Terps’ season hinges on today

Maryland’s “big game” scenarios begin today.

What lie ahead are a visit to Clemson’s “Death Valley” followed by games against top-10 teams Florida State and Virginia and a nationally televised trip to Virginia Tech. It is sure to be a trying five weeks.

But those games may become irrelevant if Maryland (3-2, 1-1 ACC) doesn’t beat N.C. State (3-2, 2-1) at Byrd Stadium today before a sellout homecoming crowd. The Terps need a victory to regain their confidence and settle on a quarterback for the rest of the season. If they don’t, a fourth straight trip to a bowl game under Ralph Friedgen seems unlikely.

“If we could win this game, it would be a tremendous confidence builder for us,” Friedgen said. “This team needs something like that right now. I have faith in them. I think they’ll go out Saturday and compete. I’ll be really disappointed if they don’t.”

After three winning seasons, two bowl victories, one ACC championship and a 20,000 spike in attendance that prompted stadium expansion, the Terps may have plateaued.

“This is not a surprise to me,” Friedgen said. “I think if we can start improving from here I think we’ll be right where I want to be. This is a very big game in our program and definitely for this year.”

While the defense and special teams remain strong enough to compete, the offensive woes have stretched from the line to the backfield. Quarterback Joel Statham has been the focus of fan discontent after an erratic start that led Friedgen to pull him in the 20-7 loss to Georgia Tech last Saturday, but he’s hardly alone in his troubles.

Certainly, it promises to be a brawl in what has become a bitter series. Maryland’s four straight victories by seven points or less, including last year’s astonishing 26-24 comeback that prompted Wolfpack fans to pelt the exiting Terps with bottles, have N.C. State seeking revenge.

“They’re probably still bitter,” Friedgen said. “They want us very badly. Nothing I say is going to change that.”

Said Terps safety Chris Kelley: “If I were them, I’d be mad, too.”

Even N.C. State coach Chuck Amato joked he was looking for any kind of help from Mother Nature — a storm and power outage — to help prevent another Maryland rally. The Terps scored 16 points in the final quarter to shock the Wolfpack last year.

“When I was watching that film in the summer and it’s eight minutes to go and we’re 14 points behind I said, ’How’d we win this game?’” Friedgen said.

Many would say it’s because Maryland had a veteran quarterback.

That’s not the case this season. Friedgen gambled Statham would mature quickly enough to lead the team into the difficult part of the schedule. However, the sophomore’s 10 fumbles and seven interceptions have left the coach exasperated. The overall offensive breakdowns aren’t helping Statham, who figured to have more than a month grace period before fans booed him. Friedgen said he will insert freshman Jordan Steffy for the second straight game if Statham plays poorly.

“You can’t throw [quarterbacks] in a microwave and hit 60 seconds and have them pop out done,” offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe said. “I’ve never been a big fan of the two-quarterback system. It’s hard to play the position looking over your shoulder. When is when? When do you take a guy out? You want your quarterback to be confident and perform without that albatross over their head that every time you make a mistake they take you out. Nobody can work in that environment.”

Friedgen is trying to win now while developing a quarterback of the future. It’s difficult to do without destroying the two quarterbacks’ confidence.

“I’m hoping to come out of this situation with two good quarterbacks,” he said. “That’s still a very big possibility that I would have for a couple years. Maybe I start growing hair and get skinny. Who knows?”

Friedgen’s mind games extend to the entire team. He has lightened up in practice but still speeds across the three fields on his golf cart to watch individual drills. He feels it’s better to build the players’ confidence than beat them down.

“I’ve made a point to keep my mouth shut, not to put any pressure on them and just let them play, and if they’re going to work this out they’ll work it out,” Friedgen said. “Maybe I tightened them up. I’m a perfectionist and expect things to be perfect, and in real life that’s not how it is. I’ve tried to be very supportive and positive this week and let it go at that.”