WEBSITE COUNTDOWN
Today we profile a player who really honestly should probably be starting.
Alex Twine, Junior, Outside Linebacker, #35
via grfx.cstv.com
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 230
Twitter: @TwineTime_35
Collegiate Stats: 62 tackles (27 assisted), six and a half for a loss, one sack, seven passes defended, one fumble recovery
High School Stats: 52 tackles (18 for a loss), four forced fumbles and three interceptions
Recruiting Ratings: Three stars by ESPN (#56 OLB), two stars by Rivals, Scout (#130 OLB), 24/7
High School: Quince Orchard
Hometown: Gaithersburg, Md.
High School Highlights:
How'd He Get to College Park?
Alex Twine was a major playmaker in high school, getting in to the backfield and forcing turnovers and negative plays, and he has quickly transferred that to the collegiate level, coming off an extremely successful true freshman campaign and a solid sophomore one. He was one of many sleepers coming into the Terrapin program two years ago, mostly rated as a two-star prospect, but was the third recent Quince Orchard prospect to come to College Park, following Travis Hawkins and Zachariah Kerr, who have since moved on to other opportunities.
Twine was a consensus all-state selection and was named first team All-Met after his senior year. He was offered by a host of FCS schools, including Delaware, James Madison, and UMass (now in the FBS), and Maryland was his only major offer. He also played basketball in high school.
Twine made the most of his opportunity when injuries opened up a spot on the outside at linebacker, and he put together a season worthy of a freshman All-America nod. After coming off the bench in the first five games of the year, an injury to Demetrius Hartsfield catapulted Twine into a starting position, and he started four of the last seven games of the season. He missed the Wake Forest game due to injury.
Unfortunately, perhaps the biggest news concerning Twine came on his 18th birthday this past December, when the linebacker was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and failure to obey a reasonable and lawful order after allegedly "ranting and punching cars at a shopping center near campus". Sounds like his 18th birthday was a hell of a lot more interesting than mine.
Last year, Twine essentially shared a linebacking role with Kenny Tate - playing in all 12 games and starting in five of them. Twine had two five-tackle games early on in the season, against William & Mary and UConn, but his role diminished as the season went on.
Nickname:
"Twine Time"
Career Highlight:
Freshman All-American.
Dream Season:
Twine takes the starting position away from Matt Robinson, putting together more than 80 tackles in each of his last two collegiate seasons.
2013 Prospectus:
Alex Twine is listed as the back-up at SAM, behind converted safety Matt Robinson, making this the second year in a row he's behind a converted safety at the position. That being said, he hasn't started more than five games in a single season in his Maryland career and has still had a major impact in his time here. Twine should play the most out of any of the reserve defensive players (with the possible exception of Andre Monroe, if he's still a back-up come opening kick-off), and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him near the top of the team tackle charts at the end of the year.
Up Next:
The name of our next player's high school is the same as the third word of the title of a classic Hitchcock film.
noam23 joins the logjam with two.
Standings:
ClickClack62 - 6
curterp - 5
Maryland1206 - 4
Scaletta - 3
Redturtle - 2
802Terp - 2
thirstyturtlelives - 2
UATerp - 2
royvan - 2
noam23 - 2
proudterp - 1
terpsfinish - 1
KHemer - 1
apgibson24 - 1
Seaville81 -1