Porzel sitting out spring for academic reasons

Maryland tailback Caleb Porzel is sitting out much of spring practice to concentrate on academics, coach Ralph Friedgen said today.

"I'm holding him," Friedgen said.

Porzel is spending Maryland's Tuesday and Thursday sessions in study hall, but will be out at practice on Saturdays.

It's basically the same plan Maryland had Bruce Campbell on last spring in an attempt to ensure he would be eligible for the fall --- and different from the flat-out absences the likes of Jared Gaither and Dion Armstrong have had in recent years. Campbell wound up playing in 2009, while Gaither and Armstrong were eventually declared academically ineligible.

Porzel, who had 30 carries for 75 yards a season ago, figures to act as a complementary piece in the Maryland backfield next season. The diminutive sophomore --- he's listed at 5-foot-7 and 180 pounds --- probably doesn't possess the size to be an every-down back, but his speed ensures he'll be valuable to the Terps should he be available.

Meanwhile, Friedgen also said junior guard Lamar Young is also spending extra time on academics this spring. Young was already out for the 15 sessions after offseason shoulder surgery, but like Porzel he is not attending Maryland's midweek sessions.

Comments

[ckstevenson]

First, I hope he gets his grades straight. That's most important.

But isn't this almost the worst thing that can happen when you use a freshman's scholarship with no real benefit to the team? We've used one year of eligibility and now he's barely practicing...

[D1scourse]

Thats one way to look at it.

Another is if you think a guy might be at-risk academically (and Im speaking in general here, not to this specific case), there might be some incentive to get him on the field as quickly as possible. If a player is going to be touch-and-go just to get on the field for four seasons, its arguably worth it to get what you can when you can get it.

One other thing about Porzel --- if theres a guy who can afford minimal practice, it might be him. Speed rather than scheme is going to be the key to his production, in all probability. I suspect he needs to keep himself in shape, regardless of whether hes practicing or not.