COLLEGE PARK — COLLEGE PARK -- The Maryland Terrapins couldn't stop admiring their new defense during spring and summer practices. "That defense is something else," marveled senior quarterback Chris Turner in July. "It's really something to behold."
But something happened on the way to Maryland's becoming a defensive dynamo. Like a new computer with bugs in the hard drive, the system installed by new defensive coordinator Don Brown kept crashing at the most inopportune times.
After three games, the Terrapins had surrendered 119 points - nearly 40 per contest. At that point, it wasn't just the defense being tested, it was Brown himself.
The silver-haired assistant coach had left a head coaching job at Massachusetts to bring his pressing, blitzing defense to a bigger program and league. He was so accustomed to being a head coach that he had to be gently reminded to stop blowing his whistle during Maryland's preseason practices because that's not an assistant's task.
After three games, Brown was telling himself to be patient and have faith in his players and system. But, privately, he concedes there was some anxiety.
"I certainly had some concerns," Brown, 54, said this week as Maryland (2-3, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) prepared for its first ACC road game, against Wake Forest (3-2, 1-1). "It's funny. When I went in '98 to UMass [as defensive coordinator], it took us about six or seven games, and then over the last bit of the season right through the [Division I-AA] national championship game we played really well," Brown said.
Brown's defense relies on multiple blitz packages and jamming receivers at the line. It involves many players who don't start entering the game for specific schemes. "It's not like we're very simple," Brown said. "There's a lot of moving parts."
Players acknowledged there was a learning curve. "This is a tough defense to learn," said redshirt junior linebacker Adrian Moten, a team captain. "The Baltimore Ravens didn't become great just all of a sudden. It takes time."
By the fourth game, Brown had begun to see encouraging signs. The Terps held Rutgers in check until sagging at the end in a 34-13 loss. "For 57 of 63 snaps, we hold them to 155 yards, and then we give up 90 yards in the last six snaps," Brown said.
After last week's victory over Clemson, Brown appeared positively relieved. "I think through it all we're starting to figure out who we are and what we can do well, and kind of get comfortable in our own skin," said Brown, who looked tired and unshaven - he puts in long hours - but relaxed.
