Testudo Times staff rountable: Reactions to MSU win, Stanford blowout

Who was your player of the game in the Michigan State double overtime victory?

Todd: This is kind of tough because nobody played well for the entire game but just about everybody made a significant contribution at some point. Dez's and Melo's are obvious but Dodd had huge back to back plays before fouling out with four fouls. I'm going to go a little counter-intuitive here and say Richaud Pack. The guy just makes so many under the radar contributions and his late rebound on one of Melo's missed free throws in the second OT that he followed by making both his was huge.

Noah: Not easy for Melo to make those kinds of plays as a freshman in his first ever conference game at Michigan State no less. But I agree with Todd here, Pack does the little things that have propelled Maryland across the finish line this season and he did it again in East Lansing.

Andrew K.: One of the hallmarks of this year's team is that they are exactly that: a team. The game against MSU featured a number of players stepping forward at critical times. It's difficult to pick just one player.

Pete: I like everyone else's answer, but I'll go with the easy one and pick Dez for his late game heroics.

Do you think Turgeon meant to earn that technical foul, or was he just standing up for his players?

Todd: No. I think he's too smart to draw a deliberate technical foul in that situation. I think people are overlooking the fact that if MSU makes both free throws, Maryland's down five not four with under two minutes to go in the overtime and that's significantly different from being down four. I think he was reacting because (if I remember correctly) Dodd had just fouled out with four fouls on a play that appeared to be either an anticipation whistle or a bad angle (even Vitale didn't see the foul). Then Melo had his drive and there was no call and Turge reacted.

Noah: He's an emotional coach. The team was already playing inspired ball so I'll say that it was more a product of Turgeon being Turgeon.

Andrew K.: No way he meant to get that T. It put us in a huge hole and we were lucky to escape with the win. Plus, the players didn't seem to be lollygagging at any time during the 2+ hours test of endurance and will.

Pete: Agreed with everyone else, no smart coach gets that T on purpose. He got caught in the moment (and the poor officiating), and it ended up not costing them.

Now seems to be a good time to recalibrate our expectations for Maryland basketball. Given the early results, what must the team achieve to have a successful season?

Todd: If Melo stays healthy, top three in the Big Ten and at least Sweet Sixteen. (I'm partly kidding about the latter. One and done tournaments are too much of a crap shoot.)

Noah: I'd like to see top 5 in the Big Ten and at least one win in the NCAA tournament. I don't know if this team is capable of making the Sweet 16.

Andrew K.: This team has so many good parts that as a whole are greater than the sum. Their biggest improvement (besides FT %) is the defense. In particular Jake Layman has improved tremendously in that regard and I feel much better about the Terps going up against teams with a strong frontcourt presence. So I think it's realistic to set a lower limit at 11 B1G wins and an overall record of 23 - 8. With that record and our resume wins, particularly on the road, will be good enough to get the Terps a high seed in the NCAA tournament.

Pete: Top three in the Big Ten and a respectable NCAA showing, dependent on the bracket.

Maryland 's last two football games have been - disappointing and frustrating, to say the least. This is your space to vent about the Rutgers collapse and the Stanford blowout.

Todd: Thanks for the opportunity. I'll just go with Dennis Green: "They are who we thought they were."

Noah: Todd's beautiful quote speaks to Stanford but not to Rutgers. Rutgers was horrific along the lines of Maryland blowing a huge lead against Taj Boyd and Sammy Watkins a couple of years ago and getting crushed on homecoming. It has to be up there among the worst Maryland football losses I've ever seen (granted I have only been a fan for 5 years). Stanford reminded me of the games where Maryland encountered vastly better teams and didn't rise up to meet them. They got blown out and deserved to lose that way.

Andrew K.: The last 1.5 games has seen the Terps outscored 69 - 24. I'm at a loss to explain the sudden collapse in all aspects of the game. This is the same team that beat Iowa and gave MSU a tough test.

Pete: Gah. So much pain. So. Much. Pain.

Stefon Diggs' status had been the subject of much speculation lately. He finished with 10 catches for 138 years a against Stanford. In your opinion, what is the likelihood he will declare for the Draft?

Todd: I consulted my old friend the Magic 8-ball and the response was, "Signs point to yes."

Noah: He had a great bowl game and he knows what Maryland has coming back. He should take off. I would say it is very, very likely.

Andrew K.: Almost certainly. Based on his size and durability concerns his draft potential is in the middle rounds. Another year at Maryland won't improve that.

Pete: Agreed, I think he'll leave. Go get that money, Stefon.

On a scale of 0-100 (with 100 being the highest) what are your confidence levels in Turgeon and Edsall? (hat tip to the commenter who suggested this idea a few weeks ago)

Todd: Confidence in what? For example, my confidence level that Maryland will be a clean, solid academic football program that will have maybe a nine win season as its best with Edsall as the head coach is in the high 90th percentile. My confidence that the Terps will ever play in the B1G title game is probably in the thirties. As for Turgeon, I've had more confidence Maryland would succeed under his leadership than I ever had with Edsall and he's been on the edge of success most of his time here. I'm not saying that he's going to regularly lead them to Final Four appearances (even Gary only had two of those) but I do think he will lead the Terps to regular NCAA Tournament appearances and maybe the occasional deep run.

Noah: Todd has made some good points. Edsall's best UConn team only had 8 wins but by virtue of playing in the lousy Big East received a bid to play in the Fiesta Bowl. He can get Maryland 7 or 8 wins consistently so I'll give Edsall a 70 out of 100. Turgeon on the other hand was very low with me until this season. I don't know what we'll see next year when the Terps won't have Wells, Pack or Smoctryz. This team should at least make the tournament but it's a possibility for Maryland to be a dominant Big Ten team. I'll give Turgeon an 80.

Andrew K.: Here's the reality of the situation: Edsall ain't going anywhere for at least the next year. The 2014 team finished with enough wins as well as making a bowl game such that his ouster won't happen. Not to mention the buyout it would cost. But my confidence level is around 50. That is, he's a mediocre coach that won't bring Maryland football above mediocrity. Turgeon on the other hand had a solid record at Texas A&M and inherited a room full of pot smoke when he came to Maryland. The last three years were difficult, but it looks like he finally has his type of players on the team. My confidence is 85, as until Maryland makes the Sweet 16 I can't say he succeeded here.

Pete: I'll give Turgeon an 85 and Edsall a 60.