It’s not likely Danny O’Brien or C.J. Brown will take any snaps for the Terps this fall, but both true freshmen quarterbacks have made the kind of strides so far that could provide some stability in future years.
“I think both of them are far ahead of most kids coming in,” coach Ralph Friedgen said yesterday. “So I’m encouraged by both these kids. I think both of them are good players.”
O’Brien and Brown are members of a recruiting class that has already made its impact in camp – as many as eight true freshmen may get some playing time this year, significantly more than in years past for the Friedgen-era Terps. Quarterbacks, of course, are rarely ever expected to contribute right out of high school. But this pair has turned some heads to the future.
Both were three-star recruits according to Rivals.com. And both came in known for their athleticism along with their arms.
Right now, Friedgen seems to be higher on O’Brien, a North Carolina product who is more of a traditional, pro-style quarterback. But he also hinted at Brown’s potential as a dual-threat signal caller.
“I think O’Brien’s a little further ahead intellectually; I think Brown may be a little ahead physically,” Friedgen said. “Definitely, O’Brien gets us out of the huddle better. He’s doing a good job. In fact, today, we were struggling with red zone drills. He came in, and in his four reps, he hit the right guy, did the right things.”
If either plays this year – which would only happen if Chris Turner and JaMarr Robinson went down with injuries – it seems as though O’Brien would be the guy. Right now, though, it’s more interesting to question whether either could push Robinson for the starting job in 2010 or 2011.
Adi Joseph is The Diamondback’s football beat writer. He can be reached at ajoseph@umdbk.com or followed @adijoseph.
[...] even if Belton never passes true freshmen Danny O’Brien and C.J. Brown, you can’t deny the type of deal bringing in a guy like this as a walk-on is for [...]