Terps Suffer Big Loss At Punter

Notebook

Baltz, All-acc Pick, Leaves With Ankle Injury

COLLEGE PARK -- Maryland lost a valuable performer when punter Travis Baltz limped off the field in the first half.

Baltz was hit by Rutgers' Steve Beauharnais while punting from around his end zone. Baltz left the game in obvious pain.

Coach Ralph Friedgen tried two replacements for Baltz - junior Ted Townsley and freshman place-kicker Nick Ferrara.

Townsley dropped the snap on his first punt in the third quarter. He scooped up the ball and punted it 29 yards to the Maryland 46.

Friedgen then inserted Ferrara as the punter.

Ferrara's first kick after Townsley's drop traveled 35 yards to Rutgers' 18 in the fourth quarter.

Baltz is an All-Atlantic Coast Conference punter. He led the league in punting average at 41.1 yards last season and is among nine players on the watch list for the Ray Guy Award. He is also the holder on Ferrara's field-goal attempts.

Friedgen said Baltz's ankle is "very, very swollen right now."

Turner moves up list

Maryland quarterback Chris Turner is now third on Maryland's career passing list. The fifth-year senior moved up a notch without even having to throw a pass.

Turner was the beneficiary of statistical adjustments made after the season-opening loss to California. He was credited with nine additional yards, giving him 5,174 yards and pushing him past Scott McBrien.

Next on the list is Boomer Esiason with 6,259 yards. Scott Milanovich tops the list at 7,301.

Smith claims top spot

It didn't take wide receiver Torrey Smith long on Saturday to become Maryland's all-time leading kickoff returner.

Smith needed 9 yards to pass Keeta Covington's mark of 1,520.

He eclipsed the mark with a 24-yard return on the opening play of the game.

Smith continues to pile up statistics. He averaged a school-record 21.3 yards last season, when he also set an ACC mark for return yardage.

Smith limped off the field after being tackled on a 13-yard reception midway through the third quarter, and his status was briefly in doubt. But he soon returned.