Quotes from Tuesday's News Conference
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Saturday, Nov. 12
Maryland (2-7, 1-5 ACC)
at
Notre Dame (6-3 Independent)
Kickoff: 7:39 p.m. EDT
Location: Landover, Md.
Stadium: FedExField (82,000)
Gameday Information
• Parking and Directions
• Gameday Central | Game day Updates on Twitter
Tickets...
Tickets are available for the game. Fans may call 1-800-IM-A-TERP from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays or click here. The ticket office at FedExField will be open at 3:30 p.m. on game day. Gates open at 5:30 p.m.
Broadcast Information
TV: NBC - Tom Hammond (play-by-play), Mike Mayock (color) and Alex Flanagan (sidelines) will call the action. Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic will show a replay of the broadcast at 10:30 p.m. Sunday.
Radio: Terrapin Sports Radio Network - Johnny Holliday (play-by-play), Jonathan Claiborne (color), Tim Strachan (color) and Dave Preston (sidelines) have the call. The Toyota Tailgate Show with Gary Stein begins at 6:30 p.m. Stein also serves as host on the postgame show. Click here to listen on-line through Terps TV Premium. The Terrapin Sports Radio Network: WJZ-FM 105.7 - 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-AM 1230 - Midland; WMSG-AM 1050 - Oakland; WWXT-FM 92.7 - Prince Frederick, Md.; WTGM-AM 960 - Salisbury. The Maryland broadcast is not available on XM/Sirius. The broadcast can be heard on Sirius (92) and XM (190).
Game Notes
First-and-10...
• After falling to Virginia, 31-13, on Senior Day, Maryland will play its final three games on the road with the first of those contests taking place Saturday. The Terrapins will face Notre Dame at FedExField in Landover, Md. Despite the proximity to College Park, the Fighting Irish will serve as the home team in Maryland's final non-conference game of the season.
• Offensively, the Terps have become a more run-oriented unit in recent weeks with quarterback C.J. Brown and tailback Davin Meggett providing most of the punch. The Terps rank fifth in the ACC (57th nationally) in rushing offense (162.1 ypg) and eighth in total offense (379.1 ypg). Meggett ranks sixth in the ACC in rushing (75.2 ypg) and ninth (2,192) on the Maryland career rushing list. Brown and fellow sophomore Danny O'Brien, who has started 16 career games, have split time under center in recent weeks. O'Brien started in last week's Virginia game, completing 16 of 36 passes for 241 yards. Brown was 4 of 7, but had the duo's lone TD pass. Brown, who has started three of the last four games, has two 100-yard rushing games this year and his total on the ground (356) already ranks third on the school's single-season QB chart. Junior WR Kevin Dorsey leads the team in receptions (31) and receiving yards (383) despite missing 2 1/2 games with an injury. Dorsey returned to the lineup vs. Virginia, but had just two catches for 22 yards. Matt Furstenburg is manning the tight-end position for the second-straight season. The sure-handed junior has 25 catches (fourth on the team) and posted a career-best 104 receiving yards vs. Clemson (10/15). He ranks third in the ACC among tight ends in both receiving yards (33.4 pg) and receptions (2.9 pg). After posting 20 receptions in the last three games, senior Quintin McCree is now second on the team in catches (30). Junior WR Kerry Boykins had a career-high 101 receiving yards vs. Virginia and ranks third on the team in catches (29). The offensive line recently lost its leader in left guard Andrew Gonnella who had a season-ending knee injury against Georgia Tech (10/8).
• The defense has been in a state of transition due to a number of injuries which has seen as many as seven potential starters on the sideline, including three (LB Kenny Tate, DB Matt Robinson and DL Isaiah Ross) for the season. Junior DL Joe Vellano, one of four team captains, has been the leader of a defense which has forced 23 turnovers (tied for ninth in the FBS), with three being returned for touchdowns. Vellano also has two fumble recoveries on the season (30-yard return for TD vs. Miami, 9/5) and leads the FBS in tackles by a lineman (8.0 pg). Junior Demetrius Hartsfield, who moved from Will LB to the Mike position in the off-season, ranks third on the team in tackles (63) despite missing the last three games with an injury. He returned to lineup Saturday vs. Virginia and had a game-high tying 12 tackles. Fellow starting linebacker Darin Drakeford returned from injury (missed previous three games) against Florida State (10/22) and has 28 tackles over the last three games. The Terps started five freshmen defenders vs. Clemson (second most in the FBS in 2011), including the entire linebacking corps. Lorne Goree has started four games at Mike LB and is tied for first among ACC freshmen in tackles (5.3 pg). Senior Cameron Chism and sophomore Dexter McDougle are tied for the team lead with three interceptions apiece. Chism has two interception returns for touchdowns this season (one of just three MD players with two in a year). Junior Eric Franklin, who ranks sixth in the ACC in tackles (8.9 per game), has picked up the slack at safety with the loss of Robinson.
• Nick Ferrara, a 2009 freshman All-American, is handling all three phases of the kicking game. The junior ranks sixth in the ACC in punting (39.4 ypp) with nearly one third of his attempts (14 of 43) landing inside the opponents' 20-yard line. Ferrara is 11 of 16 on field goals, including a career-best four field goals against Miami (9/5). Senior Tony Logan, a 2010 first team All-ACC selection and record-setting punt returner, ranks fifth in the league (6.5 ypr). Freshman Justus Pickett is averaging 17.4 yards (10th in the ACC) on 21 kickoff returns.
Quick Hitters...
• The Terps will be playing their first-ever game at FedExField Saturday. Maryland has played twice (2005; 2010) in M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore) and will face Texas on Sept. 1, 2018 in FedExField.
• Maryland has not ended a season with three straight road games since 1990 when it played the final four away from College Park.
• In the only other meeting between the two programs, Notre Dame defeated Maryland, 20-0, on Aug. 25, 2002 in Kickoff Classic XX, in East Rutherford, N.J.
• With 52 rushing yards vs. Virginia, senior Davin Meggett moved from t-10th on the Maryland career rushing yards list to ninth. Meggett, who now has 2,192 yards in his career, moved past Willie Joyner (2,140, 1980-83) and Alvin Blount (2,158, 1983-86) on the list.
• Offensive lineman Justin Gilbert saw his first action of the season against Virginia (11/5). He took snaps as a reserve right guard. Gilbert, the starter at left tackle last season, has been sidelined with a knee injury since the 2010 West Virginia game. Gilbert is now penciled in No. 1 at right guard on the depth chart.
• Junior safety Eric Franklin recorded 12 tackles vs. Virginia (11/5), his fifth game of the season with double-digit stops.
• As well as posting 11 tackles vs. Virginia (11/5), junior Darin Drakeford forced a fumble and picked off his first career pass. Drakeford, who has missed four games due to injury, is averaging 9.0 stops in five games. That mark would rank tied for fifth in the ACC with enough games played this season.
• Drakeford also has a team-high three forced fumbles. His 0.60 forced fumbles per-game average would rank fourth in the FBS, but he has not played in 75 percent of the games.
McCree Hits 100 Again...
Senior WR Quintin McCree had his second 100-yard receiving day in the last three games, posting seven catches for 117 yards against Virginia (11/5). McCree also had nine catches for 177 yards against Florida State (10/22). McCree, who had 269 receiving yards in his first 31 career games, has 325 in the last three.
Mash Unit...
The Terps have lost a number of key performers to injury this year with the defense getting hit especially hard. In all, seven potential defensive starters, including the entire linebacking unit, have been on the sidelines for two or more contests. So far this season, the Terps have lost 37 man-games to potential defensive starters (DL Justin Anderson - 9; LB Darin Drakeford - 4; LB Demetrius Hartsfield - 3; DL Andre Monroe - 3; DB Matt Robinson - 6; DL Isaiah Ross - 8; LB Kenny Tate - 5).
Doubling Up...
Quintin McCree (117) had his second career 100-yard receiving game (both coming over the last three games) and Kerry Boykins (101) notched the first of his career in Saturday's Virginia game. McCree and Boykins are just the second Maryland duo in the last 16 years to post 100 receiving yards in the same game. Danny Oquendo (111) and Torrey Smith (115) both went over 100 receiving yards vs. Boston College on Nov. 29, 2008. Prior to that, the feat hadn't occurred since 1995 when Geroy Simon (124) and Jermaine Lewis (102) went over 100 receiving yards vs. Florida State (11/18).
Leading the Nation...
Junior Joe Vellano is averaging 8.0 tackles per game, a mark which is first among defensive linemen in the FBS.
Tough Opening Stretch...
With three top 20 teams among the first nine foes of the season, Maryland's strength of schedule ranks tied for 20th in the FBS according to NCAA.org. The Terrapins' first nine opponents have posted an aggregate record of 45-27 (.625) so far this season. When you factor in upcoming opponents, the Terps still have the 22nd-toughest schedule in the FBS at this point in the season. Maryland's 2011 opposition currently has an aggregate record of 61-38 (.616). In addition to the three ranked teams, Florida State was ranked as high as No. 5 in the early season national polls and Notre Dame is receiving votes in this week's polls.
Leadership Lost...
The Terps have lost two of their four team captains (Andrew Gonnella, Davin Meggett, Kenny Tate, Joe Vellano) to injury in recent weeks. Gonnella suffered a season-ending knee injury against Georgia Tech (10/8). The senior and two-year starter had 26 career starts at left (18) and right guard (8). Sophomore Pete White replaced Gonnella in that game and has started the last four games at left guard. Tate, a 2010 first team All-ACC safety, started the first four games at Star, an outside linebacker position, but the senior missed the next three games due to injury. He had season-ending surgery on Oct. 28 and hopes to gain a medical redshirt season in order to play in 2012. Redshirt freshman Mario Rowson started four games at Star before Darin Drakeford played there last week vs. Virginia. Rowson averaged 5.5 tackles in his starts, while Drakeford chipped in 11 stops vs. the Cavaliers.
Notre Dame At-A-Glance...
• Notre Dame comes into the game with a record of 6-3 after dispatching Wake Forest 24-17 in Winston Salem, N.C. Second-year head coach Brian Kelly has an overall record of 14-8 and a career mark of 184-65-2.
• Notre Dame's offense is led by standout wide receiver Michael Floyd who has a team-high 832 receiving yards. Floyd, who ranks 22nd nationally with 92.44 receiving ypg, is complemented by tight end Tyler Eifert who is second on the team with 506 receiving yards and ranks first in the NCAA among tight ends in receptions per game (4.78).
• The Fighting Irish have a strong tandem of running backs with Cierre Wood and Jonas Grey. They have combined for 1,469 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns this season. Wood's 89.8 ypg ranks 42nd in the FBS.
• Quarterback Tommy Rees has started eight of nine games for the Fighting Irish, completing 65.6 percent of his passes for 2,096 yards with 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
• Linebacker Manti Te'o leads the Notre Dame defense with 87 total tackles. His 9.67 tackles per game ranks 27th nationally. Te'o ranks 38th in the FBS with 1.22 tackles for loss and has a team-high 4.5 sacks.
• Safety Harrison Smith has put his name into the Notre Dame record books. He is the only player in school history with 200 or more tackles, 15 or more tackles for loss and 15 or more pass breakups. He is second on the team in tackles (69).
• The Fighting Irish defense as a whole has been strong, ranking 39th in the country in total yards allowed (349.1 ypg).
• Freshman kickoff returner George Atkinson II has been a spark for the Irish this season, averaging 29.7 yards per return, which is 12th in the NCAA. He also has taken two returns back for touchdowns.
Maryland-Notre Dame Series History...
• Saturday's game will mark just the second all-time meeting between Maryland and Notre Dame. The only other meeting was on August 31, 2002, a 22-0 Irish win at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
• In the lone previous meeting, Notre Dame shut out the No. 21 Terrapins in the 2002 season opener, which was then-coach Tyrone Willingham's first game with the Irish.
• Notre Dame outgained Maryland 356 to 133 in the 2002 matchup, holding the Terps to 16 rushing yards with Bruce Perry missing the game due to an injury. Carlyle Holiday led the Irish passing attack, going 17 of 27 for 226 yards, while Maryland's Scott McBrien was 9 of 23 for 84 yards and two interceptions in his first game as a starter.
What to Look for vs. Notre Dame...
• Maryland is 7-15 against current FBS Independents (0-1 vs. Notre Dame; 7-14 vs. Navy).
• Davin Meggett, who is ninth in school history in career rushing yards (2,192), needs 75 more to move into eighth place, currently occupied by Louis Carter (2,266; 1972-74).
• Danny O'Brien needs 46 passing yards to become just the ninth quarterback in school history to post 4,000 career passing yards.
• Tony Logan (768) needs 27 yards to crack the top 15 on the ACC's career punt return yards list.
• Maryland ranks tied for 13th in the FBS (+0.78) in turnover margin, while Notre Dame is tied for last nationally (-1.33). The Terps defense has forced 23 turnovers on the season, a mark which is tied for ninth in the nation. The Terps are t-2nd nationally with 13 fumbles gained, while the Irish are t-102nd nationally with 11 fumbles lost.
• Notre Dame's rushing offense ranks 45th nationally (173.6 ypg) while Maryland's ranks 57th (161.1 ypg). The Irish are led by Cierre Wood's 89.8 ypg while Davin Meggett leads the Terps with 75.2 ypg.
• Notre Dame is 33rd nationally in pass defense (199.8 ypg) and 39th in total defense (349.1 ypg). Maryland is averaging 217 passing yards per game and 379.1 yards of total offense.
Cashing In...
Maryland ranks tied for 13th in the FBS in turnover margin (+0.78 per game). The Terps forced four turnovers vs. Miami (9/5) and surrendered the ball just once to the Hurricanes. Maryland scored 16 points off the four Miami miscues, but did not allow the Hurricanes to score off its lone turnover. Despite turning the ball over three times vs. West Virginia (9/17), the Terps allowed just seven points off those miscues. Conversely, WVU turned the ball over three times and the Terps scored 10 points. On Sept. 24, Temple scored a touchdown off a Danny O'Brien interception. Maryland forced four Towson turnovers (two interceptions, two fumble recoveries) and scored 14 points off them. The Terrapins committed one but didn't surrender any points off the turnover. The Terps had two turnovers vs. Georgia Tech (10/8) and forced one Yellow Jackets' miscue. Neither team scored off the three turnovers. Against Clemson (10/15) the Terps won the turnover battle two to one and gained 14 points off turnovers while surrendering seven. There was just one turnover in the Florida State game (10/22), when Dexter McDougle made an interception, but no points were scored off of it. The Terps forced Boston College (10/29) into four turnovers but couldn't convert them into any points. BC, meanwhile, forced a pair of turnovers and got seven points off of them. Maryland lost the turnover battle against Virginia (11/5), committing five, while Virginia committed three. Each team scored seven points off the miscues. Since the beginning of the 2010 season Maryland has scored 161 points off turnovers (52) while the opposition has been held to 55 points (30).
Making Adjustments...
The Terps have trotted out a different defensive starting lineup every game this season. LB Darin Drakeford switched to the Star position and LB Demetrius Hartsfield returned after missing three games against Virginia (11/5).
By The Numbers...
0... With Andrew Gonnella is on the shelf with a season-ending knee injury, the Terps are without a senior on the offensive line.
1... Maryland is the only team in the nation to start four or more freshmen on defense in at least four games (see list on page 5).
1... Maryland ranks tied for fourth in the FBS in fewest fumbles lost (3). Davin Meggett had the only one over the first eight games before the Terps committed two last week vs. Virginia.
2... Maryland has recovered 13 opponent fumbles which ranks tied for second in the FBS.
2...Number of Maryland team captains (Andrew Gonnella and Kenny Tate) who are out for the season with injuries.
2... So far this season, Maryland has seen two of the top eight crowds in the history of Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium. There were 52,875 fans in stands for the Miami game (No. 8) and 53,627 for the West Virginia contest (No. 5).
2... Former head coaches (Gary Crowton, Greg Gattuso) on Randy Edsall's staff.
5... Number of freshmen who started on defense against Clemson (10/15) which is the second most this season in a single game for any FBS team.
5... C.J. Brown is one of just five QBs in ACC history to post 150 or more rushing yards in a single game.
6... Maryland ranks tied for sixth in the FBS in fewest penalties committed per game (4.0).
11... Eleven of Nick Ferrara's last 26 punts have been fair caught. Only one of his first 17 punts were fair caught.
11... The Terps have 27 former players on active NFL rosters, a number which ranks 11th nationally.
17... Seventeen of the season-high 57 players who saw action vs. Towson (10/1) were freshmen. Since the start of the 1999 season, the Terps have played 17 or more freshmen in a game just seven times (20 vs. Virginia Tech, 11/14/09; 17 vs. NC State, 11/7/09; 17 vs. Clemson, 9/10/05; 18 vs. The Citadel, 9/13/03; 18 vs. Eastern Michigan, 9/8/01; 20 vs. Wake Forest, 10/21/00)
22... Number of freshmen (14 redshirts; eight true) who have played this season.
