Tepid Praise for Turner

Fridge knows what we all know that Turner might be a gamer but doesn't have the skill set to win 9 games. He is just okay, it's the truth. FREE Josh Portis

By Friedgens actions and comments, it is clear he does not like Turner, CLEARLY the superior QB. Yet he is sickeningly gushing with emotion when talking about Saint Steffy. And please - 2/3 of the team. I don't believe this for a second, nor do many Terp fans (and what coach would actually publicly say this?) In my opinion this has completely turned off a huge amount of Terps fans, and combined with conservative play not to lose coaching, he is sealing his dismissal as the Terps coach.

Fridge doesn't like to admit when he is wrong. Turner will prove on the field that he is the better choice. Now that Turner is the starter and we game out of week one with a "W", I thik the fan base is ready to move on from this controversy.

It seems that Ralph is growing tired of all the attention being directed towards him as head coach and the decisions that he is making. The increased scrutiny is what comes with having an interested fan base...and one that has contributed a lot of money to Maryland football in the last 7 years. The fans just want their coach to be accountable.

No one is talking about it, but Chris Turner has exhibited a great deal of character during this entire ordeal.

He has had to battle a ton of adversity because both the coach and offensive coordinator do not like him.

Turner could have trashed the James Franklin - but he didn't, he could have trashed Ralph Friedgen - but he held his tongue. He could have transferred - but instead worked to become a better practice player.

As far as I am concerned, he exemplifies what's good about Maryland football just as much as Jordan Steffy.

Patricia polease stop calling

This is an open letter to Ralph Friedgen

You should be ashamed of yourself. You have treated both Chris Turner and Josh Portis as outcasts.

You're acting like a Pop Warner football coach who plays favorites instead of putting the best players out on the field.

I hope you realize those boos Saturday were for you.

The only QB of the 3 that Fridge has ever consistently said nice things about is Steffy. Whenever asked about Turner or Portis it's either ho-hum or he mentions what they did/do wrong.

He did some of the same crap with Da'Rel Scott last year. EVERYONE but Ralph could see that Da'Rel had great ability and should have played more. But he loved his two guys Lance and Keon, and when asked about Da'Rel he would say that he's injury prone and can't block. It's a good thing Da'Rel was accidentally (as Fridge admitted) put in for that screen play against BC, cuz neither Lance nor Keon would've gone to the house with it.

Fridge has got to take his blinders off and open up his eyes. It's great that he cares so much about a lot of his players. But he gets so emotionally attached to some of them that the others sometimes get overlooked. Playing favorites is never a good thing. Play the best, Ralph.

It's a shame Ralph put Steffy in that horrible position and got him hurt AGAIN. This team will hopefully win in SPITE of you Fridge, not because of you...

Eric-

Do you have any sense that Ralph is concerned about losing some of the fanbase. I suspect that there's a grondswell of unhappy fans concerned that Ralph is slipping quite a bit the past 4+ years, and the QB decision and irrational behavior is only the top of th eiceberg. Ticket sales have cooled and are on the downturn since the first few years, and he has to sell the suites...isn't he the least bit concerned that makign emotional decisions and providing for non-sensical explanation will further isolate the fans? I had a large party this past weekend with several terp alums and everyone expressed disbelief about the turn Ralph's taken. He has little credibility in the stands and around the area.

So let it be written, so let it occur. I said earlier in the week that once Steffy was out of the way people would start dog piling on Turner and ask for Portis, and it's already started. Where does it end? You people are like leeches who seem to only derive pleasure from killing your team.

Everyone should thank Steffy for his attempts, and you know, feel sorry for his injury. We should get behind Turner as he is now our main QB, and support Portis for the touches he gets. The point of the team isn't to argue about who is QB, it's to win games. That is the #1 focus of any fan, winning.

Fridge's greatest fault seems to be his excessive loyalty. It's fine when you're the senior, but sucks when you're the new guy. But as noted in a previous Terps Insider, some coaches stick with struggling QBs (4 picks in a half) and get wins. Others are always searching for the new new thing.

I agree with MarioLucasforThree and Charles. The starting quaterback should not be dependent on the fact that "if I had a son, I would want him to be like Jordan." What's wrong with Chris. I have spoken to him and he sounds like a great kid. I have never thought that Fridge liked Chris and it is clear from his public statements. After the game he said Jordan was injured so they went with "another guy". Can't you even call him by his name - "Chris". And the polling of players, I don't believe it in the first place, don't believe the results, and it was a great lack of good judgment wisdom to make it public. As a 4 ticket season ticket holder since 1980 I say it is time for us to get a new coach. Most fans in section 4 feel the same way as I do, at least "2/3rds" from my poll!

There is a grand total of one QB on this team who has shown that he can perform in the big game. And that's Chris Turner. Portis is fast, but when's the last time he threw a pass in an actual game? 2006? Turner led the Terps to victory against 2 top-10 teams last year. Steffy struggled to beat cupcakes. There is no debate here. Turner starts.

Fridge is pissed and pouting that he screwed it up again with his family/team player concept. Give me a break and just coach and put the best players on the field or just leave if you can not stand behind your decisions without having to bring the team into a decision that a head coach is suppose to make. I hope this mind game of yours does not get Turner thinking who voted against him. Fridge you royally screw this season up already.

I read some of the postings here and I had to laugh. It seems that some of the Terp fans forget how many games you all lost before Friedgen came to College Park. He know how to coach, so let him do it. He will play who he thinks can win ball games. Just chill out.