Aug. 4, 2008
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
The Maryland football team held its annual Media Day Monday at the Gossett Team House.
Head coach Ralph Friedgen and the rest of the Terps met with the media prior to hitting the practice field for their first workout of the season.
See what the coaches had to say about the upcoming season.
Opening Statement:
"We're looking forward to a great season. We're very excited about our players and the work they did this summer and our expectations for this season."
On the team's offense:
"Offensively, I think the big question is at quarterback and who will be our (starting) quarterback. We may play multiple quarterbacks, I don't know. I think that's an area that if we can get production out of that we expect, we have a chance to have a good offense. We're deep in the offensive line and we're deep with wide receivers. Our running backs, I was pleased with them in the spring."
On the team's defense:
"I think our strength is in our linebackers. I think the difference between the first and second team is not that much and I don't think we've ever had that here before. We've got to stay healthy to keep that."
On special teams:
As for our kicking game, Obi Egekeze is back and needs to have a really good year for us. We're really counting on him coming through. Travis Baltz kicked well in the spring."
On the changes made in the coaching staff and in the locker room coming into this season:
"I'm really anxious to see where we are today, to see how comfortable we are with a new offense. It's more terminology than anything else. There are a lot of similarities and a lot of the plays that we've done. We've had a whole summer to work on that, so I'm hoping we're a lot better than we were in the spring. I'm excited to see where we are today and the improvement we've made over the summer."
On Chris Turner being listed first on depth chart at quarterback:
"I don't know that you can say that. I think it's pretty tight all the way around. It's more like 1A, 1B and 1C. I'd like to make a decision on that fairly early. One of the things I plan to do differently than what I've done in the past is make decisions on first team and second team earlier, maybe a week earlier and really try to prepare for the season."
On this year's schedule:
"I think we have a tough schedule every year. This is a tough schedule and I went over it with our players last night. Not to have a cliché, but you have to take it one game at a time. I think our kids are very excited about this season. I think they've put in a lot of energy and a lot of work throughout the whole year. I think this team is in the best physical shape of any team I've had. I don't want to speak for them, but the feeling I get is that they're ready to go and they're ready to meet the challenge."
On wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey:
"Darrius is just a wonderful kid. I don't know if any of you have watched `Terrapins Rising,' but the way he comes across is really how he is. He's got very good talent and I think he's still developing it. He wants to be a good player and he's very, very coachable. One thing he can do is he can really run. He's a world-class sprinter. What we've got to do is get him to run all routes at the same speed. That's the tough part."
On the three possible starting quarterbacks:
"I think Chris Turner just needs to be more consistent. He played some unbelievable games for us last year and he really has a lot of ability as a quarterback. To me, the guy that works very hard is Jordan Steffy. I think he just needs to relax and play the game and let it come to him. I've really enjoyed watching this young man grow. He has so much of my admiration and I know he has the ability to get it done. I think he wants it so bad sometimes that it hurts him. Sometimes he just needs to go out there, relax and have fun. As for Josh Portis, I think there are some things he can do that the other two can't. It's just a matter of how schooled up he is and the improvement he's made this summer."
Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach James Franklin
On the quarterback situation:
"I wouldn't say right now that anybody has a legitimate lead. Right now, the way I look at it we have 1-A and a 1-B with [Chris] Turner and [Jordan] Steffy, and our No. 2 is [Josh] Portis. Although he's in the hunt, there is a difference between those two guys and him right now with understanding how to run the offense and those sorts of things. Whichever player has a certain quality or a certain talent that we want to take advantage of, will we do that? Yes, and that could be Portis, that could be Jamarr Robinson, that could be Steffy or that could be Turner, depending on how it all works out. But we're going to get the best guys on the field at every position."
On Head Coach Ralph Friedgen's continued involvement with the offense:
"The first thing you have to understand is that coach Friedgen has been very successful. He took a team to the Super Bowl when he was with the San Diego Chargers, he won a championship with Georgia Tech and basically has gotten to where he is today from his background in offensive football. He understands the game, but where he made his mark is as an offensive guy, so to just hand that over to somebody is hard to do. That's what you see all across the country. But I think with us having a preexisting relationship, that's really helped. Although we're doing some different things, philosophically we're on the same page, and I think that really helps. Up to this point, everything has been great, and I have a tremendous resource in Coach Friedgen."
On what has to happen for the offense to be successful:
"We have what a lot of people are looking for at wide receiver. We have depth and speed, so that makes your running game better because they can't load the box. I think we have a veteran line, and that really helps us. We have inexperienced tailbacks, but they're talented. We also have depth and experience at tight end. I think Dan Gronkowski doesn't get as much attention as he should. There are very few guys in the country who are as big, strong, smart and fast as he is. I think we have a lot of elements, but really what it's going to come down to is, do you have a guy behind the center that's making great decisions and can manage the offense? We need a guy who doesn't have to carry the team. He just has to manage the game, make great decisions, put his teammates in position to be successful and realize that he has enough talent around him that all he has to distribute the ball, take what the defense is giving and those guys are going to make plays."
Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers Coach Chris Cosh
On the leaders of the defense:
"It's good to have representation at every unit. We have people who can affect the mood of their units and take responsibility for their play and their actions on or off the field, and be a link to their position coach. I think in some positions we have more than one leader. I think at defensive line we have Jeremy Navarre and Mack Frost, too. In the secondary, you look at Nolan Carroll who leads by example just like Kevin Barnes does."
On the defensive position battles expected during camp:
"I think, first of all, at corner we have great competition. We've got [Kevin] Barnes returning and Nolan Carroll has a year under his belt now after moving from receiver. Then Anthony Wiseman is starting to reach his potential. I think there's going to be a competition there at corner. At the free safety position, you have a big battle there between Antwine Perez and Terrell Skinner. I think at Sam linebacker, with [Adrian] Moten and [Moise] Fokou, there's competition there."
On the depth at linebacker:
"We're two deep. I think there's not a lot of difference between the first group and the second group. That tells you you can play a lot of people. Last year, at times, we were just trying to put three healthy guys out there. We had to crossover some guys, but what that did was build some depth because now we have guys who can crossover and play different positions. If Adrian Moten had never been pushed into that, we'd have never found that out."
