2005 Media Day
8/8/2005 8:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 8, 2005
College Park, Md. - The University of Maryland football team hosted its annual Media Day today in College Park before beginning its first practice of the 2005 season. The following are quotes from head coach Ralph Friedgen and several players from today's event.
Head Coach Ralph Friedgen
(On excitement for the start of the season)
"I can't tell you how excited I am to get going. We've had a tremendous off-season. Everyone has worked hard. I'm very excited about our season."
(On similarities to his first season at Maryland)
"I hope there are a lot of similarities. This group of players is very similar in terms of preparation. I think the kids are really hungry, they want to make amends for last year. Not going to a bowl game didn't really hit them until they saw everybody else playing in the bowls. That's where they wanted to be."
(On the team's dedication and preparation)
"Winter workouts started at 5:45 each morning, and the whole team was there by 5:30. Never was a kid late. They tested stronger than they did the year before with an older team. They went out and had a very good spring practice. We did very well academically in the spring semester and also in summer school."
(On the level of motivation coming off the 2004 season)
"I don't think there's any question that we're more motivated. I go back and start over every year. I look how well we've done, look at our film; analyze it. [Last year] I didn't do that. I felt like we had everybody back on our staff. I won't make that mistake again. I watched our spring film about 15 times, and when our coaches got off the road I had our offensive coaches in for about two weeks just going over our spring film to make sure we were all on the same page. I think we've done our due diligence. We need to do the best coaching job we've done in our lives this year. I think we're all very motivated. I'm going to be very much involved."
(On the keys to a successful preseason - offense)
"We've got to get our young wide receivers involved, and see where they help us. I've been very pleased with our upperclassmen, I think Jo Jo Walker has been a tremendous leader as has Derrick Fenner. I hope that they continue to prove some of the leadership that we need. Both of them can run pretty well, maybe better than what we've had. If we could get some players to stretch the field it would really help us out. The one thing our quarterbacks have to do is play smart. They can't turn the ball over, they have to make good decisions. Those are some of the things that I think we need to work on offensively. We did get in a lot of the things we wanted to get in during spring practice and now what we need to do is perfect it."
(On the keys to a successful preseason - defense)
"On the line, we're very young. I think we have some kids like Conrad Bolston and Dre Moore who could emerge to play a significant role in the success of our defense. We need a backup SAM linebacker. We were concerned with our secondary going into the spring, but I think it played very well. Hopefully a couple of young kids can figure in there and give us some depth."
(On the keys to a successful preseason - special teams)
"Where we're concerned is Jon Condo, who snapped for us for four years and didn't have one bad snap. That's a concern. There's a heck of a battle going on at place kicker between Dan Ennis and Obi Egekese. Dan has really stepped up and made it a competitive battle. We've charted about 180 kicks and I think Obi is ahead by two kicks right now. Our returner will be Jo Jo Walker or Josh Wilson. At kickoff returner we've looked at Vernon Davis. Snapping is our biggest concern, though."
(On the Maryland/Navy rivalry)
"I was a freshman the last time we played. I am concerned about our players knowing that it's a rivalry. We talked them a little bit last night about it. I know Navy's coach has indoctrinated [his team] with it. It's a great game for the state. It benefits all football in the state, and both football programs. It's a great venue. It does a lot of things for the City of Baltimore. I'm very excited about this game."
(On high preseason ticket sales)
"It's a great sign of confidence that our fans have. It's also the sign of a great home schedule that we have this year and next, and I think it's a sign of the expansion of the ACC. Our fans are looking forward to it just as I am. I just hope that we can sell out every ticket before the start of the season. That would be a tremendous accomplishment for our team."
(On a low preseason ranking)
"The last time we were picked this low, we won the conference. Even when we were rated higher, it's not where we started, it's where we finished. It's definitely motivation. [2004 ACC Champions] Virginia Tech was picked low last year."
(On the quarterback situation)
"Sam Hollenbach is undefeated. He was put in a very tough situation at Virginia Tech and did some things that were very good for a guy that hadn't practiced much. He came in the Wake Forest and...played good enough for us to win. What I admire is his perseverance. He didn't make excuses. When his opportunity came, he made the most of it. I thought he had a good spring. He's shown me an awful low. That's not to say that I'm down on Joel [Statham]. I thought Joel had a good spring also. I think right now it might be easier for Joel to come in than to start. It's Sam's job to lose. Jordan Steffy is healthy right now, but we just have to see how much missing spring practice hurt him. We have to be careful, but I'm anxious to see where he is. Chris Turner is a freshman that came in yesterday, and we'll just have to see where he is."
(On the freshman class)
"It's a very good class. When a freshman comes in, very rarely does an upperclassman come to me and say `where did you get this guy?' But whether their wide receivers or defensive backs, [the upperclassmen] have come in and told me `this guy's pretty good.' Just seeing some of these kids last night, Zach Marshall is a big strong kid, an Ohio state wrestling champion. Jared Gaither reminds me of when you're watching a basketball game and a center stands next to a 6'6" guard and makes the 6'6" guard look like he's 6'0". He does that to some of the other guys on the line. We'll know a little bit more by the end of this week."
(On the linebackers)
"D'Qwell [Jackson] missed spring with a wrist operation, but he's the heart and soul of this defense. He's a leader. Not having him this spring, though, I think made us stronger. Wesley Jefferson came on and played extremely well. William Kershaw played his best football, and then with Erin Henderson...to me the linebackers are very solid. We have to find someone to be the second team SAM linebacker. Right now we're cross-training Erin Henderson, but that's an important position we have to fill on defense. I see more depth than we've had in the past."
(On the running back situation)
"Mario Merrills converted to starter in the spring and had a very good spring. I'm really hoping that he has the kind of year that Chris Downs had. He's been very solid for us, and I think he has some explosiveness and quickness. Keon Lattimore had a very good spring, especially in the second half. I think he has good speed. Lance Ball had a good spring until he got hurt. We'll have to see a little more acceleration from him. Then we'll get J.P. Humber back, so it will be a very competitive position. Also, we still have the dimension of Jason Goode and Vernon Davis at the H position."
Junior Quarterback Sam Hollenbach
(On his preparation for the upcoming season)
"I am not trying to do anything different. I am just going to go out there and practice hard everyday, compete and let Coach (Friedgen) make the decisions. To me it is just managing the offense and playing within the system is big, that is what the coaches like to stress. I think consistency is important and playing within the offense and if I do these things I will be fine."
(On the quarterback battle)
"You can't play looking over your shoulder. We are all going out there preparing to play come September 3rd and that is how it is going to be. You cannot worry about mistakes, if you make them you have to learn from them and move on. I am just going to go out there and try to have fun.
Senior Running Back Mario Merrills
(On the opportunity to start this year)
"You hate to see a guy like Josh Allen get hurt, but it definitely presents a great opportunity for myself and some of the other guys to get in there and make some plays for this team. This is an opportunity that I have been waiting for a long time. I am just blessed and happy be in the position I am now."
(On his style of play)
"I have been compared to Chris Downs. We are not real big guys but we make plays in the open field, and we are also fast. We were in similar situations; he didn't really get a chance to play until our senior years."
(On Maryland being picked to finish 5th in the division)
"We are usually always underrated, that is something we are used to around here. We don't take it personally. We use it as motivation to come out and practice hard and improve as a team. We are looking to come out and improve on our 5-6 record from last year."
Junior Tight End Vernon Davis
(On Maryland being picked to finish 5th in the division)
"We use that as momentum to get going. We look at stuff like that and we come together as team and work hard to show everyone that we are better than that. We have a lot to prove. After last season everybody wants to come out and play better."
(On his progression as a player)
"I have come along way, in terms of getting bigger, faster and becoming a student of the game. I still can't believe how far I have come. I have come a long way and I am happy with myself right now."
Senior Linebacker William Kershaw
(On the defense)
"We have all the linebackers coming back this season, so we are the most experienced group on the defensive side of the ball. With the younger guys in there we just have to keep them motivated, keep pushing them and make sure everyone is on the same page."
(On D'Qwell Jackson)
"He gives 110 percent on every play. He has a big heart, he is very vocal and he has everything you look for in a good leader. He is right in the middle of the defense so that fits well for him."
