BOISE, Idaho, Dec. 29, 2008 - Terrapin football coach Ralph Friedgen skipped his team's snow tubing trip to Bogus Basin Mountain Resort in Boise, Idaho, on Sunday morning to watch game tape of the Terps' Humanitarian Bowl opponent, Nevada.
The 8th-year coach installed a gameplan well before the Terps (7-5, 4-4 ACC) made the 2,400-mile journey to the Gem State, but Friedgen said he still had to do some "confirming and reinforcing" of the blue print.
As the Terps make final preparations for Tuesday's game, it's understandable Friedgen is doing all he can to get his team ready for the nation's second-best rushing and fifth-best scoring offense.
Nevada (7-5, 5-3 WAC) provides a unique look for the Terp defense under interim defensive coordinator Al Seamonson, who took over when Chris Cosh left for Kansas State after the regular season finale. The Wolfpack, led by WAC Offensive Player of the Year Colin Kaepernick, average more than 500 yards of total offense per game, playing out of the pistol formation that features a single back behind a quarterback taking a shortened shot gun snap.
"We're going to take some chances and see what happens," Friedgen said. "I think that's our only hope in trying to stop these guys. We'll roll the dice a little bit."
Those changes began to take shape on the practice field earlier this month as the team navigated around final exams to install the plan. But after two "decent" practices in Boise, Friedgen said he's been pleased with his team's progress.
The scout team has been working hard trying to emulate the Wolfpack's quirky offense, which was implemented in 2004 when Hall of Fame coach Chris Ault began his third stint with the team.
Quarterbacks Josh Portis and Jamarr Robinson have played the role of Kaepernick, who became just the fifth quarterback in Football Bowl Subdivision history to finish the season with 2,000 pass yards and 1,000 rushing yards. Back in College Park, tight end Drew Gloster was playing the role of 5-foot-10, 225-pound running back Vai Tua. Gloster was ineligible to make the trip to Boise, so the job has fallen to tight end Devonte Campbell and freshman running back Andrew Braxton this week.
"It's definitely a new thing for us to prepare for," cornerback Jamari McCollough said after the bowl matchup was announced earlier this month.
Friedgen said the main emphasis in preparing for the attack is learning assignments based on the many shifts that take place before the snap. According to Friedgen, the passing game is similar to others the Terps have seen this season. But the running game, which has allowed Kaepernick to rush for more than 7 yards per carry despite sacks counting negatively against his stats, is where the Terps will be tested.
The Terps run defense has been inconsistent this season in giving up about 150 yards per game. Nevada has racked up more than 290 yards per game on the ground behind Kaepernick and Tua, who stepped up when last season's leading rusher, Luke Lippincott, was injured in this season's second game.
Friedgen, who had served as his own offensive coordinator before this season, has spent more time than usual with the defense leading up to this game. He said the key will be to tackle efficiently to put the Wolfpack into passing situations.
"To me, it's pick your poison, because they do both things well," Friedgen said. "But what I can try to do is get them off their schedule and force them to throw it."
With the Terps' cross country trip and their perceived match-up problems, they enter the 12th Humanitarian Bowl as underdogs. If the Terps are going to win their fourth bowl game in five tries, keeping Nevada below their offensive season averages will be an important starting point.
"[The Wolfpack] run the ball well. The stats don't lie," defensive tackle Jeremy Navarre said. "I'm looking forward to the challenge."
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