Turner deserves to keep playing

Jamarr Robinson probably has the strongest arm of any of the Terrapin football team’s quarterbacks.

And it’s true, the sophomore did look more confident while showcasing his speed and elusiveness late in the second half of Saturday’s loss at N.C. State.

It’s also a good bet Danny O’Brien is ahead of the learning curve for a freshman signal-caller, and he might be ready to forgo an almost assured redshirt year to make his Terp debut at the end of this failed season.

Despite the absolute uncertainty, there’s plenty to like about the future of the Terp quarterback position.

Just don’t forget about Chris Turner.

Since Saturday, when the fifth-year quarterback’s day ended rolling around the Carter-Finley Stadium grass with a painful left knee, the buzz around the Terp football team — if there’s any at all left — has been about the grand opportunity ahead of Robinson, who threw his first collegiate pass Saturday, and O’Brien, who apparently would have been happy to redshirt but now is prepared for active duty.

But let’s be fair. The third-year starter deserves a chance to finish out his senior season on his own terms.

Although Turner hasn’t practiced yet this week, according to offensive coordinator James Franklin, and his status for Saturday’s game against Virginia Tech remains unclear, he’s earned it. After 29 starts, he needs to finish carving out his interesting Terp legacy.

“I think it’s important for him to go out the way he wants to go out,” defensive tackle Travis Ivey said. “Personally, he has his own aspirations and goals that he wants to accomplish, and I’d like to see him be able to do that.”

This obviously wasn’t the way Turner, who hasn’t been available for comment this week, planned his senior season. Coming in, he was the cool Californian — a giant slayer who inexplicably raised and lowered his play to his opponent’s level.

But like his coach, Ralph Friedgen, the player who is just 859 passing yards behind Scott Milanovich for the most in Terp history was never a loser.

Only last week, Turner, who has passed Terp greats such as Boomer Esiason and Neil O’Donnell in the career record books this season, considered his own legacy.

“I haven’t really asked anybody what they think of me,” Turner said with only a hint of condescension before talking about “fighting” for everything in his career.

Now, it’s time to come to grips with the worst season in Friedgen’s tenure. And while people on the outside of the program want to look to the future, Turner and his 13 fellow seniors can only stay the course.

“He’s been our guy,” senior center Phil Costa said. “He’s been the leader, so we’ll kinda go day-by-day with him.”

The alternatives aren’t all that appealing, anyway.

In the best case scenario, Robinson and O’Brien awaken a slumbering offense during the final three weeks and help the Terps avoid 10 losses. Then, when the season’s done, they begin the real competition — a pair of confident quarterbacks ready to take the ACC by storm.

“I think what Jamarr needs is some success, and I think he would grow very fast,” Friedgen said yesterday.

But with the way this year has gone, how likely is that?

Robinson had to run for his life for most of the N.C. State game, and injuries have the Terp offense far from 100 percent. They might be better served to save O’Brien, let the intriguing stable of quarterbacks slug it out in the offseason and start from scratch next year. The Terps’ 2010 season-opener against Navy in Baltimore is still a world away.

Look at Turner’s own career. In 2007, the curly-haired boy wonder went from being firmly entrenched No. 3 quarterback to campus hero in about a month. Last season, thoughts of transferring morphed into another stint as Terp starter in about a week.

Now, Turner’s just got three games to put the cherry on top of his star-crossed career.

It’s looking more and more likely he will miss at least one of them due to injury for the first time in his career, forcing the trial-by-fire that is supposed to help prevent another miserable campaign next year.

Just be careful what you wish for.

edetweiler@umdbk.com