2011-2012 Football Previews – Atlantic Coast Conference – Maryland Terrapins
Edsall comes to College Park after building the program at the University of Connecticut basically from the ground up. He was the 2010 Big East Coach of the Year and looks to assert a Terps team that has an excellent underclassmen quarterback, but not much else.
ACC 2011-12 Football Previews: Maryland Terrapins
Coach: Randy Edsall
2010 Record: 9-4
Maryland Gambling Odds from Sportsbook.com to win BCS: +10000
Maryland Team Page – Players Stats – Roster – 2011 Schedule –>
It is always difficult as a first-year coach; throw in the general balance of the ACC Atlantic division and it seems Edsall has his work cut out for him. Yet, he took a UConn team that didn’t even have an FCS program 12 years ago to its first ever BCS game last year.
It appears that the Maryland brain trust made a good coach selection, in terms of someone that can keep this program moving after the Ralph Friedgen era.
Team Strengths
Sophomore QB Danny O’Brien is a good one. He emerged on the scene in ’10 to throw for 2,438 yards and an impressive 22-8 TD/INT ratio. He was also the Terrapins’ first ever conference Rookie of the Year and he should only get better.
Maryland’s defense is led by headhunting S Kenny Tate and LB Demetrius Hartsfield. The Terps have a couple more unsung heroes on the defensive line in defensive tackles Joe Vellano and A.J. Francis.
Maryland’s offense has some speed and athleticism to help O’Brien, but not a lot of veteran experience; the “D” may have to do some heavy lifting in order to keep the Terrapins in close games.
Team Weaknesses
The wide receiver corps loses its top two players from a year ago in speedy Torrey Smith and Adrian Cannon. Junior TE Matt Furstenburg may emerge as a reliable target, but the Terps desperately need a WR or two to break out and help speed along O’Brien’s evolution under center. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
The special teams unit will also take a tangible step backward, as it must replace K/P Travis Baltz and last year’s WR Smith, who used his game-changing speed to be a demon on kick and punt returns. Junior Nick Ferrara should inherit the booting duties from Baltz.
One other key departure is LB Alex Wujciak, who was merely last year’s leading tackler and the emotional leader of the defense.
2011-12 Maryland Football Prediction: 7-6
Edsall has proven himself to be a man of upward mobility, and if O’Brien stays until he is a senior (which with two more strong seasons, may be unlikely) Edsall has a cornerstone QB to build around for at least a couple seasons.
It is good that O’Brien looks like one of the ACC’s best, because he’ll have to do a lot for an offense that isn’t loaded with stars.
The defense has some players, but they get challenges such as versus Miami, West Virginia, at Florida State, Notre Dame and at NC State. These teams feature some powerful attacks that will put Maryland’s defensive athleticism to the test.
This isn’t a bad team and it’s always nice to have a reliable pivot, but duplicating 2010’s nine-win season is probably too much to ask this year.
2011 Maryland Terrapins Schedule
9/5/11 8:00 PM ET MIAMI
9/17/11 12:00 PM ET WVIRG
9/24/11 12:00 PM ET TEM
10/1/11 12:00 PM ET TOW
10/8/11 12:00 PM ET @GATCH
10/15/11 12:00 PM ET CLEM
10/22/11 12:00 PM ET @FSU
10/29/11 12:00 PM ET BCOLL
11/5/11 12:00 PM ET VIRG
11/12/11 7:30 PM ET @NOTRE
11/19/11 12:00 PM ET @WFRST
11/26/11 12:00 PM ET @NCST
