Tracking the Terps

Philistin named to Nagurski watch list

Mon, 12 May 2008 16:35:22 -0500

Maryland linebacker Dave Philistin has been named to the watch list for the 2008 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, making him one of 88 players under consideration for the award given to the nation's top defensive player.

Philistin is one of 10 athletes from the Atlantic Coast Conference on the list. The others are: Everette Brown and Myron Rolle of Florida State; Aaron Curry and Alphonso Smith of Wake Forest; Michael Hamlin of Clemson; Victor Harris of Virginia Tech; Vince Oghobaase of Duke; Clint Sintim of Virginia; and Brian Toal of Boston College.

Philistin, a senior from Manchester N.H., ranked fourth in the conference with 124 tackles last season.

LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey won the award in 2007.

Click here for the complete list.

Williams named to Rimington watch list

Wed, 07 May 2008 15:47:36 -0500

Maryland offensive lineman Edwin Williams was named to the Rimington Trophy watch list today, becoming one of 42 players under consideration for the award given to the nation’s top center.

Williams, a fifth-year senior from Washington DC, started all 13 games at center for the Terps in each of his last two seasons. His 26 straight starts is tops among UM’s returning starters on offense.

Click here to see the complete Rimington Trophy spring watch list.

Hoyas added to Old Spice

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:35:47 -0500

The folks at Disney found an eighth team -- Georgetown -- to replace Memphis in next season's Old Spice Classic.

If you're a Maryland fan, do you want the Terps to play the Hoyas in the Thanksgiving week event in Orlando?

Given that Maryland is one of three teams in the field not to play in last season's NCAA tournament, it seems likely that the Terps will be matched up with Georgetown, Michigan State or Tennessee.

The Hoyas lost Roy Hibbert and Jonathan Wallace, and also saw Vernon Macklin announce his plans to transfer, but are bringing in two quality big men in Greg Monroe and Henry Sims (Mount St. Joseph).

Just from a standpoint of a good local story, I would love to see Maryland play Georgetown, something that hasn't happened during the regular season since 1994.

That's when the Terps were supposed to get run over by Othella Harrington and the Hoyas at the Cap Centre. You know the rest of the story. Joe Smith introduced himself to the college basketball world, and the Terps won.

Too bad Gus Gilchrist won't be eligible for a similar coming-out party.

Editor's note: Vernon Macklin was misidentified when this post was first published.

UM forward Walker to transfer

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:36:17 -0500

Terps forward Shane Walker has decided to transfer, Maryland coach Gary Williams announced in a release today.

Walker, who was a freshman last year, will finish the spring semester at Maryland.

"We wish Shane the best of luck in the future and will assist him in his transition this spring," Williams said.

Walker played in 24 games during the 2007-08 season, averaging 5.3 minutes, one rebound and less than one point per game. His season-high for playing time came on Jan. 5 when he logged 13 minutes in a 76-72 win over Charlotte.

Meanwhile, an athletic department spokesman confirmed that Greivis Vasquez will return for his junior season. See the post below for more details.

Vasquez coming back

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:59:12 -0500

Many questioned Greivis Vasquez's decision-making as the point guard for the Maryland basketball team last season.

Apparently, Vasquez has made a smart choice when it comes to his future career -- an athletic department spokesman confirmed that Vasquez will be returning for his junior season in College Park.

Those familiar with the decision say that Vasquez thought it was not the right time to test the waters in the NBA pre-draft camps. I'm sure some of it had to do with the competition he would face from others coming out, but the fact that Vasquez listened to those who told him he wasn't ready shows some maturity that many thought he lacked.

Some Maryland fans might be happy with the fact that Vasquez will be driving them crazy again next winter, as you know he will with his high-risk, high-reward (sometimes) game.

Though Vasquez wants to prove he's a point guard, it's probably best if coach Gary Williams can find someone to share the responsibilities -- including on the defensive end -- that seemed to fall on Vasquez's shoulders last season.

Do you think it's a good move by Vasquez?

Do you think it's good for the Terps?

Vasquez decision coming soon

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 01:59:04 -0500

For those anxiously awaiting Greivis Vasquez's decision whether or not to apply for the NBA draft, I talked briefly last night with his former coach at Montrose Christian, Stu Vetter. The two will sit down today to help Vasquez come to a decision. If he applies for early eligibility, it will likely be without an agent so that he can return to College Park.

Vasquez-haters out there might be surprised to hear that the sophomore guard who led Maryland in scoring -- and the ACC in both assists and turnovers -- is held in pretty high regard by some NBA scouts who feel he might be better in the pros than in Gary Williams' system. That doesn't mean Vasquez is coming out. My guess is that he'll return for his junior year to raise his stock and then come out after next season.

Vasquez has until Monday to file papers with the NBA.

Stay tuned.

Impressions from the Red-White game

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 01:37:16 -0500

For those Maryland fans clamoring for a few morsels of opinion from spring football, here goes:

The quarterback situation is a mess.

Based on what I saw Saturday at Byrd Stadium, something is going on with Chris Turner and the coaching staff. Either Turner's not a good fit for new coordinator James Franklin's system, or Ralph Friedgen feels some loyalty to Jordan Steffy. How else do you explain Steffy playing for both teams and Turner being relegated to sending in plays during the second half for Jamarr Robinson, who apparently has about as much chance to get on the field as either you or I do this season. (OK, maybe not me, but you.)

Then there was the way Josh Portis was used. Either the Florida transfer still has no grasp of the offense or Friedgen and Franklin didn't want to show much to any potential spies infiltrating the Red and White game. For all the hype this kid brought to Gainesville before Tim Tebow arrived, and for all the hype Portis brought with him to College Park, this has the makings of one of the biggest busts in recent college football history.

The running backs might be better than what they showed.

For all the concern about replacing Lance Ball and Keon Lattimore, Da'Rel Scott and Morgan Green put on a pretty nice show. Scott, who showed some glimpses of stardom last season between long stints in the training room, had a 75-yard touchdown run called back. Green showed the ability to get tough yards, albeit coming against his own teammates. If the veteran offensive line can stay healthy, Scott and Green could be a pretty good combination.

Special teams needs some work.

New special teams coach Danny Pearman probably didn't sleep too well last night. Returning placekicker Obi Egekeze had a particularly rough afternoon, getting a field goal blocked, missing an extra point and having another field goal make it through after hitting an upright. There was also a muffed return on a punt.

The Terps will start up again in early August in preparation for the season opener Aug. 30 against Delaware.

At least Joe Flacco won't be playing for the Blue Hens.

Hayes thinking about transferring?

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:16:32 -0500

This is for reader '?????' and others who question where I am getting my information about Eric Hayes.

While I have only been covering this Maryland team since the middle of last season, I have been around the program since 1985, meaning that I have a few sources left among those who are close to the team.

Actually, it's pretty logical to figure out. Unless Greivis Vasquez leaves, or Sean Mosley and Tyree Evans don't pan out (academically or on the court), there don't seem to be a lot of minutes left for Hayes in next season's backcourt. Unless the ankle sprain he suffered in early January affected him more than he let on, Hayes showed that he has some limitations in terms of being a top-flight ACC guard.

Hayes is just letting the dust settle to see how many guards wind up in College Park for next season. His father Kendall, who coached Hayes in high school, has told several people around the program that if Bobby Maze becomes a Terrapin, Hayes will look elsewhere. With the signing of Evans, Vasquez trying to decide about turning pro and Maze a question mark academically, Hayes is holding a couple of cards himself.

The next few weeks should clarify things.

And as for calling Cliff Tucker a shooting guard, as I used to tell my son's basketball coach when he was playing that position as a 10-year old, you have to be able to shoot to be a shooting guard. So until I see otherwise, I consider Tucker a small forward.

UM's crowded backcourt; Vasquez thinking NBA?

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:31:23 -0500

The signing of juco guard Tyree Evans has certainly sparked a lot of debate among Maryland fans about whether Gary Williams has sold his soul to the devil -- not the Blue Devils -- given the off-court problems that have previously kept Evans out of the Division I spotlight.

But what does it do to the chemistry of a team that wasn't exactly a cohesive bunch at the end of last season?

Evans and incoming freshman Sean Mosley are both shooting guards, and based on the reports out there, they are better than anyone the Terps had in that position last season. There was talk a month ago that Williams was considering moving Greivis Vasquez to the wing next season to get the ball in the hands of a more traditional, less erratic point guard.

With the anticipated arrival of Evans and Mosley, those plans have apparently been scrapped. That's if Vasquez returns for his junior year at all. According to Stu Vetter, who coached Vasquez at Montrose Christian, Vasquez is gathering material to decide whether or not to declare his eligibility for the NBA draft in hopes of going to a pre-draft camp while not signing with an agent.

If Vasquez returns, he'll likely be the point guard again, but with a lot more talent on the wings. Though Eric Hayes has steadfastly denied that he is contemplating leaving College Park, I have a hard time seeing him returning if Vasquez comes back unless he takes on a greatly reduced role as a three-point shooter off the bench. Adrian Bowie proved last season that he is a capable backup to Vasquez at the point and eventually could be a starter if he continues to improve.

One more question: If Williams goes with a three-guard set, where does that leave small forwards Landon Milbourne and Cliff Tucker?

Duke has used four guards to some success in the ACC. But look what's happened to the Blue Devils in the past couple of NCAA tournaments.

Then again, Maryland fans will be happy just getting to the NCAA tournament again.

Looking ahead to next season

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 22:00:03 -0500

The 2008-09 basketball schedule is still months away from being announced, but here's something for Maryland fans to debate: Whose idea was it to sign the Terps up for the Old Spice Classic, and did they see the rest of the field before doing so?

Along with the Terps, the Thanksgiving week tournament (Nov. 27-29 and Dec. 1) in Orlando includes Gonzaga, Memphis, Michigan State, Oklahoma State, Siena, Tennessee, and Wichita State. Last I looked, that's five teams that made this year's NCAA tournament, including three in the Sweet 16.

A number of these teams will be rebuilding, which may be the only reason the Maryland coaches think the Terps will be competitive. Memphis loses Baltimore's Joey Dorsey and probably super freshman Derrick Rose. Tennessee says goodbye to Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith. And the other teams will be losing some key personnel.

I won't mind eating turkey at Disney's World of Sports, but will turtle be on the menu as well?

The deal on Gilchrist

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 11:19:36 -0500

There's been lots of confusion about Gus Gilchrist's status and after having it explained to me a number of times -- I'm a little slow, as some of you have often reminded me -- I will try to clear it up.

Gilchrist initially committed to Virginia Tech out of high school, but for a number of reasons, changed his mind. Publicly, he said it was because of the tragic shootings in Blacksburg last spring. Privately, those with ties to the Hokies will say otherwise.

In any case, he wound up in College Park last December. Because ACC athletic directors are sensitive to players going from one member school to another, they decided to treat him as if he were a regular recruit. That means he has to sit out one full school year.

In Gilchrist's case, that means he will be eligible after the fall term in 2008-2009, meaning that he will likely play around mid-December. That's how I understand it, until I'm told (again) that I got it wrong.

March 22: Terps Q&A

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 15:46:30 -0500

Neil Blumberg, Baltimore: We all knew this would be a rebuilding season for the Terps. Do you think they exceeded expectations or did not meet expectations?

Don Markus: A little of both. Given the way the season began, finishing with 19 wins and getting to the NIT was an accomplishment. But given the way the team played in January and early February, the Terps were disappointing.

Eric Cramer: Don, last year Gary coached his fourth best team at Maryland based on winning percentage. This year's team would rank 17th out of his 19 teams. I am having a hard time trying to figure if this team just underachieved at 19-15 and missed opportunities to finish with about 6 more wins of these 9 losses (VCU, BC twice, Va.Tech, Ohio, American, Missouri, UVa, Clemson). This team could have finished as well as last year's team if they played to their potential. Do you think this is the case or was this team just average and take it for it was?

Don Markus: As I stated previously, I think the expectations changed with the mid-season winning streak. But based on the whole season, I think it was an average team with average to below average talent. How many players will you be seeing in the NBA? Maybe Vasquez and Gist, and neither of them are locks to make it.

Big Bob: Donny, Will Gist or Osby be drafted in the NBA?

Don Markus: Gist might have a chance if he performs well at the pre-draft camps, but his stock went down toward the end of the season because of his inconsistent play. I think Gist has the ability to play in the NBA, but he needs to get stronger and learn to put the ball on the floor better than he does now. Osby is too small to play with his back to the basket in the NBA and doesn't have any kind of perimeter game. As hard as he works, and as good a guy as he is, Osby could have a long and productive career in Europe if he chooses to take that route. And by the way, did you grow up in Brooklyn? Only my friends from the old neighborhood call me Donny.

Andrew: My question is related to recruiting. It seems like five-to-ten years ago, whoever was evaluating talent for the Terps was finding diamonds in the rough like Joe Smith, Juan Dixon and Lonny Baxter on a consistent basis. Recently, that hasn't been so. Is Gary the main evaluator of talent or did the previous assistant coaches like Hahn and Patsos serve as the primary evaluators? Seems like the Terps have erred in their evaluations of who they should give scholarships the past few years. Thanks!

Don Markus: I think Billy Hahn and also Art Perry, who was the assistant responsible for finding and signing Joe Smith, had a lot more experience in finding the kind of players who fit Williams' system. Jimmy Patsos and Dave Dickerson evolved into pretty good recruiters as well. Williams was hoping that Rob Moxley was going to fill the void, but he went back to Charlotte after one year with the promise of becoming its next head coach after Bobby Lutz retired. Now the bulk of the recruiting has fallen on Chuck Driesell and Keith Booth, as well as Joe Harrington. Harrington was a great recruiter when he was an assistant and later a head coach, so it might pick up the next couple of years as Driesell and Booth get experience. Booth had his first big get with Sean Mosley, and the former Terps star could be the key guy getting talent out of Baltimore. In other words, Williams leaves a lot of responsibility to his assistants for recruiting, and that might have to change in the future,

Don: Who will be replacing Gist on the interior for Maryland next year? Do we have any "big men" who are decent players filling the inside roles?

Don Markus: Eventually, it will be Gus Gilchrist, who from all accounts was the best player in practice during the past couple of months. The other addition could be Ken Bowman, a 6-foot-9 banger who is playing with Bobby Maze at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas.

Michael Stefanek: Very disappointing year...any projections for the starting five next year, and the idea of going more with a three-guard offense, which would include newcomer Mosley?

Don Markus: I think Gary is going to go with a lot of three-guard lineups, especially at the start of next season, to get enough offense on the floor. If Mosley is as good as advertised, I can see him playing a lot of minutes at the 2 or the 3. I also think Vasquez is going to see more time at the 2 if either Adrian Bowie or Bobby Maze can play significant minutes at the point. I think the odd-man out will be Eric Hayes, who is rumored to be thinking about going elsewhere. As for the starting lineup, the early season lineup (before Gus Gilchrist is eligible) could be PG: Vasquez SG: Mosley SF: Milbourne PF: Braxton Dupree or Ken Bowman (JC recruit) C: Jerome Burney, or have one of the other guards instead of one of the bigs. After Gilchrist is eligible, it could be PG: Bowie or Maze SG: Vasquez SF: Mosley or Milbourne PF: Bowman or Dupree C: Gilchrist.

beas: With the additions of Augustus Gilchrist, Bobby Maze, and Sean Mosley, do you think the team will be better or worse next year? Also, do you see Gary going to a three or maybe even four-guard offense with Gist and Osby leaving?

Don Markus: I think the team should be a lot better, especially after Gilchrist becomes eligible. He is supposedly the closest thing Gary Williams has had to a one-and-done type player, and he will probably be there no more than 1 1/2 seasons. Maze started at Oklahoma as a freshman until he had a run-in with Jeff Capel. Mosley is one of the most prolific high school scorers Maryland has ever signed. The question is whether Vasquez is going to accept sharing the ball more with these guys than he did with this year's team. I think he will because I think he'll feel this new group will be able to score. I can see a three-guard lineup, but unless the Terps plan to move to the Patriot League (they were 2-1 against the PL this year), I doubt Gary will go to four guards.

Ouch

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:29:09 -0500

After hearing stories the past few years about how Gary Williams had no shot at one-and-done players out of Maryland such as Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant and Michael Beasley, this little nugget was in the Syracuse Post-Standard Friday after the Terps lost to the Orange Thursday night at the Carrier Dome.

Syracuse freshman and former Towson Catholic star Donte Greene wanted to go to Maryland.

"Maryland recruited me when I was sophomore; before anybody was recruiting me,'' Greene told Post-Standard beat writer Mike Waters. "I was waiting for them to call and they called. (Maryland assistant) Keith Booth came up to me and was talking to me and I was on my way to Maryland.’’

That is, until Greene went to see Williams.

Greene took an unofficial visit to see the Maryland campus, but when he arrived in the basketball office, Maryland coach Gary Williams was with Julian Vaughn, a recruit from Vienna, Va., who is now at Florida State.

"Coach Williams had him in his office, talking for a while, for like 45 to an hour,’’ Greene told the Post-Standard . "Then he brought me in there and only said a couple words. I felt like I was disrespected and Gary Williams didn’t really want to recruit me.’’

Minneapolis revisited

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 06:09:15 -0500

Two weeks ago, Maryland seemed on the verge of locking up an NCAA tournament bid. The Terps had a 20-point lead in the second half against Clemson at Comcast Center. The rest is misery.

Talk about free-fall, did anyone pull the cord on this parachute?

Sunday's announcement that the Terps would be a fifth seed -- in the NIT, yikes - means that the NIT selection committee thought there were at least 16 better teams for its field of 32.

Going to Minneapolis to play Minnesota Tuesday night won't exactly be the highlight of Gary Williams' career.

In fact, it's a reminder of how far the program has dropped: the last time Williams took a team to the Twin Cities, it was to play in the 2001 Final Four.

This won't quite be the same.

March 13: Terps Q&A

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:30:28 -0500

Steven: Why didn't Gary switch to a zone defense like a 2/3 or box-in-1 to contain [Tyrese] Rice? Duke completely shut BC and Rice down with one.

Don Markus: I think that Williams figured Greivis Vasquez did a great job on Rice in Maryland's win at Boston College, as well as in the first half Thursday night. The Terps had played zone with some success in a couple of games earlier this season, so that might have worked. One more thing: Duke has better defensive players than Maryland, and making those kind of adjustments on the fly are usually easier for the Blue Devils.

Andy: Why have the Terps struggled with ball security and control the past few years? Why can't a former point guard in Gary Williams get the team to take care of the ball better? Will Bobby Maze be able to fix it next year?

Don Markus: Except for Steve Blake, Duane Simpkins and Terrell Stokes, the Terps have not had a true point guard running the offense. It started with Walt Williams, who Gary Williams played at point to showcase his talents for the NBA in return for staying at Maryland when others left because of the sanctions. Gary took a lot of flak for not letting Steve Francis play point, but Stevie Franchise has proved his former coach correct. In recent years it's been D.J. Strawberry and now Greivis Vasquez. Maze is supposedly more in the mold of Allen Iverson, both in terms of playing style and personality, so I'm not sure how that is going to work with this group. It obviously didn't work at Oklahoma.

Doug: Adrian Bowie seems to be playing with more confidence, while Eric Hayes continues to struggle at this level of competition. With Sean Mosley and Bobby Maze set to join the Terps next season, do you think Eric has a future with the Terps or is he better off transferring to a smaller school?

Don Markus: As I wrote earlier in the week, the backcourt seems to be a bit crowded and there have been whispers that Hayes decided to transfer the moment that Maze committed. I'm sure we will find out within the next few weeks what Hayes plans to do, but his performance at the end of the season doesn't bode well, particularly in light of how Bowie came on the past couple of months.

Russ Thompson: Can Maryland deny an NIT bid? Or would the NIT see how they finished, and not invite them. I appreciate everything Gist and Osby have done for this program, but for them to keep playing and losing the way they do, I think would be a disgrace to themselves and to the program.

Don Markus: Maryland has already agreed to host the first couple of rounds, so I think that part is a done deal. I certainly don't think Gist and Osby would disgrace themselves and the program by playing in the NIT, but it's obviously not the way they wanted their careers to end.

Moke Wolfe: I know that Gary's tenure is long and he's an alumnus who played there and he delivered a national championship. But considering the performance of his teams since 2002-03 and more importantly the abysmal graduation and academic progress rates, is there any reason to think that Debbie Yow may be considering a change in the next couple of years if one or both trends are not reversed?

Don Markus: I don't think any changes are being seriously contemplated with the basketball program. Debbie Yow might want to voice her concerns about recruiting, but she and her basketball coach are not exactly going out for coffee to discuss those matters. From what I know, university president Dan Mote knows how important Gary Williams is to fundraising and some of the school's most influential boosters are big supporters of Williams. As I have written and said recently, I think there are bigger issues with the future of the football team than there are with basketball.

Peter: What do you see in the future for Maryland's freshmen (Jerome Burney, Dino Gregory, Braxton Dupree, Cliff Tucker, Adrian Bowie, Shane Walker)?

Don Markus: Tucker was the most consistent of an inconsistent group this season, and I think he could be a pretty good Division I player if he refines his offensive game. Bowie had several big games, but needs to become a little more confident with his ballhandling and his willingness to take open jump shots. Burney came on at the end of the season after disappearing for nearly two months. Dupree went the other way and needs to lose weight and get in better shape before next season. He definitely has some skills. Walker might be a bigger project than anticipated. I never saw Gregory play any meaningful minutes so it's hard to make a comment, but I heard he will likely transfer to a smaller program along the lines of Loyola or Towson.