Maryland Terrapins football
Encyclopedia
The Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland
in National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS, formerly Division I-A) competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference
(ACC). Since 1950, the Terrapins have played their home games at Byrd Stadium
in College Park, Maryland
. The team's official colors of red, white, black, and gold have been in use in some combination since the 1920s and are taken from the state flag, and the nickname of the "Terrapins" (often abbreviated as "Terps") was adopted in 1933 after a turtle species
native to the state. Maryland shares storied rivalries with Virginia
and West Virginia
. Maryland is actually considered the best football team in the country by Stuart Asher(a long time fan).
The program's achievements have included one NCAA-recognized national championships
, nine ACC championships, two Southern Conference championships, eleven consensus All-Americans, several Hall of Fame inductees, and twenty-four bowl game
appearances. Maryland possesses the third-most ACC championships with nine, which places them behind Clemson
(13) and Florida State
(12). Many former Terrapins players and coaches have gone on to careers in professional football including 15 first-round NFL Draft
picks.
The first officially recognized football team was fielded in 1892, and excluding a brief hiatus in 1895, Maryland has competed in college football each season since. Harry C. "Curley" Byrd
, a student-athlete at Maryland, became head football coach in 1911 and served in that role for two decades before he became the university president. The Terrapins had consistent on-field success between 1947 and 1955. Maryland then suffered a period of mediocrity, until 1972, when the program again rose to national prominence under coaches Jerry Claiborne
and Bobby Ross
. The football program underwent another period of lackluster performance beginning in 1986 and lasting until 2001, when Ralph Friedgen
was hired as head coach and engineered a first-year turnaround that culminated in a conference championship. In the following years, the Terrapins made regular postseason appearances, but were unable to match the success of Friedgen's first season.
In 1892, the school then known as the Maryland Agricultural College fielded its first officially sanctioned college football
team. They went scoreless in all three of that season's games, but the following year, posted a perfect record of 6–0. For the first two decades of the program, the team primarily competed against local universities and high schools due to the prohibitive nature of long-distance travel at the time.
In 1911, Harry C. "Curley" Byrd became head coach and held that position for more than two decades until he was named the university president. In 1921, Maryland joined the Southern Conference
where it remained for thirty years. Between 1935 and 1946, the school had several coaches that achieved fame elsewhere: Frank Dobson, a former assistant coach under John Heisman
; Clark Shaughnessy
, architect of Stanford
's undefeated 1940 turnaround
; and Paul "Bear" Bryant
, who later became the long-time Alabama
head coach. Bryant resigned after one season when a player he had suspended was reinstated by President Byrd.
was hired in 1947, after a brief stint
at Oklahoma
where he had led the Sooners to a conference championship in his only season there. He was Maryland's sixth head coach in eight years, but Tatum stayed for nine seasons and became the school's most successful head coach in modern history. During his tenure, he led Maryland to two national championships (one retroactive), three conference championships, three perfect seasons, six top-20 final rankings, and five bowl game
appearances. Seven of his players were named first-team All-Americans, including five consensus All-Americans. Under Tatum, Maryland finished every season with a winning record.
After the 1947 season
, the Terrapins participated in their first bowl game, the 1948 Gator Bowl
, in which they tied Georgia, 20–20. NCAA season-scoring leader Lu Gambino
recorded all three Maryland touchdowns. In 1949, Maryland again played in the Gator Bowl
, where they defeated 20th-ranked , 20–7. The Terrapins finished the season ranked 14th by the Associated Press. Maryland's current home field, Byrd Stadium
, was constructed in 1950, and named in honor of former coach and contemporary Maryland president Curly Byrd. Maryland started the 1950 season
ranked 15th and defeated Navy, 35–21, in the Byrd Stadium dedication game.
The Terrapins won the 1951 Southern Conference
co-championship alongside the . Their perfect season
culminated with an upset over first-ranked Tennessee
in the . At the time, however, the wire service
s released their final rankings before the bowl games, and Maryland finished third in the Associated Press Poll. Several selectors, including analyst Jeff Sagarin
, have retroactively credited Maryland with the national championship. In 1953, Maryland and six other schools split from the Southern Conference to form the Atlantic Coast Conference
. That year, Maryland shut-out two 11th-ranked teams: , 38–0, and Alabama, 21–0, won the ACC co-championship alongside , and were named the national champions as the only undefeated and untied team in the nation. The Terrapins were defeated by fourth-ranked in the Orange Bowl
. After the 1955 season, Tatum resigned to return to North Carolina
, where he soon died of Rocky Mountain spotted fever
.
ranked number-six, but after the departure of Tatum, they suffered their first losing season in a decade. It marked the beginning of a long undistinguished period of Maryland history, and between 1956 and 1971, they compiled a record of 50–100–1 and only three winning seasons. In 1967, they suffered their first winless season in 75 years. High points during this period included victories over 14th-ranked in 1957
, 11th-ranked Clemson in 1959, eighth-ranked Clemson in 1960, and seventh-ranked Syracuse
in 1961. Maryland became the first college football program in the nation to put players' names on the back of their jersey
s in 1961. In 1962, assistant coach Lee Corso
convinced African-American wide receiver
Darryl Hill to transfer from the Naval Academy
. Hill broke the color barrier in football at four institutions: Gonzaga High School
, the Naval Academy, Maryland, and the ACC. In 1965, back Bob Sullivan led the nation with 10 interceptions.
took over as head coach of the Terrapins, which had only nine wins in the past five years. In his first season, Maryland improved to 5–5–1, and the following year, they reached their first bowl game in almost two decades. The team steadily improved until his fifth season, 1976, when they finished the regular season with an 11–0 record, their first perfect mark since Tatum's 1955 squad
. Boomer Esiason
later described Claiborne's coaching style as "vanilla", and said his strategy was "run right, run left, run up the middle, punt, and play good defense." He went on to say, "But, there's no question he made me a tougher player . . . We'd do drills where the quarterback had to take on a linebacker. It was like he had a sign on our back, 'Hit us, we're stupid'. It made you a tougher player."
In 1974, Maryland had a preseason rank of 14th and later beat 17th-ranked to win the ACC championship. The Terrapins were defeated by 20th-ranked Tennessee in the and finished the season ranked 13th. In 1975, Maryland again won the ACC and defeated 13th-ranked Florida in the to finish 13th in the nation. That season, the Terrapins led the ACC in total offense with 375.2 yards per game. Maryland started 1976 ranked 12th, and quarterback Mark Manges
led them to eleven consecutive wins to secure their third straight ACC championship. Maryland's loss to sixth-ranked Houston
in the , 30–21, ended any hopes for a national championship.
In 1978, Maryland beat 20th-ranked and finished with a ranking of 20th. The game that pitted 11th-ranked Maryland against 12th-ranked Clemson has been described as one of the most exciting games of the era. The "big-play caravan" ultimately saw Clemson triumph, 28–24. From 1974 to 1978, Claiborne and the Terrapins secured five consecutive bowl game berths and three consecutive ACC championships. Maryland made it to a sixth bowl game in 1980. After the 1981 season, Claiborne left the program for his alma mater, Kentucky
, and was replaced by Bobby Ross
, an assistant coach for the Kansas City Chiefs
.
, who was not a big name at the time, was selected as head coach in 1982. In contrast to Claiborne's style, Ross implemented a high-powered offense. He replaced the I-veer triple option with an NFL-style
offense that emphasized dropback passes, bootlegs
, and play action
passes. This change in tactics and strategy enabled starting quarterback Boomer Esiason
the opportunity to excel to a degree not seen under Claiborne the season prior. Esiason said, "Ross has an uncanny knack of putting players in a position to not only succeed, but to overachieve . . . If he didn't show up at Maryland, I don't know what would have happened to me. I don't know if I would have turned into the player I was and played in the NFL." In the following years, several Maryland quarterbacks went on to careers in the National Football League
(NFL), and the school was nicknamed "Quarterback U
" as a result.
In Ross's inaugural season, Maryland defeated 10th-ranked , and then edged Miami
before their most important conference game of the season against the 1981 national champions
, the Clemson Tigers. Between 1974 and 1988, either Clemson or Maryland won the ACC title all but three years. Clemson had lost to the 1980 national champions, seventh-ranked Georgia, 13–7, and tied , 17–17, after the opposing quarterback, Doug Flutie
, led a comeback. Clemson was therefore unable to defend their NCAA championship, but either Clemson or Maryland, with perfect conference records, would secure the ACC title. Thus, decades before the official ACC Championship Game
, 1982 saw a rare de facto title match. Clemson scored first, then pulled away 14–7 before half. In the second half, a favorable wind twice yielded Maryland excellent field position, Esiason threw for two rapid-fire touchdowns and a two-point conversion
, and the defense held Clemson at bay. However, the Terrapins also turned the ball over five times in the second half and lost, 24–22. With the win, Clemson won the ACC and Maryland finished second. Immediately after the game, the NCAA announced its investigation into Clemson recruiting had found improprieties. As a result, the Tigers were denied a bowl game and television coverage in the following season. The ACC instituted further punishment, making Clemson ineligible for a conference title for the next two years. Maryland finished 1982 ranked 20th after losing to ninth-ranked Washington in the . In 1983, Maryland lost to third-ranked Auburn
and 20th-ranked West Virginia
, but beat 17th-ranked Pittsburgh
and third-ranked . Clemson and Maryland once more met with perfect ACC records, and Maryland again lost, this time blown out, 52–27. Despite the loss, Maryland was awarded the conference championship because of the sanctions against Clemson.
In 1984, Maryland defeated the defending national champions
, sixth-ranked , in what was then the biggest comeback in college football history and judged by some as the most exciting. At half time, Maryland trailed Miami, 31–0. Back-up quarterback Frank Reich
replaced Stan Gelbaugh
and proceeded to throw four touchdown passes, and capitalizing on Miami errors, the Terrapins won, 42–40. The recovery from the 31-point halftime deficit stood as the greatest college football comeback for the next 22 years, until the record was finally broken
by Michigan State
against Northwestern
. Reich later repeated the feat in his professional career when he led the Buffalo Bills
to overcome a 32-point deficit and set the NFL comeback record
. That season, Maryland also defeated 17th-ranked West Virginia
and 20th-ranked Clemson, and secured the ACC championship. In the postseason, they edged Tennessee, 28–27, in the and finished 12th in the nation. Maryland entered the 1985 season with a number-one preseason rank, and set its all-time home attendance record in Byrd Stadium with an average of 49,385 over five games. However, they dropped to a ranking of 17th in Week 2, and then out of the polls in Week 4 after a shutout
by Michigan
. Despite the early setbacks, the Terrapins finished undefeated in six conference games to take the ACC championship for the third consecutive year. Maryland defeated , 35-18, in the Cherry Bowl
and earned a final ranking of 18th. In 1986, the Terrapins posted a mediocre 5–5–1 record.
After the season, Ross resigned as head coach. He expressed frustration over the university's failure to improve Byrd Stadium and its associated facilities. Ross had shown recruits stadium and facility renovation plans as an indication of the program's direction, and when they did not come to fruition, he felt that he had misled the players. Ross also stated that he was hurt by "innuendo, insinuation, and guilt by association" with respect to the cocaine
-induced death of Maryland basketball
star Len Bias
. He said, "I feel the football team has represented the university well, both on and off the field." The athletics department investigation report had commended the propriety of the football program, but university chancellor John B. Slaughter did not offer his vocal support for Ross until a month later.
and quarterbacks coach
Joe Krivak was promoted to head coach. This was the beginning of a lackluster period for Terrapins football. From 1987 to 2000, the Terrapins went 55–88 overall (.385) with only two winning seasons and one bowl appearance. A controversial loss to in the final game of 1988 cost the team a sixth win for bowl eligibility. In 1989, Maryland tied Joe Paterno
's 13th-ranked Penn State for the only time in the series
' existence. The following season, the Terrapins beat 25th-ranked and upset 8th-ranked Virginia
. Maryland received a bid to the and tied in what would be their only postseason appearance during this period. Athletic director Andy Geiger
rewarded Krivak with a five-year contract extension, but the 1991 season unraveled after a rash of injuries, and Maryland had its worst finish in two decades with a 2–9 mark. After public criticism from several players, Krivak felt he lost credibility as the head coach and resigned on December 6.
Geiger named Holy Cross
head coach Mark Duffner
as Krivak's replacement. Duffner had amassed a 60–5–1 record and two undefeated seasons in his six years at Holy Cross. At Maryland, he installed a run and shoot offense
which shattered many school records, but his defenses were notoriously weak. For example, in the 1993 game against , the Terrapins lost by 27 points despite gaining 649 yards of total offense. During this time, quarterbacks Scott Milanovich
and John Kaleo
set numerous school records for passing under Duffner, most of which still stand. In 1993, Maryland earned the dubious honor of most yards allowed per game, a record which also stands: in eleven games, the Terrapins surrendered 6,083 yards—an average of 553.0 yards per game. Maryland also gave up 236 more points than they scored, the worst point differential in school history. After the season, Duffner reorganized his staff by firing three assistant coaches. The team showed moderate improvement the next two years, and in 1995 finished 6–5, which was the first winning record since 1990. However, Maryland backslid in 1996 with a 5–6 record and a struggling offense. Duffner was fired after the season, having accumulated a combined record of 20–35.
Ron Vanderlinden
was hired as head coach for the 1997 season under a five-year contract. Vanderlinden had helped engineer turnarounds at Northwestern
as defensive coordinator and at Colorado
as a defensive assistant. The 1995 Northwestern team
in particular had shocked observers when it recorded a 10–2 season and the Big Ten
championship. In 1999, Maryland showed signs of significant improvement, and a winning season appeared certain when Maryland possessed a 5–2 record. The Terrapins, however, then suffered a three-game losing streak. In their finale against , the Terrapins needed a win to garner a likely invitation to either the Aloha Bowl
or Oahu Bowl
—a Maryland alumnus was the chief executive officer
of both events. The Terrapins came from behind and held the lead, 30–27, with 5:18 left to play. They regained possession with 1:40 remaining, but an inexperienced quarterback unintentionally stopped the clock by going out of bounds. After the ensuing punt, Virginia mounted a touchdown drive to win the game and end Maryland's bowl hopes. Despite narrowly missing a winning season, Vanderlinden was granted a two-year contract extension. In 2000, Maryland again fell short of a winning season and bowl game. The Terrapins entered their season closer with a 5–5 record, and again fell, this time in a rout by 24th-ranked . Vanderlinden was fired the following day.
Despite the failure to deliver a winning season, Vanderlinden did oversee substantive improvement in the program. In 1998, the Terrapins were one of the most improved teams in defense, scoring defense, passing defense, and rushing. In 1999, Maryland allowed a conference low of 11 sacks
compared with 56 in 1997. In that same period, Maryland also improved from last to first in the conference in rushing
, due in large part to Heisman Trophy
candidate and school career rushing leader LaMont Jordan
. During Vanderlinden's tenure, Maryland also recruited several key players who were instrumental in the team's later success.
, a former Maryland player and assistant under Bobby Ross, was hired as Vanderlinden's replacement for the 2001 season. Friedgen had previously been denied an interview for the position twice by his alma mater. While offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech, he had been described as an "offensive genius", and Friedgen later received similar plaudits while at Maryland. When he took over, Maryland had not won a bowl game in 16 years and had only one winning season since 1990.
In 2001
, Maryland won its first four games and entered the AP Poll for the first time since September 1995. Maryland beat 15th-ranked Georgia Tech
in overtime
when placekicker Nick Novak
, the ACC's future all-time scoring leader, equalized and then won the game with 46- and 26-yard field goals, thereby ensuring a winning season and bowl appearance. In Tallahassee
, 18th-ranked Florida State
broke a stalemate in the fourth quarter to hand Maryland its only defeat of the regular season, 52–31. Maryland closed the year with a win over , which secured the ACC championship and made the Terrapins the first team other than Florida State to take the title outright since the Seminoles joined the conference in 1991. Sixth-ranked Maryland then faced fifth-ranked Florida
in the BCS
Orange Bowl
. The Terrapins lost, 56–23, and finished with a 10–2 record and ranked 10th in the nation.
In 2002
, Maryland had a preseason rank of 20th, but their first three games included a shutout by 12th-ranked Notre Dame, 22–0, and a loss to 16th-ranked Florida State
, 37–10. The Terrapins rallied to defeat 13th-ranked West Virginia
and 17th-ranked , while losing only to Virginia
. That loss, however, prevented Maryland from earning a share of the ACC championship alongside Florida State. The Terrapins routed Tennessee
in the Peach Bowl
, 30–3, and finished with an 11–3 record and final ranking of 18th. Maryland began the 2003 season
with losses to and eighth-ranked Florida State
. They later defeated 23rd-ranked West Virginia
, but were edged by . In the postseason, 24th-ranked Maryland delivered a second crushing defeat against 20th-ranked West Virginia in the Gator Bowl
, 41–7, and finished the season ranked 17th. The New York Times
computer poll ranked Maryland third in the nation, behind only split-national champions Louisiana State
and Southern California
. The 2004 season
was Friedgen's first with a losing record. Maryland finished with a 5–6 mark that included an overtime loss to West Virginia
, 19–16. The highlight of the season was an upset victory over fifth-ranked Florida State
, which was Maryland's first against the Seminoles and their first win against a top-10 team since 1990. The Terrapins again ended the 2005 season
with a 5–6 record. That season opened with a victory over , which was the first meeting between the intrastate foes in 40 years.
In 2006
, Maryland returned to a bowl game and finished with a 9–4 record. During the season, the Terrapins upset 19th-ranked Clemson
, 13–12, and five of their games were won by four points or less. In the Champs Sports Bowl
, Maryland beat Purdue
, 24–7. In 2007
, Maryland overcame extensive injuries to again secure a postseason appearance. During the season, unranked Maryland tallied two shocking upsets against 10th-ranked Rutgers
, 34–24, and eighth-ranked Boston College, 42–35. They finished the season with a rout of NC State
to attain bowl eligibility, 37–0, but lost to Oregon State
in the Emerald Bowl
, 21–14. According to the final Sagarin
computer-generated rankings, Maryland had the second-hardest schedule in the ACC and the 27th-hardest schedule among Division I teams.
Numerous observers described Maryland's 2008 season
as "wildly inconsistent". The Terrapins defeated four of their five ranked opponents—25th-ranked California
, 19th-ranked Clemson
, 19th-ranked Wake Forest
, and 17th-ranked North Carolina
—but also lost to heavy underdogs Middle Tennessee
and Virginia
. Ultimately, Maryland defeated Nevada
in the Humanitarian Bowl
and finished the season with an 8–5 record. Before the 2009 season
, many analysts projected the Terrapins to finish last or second-to-last in the Atlantic Division of the ACC, and expressed particular concern with the inexperienced offensive line. The prognostications proved accurate, and Maryland finished 2–10 for their first ten-loss season in program history. Maryland rebounded in 2010
to finish with a 9–4 record, including a win in the Military Bowl, and ranked 23rd in the AP Poll. The ACC named Friedgen Coach of the Year
, while freshman quarterback Danny O'Brien
became the first Terrapin ever named ACC Rookie of the Year
. Citing lack of fan support, the athletic department bought out the final year of Friedgen's contract for $2 million. UMD Athletic Director Kevin Anderson became the first AD in NCAA history to fire a reigning conference coach of the year. Connecticut
head coach Randy Edsall
was hired as his replacement.
During its first few decades, the football program had only one poorly suited athletic field on which to play and practice and had no dedicated facilities such as locker rooms. Former coach and contemporary university president Dr. Harry C. Byrd allocated funds for the construction of a stadium in 1915, and it was completed in 1923. The Board of Regents voted to name it Byrd Stadium
in honor of its main advocate. The stadium's capacity was 5,000. During this time, it was common for Maryland to play its better-drawing games in larger stadiums in Washington, D.C.
or Baltimore.
In 1950, that small field was replaced by the identically named but much larger Byrd Stadium
, which was constructed at the cost of $1 million. The new stadium had an initial capacity of 34,680, which has since been upgraded to 51,055 through extensive additions. Shortly after its construction, the stadium hosted its dedication game against , which Maryland won 35–21. That same year, the new field held its first and only bowl game, the Presidential Cup Bowl
, which featured and Georgia. In 2006, the University of Maryland became the first school to sell naming rights to its field. The home field was officially branded "Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium" in a 25-year, $20 million contract. In 2008, Chevy Chase Bank
was bought out by Capital One
, and the stadium was renamed Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium.
referred to Maryland as the Orioles, after a bird species
endemic to the region that was already the namesake for several baseball teams. In 1932, Curley Byrd
suggested that the namesake become the diamondback terrapin
(Malaclemys terrapin), a species of land-dwelling turtle common throughout the state, particularly the Chesapeake Bay
area where Dr. Byrd spent his early life. The student newspaper had already been named The Diamondback
since 1921, and the athletics teams were sometimes referred to as the "Terrapins" as early as 1928. Newspapers began referring to the team simply as the "Terps" to shorten headlines. The truncated name stuck and is now in official use by the school.
The mascot is a diamondback terrapin named Testudo, which means "turtle" in Latin. It is also the name of an ancient Roman military tactic
, in which soldiers protected their infantry square from projectiles by completely enclosing it with their shields. Derivations of the word have also been used in scientific nomenclature related to the reptile, such as the order Testudine and the family Testudinidae. In 1933, the graduating class raised funds for a 300-pound bronze replica of a terrapin. It was initially placed in front of Ritchie Coliseum
, which was then the home arena of the basketball team
. In 1951, after being the subject of numerous pranks, the statue was relocated to Byrd Stadium
, reinforced with 700 pounds of concrete, and anchored with steel rods. It was moved again in the 1960s, in front of McKeldin Library
, and a second replica was placed at Byrd Stadium in 1992. In the 2000s, under coach Ralph Friedgen, it was a pregame tradition for the football players to walk 200 yards, through what is known as "Terp Alley", to the locker rooms, and touch the bronze Testudo.
Originally, the athletic teams had no official colors and often used gray or maroon and gray for their uniforms. Senior classes would sometimes select colors of their own choosing. In modern times, the uniforms have been based on some combination of the four colors of the Maryland flag
: red, white, black, and gold. The dominant colors have occasionally changed back and forth with changes of the head coach. In 1904, Maryland adopted a state flag based on the heraldry of Lord Calvert
: the Calvert family arms (black and gold) quartered with his mother's Crossland family arms (red and white). From the early 1920s until 1942, the black and gold were adopted as the official school colors.
In 1942, Clark Shaughnessy
left Stanford
to coach at Maryland. He brought with him an affinity for a red and white color scheme and changed the team's uniforms. Shaughnessy left after one season, and the school switched back to the more traditional black and gold. He returned in 1946
and again changed the colors to red and white. He was replaced with Jim Tatum
the following season, but Shaughnessy's colors were retained. In 1961, Maryland wore gold jerseys with black numerals for the first time since 1945 for their season opener against . In 1987, Joe Krivak introduced black uniforms for selected games. Ron Vanderlinden
took over in 1997 and a new black and white uniform was adopted. Under Ralph Friedgen
, Maryland returned to red and white in 2001, with black uniforms being reserved for select games. Maryland was one of the first schools to utilize the "blackout" concept, where fans uniformly wear the color to stand out in the stadium. It was introduced unofficially as the "Byrd Blackout" in 2005. For the 2011 season
, Maryland wore new Under Armour
uniforms that offered a "dizzying array" of combinations in the four school colors. In the season opener against Miami
, the Terrapins unveiled a unique uniform based on the Maryland state flag that received nationwide media attention.
with Virginia Tech
. Of Maryland's historical non-conference opponents, West Virginia has a rivalry
with Pittsburgh
and the Naval Academy shares with West Point
one of the most storied college sports rivalries, the Army–Navy Game. However, Maryland does compete against several schools in regular contests that have been called rivalries. Additionally, Ralph Friedgen—who previously coached at Georgia Tech which competes with Georgia in Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate
—has taken steps to reinvigorate dormant or dispassionate Maryland rivalries.
West Virginia has often been called Maryland's biggest rival, and the teams have met 46 times since their first game in 1919. In 2001, both programs hired new head coaches, with West Virginia being taken over by Rich Rodriguez
. Due to their proximity, the schools regularly raid their opponent's recruiting areas. The long-running series was put on hiatus for the 2008 and 2009 seasons, but resumed in 2010. Virginia and Maryland are currently designated official ACC cross-divisional rivals and the teams have a long-standing rivalry due to proximity and past history. The programs also vie for recruits in the same region, and more recently, an additional factor has been the schools' academic competition. Maryland and Virginia have occasionally served as spoilers for one another by precluding a championship or bowl game appearance.
Maryland played the Naval Academy, which is also located in the state of Maryland, several times between the 1930s and 1960s. In 1964, an incident in which a Terrapins player flashed an obscene gesture prompted Navy officials to suspend the series for 40 years. They finally played again in 2005, and have scheduled more meetings in the future. As of 2010, the winner of the Crab Bowl Classic is awarded the Crab Bowl Trophy
.
Penn State and Maryland formerly possessed one of the most lopsided series in college football. The teams met in briefly interrupted stretches from 1917 until 1993, and Penn State won 35 of 37 meetings. Maryland's sole win came in 1961. The record, however, belies what was usually a competitive match-up until the later years, and many games were decided by missed field goals, turnovers, or questionable officiating. Both schools still aggressively compete for recruits in the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area
, and when they did play, it held recruiting implications. Into the 1930s, games were regularly played against and , which in addition to Virginia, were characterized at the time as Maryland's "ancient rivals".
, and Lombardi Award
. While no Terrapin has ever received the Heisman Trophy
, which is bestowed upon college football's most outstanding player, several have received votes by the award's selection committee. Quarterbacks Jack Scarbath
and Bernie Faloney
finished second and fourth in the voting in 1952 and 1953, respectively. Additionally, Bob Pellegrini
, Gary Collins, Randy White
, and Boomer Esiason
all finished in the top-ten of the voting for a Heisman. Six Maryland players and four coaches have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
. Bear Bryant
, Jerry Claiborne
, Clark Shaughnessy
, and Jim Tatum
were inducted as coaches. The players included Dick Modzelewski
, Bob Pellegrini, Jack Scarbath, and Bob Ward. Stan Jones
and Randy White were also inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
.
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
in National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS, formerly Division I-A) competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
(ACC). Since 1950, the Terrapins have played their home games at Byrd Stadium
Byrd Stadium
Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium , is an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. It is the home of the Maryland Terrapins football and lacrosse teams, which compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference...
in College Park, Maryland
College Park, Maryland
College Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
. The team's official colors of red, white, black, and gold have been in use in some combination since the 1920s and are taken from the state flag, and the nickname of the "Terrapins" (often abbreviated as "Terps") was adopted in 1933 after a turtle species
Diamondback terrapin
The diamondback terrapin or simply terrapin, is a species of turtle native to the brackish coastal swamps of the eastern and southern United States. It belongs to the monotypic genus, Malaclemys...
native to the state. Maryland shares storied rivalries with Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
and West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
. Maryland is actually considered the best football team in the country by Stuart Asher(a long time fan).
The program's achievements have included one NCAA-recognized national championships
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
, nine ACC championships, two Southern Conference championships, eleven consensus All-Americans, several Hall of Fame inductees, and twenty-four bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
appearances. Maryland possesses the third-most ACC championships with nine, which places them behind Clemson
Clemson Tigers football
The Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
(13) and Florida State
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
(12). Many former Terrapins players and coaches have gone on to careers in professional football including 15 first-round NFL Draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
picks.
The first officially recognized football team was fielded in 1892, and excluding a brief hiatus in 1895, Maryland has competed in college football each season since. Harry C. "Curley" Byrd
Curley Byrd
Harry Clifton "Curley" Byrd was an American university administrator, educator, athlete, coach, and politician...
, a student-athlete at Maryland, became head football coach in 1911 and served in that role for two decades before he became the university president. The Terrapins had consistent on-field success between 1947 and 1955. Maryland then suffered a period of mediocrity, until 1972, when the program again rose to national prominence under coaches Jerry Claiborne
Jerry Claiborne
Jerry Claiborne was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Virginia Tech , the University of Maryland, College Park , and his alma mater, the University of Kentucky , compiling a career college football record of 179–122–8...
and Bobby Ross
Bobby Ross
Robert Joseph Ross is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at The Citadel , the University of Maryland, College Park , the Georgia Institute of Technology , and the United States Military Academy , compiling a career college football record of 103–101–2...
. The football program underwent another period of lackluster performance beginning in 1986 and lasting until 2001, when Ralph Friedgen
Ralph Friedgen
Ralph Harry Friedgen is an American football coach. He was the head coach at the University of Maryland from 2001 to 2010. Friedgen was previously an offensive coordinator at Maryland, Georgia Tech, and in the National Football League with the San Diego Chargers...
was hired as head coach and engineered a first-year turnaround that culminated in a conference championship. In the following years, the Terrapins made regular postseason appearances, but were unable to match the success of Friedgen's first season.
Early years (1892–1946)
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
team. They went scoreless in all three of that season's games, but the following year, posted a perfect record of 6–0. For the first two decades of the program, the team primarily competed against local universities and high schools due to the prohibitive nature of long-distance travel at the time.
In 1911, Harry C. "Curley" Byrd became head coach and held that position for more than two decades until he was named the university president. In 1921, Maryland joined the Southern Conference
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
where it remained for thirty years. Between 1935 and 1946, the school had several coaches that achieved fame elsewhere: Frank Dobson, a former assistant coach under John Heisman
John Heisman
John William Heisman was an American player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball. He served as the head football coach at Oberlin College , Buchtel College, now known as the University of Akron , Auburn University , Clemson University , Georgia Tech , the...
; Clark Shaughnessy
Clark Shaughnessy
Clark Daniel Shaughnessy was an American football coach and innovator. He is sometimes called the "father of the T formation", although that system had previously been used as early as the 1880s. Shaughnessy did, however, modernize the obsolescent T formation to make it once again relevant in the...
, architect of Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
's undefeated 1940 turnaround
1940 Stanford Indians football team
The 1940 Stanford Indians football team, nicknamed the "Wow Boys", represented Stanford University in National Collegiate Athletic Association intercollegiate competition during the 1940 season. First-year head coach Clark Shaughnessy inherited a team that finished with a 1–7–1 record the previous...
; and Paul "Bear" Bryant
Bear Bryant
Paul William "Bear" Bryant was an American college football player and coach. He was best known as the longtime head coach of the University of Alabama football team. During his 25-year tenure as Alabama's head coach, he amassed six national championships and thirteen conference championships...
, who later became the long-time Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
head coach. Bryant resigned after one season when a player he had suspended was reinstated by President Byrd.
Jim Tatum era (1947–1955)
Jim TatumJim Tatum
James M. "Big Jim" Tatum was an American football and baseball player and coach. Tatum served as the head football coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , the University of Oklahoma , and the University of Maryland, College Park , compiling a career college football record of...
was hired in 1947, after a brief stint
1946 Oklahoma Sooners football team
The 1946 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football. The team was led by Jim Tatum in his first and only season as head coach. Along with first-year backfield coach Bud Wilkinson, who became the head coach...
at Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
where he had led the Sooners to a conference championship in his only season there. He was Maryland's sixth head coach in eight years, but Tatum stayed for nine seasons and became the school's most successful head coach in modern history. During his tenure, he led Maryland to two national championships (one retroactive), three conference championships, three perfect seasons, six top-20 final rankings, and five bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
appearances. Seven of his players were named first-team All-Americans, including five consensus All-Americans. Under Tatum, Maryland finished every season with a winning record.
1947 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 1947 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football in its 27th season as a member of the Southern Conference....
, the Terrapins participated in their first bowl game, the 1948 Gator Bowl
1948 Gator Bowl
The 1948 Gator Bowl was the third edition of the Gator Bowl and featured the Georgia Bulldogs representing the University of Georgia and the Maryland Terrapins representing the University of Maryland. It was the first-ever meeting of the two teams....
, in which they tied Georgia, 20–20. NCAA season-scoring leader Lu Gambino
Lu Gambino
Lucien Anthony "Lu" Gambino was an American football running back. He played college football for Indiana University, and after military service in the Second World War, the University of Maryland...
recorded all three Maryland touchdowns. In 1949, Maryland again played in the Gator Bowl
1950 Gator Bowl
The 1950 Gator Bowl was the fifth edition of the Gator Bowl and featured the Maryland Terrapins representing the University of Maryland and the Missouri Tigers representing the University of Missouri. It was the first-ever meeting of the two teams....
, where they defeated 20th-ranked , 20–7. The Terrapins finished the season ranked 14th by the Associated Press. Maryland's current home field, Byrd Stadium
Byrd Stadium
Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium , is an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. It is the home of the Maryland Terrapins football and lacrosse teams, which compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, was constructed in 1950, and named in honor of former coach and contemporary Maryland president Curly Byrd. Maryland started the 1950 season
1950 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 1950 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football in its 30th season as a member of the Southern Conference....
ranked 15th and defeated Navy, 35–21, in the Byrd Stadium dedication game.
The Terrapins won the 1951 Southern Conference
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
co-championship alongside the . Their perfect season
1951 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 1951 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football in its 31st season as a member of the Southern Conference. Maryland outscored its opponents, 381–74, and finished the season with a 10–0 record, including...
culminated with an upset over first-ranked Tennessee
1951 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 1951 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 1951 college football season. In his next to last season as head coach, Robert Neyland led Tennessee to their second consecutive national title and the fourth during his tenure. 1951 was also Neyland's ninth...
in the . At the time, however, the wire service
Wire Service
Wire Service is an American drama series that aired on ABC as part of its 1956-57 season lineup.-Synopsis:Wire Service focuses on three reporters for the fictional Trans-Globe wire service, which was similar to real-life news wire services such as the Associated Press and United Press International...
s released their final rankings before the bowl games, and Maryland finished third in the Associated Press Poll. Several selectors, including analyst Jeff Sagarin
Jeff Sagarin
Jeff Sagarin is an American sports statistician well-known for his development of a methodology for ranking and rating sports teams in a variety of sports...
, have retroactively credited Maryland with the national championship. In 1953, Maryland and six other schools split from the Southern Conference to form the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
. That year, Maryland shut-out two 11th-ranked teams: , 38–0, and Alabama, 21–0, won the ACC co-championship alongside , and were named the national champions as the only undefeated and untied team in the nation. The Terrapins were defeated by fourth-ranked in the Orange Bowl
1954 Orange Bowl
The 1954 Orange Bowl was a postseason American college football bowl game between the first-ranked Maryland Terrapins and the fourth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners...
. After the 1955 season, Tatum resigned to return to North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels football
The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...
, where he soon died of Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is the most lethal and most frequently reported rickettsial illness in the United States. It has been diagnosed throughout the Americas. Some synonyms for Rocky Mountain spotted fever in other countries include “tick typhus,” “Tobia fever” , “São Paulo fever” or “febre...
.
After Tatum (1956–1971)
The Terrapins entered 19561956 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 1956 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football in its fourth season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They were led by first-year head coach Tommy Mont, who had been promoted from backfield...
ranked number-six, but after the departure of Tatum, they suffered their first losing season in a decade. It marked the beginning of a long undistinguished period of Maryland history, and between 1956 and 1971, they compiled a record of 50–100–1 and only three winning seasons. In 1967, they suffered their first winless season in 75 years. High points during this period included victories over 14th-ranked in 1957
1957 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 1957 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football in its fifth season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They were led by second-year head coach Tommy Mont, who guided Maryland to a 5–5 record,...
, 11th-ranked Clemson in 1959, eighth-ranked Clemson in 1960, and seventh-ranked Syracuse
1961 Syracuse Orangemen football team
The 1961 Syracuse Orangemen football team represented Syracuse University in the 1961 NCAA University Division college football season. Running back Ernie Davis would become the first black player to win the Heisman Trophy.-Schedule:...
in 1961. Maryland became the first college football program in the nation to put players' names on the back of their jersey
Jersey (clothing)
A jersey is an item of knitted clothing, traditionally in wool or cotton, with sleeves, worn as a pullover, as it does not open at the front, unlike a cardigan. It is usually close-fitting and machine knitted in contrast to a guernsey that is more often hand knit with a thicker yarn...
s in 1961. In 1962, assistant coach Lee Corso
Lee Corso
Leland "Lee" Corso is a sports broadcaster and football analyst for ESPN. He has been featured on ESPN's College GameDay program since its inception and he appeared annually as a commentator in EA Sports' NCAA Football through NCAA Football 11...
convinced African-American wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Darryl Hill to transfer from the Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
. Hill broke the color barrier in football at four institutions: Gonzaga High School
Gonzaga College High School
Gonzaga College High School is a Jesuit high school for boys located in Washington, D.C. The school is named in honor of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, an Italian saint from the 16th century...
, the Naval Academy, Maryland, and the ACC. In 1965, back Bob Sullivan led the nation with 10 interceptions.
Jerry Claiborne era (1972–1981)
In 1972, Jerry ClaiborneJerry Claiborne
Jerry Claiborne was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Virginia Tech , the University of Maryland, College Park , and his alma mater, the University of Kentucky , compiling a career college football record of 179–122–8...
took over as head coach of the Terrapins, which had only nine wins in the past five years. In his first season, Maryland improved to 5–5–1, and the following year, they reached their first bowl game in almost two decades. The team steadily improved until his fifth season, 1976, when they finished the regular season with an 11–0 record, their first perfect mark since Tatum's 1955 squad
1955 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 1955 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football in its third season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Their perfect 10–0 regular season culminated with a bid to the 1956 Orange Bowl, where...
. Boomer Esiason
Boomer Esiason
Norman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
later described Claiborne's coaching style as "vanilla", and said his strategy was "run right, run left, run up the middle, punt, and play good defense." He went on to say, "But, there's no question he made me a tougher player . . . We'd do drills where the quarterback had to take on a linebacker. It was like he had a sign on our back, 'Hit us, we're stupid'. It made you a tougher player."
In 1974, Maryland had a preseason rank of 14th and later beat 17th-ranked to win the ACC championship. The Terrapins were defeated by 20th-ranked Tennessee in the and finished the season ranked 13th. In 1975, Maryland again won the ACC and defeated 13th-ranked Florida in the to finish 13th in the nation. That season, the Terrapins led the ACC in total offense with 375.2 yards per game. Maryland started 1976 ranked 12th, and quarterback Mark Manges
Mark Manges
Mark Roy Manges is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League.-College career:...
led them to eleven consecutive wins to secure their third straight ACC championship. Maryland's loss to sixth-ranked Houston
1976 Houston Cougars football team
The 1976 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH, represented the University of Houston in the college football 1976–1977 season. It was the 31st year of season play for Houston. The team was coached by fifteenth-year head football coach, Bill Yeoman...
in the , 30–21, ended any hopes for a national championship.
In 1978, Maryland beat 20th-ranked and finished with a ranking of 20th. The game that pitted 11th-ranked Maryland against 12th-ranked Clemson has been described as one of the most exciting games of the era. The "big-play caravan" ultimately saw Clemson triumph, 28–24. From 1974 to 1978, Claiborne and the Terrapins secured five consecutive bowl game berths and three consecutive ACC championships. Maryland made it to a sixth bowl game in 1980. After the 1981 season, Claiborne left the program for his alma mater, Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats football
The Kentucky Wildcats football team is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the East Division of the Southeastern Conference.-History:Paul "Bear" Bryant Era...
, and was replaced by Bobby Ross
Bobby Ross
Robert Joseph Ross is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at The Citadel , the University of Maryland, College Park , the Georgia Institute of Technology , and the United States Military Academy , compiling a career college football record of 103–101–2...
, an assistant coach for the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
.
Bobby Ross era (1982–1986)
In a surprising choice, former Maryland assistant coach and Citadel head coach Bobby RossBobby Ross
Robert Joseph Ross is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at The Citadel , the University of Maryland, College Park , the Georgia Institute of Technology , and the United States Military Academy , compiling a career college football record of 103–101–2...
, who was not a big name at the time, was selected as head coach in 1982. In contrast to Claiborne's style, Ross implemented a high-powered offense. He replaced the I-veer triple option with an NFL-style
Pro Style
A pro-style offense is a broad term in American football that means any offensive scheme that resembles those predominantly used at the professional level of play in the NFL, in contrast to those typically used at the collegiate or high school level. Pro-style offenses are only run by a few college...
offense that emphasized dropback passes, bootlegs
Bootleg play
In American football, a bootleg play is a play in which the quarterback runs with the ball in the direction of either sideline behind the line of scrimmage...
, and play action
Play action pass
A play-action pass is a type of American football play. The play action, or "PA" for short, appears to be a running play, but is actually a pass play; in this way, it can be considered the opposite of a draw play. Play-action passes are often used against defenses that are presently focused on...
passes. This change in tactics and strategy enabled starting quarterback Boomer Esiason
Boomer Esiason
Norman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
the opportunity to excel to a degree not seen under Claiborne the season prior. Esiason said, "Ross has an uncanny knack of putting players in a position to not only succeed, but to overachieve . . . If he didn't show up at Maryland, I don't know what would have happened to me. I don't know if I would have turned into the player I was and played in the NFL." In the following years, several Maryland quarterbacks went on to careers in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL), and the school was nicknamed "Quarterback U
Quarterback U
Quarterback U is a nickname used by sportswriters to refer to colleges that have trained a series of notable football quarterbacks . It is a literary device invoked in the individual discretion of sportswriters and does not represent any formal decision-making process or organized sportswriters'...
" as a result.
In Ross's inaugural season, Maryland defeated 10th-ranked , and then edged Miami
1982 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 1982 Miami Hurricanes represented the University of Miami in the 1982 NCAA College Football season.-Regular season:Jim Kelly finished his career at Miami with 406 completions in 646 attempts for 5,233 yards and 32 TD's...
before their most important conference game of the season against the 1981 national champions
1981 Clemson Tigers football team
The 1981 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tigers were led by head coach Danny Ford and played their home games in Memorial Stadium...
, the Clemson Tigers. Between 1974 and 1988, either Clemson or Maryland won the ACC title all but three years. Clemson had lost to the 1980 national champions, seventh-ranked Georgia, 13–7, and tied , 17–17, after the opposing quarterback, Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie
Douglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...
, led a comeback. Clemson was therefore unable to defend their NCAA championship, but either Clemson or Maryland, with perfect conference records, would secure the ACC title. Thus, decades before the official ACC Championship Game
ACC Championship Game
The Dr Pepper ACC Championship Game is an American college football game held on the first Saturday in December by the Atlantic Coast Conference each year to determine its football champion. The game pits the champion of the Coastal Division against the champion of the Atlantic Division in a game...
, 1982 saw a rare de facto title match. Clemson scored first, then pulled away 14–7 before half. In the second half, a favorable wind twice yielded Maryland excellent field position, Esiason threw for two rapid-fire touchdowns and a two-point conversion
Two-point conversion
In American and Canadian football, a two-point conversion is a play a team attempts instead of kicking a one-point convert immediately after it scores a touchdown...
, and the defense held Clemson at bay. However, the Terrapins also turned the ball over five times in the second half and lost, 24–22. With the win, Clemson won the ACC and Maryland finished second. Immediately after the game, the NCAA announced its investigation into Clemson recruiting had found improprieties. As a result, the Tigers were denied a bowl game and television coverage in the following season. The ACC instituted further punishment, making Clemson ineligible for a conference title for the next two years. Maryland finished 1982 ranked 20th after losing to ninth-ranked Washington in the . In 1983, Maryland lost to third-ranked Auburn
1983 Auburn Tigers football team
The 1983 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season. Coached by Pat Dye, the team finished the season with a 11–1 record and won their first SEC title since 1957....
and 20th-ranked West Virginia
1983 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
The 1983 West Virginia Mountaineers football team completed the regular season with a 9–3 record and played in the Hall of Fame Classic, where they beat Kentucky 20–16.-1983 Schedule:-1983 season:...
, but beat 17th-ranked Pittsburgh
1983 Pittsburgh Panthers football team
The 1983 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 1983 college football season.-Schedule:-Team Players drafted into in the NFL:...
and third-ranked . Clemson and Maryland once more met with perfect ACC records, and Maryland again lost, this time blown out, 52–27. Despite the loss, Maryland was awarded the conference championship because of the sanctions against Clemson.
In 1984, Maryland defeated the defending national champions
1983 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 1983 Miami Hurricanes were the national champions of the 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season. The national championship was the first of five won by the University of Miami.-Offense:-Defense:-Special teams:-Coaching staff:-Schedule:...
, sixth-ranked , in what was then the biggest comeback in college football history and judged by some as the most exciting. At half time, Maryland trailed Miami, 31–0. Back-up quarterback Frank Reich
Frank Reich
Frank Michael Reich, Jr. is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, New York Jets, and the Detroit Lions. For a time, he had the distinction of having led his team to the biggest comeback victory ever in both the collegiate...
replaced Stan Gelbaugh
Stan Gelbaugh
Stanley Morris Gelbaugh is a former professional American football quarterback. Although he played several seasons in the National Football League, he attained his greatest success in the World League of American Football with the London Monarchs, where he was the league's Offensive Most Valuable...
and proceeded to throw four touchdown passes, and capitalizing on Miami errors, the Terrapins won, 42–40. The recovery from the 31-point halftime deficit stood as the greatest college football comeback for the next 22 years, until the record was finally broken
2006 Michigan State vs. Northwestern football game
The 2006 edition of the Michigan State Spartans / Northwestern Wildcats football game featured the biggest comeback in NCAA history. The Spartans, after falling behind to the Wildcats 38-3 with 9:54 remaining in the 3rd quarter, rallied to score 38 unanswered points to defeat the Wildcats...
by Michigan State
2006 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 2006 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the 2006 season. Michigan State competed as a member of the Big Ten Conference, and played their home games...
against Northwestern
2006 Northwestern Wildcats football team
The 2006 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the Big Ten Conference during the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Head coach Randy Walker died unexpectedly on June 29, 2006 of an apparent heart attack at the age of 52...
. Reich later repeated the feat in his professional career when he led the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
to overcome a 32-point deficit and set the NFL comeback record
The Comeback (American football)
The Comeback was a NFL playoff game between the Buffalo Bills and the Houston Oilers played January 3, 1993. It featured the Bills recovering from a 32-point deficit to win in overtime, and it remains the largest comeback in NFL history...
. That season, Maryland also defeated 17th-ranked West Virginia
1984 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
The 1984 West Virginia Mountaineers football team completed the season with a 8–4 record and played in the Bluebonnet Bowl, where they beat Texas Christian 31–14.-1984 Schedule:...
and 20th-ranked Clemson, and secured the ACC championship. In the postseason, they edged Tennessee, 28–27, in the and finished 12th in the nation. Maryland entered the 1985 season with a number-one preseason rank, and set its all-time home attendance record in Byrd Stadium with an average of 49,385 over five games. However, they dropped to a ranking of 17th in Week 2, and then out of the polls in Week 4 after a shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
by Michigan
1985 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1985 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1985 college football season. The team's head coach was Bo Schembechler...
. Despite the early setbacks, the Terrapins finished undefeated in six conference games to take the ACC championship for the third consecutive year. Maryland defeated , 35-18, in the Cherry Bowl
Cherry Bowl
The Cherry Bowl was an annual post-season college football bowl game played in the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan, in 1984 and 1985. The Cherry Bowl is noteworthy as an early attempt to bring a game to chilly Michigan, years before the successful Motor City Bowl...
and earned a final ranking of 18th. In 1986, the Terrapins posted a mediocre 5–5–1 record.
After the season, Ross resigned as head coach. He expressed frustration over the university's failure to improve Byrd Stadium and its associated facilities. Ross had shown recruits stadium and facility renovation plans as an indication of the program's direction, and when they did not come to fruition, he felt that he had misled the players. Ross also stated that he was hurt by "innuendo, insinuation, and guilt by association" with respect to the cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
-induced death of Maryland basketball
Maryland Terrapins men's basketball
The Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition...
star Len Bias
Len Bias
Leonard Kevin "Len" Bias was a first team All-American college basketball player at the University of Maryland. He was selected by the Boston Celtics as the second overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft on June 17, but died two days later from cardiac arrhythmia induced by a cocaine overdose...
. He said, "I feel the football team has represented the university well, both on and off the field." The athletics department investigation report had commended the propriety of the football program, but university chancellor John B. Slaughter did not offer his vocal support for Ross until a month later.
Dark years (1987–2000)
Maryland athletics in general were marred by the death of Len Bias, and the football team was no exception. After Ross resigned, offensive coordinatorOffensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
and quarterbacks coach
Quarterbacks coach
A quarterbacks coach is a coach in charge of the quarterbacks in gridiron football. The quarterbacks coach typically operates under the offensive coordinator on a team's coaching staff....
Joe Krivak was promoted to head coach. This was the beginning of a lackluster period for Terrapins football. From 1987 to 2000, the Terrapins went 55–88 overall (.385) with only two winning seasons and one bowl appearance. A controversial loss to in the final game of 1988 cost the team a sixth win for bowl eligibility. In 1989, Maryland tied Joe Paterno
Joe Paterno
Joseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno is a former college football coach who was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions for 46 years from 1966 through 2011. Paterno, nicknamed "JoePa," holds the record for the most victories by an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football coach with...
's 13th-ranked Penn State for the only time in the series
Maryland–Penn State rivalry
The Maryland–Penn State football rivalry was an American college football rivalry game played by the Maryland Terrapins football team of the University of Maryland and the Penn State Nittany Lions football team of Pennsylvania State University....
' existence. The following season, the Terrapins beat 25th-ranked and upset 8th-ranked Virginia
1990 Virginia Cavaliers football team
The 1990 Virginia Cavaliers football team represented the University of Virginia in the 1990 college football season. The Cavaliers offense scored 464 points while the defense allowed 227 points. Led by head coach George Welsh, the Cavaliers competed in the ....
. Maryland received a bid to the and tied in what would be their only postseason appearance during this period. Athletic director Andy Geiger
Andy Geiger
Andy Geiger was the director of athletics at five institutions over his career most notably holding that position for 11 years at The Ohio State University which contained the largest athletics department in the country....
rewarded Krivak with a five-year contract extension, but the 1991 season unraveled after a rash of injuries, and Maryland had its worst finish in two decades with a 2–9 mark. After public criticism from several players, Krivak felt he lost credibility as the head coach and resigned on December 6.
Geiger named Holy Cross
Holy Cross Crusaders football
The Holy Cross Crusaders football team is the collegiate football program of the College of the Holy Cross. The team is a member of the Patriot League, an NCAA Division I conference that participates in the second-level Football Championship Subdivision, more commonly known as FCS or the...
head coach Mark Duffner
Mark Duffner
-References:...
as Krivak's replacement. Duffner had amassed a 60–5–1 record and two undefeated seasons in his six years at Holy Cross. At Maryland, he installed a run and shoot offense
Run and shoot offense
The run and shoot offense is an offensive system for American football which emphasizes receiver motion and on-the-fly adjustments of receivers' routes in response to different defenses...
which shattered many school records, but his defenses were notoriously weak. For example, in the 1993 game against , the Terrapins lost by 27 points despite gaining 649 yards of total offense. During this time, quarterbacks Scott Milanovich
Scott Milanovich
Scott Milanovich is a Canadian football coach and former professional quarterback. He is currently the head coach of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.-Early years:...
and John Kaleo
John Kaleo
John Kaleo is a retired American football quarterback in the Arena Football League for the Albany Firebirds , Cleveland Thunderbolts , St...
set numerous school records for passing under Duffner, most of which still stand. In 1993, Maryland earned the dubious honor of most yards allowed per game, a record which also stands: in eleven games, the Terrapins surrendered 6,083 yards—an average of 553.0 yards per game. Maryland also gave up 236 more points than they scored, the worst point differential in school history. After the season, Duffner reorganized his staff by firing three assistant coaches. The team showed moderate improvement the next two years, and in 1995 finished 6–5, which was the first winning record since 1990. However, Maryland backslid in 1996 with a 5–6 record and a struggling offense. Duffner was fired after the season, having accumulated a combined record of 20–35.
Ron Vanderlinden
Ron Vanderlinden
Ron Vanderlinden is an American college football coach. He is currently the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Penn State University. Vanderlinden previously served as the head coach at the University of Maryland from 1997 to 2000....
was hired as head coach for the 1997 season under a five-year contract. Vanderlinden had helped engineer turnarounds at Northwestern
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
as defensive coordinator and at Colorado
Colorado Buffaloes football
The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,...
as a defensive assistant. The 1995 Northwestern team
1995 Northwestern Wildcats football team
The 1995 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the 1995 NCAA Division I-A college football season.-Season:...
in particular had shocked observers when it recorded a 10–2 season and the Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
championship. In 1999, Maryland showed signs of significant improvement, and a winning season appeared certain when Maryland possessed a 5–2 record. The Terrapins, however, then suffered a three-game losing streak. In their finale against , the Terrapins needed a win to garner a likely invitation to either the Aloha Bowl
1999 Aloha Bowl
The 1999 Aloha Bowl was a college football bowl game played December 25, 1999 in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was part of the 1999 NCAA Division I-A football season. It featured the Wake Forest Demon Deacons of the ACC, and the of the Pac 10 conference....
or Oahu Bowl
1999 Oahu Bowl
The 1999 Jeep Oahu Bowl was a college football bowl game, played as part of the 1999-00 bowl game schedule of the 1999 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the 2nd Oahu Bowl. It was played on December 25, 1999, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game matched the Hawaii Warriors...
—a Maryland alumnus was the chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of both events. The Terrapins came from behind and held the lead, 30–27, with 5:18 left to play. They regained possession with 1:40 remaining, but an inexperienced quarterback unintentionally stopped the clock by going out of bounds. After the ensuing punt, Virginia mounted a touchdown drive to win the game and end Maryland's bowl hopes. Despite narrowly missing a winning season, Vanderlinden was granted a two-year contract extension. In 2000, Maryland again fell short of a winning season and bowl game. The Terrapins entered their season closer with a 5–5 record, and again fell, this time in a rout by 24th-ranked . Vanderlinden was fired the following day.
Despite the failure to deliver a winning season, Vanderlinden did oversee substantive improvement in the program. In 1998, the Terrapins were one of the most improved teams in defense, scoring defense, passing defense, and rushing. In 1999, Maryland allowed a conference low of 11 sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
compared with 56 in 1997. In that same period, Maryland also improved from last to first in the conference in rushing
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
, due in large part to Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
candidate and school career rushing leader LaMont Jordan
LaMont Jordan
LaMont Damon Jordan is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
. During Vanderlinden's tenure, Maryland also recruited several key players who were instrumental in the team's later success.
Friedgen era (2001–2010)
Ralph FriedgenRalph Friedgen
Ralph Harry Friedgen is an American football coach. He was the head coach at the University of Maryland from 2001 to 2010. Friedgen was previously an offensive coordinator at Maryland, Georgia Tech, and in the National Football League with the San Diego Chargers...
, a former Maryland player and assistant under Bobby Ross, was hired as Vanderlinden's replacement for the 2001 season. Friedgen had previously been denied an interview for the position twice by his alma mater. While offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech, he had been described as an "offensive genius", and Friedgen later received similar plaudits while at Maryland. When he took over, Maryland had not won a bowl game in 16 years and had only one winning season since 1990.
In 2001
2001 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 2001 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in its 49th season in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Terps closed the regular season with a record of 10–1, with its only loss coming to Florida State. The Terps won the ACC Championship and were granted a Bowl...
, Maryland won its first four games and entered the AP Poll for the first time since September 1995. Maryland beat 15th-ranked Georgia Tech
2001 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2001 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the college football season of 2001-2002. The team's coach was George O'Leary, who would leave the school before the bowl game to accept the head coaching job at the University of Notre Dame...
in overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
when placekicker Nick Novak
Nick Novak
Nicholas Ryan "Nick" Novak is an American football placekicker for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
, the ACC's future all-time scoring leader, equalized and then won the game with 46- and 26-yard field goals, thereby ensuring a winning season and bowl appearance. In Tallahassee
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
, 18th-ranked Florida State
2001 Florida State Seminoles football team
The 2001 Florida State Seminoles football team represented the Florida State University in the college football season of 2001. The team was coached by Bobby Bowden and played their home games in Doak Campbell Stadium.-Schedule:...
broke a stalemate in the fourth quarter to hand Maryland its only defeat of the regular season, 52–31. Maryland closed the year with a win over , which secured the ACC championship and made the Terrapins the first team other than Florida State to take the title outright since the Seminoles joined the conference in 1991. Sixth-ranked Maryland then faced fifth-ranked Florida
2001 Florida Gators football team
The 2001 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2001 college football season...
in the BCS
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
Orange Bowl
2002 Orange Bowl
The 2002 FedEx Orange Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game between the Florida Gators and the ACC champion Maryland Terrapins on January 2, 2002. Florida routed Maryland 56-23. The game was part of the 2001-2002 Bowl Championship Series of the 2001 NCAA Division I-A football...
. The Terrapins lost, 56–23, and finished with a 10–2 record and ranked 10th in the nation.
In 2002
2002 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 2002 Maryland Terrapins football team represented University of Maryland in the 1990 NCAA Division I-A college football season. Led by head coach Ralph Friedgen, the Terrapins appeared in the 2002 Peach Bowl.-Regular season:...
, Maryland had a preseason rank of 20th, but their first three games included a shutout by 12th-ranked Notre Dame, 22–0, and a loss to 16th-ranked Florida State
2002 Florida State Seminoles football team
-Schedule:...
, 37–10. The Terrapins rallied to defeat 13th-ranked West Virginia
2002 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
The 2002 West Virginia Mountaineers football team completed the regular season with a 9–4 record and traveled to the , where they lost to the Virginia Cavaliers 48–22...
and 17th-ranked , while losing only to Virginia
2002 Virginia Cavaliers football team
The 2002 Virginia Cavaliers football team represented the University of Virginia in the 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's coach was coach Al Groh. They played their home games at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia.- Schedule :...
. That loss, however, prevented Maryland from earning a share of the ACC championship alongside Florida State. The Terrapins routed Tennessee
2002 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 2002 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 2002 college football season. The team was coached by Phillip Fulmer. The Vols played their home games in Neyland Stadium and competed in the Eastern Division of the SEC...
in the Peach Bowl
2002 Peach Bowl
The 2002 edition to the Peach Bowl featured the Maryland Terrapins and the Tennessee Volunteers.-1st half:Maryland scored first on a 1 yard touchdown run from quarterback Scott McBrien giving Maryland a 7–0 lead. In the second quarter, Maryland cornerback Curome Cox returned an interception...
, 30–3, and finished with an 11–3 record and final ranking of 18th. Maryland began the 2003 season
2003 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 2003 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was the Terrapins' 51st season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
with losses to and eighth-ranked Florida State
2003 Florida State Seminoles football team
-Schedule:...
. They later defeated 23rd-ranked West Virginia
2003 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
The 2003 West Virginia Mountaineers rebounded from a 1–4 start to end the season 8–5 and captured a share of the Big East Conference Championship, the schools first since 1993...
, but were edged by . In the postseason, 24th-ranked Maryland delivered a second crushing defeat against 20th-ranked West Virginia in the Gator Bowl
2004 Gator Bowl
The 2004 Gator Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game between the Maryland Terrapins and the West Virginia Mountaineers at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida on 1 January 2004...
, 41–7, and finished the season ranked 17th. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
computer poll ranked Maryland third in the nation, behind only split-national champions Louisiana State
2003 LSU Tigers football team
The 2003 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the college football season of 2003–2004. Coached by Nick Saban, the Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After a bit of controversy, LSU won the BCS National Championship, the first...
and Southern California
2003 USC Trojans football team
The 2003 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2003-2004 NCAA Division I-A college football season...
. The 2004 season
2004 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 2004 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was the Terrapins' 52nd season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference . Ralph Friedgen led the...
was Friedgen's first with a losing record. Maryland finished with a 5–6 mark that included an overtime loss to West Virginia
2004 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
The 2004 West Virginia Mountaineers football team completed the regular season with a 8–4 and traveled to the , where they lost to the Florida State Seminoles 30–18...
, 19–16. The highlight of the season was an upset victory over fifth-ranked Florida State
2004 Florida State Seminoles football team
-Schedule:-Miami, FL:Originally scheduled for September 6, 2004, the game between Miami and Florida State was postponed due to Hurricane Francis. On September 10, both teams met at the Orange Bowl in Miami, FL. The Seminoles took the upper hand in the first half with a 45 yard field goal by Xavier...
, which was Maryland's first against the Seminoles and their first win against a top-10 team since 1990. The Terrapins again ended the 2005 season
2005 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 2005 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was the Terrapins' 53rd season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference and its first within the...
with a 5–6 record. That season opened with a victory over , which was the first meeting between the intrastate foes in 40 years.
In 2006
2006 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 2006 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was the Terrapins' 54th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference and its second within the...
, Maryland returned to a bowl game and finished with a 9–4 record. During the season, the Terrapins upset 19th-ranked Clemson
2006 Clemson Tigers football team
The 2006 Clemson football team represented Clemson University in the 2006 college football season The team was coached by Tommy Bowden and played their homes game in the Memorial Stadium.-Notable:...
, 13–12, and five of their games were won by four points or less. In the Champs Sports Bowl
2006 Champs Sports Bowl
The 2006 Champs Sports Bowl was played on December 29, 2006. This 17th edition to the college football bowl game featured the Maryland Terrapins and the Purdue Boilermakers....
, Maryland beat Purdue
2006 Purdue Boilermakers football team
The 2006 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Joe Tiller and played its home games at Ross-Ade Stadium...
, 24–7. In 2007
2007 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 2007 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was the Terrapins' 55th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference and its third within the...
, Maryland overcame extensive injuries to again secure a postseason appearance. During the season, unranked Maryland tallied two shocking upsets against 10th-ranked Rutgers
2007 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team
For the first time in the history of Rutgers football, the team entered a season ranked - 16th in both the Associated Press and Coaches polls. The Scarlet Knights finished the season with an 8-5 record that included a 52-30 victory over the Ball State Cardinals in the 2008 International Bowl...
, 34–24, and eighth-ranked Boston College, 42–35. They finished the season with a rout of NC State
2007 NC State Wolfpack football team
The 2007 NC State Wolfpack football team represented North Carolina State University during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's Head Coach was Tom O'Brien. N.C. State has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since the league's inception in 1953, and has participated...
to attain bowl eligibility, 37–0, but lost to Oregon State
2007 Oregon State Beavers football team
The 2007 Oregon State Beavers football team represented Oregon State University in the college football season of 2007-2008. The team's head coach is Mike Riley. Home games are played at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Oregon.-Season notes:...
in the Emerald Bowl
2007 Emerald Bowl
The 2007 Emerald Bowl, part of the 2007-08 NCAA football bowl games season, was played on December 27, 2007, at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California, with the Atlantic Coast Conference represented by the Maryland Terrapins against the Oregon State Beavers, representing the Pacific-10...
, 21–14. According to the final Sagarin
Jeff Sagarin
Jeff Sagarin is an American sports statistician well-known for his development of a methodology for ranking and rating sports teams in a variety of sports...
computer-generated rankings, Maryland had the second-hardest schedule in the ACC and the 27th-hardest schedule among Division I teams.
Numerous observers described Maryland's 2008 season
2008 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 2008 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season...
as "wildly inconsistent". The Terrapins defeated four of their five ranked opponents—25th-ranked California
2008 California Golden Bears football team
The 2008 California Golden Bears football team represented the University of California, Berkeley in the college football 2008-2009 season. They played their home games at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California and are coached by Jeff Tedford...
, 19th-ranked Clemson
2008 Clemson Tigers football team
The 2008 Clemson football team represented Clemson University in the 2008 college football season. The Tigers were led by oft-maligned head coach Tommy Bowden, who resigned six games into his tenth season. The interim head coach was assistant coach Dabo Swinney...
, 19th-ranked Wake Forest
2008 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team
The 2008 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represented Wake Forest University during the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was Wake Forest's 56th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference .The Demon Deacons...
, and 17th-ranked North Carolina
2008 North Carolina Tar Heels football team
The 2008 North Carolina Tar Heels football team began their season on August 30 against McNeese State at Kenan Memorial Stadium. The team originally went 4–4 in conference play and 8–5 overall, but in 2011, North Carolina vacated all its wins from the 2008 and 2009 seasons.-Recruiting:The Tar...
—but also lost to heavy underdogs Middle Tennessee
2008 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team
The 2008 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team represented Middle Tennessee State University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the 2008 season. Middle Tennessee competed as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. The team...
and Virginia
2008 Virginia Cavaliers Football Team
The 2008 Virginia Cavaliers football team represented the University of Virginia during the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was Virginia's 55th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference . The Cavaliers were led by...
. Ultimately, Maryland defeated Nevada
2008 Nevada Wolf Pack football team
The 2008 Nevada Wolf Pack football team represented the University of Nevada, Reno in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the 2008 season. Nevada competed as a member of the Western Athletic Conference .The team was led by...
in the Humanitarian Bowl
2008 Humanitarian Bowl
The 2008 Humanitarian Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Nevada Wolf Pack on December 30, 2008. It was the two teams' first meeting. The game featured two conference tie-ins: the University of Maryland represented the Atlantic Coast Conference ...
and finished the season with an 8–5 record. Before the 2009 season
2009 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 2009 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland during its 57th season in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Terrapins played in the Atlantic Division of the conference, and competed against all five divisional opponents, two Coastal Division opponents on a...
, many analysts projected the Terrapins to finish last or second-to-last in the Atlantic Division of the ACC, and expressed particular concern with the inexperienced offensive line. The prognostications proved accurate, and Maryland finished 2–10 for their first ten-loss season in program history. Maryland rebounded in 2010
2010 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 2010 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Terrapins' 58th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference and its sixth within the framework of the ACC Atlantic Division...
to finish with a 9–4 record, including a win in the Military Bowl, and ranked 23rd in the AP Poll. The ACC named Friedgen Coach of the Year
Atlantic Coast Conference football honors
The Atlantic Coast Conference honors players and coaches upon the conclusion of each college football season with the following individual honors as voted on by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.-Coach of the Year:*1953: Jim Tatum, Maryland...
, while freshman quarterback Danny O'Brien
Danny O'Brien (American football)
Daniel Matthew "Danny" O'Brien is an American football quarterback for the Maryland Terrapins at the University of Maryland.-Early years:O'Brien was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and at the age of 12, moved to Kernersville, North Carolina, where he attended East Forsyth High School. During his...
became the first Terrapin ever named ACC Rookie of the Year
Atlantic Coast Conference football honors
The Atlantic Coast Conference honors players and coaches upon the conclusion of each college football season with the following individual honors as voted on by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.-Coach of the Year:*1953: Jim Tatum, Maryland...
. Citing lack of fan support, the athletic department bought out the final year of Friedgen's contract for $2 million. UMD Athletic Director Kevin Anderson became the first AD in NCAA history to fire a reigning conference coach of the year. Connecticut
Connecticut Huskies football
The Connecticut Huskies football team is a collegiate football team that competes in NCAA Division I-A and the Big East Conference. Connecticut first fielded a team in 1896, and participated in Division I-AA until 1999. The Huskies began their two-year Division I-A transition period in 2000, and...
head coach Randy Edsall
Randy Edsall
Randy Douglas Edsall is an American college football coach. He is currently the head coach at the University of Maryland. Edsall was the head coach at the University of Connecticut from 1999 until the 2011 Fiesta Bowl, and oversaw the program's promotion from the NCAA Division I–AA level to...
was hired as his replacement.
Edsall era (2011-present)
The 2011 season ultimately proved to be a disappointment. Sophomore starting quarterback Danny O'Brien was lost for the season after breaking a bone in his left arm while playing against Notre Dame on November 12, 2011.Home stadium
Old Byrd Stadium
Old Byrd Stadium, also known as Byrd Stadium or Byrd Field and nicknamed "the Byrd Cage", was the home stadium for the University of Maryland from 1923 until 1947. It was located in College Park, Maryland, east of Baltimore Avenue on the site of the school's present-day fraternity row...
in honor of its main advocate. The stadium's capacity was 5,000. During this time, it was common for Maryland to play its better-drawing games in larger stadiums in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
or Baltimore.
In 1950, that small field was replaced by the identically named but much larger Byrd Stadium
Byrd Stadium
Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium , is an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. It is the home of the Maryland Terrapins football and lacrosse teams, which compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, which was constructed at the cost of $1 million. The new stadium had an initial capacity of 34,680, which has since been upgraded to 51,055 through extensive additions. Shortly after its construction, the stadium hosted its dedication game against , which Maryland won 35–21. That same year, the new field held its first and only bowl game, the Presidential Cup Bowl
Presidential Cup Bowl
The Presidential Cup Game was a postseason American college football bowl game played at Byrd Stadium in College Park, Maryland, on December 9, 1950 between Texas A&M University and University of Georgia....
, which featured and Georgia. In 2006, the University of Maryland became the first school to sell naming rights to its field. The home field was officially branded "Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium" in a 25-year, $20 million contract. In 2008, Chevy Chase Bank
Chevy Chase Bank
Chevy Chase Bank, F.S.B. was the largest locally-based banking company in the Washington Metropolitan Area. It was acquired by Capital One in 2009 and rebranded as Capital One Bank in 2010. Despite its name, Chevy Chase Bank was a federally chartered thrift regulated by the Office of Thrift...
was bought out by Capital One
Capital One
Capital One Financial Corp. is a U.S.-based bank holding company specializing in credit cards, home loans, auto loans, banking and savings products...
, and the stadium was renamed Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium.
Nickname
When the school was known as the Maryland Agricultural College, from 1856 to 1916, the media called the athletics teams the "Farmers" and the "Aggies". As the University of Maryland, the teams became known as "The Old Liners" in reference to the state nickname. During the 1923 season, The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
referred to Maryland as the Orioles, after a bird species
Baltimore Oriole
The Baltimore Oriole is a small icterid blackbird that averages 18 cm long and weighs 34 g. This bird received its name from the fact that the male's colors resemble those on the coat-of-arms of Lord Baltimore...
endemic to the region that was already the namesake for several baseball teams. In 1932, Curley Byrd
Curley Byrd
Harry Clifton "Curley" Byrd was an American university administrator, educator, athlete, coach, and politician...
suggested that the namesake become the diamondback terrapin
Diamondback terrapin
The diamondback terrapin or simply terrapin, is a species of turtle native to the brackish coastal swamps of the eastern and southern United States. It belongs to the monotypic genus, Malaclemys...
(Malaclemys terrapin), a species of land-dwelling turtle common throughout the state, particularly the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
area where Dr. Byrd spent his early life. The student newspaper had already been named The Diamondback
The Diamondback
The Diamondback is the independent student newspaper of the University of Maryland, College Park. It was founded in 1910 as The Triangle and renamed in 1921 in honor of a local reptile, the Diamondback terrapin...
since 1921, and the athletics teams were sometimes referred to as the "Terrapins" as early as 1928. Newspapers began referring to the team simply as the "Terps" to shorten headlines. The truncated name stuck and is now in official use by the school.
The mascot is a diamondback terrapin named Testudo, which means "turtle" in Latin. It is also the name of an ancient Roman military tactic
Testudo formation
In Ancient Roman warfare, the testudo or tortoise formation was a formation used commonly by the Roman Legions during battles, particularly sieges. Testudo is the Latin word for "tortoise"...
, in which soldiers protected their infantry square from projectiles by completely enclosing it with their shields. Derivations of the word have also been used in scientific nomenclature related to the reptile, such as the order Testudine and the family Testudinidae. In 1933, the graduating class raised funds for a 300-pound bronze replica of a terrapin. It was initially placed in front of Ritchie Coliseum
Ritchie Coliseum
Ritchie Coliseum is a multipurpose athletics facility at the University of Maryland. It served as the home arena for the Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team from 1931 to 1955, and for its gymnastics, wrestling, and volleyball teams until 2002. It is located on the east side of Baltimore Avenue...
, which was then the home arena of the basketball team
Maryland Terrapins men's basketball
The Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition...
. In 1951, after being the subject of numerous pranks, the statue was relocated to Byrd Stadium
Byrd Stadium
Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium , is an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. It is the home of the Maryland Terrapins football and lacrosse teams, which compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, reinforced with 700 pounds of concrete, and anchored with steel rods. It was moved again in the 1960s, in front of McKeldin Library
University of Maryland Libraries
The University of Maryland Libraries constitute the largest public research library in the state of Maryland. Seven libraries are located at University of Maryland, College Park campus, plus an additional library and media center located off-campus...
, and a second replica was placed at Byrd Stadium in 1992. In the 2000s, under coach Ralph Friedgen, it was a pregame tradition for the football players to walk 200 yards, through what is known as "Terp Alley", to the locker rooms, and touch the bronze Testudo.
Colors
Flag of Maryland
The flag of the state of Maryland consists of the heraldic banner of George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore. It is the only state flag in the United States to be based on English heraldry. The flag of the state of Maryland consists of the heraldic banner of George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore. It is...
: red, white, black, and gold. The dominant colors have occasionally changed back and forth with changes of the head coach. In 1904, Maryland adopted a state flag based on the heraldry of Lord Calvert
George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore
Sir George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore, 8th Proprietary Governor of Newfoundland was an English politician and colonizer. He achieved domestic political success as a Member of Parliament and later Secretary of State under King James I...
: the Calvert family arms (black and gold) quartered with his mother's Crossland family arms (red and white). From the early 1920s until 1942, the black and gold were adopted as the official school colors.
In 1942, Clark Shaughnessy
Clark Shaughnessy
Clark Daniel Shaughnessy was an American football coach and innovator. He is sometimes called the "father of the T formation", although that system had previously been used as early as the 1880s. Shaughnessy did, however, modernize the obsolescent T formation to make it once again relevant in the...
left Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
to coach at Maryland. He brought with him an affinity for a red and white color scheme and changed the team's uniforms. Shaughnessy left after one season, and the school switched back to the more traditional black and gold. He returned in 1946
1946 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 1946 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football in its 26th season as a member of the Southern Conference...
and again changed the colors to red and white. He was replaced with Jim Tatum
Jim Tatum
James M. "Big Jim" Tatum was an American football and baseball player and coach. Tatum served as the head football coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , the University of Oklahoma , and the University of Maryland, College Park , compiling a career college football record of...
the following season, but Shaughnessy's colors were retained. In 1961, Maryland wore gold jerseys with black numerals for the first time since 1945 for their season opener against . In 1987, Joe Krivak introduced black uniforms for selected games. Ron Vanderlinden
Ron Vanderlinden
Ron Vanderlinden is an American college football coach. He is currently the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Penn State University. Vanderlinden previously served as the head coach at the University of Maryland from 1997 to 2000....
took over in 1997 and a new black and white uniform was adopted. Under Ralph Friedgen
Ralph Friedgen
Ralph Harry Friedgen is an American football coach. He was the head coach at the University of Maryland from 2001 to 2010. Friedgen was previously an offensive coordinator at Maryland, Georgia Tech, and in the National Football League with the San Diego Chargers...
, Maryland returned to red and white in 2001, with black uniforms being reserved for select games. Maryland was one of the first schools to utilize the "blackout" concept, where fans uniformly wear the color to stand out in the stadium. It was introduced unofficially as the "Byrd Blackout" in 2005. For the 2011 season
2011 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 2011 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season...
, Maryland wore new Under Armour
Under Armour
Under Armour is an American sports clothing and accessories company. The company is a supplier of a wide range of sportswear and casual apparel mainly focusing on hi-tech sportswear for professional athletes...
uniforms that offered a "dizzying array" of combinations in the four school colors. In the season opener against Miami
2011 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 2011 Miami Hurricanes football team represents the University of Miami during the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hurricanes are led by first year head coach Al Golden and play their home games at Sun Life Stadium...
, the Terrapins unveiled a unique uniform based on the Maryland state flag that received nationwide media attention.
Rivalries
It is arguable whether the Terrapins have any traditional school rival in the sport of football. Media observers have occasionally suggested that Maryland is an odd team out in the ACC, as most other schools in the conference have more vehement opponents. Maryland's designated ACC rival is Virginia, but Virginia has a heated rivalryCommonwealth Cup
The Commonwealth Cup is an American college football rivalry game played between the Virginia Cavaliers football team of the University of Virginia and the Virginia Tech Hokies football team of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Typically, this series is played on a Saturday...
with Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...
. Of Maryland's historical non-conference opponents, West Virginia has a rivalry
Backyard Brawl
The Backyard Brawl is an annual football game between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The term "Backyard Brawl" has also been used to refer to college basketball games played annually or semi-iannually and may also be used to refer to other...
with Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
and the Naval Academy shares with West Point
Army Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
one of the most storied college sports rivalries, the Army–Navy Game. However, Maryland does compete against several schools in regular contests that have been called rivalries. Additionally, Ralph Friedgen—who previously coached at Georgia Tech which competes with Georgia in Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate
Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate
Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate is the nickname given to an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team of the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Georgia Bulldogs football team of the University of Georgia. The two Georgia universities are...
—has taken steps to reinvigorate dormant or dispassionate Maryland rivalries.
Rich Rodriguez
Richard A. "Rich" Rodriguez is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Arizona. Rodriguez previously served as the head football coach at Salem University , Glenville State College , West Virginia University , and the University...
. Due to their proximity, the schools regularly raid their opponent's recruiting areas. The long-running series was put on hiatus for the 2008 and 2009 seasons, but resumed in 2010. Virginia and Maryland are currently designated official ACC cross-divisional rivals and the teams have a long-standing rivalry due to proximity and past history. The programs also vie for recruits in the same region, and more recently, an additional factor has been the schools' academic competition. Maryland and Virginia have occasionally served as spoilers for one another by precluding a championship or bowl game appearance.
Maryland played the Naval Academy, which is also located in the state of Maryland, several times between the 1930s and 1960s. In 1964, an incident in which a Terrapins player flashed an obscene gesture prompted Navy officials to suspend the series for 40 years. They finally played again in 2005, and have scheduled more meetings in the future. As of 2010, the winner of the Crab Bowl Classic is awarded the Crab Bowl Trophy
Crab Bowl Trophy
The Crab Bowl Trophy was created in 2010 by the Touchdown Club of Annapolis with underwriting from the D'Camera Group. The trophy is named after the Crab Bowl Classic, an intrastate college football rivalry game between the United States Naval Academy and the University of Maryland.The trophy is "a...
.
Penn State and Maryland formerly possessed one of the most lopsided series in college football. The teams met in briefly interrupted stretches from 1917 until 1993, and Penn State won 35 of 37 meetings. Maryland's sole win came in 1961. The record, however, belies what was usually a competitive match-up until the later years, and many games were decided by missed field goals, turnovers, or questionable officiating. Both schools still aggressively compete for recruits in the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area
Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area
The Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area is a combined statistical area consisting of the overlapping labor market region of the cities of Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C.. The region includes Central Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Jefferson County in the Eastern Panhandle of West...
, and when they did play, it held recruiting implications. Into the 1930s, games were regularly played against and , which in addition to Virginia, were characterized at the time as Maryland's "ancient rivals".
Team achievements
Maryland has accumulated various titles and distinctions in its 116 years of intercollegiate competition. Some of the most prestigious achievements are annotated below:- National championships: 1951 (retroactive), 1953
- ACC championships: 1953, 1955, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1983, 1984, 1985, 2001
- Southern championships: 1937, 1951
- Undefeated overall records: 1893, 1951, 1953, 1955, 1976
- Undefeated conference records: 1937, 1943, 1949, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1984, 1985
- Bowl appearances: 1947, 1949, 1951, 1953, 1955, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1990, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010
Individual honors
Over the years, many Maryland players have received All-American honors. Eleven Terps have been named consensus (received a majority of votes) first-team All-Americans and one, E.J. Henderson, has received that honor twice. Additionally, some have been awarded prestigious awards, including the Bednarik Award, Butkus Award, Outland TrophyOutland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
, and Lombardi Award
Lombardi Award
The Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
. While no Terrapin has ever received the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
, which is bestowed upon college football's most outstanding player, several have received votes by the award's selection committee. Quarterbacks Jack Scarbath
Jack Scarbath
John Carl "Jack" Scarbath is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers...
and Bernie Faloney
Bernie Faloney
Bernie Faloney was a professional football player in the Canadian Football League and an outstanding American college football player at the University of Maryland...
finished second and fourth in the voting in 1952 and 1953, respectively. Additionally, Bob Pellegrini
Bob Pellegrini
Robert Francis Pellegrini was an American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Redskins. He played college football at Maryland, where he was an All-American as a center. Pellegrini was drafted in the first round of the 1956 NFL Draft...
, Gary Collins, Randy White
Randy White (American football)
Randall Lee "Randy" White is a former American football defensive lineman and linebacker. He attended the University of Maryland from 1971 to 1974, and played professionally for the Dallas Cowboys from 1975 to 1988. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
, and Boomer Esiason
Boomer Esiason
Norman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
all finished in the top-ten of the voting for a Heisman. Six Maryland players and four coaches have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
. Bear Bryant
Bear Bryant
Paul William "Bear" Bryant was an American college football player and coach. He was best known as the longtime head coach of the University of Alabama football team. During his 25-year tenure as Alabama's head coach, he amassed six national championships and thirteen conference championships...
, Jerry Claiborne
Jerry Claiborne
Jerry Claiborne was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Virginia Tech , the University of Maryland, College Park , and his alma mater, the University of Kentucky , compiling a career college football record of 179–122–8...
, Clark Shaughnessy
Clark Shaughnessy
Clark Daniel Shaughnessy was an American football coach and innovator. He is sometimes called the "father of the T formation", although that system had previously been used as early as the 1880s. Shaughnessy did, however, modernize the obsolescent T formation to make it once again relevant in the...
, and Jim Tatum
Jim Tatum
James M. "Big Jim" Tatum was an American football and baseball player and coach. Tatum served as the head football coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , the University of Oklahoma , and the University of Maryland, College Park , compiling a career college football record of...
were inducted as coaches. The players included Dick Modzelewski
Dick Modzelewski
Richard Blair Modzelewski is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, and the Cleveland Browns. He also served as interim head coach of the Browns in the final game of the 1977 season...
, Bob Pellegrini, Jack Scarbath, and Bob Ward. Stan Jones
Stan Jones (American football)
Stanley Paul "Stan" Jones was an American football guard and defensive tackle in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears and the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991...
and Randy White were also inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
.
See also
- List of Maryland Terrapins bowl games
- List of Maryland Terrapins football people
- List of Maryland Terrapins in professional football