This comes from the file of the right thing to say at exactly the right time.
There was a lot of talk at the Terps spring football press luncheon today about leadership and replacing the 31 seniors from last year’s Humanitarian Bowl-winning squad.
At times, it even got a little nostalgic. Both offensive coordinator James Franklin and quarterback Chris Turner described former center Edwin Williams as “irreplaceable” for his on-field enthusiasm. Wide receiver Torrey Smith called walking on to the practice field and not seeing former wide receivers Darrius Heyward-Bey, Danny Oquendo and Isaiah Williams “awkward.” Turner addressed some of his departed teammates and the lack of seniors on offense before concluding, “There’s definitely a void to fill.”
But one player in particular offered a very different take on the situation. That was senior defensive tackle Travis Ivey, who gained praise minutes earlier from coach Ralph Friedgen for his maturity and newfound leadership.
Ivey didn’t let his coach down.
“They were all character guys, nice guys, but they weren’t very boisterous,” Ivey said of the departed seniors. “They led by example. A lot of the guys we have now actually talk a little bit more. I miss a lot of my friends. I just saw Dean Muhtadi before I came in here, and we had a nice conversation. A lot of us, we were waiting our turn to be leaders. A lot of us already are leaders. I think that we’re ready to take on the challenges of leading this team.”
And so Terp life goes on…
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Tags: Chris Turner, edwin williams, James Franklin, Terrapin football, Torrey Smith, travis ivey