Maryland

Fear the Turtle! The Maryland Terrapins have a long storied athletic program. Established in 1856 in College Park, MD, the university joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1953. In recent years, the basketball program has garnered more attention thanks to a national title run in 2002. The Terps have rivalries with Penn State, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The Maryland Terrapins return 14 starters to a 9-4 team. Head coach Ralph Friedgen must replace quarterback Sam Hollenbach. Josh Portis, a transfer from Florida, could be the answer. The Terps will lean on their rushing attack to generate offense. Running backs Lance Ball and Keon Lattimore are experienced and capable of carrying the load. The defense should be improved as well. The Terrapins open up with a couple cupcakes on the schedule but will soon wither under a brutal stretch that includes consecutive games against West Virginia, Wake Forest, and Rutgers.

Maryland Terrapins 2007 Schedule

Sep 1 - vs. Villanova, 6:00 PM

Sep 8 - at Florida Intl, 7:00 PM

Sep 13 - vs. West Virginia, 7:45 PM

Sep 22 - at Wake Forest, TBA

Sep 29 - at Rutgers, TBA

Oct 6 - vs. Georgia Tech, TBA

Oct 13 - Open

Oct 20 - vs. Virginia, TBA

Oct 27 - vs. Clemson, TBA

Nov 3 - at North Carolina, TBA

Nov 10 - vs. Boston College, TBA

Nov 17 - at Florida State, TBA

Nov 24 - at NC State, TBA

Ralph Friedgen has turned around the Maryland program in his first six years, compiling a 50-24 record. Before his arrival, the program had only one winning season since 1990. Known as "The Fridge" for his bear-like stature, Friedgen was a longtime assistant to Bobby Ross and was the offensive coordinator for Georgia Tech’s 1990 national championship team. The Maryland program is in good hands with Friedgen in charge.

The departure of QB Sam Hollenbach has created a void at quarterback. If Portis is unable to win the job, junior Jordan Steffy could be the choice under center. The running game behind Ball and Lattimore should see plenty of carries. The defensive line returns all four starters and should make up for the departure of safety Josh Wilson.