Thankfully, the Terps won?t have a loss haunting them through this week?s bye.
After improving to 3-1 with a 14-10 victory over winless Florida International University (0-4), Maryland football coach Ralph Friedgen and his team are ready to take a week off and make adjustments.
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Friedgen was happy with the win but was not pleased with how his team played. “I would rather win ugly than lose looking good,” Friedgen said. Defensively, Maryland stayed strong and heeded the team?s “bend- but-don?t-break” philosophy, limiting the FIU production with the exception of two big plays.
“We missed some opportunities on offense,” said Friedgen, who added that he wanted to pass more, but things were not coming together enough.
Because the Terps? offense could not find a rhythm, Freidgen was forced to call more running plays. “I played more conservatively than what I wanted,” he said. “I didn?t want to screw it up. I don?t like feeling that way.”
Coming into the bye week, Friedgen said he is still not sure what he needs to do to get his team clicking together.
Play needs to improve for Maryland to be successful in the ACC, and Friedgen?s players know it. “We need to get our wins any way they come,” said junior linebacker Wesley Jefferson.
Regaining focus is something that Jefferson said the Terps need to do, as they prepare for their conference opener Oct. 7 at Georgia Tech. “We?re just going to have to pick it up if we want to win against top teams,” he said.
Wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey said that getting their third win before the start of the ACC schedule was a goal the team had set. Heyward-Bey added that the bye week is coming at a perfect time. “It?s a chance to get healthy and get some timing down with [quarterback] Sam [Hollenbach],” he said.
Sophomore defensive lineman Jeremy Navarre summed up how important this victory was, especially after the West Virginia loss. “It was not an impressive win, but it?s better than a loss in a bye week,” he said.
Terps notes
» Maryland held FIU?s offense to just 89 yards n the ground. In the air, however, Maryland yielded 221 yards, including an 89-yard touchdown reception that was the longest in FIU history.
» Sam Hollenbach had a decent day passing ? 17 for 30, with two touchdowns and an interception.
