Sandwisch

Joe Krivak is an old pro when it comes to answering media questions. He knows how to reply politely without really saying anything.When the Maryland football coach is asked about Jim Sandwisch, who will make his first start at quarterback when the Terps open against Virginia Saturday, he answers:"He's the best we have. He's the one who's going to have to move the football team."On Virginia, which was No. 1 in the country at midseason last year but has lost All-Americans Shawn Moore and Herman Moore:"Virginia is still an excellent football team."

COLLEGE PARK -- Underclassmen on the University of Maryland football team want coach Joe Krivak replaced, according to several veteran players who met with athletic director Andy Geiger yesterday."

Montgomery College-Rockville quarterback John Kaleo, the National Junior College Player of the Year, said yesterday that he has made an oral commitment to attend the University of Maryland."

COLLEGE PARK -- The University of Maryland vs. West Virginia game has been appropriately called the "Barometer Bowl." To the victor, a winning season and a bowl bid usually follows. To the loser goes a disappointing season, but at least they're home for the Christmas holidays.So as Maryland (1-2) began its two weeks of preparation yesterday for its Oct. 5 game against No. 18 Pittsburgh, Saturday's 37-7 loss to West Virginia was still on the Terps' minds, but they aren't ready to forget about the rest of the 1991 season.

They're doing the tomahawk chop and Indian war cry in a lot of places these days:At Atlanta Braves games. At Florida Seminoles games. At College Park.College Park?Right. Spectators were doing them during the latter part of Maryland's homecoming game Saturday with Duke. As the end came and Maryland walked off the Byrd Stadium field with a 17-13 loss, the chant picked up volume."Oh, oh, oh!/Joe must go!"You've got it. They were on coach Joe Krivak's case, naturally. What else would you expect from a homecoming crowd of 35,423 when the team loses for the fifth time in seven games?

"Four offensive linemen at Maryland actually nabbed a perpetrator this spring when he tried to break into their dorm. If only these guys had been as attentive on the field last season, then perhaps quarterback Scott Zolak might not have suffered 40 sacks. Zolak is gone, but Jim Sandwisch will have more of the same to look forward to this fall."-- Sports Illustrated, Aug. 26, 1991The insults hardly seem to stop. And when they do, it's probably because the line is so long."Those comments just stick me the wrong way," said Maryland senior center Mitch Suplee.

Despite the uncertainty of head coach Joe Krivak's status for next season, Maryland players said they are completely focused for today's 1:30 p.m. game with No. 9-ranked Penn State at Memorial Stadium.Maryland (2-6) has lost six of its past seven games, losing big to Georgia Tech, West Virginia and North Carolina. Krivak was heavily criticized after last week's uninspired 24-0 loss to the Tar Heels.On Monday, Maryland athletic director Andy Geiger expressed disappointment with the record, and said he won't comment on Krivak's status until they can meet and evaluate the program after the season.

COLLEGE PARK -- Some of his friends have questioned his sanity, but Kevin Benson isn't worried about playing football against kids half his age.Benson, 60 other former Maryland players and Jerry Claiborne, the coach from 1972 through 1981, answered the call for the first Varsity-Alumni spring football game here in 33 years. Benson, who turns 39 next month, and his mostly younger teammates will provide the opposition for coach Mark Duffner and the current Terps tomorrow (1 p.m.) at Byrd Stadium.

COLLEGE PARK -- First-year Maryland football coach Mark Duffner has chosen the run and shoot as his offense. It's a wide-open, exciting system, one built around the quarterback's ability to read defenses quickly, call audibles and pass accurately.Now Duffner just has to find a trigger man.Maryland begins spring practice tomorrow with six quarterbacks competing for the starting job. It will be the third straight year Maryland has to use an inexperienced player in the position."It's a wide-open race," said Duffner, whose offenses at Holy Cross were consistently ranked nationally.

COLLEGE PARK -- Any football coach worth his whistle and stretch-waist pants will tell you his game is just too complicated for the average couch spud and spudette to understand. Me, I must beg to differ. (Particularly after listening to living legend Bo Schembechler on ABC this year. "Terrific first half, should be a terrific second half," he says. Whew, stop spinnin' us, Bo.)When his team gets beat on a long pass, any coach worth his whistle and stretch-waisters will say, "We were in a double-down Z twist and they flagged the marker in the seam and zittled the Sarah gap."