COLLEGE PARK - Heading into its game at North Carolina tomorrow, Maryland began its week with an offensive line on the verge of collapse.
The center was trying to recover from a neck stinger suffered two weeks ago. His backup, the all-league left guard, had hyperextended his left big toe Saturday in the Duke game, which also claimed the right tackle, who sustained a second-degree sprain of the left knee.
What's new? With barely a half-dozen game-ready players from last year, Maryland's staff has been trying since spring to create depth on the team's front line.
But, tomorrow, the bill may finally come due. Center Kyle Schmitt, the player with the stinger, will likely sit out the game, as will right tackle Matt Crawford. Only left guard Todd Wike, despite the toe, will play in Schmitt's center spot.
Eric Dumas, who has started at both tackle spots this year, will step in for Crawford. C.J. Brooks, a left tackle, will move to guard in place of Wike, and first-year freshman Stephon Heyer will get his first start at left tackle.
For Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen, the biggest worry is at center, where the injured Wike is backed up by an inexperienced Ed Tyler. Beyond that, the coach has been practicing right guard Lamar Bryant at center, and Jeff Dugan, a three-year starter at tight end, has been working out at tackle.
"We're just looking for someone who can finish the game," said Friedgen, who got additional bad news Wednesday when tackle Lou Lombardo sprained an ankle. "We've got all sorts of emergency plans."
Despite the woes, the Terrapins (6-2, 2-1 ACC) have won five straight games as the linemen made room for tailback Chris Downs to run and time for quarterback Scott McBrien to find receivers.
Downs noticed this during a big run against Georgia Tech. "On that one 64-yarder, the line just had everyone picked up," he said. "I just saw a big crease and I just saw daylight ahead."
"It's what we've been doing all year - moving players to different positions," Wike said. "I don't think it's a big deal."
That said, the coaches find themselves once again looking for solutions, a process that began when there were only seven starter-quality linemen (right guard Lamar Bryant, Brooks, Crawford, Dumas, Lombardo, Schmitt and Wike).
Heyer has been a bright spot, but academic casualties and recruiting woes have left the Terrapins otherwise short-handed as they head into the final month of the season.
"I can't pick anyone up off waivers," offensive coach Tom Brattan said. "So these are the cards we're dealt, and every year is different. We're not deep and we were pretty fortunate in the last few years."
Maryland will likely make its fifth offensive line switch this weekend, in contrast with the team's ACC title run last year when the starting five stayed the same until Wike was injured days before the Orange Bowl.
Recruiting plays a role. While Friedgen said he'd like to bring in at least five scholarship linemen a year, the Terrapins have only signed seven in his first two classes. Only four remain after the school academically dismissed three of the linemen. Normally, a team should expect to have 15 or 17 scholarship linemen. Maryland has 13.
"We have to do a better job of retaining them," Friedgen said, "and we have to do a better job of recruiting."
Since the end of spring practice, the goal has been to make the line as versatile as possible to compensate for the lack of depth.
"Coach Brattan came at me at the end of [spring practice] and told me that he wanted me to work on my steps on the right," said Dumas.
Crawford stayed put for preseason camp, but Wike, an All-ACC first-teamer last year at left guard, found himself at center and started there for the first five games.
Bryant played both guard positions, Dumas played tackle on both sides and Brooks worked equally at guard and tackle on the left side.
"They're a pretty perceptive group," Brattan said. "They want to win and, whatever they need to do, there's no hesitation. They all understand what's at stake."
Next for Terps
Opponent: North Carolina (2-6)
Site: Kenan Memorial Stadium, Chapel Hill, N.C.
When: Tomorrow, 1:30 p.m.
Radio: WBAL (1090 AM)
Line: Maryland by 11 1/2
