Travis Baltz, the Terps’ preseason All-American punter, was injured when his punt in the first quarter was almost blocked and a Rutgers player picked up a roughing the kicker penalty.
Baltz writhed around on the grass holding his lower leg, and he was helped off the field to the sideline. A cart has taken him to the locker room.
An offsetting penalty forced the Terps to punt again, and placekicker Nick Ferrara filled in.
His first career punt went 24 yards.
Good start.
Quarterback Chris Turner tried to throw a quick slant on the Terps’ first play from scrimmage.
He telegraphed, and Rutgers linebacker Antonio Lowery had an easy interception and an even easier return to give the Scarlet Knights a quick 7-0 lead.
We are 13 seconds into the game.
Could be a long day.
Left tackle Bruce Campbell is also in uniform and participating in stretching with the Terps.
It’s really amazing how the 6-foot-7, 310 pound Campbell truly stands out from the other Terps even from the fifth floor of the press box.
Campbell suffered turf toe during the California game, and he had been wearing a boot on his foot on the sideline the past two weeks.
The boot caused some mild speculation that perhaps the injury was more severe than perhaps the Terps were letting on, but it is clearly a good sign Campbell is back in uniform today.
Paul Pinegar will shift back to the starting right tackle spot, and R.J. Dill will back up Pinegar.
Greg Schimmel is The Diamondback’s Terrapin Football team beat writer. He can be reached at schimmeldbk@gmail.com. You can follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Greg_Schimmel.
A good sign for the Terps…
Strong safety Jamari McCollough, who hasn’t played since the first half of the California game is in uniform and warming up with the defensive backs before the game.
McCollough was listed as probable on the injury report sent out on Thursday.
McCollough is one of the leaders of the defense when healthy, and he should take a lot of pressure off backup Kenny Tate, who was clearly overtaxed last weekend playing nearly every down on defense and participating on multiple special teams units.
No sign of left tackle Bruce Campbell yet, but the offensive line hasn’t been out on the field yet.
Greg Schimmel is The Diamondback’s Terrapin Football team beat writer. He can be reached at schimmeldbk@gmail.com. You can follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Greg_Schimmel.
Hello everyone.
It’s about 70 minutes before kickoff of the Terrapin football team’s fourth game of the season against Rutgers.
It’s cloudy and significantly cooler than the past two Saturdays, and the threat of rain is looming over Byrd Stadium. In fact, by the time I finished writing this it started pelting rain.
A few Rutgers players, mostly specialists, are starting to warm up on the field. They are wearing all whites with red helmets.
It’s a little bit disorienting to see the other team wearing red, but I guess I’ll be able to handle it after a while.
No sign of any Terps yet.
We’ll be back with any pregame personnel notes as they arise.
Greg Schimmel is The Diamondback’s Terrapin Football team beat writer. He can be reached at schimmeldbk@gmail.com. You can follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Greg_Schimmel.
Light night for the Terrapins. Just two games going on, both on campus.
Also, I covered both these teams, fyi.
ajoseph@umdbk.com
The Terrapin volleyball team only scored 50 total points in a lopsided loss to Duke tonight in Comcast Center Pavilion.
The Diamondback is coming at you with an all-consuming double-team of coverage tonight. Sports editor Aaron Kraut and myself will be keeping you up-to-date on the Terp men’s soccer team’s tilt tonight with No. 2 UNC.
It already looks pretty packed. The bleachers in front of us are filling up pretty quickly, but 7,000 tonight? We’ll see.
And for the moment, it looks like one of the day’s biggest question marks — the health of forward Casey Townsend — has an answer. Townsend was penciled into the starting 11 tonight, and he’ll presumably be up top with Jason Herrick as he has been for much of the season. It wouldn’t surprise me, though, to see Townsend work as the lone striker and have Herrick retreat back somewhat to help out with the Tar Heels’ talented midfielders.
Here’s what else we’ll be seeing from the Terps when they kick off in about five minutes:
——————–MacMath——————-
—-Lee—–White—–Tangney—–Kemp—-
——————–Kassel——————-
—Rodkey——–Yates———-Forbess—
———–Townsend—–Herrick————-
Keep checking the blog and twitter.com/DBKSports and twitter.com/jonas_shaffer for updates tonight.
Jonas Shaffer is The Diamondback’s men’s soccer beat writer. He can be reached at shaffer@umdbk.com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/jonas_shaffer. (more…)
Note: This is part of The Diamondback’s print version preview, TERP GAMEDAY, which can be viewed here.
Defensive end Jared Harrell will have a tough time this weekend against Rutgers tackle Anthony Davis. Photo courtesy of the Associated Press
TERP DEFENSIVE ENDS VS.
RUTGERS OT ANTHONY DAVIS
The Terp pass rush has seen mixed results thus far this season.
Last weekend, the Terps’ sacked Middle Tennessee quarterback Dwight Dasher four times in the loss. But little of the pressure they’ve been able to get on opposing signal callers has been from the Terps’ weakside defensive ends, Jared Harrell (pictured below) and Derek Drummond, who have zero sacks.
This week, Friedgen said he wasn’t getting enough production from the position and would use true freshman Isaiah Ross in an increased role there.
Whoever plays will be going against one of the top offensive tackles in the nation. Davis is a 6-foot-6, 325-pound specimen who made many preseason All-American lists.
While the Scarlet Knight offensive line has been criticized despite boasting four returning starters so far this year, Davis’s enormous potential is impossible to deny.
ajoseph@umdbk.com
Note: This is part of The Diamondback’s print version preview, TERP GAMEDAY, which can be viewed here.
Rutgers coach Greg Schiano has turned around a once-lowly program. Photo courtesy of nj.com
RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS
@ MARYLAND TERRAPINS
WHEN: Tomorrow, 3:30 p.m. ET
WHERE: Byrd Stadium, College Park
T.V.: ESPN360
LINE: Pick’em
DATA: Two seasons ago, the Terps upset then-No. 10 Rutgers 34-24 in Piscataway, N.J. This year, both teams are trying to rebuild.
SERIES RECORD: Terps lead 6-3
For analysis of each team’s offense, defense, special teams, coaching and intangibles, read on.