College Park, Md. - The Terps hit the practice field Monday hoping to build on the progress made in Sunday's 117-play scrimmage, the second of three that will be held this preseason.

The biggest improvement Sunday was the running game. Redshirt freshman Gary Douglas had a team-best 122 yards on 17 carries, while Morgan Green ran for 56 yards on 10 carries. The two are in a battle for the third-string running back position behind All-ACC returnee Da'Rel Scott and sophomore Davin Meggett.

"Right now I think (Gary is) right up there with Morgan," said head coach Ralph Friedgen after Monday's 90-minute practice. "He's giving Morgan everything he wants. I didn't think Morgan practiced poorly yesterday, I just though Gary practiced real well. His pass protection is good, he broke down once or twice on pickups, and so did Morgan. I thought Morgan was better yesterday than what he has been playing. It's competition. It's a good thing."

Defensive Line

The Terps are youthful along the defensive line, but their two seniors will be counted on for leadership and production.

With the departure of Jeremy Navarre, Mack Frost, Olugbemi Otulaja, Dean Muhtadi and Trey Covington, defensive tackle Travis Ivey and end Jared Harrell will become more featured performers.

Navarre, an All-ACC pick last season, and Covington combined to
start 91 games over the last four years, while Otulaja and Muhtadi were
mainstays on the line in 2008.

After an injury-plagued 2008, Ivey emerged as the leader of this group in the spring.

Maryland football Coach Ralph Friedgen stopped by Comcast SportsNet's "Washington Post Live" on Thursday night.

He talks about the season opener against California, the team's depth at running back and wide receiver, how linebacker Alex Wujciak likes to trash-talk with offensive coordinator James Franklin, the team's youth, how the SEC's huge television deal affects other conferences and his substantive weight loss (he's lost 105 pounds).

Wide Receiver

Despite the loss of the seventh overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, Maryland has a chance to have an improved receiving corps this season.

Darrius Heyward-Bey, who was drafted by Oakland, ended his college career one year early, but finished second in school history in all-time receiving yards (2,089) and third in receptions (138).

The Terps have a deep nucleus returning despite the loss of Heyward-Bey, as well as Danny Oquendo and Isaiah Williams, who both started during their careers. Oquendo was a dependable third-down receiver the last three years.

The future looks bright with no seniors and just three juniors among the team's top nine wide receivers.

Friedgen, Turner and Carroll to represent Maryland Sunday and Monday in Greensboro

The schedule is highlighted by the return of the Miami-Florida State rivalry to Labor Day Monday Night, as the Seminoles will host the Hurricanes at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on Monday, Sept. 7.

The ACC schedule will also feature six Thursday Night ESPN national TV appearances beginning with the season-opening Thursday night clash with NC State hosting South Carolina on Sept. 3, followed by Clemson at Georgia Tech on Sept. 10; Georgia Tech at Miami on Sept. 17; Florida State at North Carolina on Oct. 22; North Carolina at Virginia Tech on Oct. 29 and Virginia Tech at East Carolina on Nov. 5.

College Park, Md. - Fans of college football and University of Maryland followers can gear up for the 2009 season starting next week.

The third season of `Terrapins Rising,' an eight-episode reality series chronicling the Maryland football program, debuts Tuesday. The show will air at 9:30 p.m. each Tuesday for eight consecutive weeks culminating Sept. 1, just prior to the team's season opener against California.