Armstrong's Departure Leaves Defensive Line Thin

The inexperience along Maryland's defensive line loomed as one of the team's larger concerns entering the season. But the magnitude of the problem came into sharper focus after Coach Ralph Friedgen announced Thursday that nose tackle Dion Armstrong left the team.

The departure of Armstrong, a 6-foot-1, 303-pound sophomore who started the final three games last season, means that the four linemen expected to start the Sept. 5 season opener at California will have a combined seven career starts.

Don Brown, the first-year defensive coordinator, has implemented an aggressive, blitzing scheme that accentuates the strengths of Maryland's versatile defensive backs and athletic linebackers. But it remains to be seen whether creativity can compensate for an inexperienced line that will confront one of the nation's most explosive players in the season opener, Cal running back Jahvid Best, who averaged 8.1 yards per carry last season.

Friedgen said Armstrong told him Thursday morning that he intended to transfer and that he was sorry he disappointed Friedgen.

"I said, 'Fine, it's time to move on,' " Friedgen said. "We have to worry about kids who want to be here."

Armstrong's absence is not completely unexpected because he had yet to be ruled academically eligible. Friedgen also had said this week that Armstrong was "not in very good shape" and that he "needs to start working a little harder if he is going to make our football team."

The projected starting linemen include senior tackle Travis Ivey, who has started four games, redshirt freshman nose tackle A.J. Francis, whom Friedgen has praised this week, anchor Jared Harrell, who has started two games, and end Derek Drummond, who has started once.

Focus on Offensive Line

Friedgen will keep a close eye on his offensive linemen in Saturday's late-afternoon scrimmage because the unit lost five fifth-year seniors who played significant roles last season.

Maryland is still looking for two offensive guards to emerge. Friedgen wants to see how true freshmen Pete White, a 6-foot-5, 340-pounder from St. John's College High, and Bennett Fulper, a 6-4, 285-pounder from Gretna High in Gretna, Va., fare because they could add depth to the line.

"I think both are good players," Friedgen said. "If you can see that they may develop, hopefully you have them by the third or fourth game and they have added to your depth. Pete does a pretty good job at his pass blocking, that's his strength. He is very much in the thick of things right now because that right guard position is pretty up for grabs."

Turner Is 'Like a Veteran'

One knock against quarterback Chris Turner had been that he did not always excel in practice. But the senior starter has impressed coaches this week with his accuracy and decision making.

"He is playing like a veteran quarterback," Friedgen said. "This is the best he has ever practiced. Sometimes the game just slows down for you. He is very calm and collected."

Turner and backup quarterback Jamarr Robinson completed at least four deep passes in practice Thursday, prompting Friedgen to later say that the execution on the long passing plays "might have been the best since I have been here."