Posts Tagged ‘terps’

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January 22nd, 2009 | 10:15 pm

D-L-R-O-W???

The word “world” backwards is what Dave Neal had to spell, to prove to trainer J.J. Bush that he didn’t have a concussion following a literal eye-opening collision with Virginia center Assane Sene’s elbow.

Neal also had to recite the months of a Gregorian calendar backwards.

Who knew elementary school knowledge would prove so valuable during a college basketball game?

He passed both tests with ease and after getting stitched up, he returned to Tuesday’s game in the second half and garnered a huge applause from the Comcast crowd.

“We have a great doctor and he put 15 stitches up there, and said ‘it looks great,’” Neal said. “So hopefully I get them out in five days. They gave me a little numb shot so it wouldn’t be as painful. It was still pretty painful.” (Fortunately they didn’t ask Neal to spell “anaesthetic” backwards.)

But it was undoubtedly less painful after the Terps pulled out an 84-78 victory, due in large part to Neal’s solid play upon returning.

!Laen evad boj doog

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January 16th, 2009 | 07:10 pm

Former ND star Yeatman officially a Terp

A report surfaced around the new year that former Notre Dame football and lacrosse player Will Yeatman was ready to transfer to Maryland.

Today it became official with a press release saying Yeatman, who missed time with both Fighting Irish teams stemming from a pair of alcohol-related incidents, has joined the Terp lacrosse team.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity for a new beginning at the University of Maryland,” Yeatman, who was the Irish’s leading scorer as a freshman in 2007, said in the release.

Yeatman, an attackman and tight end, was suspended for the 2008 lacrosse season after pleading guilty to to misdemeanor counts of drunken driving and criminal recklessness stemming from a Jan. 28, 2008, arrest. Yeatman encountered more problems in September when he was charged with underage drinking at an off-campus party. The incident led to a suspension from the football team.

According to the earlier report, Yeatman originally hoped to transfer to North Carolina, but was denied release because the Tar Heels appear on the Irish’s lacrosse schedule this year. That left Yeatman to choose from the Terps, Duke, Virginia and Rutgers, the report said.

In the release, Yeatman, a San Diego, Calif.-native, notes his mother and several family members have graduated from this university.

“We’re excited to have Will join our program,” coach Dave Cottle said in the release. “Not only is he a terrific player that will help us on the field, but we know him to be a tremendous person.”

The 6-foot-6, 263-pounder will have two years of eligibility remaining with the Terp lacrosse team. Yeatman would not be eligible to join the Terp football team until the 2010 season.

It will be interesting to see how the Terps balance their talented corps of attackmen throughout the season. Last season, then-freshmen Grant Catalino, Travis Reed and Ryan Young led the team in scoring. They accounted for 58 goals and 42 assists to lead the Terps to an appearance in the national quarterfinals. The 2007 Great Western Lacrosse League Newcomer of the Year should be able to contribute right away with his mix of size and athleticism.

The Terps, who began spring practice on Wednesday, kick-off the regular season Feb. 13 in Florida against Presbyterian.

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January 15th, 2009 | 09:09 am

2008 Season Review Top 10

As promised, here is the rest of my top 10 plays, moments and performances of the 2008 football season. A lot of offense on this list, but defense takes the top two spots. It was a memorable season for me, and for the record, my trip to ZooBoise finished at No. 11, just off my top 10 list.

5. Turner’s fourth quarter, fourth down run against UNC on Nov. 15: Chris Turner will not beat teams with his legs, or at least that’s probably what the Tar Heels thought before Turner came up with this bit of magic. Instead of attempting a go-ahead 49-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, coach Ralph Friedgen decided to go for it on a fourth-and-five. Turner dropped back, saw no one open and “jetted” up the middle for a 9-yard pick-up before sliding down. The 19-play drive finished with a game-winning 26-yard field goal by Obi Egekeze in a 17-15 win that put the Terps in good position for a spot in the ACC Championship.

4. Obi Egekeze’s game-winning field goal against N.C. State on Oct. 25: The senior kicker had a rollercoaster season that started with misses on his first five kicks. But on a rainy evening in College Park all of that was forgotten when Egekeze booted through a 20-yard field goal with six seconds remaining. The Terps walked away with a hard-fought 27-24 win against a Wolfpack squad that continued to improve throughout the season and Egekeze got a giant bear hug from holder Travis Baltz.

3. Da’Rel Scott’s final 20 minutes in the Humanitarian Bowl win over Nevada on Dec. 30: Scott, one of seven Terps benched because of curfew violations, stood on the sidelines into the third quarter against the Wolfpack. But when the sophomore finally got the call from offensive coordinator James Franklin, he was electric against a rapidly tiring defense. Scott picked up 174 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries to propel the Terps to a 42-35 win and prompt Nevada’s Hall of Fame coach Chris Ault to say, “He ran through us like we weren’t even there.” The performance proved it is possible to break a team rule, get benched and end up as team MVP all in one trip to Boise, Idaho.

2. Kevin Barnes’ hit on California’s Jahvid Best on Sept. 13: If this isn’t the most memorable play of the 2008 season, I don’t know what is. Check YouTube if you don’t believe me. Cal quarterback Kevin Riley tried to toss a swing pass to then-Heisman candidate Jahvid Best, but the Terp senior put his shoulder smack into Best’s chest as the ball skittered harmlessly away. Best crawled around on his hands for awhile and even left some of his breakfast on the Byrd Stadium field. The Terps’ bottled up Best and the hit provided all the momentum they needed to knock off the Golden Bears in this early-season tilt.

1. The Terp defense’s play in the second half at Clemson on Sept. 27: The Tigers looked every bit the part of preseason ACC favorite in the first half of this game in Death Valley, racking up nearly 200 rushing yards to take a 17-6 halftime lead. But in the second half, the Terp defense stood up and played one of its best halves of the season. The Terps shifted to more 4-3 defensive sets and could suddenly tackle, stifling the dynamic rushing duo of James Davis and C.J. Spiller. The Tigers managed just two first downs and 26 rushing yards in the second half. The Terp offense got the two touchdowns necessary to escape with a 20-17 comeback win.

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January 14th, 2009 | 11:27 am

2008 Season Review Top 10

As the only member of The Diamondback staff to see every minute of Terp football in person this season, I thought it would be appropriate to compile a list of the top 10 most memorable plays, moments and performances from the 2008 Terp football season. Here are the bottom five. Check back tomorrow for the rest. Feel free to disagree.

10. Da’Rel Scott’s 197 yards against Delaware on Aug. 30: In order for Scott to become the first Terp since 2002 to rush for more than 1,000 yards, he needed this coming out party in the season-opener. The Terps had more trouble than expected with the Blue Hens, but Scott’s 26 carries and tough running were major bright spots.

9. Darrius Heyward-Bey’s 63-yard TD catch against Va. Tech on Nov. 6: Down 20-3 in the third quarter, it looked like the Terps were on their way to another embarassing defeat in Blacksburg, Va. But Heyward-Bey took a screen pass from Chris Turner and quickly changed that with the last of his three 60+-yard gains this season. The Terps later had a chance to pull even with the Hokies but couldn’t complete the comeback.

8. Morgan Green’s two first half touchdowns against Eastern Michigan on Sept. 20: Green has had a tough go of it during his time in College Park trying to escape the specter of Steve Slaton. But with Scott shelved for the final non-conference game with a shoulder injury, Green got a chance to shine. Sure, Green averaged just 3.3 yards per rush against the MAC bottom-dwellers and didn’t get another carry until the bowl game, but his two first half TD’s were definite feel-good moments in a 51-24 win.

7. Scott and Heyward-Bey’s long touchdowns against MTSU on Sept. 6: Many Terp fans would rather forget about the early-season trip to Murfreesboro, Tenn., but the final score would have been even more lopsided without a pair of huge plays. After the Blue Raiders marched down for an opening score, Scott took the Terps’ second play from scrimmage for a 63-yard touchdown. Heyward-Bey kept the Terps close, taking a screen pass for an 80-yard score in the 24-14 loss.

6. Chris Turner’s near flawless performance to blow out Wake Forest on Oct. 18: The Terps put together a complete game in a 26-0 dismantling of the Deamon Deacons, but Turner’s performance stood out. He led the Terps’ fifth straight win against a ranked opponent by completing 28-of-41 passes for 321 yards and a score. He completed 11 of those passes to Heyward-Bey and overcame three fumbles by Scott. Later in the season Turner had games with more yards, attempts and touchdowns, but this game can serve as a blue print for Turner at his best.

Check back for the rest of the list tomorrow…

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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 29th, 2008 | 06:12 pm

Boise Travel Log #2

Boise really is a strange city.

There are mountains everywhere. All the buildings are either really old or really new. They seem to have an intense committment to culture and the arts-whether it be the Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial or the Boise Art Museum.

But after exploring it a little bit the last two days, I do rather like it. It has ample parking, a lot of bars, and it seems safe. It really hasn’t been that cold, but there’s still enough snow to make me happy. The media area at Bronco Stadium is located adjacent to the World Humanitarian Sports Hall of Fame. That has some cool stuff, including a ski suit of Picabo Street, who was voted Idaho’s Female Athlete of the Century back in 1999.

Most importantly, it has a pretty sweet zoo. Today I went to Zoo Boise, which is located in Julia Davis Park- along with most of the other cultural stuff- a short walk from my hotel. I had to go alone because photographer Adam Fried is sick, but I definitely had as much fun as you can have alone at the zoo.

It’s actually a really legit zoo with plenty of African, Asian and rain forest animals. One of only 3 red pandas born this year in captivity in North America was born at the zoo. The cages aren’t huge, so you get much closer to the animals than a lot of zoos I’ve been to. And on top of that, you get to see the animals react to the elements. Most of the cages were still covered with snow and ice when I went. That sent some of the animals inside or to the parts of the cage that had started to thaw. The giraffes weren’t allowed out of their “barn,” which had the two moderately-sized animals taking turns sticking their long necks out to survey the area. Only in Boise could you see a zebra sliding along on ice like a first-time skater. The Tigers seemed mad. The penguins loved it.

A certain columnist was pretty hard on Boise. I say give it a chance. I went to my first Carl’s Jr today. They even tell me there’s a bowl game to be played tomorrow. I haven’t really seen any Terp fans out here in travels. But something tells me you won’t get the full Boise Experience from catching tomorrow’s Humanitarian Bowl on TV.

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December 11th, 2008 | 07:48 pm

Costa will not return

Terp linebacker Rick Costa will not return to the team to play in the Humanitarian Bowl on Dec. 30, coach Ralph Friedgen said today.

Costa was suspended for the final three games of the season after being charged with assault following an altercation outside Cornerstone Grill and Loft on Nov. 8.

The senior had a first-degree felony assault charge reduced to a misdemeanor second-degree charge Tuesday, making him eligible to return to the team under the university’s Student-Athlete Code of Conduct.

Although Friedgen said Costa had the option to return and could’ve helped the team in Boise, he did not want to draw additional attention to himself.

See tomorrow’s Diamondback for more information.

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December 8th, 2008 | 01:33 am

Rotating Rotation

Now that eight games have passed in the Terrapin men’s basketball team’s season, we’re starting to get a glimpse of what rotations coach Gary Williams will begin to rely on.

While the starting lineup and basic rotations were a question mark entering the year, it appears that Williams has found a new core of guys to rely on.

Obviously Greivis Vasquez, Eric Hayes and Landon Milbourne will start and get their minutes, but the rest of the up-for-grabs lineup is beginning to be filled by new faces.

Cliff Tucker started the first five games, before making way for Sean Mosley in game six. Now Adrian Bowie is starting over both of them. But while Mosley is still getting his minutes (35 combined in the last two games), Tucker is not (10 combined).

There’s been an even more drastic changing of the guard at forward. Braxton Dupree started the first six games, but now can’t even crack the rotation. After missing class Monday, he sat the entirety of Wednesday’s game, and then only played for two meaningless  minutes in a blowout against George Washington tonight. Dave Neal is starting in his place, and Dino Gregory is getting big minutes (26 Wednesday, 27 tonight) off the bench.

Williams offered this gem of a quote in explainign Dupree’s recent demotion to the bench: “It’s not Little League; everybody does not get an inning. You have to prove yourself.”

The new rotations are working; the Terps bounced back from a disgusting game against Georgetown to beat Michigan and George Washington. So if Braxton wants to regain some of his minutes, he’s got a lot to prove to Mr. Williams in the coming weeks.

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November 29th, 2008 | 06:12 pm

All good things must come to an end…

With 1:14 remaining in the first half of today’s Terp football game against Boston College, it finally happened.

Quarterback Chris Turner, the giant slayer who has led the Terps to 6 straight wins against ranked opponents, finally threw his first interception against a ranked foe. It came on his 187th pass against a ranked team.

Turner was under pressure and tossed a pass to the right sideline that linebacker Mark Herzlich turned into a diving interception.

On the next play, Boston College quarterback Dominique Davis threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Rich Gunnell to give the Eagles their current 14-7 halftime advantage.

The junior quarterback is now working on a new streak of two consecutive passes without being picked off, but with the Terps down at this point, he has bigger things to worry about.

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November 29th, 2008 | 04:39 pm

INJURY REPORT

Wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey is out for today’s game at Boston College.

Heyward-Bey was listed as questionable on the injury report and is on the Terp sideline in his jersey and sweat pants.

The Terps’ leading receiver was originally hurt last week against Florida State but his injury was not addressed by coach Ralph Friedgen before his name appeared on the injury report on Thursday.

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