Maryland Terrapins Tickets

2007 Terrapins Football Season Preview The Terps had an interesting 2006 season that saw them win a number of games by just a few points despite being heavily outgained in yardage. It all resulted in an 8-4 season that culminated with an impressive win over Purdue in the Champs Sports Bowl.

Quarterback Sam Hollenbach is gone, but the loss shouldn't be a major one. Hollenbach had trouble making a lot of throws and his leadership will missed a lot more than his actual football ability.

The quarterback position is one of particular interest. Jordan Steffy has been with the team for two years and seems to have the edge simply because he has a better grip on head coach Ralph Friedgen's complex playbook. However, Josh Portis is the more intriguing option because of his unbelievable athletic ability. Inexperience could be a problem under center, but both players have a better arm than Hollenbach.

Friedgen was beginning to hear some criticism after back-to-back disappointing seasons, but the overachieving 2006 team that also won a bowl game has helped to quiet some of the critics.

One player to watch out for is Darrius Heyward-Bey, a wide receiver with electric speed. He was able to torch defensive backs from premier schools like Florida State and Miami and should only get better in the upcoming season. He is a serious All-ACC candidate and could even end up garnering attention for national player of the year awards.

The running back position will be solid with Lance Ball and Keon Lattimore working together to wear down opposing defenses. Also look for Friedgen to run the option more now that the slower Hollenbach will replaced by either Steffy or Portis at quarterback. With one of the lesser experienced quarterbacks at the helm, Friedgen should use a healthy dose of the running game to keep the pressure off his signal-callers.

Speaking of the running game, the offensive line could be a concern heading into the season. The line was supposedly a strength going into last season until a number of injuries struck, in addition to some players who didn't live up to their potential. The team lost Stephon Heyer to graduation and Jared Gaither to the supplemental draft after he was declared academically ineligible for the upcoming season.

Maryland could win anywhere from four to nine games in the upcoming season. It all depends on how solid the quarterbacks play. If Steffy or Portis can take a leadership role and avoid turnovers, the Terps should be playing in a decent bowl game for the second straight year.