Is this the final chapter in the Ralph Friedgen era?
Terrapin fans don’t have a lot to be optimistic about when it comes to Maryland football and all eyes will be on Ralph Friedgen in 2010. The former Maryland player took over the coaching reigns in 2001 and led the team to a spectacular 10-2 record and a top ten finish. Nine years later, Friedgen satisfied the prognosticators by going 2-10 and finishing the regular season with the team’s first ten-loss season in school history.
As training camp opens, the mood in College Park is ominous. The coach is well aware of the scrutiny and his “must win” situation. Fans, who adore Friedgen as a person, can’t forget that Friedgen won 31 games in his first 3 seasons, but only won 35 games in the last 6 seasons.
As Friedgen concluded the 2009 campaign with an abysmal 2-10 record, most assumed Friedgen would be sent packing, but the slumping economy was a driving factor in saving his job. Former AD Debbie Yow attempted to buy out Friedgen’s contract, but Maryland governor Martin O’Malley disapproved the allocation of public funds to remove a football coach as there were more pressing state budget needs. This incident coupled with her unpleasant relationship with Friedgen forced Yow to resign and take over at North Carolina State. Yow’s departure opened the doors for a new AD to come in and rattle a subdued program.
The prospect for Maryland could stand some improvement. Ticket sales are down, fans are displeased with the team’s home schedule (Navy, Morgan State, FIU, Duke, Wake, FSU and NC State), recruits are de-committing, and the future of the coaching staff hinges on the teams weekly progress–a dangerous combination.
Maryland is returning 7 starters on offense and 5 on defense with QB Jamarr Robinson running the Friedgen option offense. The team is again predicted to commandeer the ACC basement. With low expectations from the experts, Friedgen has an opportunity to disprove the skeptics and come out on top. After all, while an offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech, Friedgen was dubbed an “offensive genius.” Whatever playbook he has buried at Tech, he better dig it up, dust it off, and field a team that can win some games and shock the ACC. If not, head coach in-waiting OC James Franklin will take over sooner rather than later and Friedgen will be shown the front door.
