OAKLAND, Calif. – After arriving in San Francisco Wednesday
evening, the Maryland football team hit the field for its first practice in the
Bay Area at Laney College Thursday afternoon in preparation for its matchup with
Stanford in the Foster Farms Bowl on Tuesday.
In an effort to keep the team on a normal routine, Thursday’s practice resembled a normal Tuesday game-week practice for head coach Randy Edsall’s squad. “It is a normal Tuesday practice for us,” said Edsall. “That is one of the reasons we can out when we did. We came out yesterday to get acclimated so we could get right into our weekly routine. This will be a normal Tuesday for us, and tomorrow will be a normal Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and so on. It puts us right into game mode. We already put the game plan in back home and practiced that. Now we are going to do the same thing here. We hope there is a lot of retention, they are sharp, they are crisp and we can go out and get things done we need to get done to prepare for a very talented and tough opponent in Stanford.” Tuesday’s practice opened with special teams work specifically kickoff return before moving into some individual work. Practice closed with four team sessions, a bout of 7-v-7 and extra point and field goal work. At the conclusion of practice, former Terp Jon Condo, currently with the Oakland Raiders addressed the team along with former Morgan State, Baltimore Colts and Raiders star Raymond Chester. Each player shared a few words of wisdom as the Terps prepare for the Cardinal. Maryland returns to the practice field Thursday morning before heading downtown for the Foster Farms Bowl press conference and a trip Alcatraz in the afternoon. Maryland and Stanford are set for a 10:05 p.m. ET kick off Tuesday from Levi’s Stadium. |
Terps Head to Bay Area for Showdown with Stanford
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland is set to meet Stanford for the
first time in program history in the Foster Farms Bowl at Levi’s Stadium in
Santa Clara, Calif. Kickoff is set for 10:05 p.m. ET on Dec. 30. It is
Maryland’s second bowl berth in as many seasons and its 26th all-time.
This is Maryland’s second appearance in San Francisco’s annual bowl game. The Terps traveled to the Bay Area in 2007 when the bowl was known as the Emerald Bowl. Maryland fell to Oregon State, 21-14. Maryland has played some of its best football away from home. The Terps have won five road games this season, the most in the Big Ten, and the highest total for a Maryland team since 1984. The Terps have won seven of their last nine games away from home.
Live Coverage
Maryland's matchup with Stanford in the Foster Farms Bowl will be broadcast
live on ESPN and streamed live on WatchESPN at 10 p.m. ET.
Dave Flemming (pbp), Greg McElroy (color) and Shelley Smith (sideline) will call
the action. The game can also be heard on the Maryland
Sports Radio Network with Johnny
Holliday (pbp), Tim
Strachan (color) and Scott
McBrien (sideline) on the call. The game can also be heard on ESPN Radio and
SiriusXM channel 84. For a listing of ESPN Radio affiliates in your area, click
here.
MARYLAND SEASON AWARDS
Head coach Randy
Edsall handed out the 2014 team awards Monday afternoon. Here is a list of
this year's recipients.The George C. Cook Memorial Award (Presented to the senior student-athlete that maintains the highest GPA) - C.J. Brown and Nathan Renfro (virtual tie) The George Boutselis Memorial Award (Presented to the student-athlete who both lettered in football while attaining the highest GPA on the team) - P.J. Gallo Public Service Award - Sal Conaboy Dr. John E. Faber Iron Man Award - Yannik Cudjoe-Virgil The A.V. Williams Award (Presented to the student-athlete that best displays outstanding and conspicuous sportsmanship) - Cole Farrand The Alvin L. Aubinoe Unsung Hero Trophy (Presented to the student-athlete that best displays the true meaning of teamwork) - Michael Tart The James M. Tatum Memorial Award (Lineman of the Year) - Darius Kilgo Special Team Player of the Year - Brad Craddock Defensive Player of the Year - Andre Monroe Offensive Player of the Year - C.J. Brown The Ray Krouse Memorial Award (Team MVP) - William Likely Dexter McDougle Ultimate Team Player Award - Jeremiah Johnson
TERPS BY THE NUMBERS
1 - Kicker Brad
Craddock became Maryland’s first-ever Lou Groza Award winner when he was
presented the honor at the 2014 Home Depot College Football Awards. Craddock has
made 18-of-19 field goal attempts this season.2 - Defensive back William Likely has taken two of his six interceptions back for touchdowns. His two interception returns for touchdowns are tied for first amongst FBS teams. In addition, Likely, as a sophomore, has already tied the career record at Maryland. 4 - Wide receiver Stefon Diggs is only the fourth Terrapin wideout all-time to have at least two 50-catch seasons. Diggs has 52 catches this season after totaling 54 as a freshman in 2012. He joins Jermaine Lewis (1992-95), Geroy Simon (1993-96) and Torrey Smith (2008-10) as the only receivers in school history to accomplish the feat. 6 - Against Michigan (11/22), defensive back William Likely picked off his sixth pass. That total led the Big Ten and is tied for seventh in the FBS. The sophomore has returned his six interceptions for 170 yards, a single-season school record and the second-highest total nationally. 8 - Maryland placed eight players on the 2014 All-Big Ten team, the most players to earn all-conference honors in the Randy Edsall era. Kicker Brad Craddock and defensive back William Likely led the group. Craddock and Likely earned first-team honors from the coaches and media. 17 - The number of years since Maryland last had two 100-yard rushers in the same game. Brandon Ross and C.J. Brown rushed for 108 and 107 yards, respectively, against Rutgers (11/29). LaMont Jordan (135) and Brian Underwood (114) accomplished the feat at Temple on Sept. 27, 1997. 24 - The number of career sacks for defensive lineman Andre Monroe. The senior lineman is a half of sack shy of becoming Maryland’s all-time sack leader. Monroe currently is tied with Mike Corvino (1979-1982) for the career record. 94.7 - The percentage of field goals made by Brad Craddock this season. It is a Maryland single-season record and currently leads the nation. For his career, Craddock has converted 81.7 percent of his field goal tries, which is a program record and the 17th-highest average among active FBS kickers.
WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU?
Quarterback C.J.
Brown recorded his ninth career 100-yard rushing performance in the
regular-season finale against Rutgers. Brown rushed 107 yards and a touchdown,
and passed for 195 yards and two scores. For his career, Brown is now
responsible for 57 touchdowns and is Maryland’s all-time record holder. Brown
currently has 6,898 total offensive yards for his career, which ranks second
all-time. Brown is within striking distance of becoming only the second player
in Maryland history to eclipse 7,000 total offensive yards for his career and
passing Scott Milanovich (7,111) for the all-time mark.
On The Offense
ALL-PURPOSE DIGGSWide receiver Stefon Diggs leads the team in receptions (52) and receiving yards (654). Diggs hit season highs in catches (9) and receiving yards (130) against Iowa (10/18). Diggs ranks second among active FBS career leaders in all-purpose yards per game averaging 147.52 yards.
Running back Wes Brown has been the chosen short-yardage back for the Terps late in the season.
On The Defense
LOCK IT DOWN
Senior Andre Monroe is Maryland’s active career leader in sacks. The product of Upper Marlboro, Md., has 24 career sacks including a team-high 9.5 this season.
On The SPECIAL TEAMS
IT'S GOOD
Junior kicker Brad Craddock, the 2014 Lou Groza Award recipient, has made 49 career field goals and has scored 248 career points.
MEDIA INFORMATION
For up-to-date game stories, statistics, schedules and results, and other
Maryland athletic department information, please log-on to www.umterps.com on the
Internet. |
Terps Address Media Ahead of Clash with Cardinal
SAN FRANCISCO – Maryland head football coach Randy
Edsall joined Stanford head coach David
Shaw along with Foster Farms Bowl executive director Gary Cavalli and Foster
Farms senior vice president Bryan Reese for an introductory press conference at
the Hotel Nikko Saturday afternoon.
Edsall was joined by Maryland quarterback C.J.
Brown, kicker Brad
Craddock and linebacker Cole
Farrand at the event.
After opening remarks from Cavalli and Reese, Edsall took the mic
and addressed the gathered media to express the team’s excitement to be invited
to San Francisco for their final game of the season.
"It's been a great time [in San Francisco ] so far," Edsall said.
"It's been an experience for us in our first year in the Big Ten. Different
conference. Different venues to play in. I thought our kids handled it well. We
overcame advirsity because of the leadership and will of our players."
Following introductions by Edsall and Shaw, the media met with the
student-athletes. Brown was excited to lead the Terrapins into Santa Clara in
his final game at Maryland.
"Being here for as long as I have, these last practices have been
emotional. I've kind of reflected and I've had a great time. I'm trying to go
out for the seniors, myself, my family and the University of Maryland and get
this win."
Farrand believes the team has had a great set of practices leading
up to its trip west and will be ready to play the Cardinal Tuesday night.
"We're loving the weather," Farrand said. "It's really nice and I
think the guys are feeding into that. We've had great practices this week.
Everyone is really excited."
Maryland's players and coaches will take advantage of the sunny
skies when they visit the world famous Alcatraz to close out Saturday's
activities.
The Terps and Cardinal are set for a 10 p.m. ET kick off from Levi’s
Stadium Tuesday, Dec. 30.
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