On the surface, fans of Maryland and Navy?s football teams have a lot to be excited about through four games this season.
Both of the state?s Division I-A teams are 3-1 and need just three more wins to qualify for a bowl game. Also, if certain scenarios play out, there is a possibility of the Midshipmen and the Terps meeting in the Meineke Car Care Bowl Dec. 30 in Charlotte, N.C. It would be the second consecutive year the two teams would play each other after not playing for four decades.
At the same time, Navy and Maryland both have a lot of question marks surrounding their respective programs as they enter the more difficult part of their schedules.
Maryland, after consecutive 5-6 seasons, enters its Atlantic Coast Conference schedule as an unknown after having its fair share of problems with Division I-AA William & Mary and Sun Belt Conference opponents Middle Tennessee and Florida International. In its only true test to date, Maryland fell behind West Virginia, 28-0, in the first quarter of a nationally televised game and was never in the contest, eventually losing 45-24.
As for Navy, it has shown the ability to make plays on both sides of the ball when it had to, but the team has dealt with its fair share of inconsistencies, too. The Midshipmen had to rally to defeat I-AA foe Massachusetts, while penalties and other costly mistakes played a role in their 24-23 overtime loss to Tulsa last week.
While Mids quarterback Brian Hampton has looked great at times running the football, he has not shown the same mastery of the triple-option offense under coach Paul Johnson like his predecessors Craig Candeto, Aaron Polanco and Lamar Owens did before him. This is most evident in Navy?s passing game, which has accounted for only 178 yards through four games. And while Navy will almost never throw for more than it runs, its previous passing yardage low through four games over the last four years was 458 in 2004.
To me, the questions surrounding Maryland and Navy are a good thing. It means that Terps coach Ralph Friedgen and Johnson have raised the bar and the losing culture under previous coaches is no longer acceptable. Both coaches have led their programs to three bowl games and won two of them, and there is no reason fans shouldn?t expect more postseason experiences.
While there are still plenty of concerns regarding the Terps and Midshipmen?s overall play, it?s probably best to just enjoy the fact both teams are playing .750 ball and see where the season takes them.
“The bottom line is we are 3-1 and that?s the only stat that matters,” Johnson said. “The rest of the stuff is fun to pick apart and look at, but 3-1 is the only one that counts. We would like to be 4-0, but we?re not. There are a lot of teams that would like to be 3-1. We just have to keep working and get better. I think each year we?ve gotten better as the year went along, and hopefully we can continue to do that.”
Ron Snyder is a staff writer for The Examiner. He can be reached at [email protected].
