and maybe even the money line?........maryland has been hit by a pretty signicant rash of injuries in practice and the circumstances seem to me,to warrant a serious look...
Injuries Hit Two More Key Terrapins
By Barry Svrluga
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, August 15, 2003; Page D01
A day after learning tailback Bruce Perry and wide receiver-kick returner Steve Suter will likely miss Maryland's season opener with injuries, the Terrapins lost two more potential starters.
Lamar Bryant, a fifth-year senior and returning starter at guard, broke his left foot in Wednesday's evening practice session. He will likely miss six weeks.
Shawne Merriman, expected to be an impact player at outside linebacker, tore cartilage in his knee in the same practice session and had surgery yesterday afternoon. Merriman will miss at least a week, but could be out a month.
Though Merriman, a sophomore, has the athletic ability to be an all-ACC player, the injury to Bryant could be especially difficult for the Terrapins. Senior Ed Tyler and sophomore Akil Patterson will vie for Bryant's starting spot.
Bryant "has been playing really well," Maryland Coach Ralph Friedgen said. "He kind of solidifies our offensive line. It's a shame, because he's a senior. He's worked so hard -- both [at football] and academically; he graduated in May -- to have a good year. I still think he will. I think he'll come back."
At 6 feet 3 and 318 pounds, Bryant was a powerful, experienced blocker.
Tyler, who is 6-3 and 304 pounds, is big enough. But he backs up at both the center and guard positions, so Bryant's injury depletes the Terps' depth at two spots. Patterson, a 6-3, 290-pound sophomore, is still learning the position.
"If Akil would come through, it'd give us a little more depth," Friedgen said. "Now, he'll work between [junior center] Kyle Schmitt and [senior tackle] Eric Dumas. That should help his play. He's pretty physical, but he makes some mistakes. Hopefully, maybe they can guide him through that."
Friedgen is hopeful Merriman will return quickly. Nose tackle C.J. Feldheim had the same surgery to repair cartilage last Wednesday. He returned to a full practice yesterday.
"They're trying to work me in slowly, but I'm fully cleared to play," Feldheim said. "It was better to do the surgery now, because even if I missed a game, I'd be ready for most of the season. Otherwise, if it got worse, I would've had to have surgery in the middle of the season, and I didn't want to risk that."
Friedgen said Merriman's injury had lingered since high school and locked up on him in a non-contact drill. Merriman has been battling incumbent starter Jamahl Cochran for the starting job at "Leo," the Terps' hybrid linebacker-end position.
"I'm hoping we can get Shawne back like we did C.J.," Friedgen said. "I've seen it go a month. I've seen it go a week. It just depends on the kid, and [on] how bad the injury is."
Perry and Suter are likely to miss the Aug. 28 opener at Northern Illinois with a high ankle sprain and a pulled hamstring, respectively. Because the Terps have those and a number of nagging injuries -- mostly pulled hamstrings to backup players -- Friedgen scaled back a planned scrimmage yesterday.
Instead, the Terps staged a situational scrimmage, working on such areas as the red zone, two-minute situations, and substituting in different personnel groups.
"We probably got as much out of it as if we had scrimmaged," Friedgen said.
from what i`ve read,they`re not 100% sure how effective feldheim will be in his first action after surgery....also,starting qb o`brien pulled a groin in practice......
this club isn`t healthy....and going against to what appears to be a strong n.ill. club on opening day on the road, could be a very dangerous game...
just an fyi.....
opposing opinions are more than welcome....g.l.
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Injuries Hit Two More Key Terrapins
By Barry Svrluga
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, August 15, 2003; Page D01
A day after learning tailback Bruce Perry and wide receiver-kick returner Steve Suter will likely miss Maryland's season opener with injuries, the Terrapins lost two more potential starters.
Lamar Bryant, a fifth-year senior and returning starter at guard, broke his left foot in Wednesday's evening practice session. He will likely miss six weeks.
Shawne Merriman, expected to be an impact player at outside linebacker, tore cartilage in his knee in the same practice session and had surgery yesterday afternoon. Merriman will miss at least a week, but could be out a month.
Though Merriman, a sophomore, has the athletic ability to be an all-ACC player, the injury to Bryant could be especially difficult for the Terrapins. Senior Ed Tyler and sophomore Akil Patterson will vie for Bryant's starting spot.
Bryant "has been playing really well," Maryland Coach Ralph Friedgen said. "He kind of solidifies our offensive line. It's a shame, because he's a senior. He's worked so hard -- both [at football] and academically; he graduated in May -- to have a good year. I still think he will. I think he'll come back."
At 6 feet 3 and 318 pounds, Bryant was a powerful, experienced blocker.
Tyler, who is 6-3 and 304 pounds, is big enough. But he backs up at both the center and guard positions, so Bryant's injury depletes the Terps' depth at two spots. Patterson, a 6-3, 290-pound sophomore, is still learning the position.
"If Akil would come through, it'd give us a little more depth," Friedgen said. "Now, he'll work between [junior center] Kyle Schmitt and [senior tackle] Eric Dumas. That should help his play. He's pretty physical, but he makes some mistakes. Hopefully, maybe they can guide him through that."
Friedgen is hopeful Merriman will return quickly. Nose tackle C.J. Feldheim had the same surgery to repair cartilage last Wednesday. He returned to a full practice yesterday.
"They're trying to work me in slowly, but I'm fully cleared to play," Feldheim said. "It was better to do the surgery now, because even if I missed a game, I'd be ready for most of the season. Otherwise, if it got worse, I would've had to have surgery in the middle of the season, and I didn't want to risk that."
Friedgen said Merriman's injury had lingered since high school and locked up on him in a non-contact drill. Merriman has been battling incumbent starter Jamahl Cochran for the starting job at "Leo," the Terps' hybrid linebacker-end position.
"I'm hoping we can get Shawne back like we did C.J.," Friedgen said. "I've seen it go a month. I've seen it go a week. It just depends on the kid, and [on] how bad the injury is."
Perry and Suter are likely to miss the Aug. 28 opener at Northern Illinois with a high ankle sprain and a pulled hamstring, respectively. Because the Terps have those and a number of nagging injuries -- mostly pulled hamstrings to backup players -- Friedgen scaled back a planned scrimmage yesterday.
Instead, the Terps staged a situational scrimmage, working on such areas as the red zone, two-minute situations, and substituting in different personnel groups.
"We probably got as much out of it as if we had scrimmaged," Friedgen said.
from what i`ve read,they`re not 100% sure how effective feldheim will be in his first action after surgery....also,starting qb o`brien pulled a groin in practice......
this club isn`t healthy....and going against to what appears to be a strong n.ill. club on opening day on the road, could be a very dangerous game...
just an fyi.....
opposing opinions are more than welcome....g.l.
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