Dear Maryland Football Supporter,

Now that the 2009 season is complete, I wanted to take a few moments to thank you for your support of our football team this year.    And I wanted to tell you that no one associated with our football program is satisfied with our record this season.  As Head Coach, I take responsibility for our performance this year and I can assure you that we will be better next year.

Here’s why:

• We have an exciting and mobile young quarterback in Jamarr Robinson.  His performances against Virginia Tech (129 yards rushing), Florida State (213 yards passing) and Boston College (115 yards passing playing less than half the game) showed everyone that he brings an exciting dimension to our offense.  James Franklin and I are going to work on offensive schemes to feature Jamarr’s unique skills.  We also have two very good redshirt freshmen quarterbacks in C.J. Brown and Danny O’Brien – so we are stacked in this crucial position.
• We have all of our running backs returning.  A healthy Da’Rel Scott, Davin Meggett, Caleb Porzel and Gary Douglas return to give us the strongest backfield we’ve had in years.
• All of our wide receivers are back, including All-ACC performer Torrey Smith, Adrian Cannon, Ronnie Tyler and Kevin Dorsey.  You saw the arm strength of Jamarr – next season it’s going to be exciting to watch him get the ball downfield to these talented and speedy wideouts.
• Our offensive line is back, with the exception of one.  A young squad in 2009, our linemen are a year older, a year wiser and will play like veterans next year, opening up holes for our backs and giving our quarterbacks time to look downfield.  Their development is crucial and I will be working closely with the Offensive Line Coach Tom Bratton on this in the off-season.
• On the defensive side, we will return 8 of our top 10 leading tacklers.  Our linebackers will be a particularly strong unit, with Alex Wujciak and Adrian Moten anchoring a squad that made great strides under first-year Defensive Coordinator Don Brown.
• In all we have 28 players back next year who started during their careers.  On our offensive two-deep, we have 18 of 22 players back.  On defense, it’s 15 of 22 players back.  That kind of game experience is going to pay off for us next season.
• Spearheaded by Dave Sollazzo and James Franklin, our recruiting efforts have led to a 2010 class ranked 26th by national recruiting experts.    The class includes four 4-star prospects who can have an immediate impact on our team.

Our 2010 schedule includes a season opener against the Navy Midshipmen at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.  Those of you who were there in 2005 remember what an outstanding game that was (we eventually prevailed 23-20 in a nailbiter), and I expect this one to be another tough match against our intra-state rival.  It will be a terrific start to the season.

When our full 2010 schedule is officially announced in January, we will be asking you to continue your support of Maryland Football by renewing your season tickets.  I understand that some of you may look at this year’s record and think hard about that decision.  But I ask that you remember the 2009 team not solely for our record, but also for the heart with which they played.  This team never quit, not once, not on any play.  These are student-athletes of character…and we should all be proud that they are called Terrapins.  Now is the time for all Terp fans to unite and support the team.

I am so proud to have been a part of this team, perhaps more than any team in my 40 years of coaching.  I would like to personally ask that you continue your support of the Terps by renewing your season tickets.  Come back to Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium next year.  Watch our young team grow and improve.  With your help, we can do special things next year.   And my staff and I start that work today.

For those of you who wrote, emailed and called with encouragement over the trying 2009 season, I thank you.  I am humbled by your continued loyalty and support of Maryland Football.  We’ve done some great things together here in Maryland during my first nine years, featuring six bowl appearances including the Orange Bowl, Gator Bowl and the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.  Returning the program to that level of competition, along with Top 25 finishes remains our top priority.

I am a proud Terp and I consider it an honor to coach here at the University of Maryland and I thank Debbie Yow and Dr. Dan Mote for their continued support.  I hope that you look forward with me, our players and our coaching staff to the 2010 season.

Fear The Turtle!

Head Coach Ralph Friedgen

1. 

   freddy from boca

   So now Ralph is taking responsibility for the poor season after spending the entire year throwing players under the bus. Nice he’s going to work with the O line coach in the off season. Guess he didn’t think it was necessary to work with him during the season. A more experienced teams means success? What about the team 2 years ago with 30 seniors? I’m sure Ralph was told to make this announcement, probably written by someone else, for damage control. Look, I love Maryland as do a lot of people but I don’t think many people are going to buy into this letter. They will buy into results on the field. A 2-10 season and 4 losing years out of the last 6 usually equates to skepticism. I don’t think anyone would argue or question Ralph’s passion for the school or his honesty or integrity. However, he’s getting $2 million a year and is 35-38 since 2004.

   Reply ·   11/12/2019
2. 

   marshall smith

   coach check out dylan may catoctin maryland qb….they just won 1a title….think he will be your furture qb….tks…

   Reply ·   11/12/2019

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