Maryland Athletics - University of Maryland Official Athletic Site - Football
Previewing The North Carolina Game....
University of Maryland Terrapins
(2-3, 0-2 ACC)
at
NO. 13 University of North Carolina Tar Heels
(4-1, 3-1 ACC)
October 12, 1996
Kenan Memorial Stadium
Chapel Hill, NC
7:00 p.m., EST
Live, ESPN 2
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"The former tight end has just outstanding speed for a perimeter player on defense. Some guys you can't take from the offensive side and put them on defense, but this guy relishes the opportunity to just be relentless."
-- Jefferson Pilot's Jack Corrigan and Rick Walker on Maryland defensive end Eric Ogbogu.
NOTES OF THE WEEK
--Maryland intercepted four Carolina passes in its 32-18 win over the Tar Heels in 1995.
--A.J Johnson was named Sports Illustrated's Defensive Player of the Week after he posted two interceptions, a forced fumble and six tackles against UNC last year.
--Buddy Rodgers needs nine yards to become the 19th Terp since 1950 to rush for 1,000 yards in a career.
--Redshirt freshman Ken Mastrole completed nine consecutive passes against NC State.
--Simon's 52-yard reception was the longest by a Terp since Sept. 28, 1995 versus Georgia Tech.
OVERALL: Maryland trails, 15-29-1
LAST YEAR: Maryland, 32-18
LAST MARYLAND WIN: 1996, 32-18
LAST MARYLAND WIN AT Chapel Hill: 1989, 38-0.
UNC 7 3 8 0 18
MD 0 7 18 7 32
Passing- Cummings- 10-18-0, 180 yds, 1 TD, Long 12
UNC Thomas- 20-34-4, 252 yds, O TD, Long 30
Rushing- Rodgers- 22-71, 1 TD; Underwood- 7-11, 0 TD
UNC Linton- 14-102, 2 TD; Johnson- 15-69, 0 TD
Receiving- Lewis- 6-108, 0 TD; Johnson- 2-82, Long 50
UNC Montoro- 4-72, 0 TD, Long 30; Barnes- 4-60, 0 TD
Attendance- 32,215
SIMON STARS
Senior Biletnikoff Award candidate Geroy Simon has caught at least one pass in 30 consecutive games and
in 34 of 38 career games overall. The last time Simon did not catch a pass was versus Clemson on October
30, 1993. Simon has caught 171 passes for 1,829 yards, an average of 10.7 yards per reception. He has
caught 12 passes for 95 yards during his career versus North Carolina. He has caught a pass versus each
team in the ACC. He has also performed very well against ranked teams during his career with 47 catches
for 483 yards versus ranked teams.
Opponent Rank Catches Yards Avg. Year
West Virginia, #23 3 24 8.0 1996
Virginia, #23 4 61 15.3 1996
Florida State, #6 16 124 7.8 1995
Virginia, #16 6 74 12.3 1995
North Carolina, #17 9 88 9.8 1994
Florida State, #4 3 60 20.0 1994
Florida State, #1 1 10 10.0 1993
Penn State, #8 1 7 7.0 1993
West Virginia, #24 3 28 9.3 1993
North Carolina, #15 1 7 7.0 1993
Totals 47 483 10.3
THOMAS CONTINUES TO PILE UP TACKLES
Senior Butkus Award candidate Ratcliff Thomas enters the game versus North Carolina with 379
tackles. He is currently ranked sixth all-time at Maryland and needs only four tackles to surpass former
Terp linebacker Scott Saylor to move into fifth place. After missing the first two games of the 1996
season, Thomas has returned with 28 tackles in three games, an average of nearly 10 per contest. Thomas
is looking to become the first player in school history to lead the Terps in tackles over four consecutive
seasons.
THOMAS' TACKLES - YEAR BY YEAR
Year UT AT Total Tackles Avg/game
1996 18 14 32 10.6
1995 63 40 103 9.4
1994 82 55 137 12.5
1993 77 30 107 9.7
Total 240 139 379 10.5
UNDERWOOD'S RUSHING TOTAL - YEAR BY YEAR
Redshirt junior Brian Underwood has rushed for 173 yards
in five games this season, an average of 34.6 yards per game. His season high is 290 yards during the
1995 season. He is quickly approaching his second best season total of his career, 180 yards in 1994, and
needs only eight yards versus the Tar Heels to surpass that total. Underwood averages 4.1 yards per
carry for his three game career.
Season Yards Carries RPC
1995 290 73 4.0
1994 180 41 4.4
1996 173 41 4.2
Totals 643 155 4.1
RODGERS NEARING 1,000 CAREER YARDS
Junior running back Buddy Rodgers needs only nine yards tonight versus North Carolina to become the 19th
Terp runner since 1950 to gain 1,000 career yards. Rodgers was limited to one carry versus N.C. State
and averages 28.6 yards per game on 40 carries. His 40 carries so far this season is the second most for
a single season by the former high school All-American. His career high of 158 carries and 718 career
yards came during the 1995 season. The honorable mention All-ACC selection in 1995 was the seventh
leading rusher in the conference last season.
Name Career Yards
1. Charlie Wysocki (1978-81) 3,317
2. Steve Atkins (1975-78) 2,971
3. Louis Carter (1971-74) 2,674
4. Rick Badanjek (1982-85) 2,417
5. Alvin Blount (1983-86) 2,158
18. Jim Joyce (1957-59) 1,098
19. Buddy Rodgers (1994-Present) 991
DEFENSIVE BACKS TURNING IN STRONG SPECIAL TEAMS PERFORMANCES
Seniors Lamont Gore and Chad Scott are not only valuable weapons in the Terps backfield where they are
among the team leaders in interceptions, pass breaks up and tackles, but they also combine to form one of
the top kickoff return tandems in the in the ACC. Gore returned three kicks for 58 yards versus N.C. State
while Scott returned two for 33 yards versus N.C. State. For Gore, it marked the first three kick returns
of his career while Scott now averages 21.2 yards per return on 35 returns during his career. Gore
claimed team high honors as he returned a kick for 22 yards versus the Wolfpack. Gore and Scott combined
for five returns for 91 yards versus N.C. State, an average of 18.2 yards per return.
CHARTING GORE AND SCOTT ON DEFENSE & SPECIAL TEAMS
Opponent INT INT Yards PBU Tackles KOR KOR Yards
Northern Illinois 1 0 15 0 1 28
Alabama Birmingham 0 0 6 1 2 47
Virginia 1 12 11 2 1 17
West Virginia 0 0 12 1 3 69
N.C. State 0 0 11 0 5 91
2 12 55 4 12 252
(totals are combined for both players)
SIMON CONTINUES TO CLIMB RECEPTIONS LIST WITH STRONG OUTING VERSUS NC STATE
Senior Biletnikoff Award candidate Geroy Simon caught three passes for 66 yards versus N.C. State. His
22.0 yards per reception average marked the highest single game average of his career and the third time
that he had averaged 20 or more yards per catch. He now has 171 career receptions for 1,829 yards. He
is only 23 catches shy of becoming the all-time ACC career leader in receptions. Former Terp and current
Baltimore Raven Jermaine Lewis holds both the ACC and Maryland records for career receptions with 193.
BILETNIKOFF AWARD CANDIDATE SIMON ON THE ACC
AND MARYLAND CAREER RECEPTION LISTS
Rank Atlantic Coast Conference Recpts.
1. Jermaine Lewis, MD, 1992-95 193
2. Clarkston Hines, Duke, 1986-89 189
3. Ricky Proehl, Wake, 1986-89 188
4. Geroy Simon, Maryland, 1993- 171
5. Roger Boone, Duke, 1986-89 168
Rank University of Maryland Recpts.
1. Jermaine Lewis, 1992-95 193
2. Geroy Simon, 1993-Present 171
BILETNIKOFF AWARD CANDIDATE SIMON ALSO ADDS TO CAREER YARDAGE TOTAL
Senior Biletnikoff Award candidate Geroy Simon had three catches for 66 yards versus N.C. State He now
has 1,829 career receiving yards which places him into third place all-time at the University of Maryland
in career receiving yards. Former Terp and current Baltimore Raven Jermaine Lewis holds the Maryland
records for career receiving yards with 2,932.
SIMON ON THE MARYLAND CAREER RECEIVING YARDAGE LISTS
Rank University of Maryland Yards
1. Jermaine Lewis, 1992-95 2.932
2. Azizuddin Abdur-Ra'oof, 1984-87 1,895
3. Geroy Simon, 1993-Present 1,829
SIMON'S FIRST DOWN RECEPTIONS
Senior wide receiver Geroy Simon continued his extraordinary possession receiving versus N.C. State as
all three catches during the game were long enough for first downs. For the season, Simon has caught 21
passes and 15 have resulted in a first down for the Terps.
Rpt 1st Downs Pct.
vs. Northern Ill 2 1 .500
vs. UAB 9 7 .778
vs. Virginia 4 3 .750
vs. West Virginia 3 1 .333
vs. N.C. State 3 3 1.00
21 15 .714
UNDERWOOD LEADS TERPS IN RUSHING FOR THIRD TIME THIS SEASON; NOW TEAM LEADER
Redshirt junior
Brian Underwood enters the game versus North Carolina with 173 total rushing yards to lead the
Terps in that category. He has led Maryland in rushing in three of the five games played so far this season
and averages 34.6 yards per game. He rushed for a game high 48 yards versus N.C State. He also led the
team with 74 yards versus Northern Illinois and 59 versus Alabama Birmingham.
FRESHMAN MASTROLE IMPROVING WITH EXPERIENCE
Redshirt freshman quarterback Ken Mastrole showed
steady improvement against NC State in his second consecutive start. Mastrole completed nine consecutive
passes between Maryland's final two possessions of the third quarter and its first two possessions of the
fourth quarter. On Maryland's 16-play, 81-yard scoring drive, he connected on all five of his attempts for
a total of 38 yards through the air. He also completed a career best 52-yard pass to Geroy Simon with nine
minutes remaining in the game. He showed nice touch by lofting a pass to tight end Tim Brown for a two
point conversion. For the game, Mastrole completed more than 50 % of his passes by connecting on 15 of
28 attempts for 140 yards.
TERPS AVERAGE MORE ON THE GROUND THAN TROUGH THE AIR
Maryland, which has been known for the
pass much more than the rush during the Mark Duffner era at Maryland, has handed the ball off to its
running backs at a staggering rate so far this season. The Terps have totaled more rushing plays than
passing plays in four of its five games this season. During Duffner's first 44 games at Maryland, the Terps
rushed more than they passed in only 17 games. Maryland's 55 rushing attempts versus Alabama
Birmingham was the most by a Terp team during the Mark Duffner era. Entering the 1996 season, Duffner
coached teams had averaged 36.8 running plays and just over 40 passing per game. This season the Terps
are averaging 42 running play s a game and 24.4 passing plays per game
Total Rush/Per Game Total Pass/Per Game
1995 385/35.0 362/32.9
1994 319/29.0 428/38.9
1993 381/34.6 473/43.0
1992 432/39.3 514/46.7
Totals 1,517/36.8 1,777/40.3
1996 210/42.0 122/24.4
Difference +5.2 -15.9
TERPS DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD KEEPING OPPONENTS OUT OF THE ENDZONE
Maryland's defense has allowed only three touchdowns through the air so far this season, an average of 0.6
per game. In the last 16 games, Maryland's opponents have scored only 11 touchdowns via the pass, an
average of 0.70 per game. Much of the credit goes to Maryland's starting defensive backfield of
cornerbacks A.J. Johnson and Chad Scott and safeties Lamont Gore and Andre Hentz. Only one team, N.C.
State, has passed for more than one TD in a single game and the Terps did not allow a passing touchdown to
Northern Illinois, Virginia or West Virginia. Maryland defense has twice as many interceptions, 6, as
touchdown passes allowed, 3.
Opponent Oppt Passing TD Terp Int.
Northern Illinois 0 1
Alabama-Birmingham 1 1
Virginia 0 3
West Virginia 0 1
N.C. State 2 0
Totals 3 6
OFFENSIVE LONGEVITY LEADS TO PAYDIRT
Redshirt freshman Ken Mastrole led Maryland on its longest sustained drive of the season for the Terps
fourth quarter touchdown versus N.C. State. Mastrole led the Terps on a 16-play, 81-yard drive which ran
off 6:14 from the clock. Running back Brian Underwood capped the drive with a one yard touchdown run.
The 16-play drive marked the third time this season the Terps' offense has sustained a drive of at least 12
plays and put points on the score board. The Terps shortest offensive drive of the season was engineered
by junior quarterback Brian Cummings and was a two play, 28 yard drive that lastED 41 seconds and
resulted in a touchdown versus Alabama Birmingham.
LONGEST OFFENSIVE DRIVES LEADING TO SCORES IN 1996
Opponent Plays Yards Time Result
N.C. State 16 81 6:14 Touchdown (Underwood, 1 yard rush)
Northern Ill 13 70 6:42 Touchdown (Cummings, 8 yard rush)
Alabama Birm 12 46 5:01 Field Goal (O'Donnell, 42 yards)
Virginia 9 28 4:47 Field Goal (O'Donnell, 45 yards)
Northern Ill 6 88 2:23 Touchdown (Ogle, 1 yard rush)
TAKING TIME OFF THE CLOCK
Maryland's 16 play touchdown drive versus N.C. State was its longest drive
of the season in terms of total plays but was only its second longest in terms of total time. Brian
Cummings' third quarter touchdown versus Northern Illinois on August 31 used 6:42 on the clock thus
allowing the Terps defense to stay off of the field. The Terps defense returned the favor and shut the
Huskies defense down while not allowing them to score a single point during the second half.
SCOTT HELPING OUT ON DEFENSE AND SPECIAL TEAMS
Senior co-captain Chad Scott is the team leader in
kickoff returns with a 21.6 yards per return average on nine kickoff returns. He averaged a career-high
23.0 yards per return on three returns versus West Virginia. He returned a career- high four kicks for a
career-high 84 yards versus Georgia Tech on Sept. 28, 1995.
TERPS TOP ALL-TIME KICK-OFF RETURNERS*
Rank Player, Years No. Yds. Avg.
1. Timmy Quander, 1981-82 28 714 25.5
2. Larry Marshall, 1969-71 65 1,507 23.2
3. Louis Carter, 1972-74 45 1,113 22.2
4. Jermaine Lewis, 1992-95 34 723 21.3
5. Bren Lowery, 1986-89 51 1,091 21.3
6. Chad Scott, 1995- 35 745 21.2
7. K. Covington, 1983-86 75 1,520 21.1
(* Minimum 25 career returns)
CUMMINGS IN THE ALL-TIME COMPLETION PERCENTAGE TOP 10
Quarterback Brian Cummings is currently ranked seventh in pass completion percentage in school history.
Rank .Pct Comp./Att. Player, Years
1. .662 650/982 Scott Milanovich (1992-95)
2. .629 132/210 Frank Reich (1983-84)
3. .590 231-394 Bob Avellini (1972-74)
4. .5882 180-306 Larry Dick (1975, 77)
5. .5881 387-658 Neil O'Donnell (1987-89)
6. .582 127-218 Dale Betty (1958-60)
7. .575 130-226 Brian Cummings (1994-Present)
O'DONNELL KICKING UP HIS HEELS
Senior placekicker Joe O'Donnell, with a 80 percent success rate on his career field goals during his
three-year career at Maryland, is the most accurate kicker in school history. He has connected on 20 of 25
attempts during his 21 game career in College Park. He became only the eighth kicker in school history to
kick 20 or more fields goals during his career as he split the uprights in the third quarter of Maryland's
game versus Virginia on September 7. He ranks eighth on the all-time list of field goals made while his 25
career attempts rank him 10th all-time.
Rank Player, Years FGM FGA .PCT
1. Joe O'Donnell (1994-) 20 25 .800
2. Dan Plocki (1985-88) 47 63 .746
3. Dan DeArmas (1988-91) 32 43 .744
4. Jess Atkinson (1981-84) 60 82 .731
5. K. Behbahani (70-71) 12 19 .631
6. John Hannigan (1961-62) 22 36 .611
7. Mike Sachko (1975-76) 17 28 .607
8. Dale Castro (1979-80) 27 39 .692
9. Ed Loncar (1976-78) 22 41 .537
10. S. Mike-Meyer (72-74) 37 71 .521
COMING OUT STRONG
The Maryland defense has allowed a total of three points in the first quarter through
five games. A prime example of the defense's toughness in the opening stanza occurred against the
Wolfpack. After Maryland's offense fumbled on its own three, the defense tipped a Loreano pass on first
down, stuffed a run up the middle for no gain on second down, and recovered a backward pass on third down
to keep NC State out of the endzone. The Terps surrendered only eight total yards rushing in the first
quarter against the Wolfpack.
FINISHING WITH A BANG
The Terps gained 69 % of their total offense in the final quarter against the Pack.
Mastrole threw for 96 yards and completed seven of his last thirteen attempts in the last quarter. The
Terps compiled a total of 135 yards in the final 15 minutes of play.
CONSECUTIVE GAMES FORCING A TURNOVER
Maryland has forced a total of 13 turnovers and at least one
turnover in five consecutive games in 1996. The school record for consecutive games with at least one
turnover is nine games, set from 1986 to 1987. The Terps have forced 13 turnovers on six interceptions
and seven fumble recoveries. Defensive lineman Delbert Cowsette scored a touchdown after scooping up a
fumble and running 49 yards against Northern Illinois.
THIRD DOWN CONVERSION
Maryland stopped NC State on 12 of 16 third down conversions. On the season,
the Terps have allowed only 20 successful third down conversions on 80 attempts.
Opp. Successful 3rd Down Conv.
Northern Illinois 7 of 16
UAB 3 of 14
Virginia 4 of 16
WVA 2 of 18
NC State 4 of 16
Total 20 of 80 (25 %)
