Barely any time to rest

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By Patrick Stevens

GREENSBORO, Ga. | A weary, drained Ralph Friedgen stood at the podium after Maryland's Emerald Bowl loss in December and promised to bring his "A game" when the next season arrived.

It seems the Terrapins' coach is a man of his word.

"I don't know what's higher than A, but it's up there," center Edwin Williams said this week at the ACC's kickoff event. "This is my last year, and to go through all this stuff the past couple years, it's been kind of like I've got winter workouts and spring ball and summer and then camp starts. It all kind of meshed into one this year. It's like everything is happening so fast and quickly, and it's all over now."

Friedgen is doing everything to ensure things don't end too quickly for the Terps, who are coming off a 6-7 season.

With a new offensive coordinator (James Franklin) in his employ, three quarterbacks to choose from, a refurbished defensive scheme and more of an opportunity to oversee all aspects of his program, Friedgen has found time to revitalize a group of players who might have drifted away from him the last two years.

He spent more time meeting with players, inviting several over to his home during an offseason that ends in less than two weeks. And he has instituted several offense-vs.-defense ploys at the end of practices, such as a tire pull used to cap workouts in the winter and the old-fashioned Oklahoma drill to finish off spring sessions.

"I think I've made things a lot more competitive," Friedgen said. "I think kids like competition. I'm trying to make it fun for them."

What would unquestionably be more fun for Maryland is a larger win total. Not surprisingly, the Terps were pegged to finish fifth in the ACC's Atlantic Division in a media vote this week.

"That's our normal slot," Friedgen said drolly.

Meanwhile, Virginia Tech was picked to win the Coastal Division, and Virginia was projected to take fifth in the Coastal.