In the seven years Ralph Friedgen has been the head Terp, plenty of unexpected things have happened to Maryland football. Taking home the ACC title in his debut year in 2001, not supposed to happen. Winning 30 games over his first three seasons, not supposed to happen. But a particularly unexpected event seems to have become an annual affair and it’s one that Friedgen and his staff would rather do without. In 2008, Maryland yet again enters fall practice with no clear idea of who its starting quarterback will be.
There are candidates, but each of these dogs has fleas. First up is Jordan Steffy, a senior by class, but one of those guys that seems to be in his 11th year in the program. He played some in 2004, but then ripped his knee. Along the way there’s also been a car accident and, last season in week five vs. Rutgers, a concussion. Unfortunately for Maryland fans, there’s been very little quality football played. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound senior has one more shot at it and this time it will be in a spread system that is potentially a good fit for Steffy’s willingness to play conservative and check down to shorter routes.
James Franklin, late of Kansas State, has the keys to the playbook as the new offensive coordinator for The Fridge. And while Franklin’s Xs and Os seem to favor Steffy, it’s junior Chris Turner that has much more big-play ability, as well as the confidence and respect of his teammates. Turner’s about three inches taller and nearly 10 pounds heavier than Steffy, but is plenty mobile to run Franklin’s version of the spread. He came off the bench in the Rutgers game and led the Terps to an upset of the 10th-ranked Scarlet Knights, assuming the duties for the rest of the season afterward. In those final seven games, Turner threw for more than 200 yards six times. That’d be six more times than Steffy’s done in three years, for those scoring at home.
AND AT NUMBER 3
The wildcard here is Josh Portis, a junior who transferred from Florida after the 2005 season with plenty of advance hype but has yet to do anything … literally … on the field in College Park. He sat out a transfer year in 2006, was supposed to be in the mix last season, but wound up suspended for the entire year for allegedly cheating on a test during summer school. Can he be a difference-maker at this level? Most agree he can, but half his eligibility is gone and the only time he’s ever stepped foot on a college field has been during the past two Spring games with Maryland. He’s extremely quick, is the same size as Turner, and has a slingshot arm that is more accurate than you’d think. And he’s been a general dunce since leaving high school, something that will never endear you to Ralph Friedgen.
My guess is Turner gets the job, with Portis as the main backup and Steffy as the guy who gets a pat on the back and another stripe on the letter jacket. That, combined with a schedule that gets tougher seemingly every week you get deeper into it, has Maryland looking at a repeat of last year’s six wins and most likely being home for the holidays.
Oliver can be heard on 790 The Zone’s “Afternoon Saloon” weekdays from 4-7 p.m. and can be reached at king@790thezone.com.
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