Amid the worst of game film, Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen found promise of better days. The 52-13 whipping by No. 14 California on Sept. 5 was the Terrapins’ worst season-opening loss since the school’s very first game in 1892. The defense allowed 542 yards, second most in Friedgen’s nine seasons to the 2002 Orange Bowl defeat to Florida in Steve Spurrier’s final game before joining the Washington Redskins.
Friedgen admitted pregame concern that the young Terps were outmatched. Turns out they were overrun.
But it’s not getting knocked down that truly matters. It’s how Maryland gets back up. The Terps really weren’t measured by the loss to California because Maryland was a 22-point underdog. No, the Terps will be measured on how they respond as heavy favorites over James Madison on Saturday.
“Football, situations like this, is like life. You have to be able to respond to adversity,” Friedgen said. “Every goal is still there except beating Cal.”
Time has tempered the 62-year-old coach. His early years in College Park were filled with so much success that losing brought out an ugly side inherited from his playing career at Maryland in the mid-1960s when coaches were much harsher. Nowadays, Friedgen has become more of a father figure to young teams despite steady offerings of tough love.
Friedgen looked for something positive to move the team forward from the horror film. He found it during the nastiest moments.
“I was looking to see how things played when things were really bad,” Friedgen said. “I saw kids fighting and scrapping.”
Friedgen knows young teams can sour from a bad beating. Losing to JMU could cripple a season before ACC play begins. The Dukes are a dangerous FCS team with a spread offense that confuses many defenses and 11 starters returning from a 12-2 season and unbeaten Colonial Athletic Association mark.
Maryland probably won’t blow out JMU. But either the Terps find their strength soon or the newly-expanded stadium will include lots of empty seats.
“You’ve got to grow from that experience,” Friedgen said. “Be better this week than we were last week. For me to just get down on our players, I’m not going to do that. This is not an overnight thing. I have a lot of belief in these kids. I can speak to their character and they haven’t disappointed me at all. … I’m going to hang with these guys.”
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more at TheRickSniderReport.com or
e-mail [email protected].
