Terp Football Q&A with Todd Helmick of NationalChamps.net

Mr. Helmick is the Owner/Operater of the highly successful NationalChamps.net
http://www.nationalchamps.net/

Mr. Helmick is one of only 870 media members across the country, that maintains an official Heisman vote.

He regularly appears on WNST 1570 here in Baltimore, and on 12 different stations through out the country.

He is a 1989 graduate of Florida State, and played under Coach Bowden.

Mr. Helmick was gracious enough to answer a few questions regarding MD football, and the upcoming season:

Baltimore Sports and Life – “Da’Rel Scott finished 2008 with 1133 yards… but was just under the National radar… do you see him further emerging in 2009? “

Todd Helmick – “Scott was under the radar because it was his first true season of being on the field. Bob Haynie (WNST 1570 AM) and I both took in the Maryland spring game last year and watched Scott take off on a long run; it literally looked like he was “shot out of a cannon” (excuse the ole pun). We knew at that point Scott was going to be special when healthy. But Da’Rel Scott and especially QB Chris Turner have a major problem for 2009; the entire offensive line gets retooled. Granted there were many fans that felt this 2008 OL underachieved big time last season, but they did a nice job of creating some running space at times for the ball carriers, it just wasn’t consistent enough. I don’t see this blocking unit being better in terms of personnel and experience for the upcoming campaign. Scott can duplicate the numbers, but I don’t see him emerging as a full-fledged All-American type just yet.”

Baltimore Sports and Life – “The MD Running Back core in general is seemingly very deep with Scott, Meggett, Green, Douglass and the true Freshman Porzel, and Adams…how does this group compare as a unit to the rest of the ACC?”

Todd Helmick – “In order I would go easily with Georgia Tech as the top rated RB unit. Junior Jonathan Dwyer is going to excel in this Paul Johnson triple option attack. He already has in his first season operating under it while being named the 2008 ACC Player of the Year. He is the only legit Heisman Candidate out of the ACC for now. He is not the only back flourishing in this supreme ground system. Lucas Cox and Roddy Jones are also putting up big numbers and it’s only going to get better considering none of them are seniors. I would put the Terps at No. 2 in this ACC RB pecking order. The Miami Hurricanes with Graig Cooper and Javarris James would rank third. There are some teams like Virginia Tech (Darren Evans), NC State (Jamelle Eugene) and Clemson (C.J. Spiller) that have a chance to shine running with the pigskin, but they are not as deep from top to bottom in terms of proven talent.”

Baltimore Sports and Life – “Offensive Tackle Bruce Campbell draws comparisons from MD fans to Ravens Tackle Jared Gaither with his physical skills… can you speak about his technique, and what improvements he needs to make?”

Todd Helmick – “The former Connecticut PrepStar All-American better be ready for the task. The Terps need him in a big way. Campbell has only managed roughly seven starts in his Maryland career, but he came on at the end of last season and took over at left tackle. At the same time this group seemed to get worse as the regular season culminated, especially at pass protection. I watched all these tackles make Florida State DE Everette Brown a Top 10 NFL Draft prospect. You mentioned physical comparisons to Jared Gaither because he has a similar frame at 6’7 and has the athleticism to match (his father was a New Jersey Nets draft pick). What improvements does he need to make? A better center of gravity, quicker feet and better one-on-one pass blocking skills would be a cursory take. The Terps need this in a big way. I am really anxious to see if incoming recruit Pete White out of St. Johns (DC) can make an immediate difference. At 340 pounds, to me he was the top recruit Maryland signed this past February based on team needs.”

Baltimore Sports and Life – “Despite having had some Defensive Line talent (Kris Jenkins, Merriman, Dre Moore) the DL as a whole has been an issue under Coach Friedgen… while young, the Terps look significantly improved here with Kabongo, Arnett, Mackall, Armstrong, Ivey etc… what are your impressions here?”

Todd Helmick – “Travis Ivey and Dion Armstrong are really the only two down linemen that have seen quality snaps at the college level so there is always that issue of “we won’t know until the stadium lights come on”. And Armstrong doesn’t look like he will be academically available this fall. While the team sack totals have not been horrific, they lack a consistent pass rusher. You are right in that this has been an aching spot during Friedgen’s tenure and I still do not know if they have addressed the issue. But for all the nagging on this subject, they need to fix the other side of the sword in terms of holding their ground. The Terps were a meager 9th in the league at stuffing the run, which has to make one wonder exactly what the problem is given the quality set of linebackers Maryland has produced. No question, the biggest concern for 2009 has to be both the offensive and defensive lines where only one true full-time starter (Phil Costa) returns. Sometimes change will do you good, but until September gets here we will never know.”

Baltimore Sports and Life – “Heyward-Bey has left for the NFL, and will be a 1st round selection… leaving the WR’s and TE’s as another unit which will be young. Luckily, there is some existing explosive talent…. In particular, Torrey Smith, Ronnie Tyler, Kerry Boykins, Kevin Dorsey, Lansford Watson, and Devonte Campbell… who do you see as emerging?”

Todd Helmick – “This has to be the youngest set of receivers in the ACC outside of maybe Virginia Tech. At least the Hokie bunch saw plenty of time on the field last season. Coaches are dealing with three sophomores and three redshirt freshman in your list. Out of this group, Torrey Smith has a chance to be a star. The former dual-threat high school QB is quite a speedster. He is the team’s leading returning receiver and we watched him in the Humanitarian Bowl against Nevada take some huge steps forward in declaring the top wide out roll. DID YOU KNOW? His 99-yard kickoff return for a TD in that game made Torrey Smith the ACC’s ALL-TIME single-season record holder for kick return yards which was set by Tijan Redmon of Duke in 1995. So you know this kid can fly. I will let Friedgen sum up his ability after being quoted this spring, “If I had 85 Torrey Smiths, I win a national championship. He’s got the character, the work ethic and the talent. He’s just a wonderful kid.” Losing Gronkowski at TE really leaves the door open in the battle to replace him. Watson has the most experience but I would not count out frosh Matt Furstenburg, the former Rivals four-star recruit out of New Jersey. Also keep an eye on big, athletic freshman Kevin Dorsey at receiver, who is shooting up the depth chart ranks this spring. The same goes for young Quinton McCree, one of the Terp’s two fastest receivers. College Park has literally become a “Fountain of Youth” running routes.”

Baltimore Sports and Life – “Linebackers Alex Wujciak and Adrien Moten figure to again lead the defense… do they have the talent to join former Terp Linebackers EJ Henderson, Erin Henderson, William Kershaw, and D’Qwell Jackson in the NFL?”

Todd Helmick – “Wujciak definitely has a shot at duplicating Henderson and Jackson status. He is only one of two Terps that received Honorable Mention looks in the NationalChamps.net 2009 Preseason All-American list that was just released by our website (the other was Da’Rel Scott). After fighting back through injury, he put up 133 tackles last year. Losing Fokou and Philistin here makes the process of carrying on recent linebacker traditions in College Park a tall task. But Wujciak is in a prime position to become one of the ACC’s best tacklers. I also want to keep an eye on converted TE Drew Gloster. I loved this kid out of Good Councel and it is a shame the kid was lost academically last fall. It’s time he became an integral part of this team and coaches have called out his name a few times this April. “

Baltimore Sports and Life– “The new Defensive Coordinator is Don Brown, who had a lot of success as a Head Coach in the 1AA ranks at Northeastern, and UMass. Are you familiar with the coaching philosophies he will be bringing to College Park?”

Todd Helmick – “What we know about Coach Don Brown…he was the defensive coordinator at UMass when the Minutemen won the 1998 Division I-AA national championship. I have heard this defense called the “46” defense but it really looks like a typically used 4-3 scheme. More important, Brown focuses on being aggressive instead of sitting back, reading then reacting, a sore issue many had with former coordinator Chris Cosh. I will easily be one of the many to say that Cosh’s defenses left a lot to be desired. Usually by halftime I found myself asking, “What film was Cosh watching?” His game plans never took into account the teams he was lining up against as WVU so devastatingly displayed when they were on the yearly schedule. You don’t put a deep safety in the game against Pat White and Steve Slaton. They were basically playing with 10 men on defense at that point and the results were always the same. Obviously nobody quite knows just what these kids are capable of in this new philosophy, but the schemes seem to help out the better athletes with its aggressive nature.”

Baltimore Sports and Life – “Offensive Coordinator James Franklin has been designated as the heir apparent to Friedgen…. are you in favor of Colleges making such pronouncements?”

Todd Helmick – “They don’t bother me, but it seems these moves are made in order to keep their best staff in place as other colleges with coaching openings attempt to lure them away. Everyone knows Bobby Bowden is the Florida State head coach, not offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher. FSU was the first team to implement this set up and I honestly believe it was to keep Fisher from bolting to take another head position somewhere else. How long will it be before Friedgen either resigns or gets fired? If Maryland puts up a 10-win season again, these types of contracts with the James Franklin’s of the world don’t hold any merit whatsoever if say someone like Mississippi State came calling. They are more in place to stem coaching status and egos. “

Baltimore Sports and Life – “Over the past three years, the ACC has had more players selected in the NFL Draft – a total of 115 – than any other Conference. The ACC has also led all conferences in this time-period with 25 first round selections. Still, the perception is the conference is weak because a ‘super’ team has not existed… do you see such a team emerging in the near (2-3 year) future?”

Todd Helmick – “No I don’t see a team emerging as a perennial national championship contender. The days of Miami and Florida State are long gone in this league based on the stiffness of competition from top to bottom. We have seen the ACC take tons of cheap shots from the media in terms of conference strength but much of that has to do with the fact the ACC is lacking a Top 5 team in the polls every year. I will say this, for as much parity that has existed since BC, VT and Miami came on board, 2009 is setting up to be the best/worst case scenario in terms of being evenly matched depending on how one looks at the process. I count eight or nine teams worthy of being in the NationalChamps.net Preseason Top 50 with Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Florida State, Miami, Wake Forest and North Carolina all getting some Top 25 love this summer as the magazine previews roll out. Good segue for next question…”

Baltimore Sports and Life – “The National Champs.net 2009 Top 25 Preview includes 4 ACC Teams (VaTech, GaTech, FSU, and UNC), and 3 other teams receiving consideration… (Boston College, Miami, NCST)…

Presumably, that means you have FSU, BC, and NCST all finishing ahead of MD, Clemson, and Wake in the ACC’s Atlantic Division. What do you like about the Seminoles, Eagles, and Wolfpack?”

Todd Helmick – “Seminoles – Finally found an offense and more important an offensive line that has gone from one of the ACC’s worst to one of the best under line coach Rick Trickett. All their blockers are back again. With all the skill talent they recruit you would think they could finally find a 1,000-yard back. Not happening, but it’s getting closer.

Eagles – They are a consistent ball club no matter who is on the roster or who is coaching, which is also a big question now with Jeff Jagodzinski bolting to the NFL coaching ranks. They always have, and continue to have, a big stellar offensive line, running backs that flourish behind these blockers, a steady QB, good cover skills in the secondary and a DL that will place B.J. Raji and Ron Brace in the NFL. Did I miss something? Oh yea, senior LB Mark Herzlich is a beast, the only Preseason First Team All-American from the ACC on our current 2009 list that was just released.

Wolf Pack – How did redshirt freshman Russell Wilson get named as the ACC’s First Team All-ACC selection at quarterback last year? One, because quality ACC QBs have been hard to find the past five years and two, he makes plays without making mistakes. They looked horrible in their 2-6 start last fall before winning their final four regular season games. Don’t be fooled, Tom O’Brien can coach.”

Baltimore Sports and Life– “With MD’s out of conference games of note, National Champs.net has California ranked 16th overall, and Rutgers receiving consideration… what can you tell us to watch with those programs?”

Todd Helmick – “The Terps put a hurtin’ on Cal RB Jahvid Best last season but other than that game Best became on the Pac Ten’s “Best” at doing everything. Catching passes, returning kicks, carry the ball out of the backfield, etc. While most fans think head coach Jeff Tedford’s name is synonymous with producing QBs (sorry Kyle Boller haters), what really impresses me is the Cal running game. Best gave the Bears a 1,000 yard rusher for the seventh year in a row, the second best streak in the Pac Ten only to USC’s 10 in a row from 1972-81. The Terps better sure up that defensive front when traveling to Berkeley.

Rutgers won’t be as bad as many people think despite losing Teel, Britt and Underwood in their offensive arsenal. Under coach Schiano this obviously is not the same Scarlet Knight team that went more than a century before finally winning a bowl game. He has recruited good talent from inside the Garden State and surrounding areas. Their offensive line returns every single starter, not a good match up for a young Terp DL.”

Baltimore Sports and Life– “I am projecting the Terps to finish 8-4 overall, and 5-3 in the ACC…. schedule and projection shown below… what records do you see for the Terps overall, and in conference play?

@ Cal – L
Middle Tenn St – W
Rutgers – W
James Madison – W
Clemson – W
@ Wake – W
@ NCST – L
@ FSU – L
Boston College – W
UVA – W
@ Duke – W
VaTech – L

= 8-4, 5-3”

Todd Helmick – “Outside of the offensive backfield this is probably one of the biggest rebuilding efforts Friedgen has ever faced at Maryland. We are really only talking about nine starters returning, which is the lowest number of any team in the ACC. While I don’t see them being a sub .500-football team, they need to make huge strides on the line of scrimmage before they can be considered to have a shot at competing for the Atlantic Division crown. I will take another approach in answering your question. While I am not an odds maker, off the top of my head here is how I currently see these point spreads if the games were played this Saturday.

@ Cal (- 9 points)
Middle Tennessee (+13 points)
Rutgers (-2 points)
James Madison – (no line – W)
Clemson (-3 points)
@ Wake Forest (-7 points)
@ NC State (-3 points)
@ Florida State (-9 points)
Boston College (-6 points)
Virginia (+5 points)
@ Duke (+10 points)
Virgina Tech (-14 points)

The Terps would only be favored to win four of those games. This is also based on the preseason rankings. So you can see how tough the ACC is going to be. But there are quite a few games here that have a chance to fall either way seeing how unpredictable parity has made the conference. My earliest prediction will say the Terps go 6-6.”