This is TERRAPINFootball 2007 OUTLOOK R EC R UITING S ECTION C OACHING S TAFF 2 0 0 7 O UTLOOK T E rr APIN P R OFILE S 2 0 0 6 R EVIEW T HE ACC 2 0 0 7 T ERRAPIN F OO T BALL M EDIA & R ECRUI T ING G UIDE 2007 OUTLOOK The Maryland football team has quite a bit of momen- Tim Cesa, the starting fullback last season, will have to “I feel good about our first team,” Friedgen said. “We just tum to build on after one of the most successful seasons in be replaced, but Cory Jackson, then just a true freshman, need to stay healthy up front.” school history. Not only did the Terps post another nine-win filled in admirably at the end of 2006, starting the final three Along with the departure of Heyer, left guard Donnie season and make a run at the Atlantic Coast Conference contests. Woods and right tackle Jared Gaither are not returning title, but they did something never accomplished in school In a battle to replace Hollenbach, junior Jordan Steffy this season. history - they put the finishing touches on their third-straight emerged from the spring atop the depth chart, but sopho- However, Dane Randolph, who started four games at bowl win. mores Josh Portis and Chris Turner were close behind. right tackle in 2006, is expected to step into Gaither’s spot, The Terps’ dominating 24-7 victory over Purdue in the Steffy served as the backup the last two seasons, but has while Jaimie Thomas, who split time with Woods at the end 2006 Champs Sports Bowl followed wins over West Vir- seen limited action in his career. However, he has been in of last season, will occupy the left guard position. ginia in the 2004 Toyota Gator Bowl and Tennessee in the Friedgen’s offensive system for three years and that gives Scott Burley, a four-year veteran, played well in spring 2002 Chick-fil-A Bowl. him a leg up on the competition. practice and has stepped into Heyer’s left tackle slot. Head coach Ralph Friedgen has taken the Terps to four “It’s a three-man race, but Jordan has a slight edge,” The defense, meanwhile, also returns six starters, though bowl games in his first six seasons, a feat only legendary Friedgen said of the quarterback competition heading into that unit lost three of its top four tacklers. However, there Maryland coaches Jerry Claiborne and Bobby Ross can fall camp. were a number of part-time players from a year ago who claim. Grooming a new signal-caller is nothing new to Friedgen, should step into starting roles this season. In addition, the Champs Sports Bowl victory enabled one of the top offensive minds in college football, who will “We have more depth on defense than we’ve had in the them to finish the season 9-4, marking the 13th time in serve as offensive coordinator for a second season. This past and a lot more than we have on offense,” Friedgen 114 years of football the Terps won at least nine games. will mark the fifth time in the last seven years the Terps will said. “Defensively, we have a chance to be very good. We’re Remarkably, four of those occurrences have come during break in a new starting quarterback. young, but we have enough experience.” Friedgen’s tenure. An offensive line that surrendered the second-fewest Junior Erin Henderson, the team’s leading tackler and “We had a good season,” Friedgen said of last year. “We sacks in the ACC last season will have to be re-tooled. an All-ACC performer last season, headlines not only the had a chance to make it a real special season, but came Senior right guard Andrew Crummey, an All-ACC linebacking corps, but the whole defense. up just a little short.” performer a year ago and a 2007 preseason All-American, The country took notice of Henderson. He was named Despite finishing one win away from the ACC Champi- headlines this group. to the 2007 Playboy Preseason All-America team and is on onship game, Friedgen always wants his team to think big. Junior center Edwin Williams had a solid 2006 campaign the watch list for the Bronco Nagurski Trophy, as the top “Last spring we talked about winning the ACC title and and should provide plenty of leadership. collegiate defensive player in college. I don’t think our players really believed it,” Friedgen said. The defensive line returns some veterans. “But we ended up having an opportunity to do that. That’s Conrad Bolston has departed for the NFL, but junior 5 4 where we need to look to keep setting our goals high.” pass rusher Jeremy Navarre and senior run-stopper Dre 5 5 Despite of the loss of some key starters from a year ago, Moore return. the Terps have plenty to build on. Senior Carlos Feliciano, who started seven games last Maryland returns 37 letterwinners, including 12 start- season, will step into Bolston’s tackle spot where the Terps ers, from the 2006 squad. They’ll be joined by another hope to have an improved rushing defense. solid recruiting class as Friedgen and the staff signed 25 “We want to improve our tackling and the ability to student-athletes in February, a group which included four shed blockers,” second-year defensive coordinator Chris All-Americans and 18 all-state honorees. Cosh said. Six starters are back on offense, including a number With the departure of Wesley Jefferson and David of skill position players as running back Lance Ball, wide Holloway, the linebacking corps will have to be a focus. receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey and tight end Joey Hay- Younger, more inexperienced players will likely man those nos are back in the fold. In fact, backs who accounted for spots, while Trey Covington is back as the starter at LEO, 94 percent of the rushing yards have returned, as well as a hybrid defensive end/linebacker position. pass-catchers who accounted for 97 percent of the receiv- The spring featured some heated battles at linebacker ing yards. as junior Chase Bullock and redshirt freshman Alex The Terps do have to replace the triggerman for the last Wujciak vied for the Mike position, while redshirt freshman two seasons as quarterback Sam Hollenbach departed, Adrian Moten and junior Moise Fokou pushed each other along with All-ACC left tackle Stephon Heyer. Hollenbach at Sam. and Heyer hope to take their game to next level as they Both of the those battles should continue through fall were signed as free agents following the 2007 NFL Draft by camp. the Washington Redskins. There are two personnel and position changes in the Heyer was the leader on an offensive line which opened secondary where All-America cornerback Josh Wilson and holes for Ball and running mate Keon Lattimore, and al- strong safety Marcus Wimbush have departed. lowed Hollenbach to toss for over 2,300 yards en route to Wilson translated a superb senior season into becoming All-ACC honors. a second-round choice of the Seattle Seahawks in the 2007 Junior WR Isaiah Williams is also back and should NFL Draft. join Heyward-Bey to form one of the top wideout duos in Senior Isaiah Gardner returns at cornerback, though he the league. missed all of the spring to rehab his shoulder injury. Though not considered a returning starter, junior Gardner enters the fall as one starter, while junior Kevin Danny Oquendo complements Heyward-Bey and Williams. Erin Henderson was a preseason All-America selection Barnes is atop the depth chart at the other corner. Oquendo is a sure-handed receiver who manned the slot last by Playboy and was named to the Nagurski Trophy However, there should be plenty of competition at season and may see time on the outside in the fall. watch list. cornerback in camp. 2 0 0 7 O PPONENT S P O S T S EA S ON H ONO rs A LL - T IME H ONO rs T E R P S I N T HE P R O S H I S TO R Y & R ECO R D S T HE U NIVE rs ITY 2 0 0 7 T ERRAPIN F OO T BALL M EDIA & R ECRUI T ING G UIDE Senior Christian Varner moved from free safety to strong safety in the spring, a switch which seemed to pay OFFENSIVE STARTERS dividends. “Christian looked much more aggressive in the spring,” RETURNING/LOST... Friedgen said. “We’re looking for a big season from him.” Starters Returning (6) Junior J.J. Justice entered the spring No. 1 at free safety RB Lance Ball Sr.-2V 5-9, 223 and remained there, though sophomore Terrell Skinner will • An All-ACC performer; ranks 13th on the school’s career push him in August. rushing yards list (1,719); team’s leading rusher the last Offense and defense are the first aspects of a football two seasons. team which come to mind, but many games are won and OL Edwin Williams Jr.-2V 6-2, 326 lost with special teams. • An All-ACC candidate; played in last 23 games, includ- Chief among the concerns of the coaching staff is the ing 13-straight starts; emerged as starting center last lack of a returning punter or place-kicker. All-ACC perform- season. ers Adam Podlesh and Dan Ennis have completed their OL Andrew Crummey Sr.-3V 6-5, 301 eligibility.