After a furious second half comeback fell just short in a 72-69 loss to then #3 Kentucky in Brooklyn in early November, I asked University of Maryland basketball coach Mark Turgeon about whether the experience was the next stop in a process of learning how to win for a young basketball team.

Turgeon didn’t mix words in his response, and in the process created a standard that he has since been judged by in just his second season at the helm in College Park.

“We’re gonna win, and we’re gonna win this year. We just didn’t win tonight. I can promise you that.”

He had the chance to slow down or perhaps say something more along the lines of coachspeak terms before wrapping up the answer and postgame press conference, but instead Turgeon looked right back at me and repeated the sentiment.

“We’re gonna win. We’re gonna win.”

Turegon has been known for his honesty, which at times has drawn the ire of Terrapins who believe he should do more to protect his players in the media even if he’s frustrated with them on or off the court behind closed doors. Others have found the coach’s willingness to avoid hyperbole and instead answer questions directly praiseworthy.

On this particular night at the Barclays Center, Turgeon probably didn’t need to be quite so honest. Unfortunately for him, the tone had been set and the success of his second season would be judged against the statement.

Perhaps Turgeon should have qualified his statement by saying something along the lines of “we’re gonna win…at least a couple of times against Duke.”

Maryland is headed back to the NIT for the fourth time in the last nine seasons, only three of which have ended in the NCAA Tournament. They’ll play Niagara Tuesday night in Turgeon’s first postseason appearance since his arrival from Texas A&M, in front of what will likely be a small and hardly inspired crowd at Comcast Center.

Some will attempt to rationalize Maryland’s postseason fate by saying things like “this is a team that came on late and could make a charge through the Tournament” or “perhaps the Terps will use their NCAA Tournament snub to play inspired basketball” or “this will be a good chance for a young team to prove how much progress they’ve made going into next season.”

The truth is that Maryland went just 3-3 after February 28, no progress at all from their 4-4 record from January 30 to February 28. They only appeared to have made some significant progress because they managed to score a second victory over Duke in the ACC Tournament, clearly benefitting from a favorable matchup (partially based on Mike Krzyzewski’s unwillingness to abandon man on man defense) and a hot night from sophomore G Dez Wells.

The Terps did manage to defeat a woeful Wake Forest team and hang with North Carolina until late in Greensboro as well, but neither was drastically different than what we saw from this Maryland team the rest of the season. The Terps beat bad teams more often than not (losses at Georgia Tech and Boston College withstanding) and lost a number of other games against better opponents by close margins thanks to missed opportunities.

There are a number of concerns related to Maryland basketball that remain unaddressed. Many of the questions are related to Turgeon’s in-game decision making, punctuated by the team’s performance coming out of timeouts. (If you’ll remember, Maryland had called a time out at the end of the loss to UNC just before Logan Aronhalt tossed up one of the wilder last second three point attempts you’ve seen. It was particularly troubling because the Terps weren’t quite in their last seconds at that point.)

Many of the questions are related to the uneven performance of Maryland players. Center Alex Len has lacked toughness regularly, a concern that a trip to the NIT won’t help for a player most likely NBA bound in a matter of weeks. Guards Dez Wells and Nick Faust have had flashes of brilliance (Wells more often than Faust), but neither has maintained consistency. The group of players that have attempted to man the point guard position have played up to a level south of adequate.

The best thing to come from a NIT appearance will be extra practice time for Turgeon, a phenomenon akin to a college football team reaching a low level bowl game somewhere in Idaho.

Turgeon did himself no favors with his early season proclamation. The Terps did technically “win”, but did so against one of the worst non-conference schedules in all of college basketball and minimally against a conference that featured fewer NCAA Tournament teams than the Mountain West Conference. The wins over Duke provided moments of joy, but meant little as far as gauging the overall state of the program in comparison to a combined 0-5 record against fellow NIT teams Virginia, Florida State and Kentucky.

It’s easy to say that a run through the NIT would be preferred to a first round exit at the hands of their MAAC opponent Tuesday night, but it’s important to not be fooled by any success. This team appears to be closer to a turnaround than they were a year ago, but they’re still quite a bit away with the fear of future Selection Sunday disappointment quite real.

Happy March Madness.

-G

Terps and Golden Panthers to meet in 2013 and 2016

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The University of Maryland and Florida International University have agreed to a two-year home-and-home football series.

FIU will travel to Maryland on Aug. 31, 2013 for the season opener inside Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium. Maryland will travel to Miami, Fla. on Sept. 10, 2016 for the second matchup with the Golden Panthers.

The two schools have played three times, with Maryland winning all three contests. The last matchup came in 2010, when the Terrapins defeated the Golden Panthers 42-28 in College Park.

Men’s basketball team will hold open scrimmage Saturday, Oct. 20 at 1:30 p.m.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The University of Maryland men’s basketball team will hold a scrimmage which is open to the public this Saturday, Oct. 20, at 1:30 p.m.

The scrimmage will last approximately 30 minutes. Preceding the football team’s game against NC State at 3:30, men’s basketball players will be at Terp Town at 2:45 to sign autographs.

Due to the football game, parking in the lots surrounding Comcast Center is limited to permit holders. The closest cash parking is Regents Drive Garage, which costs $15.

COLLEGE PARK, MD. - Maryland will play its first game of the season against a ranked opponent on Saturday when it travels to face interstate rival West Virginia, which is ranked No. 8 in this week’s Associated Press poll. The Terps (2-1) and Mountaineers (2-0) have played 48 times in the all-time series which dates back to 1919, the most games Maryland has played against any non-conference opponent. West Virginia has had the upper hand as of late, winning six straight in the series including a 37-31 victory in College Park last season. Prior to that, Maryland had won four in a row.

First-and-10

• Despite surrendering just 223 yards of total offense to Connecticut last Saturday, the Terps suffered a hard-fought, 24-21 loss to the Huskies. After trailing 14-0 in the second quarter, Maryland battled back to get within three points when freshman wide receiver Stefon Diggs caught a 29-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Perry Hills with 14:07 left in the fourth quarter, making it 17-14 Connecticut. The Huskies, however, answered with a 10-play, 76-yard touchdown drive to go up 24-14. Hills helped get the Terps back within striking distance on a 10-yard touchdown run with 4:39 remaining, but after the Maryland defense forced a three-and-out to get the ball back with 3:29 left, the offense was unable to tie or score the go-ahead points.

• Still, the Terps have shown improvement from week-to-week with a team that has already played 12 true freshmen, the ninth most in the Football Bowl Subdivision, and lists 14 total in its two-deep depth chart (excluding return men). Maryland played 12 true freshmen in the season opener against William & Mary, the most for a Maryland team in at least 15 years (see note page 3), and seven players made their first career starts in the season opener. In week two, Hills received ACC Rookie of the Week honors after going 11 for 21 for 190 yards, two touchdown passes and a touchdown run in a 36-27 win over Temple. Against Connecticut, freshman running back Wes Brown shined against what came in as the top-ranked rushing defense nationally. The Huskies had allowed just 77 rushing yards total through their first two games – and Brown nearly matched that on his own. He had 74 yards on 14 carries, a 5.3 average, including a 19-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. On the season, Brown has a team-high 124 rushing yards and is averaging 5.9 yards per carry.

• The defense has led the way for a young but talented Maryland team on its way to a 2-1 record through the first three games of the season. The Terps have been very tough against the run with an experienced front seven highlighted by senior defensive linemen Joe Vellano and A.J. Francis, and senior linebacker Demetrius Hartsfield. Those three have played a big role in holding opponents to an average of just 2.58 yards per rush, which ranks 14th nationally. It’s also been a disruptive defense – Maryland’s 2.67 sacks per game are tied for 27th in the FBS and its seven tackles for loss per game are tied for 32nd. The Terrapin defense ranks sixth nationally against the pass (124.3 yards per game) and 28th against the run (103 yards per game). Overall, the Terps are allowing just 227.3 yards per game, which ranks eighth nationally.

• Maryland has also had a knack for forcing timely turnovers in the first three games. In the closing moments of the 7-6 win over William & Mary in week one, cornerback Jeremiah Johnson forced a fumble on a sack that Hartsfield recovered to seal the game. In week two vs. Temple, the defense forced fumbles on the Owls’ first two possessions of the game and Hartsfield again helped seal the win by intercepting a tipped pass with 2:05 remaining to preserve the 36-27 victory. In week three against Connecticut, Darin Drakeford forced a fumble on the Huskies opening drive that Maryland recovered. The Terps have forced six total turnovers so far, which is tied for the second most in the ACC.

Quick Hitters

• Maryland’s defense has allowed just 682 total yards to opponents through three games (William & Mary – 229, Temple – 230, Connecticut – 223). That marks its best defensive performance in a three-game span since 2004, when it held The Citadel (137), West Virginia (156) and Eastern Michigan (275) to a total of 568.

• Maryland won its first two games despite committing more turnovers than its opponent in each contest. In the loss to Connecticut, though, the Terps turned it over twice and the Huskies only had one giveaway. All 10 of the Terrapins turnovers (four interceptions, six fumbles) have come from freshmen.

• The Terps have done a good job controlling the clock. In three games, Maryland has had the ball for an average of 30:30 to 29:30 for the opponent. That’s a major upgrade compared to 2011, when Maryland averaged just 25:16 a game to 34:44 for the opponent.

• Seven players made their first career starts in the season opener against William & Mary: quarterback Perry Hills, running back Albert Reid, safety Sean Davis, defensive back Jeremiah Johnson, linebacker Cole Farrand, nose tackle Darius Kilgoand offensive lineman Nick Klemm.

• In addition to the seven first-time starters, 14 players saw their first action against William & Mary. And of the 44 players that saw time against the Tribe, 25 of them were underclassmen.

• Maryland has 14 true freshmen listed on its two-deep (excluding return men), which is the fourth most in the FBS (Colorado – 16, Texas – 15, TCU – 15).

• The Terps are holding opponents to 2.58 yards per carry, which ranks 14th nationally. Of the opponents’ 120 rushing attempts this season, 81 have been for three yards or less (28 of 41 vs. William & Mary; 28 of 39 vs. Temple; 25 of 40 vs. Connecticut).

• Demetrius Hartsfield leads the team with 26 tackles and has had a hand in three turnovers, also a team high (one interception, two fumble recoveries).

• Head coach Randy Edsall handed out game balls for the win over Temple. Sal Conaboy got the game ball for offense,Demetrius Hartsfield for defense and A.J. Francis for special teams.

• Maryland was hit hard by injuries in the preseason. Thirteen players missed the season opener due to various injuries and ailments, and 14 were out against Temple. Seven of those were potential starters on offense and defense: defensive linemanAndre Monroe; defensive backs A.J. Hendy and Matt Robinson; linebacker Kenneth Tate; quarterback C.J. Brown; running back Brandon Ross; offensive lineman Josh Cary. Place-kicker Nick Ferrara also missed the first two three. Both Monroe and Brown are out for the season. Robinson and Cary both made their returns against Connecticut.

• Perry Hills became the first true freshman starter at quarterback for Maryland since Latrez Harrison in 1999. He also became the first freshman to start a season opener since redshirt freshman Calvin McCall on Sept. 2, 1999, in a 6-0 win over Temple.

• Maryland had 15 seniors on the 2011 roster, but just 12 of those players were listed on the two-deep at some point during the year. There are 17 seniors listed on the 2012 roster, and 12 are on the two-deep.

• Three Terps ended 2011 ranked among the top 12 in the ACC in tackles. Hartsfield was second at 12.0 per game and Franklin was sixth at 8.8. Vellano was 12th with 7.8 per contest.

• There are just two returning starters (Bennett Fulper and Justin Gilbert) on Maryland’s offensive line, but six players entered the season with starting experience. De’Onte Arnett, Josh Cary, Sal Conaboy and Peter White have also started on the O-line.

• Nine bowl teams from last year appear on Maryland’s 2012 schedule: Temple (Gildan New Mexico Bowl), West Virginia (Discover Orange Bowl), Wake Forest (Franklin American Mortgage Music City), Virginia (Chick-fil-A Bowl), NC State (Belk Bowl), Georgia Tech (Hyundai Sun Bowl), Clemson (Discover Orange Bowl), Florida State (Champs Sports Bowl) and UNC (AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl).

Maryland-West Virginia Series History

• Maryland and West Virginia have met a total of 48 times since the first meeting between the schools in 1919. The Mountaineers own a 25-21-2 lead in the all-time series. West Virginia has taken six straight from Maryland after the Terps had won the four meetings prior to that. The Terps defeated the Mountaineers 41-7 in the 2003 Toyota Gator Bowl in the only postseason meeting between the two schools.

• Last season, a comeback bid by Maryland fell short as West Virginia won 37-31 in College Park. Kevin Dorsey had nine catches for 79 yards and a touchdown, and Matt Furstenburg had seven catches for 70 yards. Mountaineer QB Geno Smith went 36 of 48 for 388 yards and a touchdown.

• Maryland has played West Virginia more than any other non-conference opponent, and the Terps have only faced six schools more than the Mountaineers.

• The Terps and Mountaineers met every season from 1980 to 2007. The teams took two years off (2008-09) in the series, but are scheduled to meet every year until at least 2017.
• 2013 – @ Maryland
• 2014 – @ Maryland
• 2015 – @ West Virginia
• 2016 – @ West Virginia
• 2017 – @ Maryland

• Maryland is 3-10 all-time against ranked West Virginia teams. The Terrapins last win over a ranked Mountaineer squad came in the 2003 Toyota Gator Bowl, when the 23rd-ranked Terps toppoled the 20th-ranked Mountaineers, 41-7.

• Maryland is 11-12-1 at home and 9-13-1 on the road in the series. The lone neutral site game was the 2003 Toyota Gator Bowl.

It’s looking more and more unlikely that freshman guard Sam Cassell Jr. will play for Mark Turgeon’s Terps this season.

According to a report from InsideMDsports.com, Cassell will not gain NCAA eligibility and may never suit up for the University of Maryland. The 6-foot-3 guard signed with the Terps in the spring, and many thought Cassell would be a factor for immediate playing time in the fall. He  attended Notre Dame Prep in Fitchburg, Mass. as a post-graduate student last year.

If Cassell chose to remain committed to Maryland, he could attend a junior college for two years to earn an associate degree before returning to Maryland. However, it appears the freshman guard is exploring the possibility of attending a school that accepts players under NCAA Proposition 48, which allows partial-qualifiers to still enroll at the school and begin playing in their second season.

The Baltimore native attended Towson Catholic and St. Frances Academy, but it remains unclear whether his eligibility issues stem from his time at either school.

Former Xavier forward was the 2012 Sporting News A-10 Freshman of the Year

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Former Xavier forward Dezmine Wells has signed a financial-aid agreement and been admitted to the University of Maryland, men’s basketball coach Mark Turgeon announced Friday.

A native of Raleigh, N.C., Wells was named the Sporting News Atlantic 10 Freshman of the Year after averaging 9.8 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game during the 2011-12 season. He will enroll in classes this fall and have three years of eligibility remaining.

“I have followed Dez for the past three years and I know he will be a good student-athlete and teammate,” said Turgeon. “[Assistant coach] Bino Ranson was very active in his recruitment at Xavier and has also built a strong relationship with Dez over the past several years. This is a new beginning and a fresh start for Dez at Maryland and were looking forward to him joining us on campus.

“As a player, he is an athletic and powerful wing who can score in a variety of ways. He is also an excellent individual and team defender. Dez has experience playing in the postseason, which will help show our young players what it takes to reach that level of success.”

Wells started 32 games for the Musketeers last season and shot 50.4 percent from the field, including a 37.7 percent from beyond the 3-point line. In the NCAA Tournament Wells helped Xavier advance to the Sweet Sixteen, with his best game coming in the second round against Notre Dame when he had 14 points and 11 rebounds.

- Terps -

Maryland opens conference schedule Jan. 5, 2013 vs. Virginia Tech

GREENSBORO, N.C. - The University of Maryland men’s basketball team on Wednesday released its 2012-13 schedule, which is highlighted by a season-opener against defending national champion Kentucky and a home-and-home series with Duke and North Carolina.

For the first time the Terps will play an 18-game Atlantic Coast Conference schedule, and in that format will play a home-and-home with Boston College, Duke, Florida State, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.

Maryland will face Clemson, Georgia Tech, Miami and North Carolina State once, with the contests against the Tigers and Wolfpack taking place in College Park, Md.

The Terps also have 11 games on the schedule against 2012 NCAA Tournament teams, including the season opener against the Wildcats. Maryland and Kentucky will tip off the first college basketball game in the brand new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., at 8:30 on Nov. 9.

“We have a very exciting and competitive schedule this season,” said head coach Mark Turgeon. “Our non-conference schedule features teams from some of the top conferences in the country, including our first game against Kentucky, the defending national champion. We are focused on building upon what we started last season and look forward to the challenge of the start of our very competitive ACC schedule.”

The Terrapins will hold Maryland Madness on Friday, Oct. 12, and play an exhibition game on Friday, Nov. 2 against Indiana University of Pennsylvania in advance of the regular-season home opener against Morehead State on Nov. 12.

In addition to the Kentucky game, the Terps have a busy non-conference schedule in November. Maryland has four home games that month and plays at Northwestern as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Nov. 27.

After taking on George Mason at the Verizon Center on Dec. 2, Maryland will play eight straight home games. The homestand stretches into the start of conference play, when Virginia Tech visits Comcast Center on Jan. 5, 2013.

Later in January, the Terps will face a difficult road stretch when they play at North Carolina on Jan. 19, at Duke on Jan. 26 and at Florida State on Jan. 30. The Tar Heels make their return trip to Comcast Center on March 6, while the Blue Devils will visit College Park on Feb. 16.

Regional broadcast selections and times for non-conference games will be announced at a later date.

Season tickets are available for sale. Season tickets in Terrapin Club seating areas are priced at $619. A discounted season option is on sale for $469 and flexible payment methods are available. For more information, fans can contact the Terrapin Ticket Office at 1-800-IM-A-TERP.

2012-13 MARYLAND MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

Day     Date                Opponent                                                                                  Time                   Television

Fri.      Nov. 2             IUP (Exhibition)                                                                        TBA                   

Fri.       Nov. 9              vs. Kentucky (Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.)                           8:30                     ESPN

Mon.   Nov. 12           MOREHEAD STATE                                                                  TBA                   

Fri.      Nov. 16           LIU-BROOKLYN                                                                        TBA                   

Tue.    Nov. 20           LAFAYETTE                                                                              TBA                   

Sat.     Nov. 24           GEORGIA SOUTHERN                                                              TBA                   

Tue.     Nov. 27            at Northwestern                                                                          9:15                     ESPN2

Sun.     Dec. 2              vs. George Mason (Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.)             TBA

Wed.   Dec. 5             MARYLAND-EASTERN SHORE                                               TBA                   

Sat.     Dec. 8             SOUTH CAROLINA STATE                                                      TBA                   

Wed.   Dec. 12           MONMOUTH                                                                              TBA                   

Fri.      Dec. 21           STONY BROOK                                                                         TBA                   

Sat.     Dec. 29           DELAWARE STATE                                                                  TBA                   

Tue.    Jan. 1              IUPUI                                                                                          TBA                   

Sat.     Jan. 5              VIRGINIA TECH*                                                                        Noon                  ACCN

Wed.   Jan. 9              FLORIDA STATE*                                                                     8:00                     ACCN

Sun.     Jan. 13            at Miami*                                                                                     8:00                     ESPNU

Wed.   Jan. 16            NC STATE*                                                                                7:00                     ESPN2

Sat.      Jan. 19            at North Carolina*                                                                       Noon                   ESPN

Tue.    Jan. 22            BOSTON COLLEGE*                                                                 9:00                     ESPNU

Sat.      Jan. 26            at Duke*                                                                                      1:00                     CBS

Wed.    Jan. 30            at Florida State*                                                                          8:00                     ACCN

Sat.     Feb. 2             WAKE FOREST*                                                                        2:00                     RSN   

Thur.   Feb. 7              at Virginia Tech*                                                                          9:00                     ACCN

Sun.    Feb. 10           VIRGINIA*                                                                                   1:00                     ACCN

Sat.     Feb. 16           DUKE*                                                                                        6:00                     ESPN/ESPN2

Tue.     Feb. 19            at Boston College*                                                                       9:00                     ACCN

Sat.     Feb. 23           CLEMSON*                                                                                 Noon                  ESPN2

Wed.    Feb. 27            at Georgia Tech*                                                                         8:00                     ACCN

Sat.      March 2           at Wake Forest*                                                                          Noon                   ACCN

Wed.   March 6          NORTH CAROLINA*                                                                 7:00                     ESPN/ESPN2

Sun.     March 10         at Virginia*                                                                                   6:00                     ESPNU

March 14-17                at ACC Tournament (Greensboro, N.C.)

March 19 & 20             at NCAA First Round (Dayton)

March 21 & 23             at NCAA Second & Third Rounds (Auburn Hills, Lexington, Salt Lake City, San Jose)

March 22 & 24             at NCAA Second & Third Rounds (Austin, Dayton, Kansas City, Philadelphia)

March 28 & 30             at NCAA Regionals (Washington, D.C., Los Angeles)

March 29 & 31             at NCAA Regionals (Arlington, Indianapolis)

Apr. 6 & 8                    at NCAA Final Four (Atlanta)

* – Atlantic Coast Conference game

All times and dates subject to change (times for non-conference home games subject to change with regional TV selections);

All times Eastern; Home games played at Comcast Center (17,950) listed in BOLD CAPS

TV Key – ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU – national broadcasts; ACC Network (ACCN), Regional Sports Network (RSN), Comcast SportsNet (CSN); Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) – regional broadcasts. TerpsTV available via live stream on www.umterps.com

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Two weeks from its season opener, the University of Maryland football team provided fans an up-close glimpse of the highly touted freshman class that arrived in College Park earlier this month.

It didn’t disappoint. Stefon Diggs had three first-half touchdowns – a 68-yard punt return, a 98-yard kickoff return and an 11-yard reception – electrifying a crowd of several thousand in Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium Saturday afternoon.

The Terps, who were holding fan appreciation day, scrimmaged for two hours before holding an autograph session on the field.

Diggs and quarterback Perry Hills impressed, as did freshmen running backs Albert Reid and Wes Brown. Hills, running the first-team offense in a game-like situation for the first time, led the Terps on an 18-play, 76-yard touchdown drive to open the scrimmage. The freshman went 5 of 6 for 27 yards on the drive and also rushed for 36 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown run.

Hills, who led Maryland to scores on three of his five drives, showed the ability to make plays with his arm and his legs. On his third drive, he eluded the pass rush and hit Kevin Dorsey in the flat, and Dorsey turned it into a 41-yard play. Five plays later, he hit Diggs over the middle for an 11-yard touchdown.

“I thought Perry [Hills] had a good day,” said head coach Randy Edsall. “I thought he did some good things. Of course there’s going to be plenty of things that he could learn from, and get better, but I think that we didn’t have any issues with delay of game, really didn’t have any false starts. When you talk about the mechanics and the operation of the offense I thought he handled it really well.”

Diggs, meanwhile, didn’t waste any time making a good first impression. With his first touch, a punt return on the second drive of the game, he exploded up a seam and went 68 yards for a touchdown.

And after quarterback Caleb Rowe hit freshman receiver Levern Jacobs for a 69-yard touchdown, Diggs struck again with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

“He’s a dynamic player, he’s got good instincts, got good football knowledge, he has talent and he’s very coachable and very competitive,” said Edsall. “We’ll just keep working with him and I know he’ll keep working, and I think he’ll end up being a real good one.”

Now just two weeks away from the season opener, Edsall was pleased with the team’s effort but said work remains to be done.

“We’ve still got a lot of work to do before that opening game,” said Edsall. “Now we’ll go in and watch the film, evaluate it and narrow it down into a two-deep, and then who are the guys that can compete for us on special teams.”

Tidbits: With Matt Robinson injured, A.J. Hendy took the first-team reps at strong safety before leaving the practice with what Edsall said was an ankle injury. His status wasn’t immediately known … Edsall said he continues to be impressed with the running backs, specifically mentioning Brandon Ross, Albert Reid and Wes Brown … he also said the offensive line, and in particular right tackle Justin Gilbert, continue to get better … Edsall rested place-kicker/punter Nick Ferrara in order to get freshman Brad Craddock and redshirt freshman Nathan Renfro more reps. Craddock, an Australia native, performed well and showed good hang-time on his punts, while also handling kickoff and extra point duties … senior linebacker Darin Drakeford showed the ability to be a disruptive force. He had two sacks on one drive and on another, forced a fumble, picked it up and ran it in 18 yards for a touchdown.

Maryland held a two-hour workout inside Byrd Stadium Friday morning

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Though it was earlier and in a different location than originally expected, the University of Maryland football team donned full pads for the first time this preseason during a two-hour workout Friday morning.

A weather forecast that predicted afternoon storms caused the team to move up its workout to the morning, and heavy rains early in the a.m. triggered the team to practice inside Byrd Stadium, rather than the on-campus practice fields.

The session provided players their first reps on the recently completed FieldTurf, and head coach Randy Edsall came away impressed with the new surface.

“I thought our kids moved around pretty good and I think that as we get moving on it and everything else we’ll be in good shape,” said Edsall. “It’s nice and soft, I know that… I didn’t notice any issues or anything like that. I was very, very happy with it.”

The Terps went through a 24-period session that started with individual work, moved on to team periods and finished with red-zone, goal-line and short-yardage work. In the finishing stages of practice, Edsall said he was impressed with the offense.

“I thought our offense gave better effort today,” said Edsall. “I thought our offense got after it more than the defense did. What we have to do is be consistent each and every day. It doesn’t matter what the situation is, when it’s time to play everybody has to step up and meet the challenge.”

In particular, the running backs continued an impressive start to preseason camp. One of the bigger question marks coming in, that position group has been spurred by competition with two returnees and a number of talented incoming freshmen.

Sophomore Justus Pickett and redshirt freshman Brandon Ross have both been impressive in their second fall camp, while true freshmen Wes Brown, Albert Reid and Joe Riddle have also shown off their talent. Combined with sophomore fullback Tyler Cierski and freshman Kenneth Goins, Edsall has seen plenty to be happy with.

“I’m really pleased with the running backs,” said Edsall. “I think we’ve got a good group there. If you just take a look at the fullbacks as well, and then take a look at all the tailbacks – that’s where I need to get to with our program, where we have that kind of competition at every position.

“I know it’s only been five days but I have to tell it like I see it and how I feel… those young kids still have a lot to learn, but I think we’re going to be OK there.”

Terp Notes: Edsall said he’s been impressed with junior tight end Dave Stinebaugh for how he’s battled back from shoulder surgery. The Baltimore native is pushing for time in a loaded positional group that also includes seniors Matt Furstenburg, Devonte Campbell and Ryan Schlothauer … Edsall singled out linebacker Darin Drakeford and cornerback Dexter McDougle for having good camps thus far. They are two of 10 returning starters on defense … Sophomore Alex Twine is listed on the depth chart at SAM linebacker, which Edsall said is the most complicated of the four linebacker positions to play, along with Kenny Tate. Twine, who played in 11 games as a 17-year old freshman last season, has shown that experience in camp. “He’s out here playing so much faster and more aggressive than what he was a year ago,” said Edsall. “There was a play today where he came across the field and just lit the guy up… he’s playing a lot faster and with a lot more confidence this year.”

– Terps –