Posts Tagged ‘James Franklin’

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March 24th, 2009 | 05:45 pm

Leadership in a nut shell

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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February 19th, 2009 | 06:37 pm

Meet the Assistant: Charles Bankins

New Terrapin special teams/tight ends coach Charles Bankins has worked at Terp summer football camps since 2000. The Maryland native replaced current Terp offensive coordinator James Franklin as wide receivers coach at James Madison University in 1998. So unlike new defensive coordinator Don Brown, the former Massachusetts head coach who met coach Ralph Friedgen during the interview process, Bankins had plenty of Terp ties.

Bankins, who initially talked to Franklin about the special teams opening at the American Football Coaches Association Convention in January, came to College Park to interview on Friday. By Sunday, the former Richmond assistant had a job offer.

Terrapin Trail reached Bankins earlier today by phone from his new office in the Gossett Team House.

Terrapin Trail- You’re going to be the third guy they’ve had in for this position in three years. What do you think you can bring to this position?
Charles Bankins- I’ve known [Ray Rychleski, Terp special teams coach from 2001-2007,] for a while, and I’d followed what he’d done. He did a lot of great things here. You know, coach [Danny] Pearman was only here for one year. I just think I bring a lot of enthusiasm, and I’m going to bring some of the pro schemes we used at the St. Louis Rams [in 2005]. I’m going to try to implement some of those things. Most places I’ve been we’ve been pretty good as a return team. And I want to still follow in coach [Rychleski’s] footsteps in not giving up any blocked punts.

TT- Is that streak, [no blocked punts since 1999], something you’re going to take great pride in to try to keep that legacy going?
CB- No doubt. The foundation’s been set. Right now I’m the torch bearer. I’ve just got to keep it rolling.

TT- Now you’re going to lose the kicker [Obi Egekeze], but you’re returning an All-ACC punter [Travis Baltz] and a guy who set the conference record for return yards [wide receiver Torrey Smith]. The cupboard is certainly not bare. What excites you about the special teams unit here?
CB- I’m always excited about special teams. It takes special players to play special teams, and we’ve got a lot of special players here. We’ve always had the next man up mentality. No matter who is here, we’re going to expect people to ‘Fear the Turtle’ when it comes to special teams.

TT- I know you’re a Maryland native. Was coming home something that interested you?
CB- No doubt. My parents live in southern Maryland, and my brother is in D.C. 15 minutes from campus. In fact, during the camps, I would stay with him. To be able to be around and near your former coaches, guys you played against, and your parents, that’s a special feeling.

TT- At Richmond, you got to work with Tim Hightower. To be able to see what he did this season and especially in the playoffs, how special was that for you?
CB- He’s the third kid I’ve coached who had the chance to be in the Super Bowl. I kinda felt bad he didn’t get to win one, but it’s always special to see the guys that you coach be able to come in as a rookie and perform at that level. You kinda feel like you had something to do with that…

TT- Coming in at the middle of February, spring practice is coming up. What do you want to see out there?
CB- First and foremost, I’m a fundamentalist. We’re going to make sure we’re sound on all the fundamentals. Once you get the fundamentals down, you can plug them into any scheme. If you have fundamentals, you can play fast and get after people. We’re going to be fast, physical and furious. We’re going to get after people around here.

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February 9th, 2009 | 12:42 pm

The Family Man

As I led off with in today’s Diamondback story, “James Franklin was a wanted man.”

He could’ve picked up and left after his one season in College Park for some good jobs around the country, but towards the top of the list of things that kept Franklin around (in addition to the fact that he was named ‘coach in waiting’ Friday) was the desire to keep his young family in one place.

Franklin has bounced around the country since he landed his first NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision job as tight ends coach at Washington State in 1998. His travels have taken him to full-time gigs in Idaho, Maryland, Wisconsin, Kansas and NFL internships in Miami and Philadelphia before he returned to the Terps in December 2007.

Franklin’s wife, Fumi, who brought young daughters Ava and Addison to Friday’s press conference wearing Terp attire, spoke of this opportunity as “stability” for her family.

Franklin is from the Philadelphia-area, and his aunt used to work in admissions at this university, so he’s very familiar with the area, part of the reason he is such a great recruiter in the region.

Athletic Director Debbie Yow talked about how excited Franklin was to return to the Terps, and all the way back in August, Franklin told me he looked at this job as a long term opportunity. After the press conference concluded, Franklin expanded on his desire to be a Terp for the long haul.

“If you look at my resume, I haven’t had the opportunity to stay places a long time,” Franklin said. “So being able to be here and have deep roots in this community and not have to move my family, and hopefully I can come in and be head coach and what I’d like to do is retire here and be able to retire as one of the winningest coaches in college football and never have to move my family.”

That’s a pretty ambitious list of career goals, but Friday’s announcement was the first step toward achieving it.

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February 7th, 2009 | 01:59 pm

More on Franklin

Sitting behind a raised table at the Gossett Teamhouse in their Sunday best outfits, Athletic Director Debbie Yow, football coach Ralph Friedgen, and offensive coordinator James Franklin joined together Friday for an announcement meant to provide stability and continuity to a Terp football program that has slowly earned credibility during Friedgen’s tenure.

Franklin, entering the second season of his second stint with the Terps, has been designated the coach-in-waiting when the soon-to-be 62-year old Friedgen steps aside.

“I just want to thank everybody for this opportunity,” Franklin, 37, said as part of his opening statement. “I can guarantee I won’t let you down.”

Friedgen’s contract runs through the end of the 2011 season, and Franklin’s new deal calls for the situation to be re-evaluated if Friedgen’s contract is extended past January 2, 2012.

Friedgen, who has led the Terps to six bowl appearances in his eight seasons, spoke of his deep connection to Franklin and the desire to name his successor for the sake of his other coaches and recruiting. Both Friedgen and Yow were clear that Friedgen’s health is not an issue in the timing of the announcement.

“Obviously, I wouldn’t have agreed to it if I didn’t think that James was the right person,” Friedgen said.

What was motivation for the announcement was trying to keep Franklin in College Park. According to Yow, there was discussion about putting this clause into Franklin’s contract when he came to this university from Kansas State in December 2008.

This offseason Franklin, noted for his recruiting abilities, said he had “probably three different opportunities at well-respected NFL organizations and colleges.” One of those opportunities was believed to be with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and new coach Raheem Morris, who Franklin called one of his best friends.

“For us it’s been a year’s type of conversation,” said Yow, who called the move a “common sense decision. “[It was] an occassional thing and not a focus by any means, but we weren’t going to stand by and let a professional team take him away at this point.”

Franklin, who is African American, would be the first minority football coach at this university. There are currently just seven coaches at the 119 Football Bowl Subdivision schools and just one at BCS schools, Miami’s Randy Shannon. Shannon is the second African American coach in ACC football history.

Naming successors has become a trend in college sports where recruiting continues to begin earlier and earlier. Schools such as Florida State, Texas and Purdue have named coaches-in-waiting behind successful head men to lock-in promising assistants and avoid negative recruiting related to coaching questions.

“Coach Friedgen has established a foundation these last eight years,” Yow said. “That foundation is going to be protected.”

More on this story in Monday’s Diamondback.

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February 6th, 2009 | 12:08 pm

Franklin named Friedgen’s successor

Terp football offensive coordinator James Franklin will be named the successor to head coach Ralph Friedgen at a press conference today at 3 p.m., according to the Terp athletic department.

Franklin, 37, is entering his second season as offensive coordinator after coming to the Terps from Kansas State last December. Franklin previously worked as receivers coach with the Terps from 2000-2004. He is noted for his recruiting abilities and held the position of recruiting coordinator during the final two years of his first stint with the team.

Friedgen, who will turn 62 in April, is entering his ninth season as Terp coach.

Check back for more updates after the press conference which will include Franklin, Friedgen and Athletics Director Debbie Yow.

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January 8th, 2009 | 06:36 pm

Portis transferring

Terp backup quarterback Josh Portis will not return to Maryland, the 21-year old confirmed when reached by phone this afternoon.

As first reported by ESPN’s Heather Dinich, Portis said he is leaning towards enrolling at Division II California (Pa.).

“It’s about 85 percent right now,” Portis said.

The Woodland Hills, Calif.-product said there is no timetable for finalizing his decision. Portis is currently in Florida with his mother, but he is unsure if he will enroll anywhere for the spring semester. He said California (Pa.) was one of about 15 schools to contact him after he was granted his release from Maryland.

“I just know I’m not going to be in Maryland in the spring,” Portis added.

Terp coach Ralph Friedgen declined comment through a university spokesperson until Portis’ decision is finalized. Portis’ decision comes a day after junior wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey announced he will enter the NFL Draft, meaning the Terps will lose two of their most athletic players heading into next season.

Portis transferred to Maryland after seeing snaps under center as a freshman at Florida in 2005. He sat out the 2006 season following NCAA transfer guidelines and was ineligible last season after he was caught cheating on a pop quiz.

This season the Terps hoped to use him as a change of pace option at quarterback in first-year offensive coordinator James Franklin’s offense. He got regular snaps in several non-league games, notably against Eastern Michigan on Sept. 20 when he scored his first career touchdown. But he attempted just three passes this season and did not play in five of the Terps’ last six contests.

“I did what I could do with the time I was in there,” Portis said this afernoon. “I wasn’t understanding how things went, but they did what they wanted to do with their football program.”

Portis’ major problem with the Terps was learning the playbook and commanding the offense, and he fell out of favor after many of his plays resulted in false starts and pre-snap penalties. Portis, who is the cousin of Redskin running back Clinton Portis, was second on the depth chart after Jordan Steffy was injured in the season-opener against Delaware, but Steffy returned to take the back-up spot late in the season. With starter Chris Turner set to return for his senior season, Portis started to consider other options that could allow him to play right away next season and maintain his eligibility.

“I learned a lot, and I wish them the best next year,” Portis said.

Portis said he will have two years of eligibility remaining if he ultimately signs with California (Pa.) or another Division II school.

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December 28th, 2008 | 09:21 pm

An Action-packed Boise Sunday

The Terps continued to take full advantage of their time in the great Northwest with another full day in Boise. After spending the morning snowtubing, they finally took to the blue turf at Bronco Stadium this afternoon for their final full practice of the season. The team was forced indoors by snow yesterday and has a walk-through tomorrow before Tuesday’s game.

Today’s practice was closed, but Friedgen finished practice with the annual “senior carry-offs”, where each senior is picked up by a couple of players and carried a few feet as his teammates cheer. This year’s edition was kicked off when quarterback Jordan Steffy, who received the ACC’s Humanitarian Award at a dinner last night, was helped off the field by running back Da’Rel Scott and quarterback Chris Turner. Seniors were generally picked up by their position mates with a notable exception being center Edwin Williams. The jovial lineman got a lift from Turner and defensive lineman Obum Akunyili, with whom he has had many spirited battles on the practice field.

“It was a long one,” Friedgen said after each of the Terps’ record number of seniors got his due. “Guys didn’t have to lift weights after that”

Friedgen skipped the team’s trip to Bogus Basin for “Winter Sports Day” to watch film on Nevada, and after hearing about how much fun his team had on the mountain, he couldn’t miss an opportunity to take a jab at his players and staff.

“Some guys come to tube, and some guys come to play,” Friedgen deadpanned.

Friedgen also said his team is relatively healthy heading into the game. Tight end Dan Gronkowski tweaked his injured ankle in practice but later returned to action. The biggest concern could be offensive coordinator James Franklin, who has battled flu-like symptoms the past few days.

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August 5th, 2008 | 03:52 pm

Media Day Musings and First Practice Fall Out

The Terp football team opened practice Monday, preceded by Media Day where the coaches and players talked about the upcoming season.

TATE TO STRONG SAFETY
One of the day’s biggest announcements was highly-regarded recruit Kenny Tate has been moved from wide receiver to strong safety.

The Terps are very deep at wide receiver, and after spring practice, strong safety was the one position where Friedgen was concerned about depth. Senior Jeff Allen is at the top of the depth chart currently, ahead of walk-on Drew Robinson. Senior Dominique Herald, who will be suspended for the season-opener because of an unspecified violation of team rules, could also get into the rotation when he returns.

Tate earned high school accolades as a safety at nearby De Matha, but coach Ralph Friedgen said he was initially apprehensive about asking the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder to make the switch, fearing he could lose credibility as a recruiter.

But Tate accepted the move, saying he wants to be an impact player. Friedgen said Tate will have the option to move back to offense and does not plan to keep him on defense if it does not look like he will play.

“I think he’s excited about it right now,” Friedgen said after Monday’s practice. “I just asked him how he thought he did, and he said he made a lot of freshman mistakes.”

QUARTERBACKS EXCEL DURING DAY ONE
The first thing Friedgen said when addressing the media after the team’s first practice was how well the quarterbacks performed.

“We were much more comfortable at quarterback,” Friedgen said. “I thought our decision-making was better. We got rid of the ball better. I thought I saw improvement from all three of them.”

Earlier in the day, he suggested the position is still wide open, declining to put junior Chris Turner at the top of the depth chart. Senior Jordan Steffy and junior Josh Portis will also compete for the starting spot.

“We may play multiple quarterbacks,” Friedgen said. “I don’t know. I think that’s an area where if we get the production of it that we expect, we have a chance to have a good offense.”

HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING
Friedgen declared this season’s Terps his fastest and most in shape group since taking over the program during his Media Day address.

He put that to the test during Monday’s workout.

Five Terps failed to pass Friedgen’s conditioning test, which forces players to run 12 100-yard sprints with 30 second rests. Players must complete each sprint in a certain time based on their position.

Friedgen said those who did not pass were dropped to the bottom of the depth chart and given an opportunity to complete the test on Tuesday.

None of the five who failed to pass were among the top two on the depth chart at their positions, according to Friedgen.

QUOTABLE TERPS
“It’s spreading it out and still being able to run the ball. The West Coast. You can do it all on the West Coast.”- Junior wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey on the new offense under new coordinator James Franklin.

“I feel real astute with it. I’ve been studying real hard. The playbook opens up this year because we have a lot of intangibles with it. Our passing game is short, long, quick, fast, explosive and it’s going to be a good time for us this year.”- Portis on how he’s grasping the new offense.

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April 2nd, 2008 | 02:49 am

Inside the Fridge

Terrapin football coach Ralph Friedgen had a lot on his mind Tuesday, after a long and disappointing practice session.

After spending about 45 minutes (but seemingly hours) talking to a recruit after the team left the field, Friedgen drove his golf cart over to where the media waited. He apologized for the delay and immediately went into some of the question marks surrounding his team, most of which he blamed on his own strategies.

Was he wrong in playing more younger players this spring? Friedgen believes the veteran players are resting on their laurels, not working as hard as they had in the past.

Was the offense adjusting quickly enough to new coordinator James Franklin’s system? Well, that will take time. Even quarterback Chris Turner is still learning, according to Friedgen.

But one question struck me: Friedgen knows he has to narrow his roster down to 105 players for summer camp. And the veteran coach seemed genuinely concerned about making such a decision.

Maybe that’s why Friedgen is a popular figure: as he looked me directly into my eyes and said he wanted to bring every single player to camp, how the NCAA was keeping him from that, Friedgen seemed sincere in his worries. The NCAA allows only 105 players to be invited to training camp, but the Terps will likely have a list of around 126 players to choose from.

Players will be allowed to rejoin the roster in the fall, but Friedgen wants to put everyone through the camp.

“I don’t like to cut kids because I’m a bout having kids do well and get better,” Friedgen said. “I worry a little bit about kids today. I know I’m sounding like an ancient guy. But anything that’s of discomfort for them, it’s easy for them to give in. It’s a generation of feel-goods.”

The emotion and honesty aren’t new for Friedgen, but it is impressive that after a practice where he felt his team completely lacked intensity, especially on offense, he was still worried about the futures of his players.

Reserve center Maurice Hampton tore his meniscus, according to Friedgen. He will likely miss the entire spring despite his recent improvements at the position.

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March 29th, 2008 | 11:02 pm

Since when is football an a.m. sport?

Saturday’s spring football was way too early. The 10 a.m. weekend start just isn’t acceptable for a college student operating on four hours of sleep per night during the school week.

Regardless, it wasn’t a bad day of practice at all. Sophomore Michael Katz and I covered the practice for The Diamondback, and we watched some pretty interesting drills.

New offensive coordinator James Franklin is an intense guy. In one drill, the offense was attempting to score on the defense in a small circle, almost like some sort of gladiator game. Every time the offense scored, all the other offensive players had to run into the circle and celebrate – or face Franklin’s wrath. Numerous tired players got screamed at for their lack of enthusiasm.

Afterward, the team worked on some goal line formations, with the offense scoring on eight of nine plays, including offensive guard Jack Griffin grabbing a fumble in the end zone.

“You ain’t gonna take that from Jack! Not from Jack!” sophomore linebacker Adrian Moten joked on the sideline.

USC transfer sophomore safety Antwine Perez (yes, a new spelling of Antoine/ Antwan/ Antwane / Anton/ Antwone) was particularly impressive in the drills, coming through with some hard hits. Perez should fit in well as senior J.J. Justice’s replacement. Justice was at practice for a while, joking around with his old teammates and talking some football.

Incoming freshman wide receiver Kenny Tate from DeMatha High School was also around, soaking in the scene that he will be joining in the summer.

Finally, around 1:30, I finished up my last interview with running backs coach John Donovan. Not having ate all day, I grabbed some Panda Express on my way through the Stamp Student Union before collapsing in my bed.

By that point, I didn’t even have enough energy to celebrate a touchdown in the Super Bowl.

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