Position Battle: Punt Returner

Maryland's set as set can be at KR - Torrey Smith set an ACC record in kick return yardage - but punt returner is a position very in flux. It was given to the now graduated Danny Oquendo the past few years, not for his playmaking ability, but for his sure hands. That was proved by his measly 104 yards from punt returns, a total nearly halfed by Tony Logan in the Humanitarian Bowl. We'll see if the safe hands trend continues this year, or if Fridge decides to go with a more explosive returner this time around.

The Contenders: Tony Logan, Kenny Tate, Da'Rel Scott, Anyone Else That Trys Out

Tony Logan: Logan was the fill-in for Oquendo in the Humanatarian Bowl, and he was really just an improved version of Oquendo. He ended up almost halving the total yardage Oquendo had, while having only a quarter of the attempts, all while there were no major mistakes. It'd be great to see him utilized better, as he's really explosive.

Kenny Tate: Perhaps you remember Tate, the highly ranked WR who switched to safety and saw playing time in his freshman year. While he'll almost surely be a star at the position, he's still a huge threat when he has the ball in his hands.  For that reason, I'm sure everyone would love to see him get a shot at returning punts. He took one or two last year (against Clemson, if I recall correctly) and never broke one, but the potential is there.

Da'Rel Scott: He took kicks and a few punts his freshman year (one against Rutgers, I believe, which he broke no punts returned vs. Rutgers, but he did return kicks that game), and actually did quite well. No one would doubt that he's extremely explosive with the ball, and would probably be a star back there. On the down side, he's one of Maryland's best players, which may mean Ralph wants to keep him healthy and keep him off the field except when necessary. However, with the stable of running backs to replace him, it shouldn't be a big deal. Or, that's what I think - Fridge & Co. would likely disagree.

Anyone Else That Trys Out: I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the coaching staff just said "Okay, who thinks they can return punts?" and took some tryouts. This would include guys like Anthony Wiseman, Richard Taylor, LaQuan Williams, Michael Carter, Emani Lee-Odai, or basically anyone at a skill position.

Prediction: Logan has the experience at it, as little as it may be, so it'll probably be him. Tate has a shot. I don't think the coaches would risk Scott's health, given how injury-prone he is anyway. All that said, if the coaches don't want go with a playmaker and rather a sure hands guy, Wiseman, Taylor, or another guy may end up with the spot.