Statham finally comes through

What quarterback controversy?

Joel Statham’s midseason woes were forgotten yesterday after he led Maryland to a 20-17 victory over Florida State. By becoming the first Terrapins quarterback to beat the Seminoles in 15 meetings, the sophomore went from almost benched to fan favorite.

“It felt good to have the fans behind me after the last few weeks,” he said. “I just took it as a learning experience. I’m building a base around what I need to get done.”

The Terps fans always were behind Statham, though sometimes it felt more like an angry mob with pitchforks. A campus newspaper columnist even recommended Statham take “the midnight train to Georgia” and return to his home state.

Statham’s uneven start included seven interceptions and 10 fumbles, though the Terps won three of the four games. A three-game losing streak followed, however. Statham was replaced in the third quarter of two of the losses, but freshman Jordan Steffy fared no better.

Coach Ralph Friedgen stayed with Statham, who showed improvement in the 10-7 loss to Clemson last week even though Maryland’s only score came on a 12-yard drive. He was still on a “week to week” leash that finally was snapped yesterday when he completed 21 of 40 passes for 333 yards against Florida State. Among the Terps’ four drops were 40- and 37-yard bombs.

“He played probably 10 times better than [Maryland] expected,” Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden said. “He looked like an All-American out there.”

The improvement didn’t surprise Friedgen. He knew Statham was capable of big games once he stopped trying too hard. Predecessor Scott McBrien had the same problem last year until a midseason concussion made him change his approach. The Terps then won their last five games.

“If Joel makes a mistake, it’s not panic city anymore,” Friedgen said.

Said Statham: “I felt myself getting into a better rhythm. I was seeing things pretty well.”

Facing the ACC’s leading run defense, the Terps streamlined their offense to counter the Seminoles’ lightning-quick linebackers. Maryland tried a few gimmick plays, including a 35-yard reverse by receiver Rich Parson, but mostly beat Florida State on short sideline passes. Tight end Vernon Davis gained 99 yards on six catches because even Florida State’s linebackers couldn’t match his speed.

“I told [offensive coordinator] Charlie Taaffe this shouldn’t be a large game plan, because there’s not a lot of things we can do,” Friedgen said jokingly. “I said focus on what is possible, not focus on what’s impossible. It was a pretty simple game plan — run the option more. … It took me 10 years to get a guy open against Florida State.”

Statham’s only miscue led to a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown that brought the Seminoles within 13-10 on the opening series of the third quarter. However, Statham followed with a 72-yard scoring pass on the next possession.

Friedgen worried earlier this year that the Terps’ attempt to reduce Statham’s turnovers negated his overall production. Now Statham has shown he can recover from mistakes.

“He’s learning to take care of the football and still be aggressive,” Friedgen said.