COLLEGE PARK - Yesterday marked the unofficial end of fall camp for the Maryland football team, which now turns its attention from general preparation for the 2001 season to its first opponent, North Carolina.
About 250 people turned out to watch the team's final scrimmage at the school's practice field. The session focused on two-point conversions, two-minute drills and running out the clock over the last four minutes of a game.
It was something similar to Thursday's closed scrimmage at Byrd Stadium, with myriad situations designed to make Maryland as game-ready as North Carolina, which played Oklahoma last night.
"Whether they've played the game or not, I think they've experienced everything that can happen in a game," Terps coach Ralph Friedgen said. "I'm trying to negate the advantage that North Carolina has in playing a game before us."
The next Jordan
For now, LaMont Jordan's successor at tailback is Bruce Perry.
Friedgen also anticipates using senior Marc Riley and freshman Jason Crawford, citing his history of using several backs at his former school, Georgia Tech.
"We're not going to be like it has been here in the past, where we have one guy," Friedgen said.
Friedgen reconsiders
Friedgen said he would reconsider his idea of playing starting free safety Randall Jones at quarterback if Shaun Hill and Latrez Harrison are injured.
Instead, freshman walk-on Shai Warsaw probably would become the third option. Jones seemed attractive at first because he had experience playing quarterback at Maryland. With the Frederick native behind center in 1999, the Terps nearly won the Virginia game that would have qualified them for a bowl.
But Friedgen said he was concerned since Jones isn't always available for offensive meetings, and because a strictly option attack is risky for an offense that has had problems holding onto the ball in a conventional attack.
"I think we may have been kidding ourselves with that one," Friedgen said.
Et cetera
Guilian Gary, who sprained his neck last week, is expected to continue practicing at some point early this week, as should Steve Suter, who has been out with a knee injury. ... The first three receivers to see action when the season starts likely will be Jafar Williams, Maurice Shanks, and Scooter Monroe. ... Kicker Nick Novak and long snapper Jon Condo have beaten out Vedad Siljkovic and Jesse Kluttz, respectively, for key special teams positions, joining Brooks Barnard, who averaged 44.7 yards per punt.
