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After the jump, the links are divided into football and basketball sections - just too many to mingle them together.
Turner: 'No Excuses' For Offense - IMDS
Inside MD Sports has an article on Maryland's offense, though it's mostly just what we already know. There was one thing I found very interesting:
"I feel just as comfortable now with my receiving unit than I ever did last year with Darrius, Isaiah [Williams] and Danny [Oquendo]… I’m very confident they’ll make me look good this year," Turner said.
Possibly just posturing, but still good to hear.
Updates on Coleman, Jones from Vegas
Two notes on two 2010 prospects (unless, of course, Coleman reclassifies to 2011):
Justin Coleman (Petersburg Elite)- This athletic wing is loaded with talent but isn't playing with the same intensity that he played with at the NBA Players Camp where he blew up nationally. Darren Horn of South Carolina is keeping tabs on him.
Terrence Jones (I-5 Elite)- North Carolina had an eye on Jones during a ridiculous blow out win Friday night.
It's obviously a bad sign that UNC is pushing for Jones, but until they offer him a scholarship, which they probably won't until the Harrison Barnes deal is settled, I'm not worrying too much. As for Coleman: we knew this would be an issue. He's Lance Stephenson lite, basically, with a sane father.
Updates from Super Showcase: Hopkins, Kirk, Atkins
From NBE:
Team Takeover power forward Mikael Hopkins told NBE after his team’s match-up with City Rocks that he has offers from Clemson and Maryland. Others showing interest in the 6-foot-8 player from DeMatha include Florida, Texas, Georgetown, West Virginia and Xavier. Hopkins is currently favoring the trio of Florida, Clemson and the Hoyas.
Alex Kirk is a 6-foot-10, 230-lb center in the class of 2010 from Los Alamos (NM). He is looking at offers from USC, Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas Tech, Vanderbilt and Maryland. Wake Forest and Georgia Tech are also showing interest.
Playing with Caron Butler Team Takeover, Darion Atkins, a 6-foot-7 power forward out of the Landon (MD) School, played well here. Virginia Tech, Maryland, George Mason and George Washington are the offers claimed by the 2011 prospect with Georgetown, Xavier, Wake Forest and Wisconsin showing interest.
Sucks to hear we aren't one of Hopkins' favorites, he should be a top target for 2011. Kirk is good, but he's listing too many schools for me to feel confident. I suppose we have a shot with Atkins, but I haven't heard too much in that recruitment. But since when does Caron Butler have his own Team Takeover?
Football
T. Smith Aiming to Catch On - Terrapins Insider
As you probably know by now, I think Torrey Smith is a beast and love his game. This doesn't hurt.
"I’ve always felt very comfortable and very confident in Torrey," quarterback Chris Turner said Sunday at the first day of the ACC Football Kickoff. "He’s a mature person. He doesn’t play like a redshirt sophomore." Turner added: "We’re going to need Torrey to step up and kind of be a rock for our receivers, and a guy I can go to."
Recruiting Report: Rowson talks Terps
Put me on the Mario Rowson bandwagon. 6-4, 190, with 4.4. speed as a corner? Yes please. Matt Bracken talked with the new commit, and revealed what we probably could've figured out:
While the campus was a major selling point for Rowson, he also was intrigued by the UM staff’s plans for him. Rowson said Terps defensive coordinator Don Brown wants to utilize his size and play a lot of press coverage so he "can jam somebody up."
Yep, his size and speed make him perfect for the press man coverage. Hopefully this means Brown plans on being here for the next five years or so.
Maryland positional preview: Offensive line - D1SCOURSE
Easily the most important area for Maryland football next year: the offensive line. Gulp. Literally the only people I am confident in are Phil Costa and Bruce Campbell. I am scared to death of whoever starts at the other three spots.
Basketball
Tobias and Torrel Harris know exactly what they want in a recruitment
Is it just me, or could this be a bad sign?
"It's very important that the head coach understands his game and has a plan," said Torrel Harris, Tobias' father, who has traveled with his son all summer and is a major influence in his life. "Wherever he goes, the coach will have to put the ball in Tobias' hands and let him create. And don't be sending your assistant to recruit him."
Uh oh. BTW, does this guy sound a little like Stretch? (Two Lance references in the same post!)
Some 2011 Prospects Shine in Vegas
Three 2011 Terp prospects did well enough for Rivals to take notice:
Scott had a big day for the Southern Kings. Not only did he lead them from the point guard position to three big wins on the day, he also scored a team high 20 points in a blowout win over DC Assault and hit a couple three-pointers in one of his earlier games. Scott is on his way to establishing himself as one of the better point guards in the 2011 class. Tennessee's Bruce Pearl watched the Southern Kings morning game.
A skilled four-man, Royal continues to grow and is a solid 6-foot-8 at this point. He is considering Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Georgetown, Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida State, Georgia Tech and Ohio State.
Cook had a monster game of 31 points in a big win over Indiana Elite. The rest of his team couldn't muster up much energy against the Southern Kings in their next game, but Cook competed throughout the game, finishing with a game high 24 points. Cook isn't an explosive penetrator but he is a crafty ball handler and deadly shooter. Kansas State's head man Frank Martin has been tracking the DC Assault 16-under team closely.
Scott and Royal aren't listed as considering Maryland, but the staff is pursuing them - kinda like how, according to any of the three major services, Maryland isn't pursuing James Johnson, even though he said we were a favorite.
5 names to remember - Deuce Bello
It's Kentucky-centric, but one of Stephen John's five names to remember from Vegas is 2011 Terp target Deuce Bello:
6-3 SG teammate of Quincy Miller. UK not listed as a suitor but if he keeps playing like he did in Vegas, Bello is going to have them lining up in bunches. One potential weakness is that he seems to be a SF in a SG body and doesn’t quite have the size to pull it off; but he can really play.
Bello is a legitimate five star in my mind. His hops are just insane, and the rest of his game has developed nicely.
Graham Hits Winning Shot at Super Showcase
Jon Graham is clutch.
As always for Nike Baltimore Select Will Barton was good, but it was teammate Jonathan Graham that made the biggest play of the game in their win over the Georgia Stars. With Baltimore Select down one and under five seconds to go, Barton drive and attempted a floater in the lane. The shot fell off, but Graham tipped the ball in as time expired to get the win. The tip in gave Graham 12 points for the game. Not to be out done, Barton was his usual offensive machine with 22 points.
Okay, not outstanding, but that's a big play. Graham would be fine as a 4th commit here. He's a gritty player and you need that to win. In the same article:
Jonathan Graham mentioned that he is hearing from West Virginia, Maryland, VCU, Drexel, Providence, Seton Hall, and Georgia Tech....
Darion Atkins has offers from Virginia Tech, Maryland, George Mason, and George Washington. Also he is expecting one shortly from Wake Forest. Beyond those schools, Georgetown, Xavier, and Wisconsin are also in the mix.
Mike DeCourcy Calls Terrence Jones a Point Guard
Yeah, sure he is Mike:
Terrence Jones, 6-8 point guard, Portland. That is not a misprint. Jones stands 6-8. He is a point guard. He isn't exclusively a point guard. A team can play him at small forward if it wants and still get plenty of production from him, which Oregon's I-5 Elite did in a blowout of the Channing Frye team from Arizona in the Center Stage tournament at UNLV.
Jones scored 31 points, rebounded, blocked shots and, of course, passed the ball effectively. "It was just a weird growth spurt," Jones said. "In middle school, I played point guard. I just grew in high school so tall, but I stayed with the same skills."
So now, of course, his favorite player is Magic Johnson. "I YouTube him like every two weeks to see something new," Jones said. The colleges recruiting him tell him he can play "point forward."
He lists Oklahoma, North Carolina, Florida and nearly 10 others. Tar Heels coach Roy Williams and UCLA's Ben Howland watched Friday afternoon's action. "I just try to play my game and not look over there," Jones said. "Because that could make some people nervous and play worse."
Does he have the same skills as a point guard? Yep. Will he play point guard? Not a chance.
D1scource - Former Lady Terp Coach Chris Weller Named to WBB HOF
Pretty cool:
[F]ormer Maryland women's basketball coach Chris Weller was named as part of the six-person Class of 2010 for the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. Weller won 499 games over 27 seasons, reaching three Final Fours and collecting eight ACC titles.
Congrats to her, hopefully Brenda will join her one day.