Answering ‘Five questions’ regarding Maryland basketball and football recruiting today is Jeff Ermann of TurtleSportsReport.com.

Ermann has written for TSR for more than a year, and has also covered Missouri basketball for the Columbia (Mo.) Tribune and high school sports for The Washington Post.

1.) With the news that Maryland is not a part of Terrence Jennings’ top five, have the Terps stopped recruiting the big man? If that's the case, what went wrong here? And what do you make of him leaving Mt. Zion for Notre Dame Prep?

No, the staff is still actively pursuing, it seems. As to what went wrong here, well, that's a long [story]. Jennings is a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, wrapped in a middle-of-the-night when-the-coach-isn't-looking high school transfer. He's made more moves than U-Haul. This will be his sixth school, I believe. He's not a bad kid, but I think he has a bunch of people pulling him in different directions, as often is the case with major basketball recruits. The odds he ends up a Terp appear slim, but I wouldn't say there's absolutely no chance.

2.) New Jersey power forward Quintrell Thomas has now visited three of his four finalists. Is there any word on how the visits have affected his recruitment? Are Georgia center Ralph Sampson and South Kent (Conn.) Prep big man Assane Sene still considered longshots?

Thomas still seems to have Maryland as his favorite. But he did like Kansas. I don't see the other schools as very likely landing spots. He wants to get out of New Jersey, so that would mean [he's not interested in] Rutgers despite the immense pressure being applied on him locally. And it would be difficult to see him choosing UNLV.

Sene has been to Virginia twice, so speculation is there's at least a solid chance he'll end up there. He does have a Maryland offer and the Terps have been working him for some time, but he also keeps it very close to the vest, so it's hard to gauge his interest. Sampson just received an in-home visit from the Terps staff this week and may be warming up to the idea of coming to Maryland. I'd expect he'll visit soon, quite possibly for Midnight Madness.

I think people around the program are feeling fairly confident about him despite getting in late. Georgia Tech, Kentucky and Minnesota are the primary competition here. We should know more soon so you'll just have to tune in to TurtleSportsReport.com for the latest!

3.) There was a lot of optimism regarding Maryland’s potential for a great 2009 class, but that sentiment seems to have waned as of late. Where do the Terps stand with some of the big name in-staters, and emerging targets like South Kent (Conn.) Prep small foward Jin Soo Kim?

Kim is supposedly very good. I have not seen him play but he is a 6-foot-9 forward who can really shoot, from what I hear. Maryland has made a quick impression on him and may battle with Georgetown and Cal for his commitment.

On the local 2009 kids, the three most often mentioned are the Montrose Christian kids -- Tristan Spurlock, Isaiah Armwood and Terrell Vinson.

Spurlock seems most likely to end up at Virginia, Armwood can go virtually anywhere in the country and is getting the full-court press from Villanova and Lousiville, and Vinson also has a lot of major suitors. It's still early, but it'll be a real battle to land any of the three it seems. Armwood is the prize jewel.

Still, the staff has cast a wide net. Wally Judge is a 6-foot-8 kid from Bladensburg who the Terps have been after, though West Virginia and Georgetown may have the lead. Another local big kid is Dante Taylor from National Christian Academy in Fort Washington, but he could be a Big East type. It may not be a local class. Two frontcourt players who i think the Terps would love to have are Greg Echenique from New Jersey and Daniel Orton from Oklahoma. Both are major recruits.

There are a ton of names out there and a lot of time left. I believe they'll get some very good prospects.

4.) Having now visited his three finalists (Maryland, Ohio State, Illinois), is Lamaar Thomas getting ready to make his decision? How good should Terps fans feel about their chances? Could he have a Steve Slaton-type impact on whatever team he chooses?

He'll decide within the next three weeks. It's been a whirlwind tour since the beginning of the summer and he wants to relax a bit and focus on his season and taking the SAT this weekend. Right now, Ohio State seems to have the upper hand, but Maryland is most definitely in the mix. I'd be very surprised if he ends up anywhere but OSU or Maryland. He certainly has Slaton-like speed, and I do think he'll likely be a star on the college level.

5.) It’s been a while since the Terps picked up a football commitment. Are there any good bets to pick UM sometime this month? Are there any in-state guys who could be close to earning offers?

Justin Gilbert, a lineman from Monacan, Va., would seem the most likely. He's choosing between Maryland and Virginia Tech. Other than him, though, it's pretty quiet. The staff has already used almost all of its scholarships for 2008, so now I think the approach is to hold the final few spots for some highly sought kids (Zach Kerr, Lamaar Thomas, Kenny Tate), who generally take longer to decide.