2008 Football Season Outlook - Part I
7/31/2008 8:00:00 AM | Football
July 31, 2008
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The following is the first in a four-part series previewing the 2008 University of Maryland football team. The Terrapins open fall practice on Monday in preparation for their season opener on Saturday, Aug. 30 (3:45 p.m.) against Delaware at Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium.
Today's portion of the season preview takes an overall look at the team before focusing on the quarterback and running back positions.
Outlook Schedule on umterps.com: Wide Receivers/Offensive Line/Tight Ends Friday, Aug. 1 Defensive Line/Linebackers Saturday, Aug. 2 Secondary/Specialists Sunday, Aug. 3
Overall Season Outlook
Despite coming off their fifth bowl appearance in the previous seven seasons, the Maryland Terrapins are hungry to improve upon last year's finish.The 2007 campaign began with promise as the Terps returned a number of key contributors from a 9-4 team which dominated its bowl game.
The Terps won their first two games last season, and despite a home loss to No. 4 West Virginia and a heart-breaking conference-opening loss to Wake Forest, were in position to compete for an ACC title after wins over No. 10 Rutgers and Georgia Tech.
However, injuries began to mount midway through the season and the Terps could not fully recover. In all, 17 members of the two-deep missed at least one game, including three along the offensive line.
But despite all the injuries, which led to four league losses by a touchdown or less, Maryland still went on post a win over No. 8 Boston College and shut out NC State in the regular-season finale to earn a berth in the Emerald Bowl, the second straight postseason appearance for the Terps.
Head coach Ralph Friedgen is hopeful that last year's hard luck will turn to good fortune in 2008.
"The injuries impacted us, but a lot of guys got on the field who may not have last season," Friedgen said. "Hopefully, that adversity will help us this year. I think we have a chance to have a very good team."
The Terps return a mostly veteran squad in 2008 with 46 letterwinners, including 14 offensive and defensive starters, back in the fold.
Among the letterwinners are 20 players who have started at least one game in their careers.
That group will look to return the Terps to the upper echelon of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a process that began shortly after the Emerald Bowl with winter workouts and spring practice.
Friedgen was pleased with how the team performed during the spring, feeling it was a productive five weeks.
"I think we had a good spring, we got a lot accomplished," Friedgen said. "A lot of players got reps. I saw a lot of kids develop. It was a learning experience. We were learning a new offense and we had some changes on special teams.
"We were able to get a good evaluation of a lot of the younger kids. We had 107 players in spring practice. We gave the younger kids a lot of opportunity to show themselves and we're pleased with where they are. But when we get back into fall camp, we'll narrow that down and work mostly the first and second teams to get ready for the season."
Even before the team began its off-season program, there were some changes in the program.
Friedgen surrendered his dual role of head coach and offensive coordinator, which he served the last two seasons.
He also hired three new staff members, including tight ends coach/special teams coordinator Danny Pearman, wide receivers coach Lee Hull and offensive coordinator/assistant head coach James Franklin, who was on staff during Friedgen's first four seasons in College Park.
"I think having a new offensive coordinator and new special teams coach have really added a new excitement to our program," Friedgen said. "I like our staff. They relate to the kids well and I think the kids are having more fun.
"I also think our team morale is very good and that translated into good practices this spring."
Though the Terps will now employ more of a west-coast based offense, much of what Franklin has learned offensively comes from Friedgen's influence. Franklin was also the offensive coordinator at Kansas State the last two years after spending one season with the Green Bay Packers.
"One of the reasons I was interested in James was the knowledge he had about what we did in the past," Friedgen said.
While the offensive philosophy has altered some, there shouldn't be wholesale changes to a unit which returns 23 letterwinners, including nine starters, the most in Friedgen's seven seasons.
The Terps will have four of their five starting offensive linemen back, as well as starting QB Chris Turner and all of the receiving corps, headlined by 2007 All-America choice Darrius Heyward-Bey.
Now after working through the off-season program, Friedgen is convinced the changes have been a plus.
"I'm pleased with where we are offensively," Friedgen said. "There are still some things we need to improve on, but I like how we're calling things. James is organized and he brings a lot of enthusiasm to the offense."
The defense will have to replace six starters, including first-team All-ACC performers Dre Moore and Erin Henderson, and three members of the secondary. The defense also worked through some changes in the off-season, but those were due mostly to injuries.
With a number of players having off-season surgery and missing spring practice, third-year coordinator Chris Cosh had to shuffle the lineup.
Linebackers Dave Philistin, Moise Fokou and Rick Costa joined DL Mack Frost on the sidelines. But all are expected to be healthy and ready for fall camp.
Seniors Jeremy Navarre and Trey Covington look like the leaders up front.
According to Friedgen, they each played extremely well in the spring. They are two of the most experienced players on the team, having each started more than 30 career games.
Navarre spent the last three seasons at end, but moved inside to tackle in the spring. Covington returns for his fourth season as the starter at LEO.
Despite the loss of Henderson, one of the most productive players in the nation the last two seasons, the linebacker unit should be the deepest group on the defense with a number of players who have seen significant action, including Philistin and Fokou.
Philistin was fourth in the ACC in tackles last season, and Fokou was third on the team in stops. Philistin is drawing national attention. He was placed on the preseason watch list for the Nagurski Trophy, which honors the top defender in the country.
The Terps have some experience on defense as 20 letterwinners return from last season's squad. There weren't quite as many injures on defense as there were on offense last year, but there were a number of players, including Adrian Moten, a 2007 Freshman All-America choice, who saw extended time in a reserve role due to teammates being banged up.
The Terps finished 24th in the country in scoring defense and 40th in total defense last season, but there are areas to improve upon.
"We need to do a better job against the run," Friedgen said. "We want to try and become more flexible on the defensive side of the ball and keep finding ways to play to the strength of our players."
Senior cornerback Kevin Barnes is the lone returning starter on the back end of the defense. He was among the ACC's best last season in passes defended.
While most of the regulars are back on special teams, they'll have a new coach in Pearman, whose pedigree includes an eight-year stint on Frank Beamer's Virginia Tech staff. Beamer is well known nationally for his special teams success.
Senior Obi Egekeze and sophomore punter Travis Baltz formed a good tandem last season as first-year starters and should only improve this fall.
All the staff changes have allowed Friedgen to become more involved off the field.
"This has allowed me to get more involved with the players and to make sure I'm spending as much time as possible motivating them," Friedgen said. "I didn't have as much time for that the last two years."
Team Notes:
• The Terps are scheduled to have a veteran team this fall with 31 seniors on the roster, including 21 who are on scholarship. Last season, Maryland had just 15 seniors on its roster. Fourteen members of last year's senior class have already graduated.
• The Terps are scheduled to face eight teams this year which reached the postseason in 2007. ACC foes Clemson, Virginia, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Florida State and Boston College played in bowl games, while Delaware reached the 2008 Football Championship Subdivision title game. In addition, California, which reached as high as No. 2 in the 2007 national polls, also played in a bowl and visits College Park for the first time.
• Three of the top eight crowds in Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium history occurred last season: 53,107 vs. West Virginia (No. 5), 52,827 vs. Boston College (No. 7) and 52,782 vs. Virginia (No. 8). In all, 20 of the top 25 crowds in the history of Byrd Stadium have come in Ralph Friedgen's seven seasons.
• Maryland's league road schedule may be the toughest in the ACC. The Terps' four road games (Boston College, Clemson, Virginia Tech and Virginia) come against the top two finishers from each division last year.
• The Terps' nine returners on offense are the most since 1999 when Maryland had 10.
• Nearly half the 46 returning letterwinners have started at least one game in their career. In all, 20 Terps have started at least one contest. DL Jeremy Navarre has started a team-high 35 games. C Edwin Williams has the most starts among offensive players with 26.
• Members of the 2008 Terrapin Council, the team's leadership group, include seniors Kevin Barnes, Scott Burley, Dan Gronkowski, and Edwin Williams, juniors Darrius Heyward-Bey, Cory Jackson and Chris Turner, sophomores Adrian Moten, Da'Rel Scott, and Alex Wujciak, along with freshman Torrey Smith.
• Maryland has not had a punt blocked in the last 98 games (third game of the 1999 season), the longest streak in the nation.
Quarterback
Entering last year, the Terps had limited experience at quarterback, as no one on the roster had started a collegiate game.
The situation has changed considerably with both junior Chris Turner and senior Jordan Steffy serving as the starter last season.
Turner enters the fall as the No. 1 quarterback after posting nearly 2,000 passing yards and the third-best passing efficiency rating in the ACC in 2007.
Turner is holding a slight lead on the quarterback job heading into the fall. He held off a challenge from Steffy and junior Josh Portis during spring practice.
Steffy heads into the fall No. 2 on the depth chart, followed by Portis.
Friedgen is hoping the experience factor translates into increased production under center.
"Turner and Steffy have played a lot of football and we've won with both of them," Friedgen said. "Even though Portis has the least experience, he has also played in a college game."
Friedgen is looking for one of the quarterbacks to grab the starting job during the preseason.
"They're not totally there understanding the new offense, Friedgen said. "I'm hoping they'll get it down this summer and someone will separate themselves in the preseason."
Turner was solid in most of his outings last season.
The junior replaced an injured Steffy in the Rutgers game, led the team to a victory over the 10th-ranked team in the country and went on to start the final eight games of the season.
Steffy started the first five contests last season and was sixth in the league in passing efficiency when he went down with a concussion against the Scarlet Knights.
It was a tough blow for the fifth-year player, who battled knee and shoulder woes earlier in his career.
"Jordan's as healthy now as he's been," Friedgen said.
Each of the quarterbacks brings a different element to the field.
"Jordan is mobile, while Chris is more of a pocket passer, but he'll scramble and make 10 yards." Friedgen said.
Portis missed the last two seasons, but he's likely to push for time in the preseason.
He transferred from Florida in 2005 and sat out 2006 due to NCAA transfer rules. Portis was ruled ineligible prior to the last year's opener and missed the whole season, though he did practice with the team.
"Josh is hungry right now after being off for two years," said Franklin. "He's got freakish physical skills but needs to continue his development as a quarterback."
The Terps are also looking to build for the future.
Redshirt freshman Jamarr Robinson is the only other quarterback on the roster who has been in the system.
He is fourth on the depth chart entering the season, but served as either the No. 2 or 3 quarterback last year.
"I've been pleasantly surprised with him," Franklin said. "He's done well in the off-season."
Running Back
The loss of two of the top running backs in school history is somewhat of a concern, but the Terps appear to be in good shape.
Sophomores Da'Rel Scott and Morgan Green showed this spring why they were both highly recruited coming out of high school. Scott continued to display his breakaway ability, while Green ran well both between and outside the tackles.
Green and Scott will attempt to duplicate the exploits of Lance Ball and Keon Lattimore, who were staples in the backfield the last few seasons.
Ball finished his career No. 4 on the Maryland career rushing list, while Lattimore was 14th on that list.
Scott and Green, who battled for the No. 3 tailback spot last season, do lack experience, but they hope to make up for that in talent. Scott was No. 1 for most of the spring, though Green enters the fall atop the depth chart.
Regardless, of who is No. 1, they are both expected to play extensively.
"Da'Rel and Morgan each had really good springs and we're expecting them to play well this season," Friedgen said.
Overall, returning players account for just 15 percent of last season's rushing yards. Scott and Green combined to carry the ball just 17 times. Scott did show some explosiveness in a limited role last season. He averaged 18.5 yards each time he touched the ball.
Green and Scott offer a different look than Ball and Lattimore.
"Da'Rel is a talented back," Franklin said. "He's got the ability to take it the distance. We just need to keep Da'Rel and Morgan healthy. I think we have more speed back there, but a lot less experience."
Senior Rashad Henry and sophomore Dan Bonato took quite a few snaps in the spring and will vie for time behind Scott and Green.
Neither Henry nor Bonato has played in a game, but each showed an ability to make people miss during the spring.
They could battle for the No. 3 tailback spot in the fall or it could be one of the incoming freshmen.
First-year players Gary Douglas and Davin Meggett are talented backs who could find themselves in the mix for playing time in the fall.
The Terps are in good shape at fullback where junior Cory Jackson has started since the end of his true freshman season. Jackson, one of the toughest players on the team, doesn't carry the ball nor catch it much, but is one of the best blockers in the conference and helped open holes for Ball and Lattimore the last two years.
Sophomore FB Haroon Brown filled in nicely last season as a true freshman. Jackson missed a game with a broken hand and Brown distinguished himself well.
Brown inched closer to Jackson during the spring
"Haroon has really improved," Friedgen said. "He's giving Cory a battle." Redshirt freshman
Taylor Watson will also push for time at fullback along with senior Steve Pfister, who also plays on special teams.
