A Look Back
The Terps finished the season 5-6 overall and tied for fourth in the Atlantic Division with a 3-5 league mark … Sam Hollenbach threw for over 200 yards eight times in 2005 and ranked second among ACC quarterbacks with 2,539 yards passing … LB D’Qwell Jackson finished second nationally in tackles per game (13.7) and became the third Terp in the last five years to be named ACC Defensive Player of the Year … first team All-American TE Vernon Davis led the team in receptions (51) and receiving yardage (871) … Lance Ball was third in the ACC in rushing yards per game (82.1).
Who’s Gone
Maryland loses eight starters (four offense, four defense) with 139 career starts, including All-America selections TE Vernon Davis and LB D’Qwell Jackson … Davis led the league in 100-yard receiving games with four last season, and averaged a league-best 79.2 receiving yards per game … Jackson led the league and was second in the nation in tackles with 13.7 per game and collected an ACC-best 137 total tackles despite missing a game to earn ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Senior Quarterback
Sam Hollenbach
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Who’s Back
Sixth-year head coach Ralph Friedgen returns 16 starters (seven offense, seven defense, two special teams), including QB Sam Hollenbach, TB Lance Ball and P Adam Podlesh … Hollenbach completed 61 percent of his passes for 2,539 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2005 and was fourth in the ACC in total offense (228.1) … Ball led the Terps and was fourth in the ACC in rushing with 903 yards and earned second team All-ACC honors ... Podlesh earned second team All-ACC honors after finishing second in the league and 13th nationally in punting (43.6).
Numbers
0 - Sacks allowed by OT Jared Gaither as a true freshman in 2005 ... started the last eight games of the season and was named a third-team freshman All-American by the College Football News.
3 - Number of Terps in the last five years to be named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year ... D’Qwell Jackson did it in 2005, while E.J. Henderson earned the honor in both 2001 and 2002.
8 - QB Sam Hollenbach had eight games a year ago with 200 yards or more passing, the second-best total in the ACC.
22 - Sneaker size of OT Stephon Heyer, who returns for his senior season after missing all of 2005 with a knee injury ... a two-year starter (2003, 2004) with 25 career starts.
41 - Career wins by head coach Ralph Friedgen at Maryland, tying him for second in ACC history for wins by coaches in their fifth year.
43.21 - Career punting average of senior Adam Podlesh - good for ninth all-time in ACC annals.
61.0 - Career completion percentage of senior QB Sam Hollenbach.
99 - Games started by freshmen (29) and sophomores (70) in 2005.
903 - Rushing yards by TB Lance Ball last season, good for third in the league ... had four 100-yard efforts in his last seven games ... averaged 4.8 yards per carry.
101.8 - Maryland drew 262,129 fans to its five home games last season, good for a school-record average of 52,246 per game - or 101.8 percent of capacity.
1,941 - Career rushing yardage of senior Josh Allen - good for 11th on Maryland’s career rushing list ... missed all of 2005 with a knee injury.
Ralph Friedgen holds the distinction of being the first coach in Atlantic Coast Conference history to lead a team to three-straight seasons of 10 wins or more in his first three seasons as a head coach at the Division I level. Entering his sixth year at Maryland, Friedgen, who also serves as offensive coordinator, has developed a reputation as one of the top coaches in the game. Named the consensus national Coach of the Year in 2001 after leading Maryland to its first ACC title since 1985, Friedgen was a long-time successful assistant coach at Georgia Tech, where he was credited with overseeing one of the nation’s most potent offensive attacks. Friedgen continues to build a new level of pride at his alma mater, guiding the Terps to a 41-20 record and a trio of major bowl appearances - including two decisive wins - in his five seasons as a collegiate head coach. In his first season as the Terps’ grid boss, Maryland won its first seven games and eventually halted Florida State’s reign as perennial ACC Champion, earning the league’s automatic berth in the Bowl Championship Series. In 2002, the Terps made their way back to a major bowl game, winning 10 of their last 11 games and finishing in a tie for second in the ACC. The 2003 campaign provided a bit of déjà vu for Friedgen and the Terrapins as they again started 1-2, and again ran off 10 wins in their final 11 games to earn a second New Year’s bowl bid. In addition to amassing tremendous team success, Friedgen has also helped develop some of the league’s most talented athletes, including Jim Tatum Award recipient Nick Novak, who became the ACC’s all-time leading scorer in 2004. Named the winner of the Frank Broyles Award as the top assistant coach in the country in 1999 while at Tech, Friedgen brought 32 years of assistant coaching experience - including 21 seasons as an offensive coordinator either in college or the NFL - with him in his return to College Park.
