Amidst the glare of camera lights and in front of microphones and tape recorders at the Terrapin football team’s Media Day Monday, players glanced back at two straight 5-6 seasons and tried to make sense out of them.
What they saw and how they felt about two losing seasons obviously wasn’t positive and the Terps still harbor those painful emotions as they prepared for the first day of preseason camp later that afternoon.
Reflecting on the last two seasons has even caused junior linebacker Wesley Jefferson to lose some sleep.
“I sit there and think about that, it really makes me sick to my stomach,” Jefferson said.
Given the way last season came to a crashing halt, it’s not hard to see why the pain hasn’t worn off. With two chances to sew up bowl eligibility, the Terps dropped their final two games to Boston College and N.C. State, losing to the Wolfpack by only six points in the season finale.
“We have a real nasty taste in our mouths,” said redshirt sophomore linebacker Erin Henderson, whose torn ACL kept him out all season.
Whether motivated by that bad taste, the disappointment of falling short, or the high expectations for success, the off-season brought changes for the program that is only a few years removed from a three-year plateau of 10-win seasons and trips to bowl games.
Out was defensive coordinator Gary Blackney, who retired after five years on head coach Ralph Friedgen’s staff. In came Kansas State linebackers coach Chris Cosh, who players say has added an element of speed to the defense.
The February resignation of offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe left Friedgen in charge of the offense. And even though Friedgen no longer has the burden of coaching up the quarterbacks, the workaholic coach is doing the job the way he wants to and at just the right time. Before the last two years, Friedgen had 18 consecutive winning seasons no matter where he coached or assisted.
“I am rejuvenated in that light,” he said. “Right now, it seems like I’m working 100 miles per hour, 24 hours a day.”
But even with hopeful words and a positive attitude about this season, players understand there’s a lot of work left to be done to get over the bowl-eligibility barrier.
Senior cornerback Josh Wilson, who was a part of the Terp team that made it to the Gator Bowl in the 2003 season, said trying to win six games is “like trying to get to heaven” and falling short.
Working in the 90-degree heat through the end of August is how the Terps will have to earn their wings for a difficult schedule that includes a Thursday night tilt at West Virginia and a murderer’s row stretch of games against Florida State, Clemson and Miami.
So far, it’s paying off. After just a few days of practice, Friedgen has noticed significant improvement in his young wide receiver corps, which was a source of trouble during the spring. Friedgen singled out Terrell Skinner and Danny Oquendo as players who are really impressive in the early stages of practice.
But all the words, wind sprints and practice regiments are part of one goal: erasing the memories of the last two seasons.Talk about motivation.
“We have a chip on our shoulder to go out there and show everybody in the country that we’re not some 5-6 team,” Henderson said.
Contact reporter Stephen Whyno at whynodbk@gmail.com.
