RALPH FRIEDGEN

Age:  61

School:  Maryland

Alma Mater:  Maryland, 1968

Conference:  ACC

Salary:  $1,750,000

Official Bio:   www.umterps.com

Years Coaching:  7

Career Record:  56 - 31   .644

Years at School:  7

Record at Maryland:  56 - 31  .644

2007 Record:  6 - 7   .462 

2007 Cost per Win:  $291,667

Attorney/Agent:   

Contract: 

December 2008 Buyout:  $4,560,000

Coaches Hot Seat Analysis

Few assistant coaches stepped into their first head coaching job with as much experience, respect, and success as when Ralph Friedgen took over the Maryland football program in 2000.  Stints under the very successful Bobby Ross at Maryland & Georgia Tech and in the NFL at the San Diego Chargers, and under George O'Leary again at Georgia Tech prepared Friedgen to quickly seize control of the Maryland football program.  Seize the Terps' football program he did, as Maryland put up records of 10-2, 11-3, and 10-3 in Friedgen's first three years in College Park.  During those three years Maryland looked like one of the best coached teams in college football, but starting in 2004 something changed that has led to records of 5-6, 5-6, 9-4, and 6-7.  What happened and changed from the first three seasons under Friedgen at Maryland, compared to last three out of four mediocre years?  We get to watch a good bit of football on tape at Coaches Hot Seat, and we have seen a noticeable difference in both the consistency and overall intensity of the Maryland football team in the last four seasons, and last year's Emerald Bowl in San Francisco gave us an opportunity to see the Maryland football team up close and in person.  After watching Oregon State stifle the Maryland running game and beat the Terps in a pretty pedestrian football game, what we had seen in the tapes of Maryland was confirmed by watching them in person.  Maryland in the last few years has just not played with the passion they played with in Freidgen's first three years in College Park, and even worse from our point of view, some of the UM players seem to play without conviction or the desire one would expect from a team coached by Ralph Friedgen.  Why we are noticing such a major difference between Friedgen's first three teams at Maryland and three of his last four is a mystery to us, but there is something going on with the Terrapin football team, and it could be anything from a split among the players to a change in coaching style.  Ralph Friedgen is a no nonsense style of football coach, and we seem remember discussing among ourselves a policy of Friedgen's that he put into place when he arrived at Maryland in 2001, that there was to be no alcohol drinking during the football season.  One of us also seems to remember during a business trip to Washington DC a few years back during the football season that there was some grumbling among Maryland players about some of Friedgen's rules, but we really have no idea if there is something going on that could explain Maryland's play in recent years, but there is a difference in intensity, and that is something that Friedgen must address to get the Terrapin football program back on track.  Another very obvious difference between Friedgen's first three teams at Maryland, and the last few years is the quality of quarterback play, which in a Friedgen coached offense is a huge factor in the overall success of the team.  There was another heated battle for the starting QB job in this year's fall camp, and what Maryland needs most of all is for the designated starter Jordan Steffy to step-up and be a leader and play with a lot more consistency and conviction than what Friedgen has been getting from his QBs in recent years.  From the games we have watched, it looked to us that Chris Turner played better when given the opportunity in '07, but Friedgen and the Terps have made their decision, and it is time for Steffy to prove he deserves the No. 1 QB spot.  If Maryland doesn't get much better QB play in '08, it could be a very long season for the Terps.

Coaches Hot Seat Bottom Line

We predict that Ralph Friedgen and Maryland will have a 5-7 record in 2008.  The tough thing about struggling in the ACC now compared to a few years back is that the conference is now much tougher than even 5 years ago, and that fact will make the 2008 season only that much more difficult for the Terrapins.  Maryland opens the '08 season against a very good I-AA team in Delaware, and although this should be a good game, the Terps should get the win.  After one game, UM is 1-0.  Maryland travels to the deep South in week 2 to play Middle Tennessee, and this will be a very difficult game for the Terrapins to win, but in a close one, we see UM getting the win in this spot.  After two games, UM is 2-0.  California travels to College Park in week 3 for what promises to be a very interesting intersectional game, and in what should be a very entertaining game, Cal comes away with a close win.  After three games, UM is 2-1.  Eastern Michigan visits Maryland in week 4, and this should be a pretty easy win for the Terps.  After four games, UM is 3-1.  Maryland travels to Clemson in week 5, and the Tigers should be on a roll by this time in the season, and they will roll over the Terps in this game.  After five games, UM is 3-2.  Maryland goes on the road again in week 6 with a trip to Charlottesville to play Virginia.  In what should be a very good ACC game, UVA comes away with the win, to drop the Terps record to 3-3.  Wake Forest visits College Park in week 7, and the Deamon Deacons should also be on a roll in '08, and they should handle the Terps in this game.  After seven games, UM is 3-4.  Tom O'Brien and NC State visit Maryland in week 8 and in what should be another very good ACC game, we give the slight edge to Maryland.  After eight games, UM is 4-4.  Maryland has a very tough trip to Blacksburg in week 9 to play Virginia Tech, and although this game will be close for a half or so, the Hokies should be able to get the win.  After nine games, UM is 4-5.  North Carolina visits College Park in week 10, and in yet another very close ACC game, Maryland comes away with the win.  After ten games, UM is 5-5.  Florida State travels to Maryland in week 11, and we have to think that Jimbo Fisher will have the Seminole offense playing some good football by this time in the season.  In a close one, FSU gets the win, which drops the Maryland record to 5-6.  Maryland travels to New England in week 12 to play Boston College, and Chestnut Hill is also very tough place to play for visiting teams.  In a close game, we give the advantage to BC in this spot, which drops the Maryland '08 regular season record to 5-7.

If Ralph Friedgen and Maryland do go 5-7 in 2008, that will be 4 losing seasons out of the last five years and the Maryland AD (Deborah Yow) and the administration at UM would certainly have to think about where the Maryland football program was at after another disappointing season.  From our reading of Friedgen's contract, Friedgen would be owed in the area of $4.5 million if they fired him in December, and if that buyout number is correct, it is hard for us to imagine that Maryland would fire an UM alumnus like Friedgen until the football program really hit rock bottom, which we are not predicting for the Terps in '08.  Therefore, we believe that Ralph Friedgen will be back for the 2009 season, unless the Terrapin football team totally implodes in '08. 

2008 Coaches Hot Seat Prediction:    5-7

Will Ralph Friedgen be back for the 2009 season?      YES