"I've been down this road before"
Quarterback Chris Turner says he's been here before -- on a team that seemed to be going nowhere.
It was November 2007, and the Terps were 1-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference following a 16-13 loss to an inexperienced, turnover-prone North Carolina team that hadn't previously beaten Maryland since 2000.
It looked like Maryland had no shot the following week against Matt Ryan-led Boston College -- particularly since the Terps' offensive line had major injury problems.
"We came back and beat Boston College when they were (eighth) in the country," Turner said this week. "I've been down this road before and I'm just trying to preach that to a lot of the guys that it just takes one game."
Is Turner reaching here? There are few games that have surprised me more than that one at Boston College, won by the Terps, 42-35. I believe Maryland is capable of improvement this season. But I'm not sure the progress will be as dramatic as that memorable, one-week turnaround in 2007.
Comments
What else is he going to say? He may be reaching, but he's trying to lead a very young team and keep them positive and looking forward. If he says anything less we would be complaining that he had given up and was failing to live up to his leadership responsibilities. Realistically, I doubt we will have a game similar to the BC one, but I think Turner is doing what he needs to do in terms of leadership.
----from Jeff------
I think you're right
Posted by: TerpsFan | October 1, 2009 11:09 AM
A loss to Clemson means his career at MD is over, that a younger QB should play and build for next year. He can say nothing else. He had his chance and he has let the Terps down. He is a strange
player. He has shown flashes of brilliance but he makes too many mistakes. Bottom line-he is not a winner.
Posted by: stevemck | October 1, 2009 11:52 PM
I agree in essence with stevemck, but I don't think that Turner will get benched even if we get blown out in every game remaining in our season. Remember, Ralph has created QB controversy before when there was no need for it...namely with the Steffy issue. Hill, who is now running the 49'ers, wasn't a Fridge recruit, and McBrien - who transferred of his own desire to UMD - wasn't recruited by Fridge either. We've been in a QB issue of one sort or another ever since. We lost Josh Portis, probably the most talented and athletic QB we've seen at MD in many, many years. Portis should've been the QB who was groomed...well, at least before he messed up with the cheating issue. I don't know how you let a highly recruited Florida QB just slip through your program...it just boggles the mind. I went through all that to say, Fridge isn't a good recognizer of talent...just ask Steve Slaton.
Posted by: terps95 | October 2, 2009 11:20 AM
I predict a good game out of Turner today.The young man will give it his best shot and he's a winner. He actually has to run this year which is'nt his specialty at all.If the guy had a line like Fla.St. he would be all ACC but enough of the what ifs.........we have rebiulding and one win,so far.
Posted by: Dan R. | October 3, 2009 9:05 AM