RALEIGH, N.C. ---While Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen was frustrated with today's 38-31 loss to N.C. State, he was particularly angry about one play.

Defensive end Isaiah Ross was lost for the season when he tore an ACL with less than two minutes left in the first half, a play Friedgen believes was not legal.

"I'm going to look at that one, because I think it was really uncalled for," Friedgen said. "He should have been thrown out of the game. They didn't even see it, which doesn't surprise me. He got an ACL, so he's definitely out."

If there's a single blessing about ESPN360 broadcasts, it's that it is possible to wind back through a game quickly and replay specific spots to pick out details.

Naturally, the ESPN360 broadcast returned from commercials (are there even commercial breaks for an online-only broadcast?) and missed Ross' play.

The replays indicated Ross was fending off a lineman from the N.C. State side of the line, but nothing was conclusive enough to pin any actions on any Wolfpack player.

Maryland's players, though, know what they saw on tape.

"Guy basically after the play speared him in his leg and then jumped on top of him and started hitting him when he was on top of him," defensive tackle Travis Ivey said. "So, they were playing hard and they were playing passionate. Sometimes you have to draw the line. The ref didn't see it and didn't call it so that's fine. We still had to go back out there. It added fuel to the fire as far as how we were playing."

Nevertheless, Ross faces a long rehab, and it's a safe bet Friedgen and ACC officials coordinator Doug Rhoads will have a long talk at some point in the next few days.

Friedgen has a history of complaining about officiating, but an angry response to seeing one of his players seriously hurt is a bit different than run-of-the-mill grumbling about a pass interference call or a spot on the field. It'll certainly be one of the more interesting Maryland subplots in the early part of this week.

--- Patrick Stevens

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