March 31, 2007
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
The Maryland football team resumed spring practice Saturday morning with a two-and-a-half hour workout at its on-campus practice facility.
The team was in full pads for the first time this spring. The third practice of the spring opened with individual drills before moving into 9-on-9 and 11-on-11 game-like situations.
Rushing was the focus of practice as redshirt freshmen Da'Rel Scott and Morgan Green handled the majority of the carries. Scott broke through the defense twice during 11-on-11 drills for would-be touchdowns, while Green also turned in a solid performance with strong rushes to the right and left. Both showed ability to get through the line of scrimmage quickly or get around the edge
Scott and Green are in competition to back up seniors Lance Ball and Keon Lattimore, who combined for over 1,500 rushing yards in 2006. Each of the returning backs was also able to break free for long runs during 9-on-9 drills.
"We want to find another running back," said head coach Ralph Friedgen. "We know what Lance and Keon can do, so we were working Da'Rel and Morgan today. Both of them are getting better...they both have good acceleration, especially Da'Rel."
The offense expanded some Saturday as the Terps ran several end arounds during the 11-on-11 session. Junior Matt Goldberg was able to gain significant yardage twice on reverses, and sophomore wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey also had success rushing the football.
Friedgen continued to express satisfaction with the defense. Senior defensive end Dre Moore disrupted several rushing plays behind the line of scrimmage, and defensive backs Colin Nelson and Kevin Barnes broke up multiple passes.
Despite the emphasis on the rushing attack, the Terrapins' crowded quarterback situation continued to evolve.
Sophomore Josh Portis found Heyward-Bey for some big completions during 9-on-9 drills, and junior Jordan Steffy connected with redshirt freshman Stephen Smalls twice for gains of 20 or more yards during one of the 11-on-11 periods.
The Terps return to the practice field at 4 p.m. Tuesday. Spring practice concludes on Saturday, April 28 with the annual Red-White Spring Game.
Terp Notes: Former Terps Josh Allen, Dan Ennis, E.J. Henderson, and Sam Hollenbach were on hand to watch Saturday's practice ... former Georgia Tech All-American Joe Hamilton, who played for Friedgen while he was the offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech, spoke to the team at the end of practice. Hamilton, who Friedgen called "the most competitive player I've ever coached," spoke to the team about the importance of education. A finalist for the 1999 Heisman Trophy, Hamilton is scheduled to graduate from Georgia Tech in May after delaying completion of his studies to pursue a professional football career.
