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Season recap: Cameron Chism

Statistics don’t always present an accurate portrayal of a player’s talents, but in the case of 2008 Maryland cornerback commit Cameron Chism, the stats probably don’t lie.

During Bishop McNamara’s 6-5 season, Chism registered 81 tackles, five interceptions and returned one fumble recovery for a touchdown. Offensively, the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder caught 41 passes for 750 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 157 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries.

“He played very solid,” said Bishop McNamara head coach Bryce Bevill. “He stepped up in big games, against Gonzaga particularly. He blocked an extra point, scored on a 61-yard touchdown reception, had a pick that set up another score. As a DI player, you look at his stats, and I firmly believe he should be an All-Met (D.C.) guy. He scored touchdowns receiving, rushing and on a recovered fumble.”

In college, Chism is pegged for cornerback (although Bevill believes he’s a DI-caliber receiver, as well). But the two-way versatility Chism showcased during his junior and senior seasons, plus his special teams experience, could translate to early contributions for the Terps.

“I think he has a chance as a freshman to go in and play on the defensive side of the ball and I think that’s what he’s mostly excited about,” Bevill said. “You can use him as a kick returner, punt returner. The unique thing about him is that he’s long snapped for us the past two years. He understands the importance of special teams and that’s the quickest way to get on the field in college.”

Bevill played, and later coached, at DeMatha before taking the Bishop McNamara post in 2004. One notable DeMatha standout that Bevill tutored was former Maryland and current Seattle Seahawks cornerback Josh Wilson.

According to Bevill, there are some definite similarities between Wilson and Chism.

“Honestly, they’re very, very similar,” Bevill said. “[Josh] was a very physical player with great speed. He wasn’t as tall or big as Cameron. ... Josh was also a very quality receiver in high school. They have great speed. The difference between them is the size difference.

“One thing Josh did exceptionally well was he improved every year as a corner at the University of Maryland. I know Cam has that work ethic. ... He’s got what a lot of people are looking for, he has size and speed. He’s a rangy guy with great ball skills.”

Bevill thought Chism met the high expectations set for him during his senior year -- both offensively and defensively. In this case, the statistics back up Chism’s talents.

“He was balanced and consistent in everything he did,” Bevill said. “I’ve always said he could go to the next level and play on either side of the ball, but he has a liking to defense. It was pleasure to coach him for three years. I look forward to seeing him do good things on Saturdays as a Maryland Terrapin.”

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About the blogger

Matt Bracken was a lightly recruited football and tennis prospect out of East Lansing (Mich.) High School in 2001, but spurned all (nonexistent) scholarship offers to attend the University of Michigan. Matt graduated from UM in 2005, earned a master's degree in new media journalism from Northwestern University in 2006, and spent the first 11 months of his career as an online producer / videographer / blogger at the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson. He has worked at The Baltimore Sun since July 2007, where he currently serves as an assistant sports editor / producer / recruiting writer.

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