Maryland and Eastern Michigan Set to Meet Saturday
9/15/2008 8:00:00 AM | Football
Saturday, Sept. 20
Maryland (2-1, 0-0 ACC)
vs.
Eastern Michigan (1-2, 0-1 MAC)
Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET
Location: College Park, Md.
Stadium: Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium (51,500)
TV: ESPN 360 (Web cast) - Chip Tarkenton (play-by-play) and Stan Lewter (color) have the call. Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic will rebroadcast the game at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, just after a replay of the Ralph Friedgen Television Show.
Radio: Terrapin Sports Radio Network - Johnny Holliday (play-by-play), Jonathan Claiborne (color) and Tim Strachan (sidelines) have the call. XM Satellite Radio Channel 190. Pregame with Gary Stein and Scott McBrien begins at 11:30 a.m. Click here to Listen Live on-line. The Terrapin Sports Radio Network (14 affiliates): 105.7 FM (WHFS) - Baltimore (Flagship); ESPN Radio 1300 AM (WJFK) - Baltimore (Flagship); WJFK 106.7 FM - Washington D.C.; WCEM AM 1240 - Cambridge; WBEY 97.9 FM - Crisfield; WGOP AM 540 - Crisfield; WTBO AM 1450 - Cumberland; WFMD AM 930 - Frederick; WARK AM 1490 - Hagerstown; WPTX 1690 AM - Lexington Park, Md.; WVMD 99.5 FM - Midland; WMSG AM 1050 - Oakland; WQMR FM 101.1 - Ocean City; WTGM AM 960 - Salisbury. Fans attending the game can tune into 106.7 to hear the Maryland broadcast
Tickets: Tickets are available through the Maryland Athletics Ticket Office. Fans my call 1-800-IM-A-TERP or click here. Click here here for Gameday Quick Facts about tickets, will call, parking and shuttles.
Terps on the Air...
Maryland's football broadcasting lineup for 2008-09, includes the Ralph Friedgen Radio Show and the Ralph Friedgen Television Show (FridgeTV). The Ralph Friedgen Radio Show airs from 8-9 p.m. each Wednesday during the season on the Terrapin Sports Radio Network which increased from 10 to 14 affiliates this season. The Ralph Friedgen Television Show, which is presented by Outback Steakhouse, airs weekly at 11:30 a.m. Saturday on Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic. The fast-paced, 30-minute show goes behind the scenes with Friedgen and the Maryland football team. Replays of the show are scheduled for 7 p.m. Sunday on Comcast SportsNet, just prior to the rebroadcast of the Terps most recent football game. Comcast SportsNet will carry the official rebroadcasts of all 12 University of Maryland football games. Friedgen also appears each Wednesday during the season on Comcast's SportsNite wrap-up show. Comcast goes live "Inside the Coach's Office" with Friedgen at 6:45 p.m. each Wednesday.
First-and-10...
• The University of Maryland will close out the non-conference portion of its schedule Saturday when it plays host to Eastern Michigan of the Mid-American Conference. The Terrapins and Eagles will hit Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium at 1 p.m. ET. Maryland is coming off an impressive 35-27 victory over then-No. 23 California, while EMU lost its conference opener to Toledo, 41-17, on Saturday. The game will be not be telecast over the air, but it will be streamed live on ESPN360. It can also be heard over the Terrapin Sports Radio Network. Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic will replay the game at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
• The Maryland offense, which has nine starters back from 2007 and a new coordinator in James Franklin, is coming off its most balanced effort of the young season. Sophomore Da'Rel Scott rushed for 87 yards and two scores and freshman Davin Meggett chipped in 82 yards and one score Saturday vs. Cal to bolster a running game which is tied for 37th nationally (186.0 ypg). Scott ranks fifth in the nation in rushing (135.7 ypg) and 27th in all-purpose yards (146.0 ypg). Opening holes for the running game is a veteran offensive line which returns six of its top seven performers from a year ago, including senior center Edwin Williams, who is on the watch list for the Rimington Trophy and Lombardi Award. Junior quarterback Chris Turner earned his second start of the season Saturday and produced one of his better games, completing 15 of 19 passes for 156 yards and two TDs. Junior All-American Darrius Heyward-Bey caught one of Turner's touchdown passes against Cal and ranks tied for fifth in the ACC in receiving yards (73.0 pg). Senior Dan Gronkowski, a member of the preseason watch list for the Mackey Award, is coming off one of his better games. He had a career and team-high four receptions vs. Cal and also caught his first TD pass of the season.
• The Terps, who have five starters back from a unit which ranked 24th nationally in points allowed (21.5 ppg) and 40th in total defense (358.0 ypg), are coming one of their better defensive performances after holding a high-powered California attack in check for nearly the whole game. Maryland held the Golden Bears to 38 rushing yards and sacked QB Kevin Riley five times. Cal was unable to get the ball in the end zone until late in the fourth quarter when it tallied three touchdowns to close the gap. Senior defensive lineman Jeremy Navarre, a three-year starter, has been the Terps' leader up front. He has notched five tackles vs. Cal, while linebackers Dave Philistin and Moise Fokou provided quite a bit of production vs. the Bears. Philistin had a game-high 13 tackles and Fokou chipped in six tackles, including two of the team's five sacks. Philistin, the leading returning tackler in the ACC, is on a number of awards lists, including the one for the Butkus Award. The other returning starters include seniors Kevin Barnes and Trey Covington. Barnes, the lone returning starter in the secondary, tallied an interception vs. California, while junior CB Nolan Carroll had a pair of pass breakups.
• The Terps returned all components of its special teams unit from last season. Sophomore punter Travis Baltz and senior place-kicker Obi Egekeze are both in their second seasons as starters. Baltz, a freshman All-ACC choice, averaged 40.9 yards per punt last season, including 43.1 in league games, and is averaging 44.5 ypp through three games. Egekeze hit 17 of 23 field-goal attempts last year, including a near-perfect mark in league games (13 of 14/93 percent), but he has missed his first five attempts this season. Sure-handed senior Danny Oquendo is the punt returner for the third straight season and ranks fourth in the ACC (6.4 ypr). Redshirt freshman Torrey Smith has emerged as the kickoff returner. Smith, a reserve wideout, is averaging 22.8 yards per return which is second in the conference.
Quick Hitters...
• The Terps won for the third straight time while facing a ranked opponent with Saturday's victory over No. 23 California. Last year Maryland was 2-1 vs. ranked foes including wins over No. 10 Rutgers and No. 8 Boston College.
• Maryland and Eastern Michigan are facing off for the fourth time. The Terps won the first three meetings (2001-03). The first two games were played in College Park with the Terps winning 50-3 in 2001 and 45-3 in 2002. Maryland won 37-13 in Ypsilanti in 2003.
• Maryland is 8-3 all-time vs. the Mid-American Conference (1-0 vs. Akron; 3-0 vs. EMU; 0-1 vs Miami; 2-1 vs. NIU; 1-0 vs. WMU; 1-1 vs. Ohio). The Terps last lost to a member of the MAC when Northern Illinois downed them 20-13 in overtime in DeKalb (Aug. 28, 2003). The Terrapins are also 6-0 vs. Temple, though all meetings came before it entered the MAC.
• In its upset of No. 23 Cal, Maryland jumped to an early lead and never looked back. The Terps offense took its opening possession 60 yards in five plays, capped by a 24-yard Da'Rel Scott touchdown run. Maryland proceeded to score touchdowns on its first three possessions of the game, building a 21-3 lead in the process.
• Cal entered Saturday's game ranked sixth in the nation in rushing offense (297.0 ypg), but Maryland limited the Golden Bears to 38 rushing yards, including just 12 in the second half. The Terps added eight tackles for loss versus Cal, which eclipsed their two-game total entering Saturday's game. The Terps defense did not surrender a touchdown to Cal until the 6:55 mark of the fourth quarter and allowed the Golden Bears to convert 2 of 11 third-down opportunities. The Terps now rank third in the ACC and 30th in the nation (FBS) in rushing defense (92.3 ypg). The Terps have not allowed a running back to gain more than 61 yards so far this season (Philip Tanner, Middle Tennessee State, 9/6).
• Maryland tallied five sacks Saturday vs. California. The Terps had not posted a sack in their first two games, but what was more impressive is that the performance came vs. a team which had yielded one sack this season and just 11 last year.
• The Terps have an all-time record of 594-517-43 (.533), including a 58-32 (.644) mark under Ralph Friedgen.
Great Scott...
Continuing to prove he is one of the nation's top ball carriers this season, RB Da'Rel Scott rushed 19 times for 87 yards and two touchdowns Saturday versus Cal, despite playing less than three quarters (shoulder injury). He found the end zone on runs of 24 and 1 yards on Maryland's first two drives of the game, helping to catapult the Terps to an early lead that proved insurmountable for the Golden Bears.
• With his performance against Cal, Scott now has 407 rushing yards this season, which is the sixth-highest all-time total by a Terp during the first three games of a season, as well as the 10th-highest total all-time by a Maryland ball carrier during any three-game span.
• Scott currently ranks first in the ACC and fifth nationally in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in rushing (135.7 ypg). He also ranks third in the ACC and 27th in the nation in all-purpose yards (146.0 ypg). He leads the Terps with three touchdowns this year.
• Through the first three games this season, Scott has six carries of at least 24 yards in 2008 (40, 37 and 26 against Delaware; 63 and 24 versus MTSU; 24 against Cal).
Heyward-Bey's Blazing Start...
WR Darrius Heyward-Bey snared two catches for a team-high 59 yards versus Cal, including a 27-yard touchdown reception from QB Chris Turner in the third quarter that extended Maryland's lead over the Golden Bears to 28-6. That score, the 10th receiving touchdown of Heyward-Bey's career, proved crucial, as Cal mounted a late comeback.
• Heyward-Bey continued his ascent through the receiving portion of Maryland's record book. By recording 59 receiving yards against the Golden Bears, the junior wideout passed Ferrell Edmunds (1984-87) to move into seventh place all-time in school history with 1,699 career receiving yards. He stands just 22 receiving yards behind Barry Johnson (1987-90) and Greg Hill (1982-84), who share fifth place on the all-time list.
• Heyward-Bey's 10th career touchdown reception in the third quarter moved him into a six-way tie for seventh place on Maryland's all-time receiving touchdowns list.
• Now with 105 career receptions, Heyward-Bey still ranks eighth on Maryland's career receptions chart, but is just one catch behind Johnson for seventh on the all-time list.
• Heyward-Bey currently ranks tied for fifth in the ACC and tied for 63rd nationally in the NCAA FBS in receiving yards per game (73.0).
• Heyward-Bey has now caught at least one pass in 27 of the last 28 contests dating back to the 2006 season. He has led the Terps in receiving yards in each of the last four games dating back to last season's Emerald Bowl (12/28/07).
Eastern Michigan At-A-Glance...
• The Eagles have faced an ACC opponent just three times, playing Maryland in each contest. The Terps have won all three previous meetings by a combined score of 132 to 19.
• Eastern Michigan currently ranks among the top 25 nationally in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision in the following offensive categories: rushing offense (tied for 18th), time of possession (17th) and red zone efficiency (tied 25th).
• The Eagles rank sixth nationally in passing defense, tied for 20th in interceptions and tied for 19th in turnovers gained.
• QBs Andy Schmitt, a junior, and Kyle McMahon, a sophomore, have split time for the Eagles. Schmitt leads the passing attack with 274 yards and one touchdown pass. Last season saw Schmitt throw 14 touchdown passes, good for fifth place in single-season passing touchdowns at EMU. Schmitt currently stands 10th all-time on his school's career touchdown passes list with 16.
• Led by senior RB Terrence Blevins, the Eastern Michigan ground attack has averaged 224.7 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns. Blevins is averaging 5.6 yards per carry and has four rushing touchdowns on the season.
• Listed at WR for the 2008 season, senior Tyler Jones has plenty of experience in different areas of the offensive game. Jones has six passing touchdowns, five rushing touchdowns and four receiving TDs, as the three-year letterwinner has also played quarterback and tailback in his three-year career.
• Leading the team in tackles, each with 20, are senior DB Jacob Wyatt and senior LB Daniel Holtzclaw. In Holtzclaw's three-plus years at EMU, he has started all 38 games at the middle linebacker position, accounting for 350 career tackles.
Turner on Target...
Making his 10th career start, QB Chris Turner completed 15 of 19 passes (78.9 percent) against Cal. That accuracy mark is the 10th-highest single-game completion percentage in school history, tying his own mark he set last season against Boston College (11/10/07).
• Turner finished the afternoon with 156 passing yards and two touchdown passes with no picks.
• Turner found TE Dan Gronkowski for a 1-yard touchdown on the first play of the second quarter and later connected with WR Darrius Heyward-Bey in the third quarter for a 27-yard strike, extending Maryland's lead to 28-6.
• During clutch situations Saturday, Turner proved even more impressive, as he completed 7 of 9 passes for 84 yards on third down, accounting for six third-down conversions by way of his passing.
• The Terps improved to 3-0 in games against ranked opponents in which Turner served as the primary quarterback.
Fokou Brings the Heat...
LB Moise Fokou accounted for Maryland's first sack of the season when he took down Cal QB Kevin Riley for a 4-yard loss to force the Golden Bears to punt on the game's opening drive Saturday. He added a second in the third quarter, setting a career-high for sacks in a game and tying a career-high for sacks in a season.
• The senior Sam linebacker finished with six tackles (four solo) versus the Golden Bears.
• Fokou currently ranks tied for fourth in the ACC and tied for 50th in the nation (FBS) in sacks (.67 pg).
Sack Barrage...
Led by Moise Fokou, the Terps tallied five sacks Saturday against Cal. LB Rick Costa (1.5 sacks) and DLs Jared Harrell (1.0) and Dean Muhtadi (0.5) each contributed to the sack barrage against Cal, which had surrendered just one sack on the season entering Saturday's game, and led the Pac-10 in fewest sacks allowed the previous two seasons. The five sacks are tied for the most by the Terps since they recorded six sacks versus Virginia Oct. 10, 2005.
Philistin: Tackle Machine...
LB Dave Philistin notched a game-high 13 tackles against the Golden Bears, tying for the second-highest total of his career. He added a tackle for loss of three yards in the second quarter Saturday on a run by Cal RB Jahvid Best to help force a three-and-out.
• During one second-quarter series Saturday, Philistin secured tackles on three of four plays, wrapping up Cal RB Shane Vereen after a 1-yard gain on third-and-seven to force a punt by the Golden Bears.
• The ACC's leading returning tackler, Philistin now leads the team this season with 28 tackles through the first three games of the season. He has posted at least nine stops in 10 of the team's last 12 games dating back to last season.
• Philistin currently ranks tied for fourth in the ACC and tied for 36th in the nation (FBS) in total tackles (9.3 pg).
Baltz's Punting Prowess...
P Travis Baltz has booted himself into the nation's elite at his position during the early stages of his sophomore season. Against Cal, Baltz punted four times for 191 yards (47.8 ypp) and a season-long punt of 55 yards. His average vs. Cal was the second best of his career (5-49.6 vs. Georgia Tech, 2007. He currently ranks third in the ACC and 14th in the nation (FBS) in punting (44.5 ypp).
Barnes Picking Up Where He Left Off...
CB Kevin Barnes, who led the Terps with four interceptions a year ago, picked off a pass by Cal QB Kevin Riley during the first quarter Saturday, returning it 17 yards to set up Maryland's second touchdown. Barnes leads the team with two interceptions this season, having also snared one in the season-opening win over Delaware (8/30).
• Barnes added two pass-breakups, including one with a big hit on Cal RB Jahvid Best in the second quarter.
• Barnes currently ranks tied for first in the ACC with teammate CB Nolan Carroll and tied for 11th in the nation (FBS) in passes defended (1.67 pg). He ranks tied for third in the ACC and tied for 16th in the nation (FBS) in interceptions (.67 pg).
Maryland-EMU Ties...
Eastern Michigan head coach Jeff Genyk and Maryland offensive line coach Tom Brattan were on the staff together at Northwestern. Genyk had a variety of positions with the Wildcats from 1993 to 2003, while Brattan was the offensive line coach from 1992-98. Genyk took over the EMU program in 2004.
Big Play Ability...
On the strength of Darrius Heyward-Bey's 80-yard reception and Da'Rel Scott's 63-yard run vs. Middle Tennessee State (9/6), both of which went for touchdowns, Maryland had its first game with two offensive plays greater than 60 yards since Heyward-Bey had TD receptions of 96 and 65 yards against Miami Nov. 11, 2006. Through three games, Heyward-Bey leads the Terps in scoring with three touchdowns, and Scott already has six carries of at least 24 yards (40, 37 and 26 against Delaware; 63 and 24 versus Middle Tennessee State; 24 vs. California). Overall, the Terps have 16 offensive plays of 20 or more yards this season.
Playmaking Tight Ends ...
TEs Dan Gronkowski (career-high four receptions for 24 yards) and Lansford Watson (career-high three receptions for 23 yards) were the team's leading receivers against Cal, marking the first time two tight ends led the team in receptions since John Waerig and Eric James did so against North Carolina on Oct. 23, 1999. Gronkowski caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from QB Chris Turner on the first play of the second quarter Saturday. For Gronkowski, it was his second career touchdown and his first since a 2-yard score versus Florida State Oct. 28, 2006.
Mighty Meggett ...
RB Davin Meggett replaced injured teammate Da'Rel Scott at tailback in the third quarter against Cal and the Terps ground attack did not miss a beat. Meggett rushed for a career-high 82 yards, including the second rushing touchdown of his career in the fourth quarter when he ran in from 1-yard out for a score that proved to be the difference. The true freshman's rush for 38 yards in the fourth quarter Saturday marked a career-long.
Offensive Notes...
• Maryland's offense returns nine starters - its most since 1999 - and 23 letterwinners from a unit that ranked fifth in the ACC in 2007 in total offense (340.8 ypg). Only right guard and running back feature players who did not have starting roles last season.
• During the off-season Ralph Friedgen handed control of the offense over to new offensive coordinator/assistant head coach James Franklin, enabling one of the football's best young offensive minds to have an opportunity to call plays for the Terps. Formerly offensive coordinator at Kansas State, Franklin brings 13 years of offensive expertise to College Park.
• With its performance against Cal, the Terps offense set season-highs in points (35), first downs (19), pass completions (15), rushing TDs (three) and passing TDs (two).
• The Terps now have 16 offensive plays of 20 or more yards this season, including six by RB Da'Rel Scott and five by WR Darrius Heyward-Bey.
• QB Josh Portis has used his speed to add a new dimension to the Terps offense this season. With 37 rushing yards on 12 carries, Portis already has the most rushing yards by a Maryland quarterback since Joel Statham rushed for 87 yards in 2004.
• Scott's performance during the first two games of the season marked the first back-to-back 100-yard rushing games for a Maryland ball carrier since Keon Lattimore ran for 112 and 124, respectively, against Wake Forest (Sept. 29) and Rutgers (Sept. 22) last season.
• Scott's 320 rushing yards during the first two games of the season represented the most in a two-game period by a Terp since Josh Allen rushed for a combined 401 yards against Virginia and NC State on Nov. 13 and Nov. 22, 2003.
• WR Darrius Heyward-Bey's 80-yard TD in the third quarter of the MTSU game (9/6). The play marked the second-longest of Heyward-Bey's career, trailing only the school-record 96-yarder he had versus Miami Nov. 11, 2006. It was the longest completion of QB Chris Turner's career, surpassing a 78-yard TD pass to Jason Goode last season against Georgia Tech.
• QB Chris Turner made his first start of the season in place of Jordan Steffy (thumb injury) against MTSU (9/6), throwing for 207 yards, giving him at least 200 passing yards in seven consecutive games in which he started. Despite a solid performance that string was broken during the Cal game (9/13) as Turner threw for 156 yards.
• Making his first career start, Scott provided a record-setting performance vs. Delaware (8/30). The sophomore tailback rushed for 197 yards on 26 carries to set a school record for most rushing yards in season opener (old record: 177 by Charlie Wysocki vs. Villanova, Sept. 6, 1980). Scott's performance tied for 16th on the team's single-game list and are the most rushing yards by a Terp in a game since Bruce Perry recorded 237 against Wake Forest on Nov. 29, 2003.
• Scott was not the only Maryland RB to have a memorable game against Delaware. True freshman Davin Meggett had seven rushes for 54 yards. His 14-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter was the first of his career and gave the Terps a 14-0 lead.
• Scott turned in another impressive rushing performance versus the MTSU (9/6). Scott rushed for 123 yards on 11 carries (11.2 ypc), including a career-long 63-yard burst for a touchdown on the Terps' second offensive play from scrimmage. That run was the longest by a Terp since Lance Ball ran for 65 yards versus Boston College Nov. 19, 2005, and the team's longest run for a touchdown since Bruce Perry scored on an 80-yard run against Wake Forest Nov. 28, 2003. It was also Scott's longest play, surpassing a 57-yard reception he had last season versus BC.
• Scott's average of 11.2 yards per carry average vs. MTSU ranked fourth all-time on the Terps' single-game list (record: 15.0 by Willie Joyner vs. UNC, 1982).
• In all, Maryland recorded 271 yards on the ground against Delaware (8/30), the team's most since it ran for 277 yards against Duke on Sept. 25, 2004.
• Following a hard-fought battle in preseason camp, senior Jordan Steffy emerged as the Terps' No. 1 quarterback heading into the season. Steffy, who started the first five games last season before suffering a concussion, completed 70 of 104 passes for 686 yards and two touchdowns in 2007. He was 10 of 18 for 115 yards in the opener. He suffered a thumb injury in the second half and is out of action indefinitely. Junior Chris Turner, who entered the season as the backup, replaced Steffy in the Delaware game. Turner started the final eight games of the 2007 season, completing 153 of 241 passes for 1,958 yards.
• The Terps quarterbacks operate behind a veteran-laden offensive line featuring five seniors who have seen significant playing time. C Edwin Williams, a preseason All-ACC nominee, anchors a line that boasts a collective 91 career starts. He is joined by fellow seniors LT Scott Burley, LG Jaimie Thomas, RG Jack Griffin and RT Dane Randolph. Junior Phil Costa started at right guard in the opener with Griffin subbing at right guard. Reserve linemen Bruce Campbell, Lamar Young, Danny Edwards and Paul Pinegar round out the two-deep for a unit that was decimated by injuries last season but should represent a strength for the offense in 2008.
• Heyward-Bey headlines a deep receiving corps that returns its top three players from a year ago. He is joined atop the depth chart at WR by seniors Danny Oquendo and Isaiah Williams. Sophomore LaQuan Williams, a reigning freshman All-ACC nominee, also made significant contributions in 2007. Beneath that veteran layer, a plethora of talented but less-proven WRs awaits opportunities to contribute. Sophomore Adrian Cannon and redshirt freshmen Ronnie Tyler and Torrey Smith each had impressive preseason camps and bolster the unit's depth.
• The performances of Scott and Meggett are helping to ease the loss to graduation of last season's dynamic rushing duo of Keon Lattimore and Lance Ball. The Terps currently rank fourth in the ACC and 37th nationally (FBS) in rushing offense (186.0 ypg). Senior Rashad Henry and sophomore Morgan Green, who has shown promise but been plagued by injury, round out Maryland's RB corp. Senior FB Cory Jackson open holes for the RBs, with sophomore FB Haroon Brown occupying a reserve role.
• A nominee for postseason honors, senior Dan Gronkowski starts at TE for the Terps after sharing starting duties a year ago. Gronkowski caught seven passes for 66 yards last season, despite being used primarily as a blocking TE. He is the second-leading receiver on the team this season with seven catches. Junior Tommy Galt sits beneath Gronkowski on the depth chart, and Lansford Watson, a redshirt freshman, is atop the depth chart at H-back. Watson recorded his first collegiate reception in the fourth quarter against MTSU (9/6) when he made an acrobatic catch for 29 yards on a pass from Turner.
Defensive Notes...
• Maryland returns five starters and 20 letterwinners from a defensive unit that ranked fifth in the ACC last season in both run and pass defense. The unit boasts five players who have made at least 14 starts for the Terps, including 38 and 36 career starts, respectively, for DL Jeremy Navarre and LEO Trey Covington.
• For the first time since 2005, Maryland's entire defensive coaching staff from the previous year remains intact. Chris Cosh, who has served as a defensive coordinator in three of the six BCS conferences, is in his third season running the defense, as well as the inside linebackers.
• Cal entered Saturday's game ranked sixth in the nation in rushing offense (297.0 ypg), but Maryland limited the Golden Bears to 38 rushing yards, including just 12 in the second half. The Terps added eight tackles for loss versus Cal, which eclipsed their two-game total entering Saturday's game. The Terps defense did not surrender a touchdown to Cal until the 6:55 mark of the fourth quarter.
• The Terps currently rank third in the ACC and 30th in the nation (FBS) in rushing defense (92.3 ypg). They also rank sixth in the ACC and 48th nationally in scoring defense (19.3 ppg).
• Several Maryland players rank among the conference leaders in key defensive categories through the first three games. CBs Kevin Barnes and Nolan Carroll sit atop the ACC in passes defended (1.67 pg), Barnes is third in interceptions (.67 pg), Fokou is tied for fourth in sacks (.67 pg) and LB Dave Philistin is tied for fourth in total tackles (9.3 pg).
• Mike LB Alex Wujciak's knack for making big plays continued against MTSU (9/6). Wujciak notched his first career fumble recovery in the second quarter when he pounced on a dropped lateral to halt a Blue Raiders' drive and give the ball back to Maryland. Wujciak also tallied seven tackles, including a tackle for loss when he stopped Middle Tennessee State RB Desmond Gee four yards behind the line of scrimmage in the first quarter.
• LB Dave Philistin tied for the team lead with nine tackles against the Blue Raiders (9/6). He currently has led the team in tackles in five of the last seven games dating back to last season.
• During the season opener Aug. 30 against Delaware, Maryland's defense limited the Blue Hens to 249 total yards - the lowest by an opponent since holding Florida International to 163 total yards on Sept. 8, 2007.
• Wujciak's collegiate debut proved worth the wait. Seeing his first action against Delaware (8/30) after missing all of last season due to a knee injury, the sophomore got a hand on Delaware PK Jon Striefsky's 46-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter, causing the kick to fall short of the uprights. It marked the first blocked field goal recorded by Maryland since Navarre swatted one against Florida State on Oct. 28, 2006.
• Barnes, who led the Terps with four interceptions a year ago, nabbed his first of the 2008 campaign when he picked off a pass by Delaware WR Aaron Love on a flea-flicker during the opening drive of the second half of the 14-7 win over the Blue Hens (8/30). The senior CB also recorded a forced fumble in the season-opening game.
• DB Terrell Skinner is making the most of his first season as a starter for the Terps, having recorded a crucial late interception, the first of his career, to seal Maryland's season-opening victory over Delaware (8/30). Skinner added eight tackles and a pass-breakup vs. MTSU (9/6) before suffering an ankle injury in the fourth quarter of that game. He is out of action for a couple weeks.
• Navarre, a DT who leads active Terps with nine career sacks and has recorded 15 tackles on the season, anchors a defensive line that replaced starters Dre Moore and Carlos Feliciano from a year ago. He is joined in the starting lineup by DE Mack Frost and NT Bemi Otulaja, though Deege Galt, Dion Armstrong and Dean Muhtadi also see action on the defensive line. Junior Travis Ivey is also expected to a fixture inside once he returns from injury. After three seasons at defensive end, Navarre bumped inside to tackle in the spring and has flourished.
• With the addition of Wujciak, depth prevails for the Terrapins at linebacker, where three starters are back from 2007 in Covington, Philistin and Fokou. Covington has started 36 of the last 40 games at LEO, a hybrid defensive end/linebacker position. Philistin ranked fourth in the ACC in 2007 with 124 tackles, and splits time this season with fellow senior Chase Bullock. Fokou added 83 tackles and two sacks a year ago, and shares the strongside with sophomore Adrian Moten, who earned freshman All-America honors in 2007. Redshirt freshman Ben Pooler rounds out the two-deep by backing up Wujciak at Mike LB.
• Barnes is the lone returning starter in the secondary and is expected to provide leadership for the talented unit. Juniors Nolan Carroll and Anthony Wiseman share time at the other CB spot. Senior Jeff Allen, who ranks second on the team with 20 tackles, joins Skinner atop the depth chart at safety, having served in a reserve role in 2007. USC transfer Antwine Perez and true freshman Kenny Tate provide depth at safety, and senior Richard Taylor serves as a reserve CB after being sidelined last season with a knee injury. Perez made his first career start against Cal (9/13) in place of Skinner, who is still recovering from an ankle injury.
• The Terps have had at least one defensive player drafted into the NFL in each of the last 12 seasons, and 18 defensive players overall in that span, including DE Dre Moore last year, a draftee of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Of the Maryland defenders selected, 11 have gone in the first three rounds, including first-round picks Chad Scott (1997) and Shawne Merriman (2005).
• The Terrapins began a season without a Henderson on their roster for just the second time this decade. Following in the footsteps of his older brother A.J., who earned All-America and ACC Player of the Year honors during his stellar Terp career, Erin Henderson was a first-team All-ACC selection in 2007 after leading the conference with 133 tackles. Both brothers now play for the NFL's Minnesota Vikings.
Special Teams Notes...
• After starting the 2007 campaign with an untested punter and place-kicker, Maryland has the luxury of having proven players occupying those positions this season. Senior place-kicker Obi Egekeze and sophomore punter Travis Baltz both provided strong performances during their first season at their respective positions in 2007. Egekeze connected on 17 of 23 field goal attempts and was perfect on all 36 PATs last year, ranking sixth in the ACC in both kick scoring and overall scoring. Baltz earned freshman All-America honors in 2007 after averaging 43.1 yards per punt during conference play.
• Egekeze also handled kickoff duties in 2007 and has maintained that responsibility during the start of the 2008 season. He has struggled to open the season, missing all five of his field-goal attempts, though three have come from 40 or more yards and three have hit the goal posts.
• Baltz has shown no signs of suffering from a sophomore slump thus far in 2008. The second-year player currently ranks third in the ACC and 14th in the nation (FBS) in punting (44.5 ypp).
• Baltz has been extremely consistent for the Terps this season, having most recently punted four times for 191 yards (47.8 ypp) versus Cal, including a season-long punt of 55 yards. He followed up a strong performance against Delaware (8/30) in which he landed two punts inside the Blue Hens' 20-yard-line by punting four times for 171 yards with a long punt of 54 yards against MTSU (9/6).
• Maryland is fortunate to have WR Danny Oquendo back for his third season as the team's primary punt returner. With seven returns for 45 yards (6.4 ypr) thus far in 2008, the sure-handed senior has moved into eighth place on the Terps all-time list with 386 punt return yards and ninth place with 48 career punt returns.
• WR Torrey Smith has handled the majority of the kickoff returns thus far in 2008, compiling career-highs with 86 yards on four kickoff returns against MTSU (9/6), including a long return of 30 yards. For the season, Smith has six kickoff returns for 137 yards (22.8 ypr). DB Terrell Skinner returned one kickoff for 15 yards in the season-opening game versus Delaware, and fellow DBs Kenny Tate and Trenton Hughes might also be called upon to fill that role.
• Reliable long-snapper Andrew Schmitt, a three-year starter, is in his final season with the Terps. After handling just long snaps (punts) up to this point in his career, Schmitt is also the short snapper (PAT/FG) this year.
In The Numbers...
6...The Terps have held six of their last 15 opponents to less than 100 rushing yards and won each of those contests. Three of those efforts came against ranked opponents (No. 10 Rutgers in 2007 - 82; No. 8 Boston College in 2007 - 45).
7...Number of 2007 bowl teams slated to play the Terps in 2008.
9...Number of current players who have completed their degrees. That list includes PK Obi Egekeze, DL Mack Frost, OL Jack Griffin, TE Dan Gronkowski, DL Dean Muhtadi, OL Dane Randolph, QB Jordan Steffy, DB Richard Taylor and OL Edwin Williams. Each of those players is either enrolled in graduate school or pursuing another undergraduate degree.
14...Returning starters (nine on offense/five on defense) from last season.
17...Number of career carries by the Maryland tailbacks (14 by Da'Rel Scott/3 by Morgan Green) entering the season.
21...Twenty one of the top 27 crowds in Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium have occurred during the last seven seasons.
27...Number of former Terps on NFL rosters (see list on page 18).
30...Number of seniors on this season's Maryland roster.
58...The Terps have won 58 games in Ralph Friedgen's seven-plus seasons which is more than they had in the 14 years prior to his arrival (55).
80...The Terps have connected on 80 straight PATs, dating back to 2005 (vs. UNC). Obi Egekeze hit all 36 attempts last season and nine this year. Dan Ennis was good on all 32 in 2006.
80...Length of the touchdown reception by WR Darrius Heyward-Bey against Middle Tennessee State. It marked the second-longest of his career, trailing only his school-record 96-yarder versus Miami Nov. 11, 2006.
91...The Terps top six offensive linemen - Edwin Williams (29), Dane Randolph (20), Scott Burley (15), Jaimie Thomas (14), Phil Costa (9) and Jack Griffin (4) - have combined to start 91 career games.
135...Career rushing yards for RB Da'Rel Scott entering the 2008 season.
51,263...The Terps averaged 51,263 fans per game last season in Byrd Stadium, the third-highest amount in school history.
