Here is the latest, folks. Much of this will appear in my story for Monday's paper, but wanted to get it to you now.
--More bad news: punter Travis Baltz awoke to find his non-kicking foot still badly swollen. Coach Friedgen said Baltz, an all-Atlantic Coast Conference player who was hit after a first-quarter punt, will be out at least two weeks.
Field-goal kicker Nick Ferrara is Baltz’s likely replacement, although Friedgen said he is concerned about placing too much of a load on the freshman.
--After reviewing video of the game, Friedgen says his players didn’t give up despite watching a competitive game dissolve into a fourth-quarter rout.
“I still don’t see it as lack of effort,” Friedgen said. “I thought our defense played really, really well until the end of the game. Their intensity and their execution was remarkable.”
Maryland held Rutgers to 129 yards total offense through three quarters. The Terps appeared to seize momentum with their defense in the third quarter. Trailing 13-10, the Scarlet Knights elected to go on fourth and goal from the one. Running back Jourdan Brooks was stood up by linebackers Alex Wujciak and Adrian Moten and lost a yard. Wujciak sprinted 30 yards downfield to celebrate after the play.
But the Terps were slowed by two penalties on the next series and couldn’t move the ball. On Maryland’s next possession, Chris Turner fumbled in the end zone for a Rutgers touchdown.
And it all spiraled downward for Maryland from there.
--Friedgen said Maryland turnovers – there have been 13 in four games – have led to 61 opponents' points. He said securing the ball has been a focal point in practice.
“We do a lot of drills for it. It was a point of emphasis last week in practice, the scout-team guys stripping the ball,” the coach said.
Maryland also has used officials at practice to make sure the team is sensitive to penalties. But the message is not taking hold. Friedgen, by the way, said that offensive lineman Maurice Hampton, a redshirt sophomore, had three penalties.