Ralph Friedgen is still the boss.
The Maryland football coach runs spring practice like his usual no-nonsense self without worrying whether players are looking for a reaction from successor James Franklin.
It may be a job sharing of sorts with Franklin taking over some of Friedgen’s responsibilities, but the latter is no short-timer. There’s one head coach and everybody knows it.
“Ralph has a very strong personality,” Franklin said. “He makes it clear to everybody’s he’s the boss. There’s never any gray area. Ralph’s very involved in every aspect of the program.”
They are the past, present and future of Maryland football. And for a few seasons, it all runs together.
Friedgen has coached longer than Franklin has been alive. But, the Terrapins coach plans to retire before the next recruiting class graduates. It was time for the heir to become apparent. Friedgen, who turns 62 on Saturday, said he expects to leave in three to five years when becoming the second-longest tenured coach in College Park behind the man whose name is on the stadium — Curly Byrd.
Meanwhile, Friedgen is trying to ensure a decade or so of mostly good times isn’t lost in transition. The new guy needs to know the nuances of a program that’s not guaranteed success.
“If you look at Maryland football, it kind of has gone up and down,” Friedgen said. “This is a unique place that has its own dynamics. I’ve worked very hard to get this to a certain standard, and I still think we can go farther. I don’t want to see 10 years of my life wasted. I’d rather take James and tell him what I’ve learned so he at least knows what the problems are.”
Franklin, 37, returned last year as offensive coordinator in his second stint with the Terps after spending three years with the Green Bay Packers and Kansas State. A rising prospect in both NFL and college ranks, the Terps needed a long-term commitment to avoid losing Franklin.
“Why leave and jeopardize that [Maryland] opportunity when I could stay here?” he said. “Some guys feel like they have to coach in the NFL to think they made it. I think I could be happy coaching either.”
The move also bolsters recruiting after high schoolers began questioning Friedgen recently over his retirement prospects.
“I’m recruiting against Penn State and Boston College and [BC coach Frank] Spaziani is 62 and [Penn State coach Joe] Paterno’s pushing 100 and you’re worried about me retiring?” Friedgen told a Boston recruit.
Friedgen and Franklin now meet over player and recruiting issues, the former teaching and the latter still learning.
“It’s a whole different perspective when you sit on the other side of the desk,” Friedgen said.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more at TheRickSniderReport.com or e-mail [email protected].
