Friedgen to appeal to parents about scooter use

Now that a second Maryland player has suffered a season-ending injury in an on-campus motor scooter accident, Coach Ralph Friedgen plans to write a letter to players’ parents in which he will urge them to discourage or forbid their sons from riding scooters.

“A couple parents have already called me and said they are taking scooters away from their kids,” Friedgen said. “If I had the authority to do it, I would. I don’t think I have the authority, so I have to rely on the support of parents.”

Friedgen addressed the issue on Tuesday, three days after cornerback Dexter McDougle, a redshirt freshman, suffered a broken collarbone in a single-scooter accident Saturday night. McDougle was expected to undergo surgery this week and likely have a plate inserted.

Pete DeSouza, a redshirt freshman offensive lineman, is recovering from an Oct. 21 scooter accident in which he fractured both legs. The injury required nearly 12 hours of surgery and, Friedgen said, nearly cost DeSouza his life.

Friedgen said most players — and students — do not wear helmets while operating scooters. DeSouza said he did not wear a helmet and Friedgen said he did not believe McDougle was wearing one.

McDougle was a passenger on a scooter operated by teammate Isaiah Ross when, according to a school official, the scooter hit a bump in the road and Ross apparently lost control of the scooter.

“Obviously, you don’t like to lose people on the field,” Friedgen said. “Now we’re losing people off the field. It doesn’t help you.”