Diamondback Online - The University of Maryland's Independent Daily Student Newspaper

Issue date: 8/21/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Adam Fried

After practice Tuesday, a day after naming senior Jordan Steffy as his team's starting quarterback, Terrapin football coach Ralph Friedgen sat down in his office and promptly proclaimed he was finished discussing the quarterback situation with the media.

But interest in Friedgen's selection of Steffy for the starting spot over incumbent Chris Turner and the hard-charging Josh Portis wouldn't fade. Eventually, Friedgen reflected on the aftermath of his decision.

Friedgen called it, "probably the most difficult" decision he's had to make as a head coach.

"Probably just because it wasn't going to be good no matter how I went with it," Friedgen said. "I think a lot of those kids. I think they're all great kids, and they work their butts off, and I believe in them tremendously as people."

Friedgen's move Monday came as a surprise to many observers, who saw Steffy struggle in games last season and Turner play decently enough to help the Terps upset two top-10 ranked teams. The decision prompted rumors that Turner would transfer, a notion put to rest yesterday, when Turner's father told ESPN the quarterback would remain with the Terps.

According to Friedgen and offensive coordinator James Franklin, the decision to start Steffy was made because he performed better in practices and scrimmages throughout the spring and summer.

"It was a difficult decision, I care about all of them, and I want to see them all be very, very successful," Franklin said. "You have to do what's best for the team; that's the ultimate decision you have to make."

Franklin is the team's new offensive coordinator and play caller, taking over those duties from Friedgen. He brings a new West Coast-style offense and said part of the reason for choosing Steffy as the starter is because he fits the offense better.

"I think that probably could be part of it," Franklin said. "I think the most important thing is, whether it's last year's offense or this year's offense, [with] the offense we're running, who's going to give us the best opportunity."

Steffy said the quarterback corps was ready to move on and he had spoken with Turner, who is also his roommate.

"I think we've really sort of, all of us as a group, sort of moved forward from that," Steffy said. "To be honest with you, we've talked about it, but at the end of the day, we both understand how this whole thing works, and the most important thing is that every one of us just continues to go out and try to get better.

Continued...

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