Maryland lost their final must-win - literally - of the year against NCSt., meaning the year is, in effect, over. Even if the 2-7 Terps win the remaining three games this year, there's no chance to get into the postseason - it's a lame duck season.

This is just the third time this has happened in Ralph Friedgen's tenure at Maryland, and this is the earliest it's happened for Fridge. In fact, it's the earliest since the 1998 year, headed up by Ron Vanderlinden. Ironically enough, the last time Maryland was bowl ineligble, it was North Carolina State that handed the Terps their fatal blow.

Of course, it being a lame duck year, no more redshirts should be burned. Period. I don't care if someone gets hurt, I don't care if they're performing poorly - it would be a monumental waste of a redshirt. If Robinson goes down and Turner can't perform, get Torrey Smith back there. Throw Anthony Green in, the scout team QB. If Meggett and Porzel and Douglas all get hurt in an amazing turn of bad fortune, use Green or Dan Bonato or Cory Jackson. No more redshirts should be burned.

You get my point.

That said, all the true freshmen who have already burned redshirts need to play as much as possible. That means the ridiculous amount of guys - Justin Anderson, Darrin Drakeford, Avery Murray, Ryan Donohue. Eric Franklin, Caleb Porzel, whoever else is on the extremely long list - should all be getting serious playing time.

Lastly, it's time to start Jamarr Robinson, regardless of Chris Turner's health. The only game he should start is Senior Night. I hate to do it to Chris, but you have to consider the future of the program, and that appears to be Jamarr Robinson at this juncture. Besides, Turner's not going to have a career in football. He's a smart kid who interned on Capital Hill last summer and will likely go into politics - if he had a shot at the NFL, then I wouldn't say it, but everything as it is, it's acceptable and necessary.

If you want to hear something really depressing, it seems pretty certain that Maryland's finishing this year 2-9. NCSt. was the only team worse than Maryland record-wise, and three remaining teams all have much better records and much better talent than the Terps.

Just keep reminding yourself that basketball officially starts in less than a week.