2008 Woodie Awards
Terps replacing holes in backfield
Adi Joseph
Issue date: 3/31/08 Section: Sports
It was first-and-ten in the middle of a six-point game.
The Terrapin football team was leading a favored Boston College team, then ranked No. 8 in the nation. Even in the third quarter, the excitement in Byrd Stadium was palpable.
Then it happened.
Quarterback Chris Turner threw a screen pass to redshirt sophomore Da'Rel Scott - the type of play that normally might generate a nice seven- or eight-yard gain. Scott exploded down the field for the first touchdown of his career.
It was a departure from the norm and a glimpse into the potential future. Keon Lattimore and Lance Ball were stable, talented backs who finished off their careers by combining for 25 touchdowns last season. But Scott offered a kind of explosiveness that neither senior could match.
Next season, that explosiveness will be on full display. In replacing Ball and Lattimore, coach Ralph Friedgen will look toward Scott and fellow redshirt sophomore Morgan Green to carry the load. The duo lacks experience - Scott's role was limited to mostly kick returns, and Green missed most of last year with a broken clavicle - but possesses great upsides.
The big-play potential exists, but Friedgen still has his doubts.
"We've gotta make more plays. We've got opportunities to make plays; we've gotta make them," Friedgen said. "That was the problem last year. Haven't seen that rectified yet."
Scott enters camp as the No. 1 running back on the Terps' depth chart.
While his 4.29 time in the 40-yard dash allows him to claim he is the fastest player on the team, he had only 15 touches on offense last season. On 14 carries, he averaged 9.6 yards per attempt, and his only reception was the aforementioned 57-yard touchdown.
But his presence as a complement to the two featured backs limited Scott to mostly outside runs, and his 5-foot-11, 192-pound stature begs the question of whether he will stand up to a full workload.
"I'm a running back - I've got to learn how to run inside and out," Scott said. "I've got the heart for it. I've just got to stay low and deliver the blow."
The Terrapin football team was leading a favored Boston College team, then ranked No. 8 in the nation. Even in the third quarter, the excitement in Byrd Stadium was palpable.
Then it happened.
Quarterback Chris Turner threw a screen pass to redshirt sophomore Da'Rel Scott - the type of play that normally might generate a nice seven- or eight-yard gain. Scott exploded down the field for the first touchdown of his career.
It was a departure from the norm and a glimpse into the potential future. Keon Lattimore and Lance Ball were stable, talented backs who finished off their careers by combining for 25 touchdowns last season. But Scott offered a kind of explosiveness that neither senior could match.
Next season, that explosiveness will be on full display. In replacing Ball and Lattimore, coach Ralph Friedgen will look toward Scott and fellow redshirt sophomore Morgan Green to carry the load. The duo lacks experience - Scott's role was limited to mostly kick returns, and Green missed most of last year with a broken clavicle - but possesses great upsides.
The big-play potential exists, but Friedgen still has his doubts.
"We've gotta make more plays. We've got opportunities to make plays; we've gotta make them," Friedgen said. "That was the problem last year. Haven't seen that rectified yet."
Scott enters camp as the No. 1 running back on the Terps' depth chart.
While his 4.29 time in the 40-yard dash allows him to claim he is the fastest player on the team, he had only 15 touches on offense last season. On 14 carries, he averaged 9.6 yards per attempt, and his only reception was the aforementioned 57-yard touchdown.
But his presence as a complement to the two featured backs limited Scott to mostly outside runs, and his 5-foot-11, 192-pound stature begs the question of whether he will stand up to a full workload.
"I'm a running back - I've got to learn how to run inside and out," Scott said. "I've got the heart for it. I've just got to stay low and deliver the blow."
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Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Jimbo56
posted 3/31/08 @ 9:30 AM EST
I am excited about the potential offensive fire power for the upcoming year. New offensive co-ordinator Franklin, will run a more open style than we've seen the past few years. (Continued…)
DOsr
posted 4/03/08 @ 12:24 PM EST
Speed is good, but if you can't use it during crunch time, it aint much. Turner has the tools and with those pieces together, we should be in for a good season but don't throw Turner under the bus yet. (Continued…)
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