April 27, 1997
Sophomore Grabs Chance to Play FB, Runs with It
Timmins Shifts from LB in Terps' New Offense
By Paul McMullen, The Baltimore Sun
COLLEGE PARK , Md. - In a Maryland spring game in which
there were more drops than receptions, fullback Peter Timmins was
asked about the only ball he touched, a 24 yard catch and run that
was the offensive highlight for his White team.
Had many balls thrown your way before, Pete?
"Never," Timmins said. "I've never played offense in my life.
Take that back. My freshman year in high school, I was the
quarterback on the JV, but I was sacked more times than I completed
passes. After that, I became a linebacker."
An abundance of talent at inside linebacker and a lack of size
in the Terps' backfield led to his switch to offense three weeks
ago. After three weeks of practice, the sophomore finished the
spring as the No.1 fullback, but Timmins understands that the
lessons have just begun after a 17-0 win for the Red that included
just one offensive touchdown.
Under first-year coach Ron Vanderlinden, the Terps will run
their third offense in as many seasons. Maryland finished last in
the Atlantic Coast Conference in yards gained each of the past two
years, and the most recent offensive shake-up will require a
multi-talented, H-back type, the likes of which the Terps haven't
seen since Frank Wychek.
Enter Timmins, 6 feet 3 and 217 pounds. He was a prep standout
in Staten Island, N.Y., but had the misfortune of entering Maryland
with Eric Barton, who led the Terps in tackles as a freshman.
Vanderlinden asked Timmins to play catch for a few minutes as the
second week of spring practice began, and he was open to suggestion.
"Eric has always been an outstanding player, and I didn't see
that changing," Timmins said. "I saw the opportunity for more
playing time on offense, but honestly, when Coach asked me to catch
some balls that one day, I thought it was for tight end. I caught
some over my shoulders and I guess he liked what he saw.
"I've played basketball my entire life, and I think that's going
to help, but there is so much to pick up. Not necessarily the
scheme, but the technique. As a linebacker, everything was about
getting off a block. As a fullback, it's about staying on one."
Timmins didn't get any carries yesterday before an estimated
crowd of 2,500 at Byrd Stadium, but he did make a sure grab on the
one pass that came his way.
"The first play he ran with the offense in practice, he ran a
seam down the middle and made a nice, over-the-shoulder catch for a
long gain," said Mike Locksley, who coaches the Terps' running
backs. "This is not an easy adjustment for him to make, but this
offense allows him to be aggressive.
"Peter's got the body type and mentality to handle the demands
of the position. He's a good blocker, but at the same time his
hand-eye coordination is excellent. I think the experiment worked
out perfectly."
Unless Eric James, who's still at Anacostia High in Washington,
is more mature than your average freshman, Timmins will be the
starting fullback when the Terps open next September.
Brian Cummings solidified his hold on the No.1 quarterback spot,
completing 10 of 15 for 90 yards for the Red team. The Red's first
touchdown came on the third play, when Ernest Grier intercepted Ken
Mastrole and ran 23 yards.
Cummings used play-action on Red's first possession to find
sophomore fullback Kenny Rogers for a 5-yard touchdown. The Red
added a 46-yard field goal by Brad Rhodes, and the good news for the
Terps on that side also included a strong showing by Damone Boone,
as the tailback helped his stock with 58 yards on nine carries.
NOTES: The Terps released tentative starting times for their six
home games. Ohio University (Sept.6), North Carolina (Sept.20) and
Duke (Oct.4) are set for 6 p.m.; West Virginia (Oct.11), Clemson
(Oct.25) and Virginia (Nov.1) will start at 1 p.m. The Clemson game
will serve as homecoming. ... After a flea flicker on Red's first
offensive play, both offenses were pretty vanilla. ... Vanderlinden
split his squad evenly. ... Right tackle John Feugill,
rehabilitating a broken foot, was given the chance to select his
team, and he went with White. "Those guys [Red] are going to talk
so much trash."
