UConn (1-1) @ Maryland (2-0)

[JohnD]

Ahhh and here he comes back once they lose a game. Could have seen that coming a mile away. Here's a few facts/opinions for you:

1) They didn't run out of time. Saying the two minute drill was poorly run and citing the clock running out is being dishonest. They turned the ball over on downs with time still on the clock.

2) The Terps are still playing with a true freshman at QB. I would argue their 3 "best" players on offense are all true freshmen.

3) The team showed a lot of heart and guts coming back and making this a close game. Care to give any credit to the coaching staff for that?

4) Whether you like it or not, UConn is an equal program to Maryland, and they're probably in a better position due to our injuries. Losing to them is not some massive issue.

I'm sure we'll hear more from you next week when we lose to WVU but if we beat Wake Forest at home, I doubt you'll have much to say. Par for the course.

Don't disagree at all with your last three points, to be honest. Hills played pretty bad, but he's a true freshman. It happens. It's even expected. But did you watch the game? Because if you did, there's no way at all you can argue your first point with any credibility. You're simply out of your mind.

True, they didn't run out of time. But that was awful. It was completely disorganized. And at a time like that, because they're playing with a true freshman QB, that's when you call timeout and get him settled down and get the right play in there.

Truth is there is NOTHING dishonest about that. And I'm far from the only Maryland fan questioning how that final drive went. Saying it was fine simply because they turned the ball over on downs with time left is, at best, disingenuous.

I don't have high hopes for the season, so I'm not going to judge its success on wins and losses. But after doing a good job of putting them in a position to win on the final drive, the coaching staff let them down. That may not be your opinion, but it is the truth to anyone who knows a little about how the game of football is played.

[JohnD]

But hey, maybe there was a rule change and they'll be allowed to take those two timeouts with them to WVU next week. And if so, then I take back what I said. But since I don't think that's the case....

[Pedro Cerrano]

I just read all your posts in the Temple game thread where we won. Nevermind, I was wrong, you don't have it out for Edsall and you're completely unbiased.

[CSB Jack]

If their senior wide receiver (Dorsey) catches the sideline pass that was right in his hands it's a whole different situation on third down on that last drive. There were execution issues as much as scheme issues, and it wasn't all on the freshmen.

But the O-line needs to give Hills more time, or else they need to just make his standard drop a rollout. Watching some other games yesterday it was amazing the difference with other teams how much time the QB had in the pocket.

I see improvement in this team from week to week, with significant improvement still to be made. Brown looks like the real thing at RB, Diggs is electric (if scary), and Hills continues to improve. After a great first week Renfro has been erratic at best, which impacts the punt coverage (the first UConn score coming on a punt return). On the glass half full side there were plenty of things to be encouraged about. Half empty, it really sucks to be sitting near the visiting fans section when we are losing, especially to a middling Big East team.

[Dr. FLK]

I certainly care about MD football.

Disappointing game today as they just couldn't get anything going with Hills. He is trying hard but you can tell it's just a bit too much for him to take in right now.

If this team had CJB they could be downright exciting to watch offensively, with Diggs and Wes Brown here now.

Team is moving in the right direction with another strong recruiting class coming in next year.

The true atrocity from today continues to be the helmets. Please just go back to last year's helmets. Or even the MD pride ones. These flag ones are awful.

BTW, Danny O'Brien was benched in the 3rd quarter today. Wisconsin needed a missed FG to hold on and beat Utah State 16-14 at home.

He's probably still sad because Edsall was mean to him.

[Munson]

Does anyone know what the deal is with Hills when he's almost ready to take the snap. He's calling out signals and looks like he's ready to take the snap then he stands up and looks to the sideline. This is on every play.

[OregonBird]

Yeah, yesterday was a tough one. I cringe when I think of what FSU is going to do to this team. There's a lot of opportunity for this team to grow but I don't see it resulting in many more wins.

I think Hills will turn out to be a good QB but let's face it, if CJ doesn't get injured its a few years before he sees significant playing time. The game will eventually slow down for him but he's just not ready yet.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Love that Danny O'Cryin got benched. Wish nothing but the worst for that traitor.

[JohnD]

I just read all your posts in the Temple game thread where we won. Nevermind, I was wrong, you don't have it out for Edsall and you're completely unbiased.

Know who else agreed with me?

Said Edsall: “The two-minute offense has been one of the things that we haven’t been good at, even in practice.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Know who else agreed with me?

Ah, so now he's right when he agrees with you.

Got it.

[Flosman]

Does anyone know what the deal is with Hills when he's almost ready to take the snap. He's calling out signals and looks like he's ready to take the snap then he stands up and looks to the sideline. This is on every play.

This is normal for almost all spread option teams anytime that the offense is not trying to put the hammer down with tempo. In other words it is about the same thing has a traditional offense huddling only the play caller has better info on which player packages are on the field and what look the offense is likely to face.

[JohnD]

Now you're just deliberately being a *****. Probably because it proved my point, though. Frustrating after you came in here with so much aggressive hostility, huh?

Maybe you're a longtime family friend of his. I don't know. But the truth is, I'm more optimistic now than I have been over the last year. His recruiting is up, and he appears to be learning lessons.

That said, he has completely alienated a significant portion of the fan base and will have to continue to work to get that back. If you have to hire a PR firm to boost your image after one season, that's a problem. When 25 percent of your season ticket holders do not renew after one season, that's a problem. And when you seem more interested in proving a point than putting the best players on the field at times, that's a problem. For a full year, if there was a junction where you could either make a good or a bad decision, he chose the bad decision without fail.

The team was good when he arrived. They stunk last year with many of the same players after he took over. So yes, I hold it and all the associated nonsense against him. It's his own fault. But know what else? I'm still a season ticket holder, putting my support behind the program even as I express my unhappiness. How about you? And like I said, I see improvement already in the way certain things are happening. I'm still not impressed, because of everything else he's done, but slowly my mind is getting changed. Doesn't mean I won't point out criticisms when they're fair. And frankly, calling out that two-minute drive was fair. But I'll also readily admit that slowly but surely he seems like he's atoning for his mistakes.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Now you're just deliberately being a *****. Probably because it proved my point, though. Frustrating after you came in here with so much aggressive hostility, huh?

Maybe you're a longtime family friend of his. I don't know. But the truth is, I'm more optimistic now than I have been over the last year. His recruiting is up, and he appears to be learning lessons.

That said, he has completely alienated a significant portion of the fan base and will have to continue to work to get that back. If you have to hire a PR firm to boost your image after one season, that's a problem. When 25 percent of your season ticket holders do not renew after one season, that's a problem. And when you seem more interested in proving a point than putting the best players on the field at times, that's a problem. For a full year, if there was a junction where you could either make a good or a bad decision, he chose the bad decision without fail.

The team was good when he arrived. They stunk last year with many of the same players after he took over. So yes, I hold it and all the associated nonsense against him. It's his own fault. But know what else? I'm still a season ticket holder, putting my support behind the program even as I express my unhappiness. How about you? And like I said, I see improvement already in the way certain things are happening. I'm still not impressed, because of everything else he's done, but slowly my mind is getting changed. Doesn't mean I won't point out criticisms when they're fair. And frankly, calling out that two-minute drive was fair. But I'll also readily admit that slowly but surely he seems like he's atoning for his mistakes.

Lol, you've hated this guy from the SECOND he stepped on campus. You were a blind Fridge supporter (even though he put a 2 win team out there the year before he was canned) and would have hated Bear Bryant if they brought him in. All the stuff you cite was just icing on the cake. Now they're 2-1 and you are still complaining about the same stuff. You blame everything bad on him, don't cite injuries and give him zero credit when they play well. You posted exactly "0" times in the Temple game thread, probably because, for most of the game, they played well.

BTW, all those guys he benched, including the precious traitor Danny O'Brien? Well, maybe a lot of them were just bad? DOB was benched by Wisconsin on Saturday. I guess they don't know what they're doing either? Maybe you should go troll the Wisconsin coach on their message board.

Oh, and I've been a season ticket holder for several years now, but nice try trying to question my fandom. Just another baseless statement.

[glenn__davis]

The team was good when he arrived.

That is very much up for debate.

[JohnD]

Lol, you've hated this guy from the SECOND he stepped on campus. You were a blind Fridge supporter (even though he put a 2 win team out there the year before he was canned) and would have hated Bear Bryant if they brought him in. All the stuff you cite was just icing on the cake. Now they're 2-1 and you are still complaining about the same stuff. You blame everything bad on him, don't cite injuries and give him zero credit when they play well. You posted exactly "0" times in the Temple game thread, probably because, for most of the game, they played well.

BTW, all those guys he benched, including the precious traitor Danny O'Brien? Well, maybe a lot of them were just bad? DOB was benched by Wisconsin on Saturday. I guess they don't know what they're doing either? Maybe you should go troll the Wisconsin coach on their message board.

Oh, and I've been a season ticket holder for several years now, but nice try trying to question my fandom. Just another baseless statement.

Wow, you're just a clown when it comes to Maryland football. An irrational, frothing at the mouth, clown.

I didn't post in the Temple thread? So what? I was giving blood during the first half, so I barely got to see any of the game. But I commented on it in my Twitter feed. Commented on it on a Maryland board I go to. And hated Edsall so much I renewed my season tickets during his first year even if I was a Fridge supporter. Aaaaand I'm pretty sure I just gave Edsall some credit up above.

No, I didn't genuflect at him, but what the hell has he done to earn that? You want to praise him for beating a I-AA team 7-6, fine. Overall, he has a 4-11 record at Maryland, with half his wins coming against I-AA teams. And he has two epic collapses already on his record. You can't argue for a second that things have gone well so far. I'll at least tell you I see reason for hope there. You act like there's a juggernaut that would stomp the SEC playing in College Park already.

You've lost your damn mind. I'm as much a Maryland homer as anyone. But whatever you're ticked off about, I didn't do.