Walt Bell says Maryland football’s bye week came at the ‘perfect time’

Maryland football’s bye week came awfully early this season. The Terps’ bye was in Week 4, right before opening up Big Ten play against Purdue on Saturday.

This gave the team a chance to do all the normal bye week things: recuperating from any minor injuries, refocusing on some concepts learned in training camp, etc.

While this is early on the team’s game schedule, we’re actually almost halfway through the season if you start from the beginning of fall camp. That’s what offensive coordinator Walt Bell said Wednesday:

The bye week at the time that it came, in a perfect world, the bye week is always Week 3 or Week 4, solely because you have that long period of camp, you have three or four weeks of play and that really is kind of the midpoint of your season. We’ve got a nine-game stretch, it’s going to be really long, but a lot of people see the season, kind of game six being the midpoint, but really the midpoint of your season is about Week 3 or 4. When you consider the volume that you got in camp, and then coming out of summer, it’s kind of the perfect time for us.

And sure, it’s awfully coincidental that the best time to have a bye week is when his team happened to have one, but he’s got a point.

In other news

Former Maryland lineman A.J. Francis joined our podcast to talk college football, racial protests, the student-athlete life and more.

Josh Woods has to take over for the injured Denzel Conyers at safety. He’ll make his first career start against Purdue.

Maryland women’s soccer dropped a 3-2 result in overtime Thursday night to Michigan State.

Here’s Ahmed Ghafir going unit-by-unit on what you can expect from the Boilermakers.

The Baltimore Sun’s Jonas Shaffer went in-depth to compare Greivis Vasquez’s shimmy to Hillary Clinton’s. This was needed content that makes me happy.

Maryland men’s soccer has lost to Northwestern two seasons in a row. The Terps will look to change that Friday night.

Here’s SB Nation’s college football watchability grid for this weekend.

Hammer and Rails, SB Nation’s Purdue site, helped us preview Saturday’s game. Here’s what we said to them about Maryland.

Lastly, a reminder that Maryland’s new clear bag policy is in effect for Saturday’s game. Here’s a school release detailing it:

Bag Policy: Maryland Athletics has announced a new bag policy that is in effect for the 2016 football season and will also be in place for the 2016-17 men’s and women’s basketball season at Xfinity Center. Fans will only be able to carry the following style and size bags into the stadium.

- Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and do not exceed 12” x 6” x 12”

- One gallon clear plastic freezer bag (Ziploc bag or similar)

- Small clutch bags, measuring 4.5” x 6.5” with or without a handle or strap

All other bags will not be permitted. A list of prohibited bags includes, but is not limited to: purses, backpacks, drawstring bags that are not clear, briefcases, coolers, fanny packs, luggage, computer bags, camera bags, binocular cases and diaper bags. Guests are encouraged to return unauthorized items to their vehicles. The University of Maryland cannot safeguard items which are not permitted into the stadium.

Maryland football season ticket holders received a clear tote bag included in their season ticket shipment. Clear bags will also be available for purchase outside of the stadium.

Maryland has implemented a number of initiatives to assists the fans on game day:

- “No bag lanes” will be available to fans entering the stadium without bags

- Lockers will be located at Lot Q for $10 to fans wishing to lock up belongings

- Gallon sized (small) bags will be provided to fans upon request; large clear bags can be purchased for $15

- Informational booth outside Gate I provided to fans with questions