The University of Maryland football team showed a great ability to move the offense through the air last season. The Terps ranked second in the Atlantic Coast Conference in passing offense by throwing for an average of 249.1 yards per game.
For quarterback Sam Hollenbach to match that performance this year, while also improving his 13-15 touchdowns-to-interception ratio, he must do so with a much younger receiving corps. Gone from the 2005 team is the trio of Derrick Fenner, Danny Melendez and Jo Jo Walker, which combined for 109 receptions, 1,481 yards and seven touchdowns. And that doesn?t even include tight end Vernon Davis, who went to the San Francisco in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Replacing those veteran standouts is a group of fast, talented, but inexperienced players. Early contenders for the starting lineup include second-year players like sophomores Isaiah Williams, Danny Oquendo and redshirt freshmen Terrell Skinner and Darrius Heyward-Bey. Drew Weatherly is one of just two senior wideouts and had the most receptions among that group in 2005 with 10 catches for 83 yards and a touchdown.
“There will definitely be more opportunities to step in and make big plays,” said Williams, who had three catches for 31 yards in Saturday?s scrimmage. “You can tell the more reps we are getting in practice, we?re improvingthe chemistry with our quarterback and with the offense overall.”
Hollenbach said the team laid the groundwork for this year?s offensive transition during summer workouts, which has allowed the team to move at a faster pace during the preseason.
“We?ve been able to put in a lot of the offense because of the work we did this summer, and now we are ahead of the curve,” Hollenbach said.
Maryland head coach Ralph Friedgen said the completion percentage during the preseason is ahead of spring practice, and he looks for that to improve as the season progresses. He added that the receivers and Hollenbach have spent extra time a few nights a week working on building their chemistry with one another.
“There is a tremendous amount of getting used to receivers,” Friedgen said. “Every guy runs the route a little bit different.”
Receiving end
» Friedgen said Heyward-Bey and cornerback Josh Wilson should see time as the kickoff return specialists, with Oquendo acting as the punt-return specialist.
» Williams made one catch for four yards, while Oquendo had three catches for 20 yards in 2005.
