Profiles In Terpage – A Countdown To The Football Season: Cameron Chism
By petevolk
A recurring series where we will profile every player and coach on Maryland’s roster, counting down to kick-off against Miami. Thanks to OBNUG for the idea.
Today we profile the only third-year starter in Maryland’s secondary.
Cameron Chism, Senior, Cornerback
Stats:
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 190
Ratings: Four stars, #7 in Maryland and #20 cornerback by Rivals; three stars and #46 cornerback by Scout; #28 cornerback by ESPN, #19 cornerback in 2012 Draft Class by NflDraftScout
40-yard dash time: 4.43
High School Stats (senior year): 81 tackles, five interceptions and one fumble recovery for a touchdown, 41 receptions for 750 yards and four touchdowns, ten carries for 157 yards and one touchdown
High School Stats (junior year): 98 tackles and seven interceptions, 41 receptions for 800 yards and nine touchdowns
College Stats (through three seasons): 129 tackles (80 solo, four and a half for a loss), four interceptions, one sack, one fumble forced, one blocked kick. Last season, he broke up eight passes (I haven’t been able to find previous seasons for that one).
High School: Bishop McNamara High School (Forestville, Md.)
How’d He Get To College Park?
Chism was a top-ten player in the state of Maryland coming out of high school, and is one of the few high-profile in-state prospects in the last decade to go to College Park. He’s young for his grade (born in December of 1990) but adjusted fast to the college game, playing in nine games as a true freshman in 2008 before winning a starting job as a sophomore in 2009. That year, he exploded onto the season, recording 66 tackles (tenth among ACC defensive backs) and four interceptions (tops on the team). Last year, he regressed a little bit statistically, but part of that can be attributed to quarterbacks staying away from him. It’s no secret that he still didn’t play as well as he did as a sophomore, but it’s hard to match the output he had in 2009.
Chism picked Maryland over Pittsburgh, Illinois, Boston College and NC State, among others, and was named first team all-state, all-county and all-conference as a senior, the latter two as a junior as well (he was named WCAC defensive back of the year as a junior.
Nickname:
“Chis” (pronounced Chiz)
Career Highlight:
That whole sophomore year. If he had been able to replicate that last year, Maryland might have had the best secondary in the conference.
Career Lowlight:
Going all of last year without an interception.
Arbitrary Top Five List:
Top Scorers, 2009-10 Tennessee Vols:
1. Wayne Chism
2. Scotty Hopson
3. Tyler Smith
4. J.P. Prince
5. Bobby Maze
Dream season:
Chism reverts to 2009 form, picking off at least three passes, mentoring the young defensive backs coming in, and shutting down his side of the field.
Nightmare season:
Chism regresses even more, and ends up losing some playing time to either Avery Graham or Dexter McDougle.
2011 prospectus:
It’s safe to say that Cameron Chism is the most important player to the success of Maryland’s secondary. Matt Robinson and Eric Franklin have a lot of talent, but don’t have starting experience yet. Trenton Hughes has all the skills you’d want in a corner, but is still looking to complete the package. Chism has done it before – he’s shown he can be a top of the line ACC corner – it just depends whether 2009 Chis or 2010 Chis will show up this year.
The more I look at this secondary, the more I feel it could be a strength of Maryland’s team instead of a weakness. There’s a lot of inexperience and inconsistency, but there’s a whole boatload of talent to make up for it. If Todd Bradford can find the right group to make it all work, this could be a very good unit. More on that, well, soon.
For Chism specifically, it’s possible that he ends his career with an All-ACC type year. It’s also possible that he ends up as a reserve cornerback by the end of the year. That’s how wide open the cornerback position is at Maryland. If I were to put money on it, however, I’d bet on All-ACC being more likely. He’s a third-year starter with four-star talent. It’s hard to get much better than that.
Up Next:
The subject of our next profile started his coaching career at his alma mater, Southern Utah.