Dec. 16, 2007

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - After four days of concentrating on final exams, the University of Maryland football team took a break Sunday to hit the field in order to continue its Emerald Bowl preparations.

The Terps will take on the Oregon State Beavers (8-4) on Dec. 28 and travel to San Francisco Saturday. They'll practice three times in California.

The team was a little sluggish in Sunday afternoon's two-hour workout, its only practice in a seven-day stretch.

"It was so-so today," Coach Ralph Friedgen said. "I didn't think we had the (proper) intensity. Our attention was ok, I just didn't like intensity."

The Terps will need to be sharp for the Beavers, who are a formidable foe. OSU finished third in the Pac-10 Conference this season and won six of its last seven games, including victories over No. 2 California and No. 18 Oregon.

The Beavers are currently receiving votes in both the Associated Press and USA Today/Coaches polls. Only one team in the Pac-10 - USC (14-4) - has a better conference record than Oregon State (12-6) over the last two seasons.

At 6-6, the Terps need a victory over OSU to post a winning record for the fifth time in the last seven seasons.

"I think we want to have a winning season and I hope our players want that very badly," Friedgen said of the importance of the game. "They're going up against a very, very good football team. It's really going to take our best effort to win the game."

"If we could finish 7-6 with all that we've gone through this season, that would be a real tribute to our players and a real reward for them."

The Terps will take the next two days off before hitting the field Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

"Right now, let's get exams over with so we can start focusing more on the game," Friedgen said of the upcoming practice schedule.

Final exams end Wednesday with 12 Terps taking part in graduation ceremonies later that day and Thursday.

Terps Notes:

Two Terps Earn All-America Honors: Junior LB Erin Henderson and sophomore WR Darrius Heyward-Bey were each named to the Pro Football Weekly All-America Team Friday. Henderson and Heyward-Bey earned honorable mention accolades. Henderson, a Butkus Award semifinalist, earned third-team All-America honors from Rivals.com and honorable mention nods from SI.com and College Football News. Heyward-Bey was a freshman All-American in 2006.

Wounded Terps: OG Jaimie Thomas (fractured leg) has yet to return to the field since his mid-season injury. Friedgen is hoping he can return for the bowl game, but there has been no final determination on his status. WR LaQuan Williams (knee), who missed the last two regular-season games, hopes to return to practice later this week, while WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (mild concussion) and Nolan Carroll (hamstring) both took part in Sunday's workout. Friedgen has been pleased with the progress of OG Andrew Crummey, saying "he was better today." Crummey missed five games with a fractured fibula before returning for the season finale vs. NC State (Nov. 24).

Emerald Bowl Tickets: Tickets for the game are available through the Terrapins Ticket Office at 1-800-IM-A-TERP or by clicking here. The ticket office is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Maryland fans wishing hotel reservations in San Francisco, should contact the Terrapin Club at 301-314-7020.

'Bowling With the Fridge': Friedgen will be available at noon Tuesday at the ESPN Zone in Washington D.C. (555 12 Street NW) to sign autographs for fans. Following the autograph session, Friedgen and Testudo will bowl a few frames before visiting with the press in his weekly news conference (media only).