Aug. 10, 2010

The following is the final installment in a three-part series previewing the 2010 Maryland football team. The Terrapins, who return 52 letterwinners from last year, open fall practice on Tuesday in preparation for their season opener on Monday, Sept. 6 (4 p.m.) vs. Navy in Baltimore.

Today's portion of the season preview takes a look at defense which has five starters and eight of the top 10 tacklers back from last season.

Outlook Schedule on umterps.com:
Overall Overview/Specialists      Sunday, Aug. 8
Offense	                         Monday, Aug. 9

Defense

Defensive Line

Despite losing three starters along the defensive line, Maryland has a number of players back who saw time last season.

Travis Ivey, Jared Harrell and Deege Galt all started 12 games last season, but they have graduated.

However, the Terps have 10 players back who rotated at the four defensive line positions last season and eight of them have three years of eligibility left.

"We've got some depth and just one senior in the group," Friedgen said.

A.J. Francis, the lone returning starter, had an impressive 2009, playing in all 12 games en route to honorable mention freshman All-America honors. He is expected to start at nose tackle.

Junior Derek Drummond rotated at end with Harrell last season, while both Carl Russell, who missed the spring while recovering from shoulder surgery, and Zachariah Kerr played in all 12 games.

Drummond, Russell and Kerr should all see significant action this season.

One of the most impressive players on the team during the spring was Joe Vellano. He missed the first half of 2009 with a foot injury and never quite got back to full speed, but is now atop the depth chart at defensive tackle.

"Vellano had an exceptional spring," Friedgen said. "If we had a most valuable player award, he probably would have gotten it."

Kerr, Ian Davidson, De'Onte Arnett and Maurice Hampton are among those who will serve as reserves at the nose tackle and defensive tackle positions.

Davidson played sparingly last season, while Arnett redshirted.

Drew Gloster, now a senior, was impressive during the spring, his first time seeing action at defensive end. He has played mostly on special teams in his career, but the former tight end and linebacker may have found a home.

"We're looking for speed at the defensive end position," Friedgen said.

That was one of the reasons the staff shifted former linebackers Bradley Johnson and Marcus Whitfield to end in the off-season. Both were impressive on the scout team last season as true freshmen.

Those two, along with Gloster and Drummond, will try to provide an athletic presence at that position.

Sophomores Justin Anderson and Isaiah Ross will man the anchor, a strongside defensive end position.

Both were impressive last season. Anderson played tackle, but was bumped outside in the off-season after playing in the final six games of 2009.

Ross played in eight of the first nine games as a reserve before suffering a season-ending knee injury at NC State (11/7). He missed the spring, but is expected back at full speed in the fall.

Russell and sophomore Masengo Kabongo could also see time at anchor.

The Terps will also welcome four newcomers to the defensive line in Ian Evans, Andre Monroe, Darius Kilgo and Clarence Murphy.

Kilgo and Monroe are penciled in for duty inside, while Evans and Murphy are likely to be reserves at end and anchor.

Junior Herbert Law is also a reserve at end, while freshman Alex Walker, who joined the team in the spring, adds depth inside.

Linebacker

The linebackers, a unit which was mostly inexperienced going into last season, should be the strength of the defense in 2010.

All three starters - Alex Wujciak, Adrian Moten and Demetrius Hartsfield - are back, as are the top backups.

"The strength of our defense is not only the quality of linebackers, but the depth at that position," Friedgen said. "Avery Murray, Darin Drakeford and Ryan Donohue all played last year as true freshmen, plus we have some new guys who arrived in the spring. They'll also help us on special teams because we have some big guys who can run."

Senior Alex Wujciak is one of the team leaders. He started the last two seasons at middle linebacker and has been an all-league performer twice.

Wujciak is considered one of the top defenders in the nation. He's a consensus preseason first team all-conference pick and is on the watch lists for the Nagurski Trophy, Lombardi Award and Lott Trophy.

Moten has been a playmaker from his Sam linebacker position throughout his career. The lone non-senior captain last season, Moten has 13 career sacks and 18 tackles for loss, which are both tops on the squad.

Moten should be in line for postseason honors after starting all 12 games last season and ranking second on the team in tackles (68).

One of the rising stars on defense is Hartsfield, a freshman All-ACC pick last season.

"He may have had the best spring of any of the linebackers," Friedgen said.

Hartsfield was fifth on the team in tackles (64) last season despite missing two games and being hampered in three others with a broken wrist.

Murray (Mike), Pooler (Will) and Drakeford (Sam) serve as the primary backups, but each can play multiple positions.

Pooler started for Hartsfield and ended up with 43 tackles on the season, including 6.5 tackles for loss, which was tied for third on the team. Murray and Drakeford both played as true freshmen last season so the Terps have plenty of options.

"Ideally we'd like to get our fourth linebacker adept at more than one position so we can move people around," Friedgen said.

Another player who impressed in the spring was David Mackall. The true freshman enrolled in classes in January.

He showed explosiveness and an ability to find the ball carrier.

"We think he's a player we need to find a spot for and get him in the game," Friedgen said.

Lorne Goree is another true freshman who enrolled in January. He's penciled in as a reserve at Will linebacker.

The Terps also have a solid group behind the top three teams.

Juniors Steffan Lazerow and Nick Peterson have demonstrated ability on the scout team and during spring practice.

Secondary

Maryland will have to replace three of its four starters in the secondary with the departure of Anthony Wiseman, Terrell Skinner and Jamari McCollough, but it does have a number of reserves with playing time.

The Terps also lost Nolan Carroll, the team's No. 1 cornerback last season, who missed all but two games with a broken leg.

However, that injury allowed for the emergence of Cameron Chism, the lone returning starter in the secondary.

After playing sparingly as a true freshman in 2008, Chism got some valuable playing time with Carroll's injury and responded with a team-high four interceptions and 66 tackles (fourth on the team).

"He had a real good spring," Friedgen said of Chism. "I see him maturing. He's playing with a lot more confidence. Last year really helped him out."

Trenton Hughes and Dexter McDougle were battling for the other starting cornerback spot in the spring and that looks like it will continue into the preseason.

Hughes played in all 12 games last season, but most of his action was on special teams.

McDougle nearly played as a true freshman, but held onto his redshirt.

Michael Carter and Avery Graham are also expected to battle for time at cornerback.

"We think McDougle and Graham are going to be two good corners, but they're just redshirt freshmen and don't have the experience," Friedgen said.

Carter has seen some time in his career and emerged as a player who could see time in the fall.

The Terps will also take a look at some incoming freshmen in the preseason.

Jeremiah Wilson, Mario Rowson and Jeremiah Johnson are all highly regarded and could be in the mix for playing time at cornerback

Junior Kenny Tate and senior Antwine Perez will open the preseason as the No. 1 safeties.

Tate and Perez are experienced performers who combined to start five games last season. Both are good tacklers and have been significant contributors the last two seasons.

Eric Franklin also saw time at safety in 2009 as a true freshman.

"He's a smart guy who needs to get a little stronger," Friedgen said. "But he played last year and did a good job."

Redshirt freshman Travis Hawkins, who moved from cornerback in the off-season, is the primary backup at strong safety. He's slightly undersized, but is the fastest safety on the roster and a solid tackler.

Junior Austin Walker, who has been mostly a special teams contributor in his career, is also a backup at free safety.

A number of Maryland's recruiting class could figure into the mix at safety including Titus Till, Desmond Kearse and Matt Robinson.

Anthony Green and Mike Salvatico give the Terps some needed depth at safety.