2008 Football Season Outlook - Part II
8/1/2008 8:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 1, 2008
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The following is the second 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 outlook breaks down the wide receivers, offensive line and tight ends.
Outlook Schedule on umterps.com: Overall Overview/Quarterbacks/Running Backs Thursday, July 31 Wide Receivers/Offensive Line/Tight Ends Friday, Aug. 1 Defensive Line/Linebackers Saturday, Aug. 2 Secondary/Specialists Sunday, Aug. 3
Wide Receiver
The quarterbacks should have plenty of explosive targets to choose from in the fall, as Maryland has a chance to have one of the most potent wide-receiving corps in the nation.There is a veteran layer at the top of the depth chart, but plenty of young, talented players who may figure into the rotation this season.
Junior All-America Darrius Heyward-Bey has been the leader of this group for the last two seasons. He's already pushing his way onto most of the top-10 lists in the Maryland record book, despite only two seasons in uniform.
A former track standout who has translated that speed to the football field, Heyward-Bey has almost 100 catches over the last two seasons.
Joining him atop the depth chart are seniors Isaiah Williams and Danny Oquendo.
Williams has tremendous physical skills, while Oquendo is a steady third-down receiver. Williams has posted nearly 800 receiving yards the last two seasons and shown the ability to stretch the field.
Oquendo has been the team's slot receiver the last two seasons, and he was missed last year after he went down with a knee injury prior to the Boston College game.
At 6-foot-3 each, Heyward-Bey and Williams can go up and get the ball and then outrun defenders.
"We have a real fast group with five guys running under a 4.5 (in the 40-yard dash)," Friedgen said. "We need to get them to translate that to the field consistently."
As the new wide receivers coach, Lee Hull is charged with the task of getting the players to convert their talents to the field.
Hull joined the staff in March from Oregon State, where he coached a number of impressive receivers including Mike Hass, who won the 2005 Biletnikoff Award.
Sophomore LaQuan Williams is another receiver with experience. He had a breakout redshirt-freshman season before being shelved with a knee injury late in 2007. He highlighted his skills in the upset win over No. 10 Rutgers last season, making a remarkable diving catch on third-and-12 to set up a fourth-quarter touchdown. He ended up fourth on the team in receiving yards last season.
The Terps appear to have a solid top four at wideout, with some unproven players behind that group.
"We have a really deep and talented group," Franklin said. "They all have different strengths and we want to try and put people in the right spot."
Redshirt freshman Torrey Smith, who impressed the staff in the spring, opens the fall behind Isaiah Williams at the X receiver spot, while sophomore Emani Lee-Odai and redshirt freshman Quinton McCree serve as Heyward-Bey's backup at Z receiver.
Lee-Odai, one of the fastest players on the team, saw increased action during the second half of last season.
Smith and McCree sat out last season as redshirts, but were impressive during practice. McCree made the travel squad and nearly played in 2007.
Redshirt freshman Ronnie Tyler is another youngster who played in the spring. He finds himself behind Oquendo as the slot receiver. Tyler is somewhat undersized, but has the ability to make defenders miss in the open field.
Sophomore Adrian Cannon, who saw a decent amount of action during the second half of 2007, is slotted as a backup at X receiver behind Isaiah Williams.
The talent level is even solid behind this group.
Redshirt freshmen Tony Logan and true freshman Kevin Dorsey could also push for time. Logan and Dorsey are penciled in as reserves at Z receiver heading into the fall.
Dorsey is a highly-touted local recruit who enrolled in classes in January. He participated in spring practice, but missed some time while rehabbing from a foot injury.
Logan is a little under-sized but he has the ability to make people miss in the open field.
There are also two incoming freshmen with impressive credentials.
Kenny Tate was one of the top recruits in the nation a year ago. The 6-foot-4 product from Forestville, Md., was ranked among the top wideouts in the nation as a senior.
In addition, Kerry Boykins comes to the Terps from Chesapeake, Va. He was also a highly regarded receiver in high school, ranking among the top 20 wideouts by Scout.com.
Offensive Line/Tight End
One year after this unit was decimated with injuries and forced to play some unproven players, the offensive line has a chance to be the strength of the team.
The Terps did lose an All-American in Andrew Crummey, who is off to the NFL, but four players with 66 career starts are back, as are four others who saw significant action last season.
"We've got quite a few guys who have played and done something," Franklin said. "Guys we've won with. If we could just develop some more depth, not just for this year but for the future, that would help"
There are five seniors - LT Scott Burley, LG Jaimie Thomas, C Edwin Williams, RG Jack Griffin and RT Dane Randolph - among the top six linemen, so getting some of the younger guys ready will be critical.
Williams has the most experience among this group with 26 career starts, tops among offensive players. He is among the top centers in the ACC and was also placed on the watch list for the 2008 Rimington Trophy
Randolph has started 17 games at right tackle and stepped in to play some snaps at left tackle last season when Burley was saddled with nagging ankle injuries.
Burley distinguished himself well in his first season as a starter. He managed to start 12 games in 2007 despite being hampered by sprains to both ankles at various points in the season. He ended up earning all-conference honors for his play.
Thomas started just seven games at left guard, missing the second half of the season with a fractured right fibula. He was able to return and play in the Emerald Bowl.
Four of the five starting spots look locked up entering the fall.
There is still a battle going on for the starting nod at right guard, replacing Crummey, who was a three-year starter.
Griffin and junior Phil Costa will both play, but the question is who opens the game. Both played extensively last season and are versatile.
Costa started one game at right guard for an injured Crummey and started the last six contests for Thomas at left guard. Costa has also played center in the past.
Griffin split time at right tackle with Randolph in the early portion of 2007 before taking over at right guard for Crummey after his injury.
In addition to the veterans, sophomores Bruce Campbell and Paul Pinegar played quite a bit last season. Despite being a true freshman, Campbell started one game for Burley at left tackle. Pinegar also saw time at left tackle and left guard last season. He is penciled in as Randolph's backup at right tackle.
Campbell, meanwhile, continued to impress in the spring and is competing for a time at left tackle.
The Terps have a number of linemen who redshirted last season including Stephen St. John, Joe Faiella, Lamar Young, Tyler Bowen and Bearthur Johnson.
All have skills, but those need to be developed.
Young is a big, strong interior lineman. He enters the fall No. 2 at left guard and could find himself in the mix for time.
St. John is a listed as a reserve at left tackle, behind Burley and Campbell, while Faiella is penciled in at right guard.
Johnson is another big-framed player, who is listed as a reserve at right tackle.
Other veterans who are expected to add depth include Lee Oliver, Danny Edwards, Evan Eastburn, Matt Harraka and Kyle Sappington.
There are also some talented incoming freshmen including R.J. Dill, Justin Gilbert and Justin Lewis.
Dill played in the Big 33 game (Ohio-Pennsylvania) this past summer
Tight end should be in good hands with Dan Gronkowski back. He has started 17 career games, including eight last season. Gronkowski has been used mostly as a blocker, but he has good hands and can run well after the catch.
"Dan Gronkowski just had a sensational spring," Friedgen. "We expect him to be much more involved in the passing game this season."
Junior Tommy Galt will be asked to fill a more substantial role this year. He was used as the third tight end in running formations last season.
Redshirt freshman Lansford Watson made a move at tight end in the spring. He will battle with Galt for time as Gronkowski's backup.
Sophomore Drew Gloster served as a backup at H-back last season and will assume the No. 1 spot in the fall.
Others expected to vie for time at tight end/H-back include Devonte Campbell and Matt Furstenberg.
Campbell and Furstenberg are true freshmen who entered school in January. They both participated in spring practice, though Furstenberg was limited with a shoulder injury.
