The note appeared at the bottom of a pre-game sheet given to reporters before Saturday’s game: A wind advisory has been posted by the National Weather Service.
But the wind turned out to be a big factor in the Terrapin football team’s win against Florida State, especially on special teams.
As winds swirled around Byrd Stadium, sophomore return man Danny Oquendo and senior punter Adam Podlesh wouldn’t let it faze them, and the wind couldn’t help Florida State kicker Gary Cismesia in the game’s final moments.
Up by three, coach Ralph Friedgen called consecutive time-outs to ice Cismesia before his 46-yard field goal attempt. Psychologically, it may have worked, but the Terps got the win because defensive end Jeremy Navarre blocked the field goal, triggering a wild celebration.
“We just friggin’ pushed them back, got our hands up, and luckily it hit my hand,” Navarre said. “We knew it would be a little low, so we got our hands up and blocked it.”
Junior linebacker Wesley Jefferson said the Terps blocked field goals in practice and even admitted they stole a block from another team that he wouldn’t identify.
Even before the game’s defining play, the Terp special teams unit contributed plenty of clutch performances.
“I thought our special teams was the key to the game,” Friedgen said yesterday, pointing to the Terps’ stellar field position that came from punt returns.
Oquendo turned in the best special teams game of his career, spinning and slipping his way to 85 punt return yards. In the second quarter, Oquendo caught a 24-yard punt off the foot of Graham Gano, spun away from Florida State defenders, broke at least six tackles and took the ball back to the original line of scrimmage.
“I feel like they have me back there for a reason,” Oquendo said. “I just try to catch the ball and get as many yards as I can. If that means everybody’s blocked, or I have to break two or three tackles, I’m just gonna do what I have to do.”
Oquendo did it, and then the Terps capitalized on the return by scoring a touchdown. Although the offense couldn’t make the best out of Oquendo’s career-best 45-yard return in the second half, the sophomore broke out in a big way.
Until Saturday, Oquendo had 125 return yards. In the 27-24 win against the Seminoles, he looked a lot like former Terp return man Steve Suter, who was in the stadium and on the field before the game. Oquendo didn’t know about Suter, but he knew plenty about what he was doing on punt returns.
“I think the wind played a huge factor with the punt returns. Their punter, the wind was killing his punts, so I just tried to do what I could do,” Oquendo said. “If you could catch it clean, you got a good two seconds to run and do what you want to do.”
Podlesh proved just how talented and strong he is, not letting the wind affect his punts. The senior nailed a gust-assisted 62-yarder, but also averaged 44.8 yards per punt while battling against the wind.
On kickoffs, the Terps (along with the Seminoles) instituted some sound strategy as winds blew at upwards of 30 miles per hour. Kicking against the wind, the Terps turned to sophomore Chris Roberts to squib the ball. Working with the wind at their backs, the Terps then allowed strong-legged Obi Egekeze to boom the ball into the end zone. Egekeze recorded four touchbacks.
Contact reporter Stephen Whyno at whynodbk@gmail.com.
