Checked in a little bit with Maryland football —- remember, folks, despite this being the day’s third entry I am on “vacation,” so there has been an attempt to avoid typical work duties of late —- and confirmed offensive lineman Joe Faiella is no longer in the program.
So, without taking into account the one or two incoming freshmen who will instead head to prep school (because there’s always one or two, though from what I hear nothing is completely finalized in that regard just yet), that unofficially puts Maryland at 86 scholarships.
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So in short: The scholarship watch isn’t going to be much of a factor this summer. In all likelihood, Maryland will have a few to throw around if it so chooses to walk-ons.
One of the best bets to receive one would be Andrew Gonnella, who was splitting time at left guard with Lamar Young by the time the spring came to an end.
And that brings us back to Faiella, who was the third-stringer at that position. Faiella, a New Jersey product, did not play in two years in the program (missing some time with an injury last season) and then couldn’t crack the two-deep on a rebuilding offensive line.
That’s a little thing some folks call “the writing on the wall,” and it tends to happen when a team recruits a whole lot of people for one unit in a single recruiting class.
As a reminder, Maryland brought in the following offensive linemen in addition to Faiella for the start of the 2007 season:
* Bruce Campbell (started last seven games in ‘08 at left tackle)
* Tyler Bowen (has not played/injured)
* Maurice Hampton (has not played)
* Bearthur Johnson (has not played)
* Stephen St. John (played in garbage time against Eastern Michigan)
* Lamar Young (played in garbage time against Eastern Michigan and Wake Forest)
Clearly, that class (beyond Campbell, who was a prep school guy and originally signed a year earlier) will have to produce something this season. It just happens to be smaller than it was when spring ball ended less than two months ago.
—- Patrick Stevens
