SB Nation - Nick Wallace

Maryland Scrimmage Roundup: Defensive Dominance; Tate, Porzel Shine

Ben Broman — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 16:01:14 -0000

I wasn't at the scrimmage, but I did read ever scrimmage report I could find. See, that's how much I love you guys. Here's the recap, so you don't have to do the same. If you want to, though, Pat Stevens and Terrapins Insider have or will have a lot on the scrimmage, or you could check out the official recap.

The Defense Won: Yes, the defense was overwhelming. The offense still couldn't pick up the myriad blitz packages, and it brought the ball to a grinding halt or, worse, put it in reverse.
It Might Not've Been the Best Indicator Anyway: Chris Turner sat almost every snap. So did Phil Costa. Da'Rel Scott only had a few touches. For the most part, this was the second-team offense.
Kenny Tate Dominated: Barring some disaster, I'd be surprised if Kenny Tate isn't first team all-ACC by his junior year. Absurdly talented with great athleticism and surprisingly comfortable on defense, he has all the tools to be a huge playmaker this year. He'll be at any number of positions - safety, linebacker, a hybrid rover-like spot - and will probably dominate most of them. He had five tackles, two for loss, plus a sack and an interception. Might've been the best player yesterday.
Freshmen Running Backs Impress: Caleb Porzel had every yard on the first scoring drive on 5 carries for 48 yards, including a 44 yarder to the 6. He would later leave the game with an MCL sprain, and is expected to be out for a few days, but he may be this year's Davin Meggett, only higher ranked. Meanwhile, D.J. Adams was no slouch, adding six carries for 24 yards.
Freshmen Quarterbacks Didn't: It wasn't a big surprise, but it was still a small disappointment. C.J. Brown was 4 for 13 for 32 yards with a pick. Danny O'Brien didn't fare much better, going 3 for 5 for just seven yards with an interception. Jamarr Robinson, meanwhile, probably locked up his spot.
Kickers Are Still Undecided: Mike Barbour took slight lead in the competition, but couldn't put it away. He was 4-6, with a long of 47. Nick Wallace wasn't far behind; even though he went 2-4, both of his misses were from 45+ yards. True frosh Nick Ferrara - still my bet to win the spot - missed his only FG, from 47 yards out.
Some Surprise Contributors on Defense: I have to admit, there were a lot of guys that I was shocked to see made significant contributions. Obum Akunyili - whom you may remember from last season's Terrapins Rising - had two sacks on the day. So did DE competitor Derek Drummond. Brandon Jackson-Mills, a redshirt junior who's impact has been minimal so far, had three tackles and an interception. Eric Franklin, a true freshman safety who wasn't highly ranked, had an interception and a sack. Avery Murray and Darin Drakeford, both true freshmen linebackers competing to see time, had 5 and 3 tackles, respectively, and both had a sack. While each of these guys may have improved from last year, Don Brown's new scheme has to have something to do with this, too.

Maryland Minute 8.11.09 - More Football Practice Notes

Ben Broman — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 01:59:39 -0000

Practice Notes from Dinich
There's a full blog post on Maryland here, so feel free to read it all, but here are the highlights:

"I looked at the young quarterbacks and they did pretty good for the first day," Friedgen said. "We put a lot of stuff in and they had the extra meeting today.
...

I was impressed with the quickness of [Caleb] Porzel, He is a quick little kid. We have to get him and D.J. Adams in on Saturday [for the scrimmage]. I want to see what they can do."

Sophomore Tony Logan, who handled the job in the Humanitarian Bowl, is listed No.1 on the depth chart. Anthony Wiseman and Kenny Tate are backups for new special teams coordinator Charles Bankins heading into the preseason, but Porzel and Travis Hawkins also fielded punts during individual drills.

Porzel will be a ridiculous punt returner eventually, but I'm not sure I want to burn his shirt.

True freshman Cody Blue, who enrolled in January and participated in spring drills, has moved from the defensive line to the offensive line. Blue was a backup at defensive end, but will slide in at tackle.

Probably necessary. Just not enough talent on the line.

Terps Kicking Competition - Tracking the Terps
Interesting note from Jeff Barker:

Mike Barbour and Nick Wallace have pulled ahead in the competition to replace departed kicker Obi Egekeze, according to coach Friedgen. True freshman Nick Ferrara has a strong leg but needs work, Fridge said. Apparently, Ferrara needs to speed his setup and get the ball off faster.

I hope this is just trying to mess with his head or playing to the media. If Ferrara can't be a reliable option, the kicking game may suffer.

Dave Neal Treks to Ireland
Looks like the Church League All-Star has found a home in Belfast, grabbing a gig with the Ireland SuperLeague and attending the University of Ulster to get a master's in sports management.

Tom Luginbill on Tyler Smith
ESPN continues their love affair with Smith. If they're right, we've got one heck of a player on our hands.

Ralph Friedgen got a steal here and a player that no one really hears about. He threw for 35 touchdowns last year and possesses a lightning-quick delivery. Smith, the top-rated signal-caller from the talent-rich state of Pennsylvania, could push for ESPNU 150 consideration.

Dinich: Maryland In the Eagle Bank Bowl
Meh.

Bowl bound? Possibly.
Best case: The offensive line lives up to last year's expectations, Chris Turner is as steady as a metronome, and Don Brown's defense has ACC opponents' heads spinning for a nine-win season.
Worst case: The offensive line looks like Clemson's did last year, Turner throws four picks against Middle Tennessee at home, and Maryland's front seven allows Darren Evans another career day.
Prediction: Eagle Bank Bowl

The Story Behind Don Brown's Pinkie Finger
I had never noticed this before, but it's actually pretty interesting:

Back when first-year Maryland defensive coordinator Don Brown was a running back at Norwich University in the late 1970s, he broke his left pinkie during a practice. At the time, the team trainer yanked the pinkie back into proper alignment, taped it up and sent Brown back onto the field. Thirty years later, that left pinkie is sticking as straight out as it was the day he broke it. The finger is perpetually erect, an anatomical abnormality...

VTech's Darren Evans Out for the Year
And just like that, the VT game is slightly more winnable. Only slightly.

Position Battle: Kicker

Ben Broman — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 21:20:04 -0000

Nick Ferrara is the only scholarship kicker on board. Can he beat the walk-ons? (Short answer: yes, probably). Image via specialteamssolutions.com

View full size photo »

As there always is after a kicker leaves, there'll be a fierce position battle for the spot. Maryland hasn't had an elite kicker since Nick Novak - Dan Ennis was servicable, as was Obi Egekeze, but neither could be described as "great." It may be a bit much to ask for that this year, but at least there's a chance, which is a hell of a lot more than what there used to be. God, I miss having an elite kicker.

The Contenders: Nick Ferrara, Nick Wallace, Mike Barbour

Nick Ferrara: Ferrara is a somewhat rare commodity - a scholarship kicker. Generally, when there's a kicker on scholarship, he starts. Otherwise, it's a valuable scholly wasted. For that reason alone, I expect him to start. I don't know much about him, but his profile at Kicking.com (yeah, that's a legit website) is pretty impressive. He claims to have made a 62-yarder in practice, and had an 84 yard kickoff. His long in a game is 47, which is plenty servicable. It would be surprising if he ended up not starting.

Nick Wallace: A transfer from Indiana (no, not that Indiana; Indiana, Pennsylvania), Wallace was okay in the spring game, but pretty unspectacular - 2 for 3, making two chip shots (23, 24) and missing the long one (47). His stats from IUP were less than impressive - 11 of 13 on FGs (long of 40) and 30 of 33 on XPs. Also, I saw him in a HS game once, and I remember him missing a clutch XP in the 4th quarter. (Sidenote: that didn't matter, his team returned a PR for a TD). That said, he could claim the job with a good fall.

Mike Barbour: Like Wallace, he's a walkon kicker, this time from upstate NY. He doesn't even have a bio on UM's official site, but his numbers in the spring game resembled Wallace's - 1/2, making the 25-yarder, missing the 43-yarder. Not wholly impressive, but, like Wallace, he could work his way in with a good fall.

Prediction: Let's just say I'll be extremely surprised if Ferrara doesn't start. Wallace and Barbour just haven't been impressive, while Ferrara's HS numbers were very good. You never know if a freshman kicker can handle the pressure, so Wallace/Barbour can't be counted out right away, but anything less than a terrible job from Ferrara should net him the job.

Scouting the 2009 Football Opponents

FSUncensored — Sat, 23 May 2009 17:50:11 -0000

This page is dedicated to scouting the opponents the Noles will face in 2009. Whenever you see news on an opposing team, post it in this comment section (which will remain open for eternity or until 2010). This page can be found in the left column under "special pages."

07.27.09 Massive Update

Miami (FL)

@ Brigham Young University (BYU)

BYU had 3 starting/ Contributing defensive linemen leave for Mormon missions or fail out. Tialavea had started for two years ('07 and 08). Russell Tialavea (6-3 305) is a defensive tackle, and Ian Dulan (6-1 275) is the defensive end. Afutti is the 3rd. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705311402/BYU-football-Lineman-Afutiti-ruled-ineligible-for-09-season.html BYU loses another defensive lineman. BYU announced Thursday that junior defensive lineman Bernard Afutiti has been ruled academically ineligible and will not compete for the Cougars in 2009. Afutiti is the latest in a string of D-linemen who will not play for BYU this season. Starters Ian Dulan and Russell Tialavea, both juniors, have opted to serve missions. According to the depth chart released after spring practices, Afutiti was listed as Jan Jorgensen’s backup at left end. Afutiti, who was projected to be a major contributor this season, was sidelined for almost all of spring ball for academic reasons.
There are no slogans for the Cougars this season, after last year’s "Quest for Perfection" ended with a 10-3 record. The Cougars will be lucky to leave their 2009 opener with a victory. They open the season against Oklahoma at the Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium in Arlington, Texas. BYU also plays home games against Florida State on Sept. 19, TCU on Oct. 24 and Utah on Nov. 28. Quarterback Max Hall returns, but four starters on the offensive line must be replaced. The Cougars also lost top receivers Austin Collie and Michael Reed. The offense might be OK if tailback Harvey Unga stays healthy. Eight starters return on defense, but BYU still had questions at cornerback at the end of spring practice.
http://philsteele.com/online/2009Top40/15BYU.pdf
http://cfn.scout.com/2/878353.html
http://cfn.scout.com/2/878352.html
http://cfn.scout.com/2/878351.html
http://cfn.scout.com/2/878350.html

South Florida (USF)

http://nationalchamps.net/2009/sub/previews/southflorida.htm
http://cfn.scout.com/2/867735.html
http://philsteele.com/online/2009Top40/26USF.pdf
USF had an unsustainable high success rate on passing downs (2nd and 8+, 3rd/4th and 5+) http://footballoutsiders.com/varsity-numbers/2009/varsity-numbers-2008-offensive-buffet
Rivals.com College Football - Rivals.com 120 Countdown: No. 25 South Florida
The Quad Countdown: No. 40 South Florida - The Quad Blog - NYTimes.com

@ Boston College

BC Linebacker Mark Herzlich has Ewings Sarcoma (Bone Cancer), and will undergo Chemo. BC is now without their top 4 linebackers from last year (studs), and without their two monster defensive tackles.
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2009/05/acc-spring-prospectus-no-8-boston-college.html (before the bone cancer for Herzlich)
College Football News preview http://cfn.scout.com/2/859843.html
CFN Offense Preview http://cfn.scout.com/2/859860.html
CFN Defense Preview http://cfn.scout.com/2/859860.html
CFN Depth Chart http://cfn.scout.com/2/872120.html
BC's coach: "we won’t be spreading it out or throwing it a bunch. we will be pro style 2 back rushing"
http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=957386#68
http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/16992/2009-boston-college-eagles-preview
Know your enemies (UNC blog) http://tarheeltds.wordpress.com/2009/07/24/know-your-enemies-9-atlantic-boston-college/
http://clempsonfootball.blogspot.com/2009/07/bc-spazianis-3-5-3-defense.html

Georgia Tech

@ UNC

NC State

Phil Steele NC State Preview Page (a very good download)
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2009/05/acc-spring-prospectus-no-4-nc-state.html
http://www.garnetandblackattack.com/2009/5/21/878683/post-spring-preview-nc-state
Note: probably unsustainable level of long distance downs success
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpIPZ5C9J3o&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baAszlaKsjc&feature=channel_page
http://cfn.scout.com/2/859855.html
http://cfn.scout.com/2/875182.html
http://cfn.scout.com/2/875181.html
http://cfn.scout.com/2/875180.html
Know Your Enemies- 6 (Atlantic)- NC State " UNC Football Blog

@ Clemson

http://nationalchamps.net/2009/sub/previews/clemson.htm
http://cfn.scout.com/2/859844.html
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2009/05/acc-spring-prospectus-no-7-clemson.html Not very well done
http://www.philsteele.com/online/2009Top40/25Clemson.pdf
Know your enemies (UNC blog) http://tarheeltds.wordpress.com/2009/07/23/know-your-enemies-8-atlantic-clemson/
Rivals.com College Football - Rivals.com 120 Countdown: No. 32 Clemson
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/In-search-of-the-Dabo-difference-at-Clemson?urn=ncaaf,178438
http://clempsonfootball.blogspot.com/2009/04/defensive-line-and-depth-chart.html
http://clempsonfootball.blogspot.com/2009/04/inside-steele-curtain-cover-3-zone.html
http://clempsonfootball.blogspot.com/2009/04/inside-steele-curtain-robber.html
http://clempsonfootball.blogspot.com/2009/03/inside-steele-curtain-4-3-overunder.html
http://clempsonfootball.blogspot.com/2009/03/inside-steele-curtain-cover-3-zone.html

@ Wake

CollegeFootballNews http://cfn.scout.com/2/859849.html
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2009/05/acc-spring-prospectus-no-9-wake-forest.html
CFN Offense http://cfn.scout.com/2/865524.html
CFN Defense http://cfn.scout.com/2/865523.html
CFN Depth Chart http://cfn.scout.com/2/865523.html
http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/the-quad-countdown-no-69-wake-forest/
http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=961033
Know your Enemies http://tarheeltds.wordpress.com/2009/07/26/know-your-enemies-10-atlantic-wake-forest/

Maryland

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2009/05/acc-spring-prospectus-no-10-maryland-.html
CollegeFootballNews Preview http://cfn.scout.com/2/859850.html
CFN Offense http://cfn.scout.com/2/870207.html
CFN Defense http://cfn.scout.com/2/870206.html
CFN Depth Chart http://cfn.scout.com/2/870205.html
http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=957779#59
Very Biased DL – Much of the defensive line’s success will come from whether or not junior DT Dion Armstrong stays academically eligible. Right now, Friedgen said that Armstrong is probably 50/50. The Terps are already without DE Mack Frost, DT Jeremy Navarre (Jaguars) and DE Trey Covington (Jets, I think) but both were guys who never lived up to their potential. Senior lineman Travis Ivey will start but missed part of the spring with an injury. Redshirt freshmen AJ Francis and Masengo Kabongo may start but will definitely get playing time either way. True freshmen DeOnte Arnett and Zach Kerr could see the field and have the talent, but may not be needed.
LB – Dave Philistin and Moise Fokou both got picked up by NFL teams after going undrafted, and the Terps have some big shoes to fill. However, junior Adrian Moten could be an all-conference player if he stays healthy. Junior Alex Wujciak led the team in tackles last year (133 total) and is a monster in the middle. Sophomore Ben Pooler should contribute and could start by the fall, but has to heal a lingering injury first. Redshirt freshman Demetrius Hartsfield may start and nearly saw the field last year. He has earned high praise from Friedgen and is an attacking backer with serious athleticism. Junior Drew Gloster, a former tight end with academic/attitude issues, switched to linebacker and has turned some heads.

CB – Kevin Barnes got drafted by the Redskins but was out for the majority of the year with a shoulder injury, which meant several reserves got meaningful playing time. Senior Anthony Wiseman leads the crew and starts alongside senior Nolan Carroll. Fifth-year senior Richard Taylor should get granted an extra year of eligibility after getting hurt last season. Other reserves include sophomore Trenton Hughes, who didn’t play last season, and sophomore Cam Chism, who may break through the depth chart and see the field a lot, if not start at some point. The depth is a bit of a concern but with a new scheme it may be a good time to have the young kids learning the new formations and plays.

S – The Terps lose Jeff Allen but return senior Terrell Skinner, a senior known for making some big hits last season. Senior Jamari McCollough started just two games at strong safety last year but picked off four passes and should be a solid starter in a senior-laden secondary. Sophomore Kenny Tate is a monster at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds and has great instincts for a young player, and should see the field a lot.

Defensive injuries/academics/questionables – The Terps stole first-year defensive coordinator Don Brown from his head coaching gig at UMASS and he has already made waves. Brown is an old-school dude with a mustache and a gruff voice, who loves to blitz and put pressure on the quarterback. This is a welcomed change from former DC Chris Cosh (Kansas State), who played a very soft zone predicated on reacting to a play rather than altering it. The defensive line will be much, much stronger if Armstrong can stay eligible.

SPECIAL TEAMS

K – Obi Egekeze is gone and Maryland must figure out a way to replace him, despite a fairly weak leg and some consistency issues. Fighting for the starting gig are Mike Barbour and Nick Wallace (IUP transfer). Nick Ferrara, a heralded high school kicker in Long Island, NY, may swoop in and take the job when he begins class this fall.

P – Junior Travis Baltz returns as one of the top punters in the nation, first-team All-ACC and led the ACC in punting as a sophomore.

QB – For the first time in several years, there is no quarterback controversy. Chris Turner has the gig for once and for all. QBs Jordan Steffy (graduated) and Josh Portis (transferred) are no longer with the program. Turner has been effective, though not a stud by any means. He started nine games as a sophomore and 12 games as a junior, so he has good experience for an ACC quarterback. Turner doesn’t have a cannon but does have the ability to make good throws and should be one of the better returning ACC quarterbacks. His biggest asset is probably his ability to keep an even keel, something that the coaching staff jokes about as he is a California kid.

RB – Top rusher Da’Rel Scott (209 car, 1,113 yards, 8 TDs) returns, as do Nos. 2 and 3 in sophomore Davin Meggett (89 car, 457 yds, 4 TDs) and Morgan Green (24 car, 112 yds, 3 TDs). While those are the top three running backs on the roster, the Terps do lose a mobile QB in Portis, who carried for 186 yards last season, and WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (15 car, 202 yds, TD), who ran reverses and trick plays last year. Scott missed part of the spring with a sprained knee but should be 100% back to health by June.

FB – Senior fullback Cory Jackson is one of the best players on the Terps’ offense. Though he rarely gets carries, he paved the way for NFL RBs Keon Lattimore and Lance Ball, and has a high motor. As a sophomore, he broke his hand against UNC before the half, got his hand taped up and started the second half.

OL – Easily the biggest concern for this team, having graduated three off the line, including center Edwin Williams. Junior Bruce Campbell has NFL talent if he can stay academically eligible (it looks likely he will), but other than Campbell and senior Phil Costa, the o-line has very little experience. Costa is taking over at center despite never having played at center in college. A pair of redshirt freshmen in RJ Dill and Justin Lewis are slated as starters and earned praise from head coach Ralph Friedgen, but it is certainly still an area of concern.

WR – Junior receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey bolted to the NFL (#7 overall to the Raiders), yet the star wideout was under-utilized and only ended up with 23 percent of the team’s receiving yards. Still, he was the top receiving option and a terrific deep threat. Danny Oquendo, the team’s top possession receiver, graduated, leaving a crop of several young-but-unproven receivers to shoulder the load. Sophomores Ronnie Tyler (20 recs, 225 yds, TD) and Torrey Smith (24 recs, 336 yds, 2 TDs) dazzled at time last year and will be two of the top targets. Juniors Adrian Cannon (3 recs, 75 yds, TD) and Emani Lee-Odai (12 recs, 115 yds) should contribute as well, while redshirt freshmen Kevin Dorsey and Kerry Boykins have the talent to see the field this year. The wide receiving unit, while unproven, is expected to be one of the strong points on the team.

TE – Gone is Dan Gronkowski (brother of Arizona’s Rob Gronkowski), a heady blocking tight end who got selected in the 7th round of the NFL Draft. Everyone else in the TE corps comes back, though. Senior Tommy Galt will be the primary blocking tight end and the Terps have a trio of tight ends who are known for their hands: sophomore Lansford Watson (10 recs, 115 yds), Matt Furstenburg (RS-Fr) and Devonte Campbell (RS-Fr), who should all be good options for Turner to find.

Offensive injuries/academics/questionables – Offensive coordinator James Franklin is in his second year after coming to Maryland from Kansas State. He was named the head coach in waiting in the offseason and is a very good recruiter. However, last year the Terps lacked some offensive sizzle that Franklin was expected to bring, running a fairly vanilla scheme. Potential future pro Bruce Campbell has to fight to stay academically eligible but missed part of spring practice to hit the books.

@ UF

I plan to update this page throughout the offseason and during the season. Anything you find, put it in this comment section. Help the cause, and in turn, we'll write better previews for our games.

Spring Game Links

Ben Broman — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:10:56 -0000

As I was unavailable to see the game and it's a bit late to give the impressions from various articles, I'll just post links to the articles I've read in case you missed any:

Of course, Maryland's own official athletic site had a report on the game. You've probably already seen that one.
The Sun's Jeff Barker returned from his month long vacation to post the game stats (Red, White).
Barker also has some notes on spring game, focusing mostly on Chris Turner and Kenny Tate. I'm very excited about Tate's potential at safety, and I think the staff made a good decision switching him over there.
The Washington Times talks about the receivers' great performance. I still think Torrey Smith is the leader because he's shown he can do it in a game, but McCree and Cannon are certainly climbing the charts.
The WaPo talks about...well, the same exact thing.
To round it out, Fredericksburg, Va.'s Free-Lance Star discusses their hometown kicker Nick Wallace's shot at grabbing the starting kicking job (Mike Barbour is in the lead right now).