Recruiting.
Game-planning.
Practicing.
Non-football details in bowl preparation.
It’s not a slow time for Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen.
Oh, and he has two staff vacancies, too.
“I got some of that going,” Friedgen said of vetting candidates.
That’s a lot of juggling. So much so that Friedgen pantomimed juggling a plate on his nose last night to illustrate the situation.
“I feel like that guy,” Friedgen said.
The game-planning and tertiary details are short-term problems. The recruiting and coaching choices are the decisions that will probably have the greater influence in the big picture.
Ralph can’t talk about recruiting, so there isn’t any extra light to shed there other than much of next week will be spent visiting committed high school seniors to make sure they remain solidly in their decision.
As for coaching, it’s probably fair to say interim defensive coordinator Al Seamonson and grad assistant Brian White are auditioning for new roles next season.
“I’m kind of evaluating Al and Brian,” Friedgen said. “I have him working with the special teams and tight ends. I think Brian is an exceptional graduate assistant – if not the best, then one of the best I’ve ever had. I don’t know if he’s ready for this yet, but if anybody is I think it’s probably him.
“I’ve been part of JV games before and it’s been a hodgepodge. We didn’t even have the coaches out there for the second one. He ran it and it went really smooth. I was very impressed. Here’s a guy who has tremendous organizational skills and a great work ethic. He just doesn’t have the experience. I’m giving him a little responsibility and see how he does with it.”
