Saturday’s forecast for College Park calls for plenty of “Sunshine Cali.”
Chris Turner is the apparent starter for Maryland versus Georgia Tech. The blonde California passer with a major “dude” attitude was all but named the starter yesterday by coach Ralph Friedgen.
Friedgen says injured quarterback Jordan Steffy is a “game day decision,” but the junior suffered a concussion in the 34-24 upset over No. 10 Rutgers on Sept. 29. Doctors haven’t cleared Steffy and it wouldn’t be a bad thing for him to sit. The Terrapins won’t play again until Oct. 20 versus Virginia so Steffy would be well rested for the season’s second half.
For now, the Terps’ former third-stringer is the star of campus. With backup Josh Portis academically ineligible this season, Turner has risen from afterthought to the new hope. After throwing two interceptions versus Villanova in the season opener, he didn’t play three games. However, Turner completed 14 of 20 for 149 yards versus Rutgers with a touchdown negated by penalty. He led four second-half scoring drives.
The laid-back Californian (is there any other kind?) calmly controlled the huddle that earned the moniker on a team where everyone has a nickname. Turner completed seven of eight passes on third downs.
Dude, that’s money.
Where has Turner been the last two years? Just waiting his chance. That he doesn’t practice well regularly has been a problem. Friedgen isn’t eager to entrust his season to someone who doesn’t seem to have the needed intensity. When the lights come on, Turner seems to awaken, though.
“It’s tough — why can’t he do it in [practice],” Friedgen said. “Why do you make my life tough? I don’t know if it’s a focus thing? Chris is kind of a loosey guy. He doesn’t get too excited, he doesn’t get too nervous. Sometimes I think in practice he’s not as focused as he is in games.”
Friedgen noticed a difference on Tuesday, though. Turner threw a perfect corner route at the goal line the coach labeled “big time.” Maybe Turner now understands he can keep the starting job with strong outings.
“Saturday should do a lot for him from a confidence standpoint,” Friedgen said. “When the focus is there he has a chance to be extremely good.”
Until then, Friedgen has practice under lockdown to keep Turner a mystery to Georgia Tech. Even the media is barred from watching the usual 30 minutes of stretching and drills.
“I don’t trust anybody,” Friedgen said. “I worry about people sitting in that [nearby] parking lot. It happens. I can know within the first three series if people have watched us practice. Sometimes we’ll put something new in and all of a sudden they have a perfect situation for it?”
Ralph — don’t worry, be happy. Sunshine Cali has it covered.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
