After a few years of good fortune, the ball hasn?t been bouncing Maryland football coach Ralph Friedgen?s way. At least, that?s the message he got from South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier recently.
“He?s right,” Friedgen said Tuesday. “But it?s due to even out in a short time.”
Part of finding and taking advantage of those breaks can be found in defensive containment. Friedgen attributed one late Georgia Tech touchdown in Saturday?s 27-23 loss to a missed assignment by his defense.
“I think we can be better,” Friedgen said. “To me, it?s as much gap responsibility as it is anything else.”
That responsibility will be magnified this Saturday, when the Terps (3-2) face their third athletic quarterback of the season in Virginia freshman Jameel Sewell.
“They?ve got a big offensive line and an athletic quarterback that concerns me,” Friedgen said. “After playing [Georgia Tech?s] Reggie Ball and [West Virginia?s] Pat White, that concerns me.”
Maryland sophomore middle linebacker Erin Henderson said containment will be critical after the Terps allowed an average of 5.3 yards per rush against Georgia Tech.
“We?ve got to stay in the running lanes,” Henderson said. “We?ve got to try to stay in front of him ? you know, you can?t contain a quarterback from behind. You?ve got to try to keep him contained in the passing lanes.”
Sewell has rushed for just 11 net yards, but he has reeled off an 18-yard carry, the second longest on the team this year.
POTOMAC SHOWDOWN
» Who: Maryland (3-2) at Virginia (2-4)
» When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
» Did you know? The 71st meeting between these interstate rivals will be aired on ESPN360, a broadband service available to Baltimore-area subscribers of Cavalier and Verizon cable systems ? Maryland leads the all-time series, 40-28-2.
