Postgame Notes: Maryland 45, Temple 22

Sept. 11, 2004

Maryland moved to 2-0 (0-0 ACC) on the season with tonight's 45-22 win over Temple University (0-2, 0-0 Big East) at Byrd Stadium. The team's 2-0 start is its first since Ralph Friedgen's first season (2001), a campaign that began with Maryland running off seven straight victories.

The Terrapins now lead the all-time series between the two Mid-Atlantic schools, 5-0. Maryland also pushed its home win streak to 13 and its record under Friedgen at Byrd Stadium to 21-1.

With a win tonight, Friedgen now has 33 for his career, a total that already ties him for fourth in ACC history among fourth-year head coaches. Friedgen (33-8) ties the mark of NC State's Lou Holtz (33-12-3 from 1972-75).

Tonight's 23-point margin of victory was easily the largest in the series between the two schools. The previous largest margin was 10 in 1998, a season that also saw the Terps post the most points in a game (30), a total that was again easily surpassed tonight (Maryland had 28 points by halftime).

Sophomore QB Joel Statham threw his first career touchdown pass on Maryland's first drive, a 12-yard strike to Jo Jo Walker. The TD was Walker's first catch of the season and fourth career TD reception.

Statham was taken out just before the end of the third quarter but posted career numbers before coming out. He completed 18-of-25 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. The completions, attempts, yards and TDs are all career highs.

True freshman Jordan Steffy also saw his first career action as a Terp. The last time a true freshman saw action at quarterback for Maryland was 1999 when Latrez Harrison played in six games.

Senior tailback Sammy Maldonado totaled 18 carries for a career-high 106 yards. His performance tonight marks the first 100-yard game of his career, including two years at Ohio State and two at Maryland.

Maldonado's 100-yard night makes it five-straight regular season games that the Terps have had a back hit the century mark (5-of-6 overall; the team did not have somebody run for 100 in the Gator Bowl).

Redshirt freshman linebacker Wesley Jefferson put forth a tremendous defensive effort for the Terps, pacing the squad with a team-high 12 tackles (five solo).

Junior defensive end Shawne Merriman's lone sack on the night gives him a career total of 15.5, moving him into 11th place all-time on the Maryland sacks chart.

After struggling to get started offensively last week, Maryland scored touchdowns on its first four possessions today. The Terps almost made it a perfect 5-for-5 but Nick Novak missed a 45-yard field goal attempt on the team's final drive of the half.

Junior cornerback Gerrick McPhearson recorded his first career sack on a corner blitz in the first quarter. The sack put the Owls in a third-and-long situation that ultimately resulted in an incomplete pass, forcing TU to punt.

Junior tailback Josh Allen had 12 carries for 39 yards, including a five-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. His current total of 19 career touchdowns ties him for 10th all-time in Maryland history (Bruce Perry: 19 -- 1999, 2001-03; Tommy Neal: 19 -- 1983-86; Bob "Shoo Shoo" Shemonski: 19 -- 1949-51). His 18 career rushing TDs ties him for eighth all-time (Tommy Neal: 18 -- 1983-86; Ed Vereb: 18 -- 1953-55; Bob "Shoo Shoo" Shemonski: 18 -- 1949-51).

The Terps excelled offensively in the first half, scoring TDs on its first four possessions while posting 118 rushing yards and 201 passing yards (319 total). In the half, Statham spread the ball around, using seven receivers to account for the 319 yards and two touchdowns.

Maryland's first punt of the game -- a 39-yarder by sophomore Adam Podlesh that was downed at the Temple eight-yard line -- came 45:57 into the game tonight.

Senior defensive tackle Henry Scott's recovery for a TD on a bad Temple snap in the end zone in the fourth quarter marked the first time a Terp defensive player returned a fumble for a touchdown since Oct. 17, 2002, when Domonique Foxworth returned a 12-yarder against Georgia Tech.

Tonight's attendance of 51,292 marked the 14th-largest crowd in Byrd Stadium history. Combined with last week's eighth-largest crowd of 51,830, the Terps are averaging 51,561 in their first two home games of 2004.

Next week's opponent, West Virginia, beat UCF, 45-20.

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