No loss of productivity or intensity for Wujciak
By: Kevin Dunleavy
Examiner Staff Writer
November 5, 2009
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| Maryland’s Alex Wujciak is ranked No. 7 in the nation, averaging 11 tackles per game. (AP) |
In down season, Terps linebacker always up
It was another offseason of uncertainty for Maryland middle linebacker Alex Wujciak. He had his third knee operation in less than two years, sat out spring practice and watched as others got acclimated to a new defensive system and coordinator Don Brown.
But once this year began, Wujciak resumed his role as the undisputed leader of the Terrapins defense. The junior has 88 tackles, 40 more than any other Terp, ranking No. 7 in the nation (11.0 per game). Last year, Wujciak had 133 tackles to rank No. 12 (10.2 per game).
UP NEXT » Maryland @ N.C. State
Where » Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, N.C.
When » Saturday, 1 p.m.
» Maryland has beaten N.C. State the last three years.
The Terps (2-6) are in the midst of a lost and injury-plagued season, their worst in the nine-year tenure of coach Ralph Friedgen. But Wujciak, a 6-3, 255-pound junior, has been an individual standout, propelling an improving defense.
"His tenacity is what makes him good," said senior tackle Travis Ivey. "He plays as hard as he possibly can, no matter the record, no matter the weather, no matter the situation. We have to hold him out of practices just to make sure he's healthy. He doesn't like that."
Wujciak plays as if he's making up for lost time. He redshirted his freshman year, then sat out the following season with a partially torn ACL. When he underwent his third knee surgery after last season, Wujciak took a matter-of-fact approach.
"A lot of it is accepting you're having surgery. All you can do is get better," said Wujciak. "You have to attack the rehab process."
Wujciak, a middle linebacker since the third grade, was seemingly born to play the position.
"It's like you're the quarterback of the defense, the guy in the middle," said Wujciak. "You're asked to do a little of everything -- stop the run, stop the pass. It lets you affect the game in so many ways."
Wujciak's father, Alan, was a guard at Notre Dame, playing for the 1974 national champions. His younger brother, Connor, a standout defensive end at Seton Hall Prep (N.J.), has already received a scholarship offer from the Terps.
"[Connor is] definitely more mature, physically advanced, than me," said Wujciak. "We're the same size right now. He's like a man out there watching him play. He's so big and so strong at such a young age."
Maryland used a hard-sell approach to land Alex Wujciak, who also had offers from Nebraska, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Syracuse and Rutgers. On one visit to College Park, Wujciak had an extended conversation with then middle linebacker D'Quell Jackson.
"I talked to him for about an hour and a half," said Wujciak. "Him being such a great linebacker and being so down to earth, person to person, player to player, no B.S., just man to man, talking about things, really helped my decision."
As a middle linebacker at Maryland under Friedgen, Wujciak is a worthy heir to a position previously occupied by former ACC Defensive Players of the Year, E.J. Henderson (2001) and Jackson (2005). Both are now starters in the NFL. Jackson had an NFL-high 154 tackles for the Cleveland Browns in 2008.
"It's more Alex than it is the system, although I think the system helps. Alex is a heck of a football player," said Friedgen. "I'm really happy he decided to be a Terp."
