April 12, 2008

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland football team held its first full scrimmage of the spring season Saturday morning, running approximately 120 plays over a two-hour period in Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium.

The 20-possession scrimmage opened with four drives from the 5-yard line, followed by five at the offense's 25 and finishing with 11 from the 50.

Sophomore running back Da'Rel Scott had a team-high 92 rushing yards on 10 carries, including two of the offense's three touchdowns. He also scored a TD in the goal-line setting at the end of the scrimmage which featured four drives from the 4-yard line.

But it was the defense that shined brightest during the majority of the scrimmage, especially in the early going.

During the first four drives the defense scored a touchdown and recorded a safety.

On the first play of the third drive, redshirt freshman Michael Carter intercepted Josh Portis and returned it 10 yards for a score.

Two possessions later, sophomore Adrian Moten sacked Jordan Steffy in the end zone for a safety. Moten had five tackles, including two of the team's 13 sacks. Jared Harrell and Dean Muhtadi were also in on a pair of sacks.

Senior Chase Bullock had a team-high six tackles, including one sack, and Dominique Herald also had an interception, picking off Chris Turner on a third-and-11 play at the offense's 49 and returning it 20 yards.

Muhtadi, Jamari McCollough and Demetrius Hartsfield were each in on five tackles.

"I think the defense played really well, they were really flying around," Coach Ralph Friedgen said. "I got a really good look at our pass rush today which I didn't see much of this week. Offensively we had way too many sacks. I don't know if were holding the ball too long or what. I'll have to see once I watch the film. I was really encouraged with the fact that we scored defensively because I don't know that we've done that in a long, long time."

Despite the solid play of the defense, Scott had one of the highlight plays of the scrimmage when he scored his first touchdown on the third drive from midfield.

He took the handoff from Portis on a second-and-10 play and raced down the left sideline untouched for a 50-yard score.

"Da'Rel showed his speed today with that touchdown run," Friedgen said.

Scott's touchdown got the offense going in the right direction. After three scoreless possessions, Portis and Jamarr Robinson led the third team offense on an 11-play, 50-yard drive capped off by Dan Bonato's 1-yard score.

The offense added field goals on two of its next three drives, with Obi Egekeze hitting from 39 yards out and David May connecting on a 33-yarder.

Overall, it was an uneven day for the quarterbacks.

Portis completed 8 of 13 passes for 79 yards, but was sacked three times. Steffy was 7-for-11 for 77 yards, but he was sacked six times.

Turner started out hot, completing six of his first seven passes, but ended the day 6 of 14 for 38 yards.

"It's pretty close right now," Friedgen said of the quarterbacks. "I thought Chris was having a good day until the end of the scrimmage. I think Jordan did some good things and he has been practicing real well. Josh Portis has been doing some good things, but he still is having problems getting the plays right. That's what he has to get better at. We tried to get everybody reps with every group today and we'll try and do a good evaluation when we sit down and watch film."

Senior Rashad Henry ran well between the tackles, posting 69 yards on 16 carries. He scored from one yard out in the goal-line portion of the scrimmage.

Redshirt freshman Torrey Smith was the leading receiver with four receptions for 50 yards. Sophomore Emani Lee-Odai also had four catches, but for just 19 yards.

The Terps are back on the practice field Tuesday afternoon. They have six workouts remaining, including with the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday, April 26 (3:30 p.m. ET at Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium). The team will hold its second scrimmage next Saturday.

With the exception of the spring game, all spring workouts are closed to the general public, though members of the Maryland Gridiron Network and Terrapin Club, as well as players' parents and University of Maryland students, are allowed to attend the workouts.

Terp Notes:

Terps Lose One of Their All-Time Greats: Former Maryland All-America linebacker Bob Pelligrini passed away Friday at his home in Marmora, N.J., according to the Philadelphia Eagles. Pelligrini was a member of the 1953 national championship team and was taken in the first round of the 1956 NFL Draft by the Eagles. He played for Philadelphia in 1956 and from 1958-61. The native of Yatesboro, Pa., was a member of the 1960 NFL Championship team. He also spent four seasons (1962-65) with the Washington Redskins and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996. Pelligrini was a consensus first-team All-America choice in 1955 as a center.

Staff Changes: Friedgen announced that Jemal Griffin has been named the Terps director of football operations, replacing Dan Hickson who left last month. Griffin has served as Maryland's assistant recruiting coordinator the last two seasons. Griffin, a native of Baltimore, also spent seven years as a member of the Woodlawn High School coaching staff. Ryan Steinberg takes over Griffin's spot as assistant recruiting coordinator, working under Dave Sollazzo. Steinberg spent five years as a student assistant in the program before spending last season as a defensive intern.

Scrimmage Statistics

Scoring Plays

Regular Scrimmage:
Carter 10-yard interception return for TD
Egekeze 33-yard FG
Scott 50-yard TD run (Egekeze PAT)
Bonato 1-yard TD run (Two-point conversion failed)
Scott 1-yard TD run (Egekeze PAT)
May 33-yard FG

Goal-line Scrimmage:
Green 4-yard TD run (Egekeze PAT)
Egekeze 20-yard FG
Scott 4-yard TD run (Egekeze PAT)
Henry 1 yard TD run (Egekeze PAT)

Offense

Rushing (Carries-Yds./TDs):
Scott 10-92/3; Henry 16-69/1; Washington 13-48; Bonato 10-31/1; Green 6-18/1; McCree 1-6; Robinson 3-0; Portis 3-(-14); Turner 4-(-20); Steffy 6-(-34).

Passing (Comp.-Att.-Yds./TDs):
Portis 8-13-79/1 INT; Steffy 7-11-77; Robinson 3-5-45; Turner 6-14-38/1 INT.

Receiving (Rec.-Yds./TDs):
Smith 4-50; Green 2-33; Lee-Odai 4-19; Logan 3-19; Heyward-Bey 2-15; Gloster 1-11; Cannon 1-11; Henry 1-9; Dulin 1-5; Washington 1-1.

Defense

Tackles (Solo-Assisted-Total):
Bullock (2-4-6), McCollough (3-2-5), Hartsfield (1-4-5), Moten (4-1-5), Muhtadi (3-2-5), Taylor (2-2-4), Pooler (2-2-4), Harrell (3-1-4), Schultz (2-2-4), Walker (3-1-4); Robinson (1-3-4); Davies (3-0-3), Wujciak (1-2-3), Russell (1-2-3), Herald (1-2-3), Clement (1-2-3), Akinwande (3-0-3), Skinner (2-1-3), Carter (2-0-2), Ball (2-0-2), Clinton (1-1-2), Davidson (0-2-2), Sule (1-1-2), Whitmore (1-1-2), Armstrong (1-1-2), Hughes (2-0-2), Carroll (0-2-2), Navarre (1-0-1), Covington (0-1-1), Otulaja (0-1-1), Logan (1-0-1), Galt (0-1-1), Barnes (1-0-1), Allen (1-0-1), Ivey (0-1-1), Wiseman (0-1-1), Dacosta (1-0-1), Rhodes (0-1-1), Perez (0-1-1), Drummond (1-0-1).

Tackles for Loss (No.-Yards):
Harrell (2-17), Muhtadi (2-12), Moten (2-11), Russell (1-10), Bullock (1-7), Wujciak (1-6), Skinner (1-5), Navarre (1-4), Logan (1-2), Allen (1-2), Schultz (1-2), Whitmore (1-2), Armstrong (0.5-3), Clement (0.5-3)

Sacks (No.-Yards):
Harrell (2-17), Muhtadi (2-12), Moten (2-11), Russell (1-10), Bullock (1-7), Wujciak (1-6), Navarre (1-4), Schultz (1-2), Whitmore (1-2), Armstrong (0.5-3), Clement (0.5-3)

Interceptions (No.-Yds):
Carter (1-10/TD), Herald (1-20)

Pass Breakups (No.):
Wujciak (2), Carroll (2), Davidson (1), Barnes (1), Harrell (1)

Forced Fumbles (No.):
Allen (1).

Fumble Recoveries (No.):
Bullock (1).

Miscellaneous

Field Goals:
Egekeze: 2-3/33, 20 (missed - 37)
May: 1-1/33

Punts (No./Avg.):
Townsley: 3/46.7
Baltz: 3/36.3

Punt Returns (No./Avg.)
Tyler: 2/5.0
McCree: 1/13.0