COLLEGE PARK — COLLEGE PARK - Maryland football coach Ralph Friedgen stood behind the lectern wearing a jacket and tie instead of his usual coaching attire. He looked more like a salesman than the Terps' coach, which actually seemed somewhat appropriate.
The lingering problem, just a week into the season: Not only are Terps fans uncertain about what they're buying, but Friedgen also doesn't even seem to be clear on what exactly he's selling.
Yesterday, Friedgen delivered a passionate and emotional defense of his embattled quarterback, Jordan Steffy. He compared Steffy to a son, praised his attitude, perseverance, courage and toughness. It really was heartfelt, and Friedgen seemed choked up at times.
And then when he was almost finished and you had the sense that Steffy might be owed a bronze statue in front of the Gossett Team House, Friedgen almost immediately issued a vote of no confidence. Friedgen was asked, even if Steffy is healthy and recovered from this curious thumb injury Saturday, would the quarterback start at Middle Tennessee State?
"I'm not sure right now," he said.
After laying out an impassioned case for Steffy, even the coach in salesman's clothes doesn't seem sold.
Before we get to this weekend's game and the renewed three-way battle for the quarterback job, it's worth briefly revisiting Saturday's win over Delaware. If nothing else, it'll help us understand why the most important position on the field also happens to be the biggest question mark entering the second game of the season.
Lost in the wake of a too-close-for-comfort win seems to be the fact that Steffy played one half of a decent ballgame, completing nine of 12 passes for 103 yards. But he came out for the third quarter and was noticeably different, completing one of his six second-half passes and throwing two interceptions before leaving the game early.
What was the difference? Friedgen said Steffy isn't sure when he injured his thumb, though he suspects the injury played a role. (A review of the television broadcast doesn't seem to reveal much evidence to support this idea, however, and Steffy himself has been shielded from reporters.)
I have another theory, and, Terps fans, you probably won't like it. The incessant rain of your jeers and boos got to him. They echoed in his head during halftime, and he came out rattled for the final two quarters.
