Friedgen Greets Media at ACC Kickoff
7/26/2010 8:00:00 AM | Football
July 26, 2010
ACC Kickoff Photo Gallery - Day Two
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Sounding upbeat and confident Maryland's Ralph Friedgen spent the better part of Monday afternoon visiting with members of the media from around the country at the annual ACC Football Kickoff.
The season opener against Navy is exactly six weeks away and preseason camp opens in just over two weeks, but the 10th-year head coach, who has led Maryland to six bowl games, seems ready to get 2010 underway.
"We had a lot of young kids last year," said Friedgen, the fourth-winningest coach in school history. "We had a lot of adversity and turned the ball over too much. We've got a lot of good kids on this team. I don't think 2-10 is who they are. I'd be very disappointed if that happened again."
This Terps team will rely on a number of key returning players from last season. Maryland returns nearly 75 percent of the offensive and defensive two-deep from the 2009 season and all six starting specialists.
There are also 26 players on the current roster who have started at least once in their careers.
One position the Terps do not have a ton of experience, but plenty of talent, is quarterback.
Junior Jamarr Robinson played extensively in the final four games last season and impressed in the spring. He showed improved arm strength and an ability to make plays with his feet.
"Jamarr has really improved," Friedgen said. "The biggest thing for Jamarr is he has experience now. The fact that Chris Turner got hurt at the end of last year and he came in the last few games, I think that really helped accelerate his development."
Friedgen likes the depth behind Robinson.
"Danny O'Brien is pushing Jamarr very hard and C.J. Brown is someone we have high hopes for," Friedgen said. "I think we have five really good quarterbacks in our program. The issue is we only have one with experience."
Robinson started two of the final three games last season, completing 46 of 85 passes for 459 yards. He also had 129 rushing yards against a tough Virginia Tech defense and did not toss an interception all season.
"He has the ability to make a good play out of a bad one," Friedgen said.
Robinson will have options on offense with a pair of All-ACC performers back in the fold.
Da'Rel Scott ran for more than 1,000 yards two seasons ago before suffering through an injury-plagued 2009, and Torrey Smith, who spent Sunday speaking with the media at the ACC Kickoff, had 61 catches and two kickoff returns for touchdowns last season.
"Torrey is a tremendous team player, great leader and just an outstanding kid," Friedgen said. "Obviously, we're going to try and get the ball to him, but we have some other players who we feel are pretty explosive also. If they try to take him out of the equation, we won't be afraid to use those other kids too."
Defensively, Friedgen and the staff will look to five returning starters, including three at linebacker. Senior Alex Wujciak, who addressed the media with Smith Sunday, was a first team All-ACC pick last season.
"The strength of our defense is the linebacking corps," Friedgen said. "It might be as good as we've had since the E.J. Henderson-Leon Joe group with Adrian Moten playing Sam, Alex at the Mike and Demetrius Hartsfield at the Will. We also have all the backups returning. We're pretty strong there."
A.J. Francis is the lone returning starter on the defensive line, but nine other players are back who rotated in at the four positions.
Cameron Chism returns at cornerback, while Kenny Tate and Antwine Perez will take over at safety.
In addition, three special team performers have received postseason recognition. Smith was an All-ACC kick returner last season, punter Travis Baltz was a first team All-ACC choice in 2008 and place-kicker Nick Ferrara was a freshman All-American last season.
Friedgen has a team which seems to have matured from last season's experience and one which is looking forward to beginning with a clean slate in 2010.
"They've worked extremely hard," Friedgen said. "I've never had a team come to me and say we need to take it one game at a time. They're giving me the coaching clichés. They've even told me they're looking forward to two-a-days."
