Covering Each Other's Back

Terrapin Seniors Ball, Lattimore Share Carries and Friendship

Every Thursday night after practice, Maryland running backs Lance Ball and Keon Lattimore leave together and head for a restaurant in College Park that serves jerk chicken. Every time, they bring the meal back to the place they share just in time to catch that evening's college football game.

They've done this the last few years now, relishing the time that two best friends can carve out to talk football, among other things. "Just guy stuff," Lattimore said.

But this week, their regular dinner plans will have to change when No. 4 West Virginia comes to Byrd Stadium for a Thursday night showdown. Instead of watching the nationally televised game, they will be playing in it.

West Virginia knows "about us and they know that we play hard. I don't think the last couple of times we've played our A game," said Ball who has led Maryland in rushing the last two years. "But as seniors and as a veteran team, we'll be home on a Thursday night ready to take care of business."

The Mountaineers will bring the more explosive backfield tandem in quarterback Pat White and running back Steve Slaton. On a much quieter level, Ball and Lattimore have proven to be a standout duo as well, helping to anchor a Terrapins ground game that has acted as a steadying force for the team.

While Maryland Coach Ralph Friedgen has spent the first two games of the season breaking in new quarterback Jordan Steffy, he has leaned on the running game. Ball and Lattimore have responded, combining for 313 yards.

"Me and Lance are seniors now," Lattimore said. "The team is going to be depending on us."

Even before they arrived on campus as freshmen, they were already connected in a sense. Ball and Lattimore had learned of each other when a recruiting publication ran their photos, side-by-side, as the Terrapins' latest commitments.

So when they arrived at Maryland, they became fast friends, even though they would become each other's competition for the starting running back job. They liked each other enough to become roommates during their sophomore year.

The running back position they coveted has evolved into a shared responsibility. For some, the arrangement could have been uncomfortable. But for Ball and Lattimore, sharing the top spot has brought them closer together.

"Most guys who play the same position are competitive and they usually don't like each other," Lattimore said. "But me and Lance, we stay together. We do everything together."

The arrangement has worked out well. The tandem racked up more than 1,500 yards on the ground last year and was responsible for 11 rushing touchdowns. And even as the Terrapins entered a season of questions -- Will Jordan Steffy be the answer? Will the defense be able to stop the run? -- Lattimore and Ball have been among the constants.