Every Tuesday the football team holds a luncheon for all those embittered souls which make up the sports media, and every once in awhile we actually stick around after eating to do our jobs. Each week we will be recapping some of the more significant moments of each luncheon. We’ll cover the latest breaking news regarding the Terps and also how much food each of the distinguished Diamondback writers can chow down. So without further adieu:
- The highlight of the luncheon was Ralph Friedgen’s defense of Jordan Steffy. Friedgen would not declare Steffy the starter against Middle Tennessee State because he doesn’t know how Steffy’s thumb is. He also wouldn’t say that Steffy would definitely be the starter even if he was healthy, saying he wanted to see how all the quarterbacks practiced this week. However, when asked if he was worried about Steffy’s confidence this early in the season, Friedgen made it clear what he thinks about his senior quarterback. “This kid to me is the epitome of what we want in this football program….some of those people that are booing him would love to have their children [be] like Jordan Steffy,” Friedgen said. “The perseverance, the courage, the toughness that this kid is going through and keeps a smile on his face and a positive attitude, he has nothing but my admiration. And I personally don’t think it’s justified…I can’t tell you how proud I am that he’s in our program and how proud I would be if he was my son or anybody else’s son…I want that guy in the foxhole with me, because that’s the type of kid he is.”
- Steffy also has the unwavering confidence and respect of his teammates. The Terps quarterback situation has been the focus in the media since the spring, and every player, offense and defense, is being given the opportunity to chime in with their thoughts. But so far, they have nothing but positive things to say about Steffy, even if, based on the boo Byrds raining down on the field last Saturday, the fans feel differently.
- Friedgen said he expects Josh Portis, who got in for four plays against Delaware and ran the ball each time, to, gasp, throw the ball some this Saturday.
- The Fridge also detailed how the Terps will have their hands full with Middle Tennessee State’s spread offense and a defense that was “probably the most disruptive defense in the Sun Belt conference the last two years.” Over that time the Blue Raiders recorded 66 sacks and 183 tackles for a loss.
- Senior center Edwin Williams said that the Blue Raiders blitzed often in their 2006 matchup at Byrd Stadium, and expects the same this weekend in Murfreesboro, Tenn. He also expects running back Da’Rel Scott to pick up where he left off last Saturday, when he ran for 197 yards on 26 carries.