Edsall already stressing importance of opener Schools such as Temple, Villanova and William & Mary used to provide a gentle introduction to seasons past for the Maryland football team. The drill was familiar — a warm Saturday night in September and an uninspiring victory full of excusable mistakes, substitutions and leg cramps.
Maryland and Towson agreed to one such matchup this year. But this offseason, when the ACC presented the Terrapins with the opportunity to play Miami on national television on Labor Day, they accepted, ramping up the stakes for new coach Randy Edsall.
Recommended Stories
“When you open up with a conference game and you open up against Miami Monday night, you gotta be firing on all cylinders,” Edsall said. “It’s not like we’re playing a preseason game or a I-AA team.”
| UP NEXT |
| Miami at Maryland |
| When » Sept. 5, 8 p.m. |
| Where » Byrd Stadium |
| TV » ESPN |
Speaking on Monday at the ACC Football Kickoff at Pinehurst (N.C.) Resort, Edsall made clear the importance of his Maryland debut after 12 seasons at Connecticut. It also will be the Miami debut of former Temple coach Al Golden, who takes over for Randy Shannon.
“It’s going to be a great opportunity,” Edsall said. “It’s the only game on that night. The whole nation will be watching. It’s a chance for us to showcase the University of Maryland and our football program.”
Despite returning the ACC rookie of the year in quarterback Danny O’Brien, All-ACC defender Kenny Tate and 11 other starters from last year’s 9-4 team, Edsall has doubters. In the ACC preseason media poll released Monday, the Terps were picked fifth in the six-team Atlantic Division.
“We’ve got a lot of talent at receiver that nobody knows about. Maybe some do,” O’Brien said Sunday. “We’ve got two really good running backs who are proven and a great O-line.”
With a new system in place, O’Brien says the Miami game is that much more important as the Terps seek to establish an identity.
“We’re playing a great team. It counts for something right away,” O’Brien said. “It’s just going to be a huge momentum builder. I think beating Navy last year [in] Game 1 was huge for our momentum rolling from there from a confidence standpoint. I think it will be the same thing all over again.”
Similarly, where would a bad loss leave the Terps? In 2009, Maryland’s 52-13 defeat at California to kick off the season set the course for a disastrous 2-10 year.
There will be plenty of unknowns when Maryland takes the field Sept.?5 at Byrd Stadium. Edsall’s transition has not been smooth. In an effort to solve academic and discipline problems, he’s had to establish tough rules. Twelve players who had eligibility remaining will not be with the team this fall.
Can Edsall clean house off the field and still maintain continuity from last year’s successful campaign?
“When you come in you have to evaluate the total program. You have to come in and establish that foundation for what you want the program to be,” Edsall said. “Ultimately, we’re building a program. A team happens from year to year. The program stands the test of time.”
