8 points per game.
  • Despite its continual improvement, the Terrapins' defensive scoring average is skewed somewhat this year due to events beyond the defense's control. If one were to eliminate points scored off of turnovers, fumble or interceptions returned for touchdowns and kickoff returns for touchdowns, the Maryland defense is allowing 12.3 points per game compared to its current average of 17.8.
  • Since 2001, 33 of Maryland's 47 opponents (70%) have been held to 20 points or less.
  • Maryland has yet to see a year under Blackney's watch where opponents average more than 20 points per game.
  • Since 2002, Maryland has held its opposition scoreless in 67 quarters (12 thus far in 2004).
  • The Terrapins are currently ranked in the nation's top 25 in four defensive categories: total defense (21st), rush defense (25th), pass efficiency defense (15th) and scoring defense (23rd).
  • Maryland has held six opponents to 100 yards or less passing since 2001, including four teams in 2003.
  • This past weekend marked the first time in nine games that an opponent has been able to pass for over 250 yards against the Terps (FSU took 51 attempts to throw for 304 yards).
  • Against Duke, the Terp defense held the opposition to 185 yards of total offense (83 rushing, 102 passing). Along the way, the defense held six of the Blue Devils' 12 drives to three plays or less.

    Run Stuffers

  • Maryland's defense has gotten progressively better as this season has gone on, due in large part to the progression of a group of young defensive tackles. In the last five games, just one team has been able to manage 100 yards rushing against the Terrapins.
  • Against Florida State, Maryland buckled down and held the Seminoles to 50 rushing yards. Florida State came into the game averaging 190 per game and the output was their lowest of the season.
  • In its loss to Clemson, the Terps held the Tigers to 36 yards rushing (0.9 yards per carry), their lowest output of 2004.
  • Since 2001, Maryland has held its opposition below 100 yards rushing 13 times.

    Rise in the Rankings

  • Maryland's defense has performed well throughout all of 2004, but as the season has gone on, there has been a noticeable difference in its play and that difference has been reflected in the NCAA rankings. Below is a look at how Maryland has ranked each week since the first of this season: 
    	Wk.	Rush Def.	Scoring Def.	Total Def.
	2	48th	44th	46th
	3	64th	58th	55th
	4	76th	50th	54th
	5	66th	45th	29th
	6	61st	43rd	30th
	7	54th	38th	28th
	8	36th	28th	21st
	9	25th	23rd	21st

    Living Up To Their Name

  • After stumbling out of the blocks in their first year, Maryland's special teams have been nothing short of, well, special the last three years under coordinator Ray Rychleski.
  • In placekicker Nick Novak, punter Adam Podlesh and return man Steve Suter, the Terrapins have the ACC's first team all-conference kicker from 2002 and 2003, its second-team punter from 2003 (and the first Terp freshman in history to make All-ACC) and a specialist who has been first team all-league since 2002.
  • The Terps have drawn national attention for their unit in 2004 as they have been ranked in the preseason as one of the best units in the nation by Collegefootballnews.com (1st), Lindy's (1st), ESPN (3rd) and Phil Steele (3rd).

    Young Guns

  • In three of the last four years, Maryland has been faced with opening its season with a quarterback in his first year playing in the offensive system. While this year is different in the sense that Joel Statham and the team's other quarterbacks have all come up in the Friedgen offense, this year's group has faced a new set of challenges as the least experienced the Terps have put on the field in recent years.
  • Maryland's group of five quarterbacks entered this season having thrown 25 career passes between them at the collegiate level (all 25 attempts were by Statham in 2003).
  • The Terrapins have no players at the position older than a sophomore. The group includes two sophomores (Statham, Hollenbach), two redshirt freshmen (Mitch, Moyseenko) and one true freshman (Steffy).
  • With his start in the opener, Statham was the least experienced to take the field in terms of passes thrown at either the college or junior college level since Latrez Harrison started as a freshman against Florida State in 1999.

    Suter ACC Record-Holder

  • After two years as the ACC's first-team specialist and one of Maryland's top playmakers, Steve Suter is no longer flying under anybody's radar. He is more likely to be flying down the sideline.
  • Now in his final year of eligibility at Maryland, Suter does it all for the Terps. A starting wideout who returns punts and kicks, Suter has also been involved in the running game and is one of the team's few receivers who can play at any spot (X, Z or slot).
  • In the last three years, Suter has averaged 15.0 yards per touch whether it be rushing, receiving or in the returns game.
  • With his first return of the day against Georgia Tech this season, Suter became the ACC's all-time leader in punt return yardage, surpassing the mark of NC State's Ledel George (1,191, 1990-93). He enters game nine of his final season with 1,269 yards.
  • In 2002, Suter tied the NCAA record for punt returns for a touchdown in a season (4). He returned two punts last season for scores, leaving him just two shy of tying the current NCAA career record of eight (Wes Welker, Texas Tech, 2000-03; Antonio Perkins, Oklahoma, 2001-pres.).
  • Suter's six returns for a TD are a Maryland record.
  • The opposition has thus far been punting away from Suter this season, angling more than half of their punts out of his reach. The result -- an opponent net punting average of 33.9 yards per attempt.

    DJ = Defensive Juggernaut

  • The question surrounding the 2004 Terrapins heading into the season was virtually all about the quarterback position. It was only a year ago, however, that the same "buzz" was surrounding "who would replace E.J. Henderson" at middle linebacker. Thanks to the play of D'Qwell Jackson, those questions are as good as forgotten.
  • Last season -- his first as a starter -- Jackson led the team in tackles with 136, one shy of the record for tackles by a sophomore at Maryland. His 10.5 tackles per game ranked him seventh in the ACC and tops among sophomores.
  • Maybe the fiercest competitor on the Terp roster, Jackson has led the Terrapins in tackles in 12 of 21 games the last two years. He has also had 13 career games with double-digit tackles.
  • Eight games into this year, Jackson is again leading the team in tackles (89). His average of 11.1 tackles per game is also tops in the ACC and he is the league's only player to have posted 80 tackles thus far in 2004.
  • The Largo, Fla., native was everywhere against Clemson, notching a staggering career-high 18 tackles (nine solo) to go along with 2.5 TFLs and a sack. He was named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week for his efforts.
  • Jackson was one of the few bright spots against Georgia Tech, tying what was then his career-high with 16 tackles (four solo) while adding a half TFL and a PBU.
  • After suffering a hyperextended elbow against Temple in week two, concern was that Jackson might have trouble playing against West Virginia. On the contrary, he finished with 16 tackles, a sack, one TFL and one PBU.
  • In the opener, Jackson racked up nine tackles and intercepted two passes against Northern Illinois, both of which led to Terrapin scores.

    Lights On

  • After playing through injury most of last season, DE Shawne Merriman -- a.k.a. "Lights Out" -- has unquestionably had the light go on this year.
  • A true junior, Merriman is in his first season as the full-time starter but is already making waves in the Terrapin record books. In 34 career games, Merriman has posted 27.5 tackles for loss and 19.5 sacks.
  • After his sack against Clemson, Merriman now stands just five sacks from owning the school's career record (Mike Corvino, `79-82, currently holds the mark with 24).
  • With three TFLs against the Tigers, Merriman moved into ninth on the Terp career list in that category with 28.5.
  • Merriman leads the Terrapins and is tied for third in the ACC in sacks (six total/0.75 avg.) and is tied for second in the league in TFLs (13 total/1.62 avg.). He also leads the league in fumbles forced with three.
  • At Clemson, Merriman made big play after big play, registering seven tackles, three TFLs, one sack and one forced fumble.
  • The Upper Marlboro native posted a career-high 16 tackles from his defensive end position against NC State.

    Youth is Served

  • With 22 seniors (12 of whom were starters), last year's Maryland squad was the most experienced in the last four years. One year later, the 2004 edition of the Terps has just three less seniors but it is easily the least experienced of Ralph Friedgen's tenure.
  • This year's team has the largest group of true freshmen in recent memory (30). All told, there were 49 Terrapins on this year's roster with four years or more of eligibility remaining at the beginning of the season.
  • In the Terrapins' first eight games of 2004, a total of 35 sophomores and freshmen have seen action including eight true freshmen, two more than all of last year.

    Upon Further Review

  • In addition to the high number of youthful Terps taking the field this year, the more experienced Terps in terms of their academic eligibility are not what one would consider long in the tooth when it comes to playing time.
  • A year after opening the season with 15 senior starters, Maryland now has nine seniors in its starting lineup. Four of those players, however, are in their first season as starters.
  • Of the 22 offensive and defensive players listed as starters on the two-deep heading into the Virginia game, 13 are in their first year as starters.
  • Notably, Maryland lost 12 players a year ago made their way to in NFL camps in the fall.

    Turtles in Name Only

  • It has been documented that this year's team is the youngest of the Friedgen Era. Notably, it may also be the fastest.
  • The Terrapins had 17 players run in the 4.5-or-better range in the 40-yard dash in spring testing (note that all but four true freshmen did not participate).
  • Six of the nine wide receivers who tested in the spring ran 4.51 or better, two tailbacks ran under a 4.5 (Allen and Merrills) and three defensive backs ran a 4.4 or better (Custis, McPhearson, Wilson).
  • Two notable times -- CB Gerrick McPhearson ran a team-best 4.29; P Adam Podlesh ran the best time ever for a punter at Maryland with a 4.46.

    Novak Scaling NCAA List

  • It seems like ages since placekicker Nick Novak hit a pair of memorable kicks at Georgia Tech that got the ball rolling for him and the Terrapins in 2001. Now a senior, Novak has gone from the focal point of a position of concern on the Terp roster to one of the premier players at his position in the country.
  • Starting with his game-tying kick at Georgia Tech in `01, Novak has made 72 of his last 88 field goal attempts (82%), with five of the 17 misses coming from 50 yards or further (and one being a block).
  • A semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award the last two years, Novak is 44 points from breaking the mark of current NCAA record-holder for scoring, Houston's Roman Anderson (423, 1988-91). Novak enters this weekend's game with 380 career points, a total which ranks seventh on the NCAA list.
  • Novak needs nine points to move into sixth and ahead of Nebraska's Kris Brown (388, 1995-98).
  • Novak's first field goal of this season, a 43-yarder against Northern Illinois, set a new ACC scoring record, breaking the mark of FSU's Scott Bentley (326).
  • With his game-winning 43-yard field goal in last year's NC State game, Novak became the all-time leading scorer in Maryland history, surpassing the 308 points of Jess Atkinson (1981-84).
  • The Charlottesville, Va., native has made 54 percent (7-of-13) of his attempts for his career from 50 yards or further. He owns the school record with a 54-yard kick against Duke in 2003.

    Podlesh ACC Leader in Net Avg.

  • Sophomore Adam Podlesh had a tall order a year ago in filling the shoes of Maryland's all-time leading punter, Brooks Barnard. Now in his second season, Podlesh is playing like Barnard's record-setting career will barely have a chance for the ink to dry in the team's media guide before being moved aside.
  • Podlesh averaged 42.3 yards per punt a season ago, third-best in the ACC, the fifth-best in school history and best ever by a freshman. It was his net punting and, more specifically, his ability to pin an opponent that had him finish the season as a Ray Guy Award semifinalist.
  • Thus far in 2004, Podlesh maintains a 44.7-yard average (ninth-best in the nation) and his net average (40.6) leads the ACC and is seventh in the NCAA.
  • On 97 career punts, Podlesh has dropped 37 percent (36) inside the opponents' 20-yard line.
  • Podlesh has placed 14 of his 44 punts this year inside the 20.
  • Podlesh was critical to the win over Florida State, averaging 45 yards per punt while dropping three inside the 20 and booting three for over 50 yards.
  • A week after being named ACC Specialist of the Week for his play against Georgia Tech, Podlesh followed that performance up with an 11-punt day that featured a 45.2-yard average, two punts inside the 20, no touchbacks and a career-long 70-yard effort that was downed at NCSU's five-yard line.
  • In being named a second team All-ACC selection at punter last year, Podlesh became the first freshman in school history to be recognized by the league.

    Iron Terps

  • Maryland's strength numbers over the course of the last four years have been off the charts. This season, 43 players earned "Iron Terp" status, an honor that is based on a player's strength index (determined by a strength/weight formula).
  • Due to the team's youth, the strength numbers have fallen slightly compared to last year, but the averages are still staggering nonetheless. The team's average bench press is 341.9; its average squat 514.2; and its average power clean is 296.3 as determined in preseason testing.
  • Not only were new individual records set, but the team as a whole improved dramatically, as 72 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 tight end Vernon Davis. The young H-back posted records for strength index (736), bench (425 pounds), power clean (330 pounds) and vertical jump (38 inches) He also posted a 4.5 time in the 40-yard dash.
  • For the second-straight season, FS Ray Custis led the team in overall strength index, posting a 809, the best ever by a Maryland defensive back.

    Local Ties

  • The Terrapins have seven players who call the state of Virginia home. The list: DE Rob Armstrong (Arlington/Washington-Lee HS); S Quintin Beltran (Woodbridge/C.D. Hylton HS); WR Derrick Fenner (Hampton/Hampton HS); QB Ryan Mitch (McLean/DeMatha HS); PK Nick Novak (Charlottesville/Albemarle HS); DE Patrick Powell (Richmond/L.C. Bird HS); and DB Richard Taylor (Centreville, Va./Centreville HS).
  • On the Maryland coaching staff, offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe was an assistant coach at Virginia in various capacities from 1976-80 and offensive line coach Tom Brattan coached at a pair of Virginia high schools (Highland Springs and L.C. Bird) before entering the college ranks.
  • Five Virginia players are natives of the Free State as OL Branden Albert (Glen Burnie/Glen Burnie HS), G Ron Darden (Pasadena/Glen Burnie HS), S Bud Davis (Bowie/Eleanor Roosevelt HS), CB Bayo Ogunniyi (Lanham/Eleanor Roosevelt HS) and WR Deyon Williams (Upper Marlboro/Suitland HS) are all from Maryland.
  • Several Virginia coaches have ties to the Maryland area. Among them: Mike Groh (Baltimore Ravens assistant, 1996); Anthony Poindexter (Ravens' DB, 1999-2000); Bob Price (Baltimore Stallions (CFL) assistant, 1994-95); and Danny Rocco (Maryland offensive line coach, 1998-99).

    Terps Among Nation's Elite

  • Over the course of the past three-plus years, the Maryland football program has been among the best in the nation. The Terrapins are 35-12 in that span with a 22-3 record at home.
  • Maryland was one of just five BCS programs to win at least 10 games from 2001-2003. The four others are Miami (Fla.), Oklahoma, Texas and Washington State.
  • The Terrapins are joined by just four other schools since 2001 to finish each of those three seasons ranked in the nation's top 20 in both major polls while also earning a spot in the top 25 of both preseason polls for 2004 (Miami (Fla.), Oklahoma and Texas and Michigan are the others).

    Scouting the Cavaliers

  • Virginia enters this weekend's contest with a 6-1 overall record and a 3-1 mark in conference play. The Wahoos opened the season with five-straight wins before falling at Florida State. They beat Duke in week seven and were idle last week.
  • Florida State is the only team Virginia has faced this season that owns a record better than .500.
  • The Cavaliers have shown both a strong offense and defense this season. Like Maryland, the toughest stretch of their season is at the end as Miami and road games at Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech close the slate.
  • Offensively, UVa has scored an average of 36 points per game, a figure that ranks first in the ACC and 10th nationally. It has had a balanced offense that leans toward running the football as it averages 249.0 yards per game on the ground versus 216.4 through the air.
  • The Cavaliers have gotten good production this season from QB Marques Hagans, TB Wali Lundy, TB Alvin Pearman and TE Heath Miller. Hagans is an elusive runner who has completed 67 percent of his passes; Lundy (598 yards, 12 TDs) and Pearman (16 rec., 239 yards) provide a threat on the ground and through the air; and Miller is the top receiving tight end in the conference (25 rec., 350 yards, 4 TDs).
  • Defensively, Virginia is holding opponents below 300 yards per game (292.0). LB Ahmad Brooks is the team's leading tackler with 56 to go along with six TFLs and 5.5 sacks.

    Virginia's Al Groh

  • Al Groh is in his fourth year as head coach at the University of Virginia and heads into this weekend's game with a 28-18 record in his tenure (54-58 overall). Groh, a 1967 graduate of the school, came to Charlottesville from the New York Jets where he served as head coach in 2000.
  • Groh took over the helm of the Cavalier program after long-time head coach George Welsh stepped down. Welsh is the winningest coach in the history of the program, compiling a 189-131-4 record.
  • Prior to his appointment at Virginia, Groh had served 12 consecutive years as a coach in the NFL with stops coming in New York (Giants, 1989-91; Jets 1997-2000), Cleveland (1992) and New England (1993-96). In his lone season at the pro level as a head coach, he helped lead the Jets to a 9-7 record.
  • Groh was named head coach of the Jets after the retirement of Bill Parcells at the end of the 1999 season.
  • After getting his collegiate coaching start at Virginia, Groh ended up with his first head job at another ACC school, Wake Forest, where he served from 1981-86.
  • A native of Mineola, N.Y., Groh is a `67 graduate of Virginia and earned letters in football and lacrosse.

    Big Games Remembered

  • The 2004 season is one that stands decades from a pair of the more memorable games in the history of the Maryland program.
  • This year marks the 20th anniversary of one of the great games of all time, not just in Maryland lore, as November 10, 1984, was the date of the Terps' 42-40 come-from-behind win at Miami.
  • In that contest, the Terrapins trailed 31-0 at halftime, but the "King of Comebacks," Frank Reich, led his team to 42 second half points in a game that has been dubbed the greatest comeback in college football history.
  • Notably, Ralph Friedgen was the offensive coordinator on that 1984 team and DL coach Dave Sollazzo was a graduate assistant.
  • This season is also the 40th anniversary of one of the most memorable games in the history of Maryland/Navy, a rivalry from 1905-1965 that will be resumed next season.
  • On November 7, 1964, Maryland defeated the Midshipmen and their Heisman Trophy QB of the previous year, Roger Staubach. It did so behind a 101-yard kickoff return by Kenny Ambrusko with 2:58 remaining, leading to a 27-22 victory that was the Terrapins' first in 12 years (and four meetings) over Navy.

    Protecting the House

  • Despite suffering a pair of losses at home for the first time since 2000, the Terrapins are 22-3 at Byrd Stadium under Ralph Friedgen.
  • With Maryland's win over Virginia on Nov. 13, the Terps finished the 2003 season with a perfect 6-0 record at home, marking the second time in Ralph Friedgen's three-year tenure that the team has finished its home slate unblemished.
  • In 111 seasons of football, Maryland has finished undefeated at home 18 times. Just seven of those occasions, however, have come since 1950 (when Byrd Stadium opened) and just twice has it happened since 1975 (`76 and 2001).
  • The Terrapins' 6-0 mark in 2003 was a tie for the second-best record at home in school history. The 1976 team was also 6-0, only to be trumped by the 2001 team which won all of its games on a seven-game home slate.
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    Players Mentioned

    Omarr Savage

    #98 Omarr Savage

    DL
    6' 5"
    Senior
    Richard Taylor

    #9 Richard Taylor

    DB
    5' 11"
    Junior

    Players Mentioned

    Omarr Savage

    #98 Omarr Savage

    6' 5"
    Senior
    DL
    Richard Taylor

    #9 Richard Taylor

    5' 11"
    Junior
    DB