MORGANTOWN - It has been three years since West Virginia and Maryland last played, so there's not a great deal of familiarity with the players on either side. For the most part, the only ones who have any experience in the rivalry are seniors who were freshmen back then and only a handful actually played.
MORGANTOWN - It has been three years since West Virginia and Maryland last played, so there's not a great deal of familiarity with the players on either side. For the most part, the only ones who have any experience in the rivalry are seniors who were freshmen back then and only a handful actually played.
But even were it not for the two-year hiatus in the series, West Virginia would still be dealing with a significant unknown. The Mountaineers can't be sure who they will face at quarterback for the Terps.
The two teams will match 2-0 records Saturday when Maryland visits No. 21 West Virginia for a noon game at Mountaineer Field. ESPNU will televise it nationally.
"They have two really good quarterbacks playing well,'' West Virginia coach Bill Stewart said Monday.
Indeed, the Terps do have two quarterbacks, and it is difficult to tell which might get the bulk of the playing time against the Mountaineers.
The starter is junior Jamarr Robinson, a 6-foot, 195-pound scrambler who in his first start last season against Virginia Tech rushed for 129 yards. Against Florida State last season he completed 20-of-27 passes for 213 yards and ran for 58 more.
In wins over Navy and Morgan State this season, Robinson has combined for 128 rushing yards but is just 8-for-19 passing for 81 yards. He threw an interception in each game and two touchdowns in a 62-3 rout of Morgan State.
If the Terps want passing, though, they can go to 6-3, 215-pound redshirt freshman Danny O'Brien. O'Brien was inserted for one play during a crucial spot in the second quarter against Navy and fumbled the snap and went back to the bench.
But then against Morgan State, he threw touchdowns on three of his first four collegiate pass attempts. He finished the day 5-of-10 for 79 yards when he turned an ankle and had to leave.
MORGANTOWN - It has been three years since West Virginia and Maryland last played, so there's not a great deal of familiarity with the players on either side. For the most part, the only ones who have any experience in the rivalry are seniors who were freshmen back then and only a handful actually played.
But even were it not for the two-year hiatus in the series, West Virginia would still be dealing with a significant unknown. The Mountaineers can't be sure who they will face at quarterback for the Terps.
The two teams will match 2-0 records Saturday when Maryland visits No. 21 West Virginia for a noon game at Mountaineer Field. ESPNU will televise it nationally.
"They have two really good quarterbacks playing well,'' West Virginia coach Bill Stewart said Monday.
Indeed, the Terps do have two quarterbacks, and it is difficult to tell which might get the bulk of the playing time against the Mountaineers.
The starter is junior Jamarr Robinson, a 6-foot, 195-pound scrambler who in his first start last season against Virginia Tech rushed for 129 yards. Against Florida State last season he completed 20-of-27 passes for 213 yards and ran for 58 more.
In wins over Navy and Morgan State this season, Robinson has combined for 128 rushing yards but is just 8-for-19 passing for 81 yards. He threw an interception in each game and two touchdowns in a 62-3 rout of Morgan State.
If the Terps want passing, though, they can go to 6-3, 215-pound redshirt freshman Danny O'Brien. O'Brien was inserted for one play during a crucial spot in the second quarter against Navy and fumbled the snap and went back to the bench.
But then against Morgan State, he threw touchdowns on three of his first four collegiate pass attempts. He finished the day 5-of-10 for 79 yards when he turned an ankle and had to leave.
On Sunday, coach Ralph Friedgen said he wasn't sure if O'Brien will be healthy enough to play Saturday at West Virginia. Nor did he shed much light on which one he thought had the better game, saying that he was "not displeased'' with the performance of Robinson.
He did say he was happy that Maryland has "two good quarterbacks. And that should make us stronger.''
West Virginia figures to have trouble regardless of who is behind center.
The Mountaineers have not yet faced a quarterback who was a threat to run. Nor have they managed a sack against the two QBs they did face, making WVU one of only four teams in the country without a sack.
Stewart, though, is more concerned with his team simply playing an entire game, something it did not do in Friday's comeback win over Marshall.
"We've preached all year about finishing,'' Stewart said Monday. "We finished. We just didn't start and play the middle of it very well ... I hope we can bring a 60-minute game to [Maryland] this week. That's what we're working on.''
Reach Dave Hickman at 304-348-1734 or dphickm...@aol.com.
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