Maryland Plays at FSU Saturday
11/16/2009 7:00:00 AM | Football
Saturday, Nov. 21
Maryland (2-8, 1-5 ACC)
at
Florida State (5-5, 3-4 ACC)
Kickoff: Noon ET
Location: Tallahassee, Fla.
Stadium: Doak Campbell Stadium (82,300)
TV: Raycom Sports - Tim Brant (pbp), Doc Walker (color) and Mike Hogewood (sidelines) will call the action. Locally the game will be shown on WTTG-TV (FOX 5) in Washington, D.C., and on WJZ-TV (CBS 13) in Baltimore. Click here for a list of Raycom affiliates. Outside the ACC footprint, the game can also be seen through ESPN Gameplan or on ESPN360. Comcast SportsNet will air a replay in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore market at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
Radio: Terrapin Sports Radio Network - Johnny Holliday (play-by-play), Jonathan Claiborne (color) and Tim Strachan (sidelines) have the call. Pregame with Gary Stein and Scott McBrien begins at 10:30 a.m. ET The game can also be heard on XM Satellite Radio Channel 191 and Sirius Channel 216. Click here to Listen Live on-line through Terps TV. The Terrapin Sports Radio Network (13 affiliates): WJZ-FM 105.7 - Baltimore (Flagship); WJFK-FM 106.7 - Washington D.C.; WCEM-AM 1240 - Cambridge; WBEY-FM 97.9 - Crisfield; WGOP-AM 540 - Crisfield; WFMD-AM 930 - Frederick; WARK-AM 1490 - Hagerstown; WPTX-AM 1690 - Lexington Park; WVMD-FM 99.5 - Cumberland; WMSG-AM 1050 - Oakland; WQMR-FM 101.1 - Ocean City; WTGM-AM 960 - Salisbury. Click here to view a PDF of the Terrapin Sports Radio Network coverage map.
Terps on the Air...
Maryland's football broadcasting lineup for 2009-10 includes the Ralph Friedgen Radio Show and the Ralph Friedgen Television Show. The Ralph Friedgen Radio Show airs from 8-9 p.m. each Wednesday during the season on the Terrapin Sports Radio Network which has 13 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 matchups.
First-and-10...
• The University of Maryland plays its final road game of the season Saturday when it travels to Florida State. The Terrapins are coming off a 36-9 loss to 20th-ranked Virginia Tech in a game which featured special black and camouflage jerseys for Maryland. Those jerseys are being auctioned until Sunday, Nov. 22. Maryland will look to get back on the winning track at noon Saturday when it takes the field at Doak Campbell Stadium.
• Maryland is expected to be without its starting quarterback Saturday, but may get it starting tailback on the field. Chris Turner, who ranks among the top signal-callers in school history, missed the Virginia Tech game and is expected to be out this weekend. Backup QB Jamarr Robinson made his first career start and accounted for 233 total yards, including 129 on the ground, against the Hokies. Robinson will throw to playmakers like Torrey Smith who is averaging 68.5 receiving yards per game (third in the ACC) and 192.1 all-purpose ypg (fourth in the country). No. 1 running back Da'Rel Scott, a first-team All-ACC pick last season, was injured (broken wrist) vs. Clemson (10/3) and hopes to return vs. FSU. Davin Meggett, Gary Douglas and Caleb Porzel have handled the bulk of the carries with Scott on the shelf. Senior center Phil Costa, who has started 28 career games, is the leader of an offensive line which has been in transition with the loss of seven seniors from a year ago. The team's other veteran lineman - LT Bruce Campbell - has been in and out of the lineup with injuries. Besides Campbell and Costa, the rest of the linemen have a total of 33 career starts.
• The Terps have been pretty solid on defense for most of the conference season, though they struggled aginst the Hokies. They are allowing an average 113.0 rushing yards per game (second in league play). LBs Alex Wujciak and Adrian Moten have been the top playmakers on a defense which has just four starters back from last year. Wujciak, a second-team All-ACC selection last year, has a team-high 113 tackles, including 11 vs. Virginia Tech (11/14). Moten has 58 tackles (second on the team), including team highs in tackles-for-loss (8.5) and sacks (6.0). LB Demetrius Hartsfield, was the third-leading tackler until he broke his hand and missed two games. He was back in action last week. First-year defensive coordinator Don Brown has a veteran secondary, though there have been injuries at that position. Senior Nolan Carroll, the team's No. 1 cornerback, was lost for the season vs. JMU with a broken tibia. Senior SS Jamari McCollough missed two games with a foot injury and played sparingly the following two weeks. Top safety reserve Kenny Tate sprained an ankle last week and will miss the rest of the season. CB Anthony Wiseman has a team-high eight PBUs and CB Cameron Chism has a team-best three interceptions. Seniors Travis Ivey, Jared Harrell and Deege Galt are veterans on the defensive line. The Terps are tied for second in the ACC in sacks (2.5 per game).
• The Terps possess a top returner and two solid kickers, though one has been in and out of the lineup. Torrey Smith set the ACC single-season record for kickoff return yards (1,089) last season and eclipsed it two weeks ago. He returned his third career kickoff for a TD vs. NC State (11/7) and set the Maryland career kickoff return yards mark vs. Rutgers (9/26). Junior punter Travis Baltz was a 2008 first-team All-ACC and was one of just nine punters on the preseason watch list for the Ray Guy Award. However, he suffered an ankle injury vs. Rutgers and missed the following three games. He also broke a finger vs. Virginia Tech and is out for the rest of the season. True freshman Nick Ferrara has been a bright spot, hitting 15 of 22 field goals and handling the kickoff chores. He's also served as the punter during Baltz's absence earlier in the season and will do the same the rest of the way. Tony Logan was expected to be the No. 1 punt returner, taking over for three-year starter Danny Oquendo, but he missed the first two games with an injury. Logan resumed his duties as the No. 1 punt returner the last six weeks.
Quick Hitters...
• Jamarr Robinson got his first career start, subbing for an injured Chris Turner vs. Virginia Tech. The senior had started 29 of the previous 30 games, including 21 straight.
• Robinson's 129 rushing yards vs. Virginia Tech was the third-highest single-game total by a quarterback in school history. Dennis O'Hara had 139 yards vs. Wake Forest (10/4/69) and Jack Scarbath posted 132 vs. Georgetown (11/14/50).
• Torrey Smith entered the Virginia Tech game needing just 35 all-purpose yards to break Lamont Jordan's single-season mark of 1,840 set in 1999. On his second reception of the day Smith eclipsed Jordan, and finished with 115 all-purpose yards. He now has 1,921 on the season. With 55 receiving yards, Smith passed the 1,000-yard mark for his career.
• Smith ran his way into the record books against NC State (11/7), returning a kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown, the third of his career and second of the season. With the TD return, Smith set the Maryland all-time record for career kickoff returns for touchdowns, and tied the single-season mark set in 1975 by Richard Jennings. He had a career-high 204 kickoff return yards and broke his own ACC single-season kickoff return yards record, set last year when he totaled 1,089 yards.
• Only three active players in the NCAA FBS have more kickoff returns for touchdowns than Smith - C.J. Spiller of Clemson (6), Brandon Banks of Kansas State (5) and Perrish Cox of Oklahoma (4).
• Smith has posted over 260 all-purpose yards three times this season, including a career-high 287 vs. Middle Tennessee State (9/19), 268 (64 receiving/204 kickoff) vs. NC State (11/7) and 267 vs. Wake Forest (10/17). He is the only player in the country to post more than 260 all-purpose yards three times in 2009.
• Maryland's defense came up with its second touchdown in two weeks when Jared Harrell recovered a fumble in the end zone after Jamari McCollough sacked Virginia Tech's Tyrod Taylor and forced a fumble. The last time Maryland returned a fumble for a touchdown was 9/24/05, when Josh Wilson returned a fumble 20 yards for a TD at Wake Forest.
• Junior linebacker Alex Wujciak entered the season ranked fifth nationally among returning tacklers. He has kept up the same pace this season, averaging 11.3 stops per game (fourth nationally). In fact, Wujciak ranks first in the country (10.7) on the active career tackles-per-game list. Travis Lewis of Oklahoma is second (9.6) on that list.
• Wujciak has gone over 100 tackles (113) for the second-straight season. He is on pace to become the first Maryland defender to post more than 125 tackles (133 in 2008) in back-to-back years since E.J. Henderson (150 in 2001; 175 in 2002).
• Maryland has struggled in the turnover department this year, but has improved in recent weeks. The Terps forced four turnovers vs. NC State (11/7) and gave the ball up just once. They went without a turnover against Virginia Tech and forced one. Maryland is tied for 104th in the nation in turnover margin (-0.8 per game), but are +5.0 over the last three games. The defense has forced seven turnovers in the last three games (also one on special teams vs. NC State) after forcing seven in the first seven contests.
• LB Demetrius Hartsfield ranks third among freshmen in the ACC in tackles (6.4 per game). He is also the top sack producer (0.4 pg) among first-year players in the league.
• Nick Ferrara is second in the ACC among freshmen in field-goal percentage (68.2/15 of 22). Ferrara ranks third in the nation among first-year players in field goals per contest (1.5) and tied for ninth in scoring (6.7 pg).
• Sophomore Cameron Chism ranks eighth in the ACC among DBs in tackles (5.6 per game).
What to Look for vs. Florida State...
• Maryland will try to snap a two-game losing streak to the Seminoles.
• Smith ranks fourth in the nation in all-purpose yards per game (192.1). The ACC record is 186.9 ypg by Frank Quayle (Virginia) in 1968, though C.J. Spiller of Clemson is averaging 195.2 yards this year (third in the nation). Smith needs to average 67.0 all-purpose yards over the final two games to eclipse Thomas Jones' (Virginia) league record of 2,054 in 1999 (see chart on page 7). Smith (1,921 all-purpose yards) is in a race with Spiller, who has 1,952 all-purpose yards this season, to break the record.
• Smith needs 52 kickoff return yards to pass Eric Blount of UNC (1988-91) for third place on the ACC career list. Smith can eclipse the league's career record with 427 more yards.
• Smith needs 61 all-purpose yards to move from ninth to eighth on Maryland's career list.
Terps Support Wounded Warrior Project...
The Maryland Department of Athletics and Under Armour announced a partnership on Tuesday, Oct. 20 with the Wounded Warrior Project, a not-for-profit organization that provides programs and services for injured service members and their families. The Terrapins wore specially designed head-to-toe uniforms for their matchup versus Virginia Tech. They took the field in black and desert camouflage uniforms featuring the Wounded Warrior Project logo. The uniforms had a unique twist; a core value embellishment - Duty, Honor, Courage, Commitment, Integrity, Country, and Service - replaced the players' last name on the back of each jersey. Wounded Warrior and Under Armour created special make-up products for fans to wear on gameday to show their support. The gear is being sold in college book stores, local military base exchanges, and on-line at www.underarmour.com. A percentage of the fan gear proceeds will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project. Additionally, a select number of game jerseys are being auctioned off (until Nov. 22) and all the proceeds being donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Injuries Taking A Toll...
The Terps have lost a number of key performers to injury so far this season. CB Nolan Carroll (leg) was lost for the season in the second game. Starting left tackle Bruce Campbell has missed three games, punter Travis Baltz missed three contests before returning vs. Duke (10/24) and was injured (broken finger) vs. Virginia Tech (11/21) and is lost for the season. RB Da'Rel Scott has been out of action with a broken wrist the last four games, but may return vs. Florida State. So far this season, the Terps have lost 36 man-games to potential starters (DB Jamari McCollough - 2; Carroll - 8; Scott - 5; Baltz - 3; Campbell - 3; OL Tyler Bowen - 8; WR/PR Tony Logan - 2; LB Demetrius Hartsfield - 2; OL Bennett Fulper - 3) and that number continues to rise as Baltz was lost for the season against Virginia Tech (11/21). In addtion, key reserves Joe Vellano and Caleb Porzel were on the shelf until recently. Vellano, expected to be a backup at defensive tackle, played for the first time vs. Virginia (10/17) and Porzel was on the field for his first career snaps vs. Wake Forest (10/10). The Terps were also without a number of key reserves - WR Kerry Boykins, RB Gary Douglas, TE Lansford Watson and OL Lamar Young - vs. Duke (10/24), but got a number of those players back for the NC State game. Fulper, who started four games at guard, had shoulder surgery prior to the Wolfpack game and is out for the season. DL Isaiah Ross, a key true freshman reserve, injured his knee vs. NC State (11/7) and is gone for the season. S Kenny Tate, one of the team's top defenders, sprained an ankle vs. Virginia Tech and is likely done for the year.
Florida State At-A-Glance...
• The Seminoles rank second in the conference and 19th in the nation in total offense (437.8 ypg). They also rank second in the ACC and 13th in the nation with 294.1 passing ypg.
• The Seminole offense averages 31.9 points per game, which is fourth in the ACC and 24th in the nation. They have scored at least three touchdowns in all seven of their ACC contests this season.
• Redshirt freshman quarterback E.J. Manuel made his first career start last week against Wake Forest, replacing the injured Christian Ponder. Manuel completed 15 of 20 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown, and ran 10 times for 45 yards in a 41-28 win.
• Receiver Bert Reed is the ACC's leader in receptions per game, averaging 5.1 catches per contest. Reed's 653 receiving yards ranks him fifth in the conference.
• The Seminoles have forced 23 turnovers on the year, which ranks second in the conference and 18th in the nation. Their 10 fumbles recovered is also second-best in the ACC, and ranks 29th in the country.
• Defensive back Ochuko Jenije has intercepted four passes on the year, tying him for fifth in the conference and 22nd in the nation in interceptions per game.
• Freshman Greg Reid is second in the nation in punt returns, averaging 16.4 yards per return. He returned a punt 68 yards last week against Wake Forest for his first special teams touchdown of the year.
Maryland-FSU Series History...
• Florida State leads the all-time series 17-2, with both of the Maryland wins coming in the last five meetings.
• Prior to last season, the previous four games in the series have been decided by an average of 5.5 points.
• Florida State and Maryland met for the first time in 1966, and the Seminoles took the first 14 games in the series before Maryland finally broke through with a 20-17 win over the fifth-ranked Seminoles in 2004.
• Maryland took its second game in the series in 2006, winning 27-24 after Sam Hollenbach threw three touchdowns, including a pair to Darrius Heyward-Bey. Jeremy Navarre blocked a potential game-tying field goal toward the end of regulation.
All-Purpose Performer...
After setting the ACC single-season record for kickoff return yardage each of the last two years and becoming the team's No. 1 receiver, Torrey Smith has emerged as one of the most explosive playmakers in the country. Smith is averaging 192.1 all-purpose yards per game, which ranks fourth in the nation (FBS).
• Smith's explosive ability as a kick returner helped make him a consensus preseason All-ACC selection. Smith has proved the voters right all season, returning a kick 81 yards for a TD in the first quarter against James Madison (9/12) and adding the third of this career (an 82-yarder) vs. NC State (11/7). With his first kick return against Rutgers (9/26), Smith set the Maryland all-time career kickoff return yards mark, and now has a total of 2,262, which ranks fourth on the ACC career list (see page 4). Smith also had an 85-yard return vs. Wake Forest (10/10), and totaled a then career-best 194 kickoff return yards in the game. Smith set a new career high with 204 yards vs. NC State (11/7).
• Smith is the Terps' leading receiver with 48 receptions for 685 yards and four touchdowns. Against MTSU (9/19), he had a career-high 165 yards receiving on five receptions, including a 64-yard TD catch. He has also rushed the ball six times for 54 yards. He made a career-high 10 receptions against Wake Forest (10/10), totaling 70 yards and catching one touchdown pass. Smith ranks third in the ACC and 49th nationally in receiving yards per game (68.5) and tied for fourth in the league and tied for 57th nationally in receptions per game (4.8).
• Smith has three career 100-yard receiving games, including two in 2009. He had a career-high 165 receiving yards vs. MTSU (9/19), which were the most by a Maryland player since Darrius Heyward-Bey had 175 vs. Miami (11/11/06). He also became the first Terp to post back-to-back 100-yard receiving games since Vernon Davis in 2005. Jermaine Lewis (four straight in 1994) is the only player in school history to have more than two straight 100-yard receiving games.
• Smith set a career-high with 287 all-purpose yards (165 receiving, 109 KOR, 13 rushing) against MTSU (9/19) and has totaled at least 225 all-purpose yards in six games this season. He is one of only two players in the nation (also Donald Buckham, UTEP) to post 260 or more all-purpose yards in three games.
• Against Virginia Tech (11/14), Smith set a new Maryland record for single-season all-purpose yards, passing LaMont Jordan, who had 1,840 in 1999. Smith's 60 kickoff return yards and 55 receiving yards brought his 2009 all-purpose total to 1,921, and he also surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in his career.
Robinson Gets First Career Start...
Jamarr Robinson, a sophomore from Charlotte, N.C., made his first career start last week against Virginia Tech (11/14). Robinson replaced Chris Turner, who suffered a knee injury, against NC State (11/7). The Virginia Tech game marked the first time someone other than Turner had started under center in 21 games, and Robinson proved to be a dangerous offensive threat. He ran for 129 yards in the game, the first 100-yard rushing game by a Maryland quarterback since Shaun Hill had 105 against Duke on 10/20/01. Robinson had eight rushes of at least 11 yards, with his longest runs going for 25 and 28 yards. He accounted for 233 of the team's 236 total yards on the day.
By The Numbers...
2...Maryland's defense has recorded a touchdown two weeks in a row. Alex Wujciak returned an interception 70 yards against NC State (11/7), and Jared Harrell recovered a fumble in the end zone against Virginia Tech (11/14).
3...Torrey Smith has three kickoff returns of 80 yards or more this season, two of which have gone for touchdowns.
4...Torrey Smith ranks fourth in the nation in all-purpose yards per game (192.1).
4...Alex Wujciak is averaging 11.3 tackles per game, which ranks first in the ACC and fourth in the NCAA (FBS).
10...In the Duke game (10/24), DB Eric Franklin became the 10th true freshman to see action this season for Maryland, joining DL Justin Anderson, LB Darin Drakeford, PK Nick Ferrara, OL Bennett Fulper, DL Zachariah Kerr, DL Isaiah Ross, LB Avery Murray, LB Ryan Donohue and RB Caleb Porzel.
14...Number of seniors on this year's squad. Last season Maryland had 30 seniors, which was the most during the Ralph Friedgen era.
26...The Terps' offensive line entered the season with a combined 26 career starts (Phil Costa - 18; Bruce Campbell - 8).
28...The Terps currently have 28 former players on NFL rosters, including seven from last season's team (see chart on pg. 20).
58...Fifty-eight of Maryland's 85 scholarship players have at least three years of eligibility remaining.
110...Four of Maryland's offensive linemen who departed (Edwin Williams, Jaimie Thomas, Scott Burley and Dane Randolph) combined to start 110 games in their careers.
121...The Terps have not had a punt blocked since Nov. 13, 1999 (Florida State), a stretch of 121 games, which is the longest active streak in the nation.
129...Jamarr Robinson ran for 129 yards against Virginia Tech (11/14), the first 100-yard rushing game by a Maryland QB since Shaun Hill had 105 on 10/20/01.
1,921...Torrey Smith's 1,921 all-purpose yards this year is a Maryland single-season record.
