Maryland Preseason Football Camp Log: Day Six

8/9/2008 8:00:00 AM | Football

By: Maryland Athletics

Aug. 9, 2008

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Following a productive first week of preseason camp, the Maryland football team brought its show from the practice field to Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium Saturday evening for its first of three scrimmages.

The Terrapins defensive unit bested its offensive counterparts during the 105-play intrasquad affair, recording four sacks and a pair of interceptions - including one returned for a touchdown. The defense held the offense scoreless on 12 of 15 possessions during the regular portion of the scrimmage, which featured drives starting from the offense's 5 and 25-yard line, as well as midfield.

Junior Nolan Carroll, looking to grab one of the starting cornerback spots, opened the scoring when he intercepted a Josh Portis pass during the second possession and raced back 28 yards into the end zone. The play provided a spark for the defense, which stopped the offense in each of the first six series.

"I think our secondary is playing pretty good right now," head coach Ralph Friedgen said. "Nolan Carroll has just really had an outstanding camp. He's just playing with a lot of confidence right now, whereas in the past he was always hesitant about making a mistake. I don't see that right now. It's every scrimmage and every team period he's picking one off or doing something right."

The Terps offense finally lit up the scoreboard in its seventh possession behind true freshman running back Davin Meggett, who accounted for both offensive touchdowns during the regular scrimmage. The first came when he burst through the defensive line for a 6-yard touchdown run. Meggett's second score came on a 50-yard scamper along the right sideline, and proved to be the longest play of the day.

The 5-foot-8, 210-pound back out of Clinton, Md., finished with a scrimmage-high 73 yards on 13 carries.

"(Meggett) did a good job for a true freshman seeing all the things he has to see, but he's got to learn where to make the right cut," Friedgen said. "He's got a lot of room for growth, but you can see he has ability. He's really pushing for a second-team spot right now."

Despite its inability to score consistently, the offense did move the ball effectively at times. The quarterbacks completed nearly 60 percent of their passes, with Portis, Chris Turner and Jordan Steffy each seeing time with the first-string unit.

Turner was 8 of 12 for 93 yards, Portis 4 of 9 for 69 yards and Steffy 5 of 9 for 76 yards.

Wide receivers Darrius Heyward-Bey, Adrian Cannon, Quinton McCree and Ronnie Tyler each had receptions of at least 20 yards, with Heyward-Bey totaling a scrimmage-high three catches for 56 yards.

Portis atoned for his early miscue by helping to set up Meggett's first touchdown. The junior signal-caller went 3-for 3 on the possession, including 42-yard connection with McCree which gave the offense a first down inside the 5-yard line.

Sophomore running back Da'Rel Scott added 17 carries for 53 yards and senior Rashad Henry, battling for the No. 3 tailback slot, chipped in with 47 yards on seven carries.

But the scrimmage belonged to the Terps defense, a group which returns five starters from a year ago.

Defensive linemen Jeremy Navarre, Travis Ivey, Deege Galt and Jared Harrell each recorded sacks, while defensive back Kevin Barnes added the other interception, picking off a Steffy pass in the end zone after it was deflected by Mike linebacker Alex Wujciak.

Galt also blocked an Obi Egekeze field-goal attempt.

Senior linebackers Dave Philistin and Moise Fokou each recorded seven tackles on the day. Last season that duo ranked among the top 20 in the Atlantic Coast Conference in stops.

True freshman LB Demetrius Hartsfield and junior CB Anthony Wiseman had five stops apiece.

During a goal-line period (drives starting at the 5-yard line) at the end of the scrimmage, the defense limited the offense to field goals on the first four possessions before Scott found the end zone on the final series.

"I wasn't happy with the goal-line (offense)," Friedgen said. "That's the best defense we've ever had on the first scrimmage on the goal line."

Seniors Trey Covington and Mack Frost were among a number of players who sat out for precautionary reasons. That allowed a number of other Terps, including Rick Costa and Derek Drummond, to receive more playing time.

Costa chipped in with three tackles and Drummond had two.

The Terps will not practice again until Monday when they will hold two workouts.

Practices and scrimmages are closed to the public.

Scrimmage Statistics

Scoring Plays

Regular Scrimmage:
Carroll 28-yard INT return (May PAT)
Meggett 6-yard TD run (May PAT)
Egekeze 20-yard FG
Meggett 50-yard TD run (May PAT)

Goal-line Scrimmage (drives start at 5-yard line):
Egekeze 26-yard FG
Egekeze 19-yard FG
May 21-yard FG
May 21-yard FG
Scott 5-yard TD run (No PAT attempt)

Offense

Rushing (Carries-Yds./TDs):
Meggett 13-73/2, Scott 17-53/1, Henry 7-47, Bonato 5-6, Lee-Odai 1-7, Turner 3-(-3), Steffy 3-(-1), Green 4-(-1), Portis 2-(-6).

Passing (Comp.-Att.-Yds./TDs):
Turner 8-12-93, Portis 4-9-69/INT, Steffy 5-9-76/INT, Robinson 2-3-24

Receiving (Rec.-Yds./TDs):
Heyward-Bey 3-56, Cannon 2-41, Oquendo 2-30, Tyler 2-24, I. Williams 2-11, McCree 1-42, Furstenberg 1-15, Jackson 1-15, Bonato 1-9, Lee-Odai 1-7, Smith 1-6, L. Williams 1-5, Gronkowski 1-1.

Defense

Tackles (Solo-Assisted-Total):
Philistin (2-5-7), Fokou (4-3-7), Hartsfield (2-3-5), Wiseman (2-3-5), Moten (3-1-4), Wujciak (1-3-4), Harrell (2-2-4), Robinson (2-2-4), Clement (1-3-4), Chism (2-2-4), Bullock (1-2-3), Perez (0-3-3), Russell (0-3-3), Taylor (2-1-3), Costa (2-1-3), Skinner (1-2-3), D. Galt (2-1-3), Ball (0-3-3), Tate (1-2-3), Carroll (2-0-2), Ivey (1-1-2), Davidson (1-1-2), Hughes (1-1-2), Drummond (0-2-2), Pooler (0-2-2), Kabongo (1-1-2), Muhtadi (1-1-2), Schultz (2-0-2), Armstrong (1-0-1), Navarre (1-0-1), Allen (0-1-1), Francis (1-0-1), Carter (0-1-1), Barnes (0-1-1).

Tackles for Loss (No.-Yards):
Fokou (1.5-2), Harrell (1-7), Muhtadi (1-7), Navarre (1-6), D. Galt (1-4), Kabongo (1-1), Ivey (1-1), Davidson (1-1), Wujciak (0.5-1).

Sacks (No.-Yards):
Harrell (1-7), Navarre (1-6), D. Galt (1-4), Ivey (1-1).

Interceptions (No.-Yards):
Carroll (1-28/TD), Barnes (1-0)

Pass Breakups (No.):
Philistin (1), Wujciak (1)

Fumble Recoveries (No.):
Barnes (1)

Blocked Field Goals (No.):
D. Galt (1)