Steffy Makes Case to Start at QB

When the Maryland football team opened camp on Aug. 6, Coach Ralph Friedgen said he wouldn't take much time to name a starting quarterback. But as the Terrapins ended their second week of camp with a full scrimmage at Byrd Stadium yesterday, Friedgen said he has yet to make a final decision.

"I'm going to look at tape," said Friedgen, who said he was unconcerned with missing his deadline for making the call. "Probably will do something by Monday or Tuesday."

Junior Jordan Steffy, the front-runner for the job, led all quarterbacks in the scrimmage with 116 yards passing. He was the only quarterback to throw a touchdown, hitting wide receiver LaQuan Williams for a 62-yard scoring strike.

Over the past week, Friedgen said Steffy performed well during various drills intended to mimic gamelike situations. Friedgen praised Steffy for his decision-making, which he at one point compared with former starter Sam Hollenbach's.

But even though official word has yet to come, Steffy said he isn't concerned. Since the beginning of camp, Steffy has said he is operating as if he has been named the starter.

"I've taken every single number one snap with the first team all of camp and that hasn't even happened in the past with Sam," Steffy said. "When Sam was starting, I was still taking some of the number one snaps. Like I said, I'm not concerned with that at all."

Steffy worked with the first team while Florida transfer Josh Portis and onetime third-stringer Chris Turner split snaps with the second team. "I thought all of them had their moments," Friedgen said.

Steffy is the only one of the three candidates who has taken a snap in a Maryland uniform, playing in seven games during his career. He appeared just once last season, in the season opener against William & Mary.

Portis saw playing time as a freshman at Florida in 2005, but he sat out last season because of NCAA transfer rules. Turner, a sophomore, never has played in a game in college. Portis went 4 for 10 for 57 yards in the scrimmage, and Turner threw an interception while going 9 of 12 for 88 yards.

Meantime, Friedgen said the defense seemed to have the upper hand against the offense in the scrimmage. Linebacker Moise Fokou led the defense with 10 tackles, including a sack.

Best Feet Forward

Place kicker Obi Egekeze is close to locking up the starting job. He missed his first three attempts last night but rebounded to make four field goals in a row, including a 45-yarder at the end of the scrimmage. Meantime, Friedgen said freshman Travis Baltz likely will be named the team's punter. But Friedgen said he has not decided on a kickoff specialist. In another position battle, Friedgen said backup offensive linemen Phil Costa and Jack Griffin are pushing their starting counterparts, Jaimie Thomas and Dane Randolph. . . .

With all four running backs atop the Terrapins depth chart nursing some kind of injury, redshirt freshman Dan Bonato took the bulk of the carries during the scrimmage. Bonato, a 5-foot-8, 182-pound running back who wasn't on the Terrapins' 105-man roster at the start of training camp, rushed for 77 yards on 23 carries with a touchdown. Both Keon Lattimore and Lance Ball played despite soreness, as did projected backup DaRel Scott, who missed three days of practice because of an injury. . . .

Middle linebacker Chase Bullock (ankle) and wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey (foot) sat out the scrimmage because of injuries.