Universiy of Maryland Athletics Department Puts On Full Court Press for Battle With Miami

For the past few years the general understanding is that the University of Maryland is a basketball school, that also happens to have a football team. Although this label has not been to the extreme as schools similar to Duke, in general the basketball team has outperformed the football team.

Within the past year the tide has shifted in a big way. First the football team had a much better than expected season, improving on a abysmal 2009 season in which they went 2-10 to a 9-4 finish in 2010. Then basketball season rolled around and the Terps failed to not only make the NCAA tournament a year after being seconds from beating a Michigan State team that lost in the Final Four by two, but also to even make the NIT. Then to put a little icing on the cake, Gary Williams retired from coaching, setting off a domino effect that hurt Maryland both in recruiting future players and keeping current players.

It seems as though the University's athletic department has taken notice of this, and is now trying to capitalize on the upswing that is going along with the football team. Before classes ended for the past spring semester, countdown clocks to the September 5 match-up with Miami were placed in the dinning halls and student union.

Now the department has made a pretty cool website promoting the football team, and every time you visit the general athletics page you are greeted by Randy Edsall in the bottom right corner.
This will all culminate on that September 5th match-up, when "Operation 54K" plans on having every seat in Byrd Stadium filled and depending on sections, a very cool red, white, black and yellow color scheme.

The big question is will people come to the game, one in which as of now the Terps stand at around five point underdogs. Either way, it is up to the football team to carry Maryland athletics until the basketball team settles down and gets back on track.