After the Terrapin football team’s disastrous game at West Virginia, there were grumblings about how far downhill the program has gone since the 2003 Gator Bowl.

People cried out that they wanted to see the program become marquee again and at the top of the radar in college football. People screamed for Ralph Friedgen’s head despite losing to the No. 5-ranked team in the country.

That’s fine – there’s nothing wrong with wanting success from a team you support. And everyone knows it’s all about “What have you done for me lately?” in the sports world.

But if you’re going to moan about wanting a top program, then act like you want it.

The attendance at last weekend’s game against Florida International was an absolute joke. Fans, students, boosters – whoever left the Terps’ 14-10 win early – should be ashamed. No one is forcing you to go to games, but if you are going to attend, at least stay for all four quarters.

I wasn’t at the game – I was 150 miles away celebrating the new year (L’Shana Tovah, everyone). But my grief is not with those who chose not to attend. My grief is with those who left in the midst of a one-possession game.

I listened to the game on the Internet and followed the live coverage on The Diamondback’s website. On numerous occasions, the sparse attendance was mentioned. Colleagues of mine laughed at how more silver than red could be seen from the student section.

Thinking there was some overexaggerating being done, I checked out the second half when it aired on tape delay. Not quite exaggeration.

It’s one thing for people to leave early in a game where the outcome really isn’t in question (William & Mary, Middle Tennessee). But for people to be filing out of the stands during a 14-7 game in the early stages of the second half is ridiculous. At that point, the student section was less than half full.

Even worse, people could be seen leaving as Florida International had the ball with under a minute to play. During the Golden Panthers’ final drive (in which they drove to the Terp 10-yard line and were scrambling to get off a last-second play in front of Testudo’s Troops) the student section was only about one-third full – and that’s being generous. Not to mention the rest of the stadium, which was pretty darn empty as well.

Asked about the minimal crowd after the win, some of the players said they just focus on winning and not the people in the stands.

“That’s the only thing we’re worried about,” senior running back Josh Allen said. “But at the same time, we’re going out there and we’re giving our all, and we would like to have that support behind us. We’re talking about wanting to be one of the marquee programs, those programs have that fan base. At a Michigan game or a Notre Dame game, fans are there the whole game win or lose. That’s something we would like to have as well.”

Allen is exactly right. If he and the rest of the team have to walk around the campus knowing that fans want them to start playing like the top team the Terps were a few years ago, they should at least have some support.

Florida State isn’t exactly the national championship contender it once was, but do you think fans left in the middle of its comeback win against Troy a few weeks ago?

Talking to students on the campus, the excuses ranged from the 6 p.m. start time to it being a boring game.

The 6 p.m. start time? Last year everyone was outraged about noon start times. Have students – and other fans for that matter – tailgated for so long and so hard during the day that they’re just too tired to actually watch the game for three hours? Maybe there are some contests going on during tailgates about which will be higher, the number of points the Terps score or the number of 30 packs a fraternity can kill. Maybe that’s what’s causing people to leave early.

And even if it were a boring game, it’s not an excuse to leave a seven-point game in the second half. If you don’t want to be there in the first place, don’t bother showing up.

And don’t bother preaching about wanting a winning team if you’re going to show up and leave close games early. If you want a top-flight program, then prove it. Because the scattered red shirts at Byrd Stadium last weekend were a flat-out embarrassment.

An embarrassment to the students, the fans, the program and the university.

Contact sports editor Andrew Zuckerman at sports@dbk.umd.edu.