Sept. 1, 1997
Vanderlinden Era Begins; Terps Play Host to Ohio University
The Ron Vanderlinden era at the University of Maryland begins tonight as the Terps play host to the Ohio University Bobcats in the season opener. Vanderlinden begins his first season as a head coach on any level and is Maryland's 32nd head coach in the 105-year history of the program. Vanderlinden was previously an assistant coach at the University of Colorado (1983-91) and Northwestern University (1992-96). Both the Buffaloes and the Wildcats earned wonderful success with Vanderlinden on their respective staffs. At Colorado, the Buffaloes went from 1-10 in 1984 to the National Championship in 1990. At Northwestern, the Wildcats went from 2-9 in 1993 to back-to-back Big-Ten Championships in 1995 and 1996 and an appearance in the 1995 Rose Bowl.
THE LAST TIME MARYLAND MET OHIO
In 1965 when Maryland last played Ohio University in Football...
...Alabama, coached by Paul "Bear" Bryant, was named the national collegiate football champion by the Associated Press;
...Mike Garrett of Southern California won the Heisman Trophy;
...Lyndon B. Johnson was the President of the United States. He had been sworn in on November 22, 1963 after the assassination of John F. Kennedy;
...Malcolm X was assassinated in February;
...The Houston Astrodome opened as the Astros defeated the Yankees, 2-1, in an exhibition game in April;
...College football legend Amos Alonzo Stagg died at age 102 in March;
...U.S. Troops were ordered to fight offensively for the first time in Vietnam in June;
...Rolling Stones recorded their hit "Satisfaction" in May;
...The Beatles appeared in Shea Stadium in New York in August;
...The "Get Smart" television show premiered in September.
TERPS BY THE NUMBERS
1 - Ron Vanderlinden is looking to become the first head coach since 1959 to win his Maryland debut. Tommy Nugent led the Terps to a victory over West Virginia in his inaugural game in 1959.
2 - Maryland has won two consecutive home openers. The Terps defeated Northern Illinois in 1996 and North Carolina to begin the 1995 season.
3 - Maryland is looking to win its third consecutive season opener for the first time since the Terps won six straight openers from 1975 through 1980.
3 - Senior Brian Cummings is looking to become only the third Maryland quarterback to win three consecutive opening day starts since the ACC was formed in 1953.
13 - Ron Vanderlinden is looking to become only the 13th coach in school history to win his inaugural game as head coach.
59.6 - Maryland has an all-time record of 61-41-1 and a winning percentage of 59.6 in 104 previous season openers.
61.0 - Maryland has an all-time record of 63-40-1 for a 61.0 winning percentage in season home openers.
75.0 - Maryland has won three of four games all-time versus schools from the state of Ohio. The Terps last game versus a team from Ohio was in 1976 (Cincinnati).
1965 - Maryland's opening day opponent in 1965 was Ohio University. The Terps defeated the Bobcats, 24-7, in Byrd Stadium on September 25.
VANDERLINDEN TO COACH INAUGURAL GAME VERSUS OHIO
Ron Vanderlinden will look to become the first coach since Tommy Nugent in 1959 to win his first game as Maryland's head coach. Nugent was the last Terp head coach to win his Maryland debut as the Terps defeated West Virginia, 27-7, on September 19, 1959. Since then, eight Maryland head coaches have recorded an 0-7-1 record in their inaugural games.
TERPS IN SEASON OPENERS
Maryland has won two consecutive season openers and is 4-3 in season openers during the decade of the 1990's. The Terps defeated Tulane, 29-10, to open the 1995 season and beat Northern Illinois, 30-6, to open the 1996 season. The Terps are 61-41-2 (59.6 winning percentage) all-time in season openers. The Terps finished with a perfect 10-0 record in season openers during the decade of the 1920's.
TERPS IN HOME OPENERS
Maryland has won two consecutive home openers and is 4-3 in home openers during the decade of the 1990's. The Terps defeated North Carolina, 32-18, to open the 1995 Byrd Stadium schedule and defeated Northern Illinois, 30-6, in 1996 in the home opener. Maryland is 63-40-1 (60.1 winning percentage) all-time in season home openers. The Terps were 10-0 in season home openers during the decade of the 1920's.
RODGERS NAMED TO DOAK WALKER AWARD LIST
Senior tailback Buddy Rodgers has been named as a candidate for the Dr. Pepper/Doak Walker Award. The Doak Walker Award was created in 1989 by a partnership of Southern Methodist University and GTE to recognize and celebrate the goodness in college athletics. The partnership established the Doak Walker Award, "The National Running Back Award." In 1996, Dr. Pepper joined SMU and GTE in the partnership.
RODGERS ON THE DOAK WALKER AWARD LIST
Senior tailback Buddy Rodgers, a Doak Walker Award candidate as the nation's top running back, begins the season with 1,295 career rushing yards and needs only 307 yards to join Maryland's all-time top-10 career rushing yards list. Rodgers has gained 1,165 yards on 258 carries in the last two seasons and is averaging 4.51 yards per carry during that span.
BUDDY RODGERS - YEAR-BY-YEAR STATISTICS
Year Attempts Yards Yards Per Carry Touchdowns
1996 100 447 4.47 5
1995 158 718 4.54 8
1994 39 130 3.33 4
297 1,295 4.36 17
RODGERS' RANKINGS
Senior Buddy Rodgers, a Doak Walker Award candidate as the nation's top running back, begins his senior season as one of the most prolific running backs in school history.
Rank Category Career Total
6th Rushing Touchdowns 17
7th Yards Per Attempt 4.44
13th Rushing Attempts 297
15th Rushing Yards 1,295
QUOTING MARYLAND FOOTBALL
1) "The most interesting coaching development occurred at Maryland, which hired Northwestern defensive coordinator Ron Vanderlinden."
Ivan Maisel
Sporting News, ESPN
2) "Ron Vanderlinden's arrival in College Park brings unbridled enthusiasm and boundless excitement in anticipation of greatness for the Maryland Terrapins. There is little doubt that his contagious enthusiasm for his program and his players will result in Maryland being on page one more than ever before."
George Michael
The George Michael Sports Machine
3) "Ron Vanderlinden learned how to be a successful coach by not just working under the best coaches college football has to offer, but learning under the best coaches college football has to offer. Yet he is more than that. Vandy has the unique and unteachable quality not only to learn, but to improve every job assignment he has been given. On the field his performance is impeccable. I have covered Big Ten Football for the past 10 years and I selected him as the Big Ten assistant of the year in each of the past two years. Maryland will benefit from his off the field qualities as well. His coaching expertise and enthusiasm combined with his organizational skills make him one of the best recruiters in the country. One last point -- his players love to play for him.
Gary Danielson
ESPN
4) "I think his mindset is progressive, his mindset is one slanted toward winning."
Deborah A. Yow
Director of Athletics
University of Maryland
CUMMINGS IS MARYLAND'S STARTING QUARTERBACK
Senior Brian Cummings, who has a winning percentage of 15-1 percent (8-6) in 14 starts as Maryland's quarterback, was named by Head Coach Ron Vanderlinden as the Terps' starting quarterback following spring practice. Cummings was the starter in 1995 and started the first four games of the 1994 season. He enters tonight's game versus Ohio looking to become only the third quarterback in modern day school history to win three consecutive opening day starts. Previously, Dick Novak (1959-61) and Mark Manges (1975-1977) quarterbacked the Terps to three victories as the opening day starter.
CUMMINGS, E. HICKS AND OGBOGU NAMED AS CAPTAINS
Seniors Brian Cummings, Eric Hicks and Eric Ogbogu have been chosen by their teammates to serve as captains for the 1997 season. The captains were selected Friday, August 29. Cummings will start for the third consecutive season at quarterback, while Hicks and Ogbogu have been mainstays on the defensive line since their arrival together in 1994.
CUMMINGS ON THE TERPS' CAREER CHARTS
Senior quarterback Brian Cummings enters the 1997 season ranked ninth on the Terps' all-time pass completion percentage list. His 56.0 percentage (190-339) for his career has proven his accuracy during his tenure at Maryland. He recorded a career-best 59.0 percentage (98-166) during the 1995 season and completed 53.2 percent of his passes last season. He appeared in six games as the Terps' quarterback in 1994 but did not throw a pass.
CURRENT ACC COACHES IN THEIR DEBUT GAMES
Ron Vanderlinden is looking to become the fifth of the current ACC coaches to gain a victory in his debut game at his current school. Clemson's Tommy West, Duke's Fred Goldsmith, N.C. State's Mike O'Cain and Georgia Tech's George O'Leary were all victorious at their current schools.
TERPS WITH THREE RUNNING BACKS OVER 400 YARDS IN 1996
Maryland's rushing attack flourished behind current seniors Brian Underwood (449 yards), Buddy Rodgers (447) and freshman Harold Westley (421) in 1996. It marked only the fourth time since 1950 that at least three Maryland runners had gained 400 or more yards each. Most recently, Rick Badanjek (832), Alvin Blount (759) and Tommy Neal (618) reached the mark in 1984.
1996 1984
Brian Underwood, 449 Rick Badanjek, 832
Buddy Rodgers, 447 Alvin Blount, 759
Harold Westley, 421 Tommy Neal, 618
1976 1975
Alvin Maddox, 678 Steve Atkins, 491
Steve Atkins, 621 Jamie Franklin, 485
Tim Wilson, 610 Ricky Jennings, 411
mark Manges, 448
WESTLEY WAS THIRD AMONG ACC FRESHMEN IN 1996
Sophomore Harold Westley ranked third in rushing among freshmen in the ACC last season with 421 yards. He was ranked only behind Duke's Letavious Wilkes (554 yards) and Wake Forest's Morgane Kane (490 yards). Westley was selected as the ACC Rookie of the Week for his 120-yard rushing performance versus Wake Forest.
CURRENT TERP STREAKS
16 - Left offensive tackle Darryl Gilliam has started in 16 consecutive games dating back to October 21, 1995. All of his starts have come from the left offensive tackle position.
14 - Right offensive tackle John Feugill has started 14 consecutive games dating back to November 4, 1995. He started all 11 games at right offensive tackle in 1996 and the final three games of the 1995 season at tight end.
13 - Wide receiver Bruce James has caught at least one pass in 13 consecutive games dating back to November 11, 1995.
11 - Linebacker Eric Barton has made 11 consecutive starts dating back to August 31, 1996. He has led the Terps in tackles in four of the last nine games and started every game in 1996.
11 - Linebacker Kendall Ogle has started 11 consecutive games dating back to August 31, 1996. He was the season-long starter at his position during the 1996 season.
3 - Brian Cummings has made three consecutive starts. He started in the Terps' victory against Georgia Tech, the Terps contests against Clemson and Florida State to close out the 1996 season. He has started 10 of the last 16 and 14 of the last 22 Terp games at quarterback.
2 - Defensive end Eric Ogbogu has started two consecutive and nine of the last 11 games for the Terps on the defensive line.
ACC LEADING FRESHMEN RUNNERS
Sophomore Harold Westley ranked third in the ACC in rushing among freshmen last season.
Rank Player, School Yards
1. Letavious Wilkes, Duke 554
2. Morgane Kane, Wake Forest 490
3. Harold Westley, Maryland 421
OGLE ON BUTKUS AWARD WATCH LIST
Redshirt junior linebacker Kendall Ogle has been added to the Butkus Award watch list. Ogle recorded a career-high 75 tackles last season and was recently named as the 18th-best linebacker in the nation by Lindy's Magazine. His 75 stops last season placed him third on the team and he recorded a career-best 14 tackles against West Virginia. Ogle is one of 52 players named to the initial watch list for the Butkus Award presented annually by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando, Inc. to the nation's outstanding collegiate linebacker. The list will be trimmed to 10 semifinalists on October 16 and three finalists will be named on November 13. The winner will be announced on December 13 in Orlando.
TOP PERFORMANCES IN SEASON OPENING GAMES SINCE 1980
Rushing Yards: 185 by Charlie Wysocki against Villanova, 1980
Rushing Attempts: 36 by Charlie Wysocki against Villanova, 1980
Passing Yards: 303 by Scott Zolak against Virginia, 1990
Pass Completions: 32 by John Kaleo against Virginia, 1992
Pass Attempts: 52 by John Kaleo against Virginia, 1992
Receptions: 14 by Frank Wycheck against Virginia Tech, 1990
Receiving Yards: 188 by Russell Davis against Penn State, 1982
OGBOGU IN THE BACKFIELD
Senior co-captain Eric Ogbogu enters the 1997 season with 111 total career tackles, 29.5 tackles for minus yardage and 14.5 quarterback sacks. His 14.5 quarterbacks sacks ranks him 10th all-time at Maryland. He needs only one sack to move into eighth place on Maryland's all-time list. For his career, 26.6 percent of his tackles (29.5 of 111) have been for minus yardage while nearly 15 percent of his tackles have been quarterback sacks.
Year Total Tackles Minus Yardage QB Sacks
1996 64 15 (-61) 7 (-41)
1995 45 13 (-75) 6 (-52)
1994 2 1.5 (-10) 1.5 (-10)
Totals 111 29.5 (-146) 14.5 (-103)
BARTON LOOKING TO CONTINUE TREND
Junior Eric Barton finished the 1996 season with a career-high 106 tackles to lead the Terps. He begins the 1997 season looking to lead the Terps in tackles for the second consecutive season. Should he emerge as the Terps overall leader in tackles this season, he would become the sixth player in school history to do so in back-to-back seasons since tackles began being kept as a statistics at Maryland in 1969.
Rk Player Years Tackles
1. Ratcliff Thomas 1993, 94, 95 106, 137, 103
2. Eric Wilson 1983, 84 178, 160
Chuck Faucette 1985, 86 144, 151
Glenn Page 1989, 90 111, 102
Mike Jarmolowich 1991, 92 153, 110
BRIAN CUMMINGS AS THE TERPS' STARTING QUARTERBACK
1995
Sept. 2 Tulane W, 29-10
Sept. 9 N. Car. W, 32-18
Sept. 16 W. Virginia W, 31-17
Sept. 23 Duke W, 41-28
Oct. 21 Clemson L, 0-17
Oct. 28 at L'Ville L, 0-31
1996
Aug. 31 N. Illinois W, 30-6
Sept. 7 Ala.-Birm W, 39-15
Sept. 14 at Virginia L, 3-21
Oct. 12 at N. Car L, 7-38
Oct. 19 Wake For. W, 52-0
Nov. 2 at Clemson L, 3-35
Nov. 14 Ga. Tech W, 13-10
Nov. 23 at Fl. State L, 10-48
Cummings has an 8-6 record (57.1 winning percentage) and has started eight of the Terps' 11 victories in the last two seasons.
TERPS AT HOME AND AT NIGHT IN THE LAST TWO SEASONS
1995
Sept. 16 W. Virginia W, 31-17
Sept. 23 Duke W, 41-28
1996
Aug. 31 N. Illinois W, 30-6
Sept. 7 Ala.-Birm. W, 39-15
Nov. 14 Ga. Tech W, 13-10
Maryland has won 5 consecutive home game played at night in the last two seasons. The Terps have not lost in Byrd Stadium under the lights since November 5, 1994 when N.C. State won 47-45 on a field goal with six seconds remaining in the contest.
44 BOWLS AND 3 SUPER BOWLS
Ron Vanderlinden and his staff have participated as coaches or players in 44 collegiate bowl games and three super bowls.
Defensive line coach Rubin Carter played in SB XXI and XII and coached in SB XXII with the Denver Broncos.
RODGERS AND UNDERWOOD ARE A PRODUCTIVE DUO
Seniors Buddy Rodgers and Brian Underwood have finished as the top two Terp rushers in both of the last two seasons. During the last two seasons, the pair have combined for 1,904 yards; in the last three years they have rushed for a total of 2,214 yards. Rodgers and Underwood begin 1997 listed one and two on the Terps depth chart at tailback.
Player 1996 1995 1994 Total
Buddy Rodgers 447 (2) 718 (1) 130 (3) 1,295 (1)
Brian Underwood 449 (1) 290 (2) 180 (2) 919 (2)
Combined Totals 896 1,008 310 2,214
number in parenthesis equals team statistical finish in given season
FIRST-TIME STARTERS
Eight different Terp players could make their first career start versus Ohio in the season opener, including defensive backs Troy Davidson, Paul Jackson, Lewis Sanders and Lynde Washington. Earning possible starting roles on offense are wide receivers Moises Cruz and Doug Patterson, H-back Peter Timmins, left offensive guard Eric Timothy or Brad Messina and center Ben Thomas. On special teams, Scott Rudolph looks to have earned a starting position as the long snapper on placements and punts.
CUMMINGS PREPPING FOR A THREE-PEAT
Senior quarterback Brian Cummings enters the 1997 season looking to become only the third quarterback in school history to lead the Terps in passing yards during three consecutive seasons. He would join Maryland quarterback legends Jack Scarbath and Boomer Esiason as three-time Terp passing leaders.
Rk Player Years Yards
T1. Boomer Esiason 1981, 82, 83 1,635, 2,302, 2,322
Jack Scarbath 1950, 51, 52 463, 675, 1,149
OFFENSE PRODUCTIVE WITH FEUGILL AND GILLIAM ON LINE
Offensive linemen John Feugill and Darryl Gilliam will begin the season as starters for the Terps for the second consecutive season. Feugill and Gilliam will start their 15th and 17th consecutive games respectively along the offensive line in the 1997 season opener. Feugill started all 11 games of the 1996 season at left offensive tackle and the final three of the 1995 season at tight end. Gilliam has started every Terp game at left offensive tackle dating back to October 21, 1995.
Rushing Passing Total Points-Avg.
Yards Yards Offense
1996 1,490 1,485 2,975 187-17.0
1995 304 1,082 1,426 65-13.0
Totals 1,834 2,567 4,401 252-16.0
114.6 rypg 160.4 pypg 275.1 toypg 15.7 points
1995 totals include only the final five games of the season.
HISTORY OF THE UNIFORM
The Maryland football team will begin the 1997 season having undergone a number of changes since the end of last season.
Maybe the most noticeable change comes in the new black and white color scheme of the Terrapins' uniform.
At home the Terps will wear black shirts with white pants. The piping around the collar and the sleeve displays a red, white and gold checkerboard pattern.
On the road, the colors are reversed - white shirts and black pants.
The helmet is also newly designed. The helmet itself is a metallic black with a black facemask. Adorning the outside of the helmet is a red M (slanted to give it a "moving" look) and a waving segment of the state flag giving the helmet a distinctive Maryland flair.
It marks the first time since the 1991 season that the Terps have worn a predominantly back and white uniform.
When Maryland opened the 1942 season, first-year Head Coach Clark Shaughnessy changed the long standing tradition of black and gold uniforms and outfitted the team in red and white. The Stanford University team he had coached prior to coming to College Park had been attired in red and white and he insisted that color scheme would be more impressive than the traditional black and gold.
Shaughnessy left after one year to coach at the University of Pittsburgh, and for the next four years, the Terrapin football team returned to the traditional black and gold color scheme.
Shaughnessy returned to Maryland in 1946, stayed one season and changed the color scheme back to red and white.
Shaughnessy was asked to leave following the 1946 season and Jim Tatum came in, keeping the red and white because that is what he had grown accustomed to at the University of Oklahoma.
The color scheme used the dominant colors of red and white until the 1987 season when Joe Krivak unvalied black uniforms for select games.
MARYLAND'S TIES VERSUS OHIO IN THE SEASON OPENER
The Maryland football program and Head Coach Ron Vanderlinden have some familiarity with their 1997 opening day opponent, Ohio University. Bobcat Head Coach Jim Grobe is a University of Virginia graduate (1975 B.S. in education and 1978 M. Ed. in counseling). Grobe has competed against the Terps four times during his career; twice as player and twice as a graduate assistant coach for the Cavaliers. Each time Maryland has competed against Grobe, the Terps have participated in a bowl game (1973 Peach Bowl; 1974 Liberty Bowl; 1975 Gator Bowl; 1976 Cotton Bowl). In addition, Thomas Boeh, the Bobcats' Director of Athletics, was the Associate Director of Athletics at Northwestern University from 1991-1995 - Maryland's Vanderlinden was at Northwestern from 1992-96.
JIM GROBE AS A VIRGINIA CAVALIER VERSUS MARYLAND
Date Result Capacity
Nov. 10, 1973 Maryland 33, Virginia 0 starting middle guard
Nov. 23, 1974 Maryland 10, Virginia 0 starting linebacker
Nov. 22, 1975 Maryland 62, Virginia 24 graduate assistant coach
Nov. 20, 1976 Maryland 28, Virginia 0 graduate assistant coach
note - the 1973 and 1975 games were played in Byrd Stadium
OHIO TERP
Starting nose guard Delbert Cowsette (Cleveland) is the only player on the Terp roster from the state of Ohio.
TERPS ON THE AIR
All Maryland games are heard on the Learfield/Maryland Radio Network. Johnny Holliday, in his 18th season as the Voice of the Terps', handles the play-by-play while Ken Broo joins the broadcast team this season as the color analyst. WBAL (1090-AM) serves as the flagship station for the 12-station network. The Terps can be heard on WJKF - FM (106.7) in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
RON VANDERLINDEN'S WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCE
Head Coach Ron Vanderlinden will meet the media each week beginning September 2 at Noon on the second floor of the Tyser Tower Press Box. Following the first luncheon on the first Tuesday of September the media gathering will take place EVERY MONDAY THEREAFTER. BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 8, RON VANDERLINDEN'S PRESS CONFERENCE WILL BE MONDAYS AT NOON IN THE TYSER TOWER PRESS BOX.
ACC COACHES TELECONFERENCE
Beginning September 3, Ron Vanderlinden will be among the nine ACC coached featured on the weekly teleconference each Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Coach Vanderlinden can be heard from 11:40-11:50. Each coach will make an opening statement and take questions during the 10 minute period. The number for media access only is (212) 547-0297.
TERP GAMES ON TEAMLINE
Maryland fans can hear the live play-by-play of all 11 Terp games this season from any telephone in the world on TEAMLINE. Fans in the United States can dial 1-800-846-4700 and enter the Maryland Terrapins team code 5517 to access the games with a Visa or Mastercard.
TERPS ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB
All of the latest and most up-to date information on every aspect of Maryland athletics can be found on the World Wide Web at www.umterps.com. Net users can find the latest information of each of Maryland's 24 athletic teams, purchase tickets to upcoming events and find information on many other aspects of the Department of Athletics at Maryland.
