360 replies to this topic

[BSLZackKiesel]

Still nothing concrete on the Najarian injury, but it sounds like it'll end his season. There's still some thought that Udinski could play at some point, but that seems unlikely since his injury was severe enough to require surgery. Again, not hearing anything concrete there.

 

There's also been some movement along the offensive line. Austin Fontaine is still severely underweight, and it doesn't look like he can be penciled in as the starting center for now. Sounds like Johari Branch has started taking snaps at center, and Mason Lunsford is impressing at guard. This should be the starting offensive line for the spring:

• LT: Jaelyn Duncan
• LG: Mason Lunsford
• C: Johari Branch
• RG: Evan Gregory
• RT: Spencer Anderson

If Branch doesn't fit the bill at center, they're also having Gregory take snaps there.

[BSLMikeLowe]

That's weird, RE: Fontaine. I wonder if he opted out last season (at least for most of it) due to an illness that caused the weight loss, or if he's just one of those guys who has a difficult time keeping weight on no matter what.

[BSLChrisStoner]

The DL could still use him.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Since Najarian's injury isn't to his lower body, he's continuing to participate as best he can in spring practices. He can't throw, but can hand the ball off and go through mental reps. He'll have surgery after practices wrap up and should be ready by next spring.

[BSLZackKiesel]

IMS: Terps standout reveals health scare, talks freshman standouts and program's future

https://247sports.co...lthy-163893752/

 

Mike Locksley's tight end-friendly offense was virtually tight end-less last season because of the absence of veteran Chig Okonkwo, who missed the whole season due to an undisclosed health issue. The condition that cost him the season is no longer a mystery after he revealed it during a media session on Thursday: a heart condition called Myocarditis, often linked to COVID-19.

Good stuff here from Okonkwo. Aside from the scary heart condition he had to work through last year, he noted that this year's offense is moving much faster under Dan Enos. Definitely good to hear, since they didn't use much tempo over the last two seasons.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Sounds like Spencer Anderson has been starting with the first team at center, with Amelio Moran at RT and Johari Branch at RG. Looks like Locksley and Enos are going to experiment with a few different options during the spring in case Austin Fontaine can't get his weight up.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Sounds like freshman FB Joseph Bearns has suffered a torn ACL and will miss this season. He was expected to have a role immediately as a hybrid FB/TE.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Wes Brown from Testudo Times was at today’s practice and reports that Austin Fontaine was working with the first team as the starting center. So perhaps those reports about his weight were a little overblown, we’ll see what things look like next weekend. He also confirmed that Eric Najarian isn’t throwing, so those reports about his injury are all but solidified.

[BSLMikeLowe]

If Fontaine can hold down the C position that would be pretty optimal, since it would put Anderson back out at RT where he did pretty well last season.

[BSLZackKiesel]

If Fontaine can hold down the C position that would be pretty optimal, since it would put Anderson back out at RT where he did pretty well last season.

Apparently Fontaine starting yesterday may have been due to Moran not practicing. When Moran is back, he's expected to be back at RT with Anderson at C. You'd hope that Fontaine can get his weight up over the summer enough to win the starting C job in August.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Since Najarian's injury isn't to his lower body, he's continuing to participate as best he can in spring practices. He can't throw, but can hand the ball off and go through mental reps. He'll have surgery after practices wrap up and should be ready by next spring.

Sounds like it's a torn labrum for Najarian.

[BSLZackKiesel]

QB Zack Jackson (Aldie, VA) will be joining the team as a PWO in the fall, which will give the team 4 total bodies at the position heading into the season. He's also played some WR in high school.

[Mike B]

The Surgeon General should put a label on our QB's saying playing QB at Maryland can be hazardous to your health,  

[BSLChrisStoner]

Balt Sun: Five players to watch in Maryland’s Red-White spring football game

[BSLZackKiesel]

Tickets for the Spring Game on Saturday have all been claimed, but the game will be streamed live at Noon on the FOX Sports App and will be replayed on the Big Ten Network at 4:00PM.

[Mike B]

Tickets for the Spring Game on Saturday have all been claimed, but the game will be streamed live at Noon on the FOX Sports App and will be replayed on the Big Ten Network at 4:00PM.

Thanks Zack.  I am setting the timer for 4 PM.   Hope they get out of the game healthy.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Testudo Times: Maryland football performance center to be named Jones-Hill House

https://www.testudot...g-darryll-pines

 

The University of Maryland president Darryll Pines announced during his inauguration speech that the football performance center in Cole Field House will be named after trailblazers Billy Jones and Darryl Hill.

 

The Jones-Hill house will serve as the home of Maryland football and will honor the two men who broke the color barrier in their respective sports.

 

In 1963, Hill was the first Black student-athlete to play football at Maryland and in the ACC. Two years later, Jones broke the color barrier in basketball at Maryland and in the ACC by being the first Black men’s basketball scholarship player to play with the Terps.

According to Locksley, Kevin Plank suggested the center be named for Jones and Hill after declining the opportunity to put his own name on it.

[BSLMikeLowe]

A great and fitting tribute, but I wish they had put their name on the stadium instead. I thought we were told the current name was just a placeholder, but it's been several years now. It's so unoriginal it's embarrassing.

[BSLMikeLowe]

You'd hope that Fontaine can get his weight up over the summer enough to win the starting C job in August.

 

He's got a ways to go. He looked more like a TE than an OL today.

[BSLZackKiesel]

He's got a ways to go. He looked more like a TE than an OL today.

I haven’t had a chance to watch the game yet, but from what I heard the RT spot was abysmal. Moran couldn’t block anything. Getting Fontaine’s weight up so that Anderson can move back to RT has to be a major priority.