Tailback Morgan Green has left Maryland's program, coach Ralph Friedgen said today.
Green, who was perennially on the cusp of factoring into the Terrapins' backfield situation, is expected to transfer after completing his degree over the summer.
"I told Morgan if it didn't look like he was going to see a lot of action, I would help him transfer," Friedgen said. "The main thing is he's got to get his degree. He's going to go to summer school. He's got to take nine hours of summer school to get his degree."
This development is unsurprising, given the Terps' number crunch at tailback. Maryland's top four running backs from a season ago all return, as does redshirt freshman D.J. Adams. Of those five, only Da'Rel Scott is a senior.
That leaves little opportunity for a fifth-year senior who had 32 carries for 128 yards and three touchdowns in his career. Last year, Green had five carries for 14 yards --- all in the closing minutes of a season-opening loss at California.
Green will leave with effectively two career highlights and one unwanted comparison. He had 40 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries in a rout of Eastern Michigan two years ago, and later added 10 rushes for 72 yards (including a 53-yard score) in a Humanitarian Bowl defeat of Nevada a few months later.
But he'll probably be best remembered (to his great misfortune) as the guy Maryland took over Steve Slaton for the Terps' 2005 signing class. Slaton went on to star at West Virginia and is entering his third season with the Houston Texans.
"I think he wants to transfer to Towson is what he told me," Friedgen said. "They haven't asked for a release. I'll give him the release. He's been a good kid and he's worked hard and he wants to play his last year. I don't have a problem with that."
Green's departure unofficially pares down Maryland's scholarship situation for 2010 to 88 players, a number that could easily be winnowed by a number of factors before the season begins in September.
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