ACC Notebook: QBs convince Edsall

CONFIDENCE IN COLLEGE PARK

BY NATHAN WARTERS

Maryland head coach Randy Edsall saw enough Saturday to convince him his team can survive without starting quarterback Perry Hills.

After Hills went down with a season-ending knee injury in the second quarter of the Terrapins’ 20–18 home loss to N.C. State, sophomore Devin Burns came in and accounted for 97 total yards and a touchdown.

And then freshman Caleb Rowe nearly led a last-minute, game-winning drive before Brad Craddock’s 33-yard field goal attempt hit the left upright with two seconds remaining.

“When you can come in and do what Devin did and also what Caleb did in the second half coming off the bench, I have a tremendous amount of respect for each one of those guys. Both of them were very poised and I was very impressed,” Edsall said.

Burns and Rowe bring different strengths to Maryland’s offense, and Edsall has indicated this week that both could see action at Boston College on Saturday.

“They are both excellent quarterbacks. They are both guys I trust, our guys trust and our players trust to be able to do the job and do it effectively,” Edsall said. “We’ll put a plan together knowing either one of those guys could go in the game and play at any given time. We’ll find out on Saturday what that plan is going to be.”

’NOLES TURN TO BACKUPS

No. 11 Florida State also lost a key offensive playmaker Saturday when leading rusher Chris Thompson suffered a season-ending knee injury at Miami.

The Seminoles have no shortage of capable tailbacks waiting in the wings. Sophomore James Wilder appears to be next in line. He has rushed for 369 yards and seven touchdowns this season, but sophomore Devonta Freeman (287 yards, three touchdowns) also could carry the load for FSU.

“I say it all the time, but this game takes no prisoners. It’s a very unforgiving game,” FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher said. “That’s a very big blow to us because of what [Thompson] is to our team, but we also have two quality guys in Wilder and Freeman who we’re proud of. They played very well [at Miami]. You have to go on, and we’ll adjust.”

Florida State hosts Duke on Saturday in a matchup of division leaders. Fisher said he expects to rotate Wilder and Freeman and also give senior Lonnie Pryor some snaps at tailback as well.

“We’ll keep guys rotating and keep Lonnie in the mix with what we do unless someone gets real hot or something like that,” Fisher said.

THURSDAYS TROUBLE TIGERS

The last time Clemson faced Wake Forest on a Thursday night, it changed the entire direction of the Tigers’ football program.

Clemson lost 12–7 at Wake in 2008, and a couple of days later coach Tommy Bowden was dismissed and replaced by current head coach Dabo Swinney.

“It was a nightmare,” said Swinney, who was an assistant head coach for the Tigers in ’08 before taking over the head job. “I remember it well. We just couldn’t do anything right. Oh my goodness, it was a long night and a long trip back. On Monday, there was an interim head coach.”

No. 14 Clemson visits Wake Forest again tonight in the first of four straight weeks of ESPN Thursday night games for the ACC.

The Tigers are 1–9 in ESPN Thursday night games, while the Demon Deacons are 4–0.

“They’ve got quality players, and they’re going to provide a great challenge for us,” Wake Forest center Garrick Williams said. “I believe it will take a perfect game to beat those guys.”

NO NEED TO REMIND HIM

First-year North Carolina head coach Larry Fedora understood the importance of the N.C. State rivalry almost immediately after taking over the Tar Heels’ program.

“That’s been pointed out to me since the first handshake when I took the job,” Fedora said.

The Tar Heels and Wolfpack will meet for the 102nd time Saturday in Chapel Hill. It’s the fourth-most-played series among ACC teams and is tied for the sixth-longest continuous series, dating back to 1953.

N.C. State needs one win to become bowl eligible. North Carolina, which is banned from any postseason play, will look to bounce back from a tough last-minute loss at Duke last Saturday.

“I cannot tell you how many [people have said how badly we need to win this game],” Fedora said. “I couldn’t count. If I meet somebody new, it’s what they talk about. It’s something our fans have made aware to me what they would like to happen.”

Nathan Warters: 540/374-5442

nwarters@freelancestar.com

• WHO’S RISING?

  N.C. STATE

  The Wolfpack are Atlantic Division title contenders after handing FSU its only loss Oct. 6 and then dispatching a solid Maryland team on the road last week.

• WHO’S FALLING?

  MIAMI

  The Hurricanes have lost three straight and are in danger of bowing out of the Coastal Division race. They must beat Virginia Tech on Nov. 1 to stay in the hunt.

• SCHEDULE

  BOSTON COLLEGE vs. Maryland

  Saturday, 1 p.m. (ESPN3)

  CLEMSON at Wake Forest

  Tonight, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

  DUKE at Florida State

  Saturday, 3:30 (ESPNU)

  FLORIDA STATE vs. Duke

  Saturday, 3:30 (ESPNU)

  GEORGIA TECH vs. Brigham Young

  Saturday, 3 p.m. (CSN)

  MARYLAND at Boston College

  Saturday, 1 p.m. (ESPN3)

  MIAMI vs. Virginia Tech

  Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

  NORTH CAROLINA vs. N.C. State

  Saturday, 12:30 (Raycom)

  N.C. STATE at North Carolina

  Saturday, 12:30 (Raycom)

  VIRGINIA at N.C. State

  Nov. 3, 12:30 (Raycom)

  VIRGINIA TECH at Miami

  Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

  WAKE FOREST vs. Clemson

  Tonight, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

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