SB Nation - Kevin Barnes

Q+A With Testudo Times

TwistNHook — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:30:13 -0000

Well, we got the big Maryland game coming up soon. So, we figured we'd turn to the resident Maryland experts on the SBNation blog network, Western College Hockey Blog.

But they turned us down, so we turned to the next knowledgable Maryland SBN blog: Nascar Ranting and Raving. And they said yes, but then never followed through.

So, now we have turned to the one, the only Testudo Times. Hopefully they can answer your questions after the fold and help us better understand this muti-faceted enemy that we face this weekend. Also, we answered some of their questions here, so check it out. GO BEARS!

Da'Rel Scott killed us last year. Tell us why he will/won't do so this year.

Maryland’s offensive line is a huge unknown. It is without a doubt the scariest area on this team for me. It’s very young and very inexperienced. If it’s where I think it will be, Da’Rel Scott won’t kill you. If it’s better than I think it will be (which is possible – they’re talented, just not experienced), Scott still won’t kill you. At least, he won’t be alone when he does it. If any killing is done, it’ll be as much Davin Meggett as Scott. Other guys, like Gary Douglas or true freshman Caleb Porzel might pitch in as well.

Since our fellow Cal Sports blogger Bears With Fang asked you one of our infamous questions already ("Who is one player on offense and defense from Cal that you could choose to suit up for the Terrapins for the opener?"), let us ask you a variation of the question. First of all, pick your best player on offense and defense for the Terrapins. Now, if you had to choose one to suit up for the Bears instead of the Terps, which of the two players would it be, and why?

Sorry about not refusing to answer that question. I should be meaner next time. Anyway, I’m pretty confident the most talented players on the team are Da’Rel Scott and OLB Adrian Moten. In that case, I’d give you Scott in a heartbeat – he’s not better than Best, so not a lot of damage would be done, and Maryland has a replacement not far behind him at all. There’s not much depth at linebacker this year, and Moten – aside from being very talented – is a team captain.

How much will we see David Meggett play against Cal?

David Meggett is retired, so unless he attends the game and ESPN does a bunch of camera cutaways to him after every play (like Ray Rice’s mom), you probably won’t see him at all. But you’ll see Davin Meggett, his son, quite a bit. Probably as much as you see of Da’Rel Scott, actually. Ralph Friedgen and James Franklin have both said that Meggett has played just as well or even better than Scott in camp, and that they’ll split carries a decent amount. Maryland has experience doing this, and if it’s done like it has been before, expect Meggett to be the sole back every other two drives or so.

"Davin Meggett" via www.baltimoresun.com

Recently, Maryland named a "Coach In Waiting" similar to Oregon. Is there any concern about this or are fans happy to have a succesor already lined up?

There are some concerns about it, mainly because James Franklin – the CIW – is yet to prove himself here, either in recruiting or in games. He was heralded as a WCO-type of offensive genius, but is yet to show that. He was supposed to be a godsend in recruiting, too, but the returns have been average. That said, most people seem content with the selection. It was done as a way to keep him on-board – he almost went to the NFL as a coordinator – and Maryland probably couldn’t hire a better coach, so you might as well lock him up.

How would you describe the play of your quarterback Chris Turner? Was he really as good as he looked when he played against us?

Turner is definitely that good in big games. When Maryland plays a ranked team or in an otherwise big game, he’s damn near flawless. When Maryland plays Middle Tennessee State or UVA, it’s a completely different story. Turner is a classic example of playing to the level of the competition – in this case, you should probably expect exactly what you saw last year – an accurate, competitive leader who hates to lose.

What are you expecting from Maryland's defense now that they've lost seven of their starters? What do you figure will be the gameplan to stop Jahvid Best now that the Terrapins don't have the advantage of humidity or homefield?

The defense itself should be actually improved. The players Maryland lost weren’t really vital to the success of the team. I loved Jeremy Navarre, Dean Muhtahdi, and Bemi Otulaja as much as the next guy, but I can’t get all that disappointed about losing a FB-turned-DT and two walkons, especially when they’re being replaced by former four stars. In other areas, like safety, the player replacing the starter from last year should actually be better. And though we technically lose a starter at CB in Kevin Barnes, he missed the second half of the season with an injury anyway. Throw in a defensive coordinator who actually knows what he’s doing (Don Brown is replacing Chris Cosh), and the reports of the defense’s demise are exaggerated.

There are two options to stopping Best. Maryland will either do what they did last year – stop the run at all costs and hope the passing game can’t beat us – or let new defensive coordinator Don Brown use his Jim Johnson/Philadelphia Eagle-style blitzing defense, throwing a ridiculous amount of different looks in the hopes that the offense will get confused. Your guess is as good as mine.

Thank you very much to the guys over at Testudo Times with their help on this. GO BEARS!

Poll

How do Testudo Times' answers make you feel about the upcoming Maryland football game?

They make me feel more confident about Cal winning

39 votes

They make me feel less confident about Cal winning

29 votes

They do not change my view on Cal's chances in this game

67 votes

135 votes | Poll has closed

Schedule Breakdown - Game #1 - Cal

Dave Tucker — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 04:52:47 -0000

Photo courtesy of the Washington Post

In the coming weeks, we'll be breaking down each of the Terps regular season games for the 2009-2010 football season. In part one of this series, we'll examine the California Golden Bears, the Terps first opponent this season. Check out the details after the jump.

Coming off a season in which they put together an 8-5 record, capped off with a victory over Nevada in the Humanitarian Bowl, the Terps enter the 2009 with vast amounts of experience on some fronts and very limited amounts on others. The Terps come into camp with a third year quarterback and fantastic running backs, but are dealing with a very young offensive line, a new defensive coordinator, and a receiving corps that doesn’t include Derrius Heyward-Bey. And how do the Terps open the season? On the road…at Cal…in a night game that will feel like midnight for the Terps. And you have to think that Cal wants revenge, especially after having to play the game at noon eastern time after traveling across the country from CA.

Last season's victory over Cal helped take away the sour taste Terps fans had in their mouth after losing to Middle Tennessee State the previous week and only beating Div 1AA Delaware by 7 the week prior to that. It also was the start of a three game winning streak for the Terps and would serve as a perfect example of the team's amazing inconsistency last season - beating a team like Cal and winning on the road at Clemson, yet getting shut out by UVA and losing to Middle Tennessee. The Terps again were in the driver's seat for a trip to the ACC title game and again faded down the stretch. What will happen with this year's team? Here is a breakdown of their first opponent, the Cal Golden Bears.

The inside scoop on the California Golden Bears

Maryland surprised several people last year when they knocked off Cal at Byrd Stadium, stopping one of the best running backs in the country in Jahvid Best and holding one of the nation's best running teams to just 38 total yards. And who can forget this awesome hit by Kevin Barnes on Best that knocked the gatorade out of the kid? That video never gets old. At the time, Cal was ranked 23rd in the nation and many people never thought Cal was going to lose to the Terps. Cal was probably #1 on that list and you have to think they really want to take it to the Terps to start the season.

This year, Cal will be looking to pay back the Terps when they fly across the country to play Cal at Berkeley to open the 2009 season for a late night game on ESPN2. You have to think the late start time in a way is a payback for the Terps starting the game last year at noon eastern time in College Park. Cal will have the nation's leading returning rusher in Jahvid Best, a possible Heisman trophy candidate. Last year, often criticized defensive coordinator Chris Cosh had a great game plan for Cal - stop the run at almost any cost and they were able to actually accomplish that. The Terps basically blew out Cal last year, as the score doesn't indicate how much Maryland dominated. The last second scoring Cal did was more the result of the Terps playing prevent D than anything else. Cal also returns starting quarterback Kevin Riley, who did throw for over 400 yards in last season's game, but who only completed just over 50% of his passes and threw for just over 1,300 yards last season. Riley normally makes good decisions (14 TDs and only 6 ints) but isn't an elite quarterback. Cal also returns most of their secondary, but lost most of their linebackers.

Prediction

Best is obviously going to be the Terps number one concern and it will be interesting to see what schemes new defensive coordinator Don Brown tries to use to stop Cal. The Terps traveling across the country and playing late, coupled with the fact that this is the Terps first game of the season and the offensive line is going to still be coming together, seems to indicate that this game won't end well for the Terps. Cal is ranked anywhere from #13-20th, and having to play on the road is never easy, especially to start the season. I think Scott and Meggett could have a big day, especially if Turner can do a good job just managing the game. The inexperience on the o-line scares me though, and I think Cal get the revenge they're looking for, 31-24.

What do you think? Will the Terps beat Cal? Do you think they can beat Cal?

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.

Scouting The Draft: Kevin Barnes

Matty I — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:15:09 -0000

Maryland's Kevin Barnes is seeing his stock rise with less than two weeks to go until draft day.

Earlier this week, we talked about Cody Brown, an outside linebacker who I like a lot in round three. Today I want to turn my attention to a cornerback that intrigues me a lot and could be a target in round three, though his stock is rising right now. I'm talking about Maryland's Kevin Barnes.

We know the Dolphins have at least mild interest in Barnes. Miami is one of the teams who have held a private workout with the Maryland corner. So for more on Barnes, I've turned to Matt Holohan of Turtle Waxing - a Maryland Terps blog. Below are Kevin's pro day numbers followed by Matt's thoughts on Barnes.

Kevin Barnes

Height: 6'0 1/4" / Weight: 187
40: 4.45 / Arm: 32 1/2"" / Vertical: 41"

Barnes was a two year starter at Maryland and was the number one corner on the team each of those seasons. A fifth year senior, Barnes has good leadership skills and is a very intelligent player. He had one of the highest Wonderlic scores (41) out of any player in the draft and was lauded as almost being an extra coach for his younger teammates after his senior season was cut short by an injury after seven games.

He fractured his shoulder blade against Wake Forest and missed the rest of the season but should be fully recovered by training camp. Barnes isn't tall or particularly big but he has a great vertical jump and is fearless in run support. He injured his shoulder throwing his body into the ball carrier on a running play and with his slight physique it may actually be a problem that he is too physical.

He may struggle against big and physical wide outs but has the speed to stay with most slot or number two receivers. I think Barnes probably projects to a nickelback or a number two corner but could be very effective there. He has a good nose for the ball and decent hands for a corner, as evidenced by his six interceptions and 14 pass break ups in 20 games the last two seasons.

After the California game where he had an interception and knocked Cal running back Jahvid Best out of the game with a wicked hit, few teams wanted to challenge his side of the field. He will also be a very willing and able contributor on special teams coverage for whatever team takes him.

His abilities are probably below recent Maryland corners Domonique Foxworth and Josh Wilson. I think he would be a very nice pickup for a team needing depth in the secondary in the third round.

I want to thank Matt from Turtle Waxing for his thoughts on Barnes. He's got the size and athleticism this regime would love. And I think he's certainly a player to watch for on day two of the draft.

Who are 'your guys?'

Mocking Dan — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 01:03:16 -0000

Every year, for good or bad, I really fall for a few prospects. I refer to them as "my guy" and get pretty stoked when they're picked.

I never designate a high draft pick "my guy" or someone who plays for my favorite team (Akron - don't laugh, please).

Sometimes "my guy" ends up being a solid choice. Last year, it was Michigan linebacker Shawn Crable. I really liked KIrk Morrison of San Diego State in 2005. In 2004 it was, oddly, Memphis kicker Stephen Gostkowski. In 2001, it was Floyd Womack, mostly because I really, really like pork chops.

Other times, "my guy" has an embarrassingly poor career. In 2006, it was Darnell Bing. In 2007, it was sort of Paul Oliver, who was taken in the supplemental draft. There are plenty of others, like Roy Schuening or Lynell Hamilton, but I don't want to make myself look too bad.

This year, I have selected a few guys as "my guy." It's a high honor, clearly. Here they are:

- Jamarca Sanford, Strong safety, Ole Miss
Reason: He's very fast and gets after the ball. Just fun to watch on the field.

- Julian Edelman, Quarterback, Kent State
Reason: What, he's not ranked anywhere on the site? I know. He doesn't really have a position. It's just a coincidence that the next Josh Cribbs is going to come from the same school.

- Kevin Barnes, Cornberback, Maryland
Reason: Before a nasty knee injury, this guy was incredible. He was very fun to watch and has good ball skills. If he's as athletic as he was as a junior, he could be a steal.

- Tyrell Sutton, Running back, Northwestern
Reason: He's another guy who looked so much better early in his career before injuries struck. He's a very intelligent guy and a good receiver.

Tell me, who are "your guys?"

2009 NFL Combine: What Can Saints Fans Take From It?

Saintsational — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:00:12 -0000

Now that the 2009 NFL Combine is over and all the prospects have returned to their corner of the globe it's time for fans and experts alike to analyze the results and recalculate what they think the draft will look like this April. Whatever the landscape of 2009 mock drafts looked like last week doesn't matter anymore. With fresh stats from the Combine to use now, most mock draft authors will begin tweaking their picks and releasing their mock drafts version 2.0. To help us all get a better handle on what this means for Saints fans let's review some of the things we've learned these past few days and how it will shape draft talk in Who Dat Nation.

Aaron Curry

Before the Combine, Curry's name was linked with the Saints in a handful of mock drafts. If you still think the Saints might have a chance to snag him with the 14th pick you should probably un-tap your Kool-Aid keg. Curry was just plain nasty in Monday's workouts as he solidified his position as the top linebacker in the draft. He should be a top five pick.

Brian Cushing

Like Aaron Curry, Cushing had an awesome combine and did wonders for his value. Brian was a top performer in six of the seven workouts. He did so well, in fact, that he will probably now be off the draft board by the time the Saints are on the clock. If Cushing did somehow fall to the Saints at 14th they would probably be stupid not to snag him and ignore their need for a DB. Or even better, use it as a bargaining chip for a sweet trade down. I wouldn't plan on it though.

Malcolm Jenkins

Once touted as the best cornerback in the draft, Malcolm Jenkins is now being viewed as the top safety in the draft. This is good news for Saints fans. If Jenkins is viewed as a safety, his draft stock would inevitably lower and the chance of him being available when the Saints pick would be much more likely. Personally, I think the possibility of a versatile player who could play either cornerback or safety would be just what the doctor ordered for the Saints. I'm likin' it. He didn't have the best of Combine performances, but finished with the best 3-Cone time and top five in the 20-yard Shuttle. Still, the fact of the matter is that Jenkins is a talented football player.

James Laurinaitis

I'm just not a fan of James Laurinaitis for the Saints. Personally, I don't want to see New Orleans draft any linebacker unless it's Aaron Curry (not happenin') or maybe even Brian Cushing (also probably not happenin'), but Laurinaitis just seems to have this aura of dud surrounding him. He's already got the reputation for dissappearing in big games. Laurinaitis performed well in the 3-cone drill and well enough in the 20-yard shuttle but he layed an egg in the 40-yard dash. I hope he's still not on the Saints radar.

Studs and Duds

After taking a look at the cornerback and safety top performer lists I must say I am surprised by a lot of the names that appear and just as surprised by the names that don't appear. Here are a few players who really helped themselves yesterday and who may be possible targets by the Saints.

Kevin Barnes - Cornerback - Maryland - Top performer in 40-yard dash, Vertical Jump, Broad Jump, 3-cone Drill and 20-yard Shuttle.
Lardarius Webb - Cornerback - Nicholls State - Top performer in 40-yard dash, 3-cone Drill and 20-yard Shuttle.
Donald Washington - Cornerback - Ohio State - Best performance in both the Vertical Jump and Broad Jump.
David Bruton - Free Safety - Notre Dame - Top performer in 40-yard dash, Vertical Jump, Broad Jump, 3-cone Drill and 60-yard Shuttle.
Sherrod Martin - Free Safety - Troy - Top performer in 40-yard dash, 3-cone Drill 20-yard Shuttle and 60-yard Shuttle.
C.J. Spillman - Free Safety - Marshall - Top performer in 40-yard dash, Vertical Jump and 60-yard Shuttle.

These guys will probably start showing up a bit more often on future mock drafts. Particularly as second and third round options. We will take a better look at all of these players as we get closer to the draft.

There were also a few prospects who didn't make much of an impression during yesterdays workouts. Did some of these guys decide not to participate and wait for their respective pro day? What happened to...

William Moore - Safety - Missouri - Didn't finish as a top performer in any workout.
Rashad Johnson - Free Safety - Alabama - Didn't finish as a top performer in any workout.
Alphonso Smith - Cornerback - Wake Forest - Didn't finish as a top performer in any workout.
Patrick Chung - Strong Safety - Oregon - Only finished as a top performer in the Bench Press.

Random Fact

Ever wonder who foots the bill for the NFL Combine every year? The teams do! Each NFL franchise pays a $75,000 fee to help host the Combine making the total hosting cost $2.4 million. This buys each team all of the medical reports, test results and video tapes of the workouts and drills.

Make the jump to see a complete list of all the top linebacker, cornerback and safety performers for each workout.

Linebackers

40-yard dash

Name	Time
Curry, Aaron	4.56
Arnoux, Stanley	4.61
McRath, Gerald	4.61
Matthews, Clay	4.67
Phillips, Jason	4.69
Brinkley, Jasper	4.72
Cushing, Brian	4.74
Freeman, Marcus	4.74
Follett, Zack	4.75
Fokou, Moise	4.76

Bench Press

Name	Reps
Cushing, Brian	30
Freeman, Marcus	30
Maiava, Kaluka	30
Felder, Anthony	28
McKillop, Scott	27
McKenzie, Tyrone	27
Brinkley, Jasper	26
Curry, Aaron	25
Casillas, Jonathan	24
Robinson, Lee	24

Vertical Jump

Name	Height
Curry, Aaron	37.0
Follett, Zack	37.0
Freeman, Marcus	37.0
McKillop, Scott	35.5
Matthews, Clay	35.5
Brinkley, Jasper	35.5
Ellerbe, Dannell	35.0
Williams, Worrell	35.0
Cushing, Brian	35.0

Broad Jump

Name	Distance
Curry, Aaron	10'4"
McRath, Gerald	10'3"
Arnoux, Stanley	10'1"
Fokou, Moise	10'1"
Matthews, Clay	10'1"
Phillips, Jason	10'0"
Cushing, Brian	10'0"
Levy, DeAndre	9'11"
Sintim, Clint	9'11"
McKillop, Scott	9'11"

3-cone Drill

Name	Time
Cushing, Brian	6.84
Matthews, Clay	6.90
Laurinaitis, James	6.93
Freeman, Marcus	6.98
Maiava, Kaluka	6.98
McKillop, Scott	7.00
Ellerbe, Dannell	7.00
Brinkley, Jasper	7.03
Fokou, Moise	7.09

20-yard Shuttle

Name	Time
Freeman, Marcus	4.12
Matthews, Clay	4.18
Maiava, Kaluka	4.20
Cushing, Brian	4.22
Ellerbe, Dannell	4.23
Laurinaitis, James	4.24
Fokou, Moise	4.28
Phillips, Jason	4.32
Brinkley, Jasper	4.32

60-yard Shuttle

Name	Time
Curry, Aaron	11.35
Fokou, Moise	11.41
McRath, Gerald	11.51
Arnoux, Stanley	11.64
McKillop, Scott	11.66

Cornerbacks

40-yard dash

Name	Time
Webb, Lardarius	4.46
Davis, Vontae	4.49
Hughes, Brandon	4.50
Owens, Christopher	4.51
Barnes, Kevin	4.52

Bench Press

Name	Reps
Davis, Vontae	25
Word-Daniels, Jahi	24
Francies, Coye	24
Pegues, Derek	23
Trent, Morgan	23
Quin, Glover	22
Burnett, Joe	22
Allen, Asher	22

Vertical Jump

Name	Height
Washington, Donald	45.0
Butler, Darius	43.0
Moore, D.J.	39.5
Mouton, Ryan	39.5
Barnes, Kevin	38.5
Fletcher, Bradley	38.5
Quin, Glover	38.0
Trent, Morgan	38.0

Broad Jump

Name	Distance
Washington, Donald	11'3"
Butler, Darius	11'2"
Mouton, Ryan	10'9"
Barnes, Kevin	10'8"
Hughes, Brandon	10'8"
Trent, Morgan	10'7"

3-cone Drill

Name	Time
Jenkins, Malcolm	6.59
Burnett, Joe	6.68
Harris, Victor	6.68
Johnson, Bruce	6.71
Barnes, Kevin	6.72
Davis, Vontae	6.75
Webb, Lardarius	6.77

20-yard Shuttle

Name	Time
Barnes, Kevin	3.96
Harris, Victor	3.98
Trent, Morgan	4.01
Johnson, Bruce	4.05
Jenkins, Malcolm	4.07
Davis, Vontae	4.07
Powers, Jerraud	4.08
Webb, Lardarius	4.10

60-yard Shuttle

Name	Time
Trent, Morgan	11.07
Akins, Kevin	11.12
Hughes, Brandon	11.25
Burnett, Joe	11.27
Owens, Christopher	11.40

Safeties

40-yard dash

Name	Time
Clemons, Chris	4.41
Bruton, David	4.46
Spillman, C.J.	4.50
Vaughn, Chip	4.51
Martin, Sherrod	4.52

Bench Press

Name	Reps
Ellison, Kevin	32
Sanford, Jamarca	29
Chung, Patrick	25
Hodge, Stephen	22

Vertical Jump

Name	Height
Bruton, David	41.5
Spillman, C.J.	41.5
McBath, Darcel	38.0

Broad Jump

Name	Distance
Bruton, David	11'0"
Taylor, Curtis	10'9"
Clemons, Chris	10'7"
Delmas, Louis	10'6

3-cone Drill

Name	Time
Martin, Sherrod	6.60
Bruton, David	6.60
Delmas, Louis	6.67

20-yard Shuttle

Name	Time
Martin, Sherrod	3.98
Vaughn, Chip	4.12

60-yard Shuttle

Name	Time
Bruton, David	10.96
Martin, Sherrod	11.17
Spillman, C.J.	11.27

Terps Headed to All-Star Bowls

Ben Broman — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:50:51 -0000

Five Terps are getting recognized for outstanding play this year by being invited to various college All-Star Bowls, and though they're not the five I would've chosen if I had to pick just five, I wish congratulations to all of them.

Edwin Williams, the most deserving of the bunch, is headed to the East-West Shrine Game, and he'll be joined by Jaimie Thomas on the offensive line. Moise Fokou and Jeremy Navarre will attend the Texas vs. The Nation game, in what will hopefully be an effort that will show Texas that no, they can't outplay 49 other states combined, and perhaps end this excuse for Texas to pat their ego. Meanwhile, Kevin Barnes will attend the Senior Bowl, but won't play due to the injury he suffered earlier in the year. The Barnes injury really is a shame; I think he would've been able to get a mid-round selection in the draft had he been healthy. Now, he'll have to make it in tryouts with some team. Very, very unlucky.

Anyway, congrats to all the Terps!

Season Ending Terperlatives

Ben Broman — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:21:22 -0000

It was quite a year for Maryland football. It was about as up-and-down as you could get, but then again, that's Ralph Friedgen for you. The year saw a loss to Middle Tennessee State (who ended up 5-7 in the Sun Belt), then a win against a California who had just blown out a Pac-10 opponent by 63 points (who ended up 8-4); it saw an incredible second half against Clemson in Death Valley, followed by one of the most embarrassing losses I can remember – a shutout against UVA – followed by a bounce-back shutout win against Wake Forest; it saw a 3 point win over North Carolina State on homecoming, a loss against Virginia Tech in which the defense gave up over 200 rushing yards; an emotional win over North Carolina in which the defense was impeccable, then an incredibly embarrassing loss to Florida State in prime time in a must-win game, and a disappointing loss to Boston College to round out the season. But this is Ralph Friedgen. His teams do this year in and year out. I'm not saying it's good or bad – just an observation.

For as many weird games there were, the players were just as memorable. The team relied on Chris Turner every game – some days he was great, some days he was terrible. The team leaned on Da'Rel Scott, maybe too much – he ended up getting hurt mid-way through the year. The defense was just about as inconsistent as possible. Darrius Heyward-Bey, despite having a huge amount of natural talent, was seemingly ignored. James Franklin did not bring about the awesome offensive changes we were all expecting.

But I still loved every minute of it (well, maybe not every minute). After a few votes via comment and few votes via email, here's the Terperlatives:

Offensive MVP

Voter's Choice: Da'Rel Scott

My Choice: Chris Turner

This was one of the harder choices for me to make. Da'Rel Scott certainly had times where I wouldn't dream of putting anyone else in this position, but I had trouble naming him MVP: it's most valuable, not best. And though I like Da'Rel, I can't help but think that every game hinged more on Chris Turner's performance than Da'Rel Scott's. For as many games as he lost, he won back more. The offensive MVP goes to Chris Turner.

Defensive MVP

Voter's Choice: Moise Fokou

My Choice: Terrell Skinner

This one was almost harder than Offensive MVP, mainly because no player stood out on the defense. Moise Fokou made a few big plays, and might've been the most consistent player. Then there's Alex Wujciak, who had the second most tackles in the ACC. Then there's Dave Philistin, a senior leader at linebacker. I ended up choosing Terrell Skinner, though. The secondary (especially after the injury to Kevin Barnes) was pretty weak. Skinner, though, rarely missed an assignment, and kept the passing game from running over Maryland's defense every week. Most other players did their job admirably, but none as well as Skinner did.

Special Teams MVP

Voter's Choice: Travis Baltz

My Choice: Travis Baltz

This one was an easy choice – there were only two candidates, really. Baltz was the first option, and Torrey Smith the second. Torrey Smith did a lot to deserve consideration, but Baltz was phenomenal all year long. He actually earned a lot of consideration for overall MVP. I shudder to think of what would've happened to the team if Baltz wasn't there to bail them out of the field position war every single possession.

Overall MVP

Voter's Choice: Offensive Line

My Choice: Chris Turner

The voter's choice was confusing here, seeing how abysmal the offensive line was at times this year (see: Florida State). But I guess my choice is equally confusing, seeing how bad Turner could be at times, too. I suppose my line of thinking is the same as the one for Offensive MVP: no player had a bigger impact on whether Maryland won or lost a game.

Best Freshman

Voter's Choice: Davin Meggett

My Choice: Davin Meggett

Really, this choice was pretty easy. Torrey Smith came in second, but Meggett was simply phenomenal when given the chance to be. I look forward to the next three years of Maryland football if Davin Meggett is a part of it. He reminds me a lot of Ray Rice – small, tough, doesn't go down easy. He did wonders as a freshman – I can't wait to see him as a sophomore, junior, and senior.

Best Coach

Voter's Choice: Lee Hull

My Choice: Lee Hull

I have no idea how much Lee Hull actually had to do with the performance of the wide receivers this year. I assume it's a decent amount, seeing as how he's the wide receiver coach, though he is a first year coach. Bo position stood out more this year than wide receiver. Darrius Heyward-Bey, Danny Oquendo, the emergence of Torrey Smith and Ronnie Tyler – there were some serious players at WR, and it's a shame they weren't utilized more.

Senior Who'll Be Most Missed:

Voter's Choice: Kevin Barnes

My Choice: Edwin Williams

Kevin Barnes' departure is huge, don't get me wrong. But I have trouble picking him as the senior most missed when the team's already missed him for half a year. No, instead, I'm picking Edwin Williams. He's a team leader, and the anchor of (and only consistent player on) an offensive line that was inconsistent at best and bad at worst. Someone's going to have to step up to fill his size 14 shoes.

Biggest Disappointment

Voter's Choice: James Franklin

My Choice: James Franklin

I think everyone had big expectations for the new offense that was supposed to be installed by former Marylander James Franklin. Franklin was coming in as the offensive coordinator after serving there at Kansas State and leading them to relatively good offensive statistics. No one could really grasp why KSU fans were happy at his departure, but I think we found out – he's not exactly an offensive genius. It's not like he's on a Cosh level of bad play calling, but he's certainly not what anyone expected. His playcalls were often head-scratchers, especially relative to when he took chances on big plays.

Best Incoming Freshman

Voter's Choice: Travis Hawkins

My Choice: Caleb Porzel

A lot of people say think Travis Hawkins is the next big thing, and I agree to an extent – he should be starting for Maryland next year at CB. But Maryland's class is absolutely loaded this year, and I could've gone any one way of several. DJ Adams? DeOnte Arnett? Hawkins? Even Darrin Drakeford? All were possibilities. But I can't stop thinking about Caleb Porzel. Besides having an awesome name (doesn't it just sound cool?) he's absolutely blown away my expectations. I was expecting a 3 star, undersized running back. What Maryland's getting is something else entirely – he scored three TDs in the Crab Bowl, while Tavon Austin, a similar, more coveted back, only had one TD from scrimmage (he also had a KR TD). Running back is loaded the next few years.

Injury Which Hurt the Team Most

Voter's Choice: Kevin Barnes

My Choice: Kevin Barnes

The injury to Barnes was a big one, as he was really the only All-ACC caliber player on Maryland's defense. I think Nolan Carroll filled in valiantly, but Barnes is very talented and would've been a huge boon to stopping the passing game late in the year.

Voter's Choice

Voter's Choice: Danny Oquendo

My Choice: Torrey Smith

Regular readers know how much I like Torrey Smith. Besides being from my hometown, he plays football the way it's supposed to be played. He hustles on every play. He was one of the best kick returners in the nation, and was able to consistently give Maryland great field position. He fought to get open, and was fearless on punts – both blocking and tackling. I expect him to take over the punt return job next year, and I'm excited to see what he can do with it.

There you have it – those are the best players of the year. Let me know what you think in the comments or with a fanpost.

Injury Update

Dave Tucker — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 01:00:59 -0000

According to Ralph Friedgen, Terps running back Da'Rel Scott re-injured his shoulder, which is initially injured during the Cal game. Fridge didn't say whether or not he thinks Scott will be ready for the Virginia Tech game, just that his shoulder is really sore today.

The other big injury for the Terps on Saturday was to linebacker Dave Philistin, Maryland's second leading tackler, who injured his shoulder during the first quarter. Fridge said that they weren't sure the extent of Philistin's injury and will know more after he has an MRI. Hopefully he just bruised his shoulder and didn't tear his rotator cuff. Maryland can't afford to lose any more defensive players, especially after losing Sr. Kevin Barnes and because Maryland's defense is currently their biggest weakness.

Barnes Out for Season

Ben Broman — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:07:03 -0000

Officially chalk me up as scared:

Coach Ralph Friedgen confirmed that cornerback Kevin Barnes will be out for the season with a severe shoulder injury. Barnes will undergo surgery to repair a fractured scapula (shoulder blade), as well as an injured labrum and rotator cuff. Barnes will need five or six months to rehab.

This is a huge detriment to this team. Barnes was consistently one of the best defensive players on the team, and a legiit shutdown corner. He was incredibly important simply due to the fact that there was very little quality behind him.

Unfortunately, now, Maryland will probably be at a bad spot in the secondary. Nolan Carroll will likely start in place of Barnes at the #1 spot, while Anthony Wiseman will probably be the #2 corner. Expect Jamari McCullough to move over from safety to corner, which means more time for Kenny Tate at safety. Michael Carter will probably get some more PT as well, backing up Carroll. I've always liked Carter; he's a hard worker on special teams.

Looking to the future, this'll have a rather large impact. Nothing against Nolan Carroll - he is one of my favorite Terps - but North Carolina with Hakeem Nicks, Boston College with Rich gunnell, and Florida State with Greg Carr and Preston Parker are all left on the Terps' schedule - and all of them are legit #1 wideouts. They're stars who probably would've been counteracted by KB, but will now have a slight advantage over Carroll/Wiseman.

I was leaning toward Maryland as having a slight edge for the Atlantic champion and a trip to the ACC title game, but this really hampers the Terps' chances.