North Carolina State University Athletics
Gary Hahn's Scouting Report
11/5/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 5, 2002
#13 (AP) #14 (ESPN) NC STATE (9-1, 4-1) at #25 (ESPN) MARYLAND (7-2, 3-1)
DATE: Saturday, November 8, 2002
TIME: Kickoff: 12:00 p.m. (EST) at Byrd Stadium, College Park, MD (48,055)
RADIO: Wolfpack Capitol Sports Network. AIRTIME: 11:00 a.m. (EST)
TELEVISION: ABC (Regional).
OPPONENT--Maryland is not going to give up its Atlantic Coast Conference championship without a fight. Chris Downs rushed for 157 yards and four touchdowns on 19 carries Saturday as the surging Terrapins routed North Carolina, 59-7, for their sixth straight victory. Although the Terrapins lost to Florida State earlier this season, they have an ACC title shot because the Seminoles also will face the Wolfpack.
North Carolina (2-7, 0-5) came out throwing against the Terps on its opening drive and took a 7-0 lead when C.J. Stephens scored on a one-yard keeper with 8:34 left in the first period. However, it was the last time Carolina would make any headway against a defense that entered the game ranked ninth nationally in scoring defense - limiting opponents to 15.9 points a game. Maryland tallied 59 unanswered points and didn't need to defend territory beyond its 47-yard line again until taking a 45-point lead.
The Terrapins showcased their offensive big play potential, tying the contest on Scott McBrien's 80-yard TD pass to Scooter Monroe with 23 seconds left in the first quarter, then breaking it open with 24 points in the second period. Maryland scored 52 of its points in barely two quarters (30:05).
Oddly enough, the Terps are rolling without last year's ACC Offensive Player of the Year. Tailback, Bruce Perry, suffered a groin injury in preseason. He made his first appearance of the year against Duke, running for 19-yards on the game's first play before injuring his shoulder.
The ability to score from anywhere on the field combined with the ACC's best scoring defense (14.4) could make the Terps more dangerous than last year's Orange Bowl team. Overall, Maryland had seven plays of 30 yards or more. The 572 offensive yards - including 388 on the ground - were the team's best of the season and the second-best output during Ralph Friedgen's short tenure as head coach.
Monroe had three catches for 167 yards (including a 70-yarder that set up another score), McBrien passed for 190 with just six completions and Downs compiled his rushing yards on only 19 carries. Josh Allen also chipped in with two touchdown runs, including a 60-yarder and tallied 94 yards on six carries for Maryland.
Downs had TD runs of six and 36 yards in the second quarter, while Steve Suter provided another highlight with slightly less than six minutes left in the half when he caught a punt with a Carolina defender illegally in his face and returned it 77-yards for a score. It was Suter's fourth punt return for a touchdown this year, tying a NCAA Division I-A record that's shared by seven others.
In the third period, Downs tacked on short TD runs of one and six yards. Stephens completed 17-of-30 passes for 179 yards for the Tar Heels, who were held to only 79 yards on the ground.
Nobody is playing better football in the ACC right now than Maryland. The Terps are averaging 35.8 points a game (No. 2 ACC behind NC State) and really caught fire in a win at West Virginia on October 5th when McBrien, a WVU transfer, came into his own. During the six game winning streak, McBrien has completed 66 of 107 passes (.616) for 1242 yards (18.8 yards per completion) and 8 touchdowns while throwing only one interception. He is very mobile and can execute the option when needed. The Terps have beaten opponents by an average of 35 points in the streak and have not won by less than 24.
Monroe, a senior (25 catches, 484 yards) and junior Jafar Williams (18 catches, 317 yards) are the Terps leading receivers. Five players have at least 11 catches, but no Maryland receiver has scored more than 2 touchdowns. The Terps are next-to-last in the ACC in passing offense (199.3 ypg.).
However, Maryland has run the football pretty well all season, averaging 194 yards per game (No. 3 ACC). Downs picked up the slack for the absence of Perry and has gained 817 yards (6.6 ypc.) and scored 13 rushing touchdowns. He's No. 3 in the ACC in rushing and has caught 11 passes for 94 yards. Allen is the No. 2 rusher with 377 yards and 8 touchdowns. The starting offensive line is big (averaging 302 pounds) and physical with center, Todd Wike, the most experienced of the group. Maryland has allowed 16 sacks in 9 games this season.
Defensively, the Terps are stout up front and at linebacker. Senior end, Durrand Roundtree (6-3, 256) and middle linebacker, E. J. Henderson (6-2, 250, Sr.), are the leaders. Henderson, last year's ACC Defensive Player of the Year, is now fully recovered from off-season back surgery and leads the team in tackles with 96 (5th best in the ACC). With 25 sacks, the Terps are second in the ACC behind the Wolfpack in that category.
Ranked No. 2 in the ACC in total defense (339 ypg.) behind NC State, Maryland is also among the league leaders in pass defense (No. 3) and has surrendered a league low seven touchdown passes this year. The Terps have 12 interceptions, including 4 by junior free safety Madieu Williams. Sophomore cornerback Domonique Foxworth has defended more passes than any other ACC player (15) and has 3 interceptions.
The special teams are really special at Maryland. Senior Brooks Barnard leads the ACC in punting (43.2) while sophomore Nick Novak tops the league in field goal percentage (.824) converting on 14 of 17 attempts with a long of 51. Novak has made 6 of 8 field goal tries beyond 40 yards. Suter leads the ACC in punt returns with a 14.7-yard average and has returned 10 kickoffs for a 26.3-yard average.
The Terps have benefited from several reserves becoming steady contributors lately due to injuries. End Shawne Merriman recorded three sacks and a team-high seven tackles in Saturday's win. The true freshman has played more because Jamahl Cochran is limited with a strained hamstring. Stephon Heyer, another true freshman, got his first start at left tackle. Heyer will be counted on again this week as starter Matt Crawford (knee) and top reserve Kyle Schmitt (shoulder) are each likely to miss a second game. The defensive line is getting a boost from a forgotten fifth-year senior. William Shime made his first career start at nose tackle in place of C.J. Feldheim, who was lost for the season with torn knee ligaments in the Oct.26 win over Duke
Maryland has won the last two games in this series. Two years ago at Byrd Stadium, it took two overtimes for the Terps to beat the Pack 35-28. Last season, Maryland trailed 19-14 with 3:59 left. Rich Parson was heading to the end zone after catching a long pass from Shaun Hill, but was stripped at the goal line by State's Lamont Reid. When Levar Fisher recovered the fumble for the Wolfpack, Maryland's hopes looked slim. However, the Terps defense held on the next series and forced a Wolfpack punt. Hill marched the Terps 61 yards and capped the drive with a game-winning 8-yard pass to Guilian Gary with 41-seconds left. This game could be just as close.
INJURIES--NC State: CB A.J Davis-Out, Fractured fibula; MLB Corrie Dawson-Probable, Sprained PCL; FS Terrence Holt-Will play, Knee strain; TB T.A. McLendon-Will play, Shoulder. Maryland:
DE Jamahl Cochran-Probable, Strained hamstring; OT Matt Crawford-Doubtful, Knee; OT Kyle Schmitt-Doubtful, Shoulder; NT C. J. Feldheim-Out, Knee; TB Bruce Perry-Questionable, Shoulder.
