With the bye week in the rearview mirror, the Maryland football team is back to a normal practice schedule leading up to Saturday's game with Clemson. Head coach Ralph Friedgen likes the direction and focus of the Terps as they face their first ACC road game of the season.
"I think we practiced pretty good (so far this week), so we'll see," Friedgen said after Wednesday's session. "I think the worst practice we had was Monday. We weren't as sharp as we've been. I thought (Tuesday's) practice was as good a practice as we've had all year, after evaluating this one."
Friedgen was even pleased with Wednesday's workout, a day the Terps have struggled this season.
"Normally Wednesday is a bad practice for us," Friedgen said. "This was better-than-normal one for a Wednesday. I see us getting better."
The coaching staff has made some adjustments to improve the practice tempo.
"We're trying to meet our needs both offensively and defensively," Friedgen said. "In some areas, I'm cutting reps. In other areas, I'm not. I have a lot of four-minute periods instead of five. I think that helps because it is not the same format of practice every day, it is a little bit different. I get in early in the morning and after I watch the tape at night, I make a bunch of notes and fit the practice to what we can get better in."
Practice News and Notes:
- The team has utilized crowd noise at each practice this week to help get ready for 80,000 Clemson fans. "We handled [the crowd noise] a little better (Wednesday)," Friedgen said. "We'll see how we handle the real crowd noise. Both [quarterbacks] handled it real well. They communicated up front. I even did it for our defense; they have to make calls and checks, too."
- The Terps are still trying to field a full complement of tight ends. Devonte Campbell looks close to returning to full form which is a good sign with Dave Stinebaugh out for about six weeks. Will Yeatman will serve as the backup to Matt Furstenburg at the Y tight end and Campbell could see action at the F tight end. Furstenburg is versatile enough to play both spots.
- Travis Baltz will continue to handle both punting and place-kicking chores on Saturday. Nick Ferrara will be the kickoff specialist.
Other Friedgen quotes from Wednesday's post-practice media session:
On Darin Drakeford:
"I think [Drakeford] is healthy. We feel right now that he's probably our fourth-best linebacker. He's played well when he's been in. He's played well on special teams; a lot of teams are doubling him on special teams. He just has to keep playing."
On kickoff returns:
"We're disappointed with our production in kickoffs. Part of that is Torrey [Smith] not being well. We haven't done a good job at executing. We've made a few changes there. One of the problems is everyone is getting hurt. They're always the guys on the kick-off teams. We haven't been real stable there. Last year, that was one of our strong parts. This year, it hasn't been. (Kickoff return) is probably the only team on special teams that hasn't played the way we were expected to play. During the off week, I gave that a lot of work. In fact, that's pretty much all we worked on in special teams. (Wednesday) we worked on it again. We'll see where Torrey is at and whether he can handle it, because he is not at 100 percent right now. I don't know where he'll be by Saturday. I'm hoping he will [be ready]."
On Max Garcia:
"I think [Max Garcia] is close to playing. I don't know where James [Franklin] is on it, but obviously he is one injury away from playing. I see him getting better and better. Is he where we want to him to be? No, he is a true freshman. He is a pretty good true freshman.
"He's not been making a lot of mental mistakes, but he made a couple today. Normally he's been real solid, probably more solid than some of our redshirt freshman. If he doesn't play this week, I would figure he'll be coming in pretty soon. I thought he had a pretty good practice yesterday."
On Clemson's d-line:
"This is a very good defensive line. They're big, strong and fast. (Da'Quan) Bowers probably could be a high first-round draft pick, he could be highly rated. He has the speed and the size. He could run over you. It is going to be a real challenge for us. They have the two big guys inside. Matchup-wise it is a concern."
Friedgen was even pleased with Wednesday's workout, a day the Terps have struggled this season.
"Normally Wednesday is a bad practice for us," Friedgen said. "This was better-than-normal one for a Wednesday. I see us getting better."
The coaching staff has made some adjustments to improve the practice tempo.
"We're trying to meet our needs both offensively and defensively," Friedgen said. "In some areas, I'm cutting reps. In other areas, I'm not. I have a lot of four-minute periods instead of five. I think that helps because it is not the same format of practice every day, it is a little bit different. I get in early in the morning and after I watch the tape at night, I make a bunch of notes and fit the practice to what we can get better in."
Practice News and Notes:
- The team has utilized crowd noise at each practice this week to help get ready for 80,000 Clemson fans. "We handled [the crowd noise] a little better (Wednesday)," Friedgen said. "We'll see how we handle the real crowd noise. Both [quarterbacks] handled it real well. They communicated up front. I even did it for our defense; they have to make calls and checks, too."
- The Terps are still trying to field a full complement of tight ends. Devonte Campbell looks close to returning to full form which is a good sign with Dave Stinebaugh out for about six weeks. Will Yeatman will serve as the backup to Matt Furstenburg at the Y tight end and Campbell could see action at the F tight end. Furstenburg is versatile enough to play both spots.
- Travis Baltz will continue to handle both punting and place-kicking chores on Saturday. Nick Ferrara will be the kickoff specialist.
Other Friedgen quotes from Wednesday's post-practice media session:
On Darin Drakeford:
"I think [Drakeford] is healthy. We feel right now that he's probably our fourth-best linebacker. He's played well when he's been in. He's played well on special teams; a lot of teams are doubling him on special teams. He just has to keep playing."
On kickoff returns:
"We're disappointed with our production in kickoffs. Part of that is Torrey [Smith] not being well. We haven't done a good job at executing. We've made a few changes there. One of the problems is everyone is getting hurt. They're always the guys on the kick-off teams. We haven't been real stable there. Last year, that was one of our strong parts. This year, it hasn't been. (Kickoff return) is probably the only team on special teams that hasn't played the way we were expected to play. During the off week, I gave that a lot of work. In fact, that's pretty much all we worked on in special teams. (Wednesday) we worked on it again. We'll see where Torrey is at and whether he can handle it, because he is not at 100 percent right now. I don't know where he'll be by Saturday. I'm hoping he will [be ready]."
On Max Garcia:
"I think [Max Garcia] is close to playing. I don't know where James [Franklin] is on it, but obviously he is one injury away from playing. I see him getting better and better. Is he where we want to him to be? No, he is a true freshman. He is a pretty good true freshman.
"He's not been making a lot of mental mistakes, but he made a couple today. Normally he's been real solid, probably more solid than some of our redshirt freshman. If he doesn't play this week, I would figure he'll be coming in pretty soon. I thought he had a pretty good practice yesterday."
On Clemson's d-line:
"This is a very good defensive line. They're big, strong and fast. (Da'Quan) Bowers probably could be a high first-round draft pick, he could be highly rated. He has the speed and the size. He could run over you. It is going to be a real challenge for us. They have the two big guys inside. Matchup-wise it is a concern."
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