Portis vs. Turner ...

[birdreg]

Steffy got it! I hate that choice, would have rather seen Turner!

[Guest Sailor Jerry]

This really still makes no sense. I'm completely disenchanted right now. Portis will have to be the guy next year if Turner leaves, and after that? No way in hell Steffy takes them to a bowl. No way in hell he was ever going to lead them to upsets over two top 10 teams like Turner did. This is so mind boggling that algebra makes more sense to me.

[glenn__davis]

I have no idea what Friedgen sees in Steffy that the rest of us don't, but hopefully he'll surprise us all and have a decent start. Not trying to be insensitive, but he'll almost certainly be injured by at least midseason either way.

[Dr. FLK]

My friend had another interesting, albeit more unlikely, take. What if they know that Portis is their man next year? Say Turner is the starter and goes out and puts up an 8-win season. We'd all be ecstatic, but that makes it all the more difficult to stick Portis in there over him in 2009. At least with Steffy, he will be gone and the QB position can be a "battle" again.

So we start Steffy because we're afraid that Turner might do too well this year?

[OregonBird]

I'm sure Steffy is a good kid and I am glad that he hung tough and stayed in the program. However, he just isn't the right choice. He can't handle the game pressure, is immobile and just can't read things quick enough.

I honestly thought this year would be different in that the plain vanilla offense would be gone and the multidimenional offense would return. I can't see that happening now.

Here's my prediction. Terps will produce an uninspiring win versus Delaware, like they do at the opening of every season. Steffy won't make mistakes but he'll be just good enough to win, meanwhile the other QBs will get their feet wet. After 3 games, we'll see Portis or Turner.

With Steffy this is just another 13-20 point scoring MD team.....again!

[jerryterp]

Steffy is TERRIBLE. Like someone else said, he might be a good practice player but Turner wins games that count. I hope I'm wrong butttttt

[Guest Sailor Jerry]

What it'll do is stunt the team's growth the first few games. Come Cal, we'll still be figuring out what works and what doesn't, when that shouldn't be the case anymore.

[Dr. FLK]

I just heard on SportsTalk 980 that Turner is considering a transfer, and he'll make his final decision soon.

[Dr. FLK]

I just heard on SportsTalk 980 that Turner is considering a transfer, and he'll make his final decision soon.

The Post is reporting that he's mulling over his options. I certainly don't blame him for being ticked off. I'd say he's clearly been the better QB. Way go to Fridge.

[balk]

I got some more info from my friend. Turner is "99% sure that he won't be transferring" Apparently he loves it at College Park and doesn't want to be viewed as a quitter if he did leave the program. He was very upset with Fridge's decision initially but has come to accept it.

I really hope that Turner does stay. I've been a MD season ticket holder since Fridge's first year as coach and I've cringed almost everytime Steffy has taken a snap!

[Dr. FLK]

I got some more info from my friend. Turner is "99% sure that he won't be transferring" Apparently he loves it at College Park and doesn't want to be viewed as a quitter if he did leave the program. He was very upset with Fridge's decision initially but has come to accept it.

I really hope that Turner does stay. I've been a MD season ticket holder since Fridge's first year as coach and I've cringed almost everytime Steffy has taken a snap!

I'd be ticked off I was Turner. I wouldn't blame him one bit for transferring. He beat 2 top 10 teams. He did well when given the chance - better than Steffy ever has. And, what happens? Fridge benches him for Steffy because he practices well. I'm certainly relieved to know that the Terps will have well-quarterbacked practices. That is very important.

[OregonBird]

Practice doesn't mean squat. Isn't practice where you are supposed TO WORK ON THINGS? Yes, you put forth your best effort but are you really likely to be perfect?

[Birds of B'more]

The football world is littered with guys that practiced well becuase there wasn't as much pressure but couldn't cut it in live games. I have a hard time believing that someone who has coached as long as Ralph Friedgen would fall for something like that. Maybe this is all just some sort of wake-up call to Turner. If you watch the Terrapins Rising shows on FridgeTV.com, there was an episode where Fridge and James Franklin comment on Turner's "laid back" approach to practice. Maybe this is a shot accross the bow for Turner to turn it up a notch in practice and then he will hopefully have his starting job back by the MTSU game.

That said, I had really hoped that with a 3-man competition that Portis would have been the one to win the job. I think his athleticism could bring a dimension to the offense that has been lacking since McBrien was there.....but if the kid doesn't get it, then let's go with the next best option, which I definitely think is Chris Turner.

[Flosman]

Boy as a football coach I will tell you many of you are out to lunch. QBs that make bad reads, deliver the ball late, and generally look less than good in practice lose you games in actual games. You play the guy that looks the best in practice period. To say otherwise is crazy talk.

[OregonBird]

Steffy's performance in games relative to his great practices tells me all I need to know about the importance of practice.

Here's another name for you: Joel Statham. He was another practice "all star" and yet another guy who couldn't get the job done when the bullets were flying and it really mattered.

Although I don't like the choice of Steffy, I do hope he succeeds. The kid has been through a lot.