In their final 11 games last season, the Maryland Terrapins were a college football juggernaut. Their offense was explosive. Their defense was dominant. Their special teams were superb. From late September on, they pounded everyone they played - with one exception.
Virginia 48, Maryland 13.
That result at Scott Stadium on Nov. 23 was an aberration for the Terrapins, who won their other 10 games from Sept. 21 through Dec. 31 by an average of 27.7 points.
So what happened that afternoon? And how can Maryland (6-3, 3-2 ACC), which again is playing well after another slow start, avoid letting the same thing happen against the Cavaliers (5-4, 3-3) on Thursday night at Byrd Stadium?
Ralph Friedgen thinks he has the answer to those questions. At least he hopes he does. Maryland’s coach quickly gives credit to Virginia for an outstanding performance in the blowout. But, he also says, “I take a lot of the blame for that.”
Following a Saturday-night game the week before at Clemson, the Terrapins returned home Sunday morning and went through a rigorous practice Monday.
“A lot of our kids were complaining they were tired and I didn’t listen to them,” Friedgen said. He conducted practices as usual the rest of the week. Then, he believes, fatigue may have played a factor against Virginia.
Maryland led 7-0 after one quarter but gave up 34 straight points. Friedgen says he has watched tape of the game 10 times and his players looked “tired and little bit out of it,” he said. A bunch of small mistakes - a missed field goal, a dropped pass, an early interception – added up to a big defeat that snapped an eight-game winning streak and ended hopes for a second straight ACC title.
Friedgen curtailed practice the following week and the Terrapins beat Wake Forest by 18 points. They then clobbered Tennessee, 30-3, in the Peach Bowl to finish 11-3.
In many ways, this season has unfolded much like the last one. After dropping its first two games, Maryland has won six of seven to move into third place in the ACC standings.
Defense and special teams have carried the Terrapins, who have allowed just 75 points in their past seven games. They are second in the ACC with 28 sacks and have held opponents to a 49.4 completion percentage.
UVa coach Al Groh said he thinks Maryland’s special teams may be even better than last year, when they had the All-ACC kicker (Nick Novak), punter (Brooks Barnard) and return man (Steve Suter).
Novak, an Albemarle High product who has made 18 of 22 field-goal attempts this season, and Suter are back. Adam Podlesh is averaging 43.7 yards per punt with an ACC-best net of 40.3.
“I think they have a tremendous punt team,” Groh said. “As good as their [punter] was last year, I think this one’s even better. He gets great distance and gets excellent direction and gets it off very quickly. They have really terrific coverage. It’s been a tremendous field-position creator for Maryland in most games.”
Maryland’s offense has been more inconsistent, especially quarterback Scott McBrien. The senior was 12th in the NCAA in passing efficiency last year, but he has been erratic on many occasions this season. The offensive line also has struggled at times and injuries have taken a toll.
McBrien suffered a concussion during a 7-3 loss at Georgia Tech on Oct. 23, the team’s only blemish since early defeats at Northern Illinois and Florida State. Tailback Bruce Perry, the 2001 ACC offensive player of the year, has not practiced this week because of a sprained ankle and Friedgen called him “doubtful” for Thursday’s game.
Still, the offense broke out in Maryland’s last game, a 59-21 victory over North Carolina. Though the Tar Heels have a dreadful defense, Friedgen said the output - including 39 points in the second quarter, an ACC record - was a good sign.
“I think our team all year has been playing offensively very tight,” he said.
“They’ve been afraid to make mistakes. I emphasized that they need to come out and just play. They had been practicing very well but not playing that well in games, which is unusual. I think [against UNC] they went out and let it happen.”
Now Friedgen hopes what happened against Virginia last year won’t happen again. He has abridged the practice schedule as the season has progressed in an effort to keep his team fresh. Like Groh, he gave his players most of last week off.
“Maybe I learned something from that, too,” Friedgen said. “We’ll see. We’ll see how it goes.”
Last year’s Maryland game was Connor Hughes’ coming out party.
The true freshman place-kicker had booted a few extra points after being promoted as Virginia’s starting kicker, but considering that his predecessor had gone into a field goal slump at midseason, Wahoo fans were anxious to see what the new kid could do. Four seconds into the second quarter of the game, with the Terrapins leading 7-0, Hughes lined up for his first collegiate field goal attempt ... from 47 yards out.
Egad ... that’s a pretty good test for a rookie on his first try. But Hughes came through big-time, making the kick as UVa scored 20 points in the quarter and went on to knock off the nationally-ranked Terps. The kicker from Lafayette High in Williamsburg hasn’t slowed down since.
Turning some heads
He’s 14 for 15 this season (.933), which is the third-highest percentage in the nation. Hughes’ success has placed him among the 20 semifinalists for the annual Lou Groza Award, which is symbolic of the best collegiate kicker in the country.
“I thought it was an awesome way to start my career because it was a long kick and people don’t have any expectations for a long one,” Hughes said this week about his 47-yarder against Maryland. “That definitely gave me a huge confidence boost.”
He went on to make 5 of 6 last season and continued his string of successful field goals to 13 straight dating back to 2002 before misfiring on a 40-yarder against Troy State, one short of tying the school record for consecutive boots. Still, he is 19 of 21, the best percentage in Wahoo history at this point of his young career.
Raising the Bahr
While the coaches didn’t think Hughes was ready until the second half of the season last year, they were encouraged about his prospects because the freshman reminded the staff of Matt Bahr, who had a successful career in the NFL.
“Matt Bahr might as well have been a robot,” said UVa coach Al Groh. “It was like his leg was on a track with ball bearings. His right shoulder and head were on the same track. Everything moved that way every time and he had tremendous consistency.”
Groh saw that potential in Hughes during daily evaluations leading up to him replacing fellow freshman Kurt Smith.
“Even before he was kicking in the games last year, before it appeared he was ready, one of the things that made us feel so hopeful about Connor is that he reminded us so much of Bahr,” Groh said. “Connor has that same kind of easy swing, good consistency, hits the ball the same every time and his ball is straight.”
Straight as an arrow
If you’ve paid attention, then you’ve seen other kickers’ balls curve with a draw or slice that starts out one way, then slowly bends the other way, sometimes missing. Coaches believe that even if a kicker misses and the ball sails straight, then there’s just some minor corrections to make toward the target.
“Connor kicks a real straight ball, he’s very consistent in his mechanics, his impact point is much the same all the time,” Groh said. “I don’t think he’s on a hot streak ... I just think he’s a very consistent kicker.”
Hughes is already the first place-kicker in UVa history to boot more than one 50-yard kick in his career. He had a 53-yard boomer to tie the Wake Forest game at 24-all with 1:51 remaining and kicked a 52-yarder against N.C. State. By the way, he nailed a 38-yarder with 10 seconds left to win the Wake game in the Cavaliers’ come-from-behind win.
“By far, the Wake game was my greatest experience as a college kicker,” Hughes said. “To get into a position like that was a blessing, not only for myself but for the team.”
His strong leg was developed in high school, where he played both soccer and football and where he was recruited to the Lafayette football team by fellow UVa teammate Kase Luzar. So, when Groh calls for a 50+ kick, Hughes is not intimidated.
“I felt confident when I lined up for [the 53-yarder against Wake],” Hughes said. “I have an aggressive mentality that I’m going to make the kick.”
While some high school kickers have a difficult time making the transition to college where they have to kick the ball off the ground, rather than on a tee, Hughes has thrived. Just goofing off in high school, he once booted a 63-yarder. At UVa, he kicked a 60-yarder one day in practice.
“One of the other kickers told me back up some more but I said, nah, that I might hurt something,” Hughes said.
His consistency not only comes from the Bahr-like qualities that Groh elaborated on but on a positive attitude. Some of that came from his father, Brent, who is director of tennis at Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg.
“My dad always talks a lot about positive attitude and although I didn’t like it at the time, I appreciate it now that I’m in college,” Hughes said.
Kicking a football is a lot like hitting a golf ball consistently. Much of the skill is mental and therefore the positive outlook is a key ingredient to success. Hughes finds himself writing little notes, scribbling out something like, “100 percent,” or “made all my kicks today.”
He has reinforced that with prayer and thinking more about his teammates than himself.
“My mindset is staying focused on helping the team win and not to get involved in personal statistics,” Hughes said. “Every kick is out there as a reward for the offense.”
The kicker prefers not to know how he compares to the rest of the nation’s booters, although he admitted sneaking a peak at some kicking statistics early in the season, then wishing he hadn’t. And, he said it didn’t help that when he was lining up to kick a field goal in a home game at Scott Stadium, the big screen that overlooks the field read, “Still 100 Per Cent.”
Missed the kick, something that really eats away at the self-confessed perfectionist. So, what happens when a rare miss occurs?
“I still have a short memory,” Hughes chuckled.
That, too, is a key attribute to being a kicker.
The Tydings Cup?
Virginia and Maryland used to play football for the Tydings Cup, but not since
1938, and a report that the tradition was being revived is erroneous.
By Doug Doughty
doug.doughty@roanoke.com
981-3129
Although the Maryland-Virginia rivalry has reached the point where the ACC has
declared the two schools "scheduling partners," the time has not come to revive
the Tydings Cup.
That's why UVa athletic director Craig Littlepage was surprised to learn that
the Tydings Cup would be presented to the winner of the Cavaliers' football game
Thursday with the Terrapins.
"Apparently, the Baltimore Sun wrote that this cup is being resurrected when, in
fact, that is not the case," Littlepage said. "We had some discussions about it,
but with the possibility of expansion, we weren't even sure that Maryland and
Virginia would be playing on a periodic basis."
When the ACC accepted Miami and Virginia Tech, football-playing members were
placed in a five-team Division A or a six-team Division B.
Maryland and Virginia ultimately were placed in Divisions A and B, respectively,
with the provision that they would meet annually as each other's scheduling
partner.
However, those decisions weren't made until this fall, long after the Tydings
Cup first became an issue.
"When they asked me about it, I deferred," Littlepage said. "Already, we've got
the Commonwealth Cup with Virginia Tech, the longest-running series in the south
with North Carolina and the Jefferson-Eppes Cup with Florida State.
"Coach [Al] Groh wasn't interested, at least a year ago, in adding another cup."
The cup was named for the Tydings family, long prominent in Maryland politics.
"I believe that the last time this was done was 1938 - some time before the
second world war," Littlepage said. "So, it doesn't have a recent history."
Even when Virginia Tech joins the ACC in 2004-2005, Virginia's closest
geographical rival - barely - will be Maryland. Charlottesville is approximately
120 miles from Blacksburg and 110 from College Park, Md.
Maryland is the only ACC school to which all Virginia teams travel by bus and
fans from both schools can easily attend games, but the rivalry hasn't been
noted for its passion.
"I don't know that I would agree with that," Littlepage said. "In my opinion,
the dynamic has changed a lot in recent years.
"When you look at the strides Maryland has made in its [men's] basketball
program, I think you'd have to say that the Maryland game has become one of the
top two games on our schedule, both for the intensity of the play and the
anticipation of the fans."
In men's basketball, Maryland will be one of Virginia's two scheduling partners,
along with Virginia Tech. Those are the only ACC teams that Virginia will play
on a home-and-home basis.
It has been an unusually strange series, with Virginia winning nine straight
games and 10 of 11 between 1992-2002.
Before that, Maryland had 16 consecutive victories over UVa between 1972-87.
"Prior to the recent time frame, it always seemed as if one program was up and
the other one was in the middle of the road or on a downturn," Littlepage said.
"Now, for the first time in a long time, both programs appear to be moving
upward."
Waiting weighs on Cavs' Snelling
Former L.C. Bird player sacrificed football season to clear up medical issues
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Nov 12, 2003
CHARLOTTESVILLE During University of Virginia home football games, Jason
Snelling can be found in the stands at Scott Stadium. He might prefer to go
unnoticed, but spectators invariably recognize Snelling, whom they'd much rather
see on the field.
"I hear a lot of things: 'What's wrong?' 'Wish you were out there.' 'Are you
going to come back?'" Snelling said.
To that last question, Snelling now answers in the affirmative.
"I'm full go," he said. "It's definitely not something that's going to hold me
out from playing. It's just something that needed to be fixed."
A former L.C. Bird High star, Snelling has battled a medical condition since
enrolling at U.Va. in 2002, and he opted to sit out this season to improve his
health.
"That's the main reason I redshirted, to get it under control," Snelling said,
"but I'm 100 percent now."
In a recent interview, Snelling chose not to reveal the specifics of his
condition. But he said the symptoms included migraine headaches that first
flared up during the spring of his senior year at Bird.
Snelling's condition resurfaced last season and forced him to miss two games,
including U.Va.'s win over West Virginia in the Continental Tire Bowl. He went
through spring practice and summer workouts with the team, but after more
problems arose during training camp in August, Snelling and Virginia coach Al
Groh de- cided a redshirt season was advised.
"When I first started getting them, it just came out of the blue," Snelling
said. "But I don't worry about it any more. I feel the doctors and I have got it
under control."
His neurologist settled on medication that has enabled Snelling, 19, to resume
practicing at full speed. The 6-1, 235-pound fullback, who had an enormous
impact as a true freshman, can't wait to play again.
"I've never missed a football season," Snelling said. "It's really hard."
His absence has been hard, too, on U.Va. (3-3, 5-4), whose offense has sputtered
at times late in close games. Snelling, who started two games in 2002, has
playmaking skills that the Cavaliers' other fullbacks don't possess.
Coming out of Bird, where he was an All-Metro tailback, Snelling wasn't a
heralded recruit. But he quickly became one of quarterback Matt Schaub's
favorite targets, catching 31 passes for 314 yards and four touchdowns in 12
games. Snelling rushed nine times for 38 yards.
"He obviously has a very high skill level," Groh said. "He's very versatile in
what he can do. Every time I watch him out on the [practice] field, I have ideas
about what we can do with him. I think he's going to bring a lot to the offense,
but that's for another time."
After doctors cleared Snelling to resume practicing, Groh could have chosen to
play him this fall. However tempting that might have been, Groh decided to stay
the course.
In terms of Snelling's "overall career, his overall circumstance, his academic
success, the development of his body, his development of skills rather than just
learning plays, this is going to be a big aid for him over the next three years
here, and it's probably going to create his long-term future for him," Groh
said.
"But it certainly did take a lot of skill off the field for us in the short
term."
Snelling doesn't accompany the Cavaliers on road trips, which has allowed him to
catch some of his brother T.J.'s football games at Virginia Military Institute.
That's made a difficult situation better for him. Still, Snelling misses
playing, and he misses the support of his grandfather James Sherman, who died of
cancer this fall.
"It was like he knew there was never any question of me getting back on the
field," Snelling said.
"He'd always say he was going to get healthy for me, and I always used that as
motivation. It always kept me going."
Nigerian center commits to Virginia
By Dave Johnson
Published November 12, 2003
Having already landed a point guard and a wing, Virginia's basketball recruiting
took the next logical step: Obtaining a post player.
Tunji Soroye, A 6-foot-10 center who earlier this year played on the Nigerian
junior national team, became the Cavaliers' third and final commitment Tuesday
night. He is not expected to sign during the early period, which begins today,
on the advice of his head coach.
"That's the intelligent thing to do," said Stu Vetter of Montrose Christian in
Rockville, Md. "That way, the player's in control in case something happens. But
he has committed, and in my mind that's just as good."
Vetter said Soroye will either sign a national letter-of-intent or a non-binding
grant-in-aid next spring.
Soroye played behind Linas Kleiza, now a freshman at Missouri, last season, but
Vetter expects him to see an expanded role this year.
"He's going to be more of a focal point," he said. "He's got a lot of potential.
Right now, his primary talent is defense. He's an outstanding shot blocker."
Virginia's earlier commitments were point guard Sean Singletary and swingman
Adrian Joseph, both of whom are expected to sign today. Having signed five
players last year, Virginia has reached its limit for the 2004 class because of
the NCAA's "five-eight" rule.
McBrien still hurting from concussion
Suffering with headaches for two weeks, QB says, 'It bothers me all the time'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Kevin Van Valkenburg
Sun Staff
Originally published November 12, 2003
COLLEGE PARK - Scott McBrien isn't going to lie. More than two weeks later, his
head still hurts.
"It bothers me all the time," said McBrien, who suffered a concussion in
Maryland's 7-3 loss to Georgia Tech on Oct. 23. "Once the game gets going, my
adrenaline takes over and I really can't feel it. But practicing is tough out
here."
The cold weather hasn't helped matters, either.
"I didn't believe [the doctors] when they told me it would hurt once it got
cold, but I feel like I have a rod in my head sometimes," McBrien said.
Strange as it sounds, that may not be bad news for Maryland heading into
tomorrow's game against Virginia. McBrien shrugged off headaches leading up to
the Terps' game against North Carolina and had the best performance of his
career, throwing for 349 yards and four touchdowns (and running for two more) in
a 59-21 win.
"It was a game that we all needed, myself personally, as well as this whole
team," McBrien said. "We feel like we're peaking right now."
Though Maryland needs a win tomorrow to stay in contention for the Atlantic
Coast Conference title, the game has added significance for the Terps' senior
class. Maryland closes out the regular season with road games against N.C. State
and Wake Forest, so tomorrow will be their final appearance at Byrd Stadium.
"I don't think it will hit me [for a while]," McBrien said. "I've only lost one
game here at Byrd [to Florida State in 2002], and I want to keep it that way."
A different Thursday night
Tomorrow's game will have a much different feel to it than the last Thursday
night game played in College Park. Last season, Maryland defeated Georgia Tech,
34-10, but only 41,766 showed up, the smallest crowd of the season.
Bad weather played a part, but the region was also on high alert because of the
sniper shootings in the Washington area. John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo
were arrested a week later and eventually charged in the shootings.
"I asked the state troopers before the game if I could wear a bullet-proof
vest," said Terps coach Ralph Friedgen. "I figured I'm a pretty big target. They
said the only thing that would do was stop the bullet from coming out the other
side. I told them I'd wear two of them. It was a pretty tense game."
Maryland said it has about 800 tickets available for tomorrow's game, but the
school expects a sellout.
Trophy on hold
As it turns out, the winner of tomorrow's game won't take home the Tydings
Trophy after all. The tradition of exchanging the trophy, which was awarded to
the winner of the Maryland-Virginia game in the 1920s, '30s and '40s, was
supposed to start up again this year.
Early in the week, Maryland even OK'd a full-page story in its game programs
explaining the tradition behind the trophy. Problem was, Virginia wasn't on
board.
Maryland's media relations department says it was told at the last minute that
Virginia president John T. Casteen wanted to hold off until next year.
Et cetera
Wide receiver Rich Parson, who has missed Maryland's past two games with an
ankle injury, likely will play against Virginia. ... Friedgen said Ricardo
Dickerson, who plays defensive end in passing situations, missed practice with a
sore hamstring yesterday but should be able to play. ... Tomorrow's game will be
the 68th meeting between the schools, the most between Maryland and any other
school in the Terps' 111-year history. The schools have met every year since
1957.
Cavaliers Get Off the Ground, Stick to Passing Game
By Jim Reedy
Special to The Washington Post
Wednesday, November 12, 2003; Page D01
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Nov. 11 -- Virginia Coach Al Groh would like to run the ball.
He'd love to watch his Cavaliers grind out yards, wear down defenses and control
the clock.
Yet like most coaches, Groh cares less about the means by which an offense moves
than the end that it achieves: points. "The overriding thing," he says, "is that
whatever you have to do to move the ball, you do to move the ball."
For Virginia, which visits Maryland on Thursday night in a key ACC showdown,
that has meant all but ignoring the run in favor of an offensive game plan heavy
on short and intermediate passes and reliant on the brain and right arm of
quarterback Matt Schaub. The Cavaliers haven't been able to run the ball against
tough opponents, so they have more or less stopped trying.
"The short passing game . . . really has taken the place of the running game at
times," said Alvin Pearman, a junior tailback who has caught 37 passes in the
past three games. "It's a similar kind of concept, getting five, six yards on
first and second down with those short, efficient passes. . . .
"That's just kind of the personality of our offense."
Maryland linebackers Leon Joe and Leroy Ambush will have to be especially wary
of Pearman, who is second among the nation's running backs with 45 receptions.
Two years ago, in fact, Pearman moved briefly to wide receiver before returning
to the backfield after starting tailback Antwoine Womack injured his knee in the
season opener.
Pearman still lines up outside in certain formations, but he is perhaps most
valuable flaring or circling out of the backfield against linebackers. Wide
receivers Ottowa Anderson and Ryan Sawyer and tight end Heath Miller often give
him extra room to run with excellent downfield blocking.
"Alvin's got good quickness. He builds his speed quickly," Groh said. "It's a
little bit hard for those bigger, bulkier linebackers to stay with him, and he's
taken good advantage of that."
The strategy helped the Cavaliers win nine games last season, but since
returning to it in the past month, they have lost to Clemson and Florida State
by a combined eight points and watched North Carolina State break open a tie
game with two touchdowns in the final 30 seconds.
Virginia (5-4, 3-3 ACC) threw three passes for every run in those losses,
whereas its lone victory in the past four games -- a 24-0 homecoming win against
Division I-A newcomer Troy State -- was fueled in part by 173 rushing yards.
On the other hand, the Cavaliers might not be riding a three-game conference
losing streak if a few plays had gone differently. An over-reliance on the
passing game, Groh said, is not what has kept Virginia from winning those games.
"I saw some teams [this weekend in the NFL] that ended up with a lot of points
and a lot of yards and had 84 yards rushing," Groh pointed out. "Maybe they
never tried to run it, maybe they couldn't when they did, but when your
quarterback is one of the best players in the country, [you need to] use him a
fairly significant amount of time."
Schaub, a fifth-year senior who needs only 155 passing yards to become
Virginia's career leader, likely will be front and center once against Maryland
(6-3, 3-2). In the 51-37 loss at N.C. State 10 days ago, he set a school record
with 393 passing yards.
"The key is that you've got to tackle," Terrapins Coach Ralph Friedgen said.
"They throw four- or five-yard passes, they do a good job at advancing the ball,
and all of the sudden you are looking at eight- or nine-yard gains. N.C. State
did a good job with that, but they still wound up with quite a few yards
passing.
"They get rid of the ball so fast, it is hard to get pressure on them. I think
they've only been sacked eight times all year. It's a three- or five-step drop,
and the ball is out of there. They get matchups on your linebackers instead of
on your cover guys, so it forces your linebackers to play pass defense, and then
they play-action off of it so it puts a pretty big bind on your linebackers."
Put It Together, Keep It Together
Terps Hope Offense Keeps Rolling
By Eric Prisbell
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 11, 2003; Page D03
Maryland quarterback Scott McBrien approached the line of scrimmage during his
last game and pointed to the wrong North Carolina linebacker, causing his
offensive line to execute an incorrect blocking scheme on the ensuing running
play.
The lone mental error that Terrapins coaches cited out of 73 snaps came by way
of McBrien's finger rather than his left arm. His virtuoso performance Nov. 1,
which included throwing for 349 yards -- the most for any Terrapin since 1995 --
was as sound mechanically as mentally.
Offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe called McBrien's decision making
"practically flawless." Coach Ralph Friedgen said McBrien's game was the best he
has played since coming to College Park. It has Maryland coaches and players
optimistic that the team's offensive explosion -- which included scoring an
ACC-record 39 second-quarter points -- occurred because the offense found its
rhythm, not because of the Tar Heels' defense, regarded as one of the worst in
Division I.
"I think it's mostly because we are back on track," said McBrien, who completed
15 of 25 pass attempts, and threw four touchdown passes and no interceptions in
Maryland's 59-21 victory. "When we execute like that we can play with anybody.
They [teammates] had confidence in me. I had confidence in the offense. When
that happens, it seems like the defense is moving in slow motion. Not quite, but
that is how you look at it."
Coaches aren't expecting a perfect game when McBrien and the Terps (6-3, 3-2)
meet Virginia (5-4, 3-3) in Thursday's nationally televised game at Byrd
Stadium, but rather a consistent one.
McBrien, a senior, registered his fewest passing yards this season against
Northern Illinois (110 yards), Florida State (61) and Georgia Tech (47). Those
three games, all Maryland losses, also were the only games in which McBrien did
not complete more than 50 percent of his pass attempts.
"What he has had a hard time doing is putting a full game together," Taaffe
said. "He played great for a while, then he'd go into mental lapses and kind of
lose his focus for a series or a couple series. This game [against North
Carolina] he was able to sustain it for a whole game."
Another optimistic sign was that McBrien handled a North Carolina defense that
Friedgen said showed some of the same defensive looks as Georgia Tech, which
blitzed repeatedly, caused four turnovers and knocked McBrien from the game with
a concussion on Oct. 23. The offense is different from the one on display in
that 7-3 loss on another front, as well.
Against the Yellow Jackets, frustration turned into self-doubt. "We were calling
plays and it was like, 'Man, what is going to go wrong this time?' " wide
receiver Steve Suter said. One game, in which the offense operated with complete
synergy, has flushed away that feeling.
"It's just like a feel," Suter said. "It really does not have to do with
everything working in practice and everyone making the right reads. It's overall
chemistry that you feel you just click. You know you have to run your route well
because the ball is going to come to you, the line is going to hold up and
everything will go well."
On Maryland's second possession against North Carolina, McBrien hooked up with
wide receiver Derrick Fenner for a 55-yard reception that set up the Terps'
first points of the game.
"If he was running down there with no one guarding him, there have been times [McBrien]
would throw the ball five yards out of bounds," Friedgen said. "They were not
the greatest defense in the world, but they did some things in that game that we
really had not practiced. And Scott picked that right up."
If Maryland wants to replicate a similarly successful offensive output Thursday,
it will need a consistent effort from its offensive line, which Taaffe said
played its best game of the season against North Carolina. The line helped
ignite the running game, which Maryland turned to on eight of its first 10 plays
against the Tar Heels.
"The line really dominated," Taaffe said. "The whole game we were able to run
the ball."
Short-handed Terrapins may have to give ball to Ball
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
COLLEGE PARK, Md.
Maryland's swagger has been replaced by a limp.
The Terrapins will be without two of their top running backs Thursday night when
they play at home against Virginia in a game that should go a long way toward
determining Maryland's postseason plans.
Bruce Perry, the sixth-leading rusher in school history, has been sidelined with
a severe ankle sprain and will almost certainly be held out of the nationally
televised game at Byrd Stadium.
Despite seeing limited action this season because of injuries, Perry is second
on the team with 94 carries and 389 yards rushing - only slightly behind Josh
Allen, who has gained 461 yards on 106 carries.
Sammy Maldonado (51 attempts, 305 yards) is out for the season after undergoing
arthroscopic knee surgery yesterday.
That means Allen will get the majority of the work ahead of Mario Merrills and
J.P. Humber, who have been primarily used this season in the waning moments of
lopsided games.
It's not exactly the backfield that Coach Ralph Friedgen was hoping for in a
game that will have serious ramifications in the Terrapins' bid to secure a
quality bowl bid.
"Yeah, it concerns me," Friedgen said. "We've got to use two guys that haven't
played a whole lot all year."
Friedgen said he's even considering using freshman Lance Ball, who has yet to
play this season. Friedgen said he would hate to ruin the chance at redshirting
Ball, a talented tailback, but with Maldonado out and Perry limping, Ball would
give the Terrapins added depth down the stretch.
"Lance has looked good at practice. I'm amazed at how he picks things up; he's a
very instinctive player," Friedgen said. "We'll see how the game goes, but I'll
do what I have to do to win."
The Terrapins (6-3, 3-2 ACC) had a bye last weekend after a confidence-building
59-21 blowout of North Carolina on Nov. 1. While Maryland was relaxing last
Saturday, FSUlost at Clemson, leaving the possibility that the Terrapins could
win a share of the league title.
Friedgen told his players as much Sunday during a team meeting.
"I asked them, 'What are you going to do with a second chance?' Ironically
enough, their goals are still there with three games to go in the season,"
Friedgen said.
If the Terrapins close with wins over Virginia, N.C. State and Wake Forest, they
can do no worse than finish second in the ACC and perhaps secure an invitation
to the Gator Bowl.
"Or," Friedgen said, "we can end up 6-6 and probably not going anywhere."
A.C.C.'s Graduation Rate Rises, Study Says
By JOE DRAPE
Published: November 11, 2003
The Atlantic Coast Conference not only bolstered its power on the football field by adding Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College, it is also on the way to raising its graduation rate, according to a study released yesterday by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida.
The A.C.C. has the top average graduation rate for football players at 58 percent, the study said, and if the realignment were in effect today, it would increase to 59 percent. The conference also has the third-best graduation record for black student-athletes in football, and it would increase to 52 percent, according to the study, entitled "The Classroom Counts," which reviewed 1996-97 graduation rates, the latest available; athletes are given six years to graduate.
Realignment seems to have dealt the Big East another setback, this time in the classroom.
The Big East announced last week that Cincinnati, Louisville and South Florida of Conference USA would replace Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College as football members beginning in 2005. If those teams were already under the Big East banner, the conference's average graduation rate for football players would drop to 46 percent from 52 percent.
Over all, the Big East would go from fourth best to eighth of 11 conferences, and slip to sixth from fifth for black student-athletes in football, with the graduation rate dropping to 43 percent from 48, according to the study.
Marquette and DePaul are also joining the Big East, but not in football, and their graduation rates were not included in the study.
Conference USA, adding Rice, Tulsa and Southern Methodist, can expect the biggest improvement. It would increase the graduation rate for student-athletes in football to 57 percent from 42; the rate for black student-athletes playing football would jump to 55 percent from 39. The conference would go from a ninth-place ranking in both categories to a tie for second for all student-athletes and first place for black student-athletes.
The Pac-10 and the Big Ten, which have kept the same members, are near the top of both lists. The Pac-10 is second for all football players (57 percent), and with Conference USA realignment in effect, would be second for black football players with a 53 percent graduation rate. The Big Ten, at 56 percent, would slip to fourth over all but would maintain its fourth-place position for black players with a 49 percent graduation rate.
"The classroom record of student-athletes was barely mentioned amidst all the chess moves made between conferences over the last few months," Richard Lapchick, the author of the study and the director of the institute, said.
"Now that all the conferences are settled and power ratings will be established for on-the-field play, we hope each conference will look at the issues involving the academic performances of all of their student-athletes."