Patrick Stevens of the Washington Times has a story this morning about DT Dion Armstrong leaving MD.
http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/14/armstrong-leaves-terrapins/
It is a blow to the Terps, but it is not quite as dire a situation as portrayed by Heather Dinich with ESPN.
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/acc/0-6-493/Maryland-starting-nose-tackle-leaves-Terps.html
Even without Armstrong, there is more depth and talent on the D-Line than there has been for awhile.
Here is the basic depth-chart:
DE Jared Harrell
DE Derek Drummond
DE De’Onte Arnett
NT AJ Francis
NT Zack Kerr
DT Travis Ivey
DT Ian Davidson
DT Joe Vellano
Anchor Deege Galt
Anchor Masengo Kabongo
Anchor Carl Russell
Ivey had a foot-injury last year and missed some time. He was able to play in 9 games, and has played in 20 games overall as a Terp. He apparently had a strong Spring, and will need to produce in his 5th year with the program.
Harrell is a 5th-year D-lineman like Ivey. Came into College as the second-rated player overall in the state of Massachussetts and the No. 35 defensive end nationally by Rivals.com. Also recruited by North Carolina, Notre Dame, Purdue and Syracuse.
Francis is a red-shirt Freshman, who as a Senior in HS was the No. 4-ranked player in Washington D.C. by Rivals.com, and also rated him No. 68 nationally among defensive tackles. Was in the 2007 US Army All-American Bowl.
Kerr is a true-Freshman, that prepped last year at Fork Union. At Fork Union, Rivals ranked Kerr as the 42nd best prep-school recruit. As a Senior in HS, Rivals ranked him as the 55th best player in the country. He was also recruited by Rutgers, Penn State, Illinois, Nebraska, and Minnesota.
Davidson is entering his 3rd year in the program, and was ranked No. 50 nationally among defensive tackles by Scouts, Inc his Senior year of HS, recruited by Boston College, NC State, Rutgers, and Virginia.
Vellano is heading into his 2nd year in the program, was ranked by SuperPrep as the No. 10 prospect in the state of New York, recruited by Boston College, Connecticut, and Penn State.
Russell took a red-shirt last year, and is expected to provide some pass-rush off the bench.
Drummond is starting his 3rd year in the program, and was the 2007 Gatorade Player of the Year in Maryland. He was also recruited by Pittsburgh, Florida State and Iowa.
Kabongo is a red-shirt freshman. Kabongo was ranked by Rivals as a 4 star recruit, and the 24th ranked defensive tackle prospect in the Nation. He was also recruited by Florida, Notre Dame, NC State, Colorado and Syracuse.
Arnett was an early enroll in the Spring, and a true Freshman. Rivals gave him 4 stars, and named him the number 6 strongside defensive end, and 93rd player in the country overall.
I believe true Freshman Cody Blue has been working with the Offensive Line. However, if he needed to be switched the D-Line, he has that ability. Scout.com ranked him as a 3 star player, and the 64th best defensive lineman in the country coming out of Wilde Lake. He prepped last-year at Fork Union, and was rated the 24th best prep prospect in the country. To be fair, Fork Union head coach John Shuman was quoted last year as saying Blue projected better on the O-Line.
Even though this program has had names like Kris Jenkins, Shawn Merriman, and Dre Moore on the D-line in recent years, overall the unit has been weak in their ability to provide a consistent pass-rush. New Defensive Coordinator Don Brown is supposed to have an attacking style that will help with that.
Ms. Dinich ranked MD as having the worst D-line in the ACC with Armstrong, and obviously feels worse about the unit with his departure.
Armstrong leaving the program, is a loss that nobody can deny. That was a big, active body that could help control space in the middle, and collapse the pocket. However, you have to move on, and there are players existing with the ability to step-up.
My opinion, is that I expect Brown will find ways to bring pressure from the edge, and that Ivey, Francis, Kerr, and Kabongo will be solid in the interior.
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