Amid Tough Stretch, Michael Locksley Looks Back At 2001 Terps

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Maryland volition observe its 2001 ACC shot champions this weekend.

That’s a squad manager Michael Locksley has been reasoning astir rather a bit.

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“One happening that stood retired to maine erstwhile that coaching hunt took place, for a feline that I telephone a large mentor, Coach (Ralph) Friedgen,” said Locksley, who was a moving backs manager for the Terrapins from 1997-2002. “One of the archetypal things helium said, and it’s benignant of go a mantra of mine, that Coach Friedgen said to the squad was, ‘I’m not going to thatch you however to win, I’m going to thatch you however not to suffer — however not to bushed yourself.’”

Losers of 3 consecutive games aft a promising start, the Terps could truly usage a steady, cleanable show Saturday erstwhile they big Indiana. It was 1 happening erstwhile Maryland was routed by Iowa and Ohio State successful back-to-back games, but past week’s 34-16 decision astatine Minnesota felt different. It came against the benignant of good-but-not-great Big Ten squad the Terrapins request to beryllium capable to bushed if they’re going to marque advancement nether Locksley.

After 2 1/2 seasons arsenic Maryland’s coach, Locksley tin spot immoderate similarities with wherever the programme was starring up to that 2001 season.

“There was a radical of coaches that truly stuck to the process of what we wanted to bash and knew the benignant of players it would instrumentality to win,” Locksley said. “There were a batch of property conferences I’m definite for Ron Vanderlinden similar I’m having now.”

Vanderlinden was Maryland’s manager from 1997-2000. In 1999, the Terps started 5-2 past mislaid their last 4 games of the season. That’s the benignant of descent this year’s squad is trying to avoid.

Maryland yet changed coaches–another portion of the analogy that’s problematic for Locksley–and went 10-2 successful Friedgen’s archetypal year. But the constituent is that sometimes advancement is gradual.

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“Having been done those experiences of gathering programs, that’s wherefore I tin beryllium present and person a batch of assurance that we’re up of schedule, contrary to what extracurricular the enactment whitethorn think,” Locksley said. “I consciousness truly assured we’re bringing successful the close benignant of kids. We’ve got immoderate big-time young players successful our program. We’re warring done it. I deliberation this play you’ll person a accidental to spot america truly spell retired and get backmost to our standard.”

Maryland volition invited backmost members of that 2001 team, including Friedgen and E.J. Henderson. For the existent Terps, this is an accidental to amusement they’re amended than these past fewer weeks person looked.

“It really means a lot, knowing that those guys inactive support, knowing that those guys inactive privation to beryllium determination to enactment the younger Terps,” antiaircraft backmost Tarheeb Still said. “And past it’s an accidental actually, for america to conscionable enactment connected a show, get backmost connected way and past get backmost to moving successful the close absorption arsenic a program.”

This play could beryllium the crippled that determines whether the Terps scope six wins during the regular season. After Indiana, Maryland has to play Penn State, Michigan State and Michigan successful succession. Then comes the finale astatine Rutgers.

Locksley inactive has his consciousness of humor. When helium was asked astir his Halloween strategy, helium replied: “Being connected a three-game losing streak, I’m a small tense to fto idiosyncratic travel sound connected my door.”

Of course, Locksley hopes by Sunday, that losing streak volition beryllium over.

“I conscionable anticipation this team, a batch similar the ’01 team, is sick and bushed of being sick and bushed — and enactment our champion ft guardant this play and get backmost connected a winning track,” helium said.

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