Terps Hold Second Preseason Practice
8/7/2012 8:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 7, 2012
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland football team held its second practice of the preseason amid hot and humid conditions Tuesday afternoon at the on-campus practice facility.
Head coach Randy Edsall and his staff concentrated on individual work and fundamentals during a two-hour session in shorts, jerseys and helmets. The team will move into shoulder pads Wednesday and Thursday before donning full pads for the first time on Friday.
"Practice was better today than it was yesterday, which is what you expect," said Edsall. "But again, you really don't want to say too many things because as I've said, everyone is an All-American in shorts. So now we put the pads on and we'll see if we can maintain a consistent level practice in and practice out."
Tuesday's practice included team periods in addition to the individual work, and Edsall said he will be looking for the team to build cohesiveness early in camp.
"I'm looking for who is going to step up at certain positions and take hold at positions we know we have open," said Edsall. "I'm looking for the consistency of the units working together - the offense getting their timing down on the routes, the running plays, all those things. The thing I think is good is we haven't had a lot of procedure penalties, off-sides and things like that the first couple days. That tells me there is a level of concentration which is good."
One position group Edsall singled out on Monday and mentioned again Tuesday as being confident in is tight end. A trio of seniors in Matt Furstenburg, Devonte Campbell and Ryan Schlothauer all have experience, and Furstenburg is a preseason All-ACC selection.
Edsall was also impressed with fifth-year senior Kenny Tate, who is hoping to return to his 2010 All-ACC form after in injury-shortened 2011 season.
"I think that with the things we want to do defensively, I think the opportunities for him are going to be there, so we have high expectations," said Edsall. "What I've seen in two days is I see a guy that's moving very well and handling everything really well. In talking to him after each practice and asking him how he feels and talking to the trainers, I don't see any issues there."
Maryland is also in the process of acclimating 30 true freshmen - nearly one-third of the 101 total - to preseason camp. And though the new players were at times prone to miscues common early in camp, Edsall came away impressed with their effort.
"Take this for two days in shorts, but I have been very pleased with what I've seen out of the freshman group," said Edsall. "In terms of their willingness, what they've been able to learn so far, their competitiveness, their coachability. Now we'll just have to see if that can continue once the pads go on and now it becomes a much more physical game for them than just with the shorts on."
