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COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
The University of Maryland football team capped off its spring conditioning program Tuesday with the annual Iron Terp Olympics which was held at Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium and the practice fields.
As he does each year, strength and conditioning coach Dwight Galt holds the event on the final day of classes. Galt calls it a "fun experience for the guys, something to build camaraderie and team bonding."
Approximately 10 to 11 players were placed on 10 different teams.
The players competed in lifting exercises as well as a tire flip, tug of war and a game of ultimate football. The team ended the day with a cookout at the Gossett Team House.
Of the 91 players who participated in the bench press, 67 posted new career highs, topped off by Dean Muhtadi's team-best mark of 470 pounds. The senior defensive lineman also posted a team-high 36 repetitions on the 225-pound bench press. OL Bruce Campbell and RB Haroon Brown each recorded 31 reps on the bench press, the top marks on the offense.
Campbell and Ricardo Dacosta led the No. 9 team (Chase Bullock, Chris Turner, Stephen St. John, Lansford Watson, Dan Bonato, Tim Downs, Michael Carter and Jamari McCollough) to a victory in the tire flip.
In the finals of the tug of war, the No. 10 team (Scott Burley, Alex Schultz, Obi Egekeze, Joe Faiella, Dion Armstrong, Tyler Bowen, Bearthur Johnson, Torrey Smith, Cory Jackson, Kevin Dorsey and Morgan Green) held off the No. 7 squad (Jeremy Navarre, Lee Oliver, Andrew Schmitt, Andrew Gonnella, Kyle Sappington, Demetrius Hartsfield, Austin Walker, Ronnie Tyler, Brandon Jackson-Mills and Dominique Herald).
The final event was voluntary, a game of ultimate football where about 40 players took part with the offense pitted against the defense.
Final exams began Thursday and conclude Wednesday. Eight members of the team will graduate next week. DL Mack Frost, OL Jack Griffin, TE Jason Goode, DB J.J. Justice, DL Dean Muhtadi, OL Dane Randolph, QB Jordan Steffy and OL Edwin Williams will all take part in the campus-wide ceremony Thursday and then the individual college formats Friday. Goode and Justice are the only ones among this group who have completed their playing eligibility.
The team will begin its summer conditioning program on Monday, June 2.
Other key summer dates:
July 20-22 - ACC Media Day at Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Ga.
Aug. 2 - Freshmen report to campus
Aug. 3 - Varsity reports to campus
Aug. 4 - Football preseason camp opens/Media Day
Aug. 30 - Season opener vs. Delaware
Terp Notes:
ESPN: ESPN.com is producing a college football project called the Face of The Program. Fans will be voting on the image of their football program (it can be a coach, player, specific play in a game, mascot, etc.). Terp fans can click here to chime in on the debate.
