Davin Meggett

Davin Meggett wasn't old enough to watch his father, David, cut through defenses as a Towson State Tiger or New York Giant. In fact, the football film buff has never even seen a tape of the greatest player in Towson University history. But from his early days playing recreational football in Prince George's County, he noticed certain things about himself. It wasn't just his speed. He could see the field - the way the blockers would shift to create a sudden patch of open ground - in a way other kids couldn't.

One week after Maryland landed Good Counsel's Wes Brown , the Terps picked up another highly touted local running back.  Albert Reid , a 5-foot-11, 190-pound senior from Friendship Collegiate (D.C.), committed to the Terps on Thursday morning. “I would say after [Reid's December] visit [to College Park], he felt good” about Maryland, said Friendship Collegiate coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim . “The more he learned about the academics and the more he learned about the depth chart, the more he liked it.” Reid committed to West Virginia over the summer but withdrew his pledge to the Mountaineers last month.

Maryland 14, Delaware 7 What went right:: New starter Da'Rel Scott and freshman Davin Meggett (right), running behind an offensive line far healthier than last season, led a ground game that accumulated 271 yards. Energetic free safety Terrell Skinner and linebacker Alex Wujciak set the tone for a defense that held Delaware to 8 passing yards midway through the second quarter and 128 overall. What went wrong:: Maryland's passing game began solidly but bogged down in the second half with just 20 yards and two interceptions.

The chance for Maryland to land Wes Brown had seemingly passed long ago. The Terps' 2-10 season removed them from contention for the Good Counsel running back's services, and in November it was reported that he was down to Colorado, Michigan, South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech . But between then and now, Maryland replaced offensive coordinator Gary Crowton with Washington native and ace recruiter Mike Locksley ...

COLLEGE PARK - Injuries are exposing freshmen and other inexperienced players to more prominent roles as Maryland heads to Clemson on Saturday for what coach Ralph Friedgen calls "a defining game" in one of the nation's most intimidating stadiums. The untested Terps, many of them on defense, will need to acclimate quickly to Clemson Memorial Stadium (capacity 81,500), a place opposing players either love or fear. Coach Ralph Friedgen is hoping it's the former when such players as Cameron Chism, a freshman defensive back, encounter the stadium popularly known as "Death Valley."

COLLEGE PARK - If he doesn't wind up playing in the NFL like his father, Davin Meggett says he would consider applying to the CIA. A career in the intelligence-gathering agency could work out well for Maryland's freshman running back, whose distinguishing characteristic is that he is utterly unflappable. Meggett has had to play earlier and more often than coaches expected because of the lingering shoulder injury suffered by starting tailback Da'Rel Scott against California in Week 3. He has responded with 369 yards and a 5.4 yard-per-carry average and has shown few signs of freshman stage fright.

The chance for Maryland to land Wes Brown had seemingly passed long ago. The Terps' 2-10 season removed them from contention for the Good Counsel running back's services, and in November it was reported that he was down to Colorado, Michigan, South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech . But between then and now, Maryland replaced offensive coordinator Gary Crowton with Washington native and ace recruiter Mike Locksley ...

One week after Maryland landed Good Counsel's Wes Brown , the Terps picked up another highly touted local running back.  Albert Reid , a 5-foot-11, 190-pound senior from Friendship Collegiate (D.C.), committed to the Terps on Thursday morning. “I would say after [Reid's December] visit [to College Park], he felt good” about Maryland, said Friendship Collegiate coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim . “The more he learned about the academics and the more he learned about the depth chart, the more he liked it.” Reid committed to West Virginia over the summer but withdrew his pledge to the Mountaineers last month.

When Maryland's new football uniforms are unveiled later this month, they will be as conspicuous for what doesn't appear on the jerseys as what does. Gone will be the players' names — an equipment decision that figures prominently in what might be called the "Maryland Makeover. " It's part of an offseason updating of the football program's uniforms and field markings that are being redesigned to more prominently display "Maryland. " The team will still be the "Terrapins" or " Terps ," but the school and state name will receive more emphasis.

Eleanor Roosevelt football coach Tom Green has a simple philosophy when it comes to his future Division I players. “I don't think it's asking too much for a kid playing in the ACC to play both ways on the high school level,” Green said. Case in point: the high school career of Shawn Petty , a Maryland commitment who started at quarterback and linebacker for Green's Raiders. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound senior was the ultimate leader for Eleanor Roosevelt on offense and defense.

Eleanor Roosevelt football coach Tom Green has a simple philosophy when it comes to his future Division I players. “I don't think it's asking too much for a kid playing in the ACC to play both ways on the high school level,” Green said. Case in point: the high school career of Shawn Petty , a Maryland commitment who started at quarterback and linebacker for Green's Raiders. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound senior was the ultimate leader for Eleanor Roosevelt on offense and defense.

For nearly three quarters Saturday at BB&T Field, a young and undermanned Maryland defense tried to keep the Terrapins from continuing their two-month free fall. And, for a few scant seconds at the end of the first half and a few minutes midway through the third quarter against Wake Forest, the offense seemed to come to life too. It didn't last. The defense got tired and the offense made several costly mistakes - none more deflating than an illegal shift penalty against junior wide receiver Kevin Dorsey that negated what would have been a 17-yard touchdown run by senior tailback Davin Meggett that could have put the Terps into the lead with 7:40 left in the third quarter.

For nearly three quarters Saturday at BB&T Field, a young and undermanned Maryland defense kept the Terrapins from continuing their two-month freefall. And, for a few seconds at the end of the first half against Wake Forest, the offense seemed to come to life, too. It didn't last. The defense got tired and the offense made a crucial mistake — an illegal shift penalty against junior wide receiver Kevin Dorsey that negated what would have been a 17-yard touchdown run by senior tailback Davin Meggett that could have put the Terps into the lead.

"You win or you don't. Either she's pregnant or she's not. " Those are the words of Maryland running back Davin Meggett after the Terps lost to the Clemson Tigers on Saturday. In addition to providing the quote of the night (and probably the season), he rushed for 69 yards and a score and added a seven-yard touchdown reception in the 56-45 loss. Uncoincidentally, protection was not a major issue for the Terps. Quarterback C.J. Brown was sacked twice. Anyway, amazing pregnancy reference or not, Meggett is right.

For Maryland, there was a perpetual sense Saturday of trying desperately to hang on - to Georgia Tech ball carriers, to the game, and to a season the Terps hoped would not begin to slip away. Starting four freshmen on defense, the Terps held Georgia Tech's potent offense to less than half its scoring average and almost came back from an 18-point deficit before falling, 21-16, in front of an announced crowd of 45,905 on a sunny, windy day at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Maryland (2-3, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference)

COLLEGE PARK - Let's get to the important stuff first: the uniforms looked awesome. Black helmets, black jerseys, black pants, blood-red trim - this was Maryland going for Darth Vader-like intimidation against West Virginia, only without the heavy breathing. OK, maybe the 18th-ranked Mountaineers didn't exactly Fear the Turtle early in Saturday's game at Byrd Stadium, especially after they opened a 34-10 lead early in the third quarter. But by the time this one was over, by the time Maryland scored three touchdowns to make it 34-31 with 10:29 left and the crowd of 53,627 on its feet and howling for an upset, West Virginia knew it was in a ballgame.

It turns out that Maryland coaches entered the season opener against Navy with a quarterback secret. Redshirt junior Jamarr Robinson was to be the starter — that much was known before the game. But coaches said after Maryland's 17-14 victory at M&T Bank Stadium on Monday that the plan was to look for opportunities to rotate in redshirt freshman Danny O'Brien for plays or series. Apparently, that remains the plan going forward. "We're going to use them both," was the way Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen put it after the game.

Redshirt freshman running back D.J. Adams is being viewed by Maryland coaches as a goal-line back -- at least for now. As preseason camp opened Tuesday, Adams was third on the depth chart behind Da'Rel Scott, a 1,000-yard rusher in 2008 who ran track this spring, and Davin Meggett. Adams, 5 feet 10, 220 pounds, says being a goal-line specialist is fine with him -- anything that gets him onto the field after a season of watching and waiting. "It was different because I've never done that before, so it was a great learning experience," Adams said of redshirting last season.

Running back D.J. Adams , who was suspended for Maryland's opening game, is back in the mix for Saturday's contest against No. 18 West Virginia. Adams, 5 feet 10 and 220 pounds, was primarily a short-yardage specialist last season. He scored 11 touchdowns last year and could be a key player as coaches look to expand his role. Adams, a redshirt sophomore, was suspended before the win over Miami for an unspecified team rules violation. "There will be a role for D.J. this week," coach Randy Edsall said Tuesday.

Maryland quarterback Danny O'Brien stood on the sidelines at M&T Bank Stadium on a warm summer day, casually watching a seven-on-seven touch football tournament while flipping a ball up and down with his large right hand. So much had happened since the 2010 regular season ended — coach Ralph Friedgen's contract was bought out and an almost entirely new staff had moved into the football complex. It's not just the staff that changed; it was the program's look. There is a new team slogan ("No Excuses, Just Play")