D Qwell Jackson

bobp@herald-mail.com COLLEGE PARK, Md. - D'Qwell Jackson is quickly showing he has the makeup to be the next great University of Maryland linebacker. Just his play against Florida State when he returned an interception for a touchdown and blocked a field goal started comparisons to Maryland's last great linebacker, E.J. Henderson. But while Jackson may have the anatomy of a big-time linebacker, even the sophomore might question whether he has the stomach for the job. "Even when I was in Little League, I would get nervous about playing," Jackson said.

bobp@herald-mail.com COLLEGE PARK, Md. - If William Kershaw was a jealous person, he'd probably change his first name to "And. " He's the Jerry Lewis, Robin and Sundance Kid to the Dean Martin, Batman and Butch Cassidy of the University of Maryland football team - D'Qwell Jackson. For this entire season, it will probably be "D'Qwell Jackson AND William Kershaw" being the focal points for the Terrapins' 2005 defense. Kershaw will probably get consistent second billing to Maryland's top All-American candidate.

bobp@herald-mail.com COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland football coach Ralph Friedgen is having his public speaking skill tested this year. Maryland's master motivator has had to shelve his collection of "The Gipper" speeches and resort to a pile of "Feeling chipper" reinforcements to get the Terrapins past the worst stretch in his tenure. "As much as it pained me, I talked about the Red Sox coming back, going extra innings and beating the Yankees," Friedgen said. "That's probably not a situation that you would have expected.

bobp@herald-mail.com COLLEGE PARK, Md. - D'Qwell Jackson doesn't believe in taking an easy way out. He never has and he never will. "I've been doing it that way since I was 7 years old," the University of Maryland All-American linebacker said. "That's what I was taught. To leave everything out on the field each and every week and also during practice. " On Saturday, Maryland fans will witness Jackson's tenacity for the last time at Byrd Stadium as he takes the field for Senior Day against Boston College.

The fortunes of the University of Maryland football team can be reduced to a game of finder's keepers. The Terrapins will have a great chance to be successful in the 2006 season if they can find a way to keep the football. Maryland sat near the top of the Atlantic Coast Conference in a number of offensive categories in 2005, but only managed a 5-6 record and missed an invitation to a bowl game. The main reason was turnovers - particularly interceptions thrown by quarterback Sam Hollenbach.

bobp@herald-mail.com COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Dre Moore has learned a lot of things while playing for the University of Maryland football team. But reacting to good news isn't one of them. In fact, he might have to find a tutor for some help in that area. Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen notified Moore that he was about to become the Terrapins' starting nose tackle. His best reaction was a stone-cold stare and a dropped jaw. "I've always wanted to start a game. I was in shock," Moore said.

bobp@herald-mail.com COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Leroy Ambush is beyond normal descriptions. A year ago, Ambush was just hoping he could be mentioned in the same sentence with former University of Maryland's All-American linebacker E.J. Henderson. To the Thomas Johnson graduate, that would have been the ultimate compliment of his career. But now, entering Thursday's Gator Bowl, Ambush has become too valuable to the Terrapins to be characterized in an ordinary string of words.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Football will be like sailing on Gilligan's SS Minnow for Christian Varner. This year, the University of Maryland safety will find himself on a three-hour tour on an island every Saturday the Terrapins play football. "The key is if we will be able to cover our men," Varner admitted as Maryland prepares to open the season Saturday with a 6 p.m. game with William & Mary at Byrd Stadium. "With everyone up defending the run, we are going to be out on an island.

bobp@herald-mail.com COLLEGE PARK, Md. - What started out as a football game ended up being an anatomy lesson for the University of Maryland football team. When it came down to it, coach Ralph Friedgen discovered what this season's Terrapins lack in acquired brain power and coordination, they make up for it in intestinal fortitude, oversized hearts ... and mouths to match. The Terps got an on-the-spot physical during last Saturday's 23-20 win over Northern Illinois.

bobp@herald-mail.com COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Things don't always go the way they were planned. The University of Maryland football team is finding out when plans are panned, rational thoughts start becoming rationed. While the Terrapins continue to paint a positive picture in what has become a devastating three-game losing streak, it doesn't stop them from wondering what in the name of Jerry Claiborne has gone wrong in the 2004 season. "Every day, I'm trying to figure out if I'm doing something wrong," Maryland senior center Kyle Schmitt said Tuesday during Maryland's weekly media conference.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Football will be like sailing on Gilligan's SS Minnow for Christian Varner. This year, the University of Maryland safety will find himself on a three-hour tour on an island every Saturday the Terrapins play football. "The key is if we will be able to cover our men," Varner admitted as Maryland prepares to open the season Saturday with a 6 p.m. game with William & Mary at Byrd Stadium. "With everyone up defending the run, we are going to be out on an island.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Wesley Jefferson isn't worried about introductions. That's because the vast majority isn't worried about who he is. They are more concerned with who he isn't. Jefferson will start as the University of Maryland's "Mike" linebacker this season. For the Terrapins, that's a prestigious position. It has been the heart and the backbone of Maryland's defense ever since coach Ralph Friedgen's return to the school. But if Jefferson is in that slot, that means that guys named E.J. Henderson and D'Qwell Jackson are not. On the surface, that would have Maryland's opponents breathing a collective sigh of relief.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - They didn't come to praise the University of Maryland football team. They came to bury them. Preseason publications far and wide have panned the Terrapins, even before the 2006 season started. The magazines have printed all the dirt. And now, it was time to bury the Terps with it. Maryland is selected to be also-ran also running to keep the Atlantic Coast Conference's 12-team, championship game eligibility intact. The Terps are wearing concrete spikes in the Atlantic Division pool with nary a player on the ACC's list of top 30 players.

The fortunes of the University of Maryland football team can be reduced to a game of finder's keepers. The Terrapins will have a great chance to be successful in the 2006 season if they can find a way to keep the football. Maryland sat near the top of the Atlantic Coast Conference in a number of offensive categories in 2005, but only managed a 5-6 record and missed an invitation to a bowl game. The main reason was turnovers - particularly interceptions thrown by quarterback Sam Hollenbach.

bobp@herald-mail.com COLLEGE PARK, Md. - D'Qwell Jackson doesn't believe in taking an easy way out. He never has and he never will. "I've been doing it that way since I was 7 years old," the University of Maryland All-American linebacker said. "That's what I was taught. To leave everything out on the field each and every week and also during practice. " On Saturday, Maryland fans will witness Jackson's tenacity for the last time at Byrd Stadium as he takes the field for Senior Day against Boston College.

bobp@herald-mail.com COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Dre Moore has learned a lot of things while playing for the University of Maryland football team. But reacting to good news isn't one of them. In fact, he might have to find a tutor for some help in that area. Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen notified Moore that he was about to become the Terrapins' starting nose tackle. His best reaction was a stone-cold stare and a dropped jaw. "I've always wanted to start a game. I was in shock," Moore said.

bobp@herald-mail.com COLLEGE PARK, Md. - As defenses go, the University of Maryland has to take a Sherwood Forest mentality. The Terrapins have to rob from the rich and give to the poor to even out the game for Maryland. In many cases, the rich are the opponents who have the ball and the poor is the Terps' offense, which needs it to score. It is kind of an easy concept. But it takes the right characters to play the right parts. On this year's Maryland defense, All-American linebacker D'Qwell Jackson would probably be considered Robin Hood while Trey Covington would be playing the role of the Merry Men. Or when you are at Maryland, make that Merriman.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. D'Qwell Jackson knew Maryland's defense was better than what it showed during last week's loss to West Virginia. The Terrapins certainly proved it Saturday. Josh Wilson returned a fumble 20 yards for a touchdown to lead Maryland's solid defensive effort in a 22-12 win over Wake Forest, continuing the Terrapins' recent dominance in the series. Keon Lattimore ran for 76 yards and the only offensive touchdown for the Terrapins (2-2, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference)

bobp@herald-mail.com COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Ralph Friedgen and the University of Maryland football team say they know what it takes to be a good football team. The only problem is their point of reference is opposite of everything they have been doing to date. It was wrong ... all wrong ... for the Terps in their 31-19 loss to West Virginia on Saturday. The defense was porous. The offense was stagnant. And the process was nothing like Friedgen has seen since he has been at Maryland.

bobp@herald-mail.com COLLEGE PARK, Md. - D'Qwell Jackson might be using his alter ego this weekend. Normally, Maryland's All-American middle linebacker is all over the field making things happen for the Terrapins defense. This weekend, Jackson might make a bigger impact by running in place. That's because Maryland is opening up the season this weekend against Navy at M&T Stadium in Baltimore. And when you face the Midshipmen, it becomes a steady diet of the triple option.