Feb 1, 2012; Newark, NJ, USA; New Jersey Nets forward Jordan Williams (20) controls a rebound against the Detroit Pistons at the Prudential Center. New Jersey Nets defeat the Detroit Pistons 99-96. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

A common what-if for Maryland fans involves the 6’10″ center from Torrington, CT, Jordan Williams. The four star recruit had a solid freshman year and then a breakout sophomore season. Instead of returning to College Park for his junior year, he declared for the NBA Draft and was selected 36th overall by the New Jersey Nets.

Following Jordan’s decision to declare for the NBA Draft, long time coach Gary Williams retired. The timing of the two events made them appear as related. The common thought between fans was that Gary was waiting to see what Jordan did; when he announced his intentions to leave, Gary saw another rebuilding year and decided to leave.

Personally, I don’t agree with this idea, I think Terrence Ross had more to do with it. However, I can see why this would be a popular belief. I’ll admit that it might have played a hand in Gary’s decision, but I don’t think it was as big. But to each their own, and honestly, only Gary Williams knows the real reasons why he left College Park.

Jordan Williams got to College Park as a chubby big man who, despite the four star rating, was largely unknown. The level of competition that Williams played in high school wasn’t great, and he was the biggest player by far in his league. The 2009-2010 Terps was the ideal starting point for the freshman. With seniors Greivis Vasquez, Eric Hayes, and Landon Milbourne, along with sophomore Sean Mosley, Maryland had an established starting line-up with experience and scoring. What the team was lacking was a rebounder and a body to cover an opposing teams big man.

The expectations were low, and Jordan Williams exceeded those expectations. He was a vital part of Maryland’s run to a 13-3 ACC season and a share of the ACC Title. Without the development of Jordan Williams throughout the 2009-2010 season, Maryland probably doesn’t go 13-3 in the ACC. As a freshman Jordan Williams averages were:

24.8 Min 9.6 Pts 8.6 Reb 0.9 TO 1.0 Blk 51% FG 53% FT 31 Starts

Overall, you couldn’t ask for a better freshman season for a big man entering the ACC. The end result of 13-3 was even better as well. Jordan Williams, in theory, got to learn from three great team players who were seniors. Getting to learn from Vasquez, Hayes, and Milbourne should have helped Williams learn more about being a team player and leading a team.

As a sophomore, Jordan Williams improved greatly in all statistical areas. Despite losing the ACC Player of the Year at point guard, he was still able to improve and lead the team. However, down the stretch of games, the lack of a point guard hurt Maryland’s ability to involve Williams in close games. Maryland dropped a number of close games during the season, that, in the end, were a big reason for them missing the tournament. Regardless, he still had as great of a season as you can ask for a sophomore:

32.5 Min 16.9 Pts 11.8 Reb 1.6 TO 1.4 Blk 54% FG 58% FT

As you can see, Jordan Williams improved a lot from this freshman year to the sophomore year. Unfortunately, the team around him wasn’t anywhere near as good as the team his sophomore year: Adrian Bowie, Cliff Tucker, and Dino Gregory, along with returning starter Sean Mosley. Dino developed a mid-range baseline jumper and hustled on the glass. Sean Mosley provided his great defense, but his offense was still limited. Adrian Bowie wasn’t able to run the offense consistently, and Cliff Tucker’s offense wasn’t enough to be the second guy on the team.

Maryland finished the season 19-14 (7-9) and missed out on the NCAA Tournament. Not the season that Jordan Williams envisioned, especially after his freshman year ended in a heartbreaking second round loss. He did break the record for most consecutive double-doubles, which was held by Len Elmore.

Rumors were going around after Jordan Williams sophomore season that he wasn’t returning to Maryland. For some time nothing was going from Jordan Williams, but many believed that his girlfriend was pushing him towards going pro, others were citing his lack of attendance at classes as signs that he was definitely declaring. Regardless of what the reasons were, Jordan Williams did withdraw from Maryland and declare for the NBA Draft.

What if Jordan Williams returns to Maryland? Where does that leave Maryland for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 season? Where does Jordan Williams end up in Maryland record books?

If Jordan Williams returns to Maryland, almost certainly coach Gary Williams stays with the team as well. With Bowie, Tucker, and Gregory graduating, the starting line up for the 2011-2012 season is: 1) Pe’Shon Howard 2) Terrell Stoglin 3) Sean Mosley 4) James Padgett 5) Jordan Williams. Off the bench: Mychal Parker, Hawk Palsson, Sterling Gibbs, and Nick Faust. The scoring ability of Stoglin allows Maryland more inside/out ability, but can Howard run the offense well enough to keep getting Williams the ball? Does Padgett develop a mid range game similar to Dino to give Williams room in the post?

As good as Williams was, I don’t see this line-up being much better than the year before. Hawk coming off the bench gives Maryland the ability to stretch the floor, and Faust/Parker give Maryland more ability to drive and get to the rim. However, Faust struggled early on as a freshman with getting to the rim consistently, and Parker struggled at playing basketball as a sophomore. Hawk and Stoglin are the only players with range, meaning Maryland sees a lot of 2-3 zone, which slowed them down the yer before. The ceiling for this team is 9-7 in the ACC, and even that seems more like a stretch. Most likely the 2011-12 Terps miss the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.

Williams senior year would see some improvements in the roster, but not to the level of what Coach Turgeon brought. Gary was about to gain a commitment from Shaq Cleare before he retired, and already had Justin Anderson on board. Seth Allen was under the radar and not receiving interest from Maryland until coach Turgeon arrived. You can wave off the late additions of Charles Mitchell and Dez Wells from the 2012-2013 Terps as well.

The starting line-up is similar to the year before, except sub Sean Mosley for Nick Faust at the small forward position. Sure, having Anderson, Parker, Pankey, and Gibbs coming off the bench would help, but does it turn Maryland into a contender? No. This squad can do better than the year before, but 10 wins in the ACC is probably the ceiling. They make the NCAA Tournament and with a scorer like Stoglin and they are capable of catching lightning in a bottle and making a run. Odds are though, they win their first game, lose the second, at most lose in the sweet sixteen.

Where does that leave Maryland? The Terps go two years without making the NCAA Tournament, and then follow it up with a second round/sweet sixteen run. They don’t finish in the top four of the ACC after winning a share of the ACC in 2009-2010. With the loss of Jordan Williams, this upcoming season of Maryland basketball would probably float around the .500 mark in conference, at most. With the impending move to the Big Ten, and the recent lack of success, the pressure would be on Gary Williams to deliver big or retire. Given his old age and the drain of constantly battling the athletic department for the better half of a decade, he would have retired after this past season.

Historically, Jordan Williams would leave behind a mixed legacy at Maryland. Sticking to his average of 336 rebounds per season and 10.18 per game, and using the scenario above of missing the tournament his junior year and making it to the sweet sixteen his senior year. Jordan Williams would have finished with 1,374 rebounds, topping Len Elmore’s 1,053 mark early in his senior year.

As great as this individual mark would be, Jordan Williams would have only made the tournament once as the leader of the team. As important as he was as a freshman, that team was still built around Vasquez, Hayes, and Milbourne. His sophomore, junior, and senior seasons would have been teams built around him as the center piece of the offense. Making the tournament once in that span wouldn’t gain him long term respect with Maryland fans. The rebound record would be great, and would have him in the conversation to have his jersey in the rafters, but with the lack of postseason success, it would be an uphill battle to get it there.

Gilman product and future Terp quarterback Shane Cockerille had quite an impressive evening in the Big 33 Classic. (Photo Credit: Doug Kapustin/Baltimore Sun)

The Big 33 Classic is one of the most heralded high school football all-star games along the East Coast. For the last 12 years, the game pitted two teams that were made up of players from Pennsylvania and Ohio. However in October 2012, it was announced that Maryland would replace Ohio in the annual contest. This was the first time that Maryland had appeared in the game since 1992. Maryland played the Keystone State from 1985 to 1992 before making their way back into the battle on Saturday evening.

The Terrapins had several 2013 commits playing in the contest and most made a remarkable impact. In terms of the final score, the Maryland squad didn’t have a great night as they lost 58-27.

Gilman quarterback Shane Cockerille, one of Maryland’s top recruits, took the majority of the snaps for the Maryland squad. Rhode Island commit Luke Casey also took some snaps for Maryland. Cockerille definitely was the star on this night in Hershey. The future Terps signal caller took a few series to get going, but ended up tossing a late touchdown toss to get Maryland on the board. The Gilman product throws a pretty ball and puts great touch on the ball, putting it right where it needs to be. He really got going in the second quarter as he led Maryland on three scoring drives to cut the deficit to 30-20 before Pennsylvania added a late touchdown courtesy of some trickery.

Cockerille ran the ball a few times and showed his strength and size with his running ability. He was not afraid to run straight up the middle and take on defenders head-on. Cockerille did rush for a touchdown late in the second half. His running ability allowed him to extend plays on several different occasions. As good as Cockerille looked, he does have a tough road ahead of him once he arrives in College Park. The Terps currently have quarterbacks C.J. Brown, Ricardo Young, Perry Hills, Caleb Rowe, and Dustin Dailey on the roster entering this spring. And no I didn’t forget to mention Shawn Petty. In addition to all that depth, St. John’s signal caller Will Ulmer will be a Terp in 2014. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Cockerille redshirt in 2013 or even switch positions at some point in his collegiate career. If the Gilman product does redshirt, it will save him a year of eligibility and allow more time to work with Mike Locksley on perfecting his craft. If he works at it, Cockerille has the ability to be a good college quarterback.

Another Terp that was mighty impressive in the Big 33 Classic was wide receiver DeAndre Lane. Lane was a star running back at Catonsville High School but could line up at running back or receiver for Maryland. Lane lined up as a wide receiver on Saturday and showed that he has some real talent. The two-star local recruit posted some pretty stellar numbers as he had a game-high 122 receiving yards. Lane was able to get open very frequently and showed off some nifty moves after the catch. The Catonsville product seemed to develop a nice repoire with Cockerille and Cockerille looked his way several times. Lane definitely had most of his success with Cockerille tossing the pigskin.

Obviously there is a ton of depth at the wide receiver position at Maryland. Stefon Diggs, Deon Long, Nigel King, and Taivon Jacobs will be lining up at wide receiver for the Terps in 2013. Marcus Leak won’t be on the team this season but will return in 2014. However, Lane can still make a significant impact in his freshman campaign. Lane did a solid job of returning kickoffs (a little bit better job than Jacquille Veii) in the Big 33 Classic and certainly has the speed to get to that next level. In time, Lane can be an effective slot receiver. He isn’t the biggest guy in the world but the speed does help make for that deficiency. He may not see a ton of time at the position but will likely be battling with Jacobs for playing time as a freshman.

After this spectacular showing in Hershey, it just further substantiates the fact that Maryland’s 2013 class is very talented. With guys like Cockerille and Lane joining the likes of Derwin Gray, Kingsley Opara, and Yannick Ngakoue, the sky is the limit for this group. The talent is spread across the depth chart. Some guys will contribute from day one while others will strictly provide depth at first. Despite harsh criticism throughout his first two years in College Park, Randy Edsall is showing why he belongs and is getting it done on the recruiting front. This just may be the year that Maryland finally gets it done on the field.

Feb 19, 2013; Chestnut Hill, MA, USA; Maryland Terrapins head coach Mark Turgeon on the sideline during the second half against the Boston College Eagles at Conte Forum. The Boston College Eagles won 69-58. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

No other way around it: the Terrapins have some major momentum on the recruiting scene right now. Mark Turgeon and Co. locked up their priority targeted SF prospect, Jared Nickens, over the weekend to complement a 2014 class already including studs Dion Wiley and Romelo Trimble. Now, to make it a four person class, they are trying to lure in one of three big men prospects. Let’s take a look at who those players are so you can get familiar with them:

• First Priority: Goodluck Okonoboh

6’9, 225-pounds

Wilbraham Mass.

24/7 Ranking: 5-star, 22nd nationally, 3rd-best center

ESPN Ranking: 5-star, 19th nationally, 4th-best center

Biggest players: Indiana, Maryland, Duke, Florida, UConn

About the prosect: Okonoboh, whose parents hail from Nigeria, is a defensive menace and is widely considered one of the best shot blockers in the nation. One highlight reel from a single game can show you just how many shots Goodluck is capable of blocking or altering. There are some games where Okonoboh will literally block twenty total shots, but he’ll affect everything that comes his way. He has solid length and a frame that would not be prone to bullying at the college level.

Goodluck may be slightly raw offensively since he just started playing basketball in the 8th grade, but as far as prospects go it’s hard not to like him. He plays in the Mass. Prep League, which more than prepares players for college basketball with powerhouses like Brewster Academy and St. Thomas More competing against one another. The league has churned out players like Nerlens Noel and Mitch McGary, and is highly competitive.

Oh, and in case you were wondering about the origins of his name, it’s truly a great story that I’ll shorten here: When his father moved to America, he was shot in the chest and wasn’t supposed to survive, but somehow managed to. When Goodluck was born, he decided to name him as such because it was a blessing that he even had a father. Pretty cool.

Outlook: As it stands you have to look at Indiana as the favorite for Goodluck right now, as Okonoboh’s coach, Chris Sparks, has a personal relationship with Tom Crean. That’s going to be tough for most schools to overcome, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Still, the Terps have competition with other powerhouses, as Duke recently offered the kid. And when Coach K comes calling, you pick up the phone. Furthermore, Florida is in the mix for his services as well.

While the Terps are definitively on his short list, Okonoboh is still weighing his options, and his handlers have yet to be fully swayed by anyone. In all honesty, we’d have to have great luck to get Goodluck.

• Second Priority: Trayvon Reed

7’1, 210-pounds

Snellville, Georgia

247 Ranking: 4-star, 54th nationally, 4th-best center

ESPN Ranking:  4-star, 84th nationally, 9th-best center

Biggest Players: Auburn, Georgia, Maryland, Florida, Georgia Tech

About the prospect: Reed is considered a particularly interesting prospect in part because he’s a legit 7’1 big man first and foremost. Guys with his size who possess an ability to run the floor without looking like they’re missing ligaments in their knees are typically highly touted no matter how they play on the court. As the old adage goes, “You can’t teach height.”

As it stands right now with Reed, he’s still quite raw on the offensive end; his effectiveness plummets outside of five feet. His jump shot is very much a work in progress at this time. But once you take out the fact that he won’t give you a ton offensively, you can see what benefits he can bring to the table. He is a skyscraper in the middle, and has a decent basketball I.Q. that allows him to disrupt most things that approach the paint. He doesn’t have soft hands, but if he gets the ball in position down low, there aren’t many people who can stop him from scoring.

The biggest questions surrounding Reed concern his hustle and intensity, which is a label scouts throw at every big man with solid athleticism who isn’t dominating like Shaquille O’Neal right off the bat. Alex Len: lazy. Dakari Johnson: lapses at times. It’s standard. Most of that has to do with needing to learn how to play the game at that height, and it’s a big reason why Reed is planning on transferring for his senior year. As it stands, Huntington Prep in West Virginia is in the lead for his one-year rental, which would go a long way to helping him become more of an elite prospect.

Outlook: Maryland has been pressing hard for Reed, and for quite some time. He continues to pick up offer after offer because his size is simply too difficult to pass up, so being in early has an added benefit. Reed has stated in interviews that he talks with Bino [Ranson] all the time, and likes that Mark Turgeon has a history of sending big men with similar attributes to his to the NBA (DeAndre Jordan and Alex Len).

Still, Reed is from the south, and he has had a lot more exposure over a lifetime to southern schools like Florida, Georgia and Georgia Tech. Maryland doesn’t have a massive history of grabbing players from the south, but having Charles Mitchell be from the same state as Reed can’t hurt one bit. It’s also an added benefit that Reed might transfer to a West Virginia prep school (the same one O.J. Mayo attended). Being closer to Maryland for his senior year would give the Terps a chance to look at him a lot more closely.

For now, Reed isn’t deciding anything or visiting too many places, but Maryland is as much in it as anyone.

• Third Priority:Chinanu Onuaku

Upper Marlboro, Maryland

6’10, 220-pounds

N/R by scouting services

Biggest players: Cincinnati, Maryland, Kansas State, DePaul, Georgetown

About the prospect: Chinanu, brother of Arinze who played at Syracuse, is the most raw of all the prospects overall. He has a phenomenal frame for a junior in high school though, and seems to do well defensively against everyone he goes up against. He is thick, tall, and while he doesn’t have amazing length is fully capable of sending a few shots away and grabbing boards.

At the NBA Top 100 camp a few days ago, Onuaku shut down an elite 2015 prospect in Steven Zimmerman, and impressed everyone watching him. So while he may not be ranked by most recruiting services, one would stand to believe that he will be in due time, albeit a three-star prospect. His deficiencies in his offensive game are enough to bring him down, but he evens out because he can contribute on day one defensively. He stays in front of his man and never lets up, which is why people are starting to value him so much.

He also plays basketball for a traditional powerhouse in Riverdale Baptist not far from the University of Maryland campus. Playing against top-tier competition day-in day-out should help him develop further, and will certainly get him more and more exposure over his senior season.

Outlook: Maryland has to be considered a frontrunner for a largely unheralded recruit like Onuaku. His family has local ties to the area, and he has already been on two unofficial visits to Maryland in the past year (once during March Madness, and another last August). That the campus is a stone’s throw away helps big time. He has been in touch with Maryland scouts, and will continue to attract their attention should Okonoboh or Reed fall through.

Still, he has other suitors. Georgetown has offered him, DePaul is thought to be actively pursuing him, and Kansas State recently jumped into the mix as a big time player. Onuaku has time to decide, and the more time he waits the harder it may be for Maryland as elite schools get more involved. But for now, Onuaku would be a great get for Maryland and a guy who could certainly help out defensively.

Westtown School wing Jared Nickens will be joining Romelo Trimble and Dion Wiley in College Park in the fall of 2014.

After visiting College Park this weekend, Westtown School small forward Jared Nickens saw all he needed to see. The Pennsylvania wing committed to Maryland on Sunday afternoon after his weekend official visit at the school.

Nickens joins a class that already includes local guards Romelo Trimble and Dion Wiley. The class was previously ranked third in the nation according to ESPN. That ranking could get bumped up a tad with the addition of Nickens. The former St. Patrick’s standout is currently rated as a four-star prospect on ESPN and is a three-star on Rivals and 247 Sports. He had scheduled to visit with Wake Forest and Dayton later this month and also had offers from Miami and Oregon State.

The 6-6 small forward brings something that the Terrapins have lacked for many years: a lethal shooter. Nickens is a spot-up shooter that is capable of nailing a jumper from anywhere on the court. In the second half of this past season at the Westtown School, Nickens shot 48 percent from beyond the arc. The Pennsylvania native is a smart basketball player who doesn’t turn the ball over very often. As many know, the Terps were quite a turnover-prone team throughout the 2012-2013 season.

Nickens’ size also is a huge advantage. As much of a strength as his long distance shooting is, he has a strong mid-range game and can bang down low along with post players. Nickens was primarily known as a shooter early in his high school career but has added this very important dimension to his game. The Westtown School wing is not afraid to put his back to the basket and burrow his way inside. Nickens is also a very long athlete, which allows him to play very strong defense. He really is a great all-around prospect.

The addition of Nickens gives Maryland one of the strongest groups of guards around.  Barring any early entries to the NBA Draft or transfer, the 2014 guard/small forward group will consist of Nick Faust, Dez Wells, Seth Allen, Roddy Peters, Wiley, Trimble, Jake Layman, and now Nickens. That is downright scary if you’re an opposing team trying to guard players of this caliber. Now Mark Turgeon will likely turn his attention to adding a post player to round out a phenomenal 2014 class. Trayvon Reed or Goodluck Okonoboh seems to be the most likely targets for the Terps.

We will have more on the addition of Nickens in the next few days.

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]]> http://terrapinstationmd.com/2013/06/14/last-chance-to-win-a-lg-electronics-42-inch-led-tv-from-fansided-and-terrapin-station/feed/ 0 http://terrapinstationmd.com/2013/06/12/decisions-for-terps-targets-looming/ http://terrapinstationmd.com/2013/06/12/decisions-for-terps-targets-looming/#comments Wed, 12 Jun 2013 19:50:34 +0000 Steven Ulrich http://terrapinstationmd.com/?p=6713     We are still a little over two months away from the 2013 college football season, and over 7 months away from National Signing Day. But following commitments from St. John’s (Washington, DC) QB Will Ulmer and St. John’s Prep (Massachusetts) RB Johnathan Thomas, the Terps look to stay hot on the recruiting trail [...]

Decisions for Terps Targets Looming - Terrapin Station - Terrapin Station - A Maryland Terrapins Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

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October 27, 2012; Boston, MA USA; Maryland Terrapins head coach Randy Edsall on the sidelines during the second half against the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

 

We are still a little over two months away from the 2013 college football season, and over 7 months away from National Signing Day. But following commitments from St. John’s (Washington, DC) QB Will Ulmer and St. John’s Prep (Massachusetts) RB Johnathan Thomas, the Terps look to stay hot on the recruiting trail this summer.

Maryland is off to a strong start, but some big decisions are on the horizon for some of their top targets. And if these decisions fall in favor of the Terps, it could very well take Maryland football to new heights and bring them back to national college football relevance.

Here are a few Terps targets that could possibly bring their recruitment to an end between now and the end of August. Although there is no designated decision date linked to these recruits, they have been on record saying that they would like to have a decision made before the start of their high school season. But, with 17- and 18-year old kids, everything is subject to change. And like most recruiting predictions, it is somewhat speculative. But reading between the lines, along with some whispers from insiders, here are TSMD’s predictions for recruits who look to commit this summer:

Troy Vincent – DB, Gilman HS (Baltimore, MD)

-  The Battle: Maryland vs Penn State

Vincent was very close to becoming a Nittany Lion in May. But he decided to wait on pulling the trigger, and since then, Vincent has visited College Park with both his parents. Vincent, along with his father, Vincent Sr, really likes the coaching staff and the direction of the Maryland program.

But coach Bill O’Brien and staff have been on Vincent for some time now, stressing that he is an integral part of bring Penn State football back from the black eye left by the Sandusky scandal. Vincent Sr. might have a history with O’Brien from his days in New England, but in any case, the Vincent family likes what they’re hearing from Happy Valley.

Prediction: Penn State

 

Jesse Aniebonam – DE, Good Counsel HS (Olney, MD)

-  The Battle: Maryland vs Virginia Tech

Aniebonam has been a Terps priority since his junior year in high school. He has been to campus numerous times, most recently this past weekend. His hosts were all former teammates, so it certainly helps having the likes of Zach Dancel, Wes Brown, Stefon Diggs, and Mike Madaras in his ear trying to persuade him to stay home. And with his “no nonsense” demeanor that he brings both on and off the field, it’s easy to see why Edsall wants this kid so badly.

But Maryland isn’t the only school using former teammates to lure this prized recruit to their campus. Virginia Tech, where Aniebonam will visit very soon, has been using former Good Counsel star and current Hokie Kendall Fuller as an earpiece to Aniebonam, hoping he can sway his former teammate to take his talents to Blacksburg. Aniebonam likes Bud Foster’s system, and it would seem that he could come right in and get some early playing time his freshman year as well.

Despite offers from Alabama, Auburn, Ohio State, and a slew of other top notch college programs, Aniebonam seems set on staying local for his college career. This will be a tough battle, but Aniebonam has a lot of love for the Terps right now.

Prediction: Maryland

 

Melvin Keihn – LB, Gilman HS (Baltimore, MD)

- The Battle: Maryland vs Virginia

Keihn is a familiar face amongst the local colleges. He seems to be another homegrown stud who wishes to stay local for his college career, hence his strong affinity for the Terps and Cavaliers. He is visiting Maryland this week, and he will have former teammate (and good friend) Shane Cockerille to show him around. Keihn also loves Maryland’s Engineer program, which is tops in the country.

But when you’re clashing with another school’s academic status, very few schools endure when up against the first-rate standing of Virginia. Keihn recently visited Charlottesville, and the visit went so well that he even considered committing to them. He didn’t, but the possibility proves that Virginia is a serious threat. Poindexter is a great recruiter, and coach London is an excellent closer. Add those two, plus former teammate Darius Jennings, along with Virginia’s sterling academic reputation (something Keihn is very serious about), UVA poses as a severe challenge to Maryland for Keihn’s services.

Keihn will most likely make a decision by the end of August, if not sooner. He might take a visit to Virginia Tech, but this looks to be an old fashion border war between the Terps and Caves.

Prediction: Maryland

 

Justin Falcinelli/Rick Leonard – OL/DE, Middletown HS (Middletown, MD)

- The Battle: Maryland vs Clemson

Falcinelli and Leonard are grouped together for several reasons; they attend the same high school, both blew up during the spring exposure-wise, both hold similar offers (give or take a few), and both have said that staying home for college is a serious option. First we’ll start with Falcinelli.

Justin Falcinelli has been to College Park several times, and Maryland was one of the first schools to offer him. He really likes the Maryland coaching staff, Edsall and offensive line coach Brattan in particular. But the Terps biggest competition will be Clemson. In fact, he has both the Terps and Tigers in his top two, so this one will be a doozy.

Prediction: Maryland

Rick Leonard is an athletic freak who has seen his recruitment take off to a higher altitude. It started with an offer from Maryland, which then resulted in an offer from Ole Miss. After that, the offers came pouring in.

Although he holds offers from the likes of FSU, Tennessee, Wisconsin, etc. Leonard (like Falcinelli) likes being close to his family and has his hometown school close to the top of his list. But unlike Falcinelli, Leonard’s recruitment could drag a little as more offers come in. He has stated that he would like to have his decision in before the start of his high school season, so we’ll see if he stands by that come August. The Terps are in great position, and both he and Falcinelli have talked about going to college together. But Leonard holds more offers from the big boys, and as we’ve seen in the past, the Terps can’t keep everyone home. Only time will tell if the 2014 class will be any different.

Prediction: Clemson  

 

Tyler Burke – LB, Coatsville HS (Coatsville, PA)

- The Battle: Maryland vs Rutgers

Burke is still a bit under the radar, but he does hold offers from Maryland, Rutgers, Wisconsin (most likely his top three) along with other offers. Burke likes the Terps and their proximity to his hometown. The same can be said for Rutgers, who seems to have made Burke a priority as well.

Maryland runs a 3-4 defense, which gives Burke a chance to get on the field earlier. Plus Burke is a big fan of LB’s coach Keith Dudzinski (who has been recruiting his tail off in PA/New England). But Rutgers’ LB coach Dave Cohen also has Burke’s attention, and with Rutgers’ recent recruiting success, the Scarlet Knights might have more mojo than the Terps right now.

Prediction: Rutgers

]]> http://terrapinstationmd.com/2013/06/12/decisions-for-terps-targets-looming/feed/ 0 http://terrapinstationmd.com/2013/06/11/8-what-if-maryland-beat-boston-college-and-wake-forest-in-the-2006-season/ http://terrapinstationmd.com/2013/06/11/8-what-if-maryland-beat-boston-college-and-wake-forest-in-the-2006-season/#comments Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:02:03 +0000 Art Ferrer http://terrapinstationmd.com/?p=6694 This next Maryland what-if has both personal meaning and athletic meaning behind it. Luckily I had other people vote on it, so I couldn’t get too nostalgic on everyone. The personal side of it is quick and easy to look back on. As a freshman in 2006, I was excited for my first college football season. [...]

8) What If Maryland Beat Boston College And Wake Forest In The 2006 Season? - Terrapin Station - Terrapin Station - A Maryland Terrapins Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

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Nov 17, 2012; College Park, MD, USA; Maryland Terrapins mascot enters the field prior to the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Byrd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

This next Maryland what-if has both personal meaning and athletic meaning behind it. Luckily I had other people vote on it, so I couldn’t get too nostalgic on everyone. The personal side of it is quick and easy to look back on. As a freshman in 2006, I was excited for my first college football season. After an exciting run to through the ACC, Maryland faced a shot at the ACC Championship. Unfortunately the Terps lost back to back games against Boston College and Wake Forest and ended the season in third place in the Atlantic Division.

Maryland was picked to finish 4th in the preseason Atlantic Division standings. They had no votes to win the ACC Championship. Miami was picked to beat Florida State in the ACC Championship for the 2006 season. The hope around College Park was to make a bowl game, after missing out on a bowl game for two straight seasons.

The season started with a 27-14 win over Division 1-AA William & Mary. Lance Ball and Keon Lattimore carried the load for the Terps. Ball finished with two touchdowns and 86 yards, while Lattimore had 89 yards and one touchdown. Maryland followed it up with a 24-10 win over Middle Tennessee State. Ball continued this solid start with another two touchdown game.

After a 2-0 start, Maryland traveled to Morgantown for a Thursday night showdown with the Mountaineers. The buzz around the game quickly came to an end when Maryland got down 28-0 in the first quarter. Maryland finished with 5 turnovers and lost 45-24 in their first big test of the season.

The Terps returned to College Park for their last non-conference game of the season against Florida International. After scoring 14 points in the first half, Maryland failed to score in the second half, but hung on to win 14-10. Maryland started the season 3-1, and was half was to being bowl eligible. Despite the good start, there was some worry in College Park. Maryland’s second half offense struggled to put up points, and in their one big test of the game, the Terps were blown out.

Maryland’s first ACC game of the season came against Calvin Johnson and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. While the Jackets did have future NFL star Calvin Johnson, they were only picked to finish third in the ACC Costal Division. Regardless, they presented a tough test, but a good opportunity for Maryland to start the ACC season off with a road win. Josh Wilson returned a kick-off for a touchdown, Joey Haynos caught a first quarter touchdown, and Dan Ennis connected on two field goals to give Maryland a 20-14 halftime lead. Ennis hit another field goal in the third quarter to push the lead to 23-14. This was the only score Maryland would have in the second half. Georgia Tech went on to score two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to win 27-23.

The next five games marked a remarkable turn around in Maryland football. It all started when Maryland went into the Scott Stadium locker room down 20-0 at the half to border rival Virginia. All looked doomed for the 3-2 Terrapins, who had struggled all season in the second half of games, including just one week earlier in Atlanta. But then something no one saw coming happened in the second half. Ball, Hollenbach, and Lattimore all rushed for touchdowns as Maryland scored three in a row to take a 21-20 lead. It was capped off by an Erin Henderson interception returned for a touchdown to push the lead to 28-20. Virginia scored with under three minutes left, but failed on the two point conversion. Maryland completed a 20 point comeback in Charlottesville to beat Virginia.

Maryland returned to College Park after going 1-1 in back to back ACC road games. This time they were facing divisional rival North Carolina State. The Terps took a 6-0 halftime lead, Ball rushed for a touchdown and Hollenbach passed for one as Maryland extended the lead to 23-0 in the third quarter. State scored back to back touchdowns, but Maryland iced the victory with an 18 yard field goal to win 26-20.

On a two game winning streak, Maryland welcomed ACC Atlantic Division favorite, Florida State to College Park. ESPN picked up the game and flexed it to 7:00, leading to its selection as the annual “Blackout Game”. After a field goal with 8 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Maryland lead 27-24. With less than a minute left, Florida State kicker Gary Cismesia lined up for a 46 yard field goal to tie the game. A harsh wind was blowing through College Park, but the kick never got the chance as Maryland rushed up the middle and blocked the kick to ice the 27-24 victory and 2-0 Atlantic Division start.

With bowl eligibility secured, and a three game winning streak, Maryland traveled to Death Valley for another divisional game against Clemson. Down 12-10 to a preseason favorite for the ACC Crown, and on the road in one of the most hostile places in the ACC, Sam Hollenbach drove the Terps down the field. On fourth and inches, Hollenbach rolled out and dove past the marker for a critical first down. The first down set up Dan Ennis game winning 31 yard field goal to give Maryland its fourth straight win.

The tide had official turned when the AP rankings were released on Monday. Slotted at number 23 was the Maryland Terrapins, and coming to College Park that weekend was 5-5 unranked Miami. The once preseason ACC Championship favorites were now underdogs to the upstart Terps. Maryland took care of the Hurricanes in a close fought 14-13 win to maintain their winning streak.

Ranked 21st in the country and 8-2 (5-1), the Terps had a real chance at making the ACC Championship game. Coach Ralph Friedgen had won the ACC Championship in 2001, but now had the chance to make it back with his players. To do so, he would have to beat Boston College (on the road) and Wake Forest (at home) to do so. After three straight games of allowing under 20 points, Maryland’s defense allowed back to back 38 point games in loss at Boston College and to Wake Forest. Both games also saw the Terps give up 20+ points in the first half. Maryland lost 38-16 at Boston College and 38-24 in the season finale to Wake Forest. Maryland finished with an 8-4 (5-3) record and third place in the Atlantic Division, good enough to earn a trip to the Champs Sports Bowl against Purdue.

Former head coach Ralph Friedgen made three more bowl appearances following the 2006 season, but none of them were as strong of bowls as the Champs Sports Bowl.

Even though a season with low expectations featured a 5 game winning streak, and wins over some of the top teams in the conference, you can’t help but wonder what if the magic run kept going? What if Maryland had beat Boston College and Wake Forest?

Had Maryland won both of those games, they would have had a re-match of the week 5 game against Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets, to much surprise, advanced out of the Costal Division to the ACC Championship. Maryland lost a close one to Georgia Tech in Atlanta, but this was earlier in the season. Maryland gave up 14 points in the second half, and only scored 3 themselves. But this was before the offense found itself, before the 28 straight points at Virginia or the last second field goal drive at Clemson. The end of the season Terps were much improved from the early season Terps.

Georgia Tech ended up losing to Wake Forest 9-6 in the ACC Championship. With the improvements made by the defense, they could have help Georgia Tech to a similar game. The Lance Ball and Darius Heyward-Bey, Maryland could have put up another 20+ point game on Georgia Tech to cruise to Ralph Friedgen’s second ACC Title, and an Orange Bowl clash against Louisville.

Maryland was already an uptick in recruiting, especially since James Franklin was soon hired as the offensive coordinator. But with new suites coming to Byrd Stadium, an ACC Title and buzz around campus could have helped move some of the suites. The team would have had to continue the success off of the season (which didn’t happen), but the buzz from the ACC Championship might have pushed the building of the suites to happen sooner. Maryland would have made more money by winning the ACC Championship and playing in the Orange Bowl then it did from watching the ACC Championship and playing in the Champs Sports Bowl. Friedgen, one of the highest paid coaches, would have justified the contract he had received from this early successes. Despite the back to back 5-7 seasons with no bowls, Friedgen would have been forgiven as excitement built around the future of the program. Next seasons 6-6 record would have been disappointing certainly, but turning it around with James Franklin the next year would have canceled it out. Also, the 7-5 Terps, just one year removed from the ACC Championship would have had better bowl luck then ending up in the Humanitarian Bowl in Idaho. Bowls such as the Music City Bowl and the Car Care Bowl would have seen Maryland as more attractive if they had won the ACC Championship in 2006.

Maryland was recruiting well, but with a recent ACC Championship, Fridgen and company might have had better success on the trail, which could lead to Friedgen still being in College Park today. Ralph wanted to continue coaching after the 2010 season he wanted to continue coaching, but the athletic department went a different direction. Had Ralph won the ACC Championship in 2010, and had a better bowl appearance in 2008, things might have worked out differently. Franklin would have still left for Vanderbilt, but with a slight uptick in recruiting from 2006 success, Friedgen would have earned himself a contract extension, by a new Athletic Department looking to maintain Alumni Support.

As it worked, Friedgen had a bad reputation for never winning the big game. As seen by not just the blowout to Boston College and the loss to Wake Forest, but a couple of times afterward as well. This was the most successful season Friedgen had following the back to back bowl-less years. Although he finished 8-4 again in 2010, the Terps poor fan support reputation lead them to drop to the Military Bowl. Friedgen had worn out many fans by 2010 for not having the team as competitive as they were when he took over, and thus lead to a poor reputation. Had he won the 2006 ACC Championship, there would have been more support for the 2010 ACC Coach of the Year.

Mar 13, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Jerome Seagears (1) dribbles the ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half at the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Monday afternoon brought with it a bit of a shock to the college basketball community when former Rutgers point guard Jerome Seagears announced that he would not be transferring to Auburn as he previously stated.

Seagears, of Silver Spring, Md., was a by-product of the Rutgers basketball scandal that occurred earlier this year. Seagears decided not to play his junior year at Rutgers because of the emotional damages he suffered at the hands of former Scarlet Knights head coach Mike Rice, instead deciding to transfer to Auburn in early may.

Turns out, that won’t be the case anymore, as Auburn coach Tony Barbee released a statement with the news that Seagears would prefer to remain at home, and that he “came to me and expressed that he hadn’t truly recovered emotionally from his time at Rutgers.” Before ever playing a game or attending a class at Auburn, Seagears is already in search of a new home.

Now for many obvious reasons, this has some implications for the Maryland Terrapins in their quest to bolster their back court (which had recently taken a hiatus) by way of a transfer player. After losing out on a number of players, including another Rutgers guard in Eli Carter, Mark Turgeon sort of seemed resigned to the fact that Maryland might just go ahead into next season with the squad as assembled. After all, there’s no point in adding someone to the roster just to make the numbers fill out entirely.

Well, Seagears desire to come back home might cause the Terps to rethink that stance, as he is a solid, upper-classmen player who could come in right away and help the Terrapins at a position they have depth issues with. Seagears is, as I said before, from Silver Spring, which is a solid fifteen minutes from Maryland, depending on traffic. That he has openly said that he wants to be close to home suggests that Maryland could very well be the school for him, as it would allow him to have a strong system of support mere minutes from campus. Seagears is familiar with the school, the people around it, and it would be a huge benefit for him to come.

That’s not to mention that Seagears played his AAU ball with local powerhouse D.C. Assault, the same team where incoming freshman Roddy Peters played his basketball, as well as future Terrapin (in 2014) Romelo Trimble. The connection between Turgeon’s staff and Seagears youth team has seen a major strengthening in recent years, and if ever he had an ear for what Maryland had to say, that time is now.

For him, the decision to attend Maryland is almost a no-brainer. Remain close to home, potentially get minutes straight away in a back court that doesn’t have much experience, and finally, be able to play amongst friends and family. But the decision comes with two parts, because at this point you have to ask if Maryland really needs him.

Maryland has had some pretty good fortune lately after having a so-so summer on the transfer front. A recent commitment by 2014 4 1/2-star shooting guard Dion Wiley has Maryland fully prepped in their back court of the future in 2014, Roddy Peters is healthy again, and Romelo Trimble should be a fantastic guard for the Terps. In 2014, Maryland isn’t going to need another point guard on the roster. When they wanted a transfer at the guard position, the Terrapins envisioned a one-year rental player who would serve as a stopgap until 2014.

In that regard, Seagears isn’t their guy. If he opted to transfer into Maryland, Seagears would probably be able to play right away, but he’d be around for two years. His presence would be welcome next year, but in 2014 with Romelo Trimble, Dion Wiley, Nick Faust, Seth Allen, and Dez Wells all on the roster, adding a sixth guard would bottleneck the back court. Six guards on the roster seems a tad excessive, and I’m not sure anyone would be happy because of how few minutes there would be to go around.

With that out of the way, we can look at it strictly from a basketball standpoint: would Seagears help on the court? That answer is definitively yes. Seagears numbers from last year might not look that great at first glance: 6.5 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 2.6 APG on 37% shooting isn’t too hot. But Seagears is a much better passer than you’d think, and more importantly, he can shoot incredibly well from deep.

On the season, Seagears hit 38% of his shots from deep. That number gets even better when you isolate his final 17 games, as he hit 27 three pointers in that span and shot 41% from deep. Seagears can drain shots when he is open, and that’s something that Pe’Shon Howard was entirely incapable of doing. As a three point threat, Seagears would be one of the best on the staff immediately; he’d fill in for Logan Aronhalt admirably.

The other thing Seagears does well? Ball handling. Seagears has a very tight handle, and isn’t going to be one to turn the ball over a ton. He’s athletic and knows how to use his speed and quickness to keep defenses off guard, and cuts to the basket well enough to be adept at kickouts. His passing numbers don’t wow you that much, but they don’t tell the entire story about him. Seagears is a solid (if unspectacular passer), and would benefit greatly from the weapons the Terrapins have on the wings now. His numbers would definitively jump up playing on a team like the Terrapins because he is solid at kicking the ball out to other guys once he penetrates.

So would the Terrapins be better off with Seagears on the roster? As a basketball team, resoundingly yes. But as you can see here, it’s simply not that simple.

Early Friday morning, the Maryland Terrapins got their wish: Dion Wiley, their most-prized recruit of the 2014 class, made his verbal commitment to play basketball for the school. Wiley, a 6’4 shooting guard and No. 36 player in 247Sports.com’s 2014 rankings, is an Oxon Hill, Maryland native (though he plays for Potomac).

Wiley chose the Terps over a slew of other major colleges ranging from Florida to Indiana to local recruiting rival Georgetown, just to name a few. The Team Takeover standout was insistent that he wouldn’t be deciding anything until the Fall, but late Thursday night chatter began to mount that a Wiley announcement was going to be coming as early as Friday morning.

Sure enough, it did.

Wiley is set to join another local 2014 standout in Romelo Trimble (of Bishop O’Connell High School) in what will likely be a four player class. The addition of Wiley means that the Terrapins now have the No. 1 point guard and shooting guard in the DMV area secured already. Trimble, another prime-time shooter, committed to the Terps in December of last year upon hearing of their offer.

This also marks a big changing of the tides for Maryland on the recruiting front. This is the second year that the Terrapins have snagged a recruit from a powerhouse AAU team in the local area. Their 2013 class included D.C. Assault guard Roddy Peters, and this year includes Romelo Trimble, while with Dion Wiley the Terps pick up their first Team Takeover (one of the best AAU teams in the country) commitment in a long time. The reigning in of local standouts at this rate was nearly unheard of during the Gary Williams-era, and it is certainly welcome.

The Terrapins are likely to add a swingman and another big man in for the 2014 class, and are currently looking at Pennsylvania small forward Jared Nickens. Nickens plays for Sports U AAU team, and has proven to be a pretty adept shooter over the summertime. He is less heralded than Trimble or Wiley, but appears to be garnering more and more interest as the summer passes.

We’ll have more analysis later, but I think some pre-analysis .gif analysis is needed just for context:

• Upon hearing that Dion would commit this morning:

• When we got on Twitter and saw that he had committed:

• When we (Elvis) decided to celebrate with our Georgetown buddies (the girls) who said we couldn’t recruit and that Wiley was a Hoya:

• When the nation thinks about how good of a recruiter Turgeon is after bringing in Shaq, Layman, Chuck, Dez Wells, Peters, Romelo, and Dion:

• When we started thinking about how good this team is going to be in 2014, only to realize that it’s not here yet:

Dec 9, 2012; Hoover, AL, USA; Indiana Hooisers players hoist the NCAA soccer national championship trophy after defeating the Georgetown Hoyas 1-0 at Regions Park. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

On December 7, 2012 in Hoover, AL, the Maryland Terrapins faced off against the Georgetown Hoyas in the College Cup Semi-Finals. Maryland spent most of the 2012 season ranked #1 in the country after starting off preseason #3. This was one of Sasho Cirovski’s better soccer teams, lead by eventually MAC Herman Trophy winner Patrick Mullins. The expectations are always high for the men’s soccer team in College Park, since Sasho has built a powerhouse that is expected to compete for a national championship ever year.

Maryland dominated the regular season, and moved up to #1 in the rankings by week 5 (Sept 17-23). Maryland was undefeated at this point, with a lone draw to UCLA (2-2). They had knocked off ACC opponents Boston College, North Carolina State, and Virginia Tech, along with California and UMBC. Through eight games Patrick Mullins had 3 goals and 6 assist, while first team All-ACC player John Stertzer had 5 goals and 1 assist.

On October 12, 2012 Maryland traveled to preseason #8 Duke, who had been struggling for most of the season. Maryland defeated the rival Blue Devils 2-1 in Durham to continue their undefeated season. The following Friday, #1 vs #2 faced off in College Park when the Tar Heels came to town. On an extremely wet night, fans were treated to a great contest. North Carolina and Maryland battled not just each other but the elements as well. The start of the second half was delayed due to rain, and postponing the match was even discussed. The match continued, and remained scoreless until the very end. With less than 2 minutes left in the game, North Carolina Junior Robert Lovejoy was taken down in the box and awarded a penalty kick. Surely this was the end of Maryland’s undefeated season. Maryland goalie Keith Cardona saved not only the penalty kick, but a follow up shot as well to preserve the scoreless line. With seconds left on the clock, Patrick Mullins hit the post on the games final attempt. In extra time, a Mullins shot was redirected by freshman Schillo Tshuma past the keeper for the game winner.

A week later, the Terps drew to Clemson 2-2 on senior night in College Park. They then picked up their first loss of the season in Winston-Salem to Wake Forest 4-2. Maryland ended the regular season 14-1-2 before heading into the ACC Tournament. In the second round of the ACC Tournament, Maryland’s senior class avenged the 2-2 draw to Clemson with 2-1 victory, and beat North Carolina again to win the ACC Tournament Championship. Maryland had two players finish on the All-ACC First Team, four players on the All-ACC Second Team, two players on the All-ACC Freshman Team. Patrick Mullins was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Year, and coach Sasho Cirovski was named ACC Coach of the Year for the third time.

Maryland defeated Brown, Coastal Carolina, and Louisville on the way to their first College Cup apperance since winning the title in 2008. Their opponent in the Semi-Final game was local rival, Georgetown. The Hoyas went 15-2-1 in the regular season lead by All-Big East First Team player Steve Neumann. In the Big East Tournament they lost in penalties to Notre Dame in the championship game. Georgetown needed double overtime to get by Syracuse in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, before beating San Diego to reach the College Cup.

Maryland scored the first goal of the game, but Georgetown bounced back with 3 straight goals including two within a minute of each other. Maryland got one back in the 59th minute, but Georgetown pushed it back to the two goal lead at 4-2. The final 17 minutes of the game featured the attacking style Terrapins at their best. While they were desperate to not leave Alabama early, they were playing at their best, which is generating chances and attacking at will. Mullins scored in the 74th minute and Christiano Francois leveled the game in the 77th minute. Georgetown was hanging on for dear life in the remaining ten minutes and for most of the two overtime periods. The game went to penalty kicks, and Georgetown advanced winning 4-3 after missing their first kick.

This brings us to the what-if portion of this post. Lets say, in the closing minutes of regulation, while Maryland has an onslaught of opportunities, Patrick Mullins finds the back of the net and Maryland advances to the final. In the championship game, Maryland would have squared off against the #16 seed and last team to get a bye in the first round, Indiana. The Hoosiers struggled throughout the season, finishing conference play with a 3-2-1 record. Their last 5 games of the season included one win, three losses, and one draw, while being bounced from the Big Ten Tournament in the first round. There is no such thing as a lock, especially in a championship game. But for the veteran Terrapins, getting a struggling Hoosier’s team would have been ideal for a championship game.

What does a National Championship mean for Maryland soccer? A fair point to bring up, Maryland has won two National Championships in Sasho Cirovski’s 20 years as the head coach. Despite losing in the Semi-Finals, Patrick Mullins still went on to win the MAC Herman Trophy and John Stertzer would have still be taken 12th Overall in the MLS Superdraft to Real Salt Lake, with Taylor Kemp going 5 spots later to DC United seventeenth overall. They were the two lone seniors, and the only players to enter the MLS Superdraft.

The 2012 Terrapins soccer team would have gone down as Sasho’s best team had they won the championship. Sasho’s two other championship teams finished with at least 3 loses on the season. Sasho called the 2008 team “The Gold Standard”, but the 2012 team would have been his only team to win the ACC Regular Season, ACC Tournament, and NCAA Championship, the college treble. With only one loss and three championships under it’s belt, this would have become the new “Gold Standard” of Maryland soccer. It’s impressive to think about what a team has to do to elevate themselves on the pitch at Maryland. The only thing left for Sasho to do would be to go undefeated and win the college treble, had the 2012 Terps won it all. Sasho took over the program in 1993 and won three games his first year, 20 years later he would have lost only 1 game, won the treble, and coached the MAC Herman winner, pretty remarkable turnover.

Then comes the Patrick Mullins question. We’ve settled that Mullins would have won the MCA Herman Trophy, but would he have returned to Maryland? Patrick Mullins was seen as high as seventh overall to FC Dallas in one mock draft before he announced his decision to stay at Maryland. Many MLS teams are interested in Mullins, and were shocked to hear of his decision to return to school for his senior year. The only thing left for Mullins to accomplish on the pitch is to win a National Championship. With his decision to return to school, this is now the expectation. Mullins has won the ACC Regular Season, ACC Tournament, ACC Offensive Player of the Year, and MAC Herman Trophy, but winning the National Championship elevates Mullins to arguably the to upper echelon of players in Maryland Soccer history. If he wins all of this as junior, I doubt he returns to Maryland. Mullins would be risking injury and a guaranteed contract. Don’t get me wrong, the average MLS Salary that Mullins is missing out is little when compared to what Alex Len could be earning, but it is still guaranteed money.

Mullins isn’t the only player with the potential to leave school. The other two players seen in MLS mock drafts were both seniors (Kemp and Stretzer) and both of them were taken in the MLS Superdraft. But without Mullins and the championship in hand, there might have been a player or two who leaves early. This is all speculation, but in all collegiate sports, there are some players who leave championship teams early to cash in on the success of that team. With how well Sasho recruits and the consistency of his programs, I’m not sure how likely it would have been for a player to test the uncertainty of professional soccer instead of pursing a college degree.

As it stands now, Mullins and most of the 2012 squad return for another run at the College Cup. Joined by the #3 recruiting class, and with the pain of last seasons loss, the bar is high. The 2013 Terrapins may not be returning champions, but they will certainly draw the attention of everyone they face. The season starts with re-matches of the 2-2 draw to UCLA and the 6-0 win over California, but this time on the West Coast. All eyes will be on Patrick Mullins as he chases his spot in Maryland soccer history.