“I got 5 on it!” – Rangoon
Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The Maryland Terrapins football team picked up their fifth commitment of the 2014 class Saturday evening, as Andrew Gray announced his intentions to play his college ball at the university. Gray will be joining fellow 2014 players Will Ulmer (QB, St. John’s College), Jared Cohen (OG, McDonough HS), Jonathan Thomas (RB, St. John’s Prep), and David Shaw (DE, Spring Grove Senior High).

Gray, the 6’4, 215-pound tight end, hails from Big Ten country in Chardon, Ohio. He is set to become the first player Maryland has recruited from that state since they picked up kicker Travis Baltz in 2007. Gray chose Maryland over a number of other offers, including ones to Louisville, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Ohio, and Toledo.

Last season for Chardon High School, Gray caught 12 passes for about 200 yards; he also recorded four sacks for his team on the opposite side of the football as a defensive end. His on-field performance last season led to calls by top tier D-1 programs, including a personal phone call from Urban Meyer himself.

As for the analysis part of Gray’s game, I watched a few clips of his games (as well as a highlight reel which can be found here) and what I saw was a solid player who wasn’t particularly fast or slow. The kid is definitively a blocking tight end, and looks like he comes from a read-option offense. That’s probably part of the reason why the coaching staff went after him, because he would likely fit in perfectly in the offense Maryland is likely to install. A lot of instances on the highlight film just show him sealing off opposing rusher very effectively, as he seemed a lot stronger than most kids he played against.

Whether he was underutilized or just plain wasn’t good enough at catching, his role in the offense was meager outside of blocking. There were a few instances where he caught the ball in tight space (with his hands, mind you), and didn’t seem so slow that he would never be an option at the next level. In a red-zone/short yardage scenario, one could envision Gray becoming a target for the ball since he’s so strong on his feet. There’s not going to be much of a chance to knock him over given his strength.

Regardless, grabbing a recruit from Ohio means a lot for a Maryland team that will be competing for players with midwestern powerhouses in the near future. The move to the Big Ten suggests that Maryland may be able to start poaching talent from Ohio, and this is a sign of that. Gray may only be a three-star (and even then, only one recruiting service had him listed as such), but bringing him in means one less player for opposing Big Ten schools to look at. If he blows up his senior year, then great for Maryland. If he doesn’t, the Terps get a solid blocker who could work great in a Will Ulmer-led offense, and create an inroad in a state they rarely get players from.

It’s a win-win for Maryland this early in the 2014 recruiting period to grab a guy like Gray, and we’re excited to have him as the latest addition to the Terp Nation family.

As part of our rookie hazing tradition (and by tradition I mean something I just started), here’s an awkward interview Gray gives after a big win last year:

*Note: Gray comes off as the kind of player anyone would want to play with, and seems like an unselfish kid who will lay himself out for the team

May 26, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Maryland Terrapins attacker Alex Aust (10) looks to pass against the Maryland Terrapins during the second half of the 2013 NCAA Division I Women

This article is in response to a hate piece about Maryland on OffTackleEmpire.com, which can be found here. This is all in good fun, mind you, but here’s my attempt to defend Maryland.

First off, I love it when Big Ten members start giving Maryland people crap about, well, anything, because of how pathetic some of their respective states tend to be. They say something like “The only reason we need you guys is for the TV money you’ll bring in!” and act as if it’s an even remotely logical argument as to why we don’t belong in the Big Ten, so they can already hate us as a result.

In fact, they’re right in some cases. The Big Ten, and their respective states, literally can’t grow on their own; deposed idiot of Ohio State Gordon Gee said as much himself before he went on a Christmas table, senile grandpa tirade on how the Catholics were screwing the money up (and not his absurdly high salary for manning a top 50 school or his expansive bowtie collection). You know what a 1% growth rate in your footprint means? Your TV and expansion area is going to max out ricky freaking ticky. So when your network heads hit that negotiation table in 2016 with your non-expandable market and demand $2 billion plus, the big wigs would crap you out as if you were a digestive cleanse of the corn husks you guys pride yourselves on. Although I’m sure everyone is jumping at the bit to hit up that booming Iowa market, where people need sour mash just to get up every morning.

So what does Jim Delany do? He goes and gets the fourth-largest TV market (like any smart person would), to stave off the looming SEC network. Maryland’s the prostitute who sold themselves for money? Then what the hell did you guys just do? Your commissioner just handed traditionalists an econo-sized vat of Astro Glide and told them to bend over and accept change. Again. Because you guys need to make more money. I mean how stupid are you guys to think that this expansion doesn’t make you, at the very least, complicit whores? You’re the sleazy, fat businessman doing a midnight prowl through Backpages to find a nice escort for his soiree next week. You might be rich, but you still probably have herpes.

Jim Delaney: Maryland’s coming in dry

The funniest part about the Big Ten is how blissfully unaware they are that everyone outside of the Big Ten hates them. Seriously, no one likes you guys. When’s the last time anyone I know said, “Man I can’t wait to take my paid vacation and go to Ohio!” Answer: it’s never happened. You think Maryland fans are looking forward to taking a trip to Nebraska next year? Or Ohio so I can go see a Wright Brother’s exhibit? Or Iowa so I can see whatever the hell it is that Iowa brings to the table? No one is, not even our school, and it’s why you subsidized our travel budget as a condition of us coming (yet again you classy traditional schools throw money at a hooker, and now probably have the Clap as a result).

You want to know why Ohio State loves their football so much? Because every other sport sucks there, and there’s nothing else to do. The Cleveland Browns created a generation of alcoholics, and is the festering wound of the NFL. LeBron James jumped dodge the second he got the chance because the best NBA star he could convince to come to Cleveland was Larry Hughes (a Wizards defector). The Indians suck, the Blue Jackets traded Rick Nash and still haven’t done anything, and Drew Carey is a douche bag. By the way, we hate you for making the Drew Carey Show. This is the image we get when we think of Ohio:

Our state and the surrounding area, on the other hand, has the perennially good Baltimore Ravens. We have Washington D.C. with its countless museums full of historical significance (and, you know, the White House), we have the Inner Harbor, we have the Orioles (who have sucked and still have more history than the Indians), we have the Redskins (again, more championships than you can dream of, and RGIII), we have the Naval Academy in an absolutely gorgeous city, we have casinos, we have the ocean. In other words, we have much better things to do with our time than obsess over a team that sucks. And Maryland has sucked in recent years, we admit.

Undeniably so, we’ve been bad. For the last five years, the Terps haven’t done anything on the hardwood, and we haven’t done anything on the gridiron. That hurts us, because we know college sports is important and we want to be good. A bad athletic director and an economic recession can hurt a state school. But you act as if the Big Ten is that much better than the competition we’ve been facing in the freaking ACC, when it’s not. You have four schools that are really good at football in Ohio State, Michigan (recently), Penn State, and Nebraska, and the rest consists of leftover chum, as evidenced by your putrid bowl record. Not to mention that you guys are bereft of much NFL talent, unlike the ACC in last year’s draft and numerous others before that. The rest is just as much a crapshoot as the ACC.

Right, hang your hat on the big four schools (two of which couldn’t play in bowls last year) who have one BCS championship collectively since it’s inception, and haven’t appeared in one since 2007. That’s about the time the voters told Jim Tressel he wasn’t invited anymore because his teams kept getting their stuff pushed in prison-style by the SEC. Your lone championship in 2003 during that run by Ohio State came controversially (though I agree with the call) against a Big East school. In basketball? Same story. The ACC has done much of the same, so just stop with the big boy talk.

Stop, also, with the whole “we don’t have a rivalry” talk, too. We don’t have a true rival and we don’t mind not having one. We like hating everyone just the same; it gives us flexibility in our ability to hate without bias. Obviously, beating Duke means a lot to us (and everyone in the nation know it’s a rivalry BUT Duke), and we show general disdain for anything from Virginia or West Virginia. But we also take pride in leaving a steamy log on anyone’s porch.  So when Ohio State fans fill our paltry stadium, we’re going to look forward to the day when we upset you and your asshole fanbase has to get back into your mobile home and look forward to nothing back at home. Then we’ll get hyped about it for a couple days and move on to more important things, like our government/military contracting jobs that affect your national security, or having our alumni build Google or Under Armor. Not that Kroger and Walmart (your two biggest employers) aren’t important; just, you know, look big picture guys.

Even if we don’t have a rival, and the ACC says they don’t want us, we don’t care. We’ll look forward to playing all these new teams, underdog mentality in tow. So when we upset one of your hodunk schools, we can relish in the fact that all you guys have done since we arrived is serve us up a bowl of F.U. It doesn’t matter, because Maryland fans know we’re going to get better. We have a rich tradition in athletic success, and it’s why we leave the ACC, which disrespected us outright all the time, with the second-most overall championships (in some sports you may not care about, but we do) in their conference, second only to UNC. The ACC has no idea what they’re losing, and apparently nor do you guys understand what you’re gaining. But when you start losing a bunch in basketball, in soccer, in lacrosse (which your commish is pumped to add), in field hockey, in swimming, and in track and field, you’ll realize that Maryland has arrived in your conference.

Let’s just look at what you’re getting with Maryland, and why we scoff when you guys think we’re not a great addition. Here’s a list of schools with the most total NCAA championships. Pegged on that list among a few Big Ten powerhouses? Maryland. So screw you guys, in that regard. We’ve always been good at a lot of sports, and the Big Ten trying to convince us that we’re worthless won’t work. The numbers don’t lie. For sure, we’re looking forward to the money you’ll be giving us in the millions just so we can be members and balance our budget, but watch out for what that Maryland will become. We’re in a talent-rich area that is constantly being poached by other schools (except now it’s being kept in-house), we’ve got some major recruits starting the Stay Home Movement here, and we’re on the come-up. So while you guys may hate us for the new few years, we’re going to get respect from you, whether you like it or not. And in turn? We’ll respect you too, but we’re still going to hate you. Because we’re Maryland.

Fear the Turtle.

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

Nov 24, 2012; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Maryland Terrapins wide receiver Nigel King (3) scores a touchdown as wide receiver Kevin Dorsey (12) and offensive linesman Mike Madaras (77) block and North Carolina Tar Heels defensive end Kareem Martin (95) and North Carolina Tar Heels cornerback Tim Scott (7) defend in the first quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

• The Baltimore Sun and Dave Tucker of TestudoTimes.com got together to discuss Terps, and it’s always an interesting read whenever that much Terpage is in one article. Topics range from Dion Wiley to Alex Len and it’s my opinion that you should read it.
• Danny O’Brien was the best quarterback to come through Maryland since Hollenbach, which isn’t saying much until you consider he was a rookie at the time. Unfortunately, poor management and ego got the best of him, and he is now leaving Wisconsin after being benched due to his poor performance last year. Normally I’d have some snappy remark about him being a quitter, but in all honesty now I just feel bad for the kid.
• Chibuzo Ukandu is a name you might want to start paying more attention to. He’s the younger brother of fellow Terp Azubuike Ukandu, and appears to be getting a lot of looks from Rand Edsall. Is he a project? Sure. But considering where he attends high school, Maryland might want to take him on to further the bonds between them.
• Andrea Adelson has a list of transfers to watch in the ACC, and obviously on that list is a certain wide receiver who was fuego in JUCO and is now expected to perform at the D1 level. I’ve got high hopes, and you probably should too. Provided Maryland gives the guy a proper quarterback I see no reason why he can’t thrive. That being said, there are definitely a lot of expectations on the kid.

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.

November 3, 2012; College Park, MD, USA; Maryland Terrapins defensive back Jeremiah Johnson (14) in action against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Byrd Stadium. Georgia Tech beat Maryland 33-13. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

• AthlonSports.com decided to rank the ACC stadiums in terms of greatness, and I can just tell you right now that you won’t be happy with the list. My most frustrating issue with the article is that just about every other stadium gets a nice little paragraph describing the atmosphere and whatnot, but Maryland gets two meager sentences and is even shorter than Duke’s (which was ranked dead last). So hey, at least we beat Duke.
• AD Kevin Anderson attended what is essentially Comic Con for athletic directors around the nation, and decided to answer a few questions about himself as well as the University of Maryland. I like that Anderson is a relatively open book, and most of his actions can be taken at face value. He seems like a genuinely honest guy, at the very least. And he loves Kevin Plank, so I may be developing a soft spot for him. (SBD)
• The 2013 NFL Draft just ended a couple months ago, but already CBSSports is peering into the future of the 2014 rendition. Dane Brugler decided to break down the prospects that the Terrapins may very well have drafted next year. Two of the players aren’t as shocking, but there’s one guy on this list who will make you say “What?” Until you realize that when he’s healthy, he is absolutely electrifying.
• Over at Football Study Hall, we get a pretty great analysis of the ACC, and how it legitimately doesn’t have an elite program in it. You can argue Florida State, but the fact that you even have to argue it shows why it’s a serious problem. But anyway, the numbers don’t lie, and I think you’ll like the breakdown even if it isn’t too high on the Terrapins.
• And finally, Yahoo! Sports reminds us again that DION WILEY IS NOW A TERP AWWW YEAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Feb. 18, 2012; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Evan Smotrycz (23) moves the ball against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

• In case you missed it, Mark Turgeon had his first practice with the post-Len era Terps, and he had some pretty good things to say. In particular, that Shaquille Cleare was doing all the right things to be a successful player, and Charles Mitchell was at least trying. And about that new recruit, Mr. Peters? Well, he’s going to be just fine come next season’s tip-off, rest assured.
• In a double Washington Post link dump, Prewitt gives us some insight into the life and expectations of Evan Smotrycz, the oft-overlooked Michigan transfer. Because he’s largely an unknown entity, fans tend to overestimate/underestimate his importance to the team. We know he is a shooter, but not much else about him can be gleaned from his limited playing time. I’m on the side that thinks he’s going to play a very big role, but I’ve only seen him play about three times.
• No, Maryland isn’t going to be in the ACC for the 2014 season, but that didn’t stop BleacherReport from giving the Terps a ranking in their most recent “Top 2014 recruiting classes in the ACC” article. You can check out where we are here, and note that the Terps are almost guaranteed to raise in that ranking as well. Unfortunately, it means nothing since they’ll be in the Big Ten by the time any of these guys play.
• Finally, Jeff Barker decides to make some bold Maryland football predictions since it’s the offseason and he can. Sorry to disappoint, but none of them are that outlandish, so I generally agree with them.

Stay out of the rain, Terp Nation!

Next to Maryland’s Stefon Diggs, Duke Johnson may be the most exciting player to watch in the ACC.

1.) Duke Johnson (Senior, Miami)

With the top two rushers in North Carolina’s Giovani Bernard and Clemson’s Andre Ellington having moved on to the NFL, there’s a new “Duke” in the ACC. Aside from Maryland’s Stefon Diggs, Johnson is the most electrifying player in the conference. The Miami native was a top 30 recruit coming out of Noland High School and is living up to the pedigree thus far. Johnson has lightning-quick speed and is incredibly dangerous in the open field. He also doesn’t shy away from contact and picks up a good amount of his yardage after he has absorbed a hit.

Johnson rushed for 947 yards (6.8 yards-per-carry) and had 10 rushing touchdowns while topping the century mark on four different occasions. His game is not limited to the offensive side of the ball. Johnson is the Hurricanes primary kickoff returner and ran back two kickoffs for touchdowns during his freshman campaign. Johnson took home ACC Rookie of the Year honors in 2012 and watching Diggs and Johnson battle it out for top player in the ACC will be a treat.

2.) Jerome Smith (Junior, Syracuse)

After being a relatively unknown commodity in 2011, Jerome Smith showed the country how dangerous he is when carrying the rock. Smith carried the ball 227 times for 1,171 yards (5.2 yards-per-carry) and three touchdowns. He doesn’t factor much into the passing game as he only caught eight passes all of last season. However, the Delaware native is a guy who thrives on contact. He isn’t the fastest back in the world, but he has a knack for getting to the corner and makes the right cuts in the open field. It would be expected that the Orange will lean heavily on Smith with quarterback Ryan Nassib having moved on to the NFL and a new coaching staff in place at Syracuse.

3.) Devonta Freeman (Junior, Florida State)

It’ll start off as a timeshare in the Seminoles backfield but it certainly is anybody’s job to take. Chris Thompson, Devonta Freeman and James Wilder Jr. shared time last season and each registered at least 600 yards on the ground. Thompson is gone but Freeman and Wilder Jr. will be vying for the lion’s share of the carries. In my opinion, Freeman is the more-talented of the two backs. The four-star recruit has an excellent burst of speed off the line of scrimmage but also can absorb contact and keeps his legs constantly moving. The Miami Central product also is very dangerous in the open field as he possesses some nice moves that allow him to escape from would-be tacklers.

Freeman ran for 660 yards (5.9 yards-per-carry) and had 8 rushing touchdowns for the Seminoles. His numbers were very similar to those of his freshman campaign. He was able to increase his yards-per-carry numbers to over a full yard higher than in his previous season. Freeman topped the century mark in two games (Duke & Maryland). In both games, the Miami native scored a pair of touchdowns and averaged at least 8.7 yards-per-carry. Freeman has a huge abundance of talent and could take his game to the next level in 2013.

4.) James Wilder Jr. (Junior, Florida State)

As I stated earlier, the Seminole backfield should be loaded in 2013. Wilder Jr. does have the size that Devonta Freeman lacks and put up similar numbers a season ago. The Tampa native possesses significant speed and can catch the ball a little more than Freeman. Wilder grabbed 19 passes for 136 yards and hauled in a pair of touchdown catches. Just like his counterpart Freeman, Wilder does not go down without a fight. He fights for every extra yard and showed that when he ran for a 22-yard touchdown against the Terrapins this past season. Wilder also plays special teams for the Seminoles, proving how versatile he can be.

He only was able to run for over 100 yards in one game (against Murray State) in 2012. However, Wilder was a top-15 recruit in 2011 coming out of Plant High School in Tampa. He didn’t get very much playing time during his freshman season, but was able to get a good amount of touches last year. He rushed for 635 yards (5.8 yards-per-carry) on 111 attempts and punched in 11 touchdowns for Florida State. It was a huge step up from his freshman campaign in which he only carried the ball 35 times for 160 yards and only one rushing touchdown.

5.) Kevin Parks (Junior, Virginia)

It’s quite a dropoff in talent after Duke Johnson and Jerome Smith. However, Parks is certainly a guy that can carry the load and hopes to show that in 2013.  Parks rushed for 734 yards on 160 rushing attempts and had five touchdowns. The North Carolina native only topped the century mark twice (one of those coming against Maryland) and averaged 4.6 yards-per-carry. This could be a big season for the junior back as he has topped 700 yards in each of his first two seasons in Charlottesville. Parks is a back that can run through contact, despite being somewhat small at 5’8. If Parks can get going early on, he could in for a monster year to keep the Cavaliers competitive.

6.) David Sims (Senior, Georgia Tech)

Despite finishing fourth on the team in rushing yards a season ago, David Sims proved that he still has the chops to be an ACC running back. The South Carolina native rushed for nearly 700 yards with two tailbacks and a quarterback also carrying the ball for the Yellow Jackets. Quarterback Tevin Washington and halfback Orwin Smith have graduated and only leading rusher Zach Laskey stands in front of Sims. He did take a step back as he had less rushing yards and touchdowns than in 2011. However, Sims will be one of the primary ball-carriers for Georgia Tech this year and could finally live up to his billing.

7.) Shadrach Thornton (Sophomore, North Carolina State)

Thornton may have only played one season in the ACC, but he is still one of the conference’s top rushers. For the first three games of the Wolfpack’s season, Thornton didn’t have a single carry. On September 22 against The Citadel, the Georgia native erupted for 145 yards on 21 carries and a pair of touchdowns. It ended up being his most productive game of the season and he ended up being the leading rusher on the team. Thornton possesses solid size at 6-1, 200 lbs. and he is able to navigate his way through holes very easily. The Liberty County product is also very dangerous out of the backfield. Thornton racked up 274 yards on 30 receptions and a touchdown with the Wolfpack in 2012. Thornton has the talent to take the reigns of the starting job once again and possibly be a 1,000 rusher for the Wolfpack in 2013.

8.) Josh Harris (Senior, Wake Forest)

Harris is an extremely talented back and is a home-run threat on any play from scrimmage. In each of his first three seasons in the ACC, the Texas native had touchdown runs of at least 50 yards and showed off his quickness. Harris has the ability to bounce it outside at a moment’s notice, but also excels at running between the tackles. The Demon Deacons tailback burst onto the scene in 2010 as a two-star recruit out of Duncanville High School in Texas. Harris didn’t receive a ton of interest and his only other offer was from Louisiana Tech. However, Harris rushed for 720 yards (5.8 yards-per-carry) on 125 carries to go along with seven rushing touchdowns. He had a down year in his sophomore season, but was able to display shades of his freshman campaign this past season. Harris rushed the ball for 608 yards (4.4 yards-per-carry) on 137 carries and had five rushing touchdowns. The senior Demon Deacon has a chance to make his mark on the ACC in 2013. The potential is definitely there and Harris is certainly one back that needs to be taken note of in the ACC.

9.) Roderick McDowell (Senior, Clemson)

After sitting behind Andre Ellington for three years, Clemson running back Roderick McDowell is finally getting his chance to be “the guy” for the Tigers. Despite Ellington rushing for 1,081 yards, McDowell was still able to contribute in 2012 as he rushed for 450 yards (5.4 yards-per-carry) on 83 attempts with touchdowns. The South Carolina native does have the pedigree to carry the load for the Tigers. McDowell was a four-star recruit coming out of Sumter High School and was one of the top 150 players in the entire country in 2009. He is a smaller back at only 5’9, 190 lbs., but is very quick for his size. McDowell’s game-high in rushing yards last season was only 83 against Duke on November 3. Obviously he didn’t get a ton of chances playing behind Ellington. This season will be a chance for him to step away from Ellington’s shadow and make a name for himself. He showed flashes during his junior season and this could be a big chance to show the world what he can do.

10.) A.J. Blue (Senior, North Carolina)

Just like our #9 running back, Blue sat behind a talented halfback for multiple seasons. Giovani Bernard starred at North Carolina for two seasons and racked up 2,481 yards and 25 touchdowns. Now Blue will get his moment in the sun after setting career highs in nearly all offensive categories. After only carrying the ball 33 times during his sophomore season, the North Gaston native had 82 rushing attempts for 433 yards (5.3 yards-per-carry) and nine touchdowns. Despite not being the primary ball-carrier for the Tar Heels, Blue had three different games (Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, and Georgia Tech) in which he scored a pair of touchdowns. He was a dual-threat quarterback in high school and clearly has the athleticism to succeed as a running back. Blue should take a huge step forward as he will be expected to carry the load in 2013.