Saturday, Nov. 17

Maryland (5-5, 2-4 ACC)

at

Florida State (6-4, 3-4 ACC)

Kickoff: Noon ET
Location: Tallahassee, Fla.
Stadium: Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium (82,300)

TV: Lincoln Financial Sports/Raycom - Steve Martin (play-by-play), Rick `Doc' Walker (color) and Jenn Hildreth (sidelines) will call the action.

Radio: Terrapin Sports Radio Network - Johnny Holliday (play-by-play), Jonathan Claiborne (color) and Tim Strachan (sidelines) have the call. XM Satellite Radio Channel 191. Pregame with Gary Stein and Scott McBrien begins at 10:30a.m. The Terrapin Sports Radio Network (10 affiliates): LIVE 105.7 FM (WHFS) - Baltimore (Flagship); ESPN Radio 1300 AM (WJFK) - Baltimore (Flagship); WJFK 106.7 FM - Washington D.C.; WTBO AM 1450 - Cumberland; WFMD AM 930 - Frederick; WARK AM 1490 - Hagerstown; WMSG AM 1050 - Oakland; WQMR FM 101.1 - Ocean City; WMED 1460 AM - Easton; WPTX 1690 AM - Lexington Park, Md. ESPN Radio - Dave Barnett (pbp), Rod Gilmore (color) and Dave Ryan (sidelines) will handle the national broadcast.

In the Red Zone...
• The University of Maryland closed out its 2007 home slate in style Saturday with a thrilling 42-35 upset of No. 8 Boston College. The Terps scored on seven of their first eight possessions, jumping out to a 42-21 lead and then held off a late BC rally. Maryland, needing one more win to become bowl eligible, closes out the regular season with a pair of road games, beginning Saturday at Florida State. The Seminoles had their two-game winning streak snapped Saturday at No. 11 Virginia Tech as the Hokies won 40-21. Saturday's game is slated to kick off at noon ET from Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium. The game will be telecast regionally on Lincoln Financial Sports/Raycom. Locally the game can be seen on WJZ (CBS 13) in Baltimore and WDCA (Channel 20) in Washington, D.C. The Terrapin Sports Radio Network will handle the broadcast of the contest with pregame starting at 10:30 a.m. The game will be replayed at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 23 on Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic.
• The Terps offense, which was been decimated by injuries (only three players have started all 10 games) is coming off its best performance of the season, rolling up 472 total yards vs. Boston College, including 135 on the ground, the most surrendered by the Eagles this season. BC came into the game No. 1 nationally in rushing defense (58.0). Senior Lance Ball (109) became the first back to go over 100 yards vs. the Eagles this season. Ball and Keon Lattimore combine to average over 140 rushing yards per game. Lattimore ranks third in the ACC and 62nd nationally in rushing (78.8 ypg), and has tallied 11 rushing TDs. Maryland ranks sixth in the ACC in total offense (340.6 ypg), while FSU is 38th nationally and fifth in the ACC in total defense (332.9 ypg). Despite playing behind an offensive line which is without two starters, sophomore Chris Turner has been solid for the Terps. Turner, who stepped under center for junior Jordan Steffy (injured vs. Rutgers), ranks second in the ACC is passing efficiency (138.3 rating). WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, a freshman All-American in 2006, leads the Terps in receptions (37) and receiving yards (558). Guards Andrew Crummey and Jaimie Thomas are out with fractured fibulas, while left tackle Scott Burley has missed quite a bit of the last three games with ankle woes. A preseason All-American, Crummey may return before the end of the year, Thomas is out for the season.
• The Terps rank 49th nationally in total defense (366.3 ypg) and 39th in scoring defense (23.50 ppg). The Maryland defense stepped up vs. Boston College, sacking Heisman candidate Matt Ryan a season-high four times and holding the Eagles to just 45 rushing yards. The Terps have two of the top tacklers in the country in junior linebackers Erin Henderson and Dave Philistin, who rank first (12.4) and tied for 30th (10.1), respectively, in the nation in tackles per game. Henderson led the team in tackles each game he has played despite being hampered by a knee injury for the last month. Henderson was a preseason All-American and a Butkus Award semifinalist. Senior tackle Dre Moore has a team-high five sacks, including one on Ryan, while junior cornerback Kevin Barnes has led the secondary with four of the team's 11 interceptions.
• The Terps special teams has distinguished itself well after 10 games despite three new starters. True freshman Travis Baltz and junior place-kicker Obi Egekeze are both in their first season as starters. Baltz ranks eighth in the ACC in punting average (41.3), including second (43.7) in league contests. Egekeze has hit 11 of 15 field goals, with two of the misses coming from beyond 50 yards. Redshirt freshman Da'Rel Scott, a backup running back, has been the No. 1 kickoff return man, though he has been slowed by injuries. He's averaging 19.1 yards per return. Junior Danny Oquendo was the lone returning specialist. He averaged 8.2 yards per punt return, which is ninth in the league. Oquendo, however, injured a knee last week and is likely out for the season. SS Christian Varner is now the No. 1 punt returner. The Terps rank second in the country in kickoff return yardage defense (16.8 ypr) and 33rd in punt return yardage defense (6.9 ypr).

Quick Hitters...
• The Terps have won two of their last three vs. FSU, including a 27-24 victory last season in College Park. That was third triumph in a season-high five-game winning streak for Maryland.
• Maryland has faced three top 10 teams this season and has gone 2-1 in those contests. This is the first time in school history the Terps have defeated two top-10 teams in the same season. It's also just the second year in school history the Terps have faced three top-10 teams in the same season (also 1982). They lost to No. 4 West Virginia, 31-14, on Sept. 13, downed No. 10 Rutgers, 34-24, on Sept. 29, and defeated No. 8 Boston College Saturday.
• According to the NCAA, the Terps' 2007 schedule is tied for 19th-most difficult in the nation, based on records of past opposition (44-31/.587) and 22nd-toughest based on the records of all foes (54-40/.574).
• With Lance Ball's rushing TD vs. Boston College (Nov. 10), Keon Lattimore and Ball became the second duo in school history to each post 10 or more rushing touchdowns in the same season. Lattimore has 11 rushing scores (first in the ACC), while Ball has 10 (second in the league). Bruce Perry and Marc Riley each had 10 during the 2001 campaign.
• Ball has a chance to move into fourth place on the school's career rushing chart this weekend. He currently has 2,369 career rushing yards which is sixth on the list. He needs to 48 yards to reach fifth place (2,417/Rick Badjanek, 1982-85) and 55 yards for fourth place (2,424/Bruce Perry, 1999, 2001-03). He became the ninth back in school history to go over 2,000 career rushing yards with his team-high 86 yards in the win over Georgia Tech (Oct. 6).
• Lattimore needs eight rushing yards to move from 15th to 14th on the Maryland career rushing list. Art Seymore (1970-72, 1,611) is currently 14th. With 51 yards on the ground vs. Clemson (Oct. 27), Lattimore moved up two spots passing Alvin Maddox (1975-78, 1,571) and Bren Lowery (1986-89, 1,611). Lattimore has 1,648 career rushing yards.
• Darrius Heyward-Bey ranks 15th on Maryland's career receiving yards list (1,252) and has a chance to move into the top 10 before season's end despite just 23 games at the position. He moved from 19th to 15th with 75 yards vs. Boston College (Nov. 10). He needs 156 to reach 10th on the list.
• Maryland is second-least penalized team in the ACC (5.2 pg). That mark also ranks tied for 16th in the nation. In terms of yards (43.9 pg), Maryland is also second in the ACC.
• The Terps are currently tied for third in the ACC and 25th in the NCAA in turnover margin (+0.60). Maryland has forced 20 turnovers on the season and lost the ball just 14 times. The Terrapins have forced five turnovers in the last two games. They forced three turnovers vs. UNC (Nov. 3), but did not turn them into points. However, Maryland intercepted Matt Ryan of Boston College twice and scored touchdowns on both ensuing drives.
• Maryland is 196-160-4 (.550) all-time in ACC contests, including a 32-22 (.593) mark under Friedgen.

Turning the Page...
One week after having a tough outing in a 16-13 loss to North Carolina, sophomore quarterback Chris Turner rebounded with a career effort vs. Boston College. In just his fifth career start, Turner completed 21 of 27 passes (78 percent) for a career-high 337 yards and a career-best three TDs with no interceptions. He also had a career-best passing efficiency rating of 219.29, which is the sixth highest single-game rating in the ACC this season. He got the offense in gear right from the start, leading the Terps to a touchdown on the opening drive of the game and scores in seven of their first eight possessions. Turner was at his best in the clutch. He was a perfect 10-for-10 for 83 yards on third down, helping the Terps gain eight first downs. Turner also challenged the BC defense deep, completing passes four passes of more than 40 yards, a single-game high this season. Against BC, Emani Lee-Odai (41 yards), Darrius Heyward-Bey (43), Isaiah Williams (45), and Da'Rel Scott (57) had long receptions.

Unsung Heroes...
The injuries on both sides of the ball opened the door for a few Terps in the win over Boston College (Nov. 10) . Senior reserve TE Jason Goode, playing his final game at Byrd Stadium, hauled in a career-high six passes for 56 yards. Two of those receptions came on third down and moved the chains, while two others went for touchdowns. He came into the game with six receptions on the season. Seeing his first career action at wide receiver, redshirt freshman Emani Lee-Odai hauled in three passes for 78 yards, including a 41-yarder in which set up a second-quarter field goal. Reserve running back Da'Rel Scott, also a redshirt freshman, helped pick up the slack for Keon Lattimore who missed the game with a hamstring injury. Scott, who handles kickoffs and has had just a handful of snaps in the backfield, took a swing pass from Chris Turner on the first play of the Terps second drive of the second half, and raced down the sidelines for a 57-yard score. Scott displayed the speed that made him the 2005 Pennsylvania state 100-meter champion.

Terps Battle Through Injuries...
The Terps have been hit by the injury bug in some key areas this season, mostly noticeably on offense where just three players have started all 10 games. RG Andrew Crummey, a preseason All-American, has missed the last four games with a fractured left fibula (vs. Georgia Tech, Oct. 6). He hopes to return before the regular season ends. Starting left guard Jaimie Thomas was lost for the season when he fractured his right fibula vs. Virginia (Oct. 20). TE Dan Gronkowski left the Clemson game (Oct. 27) with a knee injury and has missed the last two contests. FB Cory Jackson played most of the Virginia game with a broken hand and missed the Clemson contest. He returned vs. UNC (Nov. 3) and has played with a wrap on his hand since the injury. Starting LT Scott Burley has played the last three weeks, but sparingly due to an ankle injury. His backup, true freshman Bruce Campbell, has also been on and off the field with an ankle injury. Redshirt freshman Paul Pinegar, a walk-on, has replaced both of them. Most recently, WR Danny Oquendo injured a knee in practice last week and is likely gone for the season. On defense, reserve DT Travis Ivey missed three weeks with a knee injury, but returned vs. BC. LB Rick Costa, who was starting for an injured Erin Henderson, incurred a sprained neck vs. the Yellow Jackets and is out indefinitely. QB Jordan Steffy sat out vs. Georgia Tech and Virginia after suffering a concussion vs. Rutgers (Sept. 29). He was cleared to play the last three weeks. Some key reserves are also on the shelf. Pass-rushing DE Mack Frost injured his right knee vs. the Cavaliers and is out for the season. Junior Drew Robinson, a backup safety and special teams player, appears to be out for the season with a knee injury, one he suffered vs. the Tar Heels. The Terps also lost Alex Wujciak, who was expected to vie for one of the starting linebacker roles, during the preseason. In all, 15 members of the two-deep have missed at least one game this season due to injury. That number does not include Burley even though he was in on just three plays vs. Clemson (Oct. 27).

Did You Know?...
Maryland is one of just two teams in the nation with two players averaging 10 or more tackles per game. Junior Erin Henderson leads the nation with 12.4 tackles per game, while Dave Philistin is tied for 30th with 10.1 stops per contest. Tulsa has the other duo. Chris Chamberlain averages 11.9 tackles per game (sixth) and Nelson Coleman is posting 10.6 per contest which is tied for 17th nationally.

Young Terps Step Up...
Maryland used one more of its true freshmen vs. Clemson (Oct. 27). Fullback Haroon Brown saw action in place of an injured Cory Jackson. In addition, Bruce Campbell got the starting nod at left tackle in place of Scott Burley, who was also out injured. Campbell had played as a reserve vs. Villanova in the season opener. Brown was the fourth true freshman to play this season (also Travis Baltz and Dominique Herald). Junior Olugbemi Otulaja, a walk-on defensive lineman, and sophomore LB Chris Clinton also saw their first career action vs. Clemson. In addition, sophomore DL Deege Galt saw his first career action vs. UNC (Nov. 3). In the win over BC (Nov. 10), redshirt freshman Emani Lee-Odai saw his first career action at wideout and responded with three catches for 71 yards.

Florida State at-A-Glance...
• Florida State lost its season opener to Clemson, but then won six of eight, with victories over No. 22 Alabama and No. 2 Boston College. A week after the Seminoles knocked the Eagles from the ranks of the unbeaten, they struggled on the road against 11th-ranked Virginia Tech. Va Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor threw for 204 yards and ran for another 92 as the Hokies pulled away from the Seminoles in the second half en route to a 40-21 victory.
• The Noles now stand at 6-4 overall, including 3-4 in the ACC. They are 3-1 in the friendly confines of Doak Campbell Stadium this season, with their only loss coming to rival Miami.
• LB Geno Hayes leads the conference in tackles for loss with 1.65 per game, a number that also ranks seventh nationally. In the upset of second-ranked Boston College, Hayes picked off Matt Ryan late in the fourth quarter and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown to clinch the win.
• Three players have seen time at quarterback for FSU. Drew Weatherford has started seven games for the Noles, and was instrumental in the upset of Boston College with 354 yards and two touchdowns on 29 of 54 passing. The junior has seven touchdowns and only one interception this season.
• Xavier Lee has appeared in four games with three starts this season. He has thrown five touchdown passes and five interceptions.
• Weatherford was knocked out of the Virginia Tech game, and was replaced by freshman Christian Ponder, who threw two interceptions in a losing effort.
• Sophomore CB Patrick Robinson has five interceptions this season, tied for the ACC lead.
• Kicker Gary Cismesia, a Lou Groza semifinalist, averages 2.20 field goals per game, the second highest number in the NCAA. The senior is third in the ACC and tied for 33rd in the country in scoring at 8.70 points per game.

Maryland-Florida State Series History...
• Florida State leads the all-time series 15-2.
• Florida State and Maryland met for the first time in 1966, and the Seminoles took the first 14 games in the series before Maryland finally broke through with a 20-17 win in 2004. Maryland has won two of the last three meetings.
• In the 2004 game in College Park, Maryland upset the fifth-ranked Seminoles behind Joel Statham's 330 yards passing.
• Maryland took its second game in the series last season, winning 27-24 after Sam Hollenbach threw three touchdowns, including a pair to Darrius Heyward-Bey. Jeremy Navarre blocked a potential game-tying field goal toward the end of regulation.
• Maryland has never won at Florida State. The Terps are 0-9 against the Noles in the state of Florida.

Offensive Notes...
• Maryland has been quick out of the gate this season, outscoring its opponents 74-26 in the opening quarter of games.
• Maryland rolled up a season-high 472 yards of total offense against No. 8 Boston College. Maryland's previous single-game high was 458, which they recorded in the upset of No. 10 Rutgers.
• The Eagles entered their matchup with the Terps with the nation's top run defense. Maryland ran up 135 yards on the ground, the highest total given up by BC this season (previously 116 vs. Virginia Tech).
• The Terrapins rushing attack ranks fifth in the ACC and 73rd nationally (142.7 ypg).
• The 42 points Maryland posted against BC were the most by the Terps since they defeated Virginia 45-33 two years ago at Byrd Stadium (10/1/05).
• Quarterback Chris Turner had a huge night against the Eagles, completing 21 of 27 passes for 337 yards and three touchdowns. The three scoring passes by a Maryland player were the most by a Maryland player since Sam Hollenbach had three against Florida State last season (10/28/06). Turner also became the first Maryland quarterback to pass for over 300 yards since Hollenbach had 374 against North Carolina in 2005 (11/12/05).
• Turner's completion percentage (77.8) vs. BC was the eighth highest single-game tally in Maryland history.
• Turner completed passes four passes of more than 40 yards against the Eagles. Emani Lee-Odai (41 yards), Darrius Heyward-Bey (43), Isaiah Williams (45), and Da'Rel Scott (57) all had long receptions against the Eagles defense. For Lee-Odai, his three catches for 78 yards were his first career receptions.
• Turner has now completed 101 of 156 passes for 1,305 yards. He owns an efficiency rating of 138.35, second best in the ACC, and 27th nationally.
• Playing in his final game at Byrd Stadium, senior tight end Jason Goode had a career-night, catching six passes for 56 yards and two touchdowns.
• Lance Ball, also in his final game at Byrd, had a big night as well. The senior earned his first start of the season in relief of an injured Keon Lattimore and responded with his first 100-yard game of the season, totaling 109 yards against the nation's top-ranked rushing defense. It was the first 100-yard rusher BC allowed this season.
• Maryland has done a solid job of holding the ball and keeping it away from its opponents. The Terps rank 36th in the NCAA in time of possession, holding the ball for an average of 30:57 minutes per game. Through their first five games of the year, the Terps led the nation in TOP, averaging 34:48 minutes per game.
• Maryland is winning the time of possession battle partly because it is holding onto the ball. The Terps have only lost 14 turnovers this season, tied for 17th best in the country.
• One of the foremost offensive minds in the collegiate or pro game, head coach Ralph Friedgen is in his second season as the Terps' offensive coordinator.
• With 11 touchdowns on the season, Lattimore has now more than tripled his season total from each of the last two seasons (three).
• Lattimore had a spectacular seven-game stretch starting with the final two games of the 2006 season. He had ran for 737 yards in those games (119 vs. Wake Forest, 85 vs. Purdue, 106 vs. Villanova, 111 vs. FIU, 80 vs. WVU, 112 vs. WFU, and 124 vs. Rutgers.). This season he is averaging 78.78 rushing yards per game which puts him third in the conference and 62nd in the country.
• Lattimore and Ball have become quite familiar with the end zone this season. The seniors have scored a combined 21 touchdowns on the year. Lattimore has 11 touchdowns on the season, which ties him for the eighth best single-season output. Ball is tied for 13th on the single-season list with 10 scores on the ground.
• Only one other pair of Maryland backs -- Chris Downs (13) and Josh Allen (8) -- rushed for as many scores in a single season as Ball and Lattimore when they totaled 21 in 2002. Bruce Perry and Marc Riley had 10 each for the Terps in 2001.
• Lattimore has 17 touchdowns in his career, tied for 13th on the school's career rushing list.
• Lattimore and Ball average a combined 13.33 points per game. Lattimore (7.33 ppg) and Ball (6.00 ppg) are fifth and 12th, respectively, in the ACC.
• The dynamic Ball-Lattimore tailback duo combined for 1,558 yards last season, and have carried that success into the 2007 season. Through 10 games this year, the pair have combined for 1,359 yards rushing and 21 touchdowns on 325 carries. Lattimore and Ball were one of just five running-back combos in the nation last season to collect over 700 rushing yards apiece.
• Lattimore has rushed for over 100 yards in four of Maryland's 10 games this season.
• Only six players in school history have more than 100-yard rushing games in a season than Lattimore, who currently stands at four. Steve Atkins (1978) and Charlie Wysocki (1980) jointly hold the record with eight in one year.
• Lattimore has six career 100-yard rushing games (119 vs. Wake Forest and 114 vs. Virginia in 2006; 106 vs. Villanova, 111 vs. FIU, 112 vs. WFU, and 124 vs. RU in 2007). That puts him in a tie for fifth on Maryland's career list.
• With 109 yards on the ground against BC, Ball tied Lattimore with six 100-yard games in his career. The pair are tied with Bruce Perry (1999-03), Mark Mason (1990-93), and Willie Joyner (1980-83). Louis Carter (1972-74) ranks fourth on the list with seven games over the century mark.
• When Lattimore finished with 111 yards on 12 carries against Florida International in week two, he became the first Terrapin back to open the season with back-to-back 100-yard rushing games since Bruce Perry began with five straight 100-yard games in Maryland's ACC Championship season in 2001.
• After getting shut out by Clemson, sophomore wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey has rebounded nicely with 10 catches for 139 yards in his past two games. He had caught a pass in 19 consecutive games before the Clemson game. In 23 career games, Heyward-Bey has led the team in receiving yards in 12 times (Georgia Tech -111, Florida State - 57, Miami - 175, Purdue - 81 in 2006), including eight of the Terrapins' games this season (Villanova - 81, FIU - 48, WVU - 56, RU - 61, GT - 109, UVA - 54, UNC - 64, and BC - 75).
• Heyward-Bey currently ranks 10th in the ACC in receiving yards per game (55.80). He is tied for 14th in the conference in receptions per game (3.70).
• Redshirt freshman wideout Adrian Cannon had not seen game action since the season opener against Villanova, but had a career day against Clemson. Cannon caught two balls for 60 yards, including one for 44, Maryland's longest play of the day. He again saw significant time against North Carolina and added another catch to his season total.
• Against Clemson, wide receiver Isaiah Williams matched a career high with five catches for 47 yards. He has had five catches in a game once before - in last season's game against Clemson. He had 66 yards receiving in that game. Williams is currently second on the team with 220 yards receiving.
• Entering the season, no quarterback on the Maryland roster had ever started a game. Ten games in, Maryland finds itself with two capable signal callers - Turner and Jordan Steffy.
• Prior to his injury, Steffy was efficient and accurate while directing the Terrapin offense. He is 68 of 100 (68.0 percent) for 674 yards on the year. His completion percentage leads the ACC.
• In his five games as a starter, Steffy owns a pass efficiency rating of 123.22 which would rank ninth in the conference if he had played in enough games (75 percent) to qualify.
• Turner has been solid in relief of Steffy, who left the Rutgers game just before halftime with an injury and missed the next two games versus Georgia Tech and Virginia.
• In his first career start, Turner threw for 255 yards against Georgia Tech on 10 of 17 passing. At the time, it was the most yards through the air by a Terrapin quarterback since Sam Hollenbach threw for 374 yards against North Carolina on Nov. 12, 2005.
• The 255 yards passing by Turner were the most by a Maryland quarterback in a starting debut since Scott Zolak threw for 303 in a 20-13 win over Virginia Tech in 1990. Only one other quarterback since 1991 (Scott Milanovich, 253 vs. Virginia in 1993) surpassed 200 yards in their first career start.
• In the previous game, Turner led Maryland to an upset of then No. 10 Rutgers. Turner threw for 149 yards on 14 of 20 passing, and led four second half scoring drives. He was named ACC Co-Offensive Back of the Week for his performance against the Scarlet Knights.
• The 78-yard touchdown pass Turner threw to Goode against Georgia Tech was the first career score for each player. It was also the longest career play for each. Goode's previous career-long was a 57-yard reception against Clemson last year.
• In his first game as a collegiate starter, Steffy completed 19 of 24 passes (79 percent) for 174 yards and one interception. The junior's debut was the most efficient effort by a Maryland quarterback starting his first career game since Brian Cummings completed 83 percent of his passes in a 1995 win over Tulane to open the year.
• Joey Haynos and Dan Gronkowski form one of the top tight end duos in the nation, although the latter will be out at least this week with a knee injury. Each has started at the position. In fact, even though Haynos was the second-leading receiver on the team in 2006, Gronkowski started more games in the Terps' two-tight end set. Gronkowski opened nine contests, while Haynos started six. Haynos is a member of the Mackey Award watch list.
• Injuries have decimated the offensive line. With the injury to RG Andrew Crummey (fractured fibula), the Terps have just one returning starter from last season (C Edwin Williams) playing on the offensive line, though the group has quite a bit of experience. LG Jaimie Thomas, who was lost for the season in the Virginia game (Oct. 20), played in all 13 games last season, starting three, while Dane Randolph played in 11 games, mostly at right tackle. Randolph started four games there, including the Champs Sports Bowl. Williams and Randolph are the only lineman to start all 10 games. Starting left tackle Scott Burley missed all but three plays in the Clemson game (Oct. 27) with an ankle injury and true freshman Bruce Campbell got the start in his place, before he too had to leave with an ankle injury. Both were hampered vs. UNC (Nov. 3) and BC (Nov. 10). Burley has played in each of the last three seasons, including eight games as a sophomore in 2005, but this is his first chance to start. Junior Jack Griffin, meanwhile, who was penciled in as the No. 2 right tackle, redshirted last season, but did see action as a freshman and sophomore, though that came on the defensive line. Griffin has stepped into Crummey's starting right guard role. Sophomore Phil Costa served as the reserve center and guard. Costa started at right guard for Crummey vs. Virginia, but slid over to left guard to take over Thomas' spot beginning with the Clemson game (Oct. 27). Friedgen considered the Terps to have seven starters along the o-line due to the skill and versatility of this group. Injuries to Crummey and Thomas have reduced that number to five.
• Crummey has started a team-high 34 games, while Williams' 23 consecutive starts lead the offense. Williams is the only offensive returnee to start all 13 games in 2006.
• Sophomore Josh Portis was ruled ineligible for the year just prior to the season opener. Turner, who was second on the depth chart with Portis for much of preseason camp, moved to No. 1 on the depth chart due to Steffy's injury and has remained there the last five games.

Defensive Notes...
• The Terps rank 49th in the nation and 10th in the ACC in total defense (355.22 yards per game). All nine ACC teams which rank ahead of the Terps are among the top 40 in the nation in total defense.
• Despite playing through numerous injuries, linebacker Erin Henderson currently leads the nation with 12.44 stops per game. Since sitting out the Georgia Tech game with an injured knee, the junior has been on a tear, posting 57 stops in his last four games.
• After sitting out practice all week with a sore back, Henderson totaled 13 tackles against the Eagles, his 15th career game with double-digit tackles. The junior has led or tied for the team lead in tackles in each game he has played this season. Henderson was a preseason All-American and a Butkus Award semifinalist.
• The Terrapin defense stepped up against North Carolina (Nov. 3) with its best effort since the Florida International game, holding the Tar Heels to 259 yards of total offense. Maryland had been allowing an average of 367.2 yards per game.
• The Terps carried that momentum into their showdown with No. 8 Boston College. With a relentless pass rush, the Maryland defense harrassed BC's Matt Ryan all night and tied a season-high with four sacks in the process. Maryland's previously had four gainst Villanova in the opener.
• Maryland also intercepted Ryan twice. Defensive tackle Dre Moore snagged his first career interception in the first quarter and he returned it 12 yards. J.J. Justice picked off a deep pass in the second half. Maryland now has 11 interceptions this season, after totaling eight all of last season.
• Moore also tallied a sack of Ryan for a loss of 10 yards, bringing his season total to a team-high.
• Maryland has 11 sacks over the last four games after notching eight over the first six contests. The Terps had three sacks in both the Virginia and North Carolina games and matched a season-high with four vs. Boston College (Nov. 10). In the season opener, the Terps sacked Villanova quarterback Antwon Young four times, the most by Maryland since posting the same number vs. NC State last season.
• On Thursday October 18, Henderson was selected as one of 10 semifinalists for the Butkus Award, given to the nation's best collegiate linebacker, as announced by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando (DACO). He was not chosen as one of the three finalists in the Nov. 8 announcement.
• In the upset of No. 10 Rutgers, Henderson had 11 total tackles despite playing over three quarters with a knee sprain. He led the team in stops in five of the Terps 13 games a season ago. Henderson is the returning starter at weakside linebacker, where he tallied 8.8 tackles per game last season, second most in the ACC.
• Maryland's pass defense has been solid thus far, allowing only 218.70 yards per game by opponents, tied for 51st best in the nation. • Cornerbacks Kevin Barnes and Isaiah Gardener have combined for 19 passes defended this season, with six interceptions. Each had a pick in the North Carolina game. Barnes (1.00) is tied for fourth in the ACC and tied for 54th nationally in that category, while Gardner (.90) is tied for seventh in the ACC.
• Barnes leads all Maryland players with four interceptions, and is tied for third in the conference and 32nd in the country in that category. Isaiah Gardner had Maryland's other interception in the second quarter.
• Two Terrapins recorded their first career sacks against Carolina. Moten, a redshirt freshman who has impressed the Maryland coaches with his ability to play all three linebacker positions, dropped T.J. Yates for a loss of seven yards. Reserve defensive tackle Olugbemi Otulaja also got in on the action, pulling down the Carolina QB for a loss of 10. Moten assisted on another sack against Boston College.
• The Terps picked off Wake Forest's Riley Skinner three times on Sept. 22. The last time Maryland had intercepted three passes in a game was Oct. 20, 2005, against Virginia Tech. Against Wake, Barnes, Gardner and Henderson all had picks.
• Senior Dre Moore, netted two sacks against Villanova, and added two more against the Cavaliers. Against Clemson he stepped up with another big game, forcing a fumble of quarterback Cullen Harper in the first half and notching seven tackles. In Maryland's biggest win of the year, a victory over BC, he notched his first career interception and another sack. He leads the team with five sacks, and tops all Terrapin defensive linemen with 49 tackles.
• Six Terrapin defenders have started more than 15 career games for Maryland and three (Jeremy Navarre, Trey Covington and Christian Varner) have started more than 30. Covington has started 31 of the last 32 games at LEO, a hybrid linebacker/defensive end position, while Varner has started 33 of the last 34 at safety, including a team-high 32 straight. In addition, Navarre has started 32 of the last 34 contests.
• Defensive linemen Mack Frost and Navarre each had key fourth quarter sacks of Rutgers QB Mike Teel in the upset win. They were the first two sacks allowed by Rutgers on the year.
• Navarre's came on a fourth down as Rutgers, then trailing by three, was attempting to tie or take the lead. Navarre's hit forced a fumble, and Maryland took over on downs, setting up Lance Ball's second touchdown of the day on the very next play. For Frost it was his first of the season.
• In their first two games of the year, the Terps held back-to-back opponents below 200 yards of total offense for the first time since 2003. In that year, Maryland held The Citadel to 137 yards of total offense in a 61-0 win, and then limited West Virginia to 156 in a 34-7 win the following week.
• Maryland held Rutgers to 82 yards on 23 carries on Sept. 29, marking the third time this season the Terps did not allow 100 yards rushing. Rutgers entered the game averaging 228.3 yards per game on the ground.
• One area of strength for the Terrapins in preseason camp was the defensive line, where the Terps returned Moore and fellow senior Carlos Feliciano, as well as juniors Frost and Navarre. Frost consistently drew praise from Friedgen for his work in preseason practice, while the head coach has stated that Moore is playing the best football of his career. Frost, however, was lost for the season with a knee injury suffered vs. Virginia (Oct. 20).
• In the season opener versus Villanova, Dave Philistin got the starting nod at middle linebacker, marking the third consecutive season the Terps have opened the year with a different Mike from the year before. Wesley Jefferson, who manned the middle for the Terps a year ago after replacing D'Qwell Jackson in 2006, graduated early to pursue a career as a state trooper. Jefferson was second on the team in tackles in 2006. Chase Bullock entered the fall No. 1 on the depth chart and remained there until an injury forced him out of the lineup.
• Philistin has more than filled the void left by Jefferson. He has stepped up his play with six consecutive games with double-digit tackles, including 13 against Boston College. He currently ranks third in the ACC and tied for 30th in the nation in tackles per game (10.1). Against Georgia Tech he led the team in tackles with a career-high 21. It marked the second straight game that he had set a new career record, after he totaled 11 against Rutgers. Philistin's 21 stops were the most for a Terrapin since Eric Barton tallied 22 in 1998 against North Carolina. Philistin was named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week for his performance against the Jackets.
• Maryland has had at least one defensive player drafted into the NFL in each of the last 11 seasons and 17 defensive players overall in that time span, including cornerback Josh Wilson last season. Of the Terps defenders selected, 11 have gone in the first three rounds, including first round picks Chad Scott (1997) and Shawne Merriman (2005).
• Varner and Gardner are the only two defensive returnees to start all 13 games last season. Jefferson was the only other defender to start each contest in 2006.
• The Terps suffered a major loss in the preseason when LB Alex Wujciak injured a knee during a practice. He had ACL surgery at the end of August and should return next season. The redshirt freshman was expected to play LEO and possibly at Mike.

Special Teams Notes...
• In punter Adam Podlesh and kicker Dan Ennis, the Terps never had to worry about their special teams last season. Podlesh was a four-time All-ACC punter and two-time semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award, while Ennis connected on 20 of 25 field goals last season and tied for ninth nationally in field goals per game (1.54).
• The Terrapins tapped place-kicker Obi Egekeze and punter Travis Baltz at the start of the season to replace their sensational specialists from 2006, and the returns have been solid. Egekeze has been near perfect this season, the one exception coming in the win over Rutgers game (Sept. 29) when he went 2-for-5. Through 10 games Egekeze is a perfect 29-for-29 on PATs, and 11 of 15 on field goal attempts. Two of those misses have come from beyond 50 yards (52 vs. FIU; 51 vs. Rutgers). He ranks ninth in the ACC in kick scoring (6.2).
• Baltz, a true freshman, has been solid thus far in his brief Maryland career, ranking eighth in the ACC with an punting average of 41.3. After averaging 43.0 yards on two punts against Villanova, Baltz averaged 37.9 yards on nine punts against FIU, but pinned the Golden Panthers' inside their 20-yard line on five of his nine kicks. The five punts inside the 20 were the most by a Maryland punter since Brooks Barnard had six in Ralph Friedgen's first game as head coach, a 23-7 win over North Carolina in 2001. Baltz's nine punts were the most by a Maryland punter since Adam Podlesh booted the ball 11 times in a 13-3 loss to NC State in 2004.
• In October, Maryland faced three punters ranked in the top-10 nationally in punting average, but Baltz acquitted himself well in those games, out-punting Virginia's Ryan Weigand and Georgia Tech's Durant Brooks. Baltz has averaged 41.3 yards on 51 punts with 13 downed inside the 20-yard line.
• Baltz has had his best outings vs. ACC competition. He ranks eighth in the ACC in punting (41.3 ypp), including 43.7 in league games, second best in the ACC. Against Wake Forest, Baltz punted six times for 268 yards, a 44.7 average. He recorded one punt for a then career long of 54 yards, and put two balls inside the 20-yard line. In the win over Georgia Tech, Baltz averaged a career-high 49.6 yards per punt (five attempts), including a career long of 65 yards. It was the 10th best single-game average in Maryland history. In the loss to Virginia, Baltz averaged 44.7 yards on six punts and put two balls inside the 10.
• Kickoff specialist Chris Roberts has also helped pick up the special teams unit. He's averaged nearly 60 yards per kickoff, with opponents' average starting point of drives at the 27-yard line. He had his first touchback vs. Rutgers (Sept. 29). The Scarlet Knights averaged less than 18 yards per kickoff return.
• Roberts' strong play combined with strong tackling has the Terps ranked second in the nation in kickoff return yardage defense (16.84 ypr).
• Egekeze and Baltz hope to live up to the Terps' lofty standards. Maryland has a strong history of special teams play in the Friedgen era. Podlesh, as well as Barnard and former kicker Nick Novak, moved on to the NFL. Although Egekeze served as a kickoff specialist last season, neither he nor Baltz had attempted a kick in a game prior to the 2007 opener.
• When Baltz entered the Villanova game (Sept. 1) in the second quarter, he became the first true freshman to start an opening-day game for the Terps since defensive end Jeremy Navarre in 2005, and only the second of the Ralph Friedgen era.
• The Terps have some big shoes to fill at kick returner as Josh Wilson has taken his game to the NFL. Wilson ranked third in the ACC (11th nationally) last season in kick returns (27.3 ypr) en route to setting a single-season school record for return yards (847). Backup running back Da'Rel Scott got a shot at returning kicks against Wake Forest (Sept. 22) and responded with 101 yards on four returns, including a long return of 39 yards. He has 362 yards on 19 returns for the year. Reserve safety Terrell Skinner, who moved from wide receiver in the spring, opened the season as the primary kick returner, and has averaged 18.5 yards on six returns.
• Maryland was fortunate to have the sure-handed Danny Oquendo back to handle punt return duties, but he is likely done for the season with a knee injury. Last season, Oquendo ranked eighth in the ACC and 53rd nationally in return average (8.4). Through nine games this season, Oquendo has averaged 8.2 yards on 15 returns. Christian Varner has served as Oquendo's backup, returning four punts for 28 yards.

By The Numbers...
0...Career collegiate starts by the Terps' three quarterbacks entering the season.

2...Travis Baltz's punting average in ACC games (43.7), a mark which ranks second in the conference.

3...Dave Philistin ranks third in the ACC in tackles (10.1 pg). Teammate Erin Henderson is first (12.4).

3...Number of offensive players (Edwin Williams, Dane Randolph and Darrius Heyward-Bey) who have started all 10 games.

6...Dave Philistin's 21 tackles vs. Georgia Tech (Oct. 6) are the sixth-most in an NCAA Bowl Subdivision game this season. Bryce Hudman of SMU had 26 vs. Arkansas State (Sept. 15), Durrell Mapp of UNC tallied 23 vs. NC State (Nov. 10), Lamar Myles of Louisville posted 22 vs. Kentucky (Sept. 15), Austin Thomas of Indiana had 22 vs. Michigan State (Oct. 13), Russell Allen of San Diego State tallied 22 vs. Utah (Oct. 13) and Gerlad McRath of Southern Miss. posted 21 vs. UCF (Oct. 28).

8...Obi Egekeze has connected on eight of his last nine field goal attempts.

15...Number of players on the two-deep who have missed at least one game due to injury. The list includes Jordan Steffy, Andrew Crummey, Jaimie Thomas, Cory Jackson, Dan Gronkowski, Mack Frost, Travis Ivey, Rick Costa, Alex Wujciak, Richard Taylor, Erin Henderson, Chase Bullock, Da'Rel Scott, Danny Oquendo and Keon Lattimore. In addition, Scott Burley saw action in just three plays vs. Clemson (Oct. 27) due to injury. Both Burley and Bruce Campbell were limited in the UNC game (Nov. 3) and Boston College (Nov. 10) games.

21.4...Average yards per rush for Darrius Heyward-Bey this season. He leads the team with 37 catches for 558 yards, but has also aided in the running game. In the victory over BC, he accounted 112 all-purpose yards, including a 37-yard TD on a reverse.

33...Christian Varner has started a team-high 33 consecutive games.

70...Chris Turner had thrown 70 consecutive passes without an interception until his second quarter pick vs. Clemson (Oct. 27). He has just two picks (in 150 attempts) since assuming the starting QB role vs. Rutgers (Sept. 29).

51,263...The Terps averaged 51,263 fans per game this season in Byrd Stadium, the third-highest amount in school history.