Will Maryland stink again? And other camp musings

On a Saturday last October, the ACC's worst team (10 losses) was up 18 on the ACC's best team (10 wins). Twice.

Clemson ended up roaring back to win at Maryland 56-45, and the fact that the Terps were up big on the Tigers at two points in the game probably said as much about college football as Clemson football. Crazy things like that happen, and that's what makes it such a compelling sport.

Half of the ACC begins August camp today -- Boston College, Duke, Florida State, Maryland, Virginia, Wake Forest -- and to many the Seminoles are the most intriguing story to follow because they're once again facing great expectations.

But FSU's paper dynasty is a bit old. What of Maryland? How in the holy heck does a team finish 2-10? How in the holy heck does an ACC team win just one ACC game?

It was their second 2-10 season in three years, by the way. Ralph Friedgen served up the first clunker in 2009, then rebounded with nine wins in 2010, only to be fired. Doesn't make much sense.

Randy Edsall's honeymoon didn't last long, evidenced by his decision to can both coordinators after his first season in College Park.

But Sammy Watkins showed at Clemson last year how much one sensational player can transform a program, and there are some hopes of Stefon Diggs doing something similar at Maryland.

He has not played a snap in a college game, won't be chatting with reporters during camp after today's media day and the history of highly touted wide receivers making an instant impact is spotty at best. There's reason to doubt Diggs will be the dominant on-field story for the Terps.

He'll still likely be a constant subject. Maryland landed only one other top-10 recruit in the last decade (Melvin Alaeze), and he didn't even make it to College Park. For those who obsess over recruiting rankings, Diggs' presence dwarfs everything else. For those who care more about Saturdays than Signing Day ...

Patrick Stevens did some really interesting research on just how realistic it is to expect blue-chip receivers to make an instant splash. And the history makes Watkins' 2011 feats all the more remarkable.

In Tallahassee, one of the objectives is to get Karlos Williams onto the field. At the risk of hyperbole, Williams seems like a pretty close approximation of a freak of nature.

Heather Dinich gives her take on Boston College entering camp.

In Winston-Salem, my man Dan Collins gives some thoughts on the Deacons.

And finally, ESPN shuffles its college football announcing lineup after the departure of Urban Meyer and Bob Davie.

One of those guys will be sorely missed. One will not.

LW

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This post was edited on 8/6 11:02 AM by Larry_Williams