Terps look to rebound against Golden Bears
No. 23 California has gone to extremes to get ready for Saturday’s game at Maryland. The Golden Bears have practiced at 8 a.m. this week to get acclimated to the three-hour time change and noon start.
It might be a necessary tactic considering how rare this trip is. The last time California came to the east coast was 2001, when it beat Rutgers. The most severe trip coach Jeff Tedford has undertaken in his seven-year tenure was in 2003 when the Golden Bears had an 11 a.m. start at Illinois.
“Flying across country provides challenges. We have to get our body chemistry acclimated to the East Coast,” said Tedford, who has never faced an Atlantic Coast Conference team. “It’s pretty much the same as when we played Illinois.”
California (2-0) has a lot at stake in this nationally televised (ESPN) game. The Golden Bears are one of four ranked teams in the Pac-10. And this is an opportunity to showcase exciting sophomore back Jahvid Best, suddenly considered a Heisman Trophy candidate after touchdown carries of 80 and 86 yards in last week’s 66-3 win over Washington State.
“They have a really good running back and a really good line that blocks for him,” said Maryland tackle Jeremy Navarre. “Hopefully we’ll play up to our competition.”
So far, Maryland (1-1) has played down to its competition, losing last week at Middle Tennessee, 24-14, a defeat considered the worst of coach Ralph Friedgen’s eight-year tenure.
Under Friedgen, the Terrapins have often shown their ability to rebound. Last year’s demoralizing 31-24 overtime loss to Wake Forest — in which Maryland blew a 21-point lead in the final 16 minutes, 10 seconds — was followed by a stunning win at No. 10 Rutgers, 34-24.
That victory was a coming-out for quarterback Chris Turner. After throwing three interceptions Saturday, Turner is struggling to regain his touch. A win over a school from his home state, which ignored him in the recruiting process, could put his ambitions and those of his team back on track.
Despite the divergent results, Friedgen sees similarities between his team and California. The teams have similar offenses and feature a long-distance threat at tailback. The difference, he says, is execution.
“They’re doing a lot of the things we do,” said Friedgen. “They’re just doing it better.”
Maryland vs. Cal
» Best is not the only TB threat for Cal. Shane Vereen had an 80-yard run in the Bears’ opening-game win over Michigan State.
» Maryland sophomore Da’Rel Scott (160.0 yards per game) is fifth in the NCAA in rushing, two notches ahead of Best (155.5 ypg).
» This is the first meeting between Cal and Maryland.
