It's Official: Friedgen and Staff Return to Maryland - First Thoughts
by Ben Broman on Dec 1, 2009 3:16 PM EST
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You probably knew that my preference was to clean house, but that didn't happen. I do think that the worst thing that could've happened was Friedgen staying and Franklin leaving, but both remain (for now).
This is something in between, something I didn't even really consider as a possibility. From a pure team standpoint, it might not be that bad - there's the talent next year to win 6 games or so, and Friedgen/Franklin shouldn't get in the way of that too much. The problem comes in when we're talking about program momentum and the message this sends.
The team went 2-10 (you know this, but it was the first 10 loss year ever and the worst since 1967) and no one got punished. No one got reprimanded. Nothing happened. The staff returns, and there are no immediated signs that anyone will leave.
That sends the message that this type of season is acceptable, or at least not that bad. Someone has to take the blame for this kind of loss, and no one did. Maybe Lee Hull or Kevin Lempa end up under the bus, but there will be no large-scale changes.
According to WaPo, Friedgen made claims about injuries disrupting the year. Okay, well, the offensive line was below-average with and without Bruce Campbell. Due to a below-average offensive line, Da'Rel Scott's absence didn't make a difference; they lost the two (winnable) games after he returned, too. They were still bad with Chris Turner, and Jamarr Robinson might've been better for the team. Who else got hurt? Jamari McCollough? Gary Douglas? Demetrius Hartsfield? All minor pieces with capable backups, those injuries wouldn't lead to a loss. This wasn't the product of injuries.
They also balanced Friedgen's resume against that of Groh's, which are actually almost identical minus the three early years with Vanderlinden's players.
I'm confused and, honestly, a bit frustrated. Virginia can afford the buyout of Groh. At the very least get rid of some assistants. Who has adequately done their job on this staff, both on recruiting and coaching?
Of course, economics did play a role, but if Maryland really wanted to do it, they could've found the funds. You can always find the funds. Rolling over quickly means that Yow wasn't that concerned.
Recruiting will take a hit; Fridge is, in the words of Sarah Palin, a lame duck coach, and he's coaching a program with no momentum that had their worst season in decades. Bye-bye hopes of top 25 recruiting classes, which were already lacking.
Like I said, they'll still have a good year next year, probably 6 or 7 wins as long as the QB turns out decent. But will anyone care? I'm a diehard, and even I feel a bit perturbed by the decision. Few casual fans will turn out, and ticket sale losses will mount. The concerns about selling out suites will disappear in favor of concerns about selling half the suites. 6 or 7 wins aren't enough to revive interest in the program.
Still, I can't tell the future, so maybe Maryland wins 10 next year and all is forgiven. Right now, that doesn't seem likely, and unless this was 100% economically motivated, I don't understand the reasoning behind it. I'll probably come to figure it out more as time goes on, but right now, I got nothing.
Feel free to vent off, criticize me, the decision, whatever.
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All hope is lost for me
Bring on 2011.
Wall of Shame
-"I’m glad we play Pitt twice, and not Tenn this year." - Brownie's Year
-"BB is ok (slightly overated)…but he is NO Kyle Orton! I’ll take Kyle over Ben any day" - Bronco_Fan_Tom
-PIT 24 KC 27
This has to be economics
Why else would Yow let this happen?
Maybe she’s banking on this revitalizing Freidgen… but I certainly wouldn’t want to come to Maryland as a recruit if I was expecting to be in the bottom of the ACC every year. This could slow our momentum for years to come.
Before the year started, I said this team would go 4 - 8
At least one person here indulged in name calling. I will not call them out.
Maryland will go 1 – 11 next season (winning at Clemson in some ungodly fashion), and JaMarr Robinson will be a catastrophic failure.
Is Jerry Angelo fired yet?
I don't see how anything will improve by doing nothing
Our offensive line will still be under-talented next year…and unless one of the QBs is a total NFL-caliber stud (not possible), and our play-calling undergoes a drastic transformation (not likely) I really don’t see any reason to think next year will be any better!
I would love to hear why people are saying otherwise. Is it because we will be less young/more experienced? Or some other factor I’m not seeing? Give me some reason to hang on to hope that we might be competitive next year!
see item above.....Bring on 2011
by then we will have really been bad for 2 yrs and can afford to clean house….can’t do it this year and really no hope for next year.
this doesn't help us next year at all
but at least we won’t have to compete for a head coach with Virginia, Louisville and Kansas. These are similar programs with prestige on the same level as umd. I am betting Yow felt sorry for him (she is a woman) and she gave him one extra year he doesn’t deserve due to the acc championship he won years ago with someone else’s players.
for one second, think about possibilites
Ok. So you have no faith in the team. Franklin and Fridge were a part of the McBrien years when living was good.
I was around the team during that time, and I can without a doubt tell you that offensively this team has much more talent. MUCH!
McBrien was a great QB but he Jafar williams, latrez harrison, and scooter monroe wouldn’t be playing on our team right now. Cannon is a better latrez, Jafar is about as good as Laquan is, and Scooter….well…he wouldn’t have been recruited.
Without a solid FB anymore, we may as well use our speed to our advantage. Rich Parsons, Bruce perry, Scott, and suter ran the option so well back then. Just throwing random names out, DaRel scott, Porzel, torrey, any of our QBs, and lets say logan…. scary. That’s not counting being able to spread out the defense on occassion with those same players perhaps and playing a 3wr set, with a TE or maybe even 4 Wides if we sub scott or porzel out.
There’s a reason why we don’t have a QB on the roster that runs over a 4.6 now! There’s a reason why we are recruiting athletic QBs that can also throw the ball. You can teach almost anyone to read a defense from a pocket. You can’t teach them how to read an attacking defense in the option game.
You guys are scared for the future, I personally am scared that Friedgen and Franklin will actually be able to get it right…They will actually be able to run the plays that this team is made to run for.
Option offenses make up for a lot of mistakes on the front line. We will make them look like all -stars next yr.
Just for a second…..think about what he did with Joe Hamilton and scotty again….shhh….just dream
:)
Are you kidding me?
Your skills as a blogger are questionable. Honestly, Friedgen is the best option we have. What hall of fame coach did you think they were going to bring in? 1-11?? Are you kidding? We were 2-10 this year, and we could have been at least 5-7. Next year. were returning basically everyone, and they will all have way more experience.
You say that bringing him back condones this type of season. (?!??!?!) What his he, a dog?!? I’m pretty sure he realizes this is a bad year, and they want wins. Believe it or not, you are not the only person that can evaluate a coach.
Agreed...
The absolute BEST option would be to fire Franklin and keep Fridge, economically and strategically. Franklin’s play-calling is horrendous, as I’ve said elsewhere. Jamarr will be a solid starter (he’s shown flashes of greatness in certain stretches), the line will have aged (and hopefully grown), and all of our talented RBs and WRs will still be around.
I predict a 7-5 (5-3) record next year and a mid-level bowl.
At least someone on this blog has confidence in our team (and its well-founded).
Agreed, but neither are you
Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion. This one is mine.
As I’ve said before, we don’t need a HOF coach. Guys like Londen and Golden are readily available.
ES was actually pretty right about this year, but the 1-11 was probably tongue in cheek.
Yes, bringing him back condones this type of season. What else would it do? Maybe it doesn’t condone a program that puts out performances like this every year (ie, Duke) but it’s definitely not telling the fanbase – the ones that pay for tickets – that this is unacceptable.
Never said nor implied that he was at a low level, but he’s in a public position as Maryland HC. He’s able to be criticized.
I want wins too. Can I be HC?
I understand your position. Dave Tucker, one of the other main bloggers here, will be posting a Fridge defense post later. We’re pretty balanced. Some people agree w/ me, some agree w/ him. Just be respectful about it.
Tongue-in-cheek somewhat, yeah
I am just absurdly frustrated right now. The fact that the Chicago Bears are 1 – 6 in the last two months and the more successful of the two teams I pull for is just not helping.
The offensive line can’t be worse, but I still don’t think it’s going to be any good. I’m also not a fan of JaMarr Robinson (nor am I big on any of the other QBs that we have) – it’s tough to go 3 – 21 in two years, so I’ll probably say 4 – 8 now, but I’ll have to see the schedule. I’ll be rooting for 7 – 5, but I’m a pessimist by nature.
We can all agree that if they go 2 – 10 again, Friedgen cannot come back for 2011.
Is Jerry Angelo fired yet?
Sched
Off the top of my head:
Navy, EMU, West Virginia OOC. I know we don’t get VT and GT.
OOC is rough, but the conference sched is a cakewalk.
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