Dubious Distinctions: They all ended in 2001.

Stellar Stats: Maryland won its first ACC title since 1985, posting the most wins by a Terp team since 1976.

OVERVIEW

Over the last 10 years, only Duke matched Maryland’s futility in the ACC. From 1991-2000 Maryland compiled a 37-73 record, the 2nd worst overall record in the league behind Duke’s 29-81-1 mark. Enter former Maryland alum Ralph Friedgen. He promised change, put together and exceptional coaching staff, and sold his players on the concept that they could be winners. For the National Coach of the Year, offensive coordinator Charlie Taafe and defensive coordinator Gary Blackney; mission accomplished. Now in their second seasons at Maryland, the trio comprises one of the most experienced triumvirates in college football. With their 85 years of combined, full-time experience at the college and/or pro levels, Friedgen, Taaffe and Blackney are the fifth-most experienced trio in Division I-A.

Which begs the question; were the Terps a product of coaching alone? In 2001, Maryland possessed and is still stocked with plenty of talent to work with, more than most new coaches have to start their tenure. Shaun Hill at quarterback was the primary reason for last season's success and finding an adequate replacement is essential to continued gridiron glory. The losses on defense were numerous and the weaknesses are still quite evident in the defensive back department. The departure of nose tackle Charles Hill may end up having the biggest impact on the Terps. If Blackney’s front line can’t keep opposing guards and centers off of All-American E.J. Henderson, it may be a less enjoyable fall for Terp faithful this year.

OFFENSE

It came as no surprise that Friedgen’s presence was felt immediately on the Maryland offense. From 1996-1998, the Terp offense averaged just 16.6 ppg. Those numbers improved in 1999 and 2000 to 24.5 but jumped 9.9 points to 34.4 under the guidance of the “Fridge”. Maryland finished 1st in the conference and 16th in the nation in total offense, first in scoring offense (12 nationally) and 2nd in the league (11 nationally) in rushing offense in 2001.

Less than 10 days before their opener against Notre Dame, the Terps learned that they would be without their top returning offensive player from a year ago, junior tailback and 2001 ACC Offensive Player of the Year Bruce Perry. Perry suffered a third-degree tear of his left groin muscle. No surgery was necessary but the initial timetable for Perry’s recovery was anticipated to be 4-8 weeks from the time of his injury, though he may be able to return sooner. Perry entered this season as the lone returning finalist from last year’s Doak Walker Award. He ran for 1,242 yards as a sophomore last year, his first as the Terps’ starter tallying an impressive 5.5 yards per carry. In addition, he finished ninth in the nation in all-purpose yards with an average of 156.2 yards per outing and scored 12 touchdowns.

According to the College Football News, “The offense revolves around the new quarterback as the loss of Chris Kelley sets the team back. The receivers are good, but not so good that they can make up for the lack of a good quarterback.”

One of the most athletic players on the team Latrez Harrison (6-3 219 Jr.) enters 2002 as a wide receiver. He spent his first three years as a quarterback, but agreed while the team prepared for the Orange Bowl to shift to wide receiver to better utilizes his skills. The Maryland coaches suggest that he is too talented to risk not having him on the field. Also looking to make some noise on the receiving front is Jafar Williams (6-2 195 Jr.). Williams showed signs of big-play ability in his first season as a starter making 43 catches for 516 yards and three touchdowns. The tall, athletic receiver has good speed and the ability to gain extra yards after the catch. He is the leading returnee among wide outs. Scooter Monroe (6-2 194 Sr.) is an athletic, speedy receiver with good size who is tops on the depth chart at one receiver spot. Monroe is a “big-play” type receiver with outstanding potential who has played in 34 games in his career. He finished fourth on the team in receptions last year with 14 for 229 yards. Steve Sutter (5-9 182 So.) is also a speedy receiver with good hands who is atop the depth chart at the slot receiver spot. Sutter will also handle kick and punt return duties.

Tight end Jeff Dugan (6-4 261 Jr.) enters his third season as a starter but shared time with Matt Murphy last fall. ESPN’s Mel Kiper, Jr. calls Dugan “one of the top in-line blocking tight ends in the country.” Dugan is a big, strong, physical tight end that has good hands and runs well after the catch. He was named a preseason first team All-ACC tight end by The Sporting News and finished second on the team in receptions as a redshirt freshman in 2000 when he was named the Terps’ Freshman of the Year.

One area where Ron Vanderlinden always seemed to recruit well was on the offensive line. In 2002 the Terps gave up only 20 sacks and averaged 3.6 ypc. In 2001, this unit allowed only 21 sacks but improved to an impressive 4.5 ypc. 9 of the top 10 on the o-line two deep are back and this group again looks to be a strong, deep force for the Terp offense.

At left tackle look for Eric Dumas (6-6 308 Jr.) to get the start. Dumas has ideal tackle size and adds depth and experience to the offensive line. He is an athletic player for his position with long arms and good feet. Alongside Dumas is one of the true surprises of last season, guard C.J. Brooks (6-6 309 So.). A third-year sophomore, Brooks was named a third-team Freshman All-America by The Sporting News. A very technical blocker who, despite his youth seems to a firm grasp of the offense and blocking schemes.

The right side of the Maryland line is manned by Lamar Bryant (6-3 302 Jr.) and Matt Crawford (6-6 313 Sr.). Bryant is one of four returning starters on the offensive line and one of the strongest players on the team. He has played in 22 games, starting 19 at right guard over the past two seasons. Crawford is a 31-game starter entering his senior year. The fifth-year senior who successfully returned from surgery on a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and posted a strong 2001 campaign at right tackle, had not missed a start in his career prior to the injury.

Rated by Lindy's, Athlon, Collegefootballnews.com, and Street & Smith's as a 2nd or 3rd team All-American, center Todd Wike (6-3 303 Sr.) is also on the watch list for the Outland and Lombardi trophies. He is a versatile lineman who has played guard, center and tight end in his Terrapin career. Wike is a heady performer who, with 34 starts to his credit will be one of the leaders of this year’s unit.

Not only did the Terps lose Perry for the early part of the season, the projected starter at quarterback Chris Kelley (6-2 213 So.) will be out for a while. A talented, hard-nosed quarterback whose return to the playing field this fall has been nothing short of amazing after having reconstructive surgery and a menisectomy in May after tearing the ACL in his right knee in the spring game. Kelly has been slowed by injury in each of his first three years at the collegiate level. One of the more highly regarded and recruited players on the roster; Kelly has a strong arm and the ability to throw the deep ball. His replacement will be West Virginia transfer Scott McBrien (6-0 180 Jr.). McBrien has good quickness and throws with good accuracy and velocity. Like Kelly, he also throws the deep ball well.

The likely replacements for Perry at tailback are Chris Downs (5-8 193 Sr.) and Jason Crawford (6-2 220 So.). Downs is an elusive runner and has been a solid special teams performer for the Terps during his career. Crawford is a big back that runs hard and is tough to tackle after picking up steam. He was tackled for only five yards worth of losses on 36 carries a year ago. The second-leading returning back for the Terps from a year ago, he has gained 189 yards on 52 carries for his career. Third-year fullback James Lynch (5-11 267 Jr.) has established himself as one of the top players in the ACC at his position. He has good hands, is a good inside runner and an imposing force as a blocking back.

DEFENSE

Not only did the Terps make great strides in the ACC offensive rankings; they also excelled on the defensive side of the ball. Maryland finished 2001 leading the conference in scoring defense (18 nationally) and rushing defense (9th nationally). Maryland finished 2nd in the league in total defense to Carolina. A year ago, the Maryland defense gave up 22.2 ppg, their best production in four years.

Without question the leader of the Terp defense is linebacker E.J. Henderson (6-2 250 Sr.). The 2001 ACC Player and Defensive Player of the Year, Henderson has led the Terrapins in tackles in each of the past two seasons. In 2000, he led the way with 109 tackles despite missing a game-and-a-half due to injury before posting a spectacular ACC-leading 150 tackles last season. Henderson has averaged 13.3 tackles per game (226 total) in his last 17 games dating back to the 2000 season. He is the only returnee among Butkus finalists. Henderson was rated by virtually every college football publication and preseason preview as a First Team All-American. The supporting cast for Henderson includes Jamahl Cochran (6-0 241 So.), Leon Joe (6-1 223 Jr.) and Leroy Ambush (6-1 229 Jr.). Cochran enters the season as the starter at the “Leo” position moving to the top of the depth chart after spring drills. He excels against the run and finished last season with 26 tackles including 3 for a loss. In his first year as a starter in 2001, Joe was one of the Terrapins’ top defensive players. He posted eight tackles for loss last year while posting the second-most quarterback hurries (9) of any Terp along with 79 tackles (4th on the team and 2nd leading returning tackler this year). The final part of a very talented linebacking corps is Ambush. The third-year junior who will likely play a bigger role at linebacker this season has appeared in 22 career games with the majority of his work prior to this year coming on special teams.

According to Sporting News writer Tom Dienhart, the reason E.J. Henderson had such a fantastic year “was because Charles Hill kept blockers from getting to him. On top of that, Hill finished second on the squad in tackles, which is difficult to do from the middle of the line. The most likely scenario this spring will see C.J. Feldheim (6-3 282 Jr.) slide over from defensive tackle to fill Hill's spot on the nose. Depth is thin. If Maryland is soft up the gut, its defense will struggle and the bloom will fall off the 2001 campaign.” Feldheim is a third-year player who is making the switch to his third position in three years. He has started 13-straight games and finished 2001 with 38 tackles and 4 sacks. Also along the Maryland from is Durrand Roundtree (6-3 256 Sr.). A physical force and 17-game starter at defensive end who has appeared in 29 games overall. He had team-high 12 quarterback hurries in 2001 to go along with 29 tackles and 4.5 sacks. A talented young player who is already making a name for himself is Randy Starks (6-4 302 So.). A key addition to the defensive line in his first season of collegiate ball a year ago, Starks combines athleticism with an ideal defensive lineman frame. His 2001 production included 39 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 4 tackles for loss.

The end of collegiate eligibility may have hit the Terp secondary the hardest. Maryland loses 32 starts in the defensive secondary from last season, 229 tackles, 16 interceptions, 24 pass breakups and three All-ACC performers. The leading returnee in the Turtle secondary is Curome Cox (6-1 199 Jr.) A three-year starter at cornerback, Cox is the Terrapins’ most experienced defensive back. Cox is a strong corner who excels in press coverage schemes. He has the ability to throw receivers off of their initial routes, is a sure tackler and is solid in run support. He was responsible for 3 interceptions last season and 38 tackles. Domonique Foxworth (5-11 175 So.) is an athletic cornerback who starts opposite Cox. Foxworth was scheduled to redshirt in 2001 before injuries necessitated his playing in the last two games of the season where he played well when pressed into action as a true freshman. His size and strength have improved tremendously since joining the collegiate ranks and Domonique has started in every game (4) in which he has played. We look for Dennard Wilson (5-11 186 Jr.) to get the start at strong safety. A confident player who will spend this season at safety after seeing playing time at cornerback in his first two years at Maryland. Wilson is a solid tackler who runs well and possesses strong cover skills. Townson University transfer Madieu Williams (6-1 193 Jr.) looks like one of the Terps’ top defensive players early in his career at Maryland. He came to Maryland as a walk-on but was granted a scholarship by the end of spring 2001. He is a physical player with good size who is versatile enough to play any position in the defensive backfield. In 9 starts at Towson in 2000 he accumulated 42 tackles.

SPECIAL TEAMS

ESPN’s Mel Kiper, Jr. declares Maryland’s Brooks Barnard (6-2 188 Sr.) “the top overall punter in college football. An All-ACC punter and Ray Guy Award hopeful, Barnard thought his punting was not up to snuff in 2001. So bad, it was, that Barnard ranked seventh nationally and first in the ACC with a 44.6 yard punting average. For the sake of the 2002 season, Terp fans can only hope he was right. Barnard has finished each of the last two seasons ranked in the top 10 in the nation. Last year, he finished seventh with a 44.6- yard average while the year before; he finished fourth with a school-record 44.7-yard average. In addition to his gross punting average, Barnard has also helped the Terps’ punt cover teams excel as he had a 40.4 net punting average, fourth-best in the nation and tops in the ACC a season ago. After a rocky start, placekicker Nick Novak (6-0 189 So.) came on midway through last season to help shore up the Terrapins’ kicking game and help Maryland -- with the aid of Barnard -- stake a claim to having one of the best kicking tandems in the country. As solid as the kicking game was for the Terps, the return game was just the opposite. The Terps finished dead last in the ACC in kickoff and punt returns in 2001 and hope Steve Sutter can help improve on those numbers this season.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Certainly the “feel good story” of 2001 (rent it now on DVD) was no doubt the Turtles. But I’m not so sure the Terp faithful or their team endeared themselves to the rest of league along the way. After an abysmal 37-73 record during the previous decade, the Terps seemed a little “full of themselves” and had no problem letting the rest of the conference know about it. Friedgens “we never lost to Virginia when I played” refrain may have resonated with his players, but that tune got a little old as the year wore on. The Terps won’t sneak up on anybody this season and for the first time in years; some ACC opponents may have actually circled their date with Maryland on the schedule.

Other than the Kickoff Classic with Notre Dame, the out of conference schedule is lacking. Maryland’s opponents combined for 14-30 record last season and the slate includes Division 1-AA Wofford. No self-respecting Division 1-A team should ever play a team called the Terriers. The Terps have the task of dealing with FSU at home and they do have some difficult road tests in the conference at UNC, Clemson and Virginia.

That said, Maryland still has the talent to be among the ACC’s best after Florida State. “According to ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., Maryland is far too well-coached not to compete for the second or third spot in the ACC.” With our prediction that teams 2-8 in the league will fall between 5-3 and 3-5, we agree with Kiper and pick the Terps 3rd in a three-way tie with Clemson and UVA. Though on the road, the Terps will handle the Hoos in Charlottesville unless we see significant improvement in the run defense by year’s end.

UM - 27 UVA - 19
Prediction: 4-4 ACC, 8-5 Overall

Greg Waters is the producer and co-host of the University of Virginia Sports radio call-in show CavTalk. The program airs from 7:00 – 9:00 PM on Wednesday evenings and originates from the studios of AM 950 WXGI and can be heard on the World Wide Web @ www.thesabre.com.