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Notes from Maryland football's first day of camp

Comments from Edsall on the running back situation, more on the tight ends and other coverage.

By Pete Volk Updated
Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Testudo Times was not able to be on the scene for Maryland's first day of camp (we will be there in the future), but thankfully plenty of reporters were there to share their impressions. Look, you can see them now!

YES. YES WE ARE.

For those still wondering, of course.

Apparently Maryland's running back corps will battle for the first piece of bread. Or AutoCorrect struck. Likely AutoCorrect.

Anyway, this is probably not as telling as it may seem: sure, Edsall would like someone to claim the role, but going off his rotations in past years it's likely we'll end up seeing a tandem-system again. That's perfectly fine, too: Maryland has four really talented backs, and that gives them plenty of options going into Big Ten play.

No surprises here: the positions most up for grabs just happen to be the ones listed as battles on the depth chart. At tight end, Gallo was the presumptive starter, so you'd have to imagine Isaacs and Hayward did something impressive to earn a co-starter role.

Conaboy was Maryland's best lineman last season and is expected to lead what could be a very young unit.

This is true of all three new assistant coaches.

Nothing says football season is here quite like a uniform update. We'll continue to update this post as more information trickles out.

Update, 9:16 p.m.: More from the Sun's Matt Zenitz.

Update, 9:48 p.m., from Aaron Oster

Update, 10:17 p.m.: Quotes from Randy Edsall, via a school release:

On the freshman:

"They're all here. We'll find out about them here in a little bit. They're for the most part in good shape. It's amazing how some of the guys fill out from the time that you sign them until now. There are a lot of them that look good. I don't want to single any of them out. You'll see for yourself. I'm anxious to see what they do out here. I told them beforehand just to go out here, and we know they're going to make mistakes, but just go full speed and have fun and learn the playbook. If you learn the playbook and learn all the techniques and fundamentals that go with it, the better your opportunity to show you can get on the field."

On the practice schedule:

"We have five practices; two in helmets and then two in helmets and shoulder pads and then full pads on Friday. It's just getting everything installed. Today we'll do some red zone and start to install all of our base things offensively and defensively and then just continue to through the rest of the week to try and get everything installed by the time that we get around to our scrimmage on practice eight."

On if Stefon Diggs is fully recovered:

"He has. He's cleared and 100 percent and ready to go. I know he's eager to get going again. He's very focused and very determined. He wants to get back out here and start playing the game he loves."

On Nigel King's departure:

"We wish Nigel well. He graduated, which is the number one priority for him. We'll just wish him well and focus on the guys that are here."

On the guard and running back competitions:

"It's no different than where it was at the end of spring because we haven't done anything. We'll see how it all plays out and I'm hoping that somebody stands out, just like at running back. I'm hoping that somebody at running back takes the bull by the horn this preseason and says, ‘hey, I'm the starter' and they separate themselves. That's what we're looking for at guard and running back as well."

On the tight end competition:

"Andrew and Derrick had really good summers. Again, you'd like to have a tight end that can do it all for you, rather than having situational guys. I think that'll start to shakeout. Andrew had a really good summer and he's a guy that can give us those opportunities. Derrick is getting better, putting on weight. P.J. didn't have as good a summer as those guys so hopefully separation will take place early in camp."

On the tight end, guard and running back competitions:

"Those would probably be the biggest [competitions]. When you look at the depth chart and saw the or's on there, that's probably the biggest. But that doesn't mean something couldn't happen at the other positions based on people's ability and what they do out here or lack of production from somebody who was already a starter."

On Sal Conaboy:

"Sal is very steady. He's smart and a really hard worker. It's good to see him get that recognition. He's got a lot of experience. He's a guy that's the leader of our offensive line and a guy that we have high expectations for this year. He understands his role and what he has to do from a leadership standpoint and you just see him getting better and better each year as an offensive lineman and a center."

"He's smart. He really understands what're doing and can make all the calls. The biggest thing that he's got to do is just get better with his footwork and his technique and hand placement. He's made strides, but those are things he's got to get better at."

On Yannick Ngakoue:

"You can see that he's had a good summer. He's worked hard. Now it's the same thing. I thought we had a good summer. Drew Wilson and his staff did a great job. Our guys are in shape. They're ready to go and now what we'll do is see if they can translate what they did this summer, getting bigger, faster, and stronger, and put it to work on the field and do the things they've got to do from and productivity and assignment standpoint to show that they've made improvement from a mental aspect as well as a physical aspect."

"He's gotten better. He has a very good approach to what's going on. He came in here and thought it might be a little easier than what it was, and he's matured quite a bit. That's the biggest thing. He's matured a lot over the last year and now he understands the process that you have to go through to be good. I think that's the biggest improvement that he's made."

On C.J. Brown

"C.J. has done a good job of understanding everything that goes into it and has a better feel for what we are doing. I think you'll see he's just got so much more command and confidence than he ever has. He's done a better job of being a leader. Those are the things that are important. Again, he's worked on all aspects of his game but I think the leadership and the comfort with what're doing offensively is something where he's really enhanced his game."

"The biggest thing for him is to be more consistent in everything he does. His accuracy, his decision making and understanding when to pull it down and when to throw it and doing those different things. He's got a lot more confidence going into this year than he did at this time last year."

On the limited personnel turnover from last season:

"It's comforting going into the season having the depth and the experience that we have coming back. But in terms of what we want to get done installation wise, that hasn't changed. We have a couple of guys now who understand and know how to practice and how to do those things. That makes it a little bit easier."

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