i've defended Ralph for a long time as this program has slipped year by year. i don't know if its recruiting or coaching them up, once they're in CP, but something has gone terribly wrong.

i'd think this season should be his "victory" lap, except i have no confidence in Franklin as his successor.

Stop it Fridge... the buck stops with you my friend, and this season has already turned into a complete disaster. At least we can rest well knowing that our coach in waiting is on the staff of the very team we are upset about.

Well Fridge maybe this might bother you: That loss will cost lots of money in the stands-you going to put those skybox seats on fire sale?

This is getting to the point of nowhere, why even bother....Fridge sure serves up drama...loses games he should win...wins many he should lose....causes controversies that shouldn't ever come up (Steffy v Turner)...putting a lot of food on his plate....literally and mentioning that he might coach after 2012...hah...lets see about that ralph. Maybe by then you could get those "regional rival games" goin as in "Morgan State, Johns Hopkins, Frostburg State, ......

Ralph's stated goal after his first couple of seasons was to keep Maryland in the Top 25 on a regular basis, and to make noise nationally when the pieces aligned. While it's excusable to have a down year every once in a while, the pattern over the past several years is not okay. A good year now means a nice upset victory (@ Clemson, Cal, etc.) 7-5 and a minor bowl game. Not good enough for the "up" part of the cycle.

Ralph is a Terp through and through, and we have to applaud all he's done. But this dance is over.

Was ticked the week before and left just into the third quarter of the JMU "win"...Was stupid enough to come back this past week for...this??? While we have good, no great, skill players they can do nothing without those who battle in the trenches. Played enough to know that the biggest and strongest defensive and offensive linemen get the job done. Yeah our lines may look better but the big loads from Cal, JMU and MTSU pushed us all over the place. Wait till the beef from Clemson, FSU and NC state shows up. Unless we luck out and get the Randy White, Boomer Esiason, Shawne Merriman we are in for it. Been coming to CP for 34 years for the same old crap just better looking crap every 10-12 years for a few...no more! Thanks for the memories, I mean, NIGHTMARES!

Bad , bad game - last year MId Tn beat the Terps - this year they beat themselves. I will say if the Terps put forth this kind of effort last year they would have won as they lost last year because of effort this year becuase of turnovers and poor defensive play. I put the blame on this season on many fronts - poor recruiting for line-men - regardless of how many they recruited and failed on that is just poor personel management. You can coach kids up but they have to execute and three turnovers yesterday were on the players and one was a fluke interception. Poor and unagressive play calling when the strength of the offense is your skill players - find ways to get them the ball quickly out in open space. Young defense with a new coordinator = alot of yards and points. I do not think they will be going to a bowl this year - Wins against Rutgers, Duke and UVA at this point look like 50/50% shots - BC, Wake and NC State look like possible but not likely victories and VT, Fla St and Clemson - no way. It seems like ever since Fridge gave up the option or lost faith in running it after that BC miscue - or had someone to execute it - our offense has never been the same.

Sad loss - the program is in a bad place right now. I do not see this getting better this year. Maybe they learn from this and next year we try again - but then we have no tested QB and that is the new excuse.

It is a shame to know that we are better than Middle TN but we lose two games to them both for different reasons.

Inexcusable.

Fridge says we need to get tough and start doing this the right way - very telling statement - should have been tough all along and doing it the right way all along.

First time I have ever said anything negative about Freidgen and the team. Very frustrating.

Ralph has done a lot for the Terp program. He was able to win big games (with the players brought in by the previous coaching staff) and make maryland football the place to be on a Saturday. However with all good things it's time for Ralph to join Bobby Ross and retire. The team is in free fall. Even former players who are on the radio are calling for his ouster.

It is very sad to come to the realization that the coach, a really great guy, is the one who is holding the program back. I am not asking for the Orange Bowl every year, just be able to beat a school that spends alot less on their program than we do. The Terps look so pathetic. Ralph has become the King of Excuses.
Franklin is not an offensive genius and the Defensive Coordinator is a joke. I hope they lose every remaining game this year and then, finally, get a good coach.

I haven't heard or seen any former players suggesting fridgen to be let go. Anybody know who these players are?

you know,a lot of folks who have complained about us "whiners' the last couple of years have used the rationale that we are expecting the terps to be like the Floridas and Bamas of the world.My reply is that "hell yeah we should be,why not"? If you look at thing logically,there are no dynasties in college football anymore.Look at Florida between Spurier and Meyer,they were ok at best.Alabama between Stallings and Sabin were pretty average.Heck,USC before Pete Carroll were not that special.I could go on and on.Look at the former doormats of the world,Wake,Texas Tech,Boise State,TCU,etc.These guys havn't been pushovers for years.The common denominator in this tale is the coaching staff.Gone are the days when players automatically go to Notre Dame,Penn St,Oklahoma,etc.A good coaching staff can lure good players or make average players good.Ralph is a terp and always will be,but the guy gets paid millions to conduct beat downs on Div1AA,not lose to them,or get blown out bt a good(not great) Cal team.Minnesota showed their weaknesses.Its time for a change,go terps.

SteveMick, the Terps don't have to lose every game the rest of the year to get a new coach. Barring an astounding turnaround (which isn't in the cards), Ralph is as good as gone already. Debbie Yow sees the same things we all do. I'm with you and Eric and Mason (maybe we need to have this conversation over a pint at Connelly's Sports Bar): Ralph is a great guy and a Terp through and through; but he has hit a plateau. I hope Franklin can bring the energy needed to get the program rolling again.

Some of Ralph's analysis' after losing games have become stale and sound more like bad reflections on his coaching staff whether he knows it or does'nt care.When he mentions the kids are still playing hard 3 games into the season raises a warning flag in my head that the season may be getting away from him;anybody see my point,here?Anyway,I said on this blog right before the season started that the offense would have to keep putting points on the board-almost every drive!- to pull out the wins.I stand by that statement and hope the injuries won't complicate an allready tenuous for the defense.The senior leadership on this year's team have a big challenge to handle right now;and that's to help their team play better-no matter who's plugged in playing on the field.

Smitty,do you really think that Franklin is the guy to turn this puppy around? I am thinking that a thorough housecleaning and anothe do over mat be required.

Ahh...you posters are probably the same ones calling for Gary's head this time last year, only to be singing his praises in the other forum recently for putting together a Top 5 2010 recruiting class.

I, for one, can see past just the past few weeks and can appreciate that the Terps beat more ranked opponents than any team in the country last year and have played multiple New Years Day bowl games under Ralph's relatively short watch. Having been a long time MD fan who remembers the incredibly dark pre-Fridge era, those accomplishments -- in my mind -- give him a whole lot more leeway than you "grass is always greener" types. My guess is that the athletic department is of the same mindset.

"Even former players who are on the radio are calling for his ouster."

I assume you are referring to Lamont Jordan. Last season, Lamont Jordan was on the radio bitching about Friedgen (who he never played for) after the 2008 MTSU loss (I can't believe I have to qualify that with which year it was). Jordan said Mike Lockseley should have been hired instead of Friedgen in 2001.

That's funny though, because Lockseley just got a head coaching gig at New Mexico and is stinking up the place. Also funny how Jordan was saying how terrible it was to lose to MTSU last year. He was the RB for Maryland when they lost that game to Ohio U in 97...

Jeff,
Any reason why our all-ACC punter can't angle towards the sidelines on kicks? Every single one of his punts is right down the middle of the field and half of them seemingly are returned 20+ yds. Seems like 35 yd punt with 0 return is much better than a 45 yd punt with 10+ yards of return no?

i think we should let the team walk home from duke if we lose.maybe ralph should spend more time recruiting and coaching and stop worrying about flights or busses.

Bob Terp in NC:
I agree, with one exception. Maryland may never have the history and tradition or the draw of an Alabama or Florida. I don't see us ever having the jersey draw of a Notre Dame, USC, etc. BUT, as a program that has expanded its football budget since the fat man came to town, how is it we can't hold our own against those with similar resources and blow away those without? Fridge has long complained that he doesn't have the facilities to compete. Talk to anyone who travelled to Cal for the opener. We got pasted by a team playing in a 90 year old stadium that hasn't been touched. We narrowly beat JMU and lost to MTSU, both teams that have a budget roughly equivalent to the Maryland synchronized swimming teams.

I attended MD when Duff & Vandy were trying to turn the program around. I remember a lack of optimism, but we could always score points. When the offensive mastermind came to town and started winning 10 games per season, I thought we had found our native son and savior. It's time to face facts. He can't reel in the top in-state recruits and the offense is plagued by inconsistency and mistakes. His protege and successor has done no better to right the offense.

Time to face facts. Settle for mediocrity or get someone with the energy to win back this state's talent and keep them in state.

The player(s) I heard onthe radio 1300 in Baltimore on Monday night calling for Ralph to leave now was former all ACC, best return man we have had in a long time, names posted on the upper deck at Byrd "Steve Suter". His words...not mine.

Hey Frederick Terp,I agree with you 100%,well said.I was not necessarily saying that we can be like Fla and Bama,only that we can be competitive with these boys.If you look at the rosters of great coaches,players come from everywhere.Players want to play for great coaches no matter where they live.While I was a student many years before you,I too remember the 90's and things are starting to remind me of those days.They pulled the plug on Vandy after 4 yrs if memory serves and I too thought the Fridge hiring was the 2nd coming.I thought we would become quaterback U and our offensive schemes would amaze the nation.Alas,here we are.And to Wayne,I am one of the guys who called for Gary's head last year.I think its time for him to retire too.Open your rose colored eyes man and tell me he hasn't lost a lot of his mojo as well.After what he made of this program 10 years ago,we should be a hoops powerhouse ,not a NIT or 1 and done in the dance every year.Go Terps,Clean House,pay these millions to coaches who will do us proud.