Terps Take on Morgan State Saturday
9/8/2010 8:00:00 AM | Football
Saturday, Sept. 11
Maryland (1-0, 0-0 ACC)
vs.
Morgan State (1-0, 0-0 MEAC)
Kickoff: 6 p.m. ET
Location: College Park, Md.
Stadium: Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium (54,000).
Gameday Information...
• Directions to Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium
• Parking
• Gameday Quick Facts
Webcast: ESPN3.com - Matt Swierad, (pbp) and Warrick Dunn (color) will call the action. Comcast SportsNet will air a replay of the ESPN3.com webcast in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore market at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 14.
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 4:30 p.m. ET. The game can also be heard on XM Satellite Radio Channel 193 and Sirius Channel 214. 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.
Radio Programming Update: Due to a conflict with the Baltimore Orioles-Detroit Tigers baseball game (7 p.m.), the Maryland-Morgan State game broadcast in Baltimore can be heard live on WLIF-FM 101.9 and WJZ-AM 1300. WJZ-FM 105.7 will not be carrying the Terps game.
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 first show 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 (Note: Replays of the first Friedgen TV Show and the Morgan State game will air at 7 p.m. Tuesday on Comcast). 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, which has just four days to prepare for Morgan State, 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.
• Junior wide receiver Torrey Smith and senior running back Da'Rel Scott headline the seven returning starters on offense under third-year coordinator and assistant head coach James Franklin. Smith is one of the most dynamic players in the country. He ranked sixth nationally in all-purpose yards (182.7 per game) and posted 61 catches last season. Smith, a Biletnikoff Award candidate, highlights a deep receiving corps which also possesses Adrian Cannon, who had 44 catches in 2009, and four others who have started games. 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. Junior Davin Meggett rolled up a career-high 105 yards on eight carries vs. Navy. Junior Jamarr Robinson is the new starting quarterback after playing in most of the final four games a year ago. The athletic signal-caller threw just five passes in the opener, but rushed for 92 yards. 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.
• 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, and a linebacker unit which is among the best in the league. Wujciak, who is listed among the preseason candidates for five national awards, tallied 131 tackles in 2009 and continued where he left off with a game-high 18 stops against Navy. LB Adrian Moten, the only junior team captain last season, has been a playmaker throughout his career. He led the team in tackles for loss (9.0) and sacks (6.0) last year and tallied 12 stops vs. Navy. Demetrius Hartsfield earned freshman All-ACC honors from his linebacker spot despite playing a number of games with a broken hand. A.J. Francis, a 2009 freshman All-America choice, is the lone returning starter on the line, but nine other letterwinners are back up front. Sophomore Joe 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. 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 for the Terps with all the top performers back. Punter Travis Baltz was a 2008 first team All-ACC pick, place-kicker Nick Ferrara was a 2009 freshman All-American and Torrey Smith was one of the top kick returners in the country last season, posting an ACC single-season record 1,309 yards. Tony Logan is back as the No. 1 punt returner as is long snapper Tim Downs. Ferrara missed the opener, so Baltz served both kicking roles. He hit the game-winning field goal and averaged a career-best 53.0 yards on three punts. Baltz had not place-kicked in a game since high school, but he did serve as the backup in 2007.
Quick Hitters...
• With the win over Navy, Maryland improved to 72-44-2 all-time in season-openers, including a 7-3 mark under Ralph Friedgen. The Terps have won six of their last seven openers. Maryland improved to 7-14 all-time against Navy and has won the last two in the series.
• Not only are Maryland and Morgan State meeting for the first time, but it's also the initial meeting with a current member of the MEAC for the Terps.
• 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.
• The Terps have 26 offensive and defensive players on the current roster who have started at least once in their career.
• 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.
• 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).
• 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 10.8 tackles per game in his career which is tops in the nation among active players.
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 11 Maryland players who saw action for the first time in their careers against Navy, 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 junior Herbert Law.
Career Day...
There were a number of Maryland players who posted career high numbers against Navy (09/06/10):
• Junior DB Kenny Tate recorded career highs in tackles (12), solo stops (9) and forced fumbles (2). His previous high in tackles was eight (vs. N.C. State 11/7/09).
• Seeing his first extensive action, sophomore Joe Vellano recorded career highs in tackles (10), tackles for loss (3.0) and sacks (2.0). Vellano has just one career tackle before that game.
• Senior DE Drew Gloster had a career-high seven tackles (previous best: three vs. NC State 11/7/09).
• Sophomore LB Demetrius Hartsfield finished with a career-best 12 tackles, and his previous career high was 11 vs. Boston College on 11/28/09.
• Sophomore DL Justin Anderson posted a career-high five tackles and his first forced fumble.
• Davin Meggett's 67-yard scamper in the first quarter was the longest run of the junior's career. It was also Maryland's longest run since Darrius Heyward-Bey went 76 yards vs. Clemson (09/27/08).Meggett totaled 105 yards in the game on just eight carries, the first 100-yard game of his career.
Goal-Line Stand...
The Terps had four key goal-line stands against Navy (09/06) which allowed them to come away with a 17-14 win:
• With Navy at the Maryland 1-yard line halfway through the second quarter, Adrian Moten leaped over the offensive line and forced a Ricky Dobbs fumble that Antwine Perez recovered.
• After Maryland went three-and-out, the Midshipmen again threatened to score as they drove the Maryland seven. But Perez stopped Dobbs at the 2 on third down and time expired in the first half.
• The Terps had another big stop in the second half. After Navy went on a 13-play, 59-yard drive to get to the Maryland 1, safety Kenny Tate forced a fumble by Dobbs that Maryland linebacker Ryan Donohue recovered.
• Maryland came through with its biggest stop on a Navy fourth-and-goal from the Maryland 1 with just 0:37 to play. Tate smashed through the line and tackled Dobbs.
Weekly Awards...
DB Kenny Tate and DL Joe Vellano picked up individual awards after helping the Terps down Navy, 17-14, on Monday. Tate was voted as ACC Defensive Back of the Week, while Vellano was tabbed the top defensive lineman in the league. It marks the first weekly ACC honor for both players, who were instrumental in Maryland holding Navy to two scores in seven red-zone chances. Tate notched a career-high 12 tackles and also forced a pair of fumbles. Vellano, making his first career start, came through with several crucial stops on the interior of the defensive line. The sophomore had 10 tackles, including five solo stops, as well as 3.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. Tate was also named the FWAA/Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week. Tate will be added to the 2010 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy will be presented to the best defensive player in college football on Dec. 6. Five finalists will be announced on Nov. 18.
What to Look for Vs. Morgan State and Beyond...
• Da'Rel Scott ranks 14th on the Maryland career rushing list (1,751). He needs 56 yards to reach Mark Mason (1990-93) who is in 13th place. With 249 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 344.
• Torrey Smith ranks fifth in school history in career all-purpose yardage (3,628). He needs 37 yards to reach Bren Lowery (1986-89) who is in fourth place. With 372 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 (2,398), needs 291 yards to set the ACC mark. Smith is currently third (see chart on the bottom right) while Brandon Tate of North Carolina holds the record (2,688/2005-08).
• Smith has 86 career catches and needs three more to move from 16th to 15th place (89, Bren Lowery, 1986-89) on the Maryland career receptions list.
• Smith has 1,166 receiving yards, ranking 20th on the Maryland career list. Just ahead of him are two of the all-time greats in school history. All-American and NFL All-Pro Gary Collins is 19th (1,182/1959-61) and Frank Wycheck is 18th (1,183/1990-92).
Morgan State At-A-Glance...
• Morgan State, a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in the Football Championship Series, returns 14 starters (six offense; six defense; two specialists) from a team that went 6-5 in 2009.
• The Bears enter Saturday's matchup with Maryland 1-0 after defeating Bowie State 14-7 on Sept. 4.
• Quarterback Donovan Dickerson completed 16 of 32 passes in his starting debut last week, totaling 109 yards.
• Kicker Kemar Scarlett carried the scoring load by connecting on four of five field goals with a long of 46 yards.
• The Morgan State defense held Bowie State to negative rushing yards (-33) on 24 attempts in the game. Overall, Bowie State's offense managed just 73 yards.
• Jourdan Brooks led the Bears with 62 yards rushing on 27 attempts, while Winfred Diggs led the team with five receptions for 44 yards. Diggs is also the top returning receiver (38 receptions, 276 yards in `09).
• Donald Hill-Eley is in his ninth season as Morgan State's head coach.
• The Bears are playing a team from the FBS for the third consecutive season. MSU lost to Akron, 41-0, last season and were downed by Rutgers, 38-0, in 2008.
By The Numbers...
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.
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.
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).
26...Alex Wujciak has started the last 26 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).
124...The Terps have not had a punt blocked since Nov. 13, 1999 (Florida State), a stretch of 124 games, which is the longest active streak in the nation.
