Profiles in Terpage - A Countdown to the Football Season: Cole Farrand

A thanks to Gaylen at Black Shoes Diaries for this marvelous work of Photoshop excellence.

Today we profile a junior middle linebacker.

Cole Farrand, Junior, Inside Linebacker, #47

Via umterps.com.

Stats:

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 245

Twitter: None that we could find.

Collegiate Stats: 81 tackles (49 solo), 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery

High School Stats (Senior Year): 78 tackles, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one interception returned for a touchdown, three touchdown receptions

Recruiting Ratings: Three stars by ESPN (#25 OLB), two stars by Rivals, two stars by Scout

High School: Pope John XXIII

Hometown: Green Pond, N.J.

High School Highlights:

How'd he get to College Park?

Amid reports that he had drawn interest from Connecticut (and Randy Edsall), Rutgers, Pitt, Penn State, Boston College Iowa, Temple, Virginia and Wisconsin, Farrand committed to Maryland in April 2010. The major recruiting outlets listed him as an outside linebacker, though he's mostly worked on the inside since he's been in College Park. Farrand, who played both as a linebacker and tight end in high school, cited a great visit to spring practice and strong coaching staff interest as his reasons for deciding on the Terps.

During his freshman season, Farrand played somewhat sparingly and almost exclusively on special teams, burning his redshirt. He stepped into a starting role last year and played pretty well, though he was one of the least well-known presences in Maryland's front seven, overshadowed by guys named Vellano, Francis, Hartsfield, Tate, and Drakeford. He started in 11 of 12 games and was generally pretty solid at the MIKE. He had a minimal pass-rushing role but still notched six tackles for loss -- none of them sacks.

Nickname:

The Barge.

(Editor's Note: AWESOME)

Career Highlight:

All-ACC Academic pick in 2012.

Dream Season:

Farrand, now one of the most experienced members of the front seven, continues to be a solid run-stopper and develops as an interior pass-rusher, too, bursting through gaps and pressuring ACC quarterbacks. He goes into 2014 as the guy for Brian Stewart's linebacking corps.

2013 Prospectus:

Though the number of new starters up front for the Terps' defense makes it difficult to assign particular roles, Farrand would seem to again be positioned as a key run-stopper. He did well in that post last year, so it's hard to imagine a year of further growth hurting him. Given the aforementioned losses of Vellano, Tate, Hartsfield, Francis, and Drakeford, though, the Terps could really use a pass-rushing presence from their junior inside backer. We don't know whether Edsall and Stewart are planning to use Farrand for that or whether they'll look more to some of the other new starters near the line of scrimmage. It wouldn't be a surprise, though, to see Farrand snooping around the offensive backfield a little more often.

Up Next:

Our next player (or, perhaps, players?) will try to offer a youthful boost to a position thin on experience.

(Ed Note: For those having trouble, here's a clue: if you take the first letters of each of their last names, it spells out another word for being in a tricky situation).

terp 73 gets on the board.

Standings:

ClickClack62 - 6
curterp - 5
Maryland1206 - 5
Scaletta - 3
noam23 - 3
Redturtle - 2
802Terp - 2
thirstyturtlelives - 2
UATerp - 2
royvan - 2
proudterp - 1
terpsfinish - 1
KHemer - 1
apgibson24 - 1
Seaville81 -1
charmcityking - 1
terp 73 - 1