Football On The Road At Temple

Oct. 3, 2005

Game Notes
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The University of Maryland football team hits the road in search of its fourth win as it heads north to take on the Temple University Owls in its final non-conference matchup of this season. Kickoff from Lincoln Financial Field is set for 1:00 p.m., with the game being broadcast on the Terrapin Sports Radio Network (there is no television; radio pregame starts at 11:30 a.m.).

Maryland (3-2, 2-1 ACC) earned its most impressive victory of the season last weekend, beating #19/18 Virginia, 45-33, on homecoming at Byrd Stadium. In the win, the Terps posted season-best offensive numbers nearly across the board in a game that saw six lead changes. For more on the win over Virginia, see "Quick Hits, Week Five."

Temple has had a rough start to this season, one which features one of the toughest non-conference schedules in college football. The Owls fell to 0-5 last week when they lost at Bowling Green, 70-7. In the loss, the Owls turned the ball over five times with one interception returned for a touchdown.

The Terrapins will now spend the majority of the remainder of its schedule on the road, playing three of the next four and four of its final six games away from Byrd Stadium.

Series Notes -- Terps vs. Owls

This year's Maryland-Temple game is the second meeting in as many years between the two schools. The Terrapins own a 5-0 advantage in the series which began in 1997.

The Terps and Owls played every season from 1997 to 2000 with all four contests being relatively close. The average margin of victory for the Terrapins is less than a touchdown (6.5 avg.) and the greatest margin of victory was 10 points (30-20 in 1998).

Last season, #23/21 Maryland beat Temple 45-22 to move to 2-0 on the season. The Terps scored a pair of touchdowns in each the first and second quarters to take a 28-0 lead into the half. They were actually outscored 22-15 in the second half, but held on for an easy win. Joel Statham was 18-of-28 for 268 yards and two TDs in the win, while Sammy "the Bull" Maldonado ran for 106 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

The last meeting between the Terps and Owls in Philadelphia was the first game of the 1999 season, a 6-0 Maryland victory. In the win, Maryland got field goals from Brian Kopka in the first half and needed a pass breakup from Bryn Boggs as time expired as the Owls had advanced to the Maryland three-yard line on its final drive.

Temple's Bobby Wallace is 0-4 in four previous games against Maryland (1998-2000), while last year's win was Friedgen's first game against Temple.

The Terrapins stretch of four games against Temple from 1997-2000 all came during Ron Vanderlinden's tenure as head coach at Maryland. The Terps were 4-0 against TU in the stretch, 11-29 against all other opponents.

For a recap of last year's game against Temple, see the Opponent/Series Info page of this release.

Quick Hits, Week Five

Last weekend's victory marked Maryland's first over a ranked opponent since it toppled No. 5 Florida State 20-17 on October 30, 2004. The Terps' last win over a ranked Virginia team was a 35-30 victory on Nov. 17, 1990.

The 45 points represented Maryland's highest total against the Cavaliers since a 45-34 victory in 1984. It also recorded a 45-14 win in 1982 and a 48-7 victory in 1981.

The Terrapins got on the board first on a 10-yard strike from Sam Hollenbach to Danny Melendez. The TD was the first of the year for Melendez who would finish the day with a career-best nine receptions for 125 yards.

Maryland's answer to its first turnover returned for a touchdown this year (a Hollenbach interception) was a nine-play, 84-yard drive capped by a nine-yard touchdown run by sophomore Keon Lattimore, his second TD of the season. On the drive, Maryland's rushing attack excelled, racking up 66 yards on eight carries.

After having a 47-yard touchdown called back on an instant replay reversal, junior Vernon Davis came back with a 24-yard touchdown reception on the same drive to give Maryland a 21-17 lead late in the second quarter. Davis caught four balls for 59 yards in the game, giving him a season total of 19 receptions for 411 yards.

Virginia's largest yardage total allowed this season was 327 yards given up to Western Michigan in their opener (9/3/05). Maryland finished Saturday with a whopping 570 yards of offense and had 289 by halftime.

The Cavaliers entered the game with the NCAA's 18th-ranked defense overall (274.7 avg) and 22nd-ranked rush defense (91.0 avg). The Terps gained 295 yards more than the Wahoos' average-allowed overall, gained 159 yards more than their rushing average, and ran for 143 yards more than their previous opponents high this year (Duke, 107).

Maryland recorded a season-high seven sacks for 27 yards lost. The team's previous season-high was two each vs. West Virginia and Wake Forest.

Sophomore Lance Ball led the Terps in rushing on the day, running 17 times for a career-high 163 yards, his first career 100-yard rushing day. Ball also scored on a 14-yard run at the start of the fourth quarter which was the first of his career and gave the Terrapins a 31-26 lead. He tacked on a 35-yard scoring romp later in the quarter.

Ball's 163 yards were the most against Virginia this year and the most by a Terrapin since Bruce Perry rushed for 237 yards vs. Wake Forest on Nov. 29, 2003.

Four Maryland receivers reeled in at least 50 yards on the day. Melendez led the way while Jo Jo Walker caught six balls for 69 yards and Derrick Fenner hauled in three passes for 57 yards (in addition to Davis' game totals).

Junior Dan Ennis continued his excellent work in his first year as the Terrapins' placekicker. Ennis made his only field-goal attempt of the day, hitting a career-long 45-yarder. Ennis remains perfect on the season (10-for-10).

Attendance for the Virginia game was 52,656, the largest crowd this season and sixth largest in school history.

It's Not How You Start...

Since 2001, Maryland has now started the season 1-2 a total of three times. With the inexperience of this year's team and the strength of the ACC, a rebound like those of year's passed is questionable, but it is still of note how those other team's finished.

Maryland started 1-2 in both the 2002 and 2003 seasons. In `02, the Terps went on to win eight-straight and ultimately 11-of-12 down the stretch, finishing the season 11-3, Peach Bowl champions and ranked No. 13 in the country. This year, the Terps started 1-2 and are now 2-0 since.

In 2003, the Terrapins ran off wins in nine of their last 10 games after opening the season with a win and a pair of losses. That year, the team finished 10-3, beat West Virginia 41-7 in the Gator Bowl and was ranked 17th in the final Associated Press poll.

Select Company

Ralph Friedgen's 36 wins in his first four years as a head coach ranks tied for 10th in NCAA Division I-A history for fourth-year coaches. His company on that list is noteworthy.

Nestled between Nebraska's Tom Osborne (9th) and Boston College's Frank Leahy (12th) stands Friedgen and a coach who Terp fans may recognize -- current defensive coordinator Gary Blackney. Blackney posted a 36-8-2 record at Bowling Green from 1991-94.

Four games into his fifth season at Maryland, Friedgen is already moving his way up the charts for fifth-year ACC coaches. With 39 wins, Friedgen has moved into a tie with current NCSU head coach Chuck Amato and former Terp Bobby Ross in the fourth spot. With a win this weekend, he will move into a tie with UNC's Dick Crum (1978-81) in third.

A Wealth of Experience

Atop the Maryland coaching staff are a head coach, offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator who combined, have as much experience as nearly any threesome in Division I-A football. Between Ralph Friedgen, Charlie Taaffe and Gary Blackney, there is a combined 97 years of full-time coaching experience at either the pro or collegiate levels.

Only two other programs can boast more experience at the top of their coaching staff than Maryland's near century of experience. Penn State leads the way with Joe Paterno (HC), Galen Hall (OC) and Tom Bradley (DC) accounting for 117 years of experience, while Florida State is second with Bobby Bowden (HC), Jeff Bowden (OC) and Mickey Andrews (DC) accounting for 101.

The coaching experience on the Terrapin staff does not end with Friedgen and his coordinators. The Maryland staff of position coaches, overall, possesses a combined total of 212 years of full-time experience at either the collegiate or pro levels.

That total includes five coaches (excluding Friedgen, Taaffe and Blackney) who have been at it for 15 years or more, and the 212 years means an average of over 21 years of experience per coach on the 2005 staff.

Raising the Bar

With its win last week over Virginia, Maryland has 39 victories over its last four-plus seasons.

The Terps' total of 36 wins from 2001-04 was the second-highest four-year win total in school history. Maryland's top effort was 37 wins under Jerry Claiborne from 1975-78.

The 2004 season marked the first time in Friedgen's tenure that the team failed to win 10 games. In the 108 years of football prior to Friedgen's arrival, Maryland had never put together three straight nine-win seasons much less 10 like the Terps' did from 2001-03.

Since 1892, Maryland has had seven 10-win seasons, three of which have come in Friedgen's four-plus years.

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.

As stated previous, 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).

Sam Quarter-bach

In the last two seasons, all eyes have been on the quarterback position at Maryland. Last year, there was little mention of Sam Hollenbach as a serious contender for the job, but a start against Wake Forest in the 2004 finale and an ensuing strong start to `05 makes it clear the Terrapin coaching staff to have found their man.

Hollenbach (pronounced HALL-en-bock) had found the bottom of the depth chart in his first two years, struggling both with the offense and with delivering the football. Perseverance, work and a change in his throwing motion, however, have steadily moved him to the starting job and early season success.

In his first five games this season, the Pennsylvania native is 94-of-144 (65 percent) for 1,285 yards with seven touchdowns and six interceptions. He has also rushed for one TD.

Against #19/18 Virginia, Hollenbach didn't start slow, but the way he finished made it seem like it. Two early interceptions dogged Hollenbach, but his final three quarters showed no fear as he completed 18 of his final 22 passes for 249 yards. On the day, he finished 25-of-33 for 320 yards with a pair of TDs and interceptions. His completion and yardage totals were both career highs.

Hollenbach has improved his career high in passing yardage in each of the last three weeks.

Entering this week, Hollenbach is 4-2 in his career as a starter and has a pass efficiency rating of 147.9, second-best in the ACC.

Hollenbach currently leads the ACC in total offense with an average of 266.4 yards per game, a mark that is also 24th-best in the NCAA.

A Year Later

Maryland's offense has gotten progressively better with each week this year, the last two showing an improvement in the running game. The following is a look at how it stacks up against last year's unit through five games.

In 2004, the Terrapin quarterbacks (the team had used four) were a combined 75-of-133 (.564) for seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. This year, Sam Hollenbach (the only QB to see action thus far) is 94-of-144 (.653) for 1,285 yards with seven touchdowns and six interceptions.

Last season, the team's leading receiver had caught 14 passes for 225 yards. Through five games this year, Maryland has had four receivers post 14 or more receptions and three receivers have recorded more than 225 yards.

Green Shells

Last year's Maryland team was a young bunch, but this season, the Terrapins are even more green than last.

Friedgen likes to throw out a note about the number of players on the roster with three or more years eligibility remaining, but his number (58) has been based on a look at student-athletes receiving financial aid.

A look at the entire roster is astounding. A total of 72 Maryland players are sophomore or younger with 47 of those Terps being freshmen (redshirt or true).

Through five games, Maryland has had seven true freshman and 10 redshirt freshman see action.

With DE Jeremy Navarre starting in game one and OT Jared Gaither in game four, the Terps have had a true freshman start the earliest in a season in Friedgen's tenure on either side of the ball.

Noting the Terp "D"

When he was hired to come to Maryland, the talk about the mark Ralph Friedgen would make in College Park was all about offense. In each of the four seasons heading into 2004, however, the most consistent Terp unit was the defense.

Since 2001, the Maryland defense has allowed an average of 18.3 points per game and has yet to finish a season with a scoring average above 20.0.

Since 2001, 37 of Maryland's 55 opponents (67%) have been held to 20 points or less.

Since 2002, Maryland has held its opposition scoreless in 80 quarters (seven in 2005).

Maryland has held eight opponents to 100 yards or less passing since 2001 and two (Navy and West Virginia) this season.

In Blackney's tenure, Maryland has held its opposition below 100 yards rushing 13 times.

Last week, Virginia's Marques Hagans became the first quarterback since Chris Rix in 2003 to throw for more than 250 yards against Maryland. Hagans was 17-of-35 (.485) for 270 yards and no TDs against the Terps.

Just twice since game two of 2003 has a quarterback been able to pass for more than one touchdown against the Terrapins (Virginia Tech's Bryan Randall last year and Clemson's Charlie Whitehurst in week two of this season).

The Terps' effort in game four of this year was its first true notable accomplishment of 2005. The Terrapins held Wake Forest to just 244 yards of offense, but more importantly, 111 on the ground, 159 below the Deacs' average coming into the game.

Blackney's "D" Pulling Rank

Since Gary Blackney arrived in 2001, Maryland's defense has consistently been among the national leaders in several categories. Below is a look at some of the defense's accomplishments in that time (bold denotes Top 30 national ranking):

	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005

Total Def.:	30	36	15	21	36

Scoring Def.:	18	7	6	27	62

Pass. Def.:	82	52	12	8	10

Pass. Eff. Def.:	34	36	17	16	49

In addition to the ranking in categories listed above, it is notable that in 2001 the Terps finished ninth in the NCAA in rushing defense, seventh in turnovers gained, and ranked second nationally (behind Miami) with 24 interceptions.

Jackson Second in the Nation

D'Qwell Jackson was considered undersized as a prep. He began his career playing in the shadows of a legend (E.J. Henderson) early in his career. Now a senior, the leader of the Terrapin defense has been through just about everything and has emerged as the unquestionable leader of the Maryland defense, a major awards and All-America candidate, and one of the top defensive players at any position in the country.

Jackson has led the Terrapin defense in tackling in each of his two-plus years as a starter (136 in 2003; an ACC-best 123 in 2004; and now an ACC-leading 72 in 2005).

In his first five games this season, Jackson has averaged 14.4 tackles per game, tops in the ACC and second in the NCAA.

Against Virginia last weekend, Jackson again led the team in tackles with 14 while recording a sack and a half TFL.

Jackson's performance in week one against Navy helped him earn ACC Player of the Week honors for his position. He has been named the league's player of the week four times in the last two years.

The fiercest competitor on the Terp roster, Jackson has led Maryland in tackles in 17 of 28 games the last three years and all five games this year. He has also had 17 career games with double-digit tackles (in 29 starts).

Jackson, a first team All-ACC selection who finished second in balloting (by two votes) for Defensive Player of the Year honors, averaged 11.2 tackles per game last year, making him the lone player in the league to average 10 or more tackles per game.

Against West Virginia, Jackson moved into the Maryland career Top 10 with his 359th tackle (he currently stands eighth with 382).

A preseason first or second team All-American on nearly every major publication's preseason list, Jackson is on the watch lists for the Bednarik, Lombardi and Butkus Awards this year.

Turnover Low in `06

In addition to the high number of young Terps taking the field this year, the more experienced Maryland players -- in terms of their academic eligibility -- are somewhat few and far between, leaving the team with likely much the same look next season.

Maryland has 16 seniors on its current roster, with two of those seniors -- OT Stephon Heyer and TB Josh Allen -- may return next season.

Heading into the fifth weekend, 10 of 22 listed starters are seniors. On defense, the Terps will lose a total of just four players from its entire two-deep to graduation following this year.

The Duke

One of the most physically-gifted players in the history of Maryland football, TE Vernon "Duke" Davis has already shown that his junior campaign will be a breakout season.

Davis led the team in receiving yards last year from his H-back position, posting 441 yards (on 27 receptions) in what could best be described as a down year for Maryland's pass offense. Through five games this season, he has already nearly matched those totals.

Davis currently leads the Terps with 19 receptions for 411 yards and three touchdowns. His 82.2 yards per game receiving is second-best in the ACC.

Davis is averaging 21.6 yards per reception, an amazing number for a tight end.

In catching five passes for a career-high 158 yards against West Virginia, Davis became the first Maryland player to record back-to-back 100-yard receiving games since 1995 when Jermaine Lewis posted 205 yards on nine catches (9/23/95 vs. Duke) and 189 (9/28/95 at Georgia Tech) in consecutive contests.

Against Clemson, the Washington, D.C. native had his first big game of 2005. He finished with a career-high six receptions for 140 yards and a touchdown, often dragging tacklers with him if not running by them.

For his efforts against both Clemson and West Virginia this year, Davis was named John Mackey National Tight End of the Week.

Named to the Mackey Award watch list this season after being named the national tight end of the week for his play against Duke last year, Davis' strength numbers are unparalleled in Terp history by a tight end. His spring 2005 testing numbers included a 460-pound bench, 685-pound squat, 40-inch vertical jump and a time of 4.41 in the 40-yard dash.

Turtles in Name Only

Though this year's Maryland team is again a young one, it is also notable that team speed and athleticism have improved as the current coaching staff's recruits are fully integrated into the system (2005 will be the first year there will have been no holdovers from the previous staff's recruiting efforts).

The Terrapins had 14 players run in the 4.5-or-better range in the 40-yard dash in spring testing (note that all times are an average of six stopwatches on the same sprint).

Five of the 12 wide receivers who tested in the spring ran 4.54 or better, two tailbacks ran 4.5 or better (Lattimore and Merrills) and five defensive backs ran under a 4.5 (Barnes, McPhearson, Taylor, Wilson and Gardner).

Two receivers who did not test -- newcomers Darrius Heyward-Bey (10.54 100m) and Danny Oquendo (7.46 55mH) -- were among the top prep sprinters in the nation this past track season.

Two notable times -- CB Gerrick McPhearson broke Renaldo Nehemiah's school record with a 4.21; Vernon Davis, at 250 pounds, ran a 4.41.

Dan-Tastic

Junior Dan Ennis started his career at Maryland having never kicked in an organized football game. In addition, he was working behind the ACC's all-time leading scorer Nick Novak, a player who still had two-years eligibility remaining. Despite those obstacles, Ennis worked to get better each year and the results are now showing.

In his first season as the Terrapins' placekicker, Ennis has been nothing short of perfect in the team's first five games -- literally. Thus far in 2005, Ennis has connected on all 10 of his field goal attempts and all 10 PATs.

This week, Ennis ranks tied for seventh nationally in field goals and second in the ACC with a 2.0 per game average. No other kicker in the nation with as many attempts as Ennis has yet to miss.

Podlesh Moving Up the Charts

Junior Adam Podlesh settled into his career at Maryland before the ink had dried in the record books on his predecessor Brooks Barnard's strong career. Though Podlesh has not cracked all of Barnard's records yet, Maryland finds itself with arguably the most complete and versatile punter in the nation.

Last season, Podlesh maintained a 44.8-yard average (second-best in the ACC and 10th-best in the nation) while his net average (39.4) led the ACC and was also seventh in the NCAA.

On 135 career punts, Podlesh has dropped 36 percent (49) inside the opponents' 20-yard line.

With a 45.8-yard average heading into this week, Podlesh ranks sixth nationally and leads the ACC. The Terps are also 19th nationally in net punting average (38.3).

Podlesh had one of his best games as a Terp at Wake Forest this year. Dueling the ACC's other top punter, Ryan Plackemeier, Podlesh posted a 49.7-yard average on six punts with three balls downed inside the 20-yard line. In addition, his net average for the day was an impressive 47.7 yards per kick.

In being named the second team All-ACC punter in 2003, Podlesh became the first freshman in school history to be recognized by the league. He earned the honor for the second-straight season in 2004.

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 seven years, the Maryland-D.C.-Virginia recruiting area has been tapped with regularity by the Terps. 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 to their current level of more than half the current roster. Below is a look at the trend:

Md./D.C./Va.	`98	`99	`00	`01	`02	`03	`04	`05

Players on Roster	34	39	46	49	54	56	58	57

Starters*	5	7	12	10	14	10	12	10

*reflects number of starters in the season opener.

Tough Losses

Two weeks into August, the 2005 season had not yet begun, and already the team suffered a number of significant losses due to injury.

Prior to spring ball, it was announced that TB Josh Allen would miss 2005 recovering from a knee injury suffered in the last game of 2004. Allen will enter 2006 sixth on the team's all-time rushing touchdown list (21) and 11th on the career yardage list (1,860).

Just a week into fall camp, the team lost its top offensive lineman, as left tackle Stephon Heyer tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Heyer entered 2005 with 24 straight starts under his belt, most on the offense.

A day after Heyer's injury, redshirt freshman LB Erin Henderson also tore his ACL. Henderson was a backup at two linebacker spots and was playing well in addition to working with a number of units on special teams.

Iron Terps

Maryland's strength numbers over the course of the last five years have been off the charts. This season, 30 players earned "Iron Terp" status, an honor that is based on a player's strength index (determined by a strength/weight formula). That total is the second-highest in team history.

Team averages in categories used to measure index this season include an average bench press of 337 pounds; an average squat of 516 pounds; an average clean of 295 pounds; and an average vertical jump of 33-1/2 inches.

Not only were new individual records set, but the team as a whole improved dramatically, as 89 percent of the players on this year's team elevated their personal bests in strength index. By comparison, 72 percent had bettered their numbers in 2004.

Vernon Davis' strength feats were mentioned earlier in the release, but other notable accomplishments include QB Sam Hollenbach setting team records in index (701), squat (600) and clean (320) and P Adam Podlesh posting a best-ever mark for a punter with a 315-pound clean a year after setting the record in the 40-yard dash (4.46).

By the ranking system used at Maryland, TB Mario Merrills is the team's strongest player pound-for-pound after setting a record strength index for a running back with an 814.

Local Ties

Maryland has eight players currently on its roster from the state of Pennsylvania (for hometowns, see pg. 64 of this year's media guide). Junior guard Dave Quaintance (Archbishop Ryan) is the lone Terp from Philadelphia.

Linebacker Rick Costa played for Temple last year before transferring just before the start of fall camp this season. He is ineligible this year due to NCAA transfer rules.

Special teams/TEs coach Ray Rychleski was a graduate assistant and ultimately a full-time linebackers coach at Temple from 1981-88.

Temple boasts five players from the "Free State." DE Kevin Armstrong (Baltimore/Baltimore Polytechnic HS), LB Andrew Coleman (Silver Spring/Springbrook HS), RB Umar Ferguson (Silver Spring/Einstein HS), DE Devin Tyler (Suitland/Suitland HS) and DE Rodney Wormley (Oxon Hill/Friendly HS) all call Maryland home.

The Owls also have five players from Washington, D.C.

Temple's defensive line coach Rubin Carter served in the same capacity at Maryland in 1997 and `98. He also coached the Redskins defensive line in 1999-2000. Wide receivers coach Dennis Goldman coached wide receivers at Maryland in 1995-96 and defensive backs at Towson in 1997.

ACC's New Look

For the first time, the Atlantic Coast Conference will be a 12-team league in 2005 and feature a conference championship game. The league is split in two divisions with divisional champions meeting in the inaugural ACC Championship game on December 3rd in Jacksonville, Florida's Alltel Stadium.

Maryland is in the ACC's Atlantic Division along with first-year member Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, NC State and Wake Forest. The Coastal Division features Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, Virginia and Virginia Tech, last year's league champion.

Scouting the Owls

Temple has had a rough start to its first season in the Mid-American Conference. The Owls, who Sports Illustrated featured in the preseason as having one of the toughest schedules in college football, enter this weekend's game 0-5.

Last week may have been Temple's toughest loss as it fell 70-7 at Bowling Green. The Owls turned the ball over five times in the game and yielded 49 points in the second and third quarters alone.

Temple's troubles have come on both sides of the ball. They are scoring an average of 11.2 points per game, yet yield 51.8. They are ranked 100th or higher nationally in 10 team categories (there are 117 Division I-A teams).

Part of the Owls' struggles come from the fact that they lost their top offensive (QB Walter Washington) and defensive (LB Goo Wallace) from last year's team, players who both performed well against Maryland in 2004.

Temple's offensive leader this year has been RB Umar Ferguson, a back who ranks 58th nationally and third in the MAC with 79.0 yards per game.

Senior LB Manuel Tapia leads the team in tackles with 52 (22 solo), but fellow LB Christian Dunbar has posted the most big plays. Dunbar has recorded 32 tackles (19 solo), five TFLs, a sack, an interception, recovered two fumbles and forced two fumbles.

Temples's Bobby Wallace

Bobby Wallace is in his seventh season as the head coach at Temple. In his tenure he owns a 19-73 record.

In the collegiate coaching ranks since 1977, Wallace spent the 10 years prior to his 1998 start at TU at Division II North Alabama. In those 10 years, he took the school to the Division II playoffs six times, winning it all in 1993, `94 and `95

Wallace held five different assistant positions before his first head coaching job at North Alabama. He served in different posts at Illinois, Mississippi State, Auburn, Wyoming and East Carolina.

As notable as any on-field accomplishment of the 52-year old Wallace may be his recruitment of one of the best athletes of the 20th century as he has been credited with bringing Bo Jackson to Auburn in his time there.

A native of Magnolia, Arkansas, Wallace earned his degree in physical education from Mississippi State in 1976 after lettering at defensive back for the school from 1973-75.

Protecting the House

Despite losing its first two home games of 2005, the Terrapins are now 24-6 at Byrd Stadium under Ralph Friedgen after beating Virginia on Homecoming.

The Terrapins finished with their first sub-.500 record under Friedgen in 2004, but for the most part maintained their strong play at home, finishing with a 4-2 mark at Byrd.

With Maryland's win over Virginia in 2003, the Terps finished the 2003 season with a perfect 6-0 record at home, marking the second time in three years that the team had finished its home slate unblemished.

In 112 seasons of football, Maryland has finished undefeated at home 19 times. Just eight of those occasions, however, have come since 1950 (when Byrd Stadium opened) and just three times has it happened since 1975 (`76, 2001 and `03).

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 56th 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 this weekend, the Terrapins are 179-104-1 within the friendly confines of Byrd.

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

Players Mentioned

Lance Ball

Erin Henderson

Darrius Heyward-Bey

Keon Lattimore

Jeremy Navarre

Danny Oquendo

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