Maryland Travels to No. 21 WVU Saturday
9/13/2010 8:00:00 AM | Football
Saturday, Sept. 18
Maryland (2-0, 0-0 ACC)
at
No. 21 West Virginia (2-0, 0-0 BIG EAST)
Kickoff: Noon ET
Location: Morgantown, WVa.
Stadium: Milan Puskar Stadium (60,000).
TV: ESPNU - Rob Stone (pbp) and David Pollack (color) will call the action. Comcast SportsNet will air a replay of the ESPNU telecast in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore market at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Radio: Terrapin Sports Radio Network - Johnny Holliday (play-by-play), Jonathan Claiborne (color) and Tim Strachan (sidelines) have the call. The Toyota Tailgate Show with Gary Stein and Scott McBrien begins at 10:30 a.m. ET. The game can also be heard on XM Satellite Radio Channel 190 and Sirius Channel 215. Click here to Listen Live on-line through Terps TV. The Terrapin Sports Radio Network (15 affiliates): WJZ-FM 105.7 - Baltimore (Flagship); WJZ-AM 1300 - Baltimore (Flagship); ESPN980-AM - Washington D.C.; WWXX-FM 94.3 - Buckland, Va.; 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 - Midland; WMSG-AM 1050 - Oakland; WQMR-FM 101.1 - Ocean City; WWXT-FM 92.7 - Prince Frederick, Md.; WTGM-AM 960 - Salisbury.
Tickets: Tickets are available for the game. Fans may call 1-800-IM-A-TERP or click here.
Friedgen and the Terps on the Air: Maryland's football broadcasting lineup for 2010 includes the Terrapin Sports Radio Network which has 15 affiliates. The Ralph Friedgen Television Show, which is presented by Outback Steakhouse, airs weekly at 11:30 a.m. Saturday on Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic with the second episode airing this weekend. 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. 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 6:15 p.m. each Wednesday.
First-and-10...
• Maryland moved to 2-0 for the first time in three years with Saturday's dominating 62-3 win over Morgan State. The Terps now set their sites on nationally-ranked West Virginia. Maryland and WVU have a long history together, having met 46 times, though not since 2007.
• Maryland hopes the return of a number of key performers from last season will help it battle for the ACC Atlantic Division crown and reach postseason play for the seventh time in the last 10 seasons. The Terrapins, who have been to six bowl games under Friedgen, return 51 letterwinners, including 12 offensive and defensive starters, all four special teams performers and eight players who have earned all-conference and/or All-America honors.
• The Maryland offense, under third-year coordinator and assistant head coach James Franklin, has seven starters back from last year and has utilized its strong rushing attack led by senior Da'Rel Scott and junior Davin Meggett. That duo has averaged 7.5 yards per carry and tallied 255 yards over the first two games. Meggett had a career-high 105 yards in the season-opening win over Navy. Scott played in just seven games a year ago due to injury, but was a first team All-ACC pick in 2008 and rushed for 58 yards and scored one TD in the opener. QB Jamarr Robinson is the second-leading ground gainer with 128 yards on just 17 carries. Robinson ran for 92 yards vs. Navy and tossed two TDs vs. Morgan State. WR Torrey Smith is one of the most dynamic players in the nation. He ranked sixth nationally in all-purpose yards (182.7 per game) and posted 61 catches last season. Smith, a Biletnikoff Award candidate, has just four catches so far this season, but two were for scores. The offensive line, led by returning starters C Paul Pinegar, LG Andrew Gonnella and RT R.J. Dill, as well as LT Justin Gilbert and RG Justin Lewis, helped the Terps rush for 261 yards against Navy, their highest total in two years. The Terps rushing attack ranks No. 19 nationally.
• A two-time All-ACC performer, senior Alex Wujciak headlines a defense under second-year coordinator Don Brown, which returns seven of its top 10 tacklers from last season. The Terps are coming off one of their best statistical performances in recent memory, holding Morgan State to 85 total yards, the lowest output by an opponent in Ralph Friedgen's 10 seasons. The Terps are now 32nd nationally in total defense (285 ypg) and 10th in scoring defense (8.5 ppg). Wujciak, who is listed among the preseason candidates for five national awards, and the linebacker crew were in the middle of the action. Adrian Moten, a playmaker throughout his career (team-best 9.0 TFLs and 6.0 and sacks last year), tallied 12 stops vs. Navy and had a pick vs. Morgan State. A 2009 freshman All-ACC pick, Demetrius Hartsfield had a career-high 12 stops vs. Navy and an interception return for a TD Saturday against MSU. A.J. Francis, a 2009 freshman All-America choice, and sophomore Joe Vellano are two of nine letterwinners back on the defensive line. Vellano emerged in the off-season and had 10 tackles, including two sacks in the opener. Junior CB Cameron Chism, one of five returning defensive starters, posted a team-best four interceptions in 2009, while senior Antwine Perez and junior Kenny Tate are seasoned, having played significantly at safety, but are starters for the first time. Tate posted a career-best 12 tackles, including a game saving goal-line stop, and two forced fumbles vs. Navy.
• Special teams should be a strength with all the top performers back and the Terps have demonstrated that over the first two games. Travis Baltz, a 2008 first team All-ACC punter, has handled both kicking chores with an injury to place-kicker Nick Ferrara, a 2009 freshman All-American. Baltz has connected on all three of his field-goal attempts and is averaging 46.3 yards per punt which would rank 10th nationally with enough attempts. Tony Logan is off to a fast start as the No. 1 punt returner. Logan had a career-best 128 return yards vs. Morgan State and is averaging a nation's best 37.0 ypr. Torrey Smith was one of the top kick returners in the country last season, posting an ACC single-season record 1,309 yards, but he has had just one return this season.
Quick Hitters....
• Maryland is receiving votes in both this week's Associated Press (six) and USA Today Coaches (seven) polls.
• The Terps have started 2-0 for the fourth time in Ralph Friedgen's tenure (also 2001, 2004 and 2007). Maryland reached a bowl game two of the prior three times it won its first two contests.
• Maryland and West Virginia have been 2-0 in each of the last three meetings.
• The 85 yards in total offense allowed by Maryland against Morgan State (09/11) are the fewest in the Friedgen era. Maryland has now had seven games since 2001 in which they have allowed less than 200 yards (see chart on pg. 5). The most recent was 187 by Villanova in 2007, with the fewest previously allowed being 124 against Eastern Michigan in 2001.
• Morgan State rushed for 37 yards Saturday, the lowest total by a Maryland opponent since Duke had 23 last season.
• Maryland's 17-point first quarter against Morgan State (9/11) marked the most points in the opening 15:00 since the Terps scored 24 on 9/13/2003 at home vs. The Citadel.
• Maryland's 45 points in the first half tied for the most in the Friedgen era. The Terps took a 45-21 halftime lead over North Carolina on 11/1/2003 en route to a 59-21 home victory. It is the fourth time Maryland scored 40 in a half in the Friedgen era. Maryland's 28-point second quarter marked the most points since it had an ACC-record 39 in the second period against UNC in that 2003 game.
• The last time Maryland scored 50 or more in a game before Saturday was 9/20/2008 when the Terps beat Eastern Michigan 51-24. The last time Maryland scored 60 in a game was a 61-0 win over The Citadel on 09/13/03. The 62 points mark the most by the Terrapins in the Friedgen era and is the sixth-highest total in school history. It is the seventh time Maryland has scored 50 points or more in the Friedgen era. Maryland's 62 points were the most since a 62-24 win over Virginia on 11/22/75. It was also Maryland's largest victory margin since a 61-0 win over the Citadel on Sept. 13, 2003.
• The Terrapins return over 70 percent of the offensive and defensive two-deep from the end of 2009. There are 17 of 22 offensive players back and 14 of 22 defenders. In addition, all six special teams starters (KR, PR, PK, P, LS, H) are back in uniform.
• The Terps have just eight seniors (Adrian Cannon, Paul Pinegar, Da'Rel Scott, LaQuan Williams, Drew Gloster, Adrian Moten, Alex Wujciak, and Antwine Perez) listed among the 44 players on the current offensive and defensive two-deep. In addition, senior Travis Baltz is the first-team punter and place-kicker.
• The Terps rushing total of 261 yards vs. Navy was the most since they tallied 271 against Delaware (Aug. 30, 2008). Maryland's 7.7 yards per rush was its highest average since posting 7.9 ypr (49 attempts for 388 yards) against North Carolina on Nov. 2, 2002.
• Tony Logan had a career-high 128 punt return yards on three attempts against Morgan State. That total eclipsed his season tally in 2009 (15 for 100 yards) and is the most by any Terp in one year since Danny Oquendo 218 yards in 2006. Bob Semonski (146 vs. N.C. State in 1950) holds the single-game school record.
• Torrey Smith has a school-record three career kickoff returns for touchdowns and is one of only two active players in the ACC with more than one (2 by T.J. Graham , N.C. State). Tyron Carrier of Houston (5) is the only player in the nation with more kickoff returns for touchdowns than Smith.
• Alex Wujciak has averaged 10.6 tackles per game in his career which is second in the nation among active players.
• There are six bowl teams from last year which appear on the Terps' 2010 schedule: Navy (Texas Bowl), West Virginia (Konica Minolta Gator Bowl), Clemson (Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl), Boston College (Emerald Bowl), Miami (Champs Sports Bowl), and Florida State (Konica Minolta Gator Bowl).
Sudden Change...
After going 41 games without scoring via a fumble or interception (Erin Henderson in 2006 vs. Virginia), Maryland has registered a defensive touchdown in three of the last six contests. Demetrius Hartsfield's pick-six in the second quarter of the Morgan State game (09/11) was Maryland's first defensive score since Alex Wujciak scored on a 70-yard interception return on 11/14/09 at NC State. One week later, Jared Harrell fell on a fumble in the end zone vs. Virginia Tech (11/21).
Did You Know?...
Each of Maryland's last three interception returns for scores were by linebackers (Demetrius Hartsfield vs. Morgan State, 09/11/10; Alex Wujciak vs. N.C. State, 11/14/09); Erin Henderson vs. Virginia, 10/14/06).
Quick Starts...
After scoring 57 points in the opening quarter all of last season, Maryland has tallied 31 points in the first quarter of its two games. In fact, the Terps have scored on all five of their first-quarter possessions and out-gained the opposition 274 to 84 this season. They had two touchdowns against Navy (9/6) and two TDs and a field goal vs. Morgan State (9/11). Davin Meggett has 115 yards on eight carries and Jamarr Robinson has completed 5 of 8 passes for 57 yards and rushed for another 53 in the first quarter.
Green Team...
Maryland played 24 freshmen (10 true/14 redshirts) last season, which was the most during Ralph Friedgen's first nine seasons. The Terps played 20 freshmen in both the 2001 and 2004 seasons. Last year's freshmen are now sophomores, but the Terps are still relatively young, though more experienced. Of the 111 players on the roster, 67 are freshmen or sophomores, but just 16 are seniors. Maryland also had a relatively low senior class (14) last season. There were 12 Maryland players who saw action for the first time in their careers against Navy (09/06), including nine freshmen. Seeing action were true freshmen Matt Robinson and David Mackall, redshirt freshmen Dexter McDougle, Danny O'Brien, D.J. Adams, Avery Graham, Marcus Whitfield, Bradley Johnson and Dave Stinebaugh; sophomore Ryan Schlothauer; and juniors Nick Peterson and Herbert Law.
All Hands on Deck...
There were 75 players who saw action Saturday against Morgan State which is the most in Ralph Friedgen's tenure. The Terps had 70 players take the field vs. The Citadel on 09/13/03. After 12 players saw their first career action in the season opener vs. Navy, another 14 Terps got their feet wet vs. Morgan State (09/11). The list included Louis Berman, Cody Blue, C.J. Brown, Josh Cary, Pete DeSouza, Anthony Green, Trenton Hughes, Desmond Kearse, Nick Klemm, Paul Lariviere, Joey McQueeney, Chris Rhodes, Mike Salvatico and Pete White.
Tough Losses...
The Terps suffered a couple of difficult losses during the preseason. Junior TE Lansford Watson injured his knee, had surgery at the end of camp and is out for the season. Watson, who played in 10 games last season, was atop the depth chart at tight end, along with Devonte Campbell. In fact that position was hit hard in August. Campbell (knee), Will Yeatman (fractured finger) and Ryan Schlothauer (leg) suffered from various ailments. Maryland had another significant loss in the preseason when linebacker Ben Pooler also suffered a season-ending knee injury. Pooler, the team's versatile fourth linebacker, had five starts last season when he posted 43 tackles, which was ninth on the squad. De'Onte Arnett, Nick Ferrara and Gary Douglas also missed the Navy game, but all should return in the near future. Taylor Watson, who had knee surgery in the spring, may return against West Virginia. Yeatman is also hopeful to return against the Mountaineers
What to Look for Vs. WVU and Beyond...
• The Terps will try to snap a four-game losing streak against the Mountaineers.
• Junior RB Davin Meggett needs 50 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for his career.
• Da'Rel Scott ranks 14th on the Maryland career rushing list (1,793). He needs 14 yards to reach Mark Mason (1990-93) who is in 13th place. With 207 more yards this season, Scott will become the 10th back in school history to reach 2,000 career rushing yards. In addition, he can also become the 10th player in school history with 3,000 career all-purpose yards with another 271.
• Torrey Smith ranks fourth in school history in career all-purpose yardage (3,692). He needs 12 yards to reach Louis Carter (1972-74) who is in third place. With 308 more all-purpose yards Smith will become the second player in school history to reach the 4,000-yard plateau. Lamont Jordan (1997-00) has a school-record 4,960 all-purpose yards.
• Smith, who holds the Maryland career kickoff return yards mark (2,421), needs 268 yards to set the ACC mark. Smith is currently third while Brandon Tate of North Carolina holds the record (2,688/2005-08).
• Smith has 89 career catches which is tied for 15th place in school history (also Bren Lowery, 1986-89). He also has 1,207 receiving yards, ranking 17th on the Maryland career list. Smith needs 33 yards to reach Mancel Johnson (1993-96) who is 16th.
West Virginia At-A-Glance...
• West Virginia enters Saturday's matchup 2-0 after a come-from-behind, 24-21 overtime victory at Marshall on Sept. 10.
• The Mountaineers have a number of dynamic playmakers on offense, including running backs Noel Devine and Tavon Austin, quarterback Geno Smith and receiver Jock Sanders.
• Devine leads West Virginia in rushing with a 111.5 ypg average, and the senior has also ran for two touchdowns. At 5-foot-8, Devine is also a threat on screen passes, having made 12 receptions for 80 yards this year.
• Smith quarterbacks an offense that is averaging 434.5 yards per game and scoring 27.5 ppg. The sophomore is completing 72.2 percent of his passes on the season and has totaled 532 yards through the air with three touchdowns to one interception.
• Austin, a sophomore from Baltimore, is West Virginia's leading receiver with 14 receptions for 175 yards. Sanders is second on the team with 13 catches for 128 yards and a touchdown.
• The West Virginia defense is tied for 14th in the nation as opponents have averaged just 10.5 ppg so far. Defensive back Terrence Garvin leads the Mountaineers with 17 tackles while linebacker Najee Goode owns the team lead with two tackles for loss.
• Tyler Bitancurt is a reliable place-kicker for the Mountaineers, having connected on 4 of 5 field goals this season.
• Freshman linebacker Troy Gloster is the brother of Maryland's Drew Gloster.
• Head coach Bill Stewart has compiled a 21-8 record in three-plus seasons.
MD-WVU Series History...
• Maryland and West Virginia have met a total of 46 times since the first meeting between the schools in 1919. The Mountaineers own a 23-21-2 lead in the all-time series. The Terps are 4-4 against WVU under current Maryland boss Ralph Friedgen. West Virginia has taken four straight from Maryland after the Terps had won the four meetings prior to that. The Terps defeated the Mountaineers 41-7 in the 2003 Toyota Gator Bowl in the only postseason meeting between the two schools.
• Maryland has played West Virginia more than any other non-conference opponent (46 times), and the Terps have only faced six schools more than the Mountaineers.
• The Terps and Mountaineers met every season from 1980 to 2007.
• Maryland is 3-8 all-time against ranked West Virginia teams. The Terrapins last win over a ranked Mountaineer squad came in the 2003 Toyota Gator Bowl, when the 23rd-ranked Terps toppled the 20th ranked Mountaineers, 41-7.
• Maryland is 11-11-1 at Byrd Stadium and WVU is 12-9-1 at Mountaineer Field. The teams have played one neutral site game (2003 Toyota Gator Bowl).
By The Numbers...
0... Number of Terps who have played in Morgantown, W.Va., though Adrian Moten, Da'Rel Scott and Alex Wujciak were on the travel squad in 2006.
1... Adrian Moten is Maryland's active career leader in tackles for loss (19.0) and sacks (13.0). He also entered the season third among active players in the ACC in sacks and sixth in TFLs.
2... Alex Wujciak is one of only two players in the nation (also Nick Bellore, CMU) to post 130 or more tackles each of the last two seasons.
3...Number of full-time punters (Brooks Barnard, Adam Podlesh and Travis Baltz) the Terps have employed in the last 10 years. Nick Ferrara started for Baltz in five games last season due to injury.
4... Number of Terps who have played against West Virginia in their careers. Travis Baltz, Drew Gloster, Adrian Moten and LaQuan Williams played in 2007.
4... Four of Maryland's last 10 opponents (37, Morgan State; 23 by Duke, 10/24/09; 63 by Virginia, 10/17/09; 81 by Clemson, 10/3/09) have failed to rush for 100 yards.
6... Number of graduates on the 2010 roster. Michael Carter, Emani Lee-Odai, Adrian Moten, Joey McQueeney, Antwine Perez and Da'Rel Scott have each earned a degree.
7... Number of players who scored against Morgan State. Demetrius Hartsfield, Matt Furstenburg and D.J. Adams had their first career touchdowns.
9... The Terps have placed a punter on the Academic All-ACC team in each of the last nine seasons. Travis Baltz has been a member for the last three years (Adam Podlesh 2003-06; Brooks Barnard 2001-02).
18... Alex Wujciak's 18 tackles were tied for the most in the country during the opening weekend of the season (also Lance Mitchell, Oregon State).
27... Alex Wujciak has started the last 27 games, the longest streak on the team.
27... The Terps have 27 players on NFL rosters (plus 3 on practice squads), which ranks tied for 2nd among ACC squads (also FSU), trailing just Miami (42). See list on page 17.
62... The Terps scored 62 points vs. Morgan State, the highest total since a 62-24 win over Virginia (11/22/75). It was also the sixth-highest total in school history.
125... The Terps have not had a punt blocked since Nov. 13, 1999 (Florida State), a stretch of 125 games, which is the longest active streak in the nation.
