Posted on
8/14/2007 7:05:10 PM
College Football Betting - Maryland Terrapins 2007 Preview - ACC Conference
By Brock Murphy
BetUS Sportsbook assigned Maryland college football betting odds of +575 to win the ACC’s Atlantic Division and NCAA football odds of +1000 to win the conference. Media writers picked them to finish fifth in the division.
Heading into this season, the most experienced of Maryland’s QB candidates – Jordon Steffy (6-1, 209; Jr) – threw only five passes last year. He failed to complete any of them. It appears certain that Florida-transfer Josh Portis (6-3, 201; So) will share some snaps under center this year.
Whoever lines up under center will have a solid selection of skill guys to help the cause. Lance Ball and Keon Lattimore combined to rush for 1,639 yards and 11 TD’s last season while WR Darrius Heyward-Bey pulled-down 45 catches for 694 yds and 5 scores as a RFr last year. Whether as a blocker or receiver, tight-end Joey Haynos’ large frame (6-8, 260; Sr) will be a welcome sight for Steffy and Portis when things get tight.
On the offensive line, RG Andrew Crummey (6-5, 301; Sr) is a pre-season All-American who is one reason Ball and Lattimore were so successful last year. However, off-season decisions scrambled the depth chart. Jared Gaither (6-9, 330; Jr), a human-eclipse who was expected to take over at LT, was ruled academically-ineligible this summer and former starting-LG Donnie Woods announced his decision to skip his senior year to join the military. Jaimie Thomas (6-4, 339; Jr) started the last three games of ’06 at LG anyways (a fact which may have influenced Woods’ decision to leave), so all is not lost at that spot.
Erin Henderson made 114 tackles last year from his WLB spot and he returns but the defensive unit must replace the rest of its top-four tacklers. Second-year DC Chris Cosh has Maryland in a 3-4 scheme, which makes good use of DT Dre Moore’s (6-4, 311; Sr) ability to disrupt blocking-schemes.
Henderson is a wrecking-machine but the Terps must get good production out of the rest of their three linebackers. Trey Covington was reliable at the hybrid “Leo” LB-position but back problems threaten his return to the lineup, leaving the LB-unit in even more dire straits. Chris Clinton (6-2, 259; RFr) has been moved to the outside to address depth issues but he has struggled picking up the necessary techniques.
Former Golden-Domer, CB Isaiah Gardner (5-11, 197; Sr) is the only returning DB returning to his starting spot from last year. SS Chris Varner (5-11, 205; Sr) started every game at FS in ’06 but makes the move to SS this season. JJ Justice (6-2, 222; Sr) will probably
The Terps do not have to play Miami or Virginia Tech this year but they have to travel to Wake Forest and Florida State and home games against Georgia Tech, Clemson and Boston College will be challenging, to say the least. Add in WVU (home) and Rutgers (away) as non-conference foes and it is clear Maryland’s 2007 schedule is ambitious.
NCAA FOOTBALL ODDS TO WIN:
COASTAL DIVISION:
Virginia Tech (Even [BetUS]; 1st – ACC Media)
Georgia Tech (+875; 2nd – ACC Media)
UVA (+700; 4th – ACC Media)
Miami (-125; 3rd – ACC Media)
UNC (+400; 5th – ACC Media)
Duke (+4500; 6th – ACC Media)
ATLANTIC DIVISION:
Florida State (-130 [BetUS]; 1st – ACC Media)
Wake Forest (+575; 4th – ACC Media)
Clemson (+215; 3rd – ACC Media)
Maryland (+700; 5th – ACC Media)
Boston College (+425; 2nd – ACC Media)
North Carolina State (+575; 6th – ACC Media)
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