Separation still exists between Terps QBs O'Brien and Brown

Spring football is the start of the process of figuring out not just who will be a team's starting quarterback, but also determining the identity of the man fans will clamor for all too soon.

Namely, the backup quarterback.

As Maryland rolled past the two-thirds mark of spring ball last night, the situation remained much as it was three weeks earlier.

Jamarr Robinson is the one guy who played for the Terrapins, so he has a built-in advantage over redshirt freshmen Danny O'Brien and C.J. Brown.

Much was made of O'Brien last fall, to the point coach Ralph Friedgen was still publicly toying with the idea of playing the North Carolina native in the season finale if it was required. It never came to that, but it was clear the Terps were high on O'Brien.

It remains that way, to the point Friedgen acknowledged again a divide between O'Brien and Brown just a week and a half before spring drills wrap up.

"I think there is. Not that I'm disappointed in C.J.," Friedgen said. "I think Danny's high school background is more advanced than C.J.'s. I think that's where he's behind. I think in time he's going to be pretty good. All the stuff he's seeing --- somebody was telling me they didn't even call formations in his high school, so this a little unique for him. But I think he's going to be pretty good."

But could that be next season? It's not sounding ultra-likely. Some guys develop at different rates. Just because O'Brien is mentally ahead in the game doesn't mean Brown --- who offensive coordinator James Franklin has described as a bit of a mix of both Robinson and O'Brien --- won't eventually catch up.

For now, Brown is behind the two frontrunners and ahead of true freshman Devin Burns. And barring injuries or a massive change over the summer (which are both always possible), it seems like there's a decent chance that will be the status when camp begins in August.

"C.J.'s ahead of Devin just because he's been here a year and is getting more reps," Friedgen said. "We kind of have to focus in on who we think has a chance to play. Right now, it's pretty much those three --- Robinson, O'Brien and Brown."

Comments

[bmc]

No mention of Clay Belton?

[D1scourse]

BMC ---

Not a whole lot. Its pretty clear Robinson, OBrien and Brown are the three guys with a chance to play next year.

[JTE]

Do you think there's any chance an incoming freshman, such as Tyler Smith, gets any snaps behind center?

[D1scourse]

JTE ---

In games? Id say theres a severely remote chance. But Maryland is going to be better off redshirting Burns and Smith this season for one simple reason: Separating the OBrien/Brown class with the folks coming in behind them. If youre going to wind up with three sophomores in 2011, youd better have a really good reason. My guess is this is a learning year for both Burns and Smith, as is usually the case with freshman quarterbacks.