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Football 9/13/2004 8:00:00 AM Maryland Athletics

Football Game Notes: Terps vs. West Virginia

Sept. 13, 2004

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The Game

The University of Maryland football team hits the road for the first time in 2004 to take on what has become a very familiar opponent in regional-rival West Virginia University. Kickoff from a sold-out Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium is set for 12:02 p.m. EDT with the game being televised live by ESPN2 and broadcast by the Terrapin Radio Network (radio pregame starts at 11:30 p.m.).

The Terrapins continued their winning ways in 2004, beating Temple at home last Saturday, 45-22, to move to 2-0 on the season for the first time since 2001. Maryland scored touchdowns on its first four possessions of the game to put the contest away early while posting its best offensive numbers of the young season (471 yards of total offense).

West Virginia's early-season juggernaut continued over the weekend in Orlando, Fla., as the Mountaineers beat UCF, 45-20, at the Citrus Bowl. The Golden Knights pulled to within 11 points early in the third quarter (28-17), but WVU pulled away late, largely behind a strong performance from quarterback Rasheed Marshall who finished with four touchdown passes and one rushing TD.

The Terrapins enter this weekend's play ranked No. 21 in the latest Associated Press poll and 19th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' poll. West Virginia enters this week ranked seventh by the AP and eighth in the coaches' poll.

The Terrapins' ranking in the Top 25 after week two is its highest early season ranking since 1985. In '85, the Terps were headed in the opposite direction, however, as the team started that season ranked 7th before dropping to 17th in week two and ultimately out of the polls after being shutout in week four at Michigan.

This weekend's game is the last of three non-conference games to start the 2004 season, the first time since 2000 the Terps have opened a campaign without playing an ACC opponent in their first three contests.

Series Notes -- Terps & Mountaineers

This year's meeting marks the 43rd between the Terrapins and Mountaineers, a series which began in 1919 and currently stands at 21-19-2 in Maryland's favor.

With both teams firmly entrenched in the Top 25, this year's meeting in Morgantown is just the third time since 1970 that both schools enter the game ranked in the national polls. In addition, the matchup marks the first time since 1998 that a ranked Moutaineer team will host a ranked opponent.

Maryland and WVU have met every year since 1980. The last 15 games of the series show Maryland holding a one-game edge (8-7), but the Terrapins have won four in a row and five of the last six.

Ralph Friedgen and Rich Rodriguez each took the helm of their respective alma maters in 2001. Maryland is 4-0 against WVU in that time, but Rodriguez success has seemingly come after playing the Terps the last two years. Since their 2002 meeting, WVU is a combined 15-3 in games following its losses to Maryland.

As the all-time record indicates, the series between the two Mid-Atlantic schools has been very evenly matched over the years. So much so, in fact, that last year's victory at Byrd Stadium kept the two schools on pace to have identical records at their own venues. Maryland is 11-9-1 at Byrd Stadium and WVU is 10-9-1 at Mountaineer Field.

In the last three meetings, the Terps have outscored their regional rival WVU by a combined score of 123-31, an average of nearly 46-10 per game.

Last year's Toyota Gator Bowl marked the first time in the history of the series that Maryland and West Virginia met at a neutral site.

Over the last two seasons, Maryland has dominated the Mountaineers from start to finish. In the Gator Bowl, the Terps scored 31 points before WVU scored for the first time and at Maryland, the Terps were up 34-0 before the Mountaineers lit the scoreboard.

In the three games combined from 2002 through last year's bowl game, the Terrapins have outgained West Virginia 1,412-721 (an average of 471-240 per game), held a 68-38 advantage in first downs and limited WVU to a total of 260 yards passing (87 yards per game).

In the Terps' last trip to Morgantown, they put the game away early as they posted 28 points in the first quarter of an eventual 48-17 win, marking a triumphant return by QB Scott McBrien to his former school. From that point in the season on, Maryland lost just one of its final eight games while the Mountaineers also played well from that point on, winning six of their final eight following the game.

McBrien has been the story the last three years but other, current Terps also played a role in the last few Maryland victories. In Morgantown two years ago, then-freshman Josh Allen posted his first career 100-yard game, going for 116 on 16 carries with a 70-yard scamper thrown in the mix. In the Gator Bowl, Steve Suter was one of the game's top players running back a punt 76 yards for a score and coming up with a highlight-reel catch down the left sideline to set up another score.

Only once in the last 10 meetings between the Terrapins and the Mountaineers has the game's winner not scored at least 30 points (WVU, 13-0 in 1996).

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 gets under way, 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 33 wins, Friedgen already ranks tied for fourth -- tying Holtz (33-12-3 from 1972-75) -- on the ACC list of fourth-year head coaches. With a win against West Virginia, he will move into a tie for third with NC State's Chuck Amato (34-17 from 2000-03).

Friedgen is three wins shy of leading all fourth-year ACC coaches in wins. Ford currently sits atop the list with a 35-10-1 record from 1979-82.

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).

Quick Hits, Week Two

In Ralph Friedgen's three-plus seasons, Maryland is 28-0 when leading at halftime.

Maryland also pushed its home win streak to 13 and its record under Friedgen at Byrd Stadium to 21-1.

The 23-point margin of victory over Temple 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) against the Owls, 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. 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 were 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.

Sammy Maldonado's 106-yard rushing effort against Temple made 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 a player run for 100 in the Gator Bowl).

Redshirt freshman linebacker Wesley Jefferson saw his first significatn action for the Terps and responded by pacing the squad with a team-high 12 tackles (five solo).

After struggling to get started offensively last week, Maryland scored touchdowns on its first four possessions against the Owls. 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.

Senior defensive tackle Henry Scott's fumble recovery for a touchdown on an errant Temple snap 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.

Raising the Bar

With its win over Temple, Maryland has 33 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 hightest three-year win total in school history.

Prior to 2003, Maryland's best three-year win total was 28 (accomplished three times). With five more wins this season, the team will surpass the best four-year total in school history, 37 wins (1975-78).

Friedgen's tenure has thus far produced no season with less than 10 wins. In the previous 110 years of football, Maryland had never put together three straight nine-win seasons.

Since 1892, Maryland has had seven 10-win seasons, three of which have come in the last three years.

Balance = Success

Because of his success at Georgia Tech with players like Shawn Jones, Joe Hamilton and George Godsey, it was assumed that Friedgen's offensive success came through the air. What three years and two games at Maryland have shown is that the key to the offense run by he and coordinator Charlie Taaffe is based on one premise -- balance.

Now in his fourth year on the job, Taaffe's offense has posted almost identical numbers in the rushing and passing departments. Since 2001, Maryland has averaged 202.5 yards rushing and 212.7 yards passing.

As expected in game one of '04, the rushing game carried the offense somewhat as the ground attack outgained the aerial 198-169. In game two, however, Joel Statham's improvement was apparant both on the scoreboard and in the stat sheet as the Terps' run-to-pass output was 203-268.

In 2001 and 2002, the Terps averaged more yards on the ground than through the sky, but with an experienced quarterback in 2003 (Scott McBrien), Maryland posted its largest discrepancy in three years (191.3 yards per game rushing vs. 230.4 passing).

Churning It Out

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.

From 2001-2003, Maryland averaged no worse than 191.3 yards per game on the ground and had a three-year average of 202.5 yards per outing and a per-carry average of 4.6 yards.

In the 16 years between 1985 and 2000, the Terrapins averaged better than 191 yards per game on the ground just once (1999, 231.4), a season that saw the team's rushing prowess offset by a 143.6 per game passing average that ranked 99th nationally.

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 1,468 yards and 18 TDs. 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 17th on the Terp career yardage list.

In addition, Allen's five-yard touchdown run in the second quarter tied him for eighth all-time on the Maryland career list (tied with Tommy Neal, 1983-86; Ed Vereb, 1953-55; Bob "Shoo Shoo" Shemonski, 1949-51).

Allen's first game of 2004 gave him the fourth 100-yard effort of his career as he paced the Terps with 102 yards on 22 carries and one TD.

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. After averaging 6.0 yards per carry a year ago before injuring his knee, "The Bull" is averaging 5.9 through two games of 2004.

As a team, the Terrapins are averaging 200.5 yards per game after two outings this season, 22nd-best in the NCAA.

Defense Pulls Rank

When he was hired to come to Maryland, the talk about the mark Ralph Friedgen would make in College Park was all about offense. And though the offense put together by Friedgen and coordinator Charlie Taaffe has consistently been among the nation's best, what has been unquestionably the team's most consistent force in four seasons has been its defense.

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 17.7 points allowed per game since 2001, that feat has obviously been a tall order for Terrapin foes.

Maryland's ranking in scoring defense the last three years has gotten 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.

Since 2001, 28 of Maryland's 41 opponents (68%) 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 58 quarters (three thus far in 2004).

Maryland finished 2003 ranked 15th nationally in total defense, allowing an average of just 308.4 yards per game. It is one of four categories the team led the Atlantic Coast Conference in from a defensive standpoint (scoring defense, pass efficiency defense and pass defense).

Since 2001, Maryland has held its opposition below 100 yards rushing nine times. In addition, the team has held six opponents to 100 yards or less passing in that time, including four teams in 2003.

Though it ultimately gave up 22 points and 346 yards to Temple, the Terps first team performed well last week, holding the Owls to 156 yards and seven points through three quarters.

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 two 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 two of the last three 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 starter will face 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 on Verge of Record

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

With 35 more punt return yards, Suter will become the ACC's all-time leader in yardage, surpassing the mark of NC State's Ledel George (1,191, 1990-93). In the opener against NIU, he surpassed Georgia Tech's Kelley Rhino and moved into second place.

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 Walker, Texas Tech, 2000-03).

Suter's six returns for a TD are a Maryland record.

In last year's regular-season game against West Virginia, Suter became Maryland's all-time leader in punt return yardage with 922. He enters game two of the 2004 season with 1,130.

The Temple game marked the senior's most productive game thus far this season as he finished with 114 all-purpose yards (56 receiving, 58 returns).

Action Jackson

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.

In his first year, 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 eight of 15 games the last two years. He has also had nine career games with double-digit tackles.

Jackson didn't take long to get warmed up in 2004, recording nine tackles and intercepting two passes against Northern Illinois, both of which led to Terrapin scores. In game two, he finished with four tackles as his playing time was limited after hyperextending his left elbow.

ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit listed Jackson as the number one player in the ACC he would pay to watch. Said Herbstreit: "Jackson's emotion and passion are awesome to watch. He stepped in for the departed E.J. Henderson last year and the Maryland defense did not miss a beat thanks to Jackson's tenacity and the love for the game he displays on every snap. He makes it easier to appreciate all the great players on the defensive side of the ball in the ACC."

Lights On

After playing through injury most of last season, DE Shawne Merriman -- aka "Lights Out" -- seems as if the light has gone on through two games 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 29 career games, Merriman has posted 19.5 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks, a total that ranks 11th on the Maryland career charts.

With two more sacks, Merriman will crack the career top 10, tying the recently-departed Randy Starks for ninth.

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.

Through two games, Merriman leads the Terrapins and is second in the ACC in both sacks (two total/1.0 avg.) and TFLs (four total/2.0 avg.).

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 are 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 two games of 2004, a total of 27 sophomores and freshmen have seen action including six true freshmen, one more than all of last year.

6 The Hard Way

If a team wants to attack Maryland through the air, its best option is not on CB Domonique Foxworth's side of the field. The most experienced member of the Terrapin defense, Foxworth has started every game since the end of 2001 and earned All-ACC recogntion each year he has been a full-time starter.

Foxworth is the anchor of a defensive backfield that lost three players (Curome Cox, Dennard Wilson and Madieu Williams) who earned some form of postseason recognition from the league last season. A first-teamer in 2002, he was second team last year after tying for fourth in the league with three interceptions.

For his career, Foxworth has posted 25 pass breakups and eight interceptions. He has two pass breakups thus far in his senior season.

Currently 20th on the Terp career charts, Foxworth can move into a tie for seventh with two more interceptions.

Team Speed Improving

It has been documented that this year's team is the youngest of the Friedgen Era. Notably, it may also be the most athletic.

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 The ACC's Career Leader

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 64 of his last 76 field goal attempts (84%), with five of the 12 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 80 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 344 career points.

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).

A first team All-ACC pick in 2002 and 2003, Novak was sixth in the NCAA and first in the ACC with an average of 1.85 field goals per game last year. He is currently seventh in the NCAA with 2.0 fgpg.

Novak has hit the only three game-winning attempts of career, beating Georgia Tech in 2001 and NC State in 2002 and '03.

The Charlottesville, Va., native has made 54 percent (7-of-13) of his attempts for his career from 50 yards or further.

Off On The Right Foot

Sophomore Adam Podlesh had a tall order a year ago in filling the shoes of Maryland's all-time leading punter, Brooks Barnard. His performance, however, was more like that of a senior on his way to school records than it was of a first-year performer.

Podlesh averaged 42.3 yards per punt a season ago, third-best in the ACC. 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.

On 59 career punts, Podlesh has dropped 42 percent (25) inside the opponents' 20-yard line.

His 42.3-yard average in 2003 was the fifth-best in school history and best ever by a freshman.

In being named a second team All-ACC selection at punter, Podlesh became the first freshman in school history to be recognized by the league.

Through two games this season, Podlesh again maintains a 42.3-yard average, seventh-best in the league, but his net average (43.0) is second in the ACC and he has placed half of his six punts inside the 20.

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

No Terrapin players call the state of West Virginia home.

West Virginia has nine players who call the state of Maryland home: DB Dee Abodunrin (Silver Spring), WR Milo Austin (Bowie), OT Chris Bassler (New Windsor), LB Mo Howard (Baltimore), QB Antonio Lewis (Waldorf), DL Chris Malamet (Frederick), DE Brad Palmer (Oakland), DB Jerry White (Rockville) and QB Bobby Sheahin (Brookeville). In addition, LB Leonard Merriman (Archbishop Carroll) is from Washington, D.C.

WVU quarterbacks and special teams coach Bill Stewart was an assistant at Navy in 1984.

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 33-8 in that span with a 21-1 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 Mountaineers

West Virginia has looked very strong in its first two games of the 2004 season, averaging 50.5 points per game in wins over East Carolina and UCF.

The Mountaineers, ranked 7th in the most recent Associated Press poll, have been an offensive juggernaut thus far this year, averaging 540.5 offensive yards per game.

Unlike Maryland whose offensive goal is balance, WVU gets it done with the run keying the pass. Of 134 offensive plays this year, 101 have been on the ground for the Mountaineers. The team has averaged 7.1 yards per running play and 18.4 per pass.

WVU has been a fast starter this season, outscoring opponents 28-3 in the first quarter and 42-16 in the second (70-19 by halftime).

Senior Kay-Jay Harris missed most of the UCF game with a hamstring injury, but he still ranks fifth in the NCAA in rushing with an average of 172 yards per game. His 337 yards in the season opener against East Carolina was a school record and the 24th-best rushing day in NCAA history.

The Mountaineer defense is giving up an average of 340 yards per game, most of which has come through the air (226 avg.) due to their opponents having to play from behind.

WVU's Rich Rodriguez

Rich Rodriguez is in his fourth year as the head coach at West Virginia. He owns a 22-17 record in his first stint as a head coach and is in the midst of his third straight strong season in Morgantown. In 2002, the Mountaineers finished 9-4, earning a bid in the Continental Tire Bowl; last year it finished 8-5 as Big East co-champs; this year the team has opened 2-0.

Rodriguez is WVU's 31st head coach after coming to Morgantown following two successful two-year stints serving under Tommy Bowden. The first was as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Tulane in 1997 and '98. In 1999 and 2000, he served under Bowden as offensive coordinator and associate head coach at Clemson.

In their years together, Rodriguez and Bowden took little time to turn things around at Tulane and Clemson. At both schools, teams struggled somewhat in year one (a combined 13-10 record) only to have strong second years (21-3).

The best year Rodriguez had as an assistant was at Tulane in 1998 when the Green Wave rode the strong play of quarterback Shaun King to a perfect 12-0 record and a berth in the Liberty Bowl.

A native of Grant Town, W. Va., Rodriguez was a three-time letterwinner at defensive back for WVU from '82-84.

Protecting the House

The Terrapins are 21-1 at Byrd Stadium under Ralph Friedgen and have won their last 13 straight at home. This year's Oct. 30 opponent, Florida State, is the only team to have won in College Park in the last three years.

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.

More on Byrd Stadium

Now in its 55th 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.

Heading into 2004, the Terrapins are 177-100-1 within the friendly confines of Byrd.

With temporary bleachers installed again this season, Byrd Stadium can hold up to 51,500.

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.

All 19 members of this year's senior class are on schedule to earn their degrees on time.

Since Friedgen joined the Terps in 2001, 58 of 66 football players who have exhausted their eligibilty have graduated, including 30 in fewer than five years.

Two players on this year's team -- DE Kevin Eli and WR Steve Suter -- have already earned their degrees. One other, CB Domonique Foxworth, needs just one class to complete his requirements in three-and-a-half years.

Suter was one of the team's top scholar-athletes, earning a 4.0 grade point average in 2003-04.

From the membership has its benefits file: when on the road, Friedgen lets players line up to eat by grade point average. The Terps must be hungry -- 11 players earned a 3.5 GPA or better for the entire 2003-04 academic year.

It's Not How You Start...

The 2003 Terrapins started 0-2 but finished with one of the best records in the ACC and, as it turned out, a league milestone.

By finishing 10-2, Maryland became the first team in league history to start 0-2 and finish a season with 10 wins.

On only seven other occasions had a team that started 0-2 won eight or more games and three of those times, that team happened to be the Terps (1974, 1982 and 1984).

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.

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 three years, season ticket sales for Maryland football games have have been moving higher and higher.

Nearly a week before the season opener, the athletics department announced that it had sold a school-record total of more than 30,000 season tickets.

As of September 13, the total sold was 31,011, an improvement of over 13,000 tickets from Ralph Friedgen's first season in College Park and over 16,000 more sold than in 1999.

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