This Blog is a Lie

As many of my readers felt it necessary to point out, I'm a big, fat phony.

This past Saturday, it did rain in College Park. A lot. I know. I was there. My clothes are sitting in the basement next to a dehumidifier and I'm praying they don't grow mold. So sue me. Or do something constructive and think of another name for this blog.

The game itself was fairly good. Lots of running, lots of gritty play and mud - everything you want in a rainy football game. Plus, it was a win for the Terps, as they beat N.C. State with a last second field goal, 27-24.

I found it a little disappointing Maryland couldn't clobber the Wolfpack like the crappy team they are. Freshman quarterback Russell Wilson found plenty of room to run for 53 yards, and frankly, most of the time he made the Terp defense look slow. They gave up 155 rushing yards and 187 yards through the air. Luckily for them, the Wolfpack defense was worse.

Da'Rel Scott tore through like a tornado for 163 yards and a TD. Davin Meggett (who appears to be generating his own fan base) ran for a tough 34 yards and a TD carry, plus a 31-yard reception to set up the game-winning score. Honorable mention also includes tight end Dan Gronkowski, who managed three catches for 37 yards and a TD in unfavorable passing conditions. He's been a relatively consistent performer on a team bereft of consistent performers.

A win is a win, no? And even moreso, this win sets up a Terps bowl appearance and puts us in the lead for the Atlantic Division. Yeah girl.

Maryland has a real shot at winning this division, but the schedule doesn't exactly favor it. A victory over Virginia Tech next Thursday is doable, but not altogether likely. Beyond that, North Carolina and Florida State are tough games, but they will be at home. Boston College is winnable game on the road, and the Eagles always choke toward the end of the season. After that, the ACC championship.

Two wins and two losses seem reasonable to end this year, but three wins and one loss? That's potentially an ACC championship berth, depending on who loses and who gets tiebreakers.

So in short, this win puts the now-No. 25 Terrapins in terrific position for real success this season (as opposed to the fake success of the last few years). Even though it doesn't feel like a strong team and the defense is next to last in almost every category, Fridge now has some of the pressure off of him to be bowl eligible and he can focus on winning rather than saving his job (for once).

Potentially, this is a good team, it just remains to be whether or not they can live up to their billing in the tough games ahead.

Photos by Adam Fried

Dominant Defense Downs Demon Deacons

Before we start: Note the alliteration in the post title.

Moving on.

Unless you were hiding under a rock, you probably heard the Terps absolutely crushing No. 21 Wake Forest last Saturday, 26-0. Grinding offense, stifling defense, another upset victory... shocking, right?

Weeeellllllllll, I don't know. I mean, isn't this kind of typical of the Terps? Win a game against a ranked team at home? Besides, it was only a matter of time before Wake started losing conference games: Last week, they only won against Clemson because of a fourth-quarter touchdown. Their offense has only scored 24 points in three ACC games. Definitely underwhelming for a ranked team. In addition, their receiving corps was so terrible, it made you wonder what else Wake could be doing with the money it takes to give those players scholarships.

I'm not hating on what the Terps did by any means, though. It was a spectacular performance. Chris Turner threw for 321 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. OC James Franklin apparently heard something about this Darrius Heyward-Bey guy, because they actually threw to him yesterday. He ended up with a career-high 11 catches for 101 yards and a TD. The defense combined for four sacks and the front seven held the Demon Deacon offense to 73 net yards rushing.

So, what can the Terps against a really terrible N.C. State team to not have another letdown UVA style? Well, keep it going - in more ways than one.

1) Keep up the stiff defense and rolling offense and the five-game winning streak at home.

2) Keep up the recent ownage of the Wolfpack. Maryland has won 6 out of the last 8 in this match up. I know it's hard to remember, but Maryland did have bigger victory than Wake Forest last year. They stomped N.C. State 37-0 to become bowl eligible.

It should be a good one, but considering Maryland killed a weak team like Eastern Michigan at home, and considering we routinely own N.C. State, I'm going to predict a victory.

Back me up, Terps.

Photos by Adam Fried

A word from Governor Palin

Governor Palin, could you please explain how the Terps lost 31-0 to the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday?



Ok, we'll wait for you to get back to us. In the meantime, let's all try to forget this ever, ever, ever happened. It looks like Chris Turner is ready to forget.

Also, does anyone have a comment about this photo:

Let's have a funny caption contest. That will cheer everybody up...

Photos courtesy of baltimoresun.com

On the frontlines at DeMatha v. Good Counsel

This Thursday, I attended the nationally televised high school football game between No. 10 DeMatha and No. 2 Good Counsel. I wrote this story for class:

Last night’s game between Washington-area powerhouses No. 10 DeMatha and No. 2 Our Lady of Good Counsel was sold out. The match was broadcast to a national audience on ESPN2. Recruiters from Penn State, Maryland and Syracuse showed up among other big names. Thousands showed up to the small school in Olney, Md., to watch titans clash.

However, the Good Counsel Falcons (5-0) took the air out of the much-ballyhooed contest in the first quarter by scoring 28 unanswered points on their way to knocking off the overmatched Stags, 42-21.

“I think we stepped up,” said senior running back Caleb Porzel, who finished the night with 124 yards and three touchdowns. “We showed ourselves and the nation that we can hang with anyone – we should be a nationally-ranked premier team.”

DeMatha (3-2) looked virtually helpless as its defense was shredded by Porzel’s blazing speed for touchdown runs of seven, 38 and 56 yards. Added to a touchdown off of a senior linebacker Jelani Jenkins fumble recovery, the Stags found themselves mired in a four-score deficit less than 13 minutes into the game.

If not for a miraculous 61-yard touchdown pass from Tom Chroniger to Emmanuel McPhearson in coverage midway through the second quarter, DeMatha would’ve been held scoreless in the first half entirely by a sturdy, Jenkins-led Falcons defense.

Two more touchdowns in the third quarter gave the DeMatha squad some momentum. Chroniger had a 15-yard rush for a score and found Lewis Young in the end zone with a 10-yard pass within a six-minute stretch.

But during the ensuing possession on fourth down, the Falcons faked a punt and kicker Mark Hamilton ran for 21 yards and earned 15 extra yards on a facemask penalty against DeMatha. The drive was capped by Jenkins running untouched into the end zone six plays later.

DeMatha missed another score by the slimmest of margins: Receiver Jeff Knox was stopped after a catch on the one yard line with 1:47 left in the game on fourth down. But even a touchdown would’ve been futile at that point.

It was a disappointment for the defending WCAC-champion Stags, who find themselves looking up in the division for one of the first times in a while.

“We just didn't come out and play our game today,” Chroniger said. “We didn't make a pass, I didn’t throw it right, just small things. You come out without intensity, it's hard to beat somebody."

Although Porzel was bothered during the game by calf cramps and coming off an ankle injury, his injury concerns didn’t prevent him from shining in the national spotlight, even beyond the shadow of top-10 prospect and teammate Jenkins.

“It was kind of a mental thing for me,” Porzel said. “I was kind of scared at one point, but once I hit the first touchdown, I was like ‘this is going to be a good night for us.’”

For DeMatha, by the end of the first half, the game became less about winning and more about having self-respect.

"We came out a little flat in the first half, and I felt our priority was to keep our heads in it,” DeMatha senior tight end Jeremiah Mathis said. “I felt like we came back out in the second half and we fought. If there was anything that we needed to do in the second half, it was fight for it.”

The two teams have made a habit of meeting in the WCAC championship. Good Counsel senior quarterback Tyler Campbell, who completed all of his seven passes for 177 yards, said he had witnessed the last two championship losses to DeMatha, and although he savored the revenge, he acknowledged it’s not over.

“I can’t tell you how badly we want to win a championship this year,” Campbell, a senior, said. “We beat them last year in the regular season, but they beat us in the championship. We want to win it this year.”

The rival teams always seem to be looking ahead to the next matchup between the two schools. DeMatha receiver Michael Milburn was already thinking about it after the loss.

“If we play ‘em in the postseason, we’ll get ‘em,” he said.

Tell me what you think. For a REALLY great story, read Josh Barr's recap. I'm an amateur, but he shows himself to be the pro in this story.

Also, some notes:

- Porzel is as fast as anyone, but you can't help but notice he's probably 5'5 or 5'6. At Maryland, he'll probably return kicks, but we'll have to see if he grows.
- Jenkins is an absolute manbeast. He was a dominant force on defense. You can see why the schools want him. His speed and power were on display as starting fullback as well. I think he's well outside of Maryland's league.
- Fridge was at the game. Whether he was looking for new recruits or trying to hang on to the ones he is up for debate.
- Some receivers on DeMatha actually looked very good. Milburn has great size and leaping ability and McPhearson just tore through the middle. They both could've shown softer hands at times, though, and drops were actually a big factor in the game.

Signing off...

Photos from gazette.net, rivals.com

A True Test

Clemson came very, very close, but they just couldn't beat the Terps.

You could see the frustration on the faces of Clemson fans as soon as Cullen Harper came up short on a QB sneak. I pitied them for a few brief moments before I realized that my team was going to win today.

I can understand their frustration - Clemson probably should've won today. They had more offense and more consistent defense. However, they coughed the ball up three times, and that won't win you anything. Sorry Tommy Bowden, you're just not going to have an easy week.

For their part, Maryland capitalized, capitalized and capitalized. They turned turnovers into points and basically did just enough to bag the win. One Chris Turner pass, one Da'Rel Scott run, and two Obi Egekeze field goals turned out to be just enough. Also, gotta shout out to Darrius Heyward-Bey for making what I consider to be one of the game-changing plays: a 76-yard reverse. I swear to God that reverses never ever work for any team I root for... unless it's Heyward-Bey, who somehow always makes at least a 30-yard gain out of those.

I love the win. It puts us at 4-1 (better than I would've expected this season thus far) and that much closer to bowl eligibility. Heck, it might be ambitious, but the Terps are certainly in the race for winning the Atlantic Division. So far, Maryland has only played one conference opponent so there's a long way to go, but it's feasible.

Next week is a good start: Maryland head to face the Virginia Cavaliers, who were just stomped by Duke of all teams, 31-3. Duke, by the way, wins its first ACC game in the last 26 attempts.

However, Jeff Barker notes in his Tracking the Terps blog that Ralph is not taking Virginia at all lightly, and considering the rivalry the two teams have built, that sounds like a sensible mentality. Virginia has bested the Terps in 12 of the past 16 matchups, which is kind of domination, or as my two new favorite bloggers would say, dominasian (yes that was an off-topic shoutout by the way).

Also, the injury report isn't looking good: Adrian Moten is out for awhile, and Danny Oquendo, Nolan Carroll, Scott and others are questionable.

But lets hope the Terps have enough juice to pull it out. To be honest with you, I think they do.

Photos by Adam Fried

Reality Check - Going to Death Valley

Don't get me wrong, I love to celebrate wins. I think it's great that we're 3-1, and that's really the best we could've hoped for in the first four weeks of our schedule. I think it's great that we just put up 51 points on Eastern Michigan. I think it's great that every College Park resident gets 12 free toppings on their pizza at Papa John's.

But just look on the schedule: Next up, Clemson. I hope that name makes you wince.

They crushed the Terps last year. They blighted them. At home, no less. It was a miserable game. I left at halftime. The final score of 30-17 didn't reflect how horrific the game was.

When thinking about going on the road against Clemson, the home pummeling of Eastern Michigan doesn't give me that much comfort. The Tigers are ranked No. 20 in the AP poll, and for good reason:

- They're scoring 34 points per game and only allow 15 points per game.
- They have the third-best red zone offense in the ACC.
- They have the second-best passing defense and fifth-best rushing defense in the conference.
- They have Cullen Harper, one of the most efficient passers in the ACC (and who kind of looks like a tool on the Clemson site), and James " I guarantee it" Davis and C.J. Spiller, two of the most explosive backs in the ACC.

I think the best way to react to the Maryland victory is to think about all the positive things we learned and apply it to how we can beat Clemson. So let's take a walk on the positive side...

- Maryland has the ACC's most efficient passer. No, it's not Chris Turner. No, it's not Josh Portis. Answer is: (dun dun dun) Danny Oquendo! All he does is throw 43-yard touchdown passes!

- Morgan Green is finally doing something. Green was spotted actually running into the end zone, not once, but twice! He finished with 40 yards on the day to go with his two scores. Now he only has to rush for 3,883 more yards and score 50 more touchdowns and he'll finally prove he was worth taking over Steve Slaton!

- Da'Rel Scott is still the ACC's leading rusher. Hilariously, he hasn't moved from the top spot after missing a week of work, and his YPG looks even better.

- Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a kicker. Obi Egekeze came out of a coma and went 3-for-3, shattering his season-high mark of zero field goals in a game.

Ok, ok, ok - I know none of those observations are helpful at all.

However, Maryland can beat Clemson. Da'Rel Scott is expected to return this week, and James Franklin seems to be getting a spark out of this offense. Between 51 points against Eastern Michigan and 35 points against Cal, there's promise here yet.

Turner did throw two interceptions this week, but also had two touchdown passes. Josh Portis once again didn't complete a pass, but he did rush for an astonishing 98 yards, which is more impressive when you consider teams know he can't throw the ball. The running game overall was still fantastic without Scott: 231 yards ain't bad at all, and we're still the second-best rushing team in the conference.

The biggest problems we face are on defense. The Terps are just giving up waaaaay too many passing yards. Cal quarterback Kevin Riley skinned us to a near-comeback, and the Eagles' Kyle McMahon still threw for over 275 yards, which is a good total by any standard.

The return of Terrell Skinner will help, but Kevin Barnes and company have to play some tight ball. Harper can toss the ball on a defense and at least keep them honest enough to set up the run. James Davis and the Clemson o-line will test Maryland's undersized front seven.

In order to be successful, the defense has to be able to penetrate the pocket. Against Cal, Maryland had five sacks. They'll need that kind of pressure again to really bring the heat to the hot-handed Harper. Should Clemson choose to run the ball straight at the defense, the Terp linemen and linebackers have to finish their tackles. If you allow James Davis and C.J. Spiller to run at your secondary, they will end you.

Really, there's little room for error in this ACC dogfight. The last two years, this has been a game for the road team, and Maryland will hope to keep that particular streak going on Saturday. Should they succeed, a national ranking might be in the works for a tough Terrapin team. Should they fail...

... well, let's not worry about it.

Photos courtesy of baltimoresun.com sports.

Da'Rel Scott - Best Back in the ACC

When the season started, more than a few questions were raised about how the Terps running game would go on without the tag team of Keon Lattimore and Lance Ball that basically carried the Maryland offense on their shoulders in 2007.

Da'Rel Scott, a sophomore with blazing speed, had been a hero against Boston College the year before, but would he be able to do it with a full load of carries?

Although it was not a foolish question given the lack of evidence, it does seem rather foolish now: Da'Rel Scott is the ACC's leading rusher at week three. And he's leading by a lot.

Scott is averaging 135 yards per game. That's almost 50 YPG more than the guy behind him, Josh Nesbitt of Georgia Tech (who's the quarterback in a triple-option offense). Actually, he's the fifth-leading rusher in the country in YPG so far.

As a result, Maryland is fourth in the ACC in rushing, just six yards behind Virginia Tech's season total. That's fairly impressive considering that quarterback Chris Turner is immobile and Scott's backup is a true freshman.

Also, you have to consider that he only ran in half of last week's matchup against the Golden Bears. He had already had accrued 87 yards and two touchdowns. If Davin Meggett still went on to gain 82 yards in Scott's absence by running at defenders, imagine what Scott could've done with his speed and agility running around defenders. It's hard to doubt he would've easily gone over the century mark for the third week in a row.

This week against Eastern Michigan, Scott is questionable because of his shoulder injury (from the Cal game), but his running ability will be needed to set up the passing routes in James Franklin's offense. Meggett is serviceble, but no one confuses him for the guy that could take it to the house on any given hand off. Scott gets that kind of respect - he's the best back in the ACC (for now).

Photos by Adam Fried

Terps Topple Golden Bears

So that's pretty crazy, right?

One week ago, let us recall that we were rehashing the Terps latest disappointing letdown against MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE. And today we beat... a No. 23-ranked Cal?

WHAAAAAAAAAA?!?!?!?!

I don't know. Nobody knows. Not even the Schmuck. I'm not even going to pretend to understand how different this team looked today. I suppose you could attribute some of that to jet lag. You could say that Cal couldn't play defense. But you have to give the Terps some credit for an amazingly efficient offensive performance, and good defense for three quarters. Props as well to the fans who were dedicated enough to stay the whole game through the sunburn and dehydration (I wimped out early to be honest).

I mean, let's look at some areas of statistical weakness we talked about last week:

- Chris Turner bounced back from a three-interception performance last week with a 15-for-19 showing with 156 yards and two touchdown passes. Not stunning numbers, but the kind of numbers Maryland needs to complement their rushing game.

- The offensive line looked better, but Turner was still sacked four times. We need to improve in this area. But on rushing plays, the line was hitting their blocks very well against a seemingly toothless Cal defense.

- On the other side of the ball, the defensive front seven finally had some pressure... most of the game. The team had five sacks today, with two from Moise Fokou and one-and-a-half from Rick Costa. It was a big improvement from zero total sacks in the first two games. Beyond that, the line and the backers ate up the run. The Golden Bears finished with 38 rushing yards, the Terps had eight tackles-for-a-loss, and Dave Philistin had 13 total tackles. Like a champ.

- Obi Egekeze still stunk it up, to put it lightly. He missed a 27-yard attempt. Ugh. Right now, Obi is 0-for-5 on the season. I'm thinking about camping out on my roof until he does it. Anyone with me? Anyone?

The biggest problem is a classic Maryland characteristic: We have a hard time holding a commanding lead. The secondary was torched for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, which is simply inexcusable, and I expect Friedgen to say as much this upcoming week.

It was a problem last year against Boston College, and the Terps routinely come down to nail-biting finishes. The best teams in football take commanding leads and hold them. We need to play a full game. The offense did a great job of this, especially considering Da'Rel Scott went down for the game in the first half (he seemed OK at the end and was on the sidelines). The defense was blown away.

We'll see if perhaps Maryland treats Eastern Michigan the same way they treat Cal. EMU just lost to the Toledo Rockets and is currently 1-2, but I think a good lesson the Terps learned a week ago is to not take opponents lightly.

But today, way to go Terps, and good win!

UPDATE: Also, good hit Kevin Barnes! You know how when an announcer says that hit made him spit out his breakfast? Well...



Photos courtesy of baltimoresun.com.

Evaluating Flacco - Part I

The honest truth about the NFL Draft is that it's a crapshoot. Even Mel Kiper and Todd McShay will tell you that. Guys rise up from nowhere (Willie Parker) and guys trip over their own shoelaces (Cedric Benson) when they finally get into the NFL.

Lately I've been reading up on the huge draft busts of the past to see what they have in common, and so far, I've seen that maturity can be a big factor in how draft choices pan out.

Classic example: Peyton Manning was the senior QB at Tennessee that had a good arm and was considered more grown-up, but athletically limited. Ryan Leaf was the kid out of Washington State with the actual "rocket arm" that Manning talks about in his commercials. At the time, Leaf was considered to have higher upside, while Peyton was the pro-ready prospect. No matter what Colt GM Bill Polian says, he was on the right side of a lucky guess. One is going to be a top-3 greatest QB ever when he retires, the other is the most epic flameout of the league ever.

Two other prospects that represent the maturity theory:

- Brian Bosworth: Just watch this video segment. His cultural celebrity eclipsed his NFL playing ability.

- Tony Madarich: Reading this SI article, how could people not know this guy was going to be a bust? He's a jerk!

So after my initial reaction of "Boller: Episode II" to the Joe Flacco selection, I cleared my head and began to look online for more about the guy. Knee-jerk thoughts are not the way to evaluate how scouting departments select the marquee picks of their drafts.

Luckily, people have done most of this work for me.

Dewey Hammond, who is one of the greatest blogging advocates and enablers today in my opinion, has developed his reputation behind the Yardbarker Network to the point where he's treated like a legitimate news organization representative. He gets interviews with athletes and direct-to-audience content like no one else does. Thankfully, he's also a Baltimore Ravens fan.

He somehow got in touch with Joltin' Joe Flacco and did this interview.

Reebok is trotting this man out, because he also did this interview with Keith Van Valkenberg of the Baltimore Sun, of whom I've become a fan in recent weeks.

Maybe I'm just being optimistic, but I feel like the general impression of Flacco is that he's a sharp guy that isn't afraid to be a little light-hearted. Ravens coaches apparently drafted him because of his physical tools and "coachability" or the way he actually executes what he's asked to do. Reports are that when he completed his workouts for the Ravens, he listened carefully to their suggestions and vastly improved over the course of the few days he was there.

This represents to me a kind of maturity that is a promising sign in a young prospect. Not every first-round draft pick has the character or the demeanor to work hard and do things a different way, even if it's difficult.

Furthermore, I've watched some of his video. On YouTube, it's a two-part series:

Part One

Part Two


What I see in these videos that the guy obviously has a big arm - he makes 40-yard throws with ease. But everybody already knows that. His accuracy is fair to middling; he'll have to work on his short-range accuracy. But he also has great poise and pocket sense. He stands in to take the hit, but he also knows when the hit is coming. He also doesn't have the bad habit of stutter stepping when he feels the heat, like Boller would do. I think we're dealing with more of a Jay Cutler than a Boller, hopefully.

From a personal standpoint, I'm warming up to the guy. I fully recognize that he was drafted as a project player and has a lot of development to do before he sits behind center in a real game. But even knowing these conditions, I feel better about the pick than I did before (similar to Rick Maese in this column). For a project, he seems to have everything you could reasonably hope for, and someday he could come out as one of the better QBs in this draft.

I'm not saying he's our savior, and I'm definitely not saying he's the best option we have this year, and I'm most definitely not saying he should win the QB battle out of training camp. The Ravens made their choice with the way they drafted this year - the organization is retooling. New coach, new personalities, project players warming up to their roles: that doesn't measure up to a winning season this year, especially when the Browns and the Steelers are going to be so competitive.

Flacco is an investment, something for next year or the year after that. Hopefully folks like Ozzie, Rex Ryan, Ray-Ray, Derrick Mason, Terrell Suggs and all the other vets are still around when it starts paying dividends. But for the organization, this could be - and I stress could be - the turnaround pick for this franchise.

The reason this post is labelled Part I is because everybody knows that draft picks cannot be evaluated for some time until they're actually in the game for awhile. I anticipate coming back to this selection several times over the next few years and seeing how he's progressing. This only counts as initial reaction and observation - nothing is written in stone.

Photo Credit: Baltimore Sun, The Tide Druid

Terp Prospects in the NFL Draft

Since this weekend is a huge holiday to football freaks and geeks everywhere, I thought it might be prudent to write some more about the NFL Draft. However, for the Maryland folks out there who don't even know how to spell Vernon "Golstin," here's a breakdown of how players from Maryland will do this Saturday and Sunday with their '07 stats, various other projections - and a little INRCP spin, of course. I also called resident draft expert Kyle Miller, who did our mock draft, to help me out.

Hint: many of these projections will say "undrafted."

Let's go:

ERIN HENDERSON

Position: Linebacker
Key 2007 Stats: 133 tackles, 11 for a loss despite missing time with well-documented injuries
Biggest Plus: Has an instinct for the run and always seems to know where the play is going to be
Biggest Knock: Not terribly well-rounded in coverage or pass-rushing and has an injury history
ESPN Projection: Round 3 or 4 pick
NFL Draft Countdown Projection: Round 3 pick, possibly round 2
INRCP Take: Henderson was everyone's darling this past year and the face of a team that lacked great leadership. Unfortunately injuries prevented him from having a Butkus-worthy season. His combine results did little to move him up boards, and most scouts consider his speed very average for playing outside linebacker. A detailed catalog of nicks and tears on his body causes many teams worry as well. Kyle Miller says, "He can fit in a 3-4 or a 4-3 defense, but he's not really special in either. He's not great in man-to-man coverage but decent in zone. He probably won't be asked to do much more than clog up the run in the NFL." It's also our opinion that Henderson would probably thrive in the middle linebacker position, where he would be asked to stop the run more than drop back into coverage. The guy can tackle like nobody's business, but today's linebacker prototype is asked to do more than what Henderson is good at.
INRCP Projection: Round 3 or 4 pick, and could slip further

DRE MOORE

Position: Defensive Tackle
Key 2007 Stats: 63 tackles and 6 sacks (led the team)
Biggest Plus: Ideal size, strength and speed
Biggest Knock: Questionable motor, plays when he wants to
ESPN Draft Projection: Round 2 or 3 pick
NFL Draft Countdown Projection: Round 2 pick
INRCP Take: Moore is a guy that I just can't get excited about. Statistically, he had a good senior season, but on the field, he hardly dominated. Maryland had the 3rd-worst rushing defense in the ACC and consistently got run over by backs like James Davis and Yvenson Bernard during the season. You would expect a team with a top-five tackle and a top-five linebacker to squash the run game, but Moore never got it together like Glenn Dorsey or Sedrick Ellis did. He screams "Workout Warrior" to me. Kyle Miller says, "He'd probably be a good fit in a 3-4. We'll see how he adjusts to the NFL in terms of being more consistent, but he could dominate." I personally believe he should only go to a highly disciplined team that believes they can corral him and make him dedicated to becoming all that he can be.
INRCP Projection: Round 3 or 4 pick, but likely will go in round 2

ANDREW CRUMMEY

Position: Guard
Key 2007 Stats: Missed 5 games with a broken fibula
Biggest Plus: Versatile, anchor of some great lines in '05 and '06, technically sound
Biggest Knock: Not big enough and not strong enough in any one area
ESPN Draft Projection: Round 6 or 7 pick
NFL Draft Countdown Projection: Round 6 or 7 pick
INRCP Take: How the mighty have fallen - once a pre-season All American, Crummey slid doooooowwwn draft boards after breaking his leg. Although he played in the Emerald Bowl, his stock took another hit when he had to leave to NFL combine because his leg had not fully healed. However, Crummey is a sound blocker who was greatly respected before his injury, so he has upside, even if he is not as athletic as the ideal NFL guard. Kyle Miller says, "He was a first-day talent before he caught a bad break. He's a good run-blocker and has good size, and he would've intrigued teams." Crummey, if he heals, could be a steal on draft day.
INRCP Projection: Round 6 pick

JOEY HAYNOS

Position: Tight End
Key 2007 Stats: 30 receptions (2nd on the team) for 318 yds (3rd on the team)
Biggest Plus: Absurdly tall (nearly 6'8), a hard worker who was a walk-on
Biggest Knock: Not athletic, fast or overly strong
ESPN Draft Projection: Round 6 or 7 pick
NFL Draft Countdown Projection: Round 7 pick or undrafted
INRCP Take: Haynos took a step back this past season, mostly due to the unstable situation at quarterback. The guy was clutch in '06 with Sam Hollenbach at the helm, but mostly due to his size and modest receiving ability. He's worked hard to get where he is today, but in the NFL, I can't see him breaking beyond special teams. He doesn't fill a niche role and his frame needs to fill in as well.
INRCP Projection: Round 7 pick or undrafted

ISAIAH GARDNER

Position: Cornerback
Key 2007 Stats: 69 tackles, 10 passes broken up
Biggest Plus: Uh ....
Biggest Knock: Doesn't know how to play coverage even though he's a corner
ESPN Draft Projection: Undrafted
NFL Draft Countdown Projection: Undrafted
INRCP Take: Gardner is the kind of player that every team has who only seems to be highlighted by his mistakes. I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to throw up after one of his blown coverages was exploited. Passers intentionally threw to his side of the field because they knew he would be out of position. He ran a decent 4.41 forty time and had a great 42.5-inch vertical, but what does that matter if you can't play your position? If your team drafts him, it's a good sign that you might be a Jets fan.
INRCP Projection: Undrafted, possible CFL candidate

KEON LATTIMORE

Position: Running back
Key 2007 Stats: 900 all-pupose yards, 13 TDs
Biggest Plus: Elusive and instinctive runner
Biggest Knock: No elite speed, balance or strength
ESPN Draft Projection: Round 7 pick or undrafted
NFL Draft Countdown Projection: Undrafted
INRCP Take: Lattimore has some decent NFL skills, and there is a small chance he could find a team that needs a back. However, the RB class is too deep and Lattimore's measurables and pro day workouts were hampered by injuries. Even though Kyle and I are fans of Lattimore and think he could make it in the league, he'll find it tough, especially since he split so much time in college.
INRCP Projection: Undrafted

LANCE BALL

Position: Running back
Key 2007 Stats: 856 total yds, 12 TDs
Biggest Plus: Tough, gritty runner who performs consistently
Biggest Knock: Small, slow for NFL game
ESPN Draft Projection: Undrafted
NFL Draft Countdown Projection: Undrafted
INRCP Take: See Lattimore, Keon. Ball is another Maryland hero who potentially could find himself on an NFL roster if he really keeps working. However, things like his height and his lack of speed won't help him. There are just too many backs who have a better chance of getting on to an NFL roster.
INRCP Projection: Undrafted

J.J. Justice and Christian Varner are also players that have an outside chance of being drafted as safties, but I doubt it and no major site has them listed as draft prospects. They are both average college safeties, and the NFL is the best of the best. They may have an easier time finding a spot on a roster than Lattimore or Ball, but don't hold your breath waiting for them to be selected.

Cheer for your Terps on Saturday - there's a good chance we could see at least two go by the time the first day is over.

Photo Credit: Washington Post, UMTerps

Spring Recruiting Notes

Hey guys, today I'm basically going to rehash some stuff I've seen recently on Recruiting Report and give my own spin. Don't mistake that for me taking credit for the work (good work, Matt Bracken).

FOOTBALL

Maryland picked up a 2009 commitment from QB C. J. Brown from Pennsylvania last week. He hasn't shown up in an position rankings yet, but it's still early. The good news is the kid has lineage - his father Clark was a QB at Michigan State. He's got 4.65 speed as well, which is nothing to sneeze at. See the full story on Recruiting Report.

Also, I can't end this section without somehow mentioning Michael Campanaro's decision to attend Wake Forest in 2009. All I can say is that someone from River Hill would go to such a WASPy school - one where a friend of mine who attends there admits, "The only black people who go here are athletes." Obiviously, that's an exaggeration, but still:

Wake Forest University rankings in Princeton Review:
- No. 7 for least race/class interaction
- No. 18 for least diverse
- No. 8 for "jock schools"
- This classic student desciption (a must-read)

Boo Wake, boo River Hill (That's just high school loyalties, sorry). They do have really nice landscaping, though.

BASKETBALL

I'm not sure how up to date you guys are about Bobby Maze, but it seems like he's officially a no-go for Maryland, which makes sense when you consider how many freakin' guards are still on the team. A Wichita State blog has an article about Maze possibly becoming a Shocker (trying not to make an inappropriate reference here, but young people, smile while you read "Shocker"). That's a tough fall from ACC school to Missouri Valley Conference, not to mention from Terp to Shocker. But he might get more floor time - he could be a star there.

The Maryland women also picked up a recruit, but this one is coming here in 2008: Jackie Nared, a swingwoman from Oregon. Her dad, Greg, played basketball here in the 80s. The one troubling thing I find is that Nared only had one other scholarship offer at San Diego State, so it's possible that Nared might've earned a ticket here partially on a "legacy" basis. But she sounds good, so we'll see how she develops next fall. Check out the video:



Overall, the class is not looking as strong as the classes of the last three or four years, but there is plenty of reason to feel good about it: One is a Parade and McDonald's All-American, another was JuCo Player of the Year and only lost one game last year, and Nared rounds out the class. This group, along with Drey Mingo, will hopefully replace some of the production in the frontcourt lost by the graduation of Crystal Langhorne and Laura Harper. And trust me, that can be a steep drop if they don't adjust their games to the college level quickly.

Also worth mentioning: Kat Lyons, a freshman guard, is transferring schools after this semester. That's what happens when people don't play, and underclassmen hardly played at all last season. Lyons averaged 9 minutes per game in the 24 contests she played in last year, but that might be misleading - her time was cut as time went on. Overall, I don't think Maryland should be terribly hurt by her loss.

Fun fact: In the seven-player rotation this past season, composed entirely of juniors and seniors, six of those players played more minutes than all freshmen minutes combined, and the other player, Jade Perry, was pretty close to that mark.

That's recruiting for ya. Keep it real and keep it current.

Photo Credit: Scout.com, DCBasketCase bloggers

Basketball and Football - It's What Maryland Does

I know I'm not going to have much of a chance to write tomorrow, so I thought I'd just offer up a few links for y'all:

- Recruiting Report's full breakdown of the football signing class. Barring any incredible announcements tomorrow, this is pretty much the final list. The Terps will see strong upgrades at wide receiver and defensive tackle - honestly, they have the one of the best classes for those positions in the country.

- The women clinched an overtime victory against VaTech, beating them 74-71. The Terps suffered from early shooting woes, letting the Hokies gain a 22-2 advantage (they probably could've shot better blindfolded. But anyway, "a win is a win." Hopefully they learn. Also, I sense that Brenda Frese's absence on the road has a lot to do with these struggles. But here's a nice story about her from the Sun.

- Plenty of people are taking notice that the Maryland men's team is improving. It's nice to see such positive articles from The Baltimore Sun and The Washington Times. Still waiting on The Washington Post to write anything editorial about Maryland.

Finally, this isn't Maryland related, but I want to leave you and a legendary coach with a few quick highlights from his career:



Anyway, that's all I have time for today, have a good one.

Photo Credits: Baltimore Sun

Karma's a ... Well, The Patriots Know What It Is

When looking at the greatest 4th quarters of all time, the 4th quarter of the Patriots-Giants Super Bowl will have to be considered.

We all saw something inexplicable, incredible and possibly supernatural when Eli Manning completed a spellbinding drive with a TD pass to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds remaining. The Tyree catch in and of itself is an immortal highlight-reel play.

But most important, I believe, is that we all bore witness to a team that fell from its lofty heights.

The Patriots probably entered this game believing they were going to win - I really believed they would win. All week, experts and media were asking, "Does another championship make the Patriots the greatest dynasty ever? Will the 2007 Patriots be remembered as the greatest team ever? Is Tom Brady the greatest quarterback ever? Is Bill Belichick the greatest coach ever?" Really, it appears these conversations were best saved until after the game.

I see a team brought down by self-confidence, a team that believed they were more unique and more special than any other team in the NFL. I see a team that was all too willing to believe that Bill Belichick was something more than a football coach and that Tom Brady was something more than a quarterback. As it turned out, Belichick was a coach who couldn't wait one second to leave the field before the game was over and Brady was a quarterback who threw erratically most of the night.

It was a team not worthy of perfection: Their players would love to talk about "humble pie" and only caring about championships, but they also seemed to care about talking to the press and receiving adoration for their achievements and how special they were. All the talk about not getting respect and using negative press as motivation served to mask the fact that a team can only pretend to be the underdog as long as they actually are the underdog. When everyone believed they would win, suddenly their philosophy seemed empty.

Now what will become of the franchise - a team that somehow swept steroid use (Rodney Harrison, that's you) and Spygate under the rug? For the NFL, the Patriots actually had to lose, because the league can't have a champion that is under scrutiny for cheating, especially cheating to win one of their Super Bowls. Things are only bound to get worse for the Pats, as their videotape controversy is likely re-examined and their players lose some faith in what seemed to be an ironclad ideology before one unlikely Giants drive.

In my opinion, it's a lesson, and hopefully one the Patriots learn well. Undefeated is over. Now what?

Photo Credits: Baltimore Sun

100 Posts of Brilliance

Today marks an important milestone in INRCP history: We now have 100 posts. I couldn't be more proud of the site - it's really come a long way (despite looking mostly the same). Thanks a ton to all our readers for making this a successful venture. October 16th, 2007 seems like quite a long time ago in retrospect.

I'm going right to Tate - Kenny Tate that is. Yesterday, as some of you heard, 4-star recruit Kenny Tate accepted a scholarship at "Maryland University," but thankfully he switched his commit to the University of Maryland a short time later. Tate is big and rangy, at 6'4 and 210 lbs. His stats aren't completely out-of-this world (about 500 yds and 6 TDs), but he's definitely an athlete and a consensus top-five player in Maryland.

It seemed like the deciding factors were location, the opportunity to work with a retooled offense, and just feeling like he fit in. Another bonus was that his parents liked Maryland.

Here's the video:



Also, Matt Bracken did a little interview, and here's the parts I appreciated:

Favorite music: Aaliyah

Favorite movie: The Bodyguard

Favorite TV show: Scooby-Doo, Mickey Mouse, cartoons

Favorite thing about College Park: “Chipotle. That’s the spot.”

Fascinating insights, indeed. Chipotle is probably the No. 1 thing about CP.

Also tomorrow, the Terps men play Georgia Tech tomorrow. The Yellow Jackets are 5th in the conference in offense, but dead last in defense and FG% defense. By contrast, Maryland is No. 1 in both of those categories. GT is a spot below us in the conference standings, so it's important to win to start distancing ourselves from the rest of the mediocre ACC pack.

Let's get a win - Go Terps.

Word on the Street: Tate Coming to Maryland

Josh Barr's Recruiting Insider has UMD fans on alert that sought-after wideout Kenny Tate wants to be a Terp. He has a press conference scheduled for today at 5 p.m. (as if we hadn't said it enough), and is choosing between Maryland and Illinois.

I really shouldn't be making promises, but from what I hear, Maryland is a good environment for Tate and is desirable. He's a local standout at DeMatha, and he was a starter for the East in the Senior Bowl. He would be a huge aquisition for the Terps - a perfect option on the other side of fellow four-star recruit. A while back, Matt Bracken had a conversation with his high school coach: Read it here.

Also, some of you know by know I'm obsessed with Recruiting Report, but I really liked today's "Getting to Know You" feature with Davin Meggett. Here's my personal highlights:

Favorite TV show: The Boondocks on the Cartoon Network

Favorite book: The Bible and Football Physics by Timothy James Gay

Favorite thing about College Park: “The energy of the students and just the livelihood, how real they are.”

Hobbies: Playbooks, making new plays, coming up with blocking schemes and checks

I know he takes football seriously, but I hope he can get some new hobbies - like pottery or Scrabble or something. I feel like one cannot live on sports alone - even me (believe it or not).

UPDATE: We got Tate. He seemed really nervous, but he managed to spit out, "I will be attending Maryland University ... Soon as I sign those papers, I'm a Maryland Terrapin."

More info at Recruiting Insider.

Photo Credit: Washington Post

Terps take Virginia to school

Maryland showed up tonight and held Virginia down, beating them 85-75. Very fascinating game. I think at this point, Maryland has proven they can compete.

Virginia isn't very good, but it was important for the Terps to prove they wouldn't let down against a lesser team after running with Duke on Sunday. Now they sit at respectable 3-3 in the ACC, which is OK, but not quite good enough. The team will have to treat every game as a must-win from here on out.

I saw some really "interesting" things in this game:

- TURNOVERS: I had to rub my eyes, pinch myself and check my pulse when I took a look at the box score. Only 9 turnovers tonight for UMD. Incredible. Overall, the ball movement, especially in the first half, looked pretty crisp. It was apparent to me that Eric Hayes and Greivis Vasquez had been practicing together on a few plays: One of the more successful setups was when one of them passed the ball to the other, and when the double team came to block the shot, a quick pass back would create an open shot.

- SHOOTING: On a related note, the long-range shooting was better. Hayes hit 3, Vasquez hit 4. The percentage should go up though (only 33%). Both Adrian Bowie and Cliff Tucker hesitate in taking open shots from downtown. Landon Milbourne was inconsistent.

- LEADERSHIP: There was a specific possession when the guards stalled and kind of passed back and forth for a bit while the shot clock was winding down. It was a bit nerve-wracking because Sean Singletary was threatening to make a one-man comeback. Greivis threw up a hasty shot, Gist rebounded and got fouled. In the huddle before the shots, Gist entered the circle. All I can say was he wasn't giving them a pat on the back. Boom joined in on the yelling, and both of them looked dead serious. The guards looked pretty bashful. I've seen both of them play with emotion, but I've never seen them hold their teammates responsible like that - ever. It was actually a very welcome sign for me that the seniors were actually serious that they were not going to lose that game. Gist and Osby are now the undeniable leaders of the squad. Discipline from within is a beautiful thing.

The biggest problem I saw was really a matter of not seeing much ... from the bench, that is. The best player? DAVE NEAL. The People's Champ did a fair backup job with 4 points and 3 boards in 12 minutes, which isn't too bad. But really, Tucker, Bowie and Dupree can't put up more stats COMBINED than Dave Neal? Well, anyway, congrats to Neal for hustling like hell and showing the fans why he's earned the right to be called The People's Champ.

Good win. Next up, Georgia Tech.

RECRUITING NEWS: Maryland football earned the commitment of defensive tackle Zack Kerr from Quince Orchard HS. He's a big'un, and a 3-star recruit. That totals 4 DTs that Maryland's picked up this year with a 3-star (or higher) rating. Think they might switch to a 4-3 defense pretty soon? Kenny Tate's verdict comes tomorrow at 5 p.m. Hopefully, he'll make this one of Maryland's best recruiting classes in recent years.

Go Terps!

Photo Credits: Baltimore Sun

Is Baltimore Missing the Point?

I'm a little upset today by what I've been reading around on the Raven's head coaching job.

I'm slowly getting the feeling that the press and the people of Baltimore are losing focus and perspective on the hiring process. I'm going to present several exhibits.

EXHIBIT A: This story in The Baltimore Sun about how young assistant coaches make good hires as head coaches; and your point is? Most of the candidates for head coaching jobs are young assistant coaches, usually coordinators. So DUH. Of course sometimes young assistants make good coaches - I mean, it's not like there aren't going to be any more potential head coaches in a given year, it's a cycle. What is the point of this article? To tell us, "Hey, some of these young head coaches will be good someday!" Thanks for the reminder.

EXHIBIT B: This article by Mike Preston about how Jason Garrett "used" the Ravens to get more money in Dallas. First of all, so what? If he can squeeze Jerry Jones' pockets, congrats. Second of all, is it possible that maybe he just decided he wasn't ready? Frankly, I felt that two years as a QB coach and one year as coordinator wasn't enough to judge his track record and whether he was actually responsible for Dallas' offensive success (I think any team with T.O. and Marion Barber has a good shot at being a decent offense). Maybe Garrett realized he was over his head and that he was entering a dangerously volatile situation in Baltimore. Mike Preston gloats so much about the coaching job anyway, maybe he's forgotton this is a rogue team that just helped get their last coach fired, who've never had a long-term solution at quarterback, whose veterans are threatening to leave and whose coaches are ALL GONE. An entirely new system will have to be set up, and discipline and respect will have to be immediately installed (as if the veterans care at the twilight of their careers).

EXHIBIT C: Again, I hate to pick on the Baltimore Sun, but this isn't actually about them - it's about the people. I was looking throught the comments section of a Rick Maese story about "planning for the future" and I saw a lot of words, especially the word "thug," being thrown around on the message board. I only pick up on this because they talk about Ray Lewis and Chris McAlister mostly. I assume they aren't talking about Kelly Gregg, Mike Flynn or Todd Heap. Those "fans" might say they aren't racist, but they shouldn't act like "thug" or "thug-mentality" or "thug mafia" don't have racial connotations. I'm definitely picking up on that vibe, that people aren't sick of veterans, they're sick of the black veterans. Once they start becoming a problem, they're "thugs." Yeah, they're definitely in the same league as Pac Man Jones or Chris Henry, or Maurice Clarett for that matter. Those "thugs" are all the same. Yeah, Ray Lewis won a Super Bowl and was a two-time MVP, but now he's a "thug" because he's outspoken. (And for people that want to leave "murder jokes," realize that Ray Lewis walked with Cal Ripken and Johnny Unitas only three or four years ago in terms of Baltimore belovedness, and I'm simply saying that within Baltimore, that opinion has changed recently.)

At this point, I've resigned myself to the idea that Rex Ryan is no longer in the running, even though he could help this team win next year and, I believe, at least protect the integrity of our defense. Just watch out when he's a head coach someday. I'm tired of hearing about trendy picks for coach - I'm sure there's more people out there than Jerry Jones' crush Garrett, Schottenhiemer and Harbaugh. I heard Russ Grimm's name out there today. What about the Titan's D-coordinator Jim Schwartz? Is Pete Carroll interested?

I hear people saying that we should be patient. Well, now that we've ended all hopes of a quick solution with Ryan, let's actually take our time. I feel like too many people are thinking, "Gee, Harbaugh is the only guy left..." HE ISN'T!!! There are lots of people out there looking for head coaching jobs!!! Let's actually interview them instead of getting a Band-Aid to heal Garrett's rejection.

With any luck, we'll get a Tomlin instead of a Kiffin.

Photo Credits: CNN, Sports Illustrated