Not even close. Worst loss of the Fridge Era.

This ranks right up there in that it stamps a permanent stink of mediocrity in an increasingly declining program and league (ACC)... this dark shadow will linger through the season and have us wondering if Fridge is up to the task anymore... I cannot think of a more brutal loss, except to say that there are plenty more chances left this season...

I would have to rate the 1978 Sun Bowl loss (Texas 42, MD 0) as the worst ever because of a larger TV audience.

Extremely disappointing. The offense play calling has been horrendous for 3 years. The big question is why they don't get Heyward-Bey more involved in the offense. When you have a player that dynamic, he needs 10 to 15 touches per game to make a difference - he gets 3 against MTSU. When Suter was here, they got him the ball in a variety of ways.

It all comes down to recruiting - Ralph won with Vanderlinden's recruits, now Vanderlinden is stock-piling talent for Joe Pa. .

Back to the original question - This is by far the worst loss in Fridge's tenure and the one that will make some of his staunch supporters start to think about his future

How about the next game?

I would take it one step farther and say that this was the worst loss in the history of the program.

This team had better figure out how to pressure the other team's qb or it is going to be a long year.

Been watching and attending Terp football for more than fifty years. This loss was similar to some in the Coach Bob Ward era, but I can't recall any much worse than this one. I predicted four wins this year (now down to three). I'm not sure exactly who on their schedule they could beat right now, probably no one.

Let's face it, it is time for Friedgen to go. The only really solid seasons he has had were with other's recruits. This is a key time. Recruiting at Maryland is not going to get any easier with the way they have played over the past 4 years. There is a great coach at Eastern Carolina who will be snaped up at the end of this year. Why not Maryland. Skip has beaten both Va. Tech and West Va. back to back. Friedgen has not beat either with his own players. Step up Debbie.

This is the worst I can think of. PATHETIC. For the 1st time, I'm realistically thinking the Fridge may be in danger of losing his job.

Well, unfortunetely next week may make the worst blow-out in MD history.. at least going back to the old Penn State games.

It is really time for Maryland to clean house, both basketball and football. I was a big backer of Williams and was glad to see him winning a championship but since that time things has slowly regressed. Friedgen's tenure has been more up and down but things don't look good and haven't for a while. Just no sense of hardwork and of course consistent problems with the offense.

Beginning of the end for Friedgen? Whether this loss was his worst could be debatable, whether his play calling was the worst is undisputed. Two straight quarterback keepers on 3rd and 4th and long on a critical drive?

I don't know what whose coaching was harder to watch this week, Friedgen or Zorn.

I live in Atlanta and made the 3 1/2 hour drive to go to the game. It was ugly. No question, it's the worst loss since Friedgen took over. Maryland was completely dominated in every way. Only the speed of Scott and Heyward-Bey kept it from being a shutout.

I'm the type of fan who recognizes how hard a coach's job is, how much they know, how little they are appreciated, etc. Ralph resuscitated a Maryland program that was on life support and deserves gratitude for what he's done.

But, sadly, the program has drifted back to mediocrity and seems to have settled in there. With the stadium expansion and efforts to sell out the new suites and raise money, this is no time to field a below-average team in a below-average conference. But that's where we are.

I love the Terps and have stuck with them through tough stretches. But it is time for change. Ralph has burned up all the "political equity" he established -- and it was a lot.

This isn't about just one embarrassing loss. It's a downward spiral, of which this loss is representative.

In my view, Ralph has about 10 more games to pull a rabbit (more accurately, about 7 of them) out of his hat.

Maryland's defensive line is a complete joke.

I have seen a better pass rush by Pop Warner and CYO teams.

Prediction for Maryland's upcoming game --

Califonia - 48
Maryland - 13

Maryland will finish with a 3-9 record (good for last place in the ACC - even behind Duke)

I am glad that Maryland is no longer recruiting Tavon Austin.

Jelani Jenkins and Travis Hawkins will be signing with the University of Florida.

The Terps have the talent on their current roster to be a lot better team than they have showed. It is early in the season, but they need to stay competitive with Cal to start to turnaround what is already a very poor start to the season. The Terps have not had a quality qb since Scott McBrien, who (like Shaun Hill before him) was a transfer. Fridgedon and Franklin have to be able to recruit at qb. They had Jeremy Ricker, who was one of the qbs recruited in the country, but let him slip out of the program before he even took the field. Now they have Josh Portis, but they refuse to let him off his leash. Turner has the tools to be a good qb, but Fridge messed with his mind by going with Steffy. I think the Terps will improve throughout the season, but a team with 30 seniors and such a good offensive line (on paper) shouldn't have problems against teams like Delaware and MTSU. The Terps have clearly been outcoached in their past three games (OSU in the Emarld Bowl, Delaware and MTSU this season).

I think Scott nailed it "PATHETIC"

So you score in your first series on a running play. Why on earth do you then come out passing (and forcing the pass at that) on your second and subsequent series?????

Passing not only lead to plenty of three and outs, but did not allow the D to rest.

This has got to be the worst coaching job I've seen in the Fridge era.

What we saw Saturday was one coaching staff that was prepared, innovative, creative and confident and one that was none of those. Unfortunately, it was MTS that ran draws, screens, slants, reverses, deep outs, threw long and lined up in over 50 different formations and the maryland program that ran twice up the middle and then (surprise) threw on 3rd and whatever. You gotta ask yourself if the Terp coaches even get the basics. They looked completely unprepared. There was not a single creative play call. It was like watching football in the 1950s. Solution: Hire the offensive coordinator and play caller at MTS.

This one ranks down there, for sure. Before they flew down there, Friedgen warned that it could be an ambush game, with Middle Tennessee State viewing this as its "Rose Bowl."

Looks like he was right, but if the Terps were a dominant team it wouldn't matter what opponent is wouldn't matter much, because the best schools can't be beat by the MTS's of the world, they can only beat themselves.

Last night the blame can be spread around: Coaches, Turner, receivers, defense and special teams all had their moments of competence. There's much that needs to be fixed, however in my mind there is one area that needs immediate and urgent attention if the Terps are going to be able to rebound and that is the offensive line, specifically the pass blocking.

Yes, Turner looked shaky at times in what amounted to his first game of the season, but how much of that should be attributed to him and how much to the offensive line? Besides his three interceptions, Turner was sacked three times and hurried many times more. On at least on occasion he came close to grounding the ball because he had Blue Raiders crawling all over him. When he ran, he was running for his life.

All of this is due to the O lineshoddy pass protection. There is enough talent at the skill positions for the Terps to have a potent offense, but only if those players are given a chance to shine. (Having a Lamborghini is nice, but it doesn't do you any good if you can't get it out of the garage!)

Outside of the box thought: Can Portis catch the ball? Imagine the deep threats Maryland would having with him lining up along with Heyward-Bey at receiver, and Scott in the backfield. That's an awful lot of speed for defenses to deal with. If Portis was any good, both he and Heyward-Bey would demand to be double-teamed, opening a lot of the field for other receivers.

Portis with his speed is a real weapon, no quesion, but just having him run the ball isn't going to cut it. As the Terps announcers mentioned during the game, if Friedgen is reluctant to have him throw, the opposing defenses are going to stuff the run, as MTS did yesterday on a fourth down play.

But if he isn't going to be used much as a passer, then it would be well worth it for the coaching staff to take a look at Portis as a wide out to see whether he can help the team that way. If he can, there's still enough time in the season to start getting him accustomed to that role.

All right now, Terpsters. We are looking real bad right now(rightfully so.) We need to support our squad. As bad as I feel about the kitchen appliance and his toasters, we still have a full season ahead. I know it looks bad but I still have my child and all the other parent's kids on this squad. Imagine them not having support from us, the Terp Nation? We know the problem here is fixable, talent is everywhere. Bit my lip saying this, Go Terps, get it together. For all the parents sufferin', I feel your pain. Hang in there. Go Terps!!

I don't thinkg Maryland has not hired a football coach that has head coaching experience since Claiborne. However in other sports, Yow has been adamant about hiring coaches with head coaching experience. Maybe that should be the goal, hire someone with the experience that is proven. I have always liked Fridge, I like the idea of hiring an alum, even with Gary, but at some point, you need to move on. Neither of them is cutting it anymore.

Without a QB, we can't win. Steffy is not the answer and neither is Turner. Portis has talent, but Fridge won't take the leash off. And with Fridge thinking you need 2 - 3 years in his "complicated" system, we never will get a good QB to come to Md. Va. Tech will play a young QB, and so will Fla. State to name several in the ACC who play young QB's. Josh had it right about Jeremy Ricker, a highly recruited that soured on the Terps when he saw that he would not be allowed to play for 3 years or so. Portis is supposed to be one of the best athletes on the team. Give him the ball and let's see what he can do. It can't get any worse. Go Terps!

Been a terps fan since Bobby Ross. I have never seen a more pathetic effort from a Terp team ever. I can't figure out if it's the players, coaching or just both. This I do know for sure. The Fridge won with other coaches recruits when he came here and has not won with his own recruits. That my friends is a fact. Maryland fans deserve a better product. I'm sick of the excuses. Are we forever going to be a second rate football program, with the excuse that it is too hard to recruit the good ones here to Maryland? Maryland football fans it's time to rise up and demand change!

I do not believe MTSU has better talent then the Terps. But the coaches certainly had them better prepared and motivated to win the game.

Shame on Ralph and his staff for that.

Shame on an "O" line that outweighed its opponents by 58 pounds on average, but got pushed around.

Shame on a "D" that couldnt beat a young, inexperienced "O" line and put any pressure on the QB.

Shame on the coaches who did not make the right adjustments to win the game.

Most embarassing loss in Fridgen era, definitely.

Lets see what kind of pride this senior laden team has this coming saturday.

Living in florida it is hard enough being a Maryland fan since even our 7th best team can beat the Terps, but this has got to be the worst defeat in my lifetime (class of 93). It is so frustrating how a major college football team can't figure a way to get the ball to one of the fastest men in football (dhb). I watch the gators and they find any way to get their playmakers the ball. Just watch Harvin, running, receiving, punt returns, kickoffs they make sure he gets plenty of touches. So yes I think it is time for a change in College Park and whether the Fridge can make that change away from his complicated offense or a new coach needs to come in only time will tell but the clock is ticking.

I was certainly envious of how the MTS players were enjoying themselves and how motivated they looked;the Terps looked like they were just doing a job and satisfied the coaches were'nt screaming at them about their lackluster play.This team needs some vocal leaders on the field to pump some life into their play.The Fridge is wearing me out about all the qb drama.I actually believe he's lost his mojo on his program.Can he bring it back?Sure,but that's up to him to inject a winning attitude on these players.It's obvious to me something is wrong so far.We have good players but their enthusiasm stinks in my book for being Div.1 college players.

Seriously Don, you are going to call Middle Tennessee a below average team? How about giving the Blue Raiders a little more credit and stop taking cheap knocks on a good program just b/c they beat your team from start to finish. MTSU's program and it's conference continues to get stronger while teams like Maryland & Virginia have no business looking down their nose @ teams like MTSU from the Sun Belt Conference. MTSU dominated the game against the Terps and it was really not even close. MTSU also dominated last year's ACC darling Virginia until they kicked a field goal in the last second to steal a victory, so MTSU deserves a lot more credit than you have given. The only real question that remains is if the ACC schools will run scared and refuse to play us again like Vanderbilt did.

Hey I just want to make it simple to everyone who saw the game yesterday, one quarterback made may mistakes and one QB moved the ball. I didn't see nothing from Chris Turner that would even make me think that he would be a second string QB for anybody in the country. If Ralph calls himself a coach then be a coach and put the best man in the game no matter what quarter you are in. He is down to one more QB and if Josh doesn't start the next game the Terps will get there asses spanked for the rest of the season. Hell even a little league coach can figure that out.

If the Terps don't miraculously turn it around and win at least 8 games this year (including the one they already have), it's time to replace the Fridge. A 7-5 record might get them to the Congressional Bowl, but it isn't enough, on the heels of 3 losing records in 4 years. When Friedgen was riding high, he set a realistic goal: to be a perennial Top 25 team. Jerry Claiborne did it and Bobby Ross did it. No reason it can't be done again, but it's just not happening with the current staff.

I am from MD but I went to MTSU for college and still live in Murfreesboro. I am a huge Terp fan anytime they play except last Saturday. The Blue Raiders come first to me because I went to school there. I can tell you that the win is not like a Rose Bowl to us. Don't get me wrong, we greatly enjoy beating an ACC team, but most people here thought Troy was a better team than MD even before we played the game. We are also playing other BCS teams like Kentucky, Louisville, and Mississippi St. and I would rather have a win against Kentucky or Louisville than MD. Besides that, if Middle doesn't win the SunBelt then they can't go to a bowl and the win over MD is pointless.
As for this being the worst loss in MD history... it may very well be on a name recognition basis. But you didn't lose to a "bad" team. MTSU has been getting continuously better over the last few years and the SunBelt as a whole has been picking up BCS wins too. It's only a matter of time before the SunBelt is on the same level as C-USA and eventually the big east.
Middle Tennessee showed themselves to be a better team than Maryland on both sides of the ball. Maryland was totally dominated in every aspect of the game- even in line play. Being a Terp fan I hope they can get their act together and somehow beat Cal and win the ACC. Here's to dreams...

Worst loss ever would be ever losing to Duke in football!

Most embarassing loss is the correct term.

But I can remember way back, way back when Tom Nugent was coach. In the late 60's Maryland had a team that couldn't score any points at all. They had the "human scoreboard" Bernardo Bramson, placekicker, who changed his jersey number to match the number of points he had scored for the season.

That was the most exciting part of the season, watching this guy change his jersey.

Please, God, don't let this season be compared to the late 1960's.

O-line and D-line were pathetic. A great coach once said you win and lose in the trenches.

Turner looked terrified and lost. Portis has talent but doesn't udnerstand the system.

Every year we hear how hard it is to learn Fridge's "system." The playbook is 4 inches thick. How is this helping us? Why not simplify it so we can actually get a talented QB who understands it???

Play calling is boring and obvious. We do not stretch the field so the DB's sit on our routes.

We have an awesome running game but we continue to force a passing game that is not working.

Not much reason for optimism. My only hope is that this program has won some big game one week after really bad defeats.

I was at the game last night. The coaches need to take fault not the kids. To me it was the worst play calling I have ever seen for a BCS school. What happened to the West Coast offense? The way they started they could have run the ball all night long. MTSU coaches were outstanding. They had the Terps off balance on both sides of the ball. Our defense was tired as we were three and out most of the time. The Terps offensive weapons were used very sparingly. There was no enthusiasm on the sideline. Shame on the coaches!

Hate to see a coach say they didn't have the team ready. What the heck do you do all week? That is all you do; is get the team ready. What I am seeing is not a team that wasn't ready for one game, but a program that has spiraled down to the point that they aren't prepared to compete at the major college level. The AD needs to ask some hard questions here, as to why the job isn't getting done. If they are at all serious about being competitive and building up the program there needs to be more accountability. Oh yeah, and some talent.

Yes i agree this is the worst defensed team i ever seen at maryland and for a team that surpose too have 3" good quarterbacks its unreal how 2 low rated team have better quarterbacks than we do.Got agree its got to be the coaching we surpose too better talent than ever but yet we have the worst teams i ever seen ......

Time to unplug the Fridge. Get a coach we can be proud of. Good recruiter, in decent shape, smart, and gets assistant coaches who can make the team better. Maybe somebody like Ron Vanderlinden! Think what would have been if he were given a few more years. Fridge was given a great team when he arrived and now look where we are! It took Beamer a decade at Virginia Tech to build the program!! Letting Vanderlinden go was as stupid as it gets.

Hard to say, but this was even worse than the 70-7 loss to State Penn back in 1993.
Fridge is done - the post-game quotes are straight from the dead-coach-walking handbook.
Turner is not the next Unitas, but he was never put into a position to succeed, either, and that is the coaching staff's fault.
Another nice night by Da'Rel Scott, but not much else.
The defense is still one of the worst two or three in the awful ACC, and it is showing no signs of improvement.
Time to pony up and go after Skip Holtz.

BY FAR, the worst terps game i have seen in the past few years. A game that i expected us to showcase a couple playmakers ends up being an embarassing performance. I can only hope things will be pulled together next week. Pray for the terps this season.

Fire Chris Cosh and the rest of the defensive coachse- should've been done two-years ago. I haven't seen an aggressive defense since Blackney was in town. Hire Blackney back and defrost the Fridge and let Franklin run the show- we will win with this formula.

I have been a Terp fan since 1970. I remember how the administration frustrated Bobby Ross with stadium improvements and Prop. 48 players etc. I remember the great Joe Kreivak taking over the program saying that he never saw a stadium improvement make a touchdown or win a game. I know Joe Kreivak and I told him that he would ruin the program in 5 years....Well he made me a liar and did it in just 3 years. This program under Ralph has fallen even farther below the Kreivak era. I'm lost here but if Ralph's 4 inch play book is so complicated then what the hell has he been coaching in practice because the plays I have seen the past 3 years a Pee Wee coach wouldn't call, Bland, Predictable and Unimaginative.

I wouldn't be too surprised to see players who have given a vocal commitment opt out after watching that "SLOP" Ralph put on the field Saturday evening. Should that happen then this program is screwed for years and we will be rebuilding as we did for Kreivak, Duffner and Vanderlinden.

The administration wants to increase ticket sales, Season Tickets, Terrapin Club membership, M Club membership and sell the Sky Boxes...Well I got news for ya sparkey coming to Byrd Stadium and watching the kind of "SLOP"Ralph has produced the past 3 years ain't going to cut it any longer. If the fans really want to get Debbie Yow's ear then they have to let the administration know that they will not support this kind of miserable performance from the coaching staff if they expect us to continue to purchase tickets or join support clubs.

More importantly Ralph has let down his team by creating a quarterback controversy because he has feelings for a certian player and failing to use his best players on the field both offense and defense and with lousy offensive play calling and "Stupid" Defensive sets...Cosh should have been let go after last season.

I'm a long time TERP SUPPORTER but I'm just about to let go of my 15 season tickets and my membership in the Terrapin Club!! If Maryland wants my commitment.....Then they have to begin to show me commitment from them. Pathetic Slop!

Man, watching that game was depressing. The Terps were totally dominated on both sides of the ball. Outplayed. Out coached. As I watched the game slip away, I kept thinking we might get one more big play like Scott's run or the screen to Heyward-Bey, but it was not to be. Outside of those two plays, the game was painful to watch. Yes, this was the most disappointing loss of the Fridge era. And it's only going to get worse. He can't recruit and the play calling is clueless. Poor talent and dumb play calling = a putrid team. I can't believe we can't get one good QB in 7 years. Or an offense that works.

Goodbye Fridge, it was nice knowing you. Drop us a postcard.

You guys forget the other big problem, we have no kicker. How many times does he need to kick the upright before Fridge goes with someone else? He's overly loyal. It's also pretty obvious they went very plain vanilla with their D trying to just do base defense until they realized they were going to lose. I'm not surprised by this game considering we were pretty close to losing last week as well. I think the most exciting part of next week's game will be seeing Kyle Boller somewhere in the stadium.

Fridge has been exposed: I thought this man was supposed to be an offensive genius. The offense is predictable, no downfield threat. Blew Turners confidence by telling everyone that 60% of the team favors Steffy. Whines about a "trap" game. Remember the Steve Slayton debacle?

I have followed the Marylandprogram for years. It seems from all the quotes above, that many fans/supporter's feel as I do.
Against MTSU, Maryland was not prepared, out coached and downright PATHETIC!!
Changes have to be made in both the football and basketball programs.....and I have confidence in Debbie Yow to make those changes in the coming year.

Bring back Bobby Ross!!!!

I was at the game, MD was totally flat from the opening kickoff, we sat in row 10 behind the MD bench, there apeared to be no energy in the team. MTSU looked sharp in practice and it carried onot the field in their first possession. We have talent and speed and there was no excuse for either line to outplayed like they were. CAL may melt the scoreboard.

Without question, the consecutive season opening game loses at home to Villanova, the first in 1970, 21-3 and the following year 28-13. Yes, 'Nova had Mike Siani at wideout (he would finish his pro career with Colts 1977-80) and yes, each UM team went 2-9, but these were season-opening loses at home, out-of-conference, with regional recruiting implications, and helped bring to an early end the once-promising Roy Lester era at College Park. Lester could recruit, having great relationships with DC-area high school coaches in particular, but it would take an incoming D-Coordinator from Colorado and fomer VA Tech head coach, Jerry Claiborne, to take this inherited talent base to new levels and ACC championships, to include a 24-24 tie at NC State his first game, 1972 Season, against another first-year head coach at State, some clown named Lou Holtz.

Blah Blah Blah. Maryland is not allowed to lose to MTSU and if they do, the coach must go. It's really very simple.

I wonder if Gary Moore ( 9-7-08, 8:55 PM) is a Maryland English grad.....

As a terrapin alum and a man who has followed the terps for 40 yrs,I am disgusted.I emailed Fridgen last year complaining about the woeful clock management in several games.nothing has changed this year.(note Wake's skillful use of the clock in their win against Ole Miss) we were out of timeouts early in the 4th.these little thinga are a symptom of the general mess with this program.we need a Jim Grobe,HELP

Ray-- was wondering the same thing about Tom, 09/08 at 1:30 a. Claims to "know Joe Kreviak" (sic), yet cannot manage once to spell "Krivak" correctly even once in three attempts. Suspect next he will tell us, like Joe, he played 0-line at Syracuse (Joe was center) and blocked for Jim Brown .

BTW Tom-- got a news flash for you-- Brit Kirwan's blindside sandbag job on Joe after the 1991 season (which we knew was going to be rough at best, this being the thin senior class recruited in the wake of the Len Bias mess) is what ensured the next decade of UM football misery.... We were told to graduate players and keep the Terps off the front page of the Washington Post and in the sports section, which Joe did (while also managing that historic 13-13 tie against Penn State in Baltimore, which just might be the best executed gameplan I have ever seen), but in the final analysis, we just didn't win enough games, period. Brit being the son of a former KY head football coach should have know better. University Presidents are about as dependable as Athletic Directors... put me in the same foxhole with Joe Krivak any day....

Ever since Charlie Taffe and Gary Balckney left, and Ralph inexplicably replaced the agressive style of Blackney with this grabage bend but don't break nonsense from the unproven Chris cosh, and now the past it's prime west coast offense, instead of the aggressive attacking offense we used to run, this team has gone down hill. Add to thast Ralph's irrational love of Jordan Steffy, and this program is in big trouble. Debbie Yow should have Skip Holtz's number on speed dial.

Ray, I don't think that you have a Phd. to be a Terrapin fan. Maryland fans come from a very large scope of people, shapes, sizes and educational backgrounds, Mr. Moore cared enough about his team to post a comment I think his opinion should be respected not poked fun at.

Searching for someone with head coaching experience? Look no further than Skip Holtz. He will be coaching at a BCS school next year. Maybe even in College Park.

Gack...cough..wheeze...
This is a complicated offense? Maybe the "fridge" should take a few cubes out of the ice trays and just run the ball. This cuts down on throwing the ball to the other team more than you throw to your own.
Time to replace the "fridge" with a model that actually works. the guy can't recruit, can't call plays with a playbook that takes three years to understand. And yet the competition understands in just one game.
The program has been going downhill for the last three years..
It's a waste of time to watch this.
This fan has had enough, until something changes, coaching wise, I'll find something else to do.
Is it me or is the "fridge" getting bigger? This guy has overstayed his welcome and eaten his way into the record books for more than what he did with someone else's recruits. He's taking the program to new lows..no more excuses. Time to go "Fat Man" !!

I remember a 70-7 thumping put on us by Penn State in 1993....oops Ralph was in the NFL coaching at that time. Worst loss was the beating Florida provided us in the Orange Bowl in 2002. We simply do not have the players, and it appears that Ralph has not scouted good talent. I really fear this weekend could be the worst we ever seen when Cal comes here. At least we do not have to worry about losing to American University at home in football......yet.

Okay, ladies and gentlement...now for THE worst game of Fridgen's career: it happened last night against Florida State.

A manager with P&L responsibilities who racked up a track record of losing "the little ones" could expect to have at a minimum "woodsheds" with the division president, followed up with an "achieve or find another line of work" chiding.

I fear this isn't happening with any team at Maryland. I've long since suspected that it's more important to be a Maryland alum than a winning coach. Or, like Brenda Fries, you're held to a higher standard than the Maryland alums.

Terrible to think Maryland is running their version of a Melwood janitorial contract with their men's football and basketball programs.