don't think it makes sense to keep ralph with 2 yrs left on his contract and clean house with the assistants. best thing is to buy out ralph and franklin and bring in new leadership. maybe brian billick.

I am a huge Friedgen supporter, but if the Terps lose to BC I believe they finish with the worst record in the history of the program, correct? I hate to say it, but that would have to put the nail in the coffin for Ralph.

Hey jeff when they fire ralph, you will have to find somebody else to be a apollogist for.

Go w/ Robinson, forget thanks. Its not personal its business. Starting Turner would be a big mistake & pass on the wrong message to the team.

Let Chris start the game, as long as he is OK to do so. He is a senior and deserves it. Maybe play a few series.

Then let Jamarr take over. Kid looked really good against FSU. And he needs all the real game experience he can get to be ready for next September.

I'm with CerealBlogger here. Turner contributed, and was an asset to the team, but he's not a stand out greatest-ever kind of player that needs to be thanked in a game that has record book implications (in the bad way). I think Robinson is the way to go here. Even if you're on the fence about Robinson's ability to lead the team to a win in the BC game, you have to concede that one more start for him this year will help with prep for next year.

But, Fridge is not a businessman when it comes to this team. I think he cares more about feelings and team morale than winning. My prediction is that Turner starts if he's physically able.

I vote to keep Ralph another year. For one, I don't think he should be bought out of his contract. But I'm not sure Ralph bears all the blame for the fumbles and the terrible passes Turner through. Do think Ralph needs to can one or two of his assistant coaches. That 3-man rush on Florida State's last drive was idiotic and a stupid coaching decision.

On the other hand, J. Robinson should have been playing earlier. Ralph stays too long with his favorites, even if they are playing badly. Robinson is already proving that he is the guy next year.

And the Terrapins will beat Boston College and even more, it won't be close.

I feel sorry for the players. They played their butts off against FSU. For the coaches to go to prevent and not make the calls to get a first down is disgraceful! You are 2-7 with the lead on the road. Make calls to win the game. We need and deserve a change. GO TERPS!!

Sad thing is - after a decade, we are right back where we started - and in fact, with this ridiculous guarantee to a nobody like Franklin to be Coach - we are actually several steps further back. Maryland football may be too much a non-entity for anyone to revive

Someone is clearly getting fired at the end of the season - the only question is if it's part of the staff (read: James Franklin) or if Fridge and the whole crew are let go. The results on the field are bad, no doubt, but I have yet to see anyone answer the question: if Fridge is fired, then what?

With the Notre Dame job likely open in the next few weeks, and the domino-effect that filling that vacancy will cause, Maryland will be way down on the list as far as landing a "great" new coach. Plus, even though things are going awry on the field, the program is still in remarkably better shape than 10 or 15 years ago. I have yet to see any convincing case, though, that firing Friedgen at this point will improve things.

I do hope that Ralph gets at least one more season, but if not, Ms. Yow and co. had better have a really, really good plan to get the program turned around.

The guys played hard this year. You have to give the coaches credit for keeping the kids up during a bad year.

How did things get so bad?
1. young offensive line
2. game changing running back gets hurt
3. senior quarterback has a so-so year
4. graduated 30 seniors last year
The core of this team will be back with a year of experience. They will contend for the Atlantic Division next year.

Rumors are everywhere of Ralph's demise and I'm all for that if it includes Franklin. That deal for HCIW should have never been made in the first place if Yow had gone back and reviewed his credentials and Yow should be gone if for nothing else, making tat deal.

For the love of God will this administration PLEASE take it's time in a screening process to find the right coach for this job and stop taking advce from Dan Snyder? Former Southern Mississippi coach Jeff Bower would be on my list but who ever gets this job he has got to come with great offensive and defensive assistants and provide some stability for this program as does the athletic department. We have a chance to do the right thing for once, interview intereste coaches and not only ask them where they an take the Terps but the prospective coaches have to ask the athletic department "How much are you going to back me?" Ralph was a bluff and his ego stood in his way thinking that after other coaches recruits and Blackney and Taffee built that program that he could continue that's why we are where we are now, that's why no other school ever gave him a chance.

Please compile a list of interested coaches and take your time finding the right man for the job. I love this school and from the heart it has hurt me year after year to watch it flounder when it should have been competitive with almost any program in the country.

Fridge will stay, Franklin will stay, Brown will stay. A new head recruiter will be named, and a few other non-"head" coaches will be released.

Give Turner the start no matter what, he definitely deserves it. He doesn't have to get even as many as 50% of the snaps if he's healthy. But give him a chance to get an appropriate senior quarterback send off.

If he can't actually play they should still let him go out there and take a snap (take a knee or throw it away).

I think Fridge should stay. Based on his .600 winning percentage and all the great things he's done here, he deserves one more year to turn things around. But if 2010 is as horrible as 2009, I think he'll be gone after that. I don't think any schools out there would tolerate 2 straight 10 loss seasons (or anything worse than 7-8 losses for that matter).

You have to play Robinson now. Win or lose he is the future.

Turner had his moments but very few wins this year.

Whats the obsession with some about Billick as HC? Never happen. He's not interested. You cant pay him enough. He hasnt coached college in 20 years - certainly the culture hasd changed. Is he willing to commit himself long-term?

If and I say its a pretty big UF Chris can play - you give him the first series as a curtain call and thank you and play Jamaar. Why risk CT getting permanently hurt? I cant believe he's fully recovered from his injury. At this point Jamaar gives us our best chance to win. He is our future for next year.

RF wants a chance to come back and prove he can turn things around and go out a winner. By doing nothing - it almost forces the University to let him coach since they cant afford the buyout. OK - I can live with that - I'd love to see RF go out in a positive way considering all the good he's done for the football program - BUT - things have to change. First his attitude. Be more fan and media friendly. Lighten up and enjoy the game again. Sto pcoaching to not lose - coach to win. Start taking full responsibility - like the LSU and Notre Dame coaches have the past few days. Man up and your fans will respect you. Do whats right for the program when it comes to some of the assistants he's been too loyal to for too long and arent getting the job done - its about the program first.
If Franklin is taking over eventually then let Franklin bring in some new assistants. Time to start transitioning from RF over to Franklin. And in order for Franklin to stick around (another fine mess youve guranteed us into, Debbie Yow) then recruiting talent coming in next year RS freshman and incoming freshman have to produce. Period. We need to see some game changer type capability. Especially on defense and both lines. If it isnt there then recruiting isnt getting done and/or coaching isnt being done.

Talk to the players and thier parents. Find someone who can get an honest response and feel for their willingness to play for RF and this coaching staff. Take Yow and anyone associated directly with out of the equation. Perhaps call in some former players to check the pulse of this team when it comes to their coaching leadership.

Start catering to your everyday fan who isnt going to buy a luxury box. Take care of the loyal masses that feed the program over time. When sales are poor - you have to work harder - not just spam everyone with sdnail mail and emails.

How did things go bad? Poor planning and decisions by Ralph. You don't go 2 - 10 in the ninth year of your program if you have a clue as to how to run a football program. Face it, Ralph won with another coach's players and an excellent coaching staff - he is losing with his own players and a sub-par coaching staff.

Brian Billick ???? please-- with his ego - does anyone really think he would make an effort to recruit. Plus if you hate our offensive game plan now . Billick works for field goals not TD's.
Terps need innovation - no more division 2 coaches .
With Boomers contacts and all of the other ex-terps in the pro's -there ought to be a committee to find the right talent. With Rutgers, Navy, and Temple programs all on the upswing and working out of the same recruiting area we can't wait too long to take positive action !

Well said Terps06. I think you've echoed many of the sentiments that most Terp fans would express right now.

I'd like to see the administration give Friedgen another year to turn this around. But we need to see major improvements next year and no more excuses.

Ralph F should be given the extra year and allowed to go out a winner...Franklin should not have been hired and should be paid and replaced..Brown evidently was a bad hire...replace....let Ralph call the plays again..and call them in the manner he always called plays..to win not loose....and have a rational approach to finding Ralph's replacement within normal guidelines instead of the "rushed" situation ....

As for the statement that "Rutgers, Navy, and Temple programs all on the upswing and working out of the same recruiting area we can't wait too long to take positive action!"

There are plenty of reasons Maryland football needs changes, but that is about the very last one, if at all. Rutgers was "on the rise" in 2007 and has sputtered since. Navy is a service academy and is not ever going to compete very much in recruiting. And Temple will be mediocre again in a few years when either the fluke wears off or their entire staff take new better jobs elsewhere after consistently winning.

Pat - you are right it took planning to get as bad as Ralph has gotten the Terps. A once proud program is now at the bottom of of the heap. It will be difficult for another coach to do as bad as Ralph.

Those who bleed red gold black and white cannot wait another year, they will be exsanguinated. Fire Ralph now ... please.

Brian Billick? Wasn't he finally told by the Ravens ownership to have someone besides him call the offensve plays or be fired? RIGHT! Exactly what we need. Have you people forgotten how generic Ralph's play calling was when he took over the offensive co-ordinators job?

Hey charles sr, What makes you think Ralph would go out a winner if given an extra year? He has had losing records 4 of the last 6 years. His overall record for that period is 35-37. His ACC record for the same period is 19-28. His assistants are, with the excepyion of 2, sub-par. His recruiting is awful and the current talent level is below sea level.

Hey TheWiseProfessor, you nailed it - you don't just get this bad - it took planning and a massive ego. Ralph's MY WAY has been proved to be THE WRONG WAY and all but for Ralph and a few misguided souls realize that. Ralph's just like the Thanksgiving turkey will be in a few hours - DONE!

There is no doubt this has been a disappointing season in College Park. But Fridge's overall record at Maryland - six bowl games in nine years after a 20 year stint with just one bowl appearance prior to his arrival - gets him one more year. Most programs have peaks and valleys. Maryland lost 31 players to graduation last season, a season that saw them finish one game from winning the ACC and a season in which the program knocked off four top 20 teams. This was an incredibly young team that was beset by injuries from the start. Besides, Franklin is simply not the guy and Maryland cannot afford to buy them both out. .

I will add I almost can't stop laughing at the people who bring up Brian Billick. Did ANY of you watch his play calling in Baltimore? It just goes to show you how short the memories of most "fans" are. That would include the success Fridge has had rebuilding Maryland's program from its dark days.

He gets one more year to leave on a winning note.

How quickly people forget. The mid sixties were the worst time of the Terp football team. We went through a series of poor coaches - Bob Ward, Roy Lester - Richard Montgomery High School, Rockville, Maryland coach. Then Jerry Caliborne arrived and we got to go a Bowl Game - The Gator Bowl and we thought we were in football heaven. As a long time football ticket holder, Terp Club and MGN member, the worst thing to do now would be to fire Ralph Friedgen. Want to fire someone fire Franklin. He has not proven he can walk on football water. ESPN Sports Network recently said the idea of a "coach in waiting" was STUPID, STUPID. So how many of these so called "fan" calling for the coaches head have been to every game, sat in the rain and rooted to the bitter end this year - and most important - supported the team with their money. Probably none of you. You probably don't even have season tickets and would not buy them or join the sports boosters but you will be very vocal. So remember not every year can be perfect sometimes it does have to rain and out of the bad will come a stronger team that will rise like a Phoenix and be a bowl winner. Remember 6 bowl games - Orange, Peach, Gator, Champs, San Francisco, and Boise since 2001 is a pretty strong record. We have the team, we have the Coach, get on board fans prove you are the 12th man on the team and support the coach. KEEP THE FRIDGE. We have a team of young men we can be proud of and not many teams today can say that. KEEP THE FRIDGE, KEEP THE FRIDGE, KEEP THE FRIDGE!!!!!!!!!

Temple may be a "fluke right now" as one poster stated however, that "fluke" would bruise & batter the Terps up & down the field today. Too bad ol' Ralphie can't even be a fluke himself...he's a has been.
It's also comical to see all these justifactions for poor records vs. JMU & all the other small to mid majors. Ralph play PennSt., play Ohio St., play Pittsburgh or W.Virginia...let's see how your game plans & recruiting efforts stand up to the big guys. Face it, you play a pansie schedule & you still get whacked...see ya!

The mediocrity of the Terps both football and basketball is based simply on the coaches ability to recruit. Both Ralph and Gary are proven coaches but lack the personality to draw top recruits. Simply put MD or any program will not win without the players that can perform. The lack of depth on the offensive line filled with freshman and sophmores is due to the inability to attract the better talent and keep them. Ralph's inability to keep top local talent in state and draw any above average talent from out of state will always be the issue with MD. It has been this way for years and it's easy to understand why the top local talent see's MD as just average, so why not go to Florida, Penn St., VA Tech, and other proven programs where you at least will be with a winning program. Until MD can draw top talent it will always remain mediocre.