But elusive Robinson could provide a QB option for Terps
The Maryland quarterback situation is unusually settled. Heading into the fall, rising senior Chris Turner will be the only signal-caller who has played a collegiate game.
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He directed three game-winning fourth-quarter drives and threw for the fifth-most yards in school history (2,516) in 2008. In his career, he has gone 5-1 as a starter against ranked teams.
Those credentials ensure the job is his. But quarterback drama seems a way of life at Maryland. If it happens next fall, the seeds were sewn in Saturday’s Red-White spring game where sophomore Jamarr Robinson led the White Team to a 34-24 victory.
Not that Turner played poorly. The 6-4 senior from Simi Valley, Calif., executed like a veteran, completing 15 of 21 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns.
But it was Robinson, a 6-footer from Charlotte, N.C., who showed a knack for running the West Coast offense and an uncommon ability to improvise when the designed play broke down, completing 12 of 21 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns.
“He’s still making some mistakes, but he’s also making some pretty good plays too,” said Maryland head coach Ralph Friedgen. “He’s progressing right now. We’ll see which freshmen [recruits] come in ready to play. This has been really beneficial for Jamarr to get as many reps as he has. I don’t know if he’d be this far along if we had another quarterback.”
It was a successful end to a spring that started slowly for Robinson, who Friedgen had criticized for failing to find open receivers.
“Sometimes I let it get to me,” said Robinson of the criticism. “But most of the time I just used it as my motivation to work harder and make it more clear that I am the guy for the position.”
As a redshirt freshman last fall, Robinson was buried on the depth chart behind Turner, Jordan Steffy and Josh Portis. But Steffy’s eligibility has expired and Portis has transferred to Division II California (Pa.).
Barring a pleasant surprise from incoming freshmen C.J. Brown (Cranberry Township, Pa.) or Danny O’Brien (Kernersville, N.C.) — both ranked as three-star (mid-level) recruits by Rivals.com — Robinson will begin the fall as Turner’s backup, providing a quick-footed option.
“Being a dual threat guy, I feel like I can keep stuff happening by moving,” said Robinson. “If it’s not there initially. I can move around a little bit. Worst case scenario, I’ll take off.”
Robinson might have taken off Saturday.
