This is the third in a series of blog entries from Testudo, the Maryland mascot, detailing the football team's experience in Boise, Idaho, as the Terps prepare for Tuesday's Roady's Humanitarian Bowl.

As the 2008 Roady's Humanitarian Bowl draws nearer with each passing day, the University of Maryland football team's Boise experience has been all about mixing business with pleasure.

On Sunday the pleasure portion came first in the form of a trip up the mountains for the bowl's Winter Sports Day. We traveled to an altitude of more than a mile above sea level to Bogus Basin Mountain Resort, where the team enjoyed a morning of snow tubing.

Players and coaches, alike, rode tubes down a steep hillside, forming chains and racing to the bottom. From there they boarded a tow-rope to return to the top, and players exercised their creative muscles on ensuing trips down. Defensive lineman Dean Muhtadi pushed his tube down the hill only to chase after it and jump on at the last moment before the steepest incline commenced.

"Riding the tubes was a blast for us," linebacker Dave Philistin said. "It made me feel like a little kid to be out there playing in the snow like that."

But following their descent down the mountains back to Boise, it was back to business for the Terps. Maryland conducted its final full-practice prior to Tuesday's game, working outdoors on Bronco Stadium's blue turf for the first time thanks to milder weather.

During the two-minute drill portion of practice, the defense dominated initially as defensive backs Jamari McCollough and Michael Carter intercepted passes. But the Terps offense bested its defensive counterparts on the final drive, with quarterback Chris Turner connecting with wide receiver Adrian Cannon for a 35-yard touchdown.

For 30 seniors, Sunday afternoon's session marked their final full-practice with the team, and several last-practice Terrapin traditions were followed. Younger players honored their favorite seniors during Sunday's practice by wearing their jerseys. Once practice ended, each senior was carried off the field by select teammates in appreciation of his collegiate football career.

"It's a tradition we've done since I've been here," Maryland head coach Ralph Friedgen said. "I'm only hoping next time we come off that field we'll be winners. Be what they should be."

We then capped the busy day by attending the Certified Angus Beef Bowl Dinner in downtown Boise.

Monday's itinerary includes having Maryland players visit with children at the St. Lukes Regional Medical Center and the Big Brothers/Big Sisters as part of a community outreach event, and holding the usual day-before-game team walk-through.

Less than 48 hours remain until the kickoff of the 2008 Roady's Humanitarian Bowl. I hope you are as excited as I am.

Testudo

Roady's Humanitarian Bowl Post-Practice Quotes - Dec. 28

Head Coach Ralph Friedgen

On the two practices in Boise:
"I thought we had two decent practices out here. We just have to get focused in. Play with confidence and play well."

On stopping the pistol offense of Nevada:
"If we can keep our assignments and tackle, we'll be ok. One missed tackle could be a big play. Everyone has to know their responsibilities with all the motion and shifts and different formations. So if you make a mistake you could give up a big play too. With the throwing game, there could be a lot of one-one-one situation. To me, it's pick your poison. What they do best is run it. What we'd like to do is get them off schedule. If they mix it, then we're in trouble."

On the Maryland scout team:
"Jamarr Robinson has given us a good look (at quarterback), as well as Josh Portis. (Vai Tua) is 225 pounds so we had Drew Gloster doing it (in Maryland) and now Devonte Campbell. Braxton did a good job today. That's the other thing. You can't think you're getting these guys down with an arm tackle. It's got to be a good solid tackle."

On the play of the Maryland offensive line:
"I've been spending more time with the defense, but we've looked pretty good. Our pad position is good, our landmarks are good. We seem to know what we're doing. We seem to know what we're doing. I don't see a lot of mental mistakes, here and there, one or two. When we go against each other, we do ok. I think we're playing pretty good right now. I like what we're doing in protection. They have two really good defensive ends. They really rush the passer. They have 19.5 sacks amongst them. They are speed guys like Florida State has. They present some problems in that light too. A large part of this game is how we throw the ball. We're going to have some one-on-one situations."

On having a month to prepare for the Nevada offense with the changes on the defensive staff:
"It really hasn't been a month because we were recruiting. It's been more like 10 days. We settled on a game plan back at Maryland. I didn't want to come out here and game plan. What I'm doing right now is confirming things and reinforcing things. It's going to be interesting. We're going to take some chances. I think that's our only hope in trying to stop these guys. I think we're rolling the dice a little."

On the tradition of carrying the seniors off the field at the end of their final practice:
"Today it was a long one (with 30 seniors). Guys didn't have to lift weights. It's a tradition we've done since I've been here. I'm only hoping next time we come off that field we'll be winners. Be what they should be."