UPDATE: Dion Armstrong has left the Terrapin football team, opting to transfer, according to coach Ralph Friedgen. More at TerrapinTrail.com, The Diamondback’s sports blog.

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One of the lasting story lines of spring practice was the arrival of defensive coordinator Don Brown and the Terps’ switch to a more aggressive, 4-3 style defense.

Judging by the first week of preseason camp, defensive players’ excitement about Brown’s switch hasn’t died down. In fact, it might have picked up over the offseason.

“With this new scheme, like if you get the right blitz call for a certain play, you can make anybody look like an All-American,” said defensive tackle A.J. Francis. “The last defense, there were things that we did certain times, especially against shotgun situations, that weren’t right. This defense is a lot easier to run right.”

Last year’s defense, the zone-based system of departed defensive coordinator Chris Cosh, was often criticized by fans and the media for its passive tendencies.

Brown’s philosophy includes heavy blitz packages and single-man coverage in the secondary that the Terps are hoping will cause more turnovers and increase the team’s effectiveness.

“I can guarantee it’s gonna be an attacking defense, because that’s just the mentality that Coach Brown has,” safety Terrell Skinner said. “That’s why they brought him in.”

Armstrong struggling with eligibility, conditioningDefensive tackle Dion Armstrong, expected to be an anchor for the Terps’ line this season after showing flashes of brilliance in a starting role at the end of last year, remains academically ineligible after struggling with grades in the spring, coach Ralph Friedgen said.

Compounding the situation, Armstrong has shown up to camp out of shape, forcing Friedgen to question his player’s commitment.

“I don’t know where he’s at right now,” Friedgen said. “He’s not in very good shape. He’s got a lot of potential, but I don’t know. I don’t know if he’s going to make it, first of all. I don’t know if he’s where we want him to be, just from a physical standpoint. … I’m trying to be patient there. But he needs to start working a little bit harder to make our football team.”

Several of Armstrong’s teammates offered their support and confidence that the 6-foot-1, 303-pound tackle will be back on the field and an essential part of the Terps’ young defensive line.

“I’ve seen him do so many things – his combination of speed, quickness and strength [would be a major addition],” fellow tackle Travis Ivey said. “He’s struggling right now, but I’m confident – we’re confident – that he’ll be ready in time.”

Friedgen couldn’t put a timeline on when the Terps would know Armstrong’s status for the season, as it is an NCAA matter.

Kicking job still up for grabsThree kickers have drawn Friedgen’s praise less than a week into camp, each with equal in-game experience: none.

At the end of spring practice, sophomore Mike Barbour held a narrow lead on junior Nick Wallace, one that appears to still be in shape after three days of camp. Freshman Nick Ferrara is a step behind his older teammates, though Friedgen said Ferrara was better than either Barbour or Wallace were as true freshmen.

The last two years, Obi Egekeze had taken every field goal attempt for the Terps, making 32 of 47 attempts in two years as the starting place kicker.

Friedgen said he expects to have a kicker named in two weeks.

Mini-Fridge?Friedgen has made it a much-publicized mission to lose weight. And through the last 10 months, he’s done just that – at an astounding rate.

The ninth-year Terp coach, known affectionately as “The Fridge,” has dropped 105 pounds thanks to a diet that consists of five small, packaged meals a day and healthy snacks. ds.

akraut@umdbk.com, ajoseph@umdbk.com