Maryland's rejuvenated Terrapins seeking consistency

COLLEGE PARK, MD.

Maryland's Jeremy Navarre prefers to focus on the good times.

The first three quarters against Cal? As good as it gets. That second half at Clemson? Sublime.

"The team that shows up at those times, is, you know, pretty good," said Navarre, a four-year starter at defensive end.

The Terrapin team that appears at other times is something else entirely. After jumping up 28-6 on Cal, Maryland surrendered 21 straight points before hanging for dear life in a 35-27 upset win. After getting pushed all over Death Valley for a half last week at Clemson, the Terrapins stormed back to stun the Tigers

20-17 - and seemingly announce themselves as contenders in the muddled ACC.

Maryland had looked anything but after the season's first two weeks, squeaking by Division I-AA Delaware in the opener, then falling at Middle Tennessee State in a loss some regarded as the worst in coach Ralph Friedgen's eight-year tenure.

"Right now, we're just a bunch of hype," Navarre said after that game.

The hype is back for the Terrapins, who visit Virginia on Saturday. But it's tempered by caution and uncertainty. Yes, Maryland has won three straight since the wake-up call at Middle Tennessee, and yes, two of those wins came over ranked teams. But the Terrapins - 4-1 for the first time since winning the ACC title in Friedgen's debut season of 2001 - have yet to put a full game together. They also have shown a tendency to play to their level of competition, a worrisome trend given the way the Cavaliers have been struggling.

Friedgen has made no effort to hide his frustration, saying he expected more consistency from a team with 31 seniors.

"I have a lot of faith in this team. I've gone on record, which I normally don't do, so there is a special feeling that I have for this team," he said.

The coach has tried various motivational approaches, from sweet talk to challenging his team's character. He wonders daily if he's getting through.

"I am struggling right now to get them to understand what is out there for them if they would just focus and concentrate for the next 2-1/2 to three months," Friedgen said Tuesday. "They have a chance to achieve something where they could look back on for the rest of their life and be pretty proud about. I don't know if I am getting that across. "

Friedgen's words are not falling on deaf ears, players say, especially after the loss at Middle Tennessee.

"I'm kind of glad it happened," said linebacker Moise Fokou, another senior. "You don't want to say that, but we woke up, we're playing better and we have a sense of urgency about ourselves."

Fokou admits he's surprised that it took a loss to a middling Sun Belt team to get his team's attention. With so many veteran players, "we thought we were going to come out a lot stronger and better than that," he said.

On both sides of the ball, too. Maryland's defense ranks 11th in the ACC and gave up 260 yards and 17 first downs to Clemson in the first half. In the second, though, the Terrapins shut the Tigers out - the first time all season Clemson has been held scoreless in a half.

It was a typically uneven performance from a unit that gives up a ton of yards (387 per game), but buckles down on third down (29.9 percent conversion rate, third-best in the ACC). Maryland has also forced 10 turnovers.

On offense, much was expected of a group that returned nine starters, including quarterback Chris Turner, dynamic receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey and virtually all of a senior-dominated line.

But Friedgen said the line still misses too many assignments, and the entire offense is still picking up the tweaks instituted by new coordinator James Franklin. Friedgen had served as the coordinator the previous two seasons.

The offense's saving grace has been big plays, often from Heyward-Bey, who jump-started the team with a 76-yard run on a reverse against Clemson, and is averaging 21 yards on his 12 receptions and 31 yards on his five carries. Of Maryland's 17 touchdowns, 12 have come on drives of five plays or fewer.

While Friedgen is waiting for the line to come around, Turner, at least, is showing signs of consistency. Intercepted three times against Middle Tennessee, he was 15 of 19 against Cal and 15 of 30 against Clemson, with no picks. In fact, in four career games against ranked teams, the junior from Simi Valley, Calif., has completed nearly 70 percent of his passes, with six touchdowns and no interceptions.

"That's all a part of his mentality, being from California," tight end Dan Gronkowski said. "He's a lot more relaxed. He likes the big atmosphere, the Hollywood style. I think he's got a little bit of that in him. Big games, he steps it up."

The same could be said of many of Turner's teammates, no matter where they're from. At 4-1, it's hard to argue with the results. But it's not a formula that the Terrapins want to rely on, Navarre said.

"If we want to be that championship team," he said, "we've got to put that whole game together."

Ed Miller, 446-2372, ed.miller@pilotonline.com