When medical staff carried safety Antwine Perez off the field on a stretcher Saturday, the Terrapin football team’s coaching staff was forced to burn another redshirt.

Against Duke’s pass-happy offense, which featured predominantly four-and-five wide receiver sets, the Terps were often forced to play four safeties. True freshman Eric Franklin was next on the depth chart.

The Terps had been trying to hold the talented Franklin’s redshirt all season — even after starter Jamari McCollough injured his ankle in the season opener against California — but now coach Ralph Friedgen and defensive coordinator Don Brown’s hands were tied.

“Unfortunately, we were in a bunch of serious packages that we were using which required four safeties on the field,” Brown said. “When [Perez] got hurt we had no choice.”

Perez’s injury is not serious, and he should be able to play in the Terps’ next game on Nov. 7 against N.C. State. But Franklin still became the tenth true freshman to play for the Terps this season — the most Friedgen has used during his nine-year tenure.

Friedgen and Brown both said Franklin played well in his half-dozen snaps Saturday, and he collected his first career sack. And now that he has used up his redshirt, he should play extensively on special teams the rest of the season.

Friedgen has said he did not plan to use this many true freshmen this season, but injuries at several positions have forced him to dip into his freshman reserve.

With four games left to play, Friedgen said yesterday he will attempt to find a balance the rest of the season between developing young talent for the future while still trying to win.

The Terps (2-6, 1-3 ACC) need to win all of their remaining games to qualify for a bowl game, but Friedgen hopes continuing to play as many young players as he already has may benefit the team in the long run.

“We’d obviously like to look at some kids that we think can help us win, and they may have a future,” Friedgen said. “To me if it’s close or even, I’m going to play the younger guy to try and get better. But I’m still trying to win football games too.”

BYE WEEK INJURIESFriedgen discussed the injury situations of four key players yesterday and lamented the latest injury to defensive tackle A.J. Francis as the most recent bout of bad luck to hit the Terps this season.

Francis was walking to class yesterday when he attempted to dodge a bicyclist.

He sprained his ankle, and after trying to practice yesterday afternoon he left the workout early on a cart and went inside for treatment.

Friedgen said he doesn’t know how serious the injury is but hopes Francis will be back at practice next week.

“It’s been one of those years,” Friedgen said.

Friedgen also said offensive guard Bennett Fulper had an MRI on his injured shoulder, but team doctors are still evaluating the results.

Friedgen said, “from what I see, they’re probably going to end up operating on it.”

Running back Da’Rel Scott is still on track to return in time for the Terps’  game against Florida State on Nov. 21.

Scott broke his wrist Oct. 3 against Clemson, and Friedgen said his only concern is whether the training staff can engineer a pad Scott can wear without it inhibiting his ability to hold on to the ball.

Backup running back Gary Douglas, who missed the Duke game after spraining the AC joint in his shoulder against Virginia, practiced in a non-contact jersey yesterday.

schimmel@umdbk.com