October 19, 2012

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Commons residents find mice in apartment units Students in 20 apartments have reported rodents to management

By Savannah Doane-Malotte Staff writer Several South Campus Commons units have gained additional, unwelcome roommates so far this year, as colder weather and nearby construction drive mice indoors.

Staff have received reports of rodents in 20 apartments since the semester began, with multiple reports stemming from the same unit in some cases. Staff have taken precautions to keep these pests out, said Trisha Wells, Capstone On-Campus Management regional Vice President, but mice detections

are natural given the shift in weather and the continuing water main construction taking place on Knox Road.

Another construction site, the development of Prince Frederick Hall, also flanks Commons 5 and 6.

See mice, Page 2

commons residents have reported rodents in 20 apartments. Capstone On-Campus Management said it takes steps to keep the mice out of the buildings by increasing pest control. file photo/the diamondback

Judge in riot trial previously married to county cop

Sexual assault initiative to come to campus

By Fola Akinnibi Staff writer

Project Unbreakable receives SGA approval

The defense rested yesterday in the continuing trial for two county officers accused of beating a student in the 2010 Duke riot.

Yesterday was the fourth day of the juried trial for Prince George’s County Police officers Reginald Baker and James Harrison in Upper Marlboro. It was found the presiding judge, Beverly Woodard, was previously married to a former county officer who was convicted of using excessive force, The Washington Post reported.

Both sides of the case said they did not believe this was cause for a mistrial, as Woodard divorced the man about five years ago, according to The Post.

Yesterday saw testimony from Harrison, who, along with Baker, faces charges of second-degree assault and misconduct in office. He said he thought the victim, 24-year-old John McKenna, was dangerous at the time of the incident and that the officers used a warranted degree of force, The Post reported. Harrison said he thought McKenna was on PCP and he saw him, “take a strike at [Baker] with a clenched fist,” according to The Post.

Harrison said he did not file a use of force claim because he was worried about losing his job, through which he supported his recently unemployed wife and eight children, The Post reported, See trial, Page 3

By Sarah Tincher Staff writer

ing to senior family science major Jena Peters, spirit co-coordinator for the committee. “[We] wanted to do something to spread the homecoming spirit further across campus and into the College Park community,” Peters said. “We thought painting the windows would bring awareness that homecoming week was happening.”

The idea for the messages, which committee members painted on windows Sunday, sprouted from a meeting several months ago in which members voiced their goal to make Homecoming Week a more visible, community-wide event, according to senior criminology

For the past year, Grace Brown has been helping victims begin to heal, one portrait of strength at a time.

The 20-year-old photographer from New York City finds subjects in survivors of sexual assault — for Brown’s works, each person holds a poster that tells his or her story in his or her own words or through quotes from their attackers, police and others. The project, which she publishes on her blog, “Project Unbreakable,” will make its way to the campus Nov. 1 with support from the Student Government Association. The body voted unanimously Wednesday night to put about $100 forward to co-sponsor the event, in which Brown will photograph students telling their own stories of assault.

“Ending sexual assault should be a priority for not only the campus, but for the SGA,” said Andrea Marcin, the SGA’s director of health and wellness.

“If we could help in a small way to make this event a success and raise awareness about sexual assault, we should take that opportunity.”

Active Minds, a group that works to raise awareness of mental health issues on college campuses, will host the event, and the SGA will donate $96

See spirit, Page 3

See project, Page 3

HOMECOMING WEEK has received more attention this year as students and officials worked to increase excitement leading up to the football game against N.C. State.

Fifteen businesses displayed messages, like the one pictured above, on their windows to help draw attention to the festivities. charlie deboyace/the diamondback

AMPING IT UP Students place messages on business windows to increase homecoming excitement

By Nick Foley Staff writer An unfamiliar sight appeared across downtown College Park on Sunday: Bold, colorful messages emblazoned across the shiny windows of more than a dozen downtown businesses.

In an effort to ramp up homecoming spirit this week, the Student Homecoming Committee Executive Board plastered messages, such as “GO TERPS” and “Homecoming 2012,” on the windows of 15 businesses in the city. The committee hoped the writings would spark excitement leading up to the homecoming football game tomorrow, accord-

Tax credit for parents paying college tuition on the line Romney vague on specifics to cut taxes, but could let reduction expire

By Jim Bach Senior staff writer Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney hasn’t specified how he’ll cut income tax rates without raising the nation’s deficit, but one way could be eliminating a crucial tax credit for parents putting their children through college.

Echoing a refrain from his running

INDEX

mate Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Romney has promised to cut tax rates and make up the lost revenue by eliminating deductions and closing loopholes in the tax code. That, however, could put the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which subsidizes higher education expenses up to $2,500 for eligible parents, in jeopardy.

The tax credit is one of a slew of other relief measures that President Obama passed in his 2009 stimulus package.

Because of strong Republican opposition to this government spending bill, it is likely Romney would let that particular measure expire, wrote Steve Wamhoff, legislative director for think

tank Citizens for Tax Justice, in an email.

If cut, a less expansive tax deduction that was in place before the stimulus, called the Hope Credit, would likely take its place. While the current exemption allows tax-paying citizens making up to $80,000 in income to claim up to a $2,500 deduction, the Hope Credit would lower the income threshold to $60,000 and the deduction to $1,500. This would save $137.4 billion over ten years, according to Citizens for Tax Justice.

“If you look at this along with a host of other kinds of tax breaks on the table, it’s going to be very hard to protect this on the one hand while at

NEWS 2 OPINION 4 FEATURES 5 DIVERSIONS 6 CLASSIFIED 6 SPORTS 8

POTENTIAL CUTS Either candidate elected in November will have to make tough decisions when it comes to the budget. Republican challenger Mitt Romney may: — Allow the expiration of the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which subsidizes higher education costs up to $2,500 for parents — Put the Hope Credit back in place, under which fewer parents qualify and which provides less money — Have the Hope Credit save $137.4 billion over 10 years the same time making good on the promise to lower taxes and to do a thorough overhaul of the tax code,” said Don Kettl, public policy dean.

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But eliminating exemptions is a goal of both candidates, and while

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See TAX, Page 3

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THE DIAMONDBACK | NEWS | friDAY, october 19, 2012

mice From PAGE 1 Staff increased pest control efforts this summer in preparation for the upcoming school year and colder weather by doubling the number of rodent traps in July and August. They also regularly check buildings’ foundations to confirm there are no cracks mice can sneak through. Wells said it is also important to note the affected areas account for 3 percent of the 600-unit community.

“South Campus Commons does every thing we can to prevent rodents, but the change to cooler weather makes it difficult to avoid,” Wells said. “It’s totally normal for us to get a few more rodent reports during this time of year.”

In addition, residents must do their part in preventing vermin infiltration, said Commons Director Gina Brasty.

“It’s one of those things where we have to work together and ask, ‘What can we do to prevent this and what can they do, too, in their own apartments?’” she said.

problems arise, Brasty said.

However, she added, finances are never an issue when calling an exterminator.

“We never let the budget affect what we have to do,” she said.

“If we have an issue, we want to fix it.”

Staff members said they are RACHEL ZHANG requesting all residents keep Senior accounting and finance major their apartments clean by fre-

“there always seem to be pests around. i know that they do bedbug checks in apartments, but i’m not exactly sure how thorough they are.”

Senior accounting and finance major Rachel Zhang said she feels wary about Commons’ efficiency in responding to reports of pests.

A few weeks ago, several students said staff completed two or three fruitless searches for another pest — bedbugs — before finally confirming an infestation in their apartments. After that, Zhang said, she wonders how meticulously exterminators must be searching.

“There always seem to be pests around,” she said. “I know that they do bedbug checks in apartments, but I’m not exactly sure how thorough they are.”

Commons management dedicates a portion of its budget to pest control to ensure there is money to handle whatever

DIVERSIONS

SMASHED From PAGE 6

by the end. Similarly, weird flashes of heavy stylization punctuate the otherwise naturalistic cinematography, distracting from the drama.

The sporadic moments of humor, however, are welcome additions. Smashed is often quite devastating, and those infrequent bits of levity do a lot to make the film more palatable.

Both cast and crew demonstrate profound promise. Even if Smashed doesn’t quite make the best of its sizable gifts, the fi lm is alternately bruising and touching enough to warrant a warm recommendation.

t he p er for m a nc e s i n Bl u e Valentine.

Together, Winstead and Paul get put through the emotional wringer. Charlie refuses to grow up while Kate lacks the strength to completely give up her boozy former life. The material here is a potent portrait of drinking to excess; maybe t he b est Mot hers A ga i n st Drunk Driving PSA ever.

Occasionally, Ponsoldt’s genera l ly sol id d i rectoria l choices falter. The infuriatingly cheery indie-pop score works at first, but gets tiring diversionsdbk@gmail.com

quently taking out trash and washing dishes, so as not to attract more uninvited guests.

Putting food in airtight containers also helps prevent mice, Wells said.

“We appreciate residents helping support our efforts by keeping all food in sealed containers and reporting any problems so our exterminator

can address them right away,” she said.

When Commons receives a report of a mouse sighting, staff send in a professional exterminator as soon as possible to set down traps in areas where the rodents may be coming from, such as cracks in the walls or flooring.

Though Commons management said they are doing their

best to solve all pest difficulties, some students said doubts remain over staff’s commitment to residents.

“The staff is usually very slow in reacting and solving problems like this,” Zhang said. “I’m sure that they feel for us, but I just don’t trust them.” newsumdbk@gmail.com

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friDAY, october 19, 2012 | NEWS | THE DIAMONDBACK

TAX

spirit

From PAGE 1

From PAGE 1 and criminal justice and government and politics major Shakia Pennix, the committee’s president.

“There’s nothing that says it’s Homecoming Week for anybody that’s driving by on a daily basis,” Pennix said. “A lot of students don’t know that it’s Homecoming Week.”

The bold red and white messages splashed across the swath of windows of downtown businesses created exactly what the committee intended — a citywide homecoming buzz.

“Members of the [committee] have heard students buzzing about the painted windows,” Peters said. “We do think it has worked in creating more homecoming spirit.”

While not all downtown businesses sacrificed their windows for the sake of college spirit, more than a dozen, including Ledo Pizza and Bagel Place, decided to participate. City Economic Coordinator Michael Stiefvater said he gave the committee a list of businesses that might be interested several months ago.

“They’re just trying to support the university for homecoming, and it kind of brings the community together,” Stiefvater said.

“It’s eye-catching.”

Bagel Place manager Sean McQuiston said he was drawn to the idea, but he recalled a similar effort five years ago in

PROJECT From PAGE 1 to help pay for room reservation and equipment fees.

Active Minds Co-President Zahra Ahmed first contacted Brown in March to have her own photo taken for Project Unbrea k able wh i le Brow n

MORE THAN A DOZEN downtown businesses, including Ledo Pizza, allowed student homecoming committee members to decorate their windows Sunday with messages designed to increase citywide enthusiasm for Homecoming Week. charlie deboyace/the diamondback

which the paintings weren’t prop erly removed a f ter homecoming.

“I like the school spirit — I think it’s kind of a neat idea,” McQuiston said. “The last time it happened, they didn’t do a very good job cleaning up after … We got lots of confi rmation they were going to

clean it up this year.”

Ledo Pizza manager Susan Marcos said she thought it would be “kind of fun” to have the windows spruced up, but that come Sunday, she expected students to remove every trace of the paintings.

Several committee members said they plan to remove the paintings that day.

“T hat was my biggest concern — it has to be completely cleaned up,” Marcos said.

But despite the positive reaction to the paintings, Pen n i x sa id tu rnouts to Homecoming Week events at Stamp Student Union this

was in Washington. She later invited Brown to this university, hoping to give other students the same opportunity.

“I was personally photographed, so I find my heart close to the project,” Ahmed said. “When it comes to the student body, it’s educating students and empowering survivors to not only speak out,

but to be okay and move on with their lives.”

Brown has photographed more tha n 200 people a nd has received more than 1,000 photo submissions for Project Unbre a k able. T he project was named one of the top 30 T u mbl r blogs to fol low by Time magazine. One survivor pictured in a photo on the

“Members of the [committee] have heard students buzzing about the painted windows.”

JENA PETERS

Student Homecoming Committee spirit co-coordinator

past week have been dismal, which she attributed to a lack of university support. While the committee receives $8,000 from Stamp and $300 from the Student Government Association, Pennix said it isn’t enough to adequately spread community-wide cheer.

“We don’t have enoug h resources for the amount of people we have to reach everyone,” Pennix said. “I know students complain that they want homecoming to be better, but if they took action and let the administration know, change could come quicker.” newsumdbk@gmail.com

website holds a poster that reads, “Shut up and pretend you like it.” Another says, “No one will believe you so why bother fighting me.” “ I ’v e a l w a y s b e e n s u rrounded by survivors of sexual assault,” the “About” section of Brow n’s website states.

“One night in October, I was out with a friend and she chose to share her story with me.

Though I had heard about a dozen stories prior, this story particularly affected me and fo rc e d m e to re a l i z e h o w common this tragedy was. I woke up the next day with the idea for Project Unbreakable.”

Brown will be on the campus from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. that

understands sort of what we’re going through as students,” said senior government and politics major Ethan Morrow. “Some of the proposals Mitt Romney’s bringing to the table ... I think it essentially closes doors on middleclass families in America.”

The nation’s long-term deficit woes require an effective balance of government spending cuts and maximizing revenue. Obama’s plan would raise tax rates to pre-2001 levels for high-income earners, while Romney would cut rates across the board to all tax brackets by 20 percent.

Obama’s plan is a short-term fix, and wouldn’t help the economy recover from its sluggish pace, said Eric Brotman, an adviser for Brotman Financial Group.

“I would suggest that that is, in the short term, a very easy political fi x, and in the long term, it’s a very bad economic and financial strategy,” Brotman said.

“I think all of this is the perfect storm for a lousy economy.”

Because the tax code is so extensive and filers can find ways to withhold a larger portion of their income, Brotman said the best way to maximize government revenue is to eliminate these loopholes while simultaneously cutting rates.

“I would much rather see the elimination of certain deductions and exemptions and all the gaming,” Brotman said. “The fact that folks are filing 200-page tax returns is an abomination.”

proposals by Obama suggest he would permanently extend this provision, Kettl said either candidate will have to make tough decisions.

“It’s very possible that an Obama administration would have to do very similar kinds of things,” Kettl said. “It’s very difficult to escape the very real possibility that there’s going to be cuts coming down the line, and education’s going to be part of those,” adding education’s future under any administration is purely speculation at this point.

However, with Obama’s established pledges to protect higher education, some students feel it’s clear how he will move forward if he is reelected. Romney’s position is harder to pinpoint.

“I see Obama as a stability factor,” said Mike Amon, a freshman enrolled in letters and sciences. “In my eyes, Romney doesn’t really seem to have a plan for anything.”

The provision may not come down as hard on middle-income tax filers as other cuts, but Kettl said it would be hard to eliminate any deduction, and this particular credit directly affects those in the middle-income bracket.

Some students said they feel Obama is more likely to sympathize with college students.

“I think Barack Obama, going with what he’s lived through, newsumdbk@gmail.com

Thursday to take photos of students, and will speak about the project and its purpose at 7 p.m. Her trip to College Park is just one part of a fall tour that will include 18 schools.

“It’s i mpor ta nt for students to be aware of rape and sexual assault in the context that there are people who have been victimized, but they’re not victims anymore; they’re s u r v i v o r s ,” A h m e d s a i d .

Active Minds Co-President Jen Robinson said she hopes the event helps students re a l i z e t h e p re v a l e n c e o f sexual assault — every two minutes, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted, and 54 percent of those assaults will

trial

“I was personally photographed, so I find my heart close to the project.”

ZAHRA AHMED

Active Minds co-president not be reported to police, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network.

“Sexual assault is a topic p e o p l e d o n’t a l w a y s t a l k about, so it will be good for people who have been sexually assaulted in the past, as well as people who aren’t really aware,” Robinson said. newsumdbk@gmail.com

in court Monday, Baker and Harrison can be seen running at McKenna, then 21, after the From PAGE 1 student dances to a halt in front a nd t he defen se c a l led up of a mounted police officer on character witnesses on the Knox Road. officer’s behalf.

After Baker knocks McKenna On Wednesday, Woodard to the ground with his riot threw out the charges of first- shield, the officers beat him degree assault after deter- repeatedly with their batons. mining the injuries McKenna McKenna suffered a consuffered were not “serious cussion, a severe cut to his and permanent.” head and bruises.

The officers were indicted As the trial continues months after the March 2010 today, both the prosecution riot, which followed a men’s and defense are expected to basketball upset over then- reach closing statements.

No. 4 Duke. In a witness’s video of the incident, shown newsumdbk@gmail.com

4

Opinion

THE DIAMONDBACK | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2012

YASMEEN ABUTALEB Editor in Chief

EDITORIAL BOARD

Rising popularity and undeniable charm prove college Quidditch is worth celebrating

In the film industry, there are mainly horror, sci-fi, action, drama and comedy movies. And up until two summers ago, there were the Harry Potter movies, which undeniably held a special spot in modern cinema.

The fleshed-out characters, magical visions and epic showdowns between good and evil spanned a decade, captivated fans and smashed box office records worldwide. But as the decade moved on, the films slowly shifted from light to dark in tone.

Let’s disregard the bleaker final movies for a second. From the introduction of the rotating stairs to the devious nature of the Marauder’s Map, we can’t forget about the funfilled innocence of the early movies that started it all. But there was one dazzling, prominent feature of the first few films, and it was by far the most unforgettable: the epic Quidditch matches.

The Quidditch scenes made curious young children, including myself, pretend to ride any broomstick they could find around the house. It’s not surprising to see how some people wanted to come as close as possible to turning this fantasy into reality, which is why Quidditch clubs are popping up on college campuses around the nation.

I’m sure most of you have seen our school’s Quidditch team, the Flying Wizard Turtles, practicing on McKeldin Mall on certain afternoons, then subsequently wondered what the world is coming to when there are groups of “weirdos” playing organized pick-up games of a fictional sport. I feel a lot of students think this university is the only one with

an enthusiastically nerdy Quidditch organization on the campus.

That was until the Turtle Cup 2012 Sunday, when 16 teams from all over the East Coast came to our campus to compete for the homemade first-place trophy. The entire array of teams — Johns Hopkins, Penn State and Virginia Commonwealth University, to name a few — fell to our own Flying Wizard Turtles.

Our Quidditch club’s newfound glory and the sport’s increasing prevalence at colleges and universities are more than justifiable reasons for supporting the widespread embrace of the sport on the campus. The club may be considered nerdy or geeky, but our impressive record compared to other schools should make the sport more respectable among the other popular clubs at our school.

I think Monday’s Diamondback story on this past weekend’s tournament summarized it very well: “While many may dismiss today’s players as geeky or immature, it takes courage and skill to flagrantly place a broomstick between your legs and run. To the untrained eye, it looks like madness.

But it’s an organized madness, with rules and a history and a charm to it.”

Simply put, the sport is not as weird as we have generalized it to be. Other schools similar to ours have their own moderately popular Quidditch clubs, so it is clear there is a positive trend.

When you see our team on McKeldin Mall from now on, be enthusiastic instead of skeptical. Hell, it is clearly good. It is ranked second in the world out of more than 1,000 official and non-official teams. What’s weird about that?

Alex McGuire is a junior journalism major. He can be reached at opinionumdbk@gmail.com.

Facebook: Just what the culture ordered JAKE DeVIRGILIIS People often use the phrase “in real life” when talking about interactions outside of social networks — probably as an attempt to reassure themselves the face-to-face interactions we experience are still more important than those conducted via screens, memes and phosphenes.

Plenty of people will tell you they don’t like Facebook. It’s kind of annoying to hear people say it out loud, because it’s usually their attempt to present themselves as the Kind of Person Who Dislikes Facebook. There is nothing wrong with defining yourself in simple, if indirect, terms and letting everyone know Who You Want Them to Think You Are; you just have to use the accepted medium, which is, of course, Facebook.

In so-called “real life,” you have to be “real” (or at the very least, “keep it real” and pretend the status quo is people acting the way they really are, which is to say, acting the way we think people should in public). On Facebook, you don’t have to do that at all. In fact, most of what I see is people bragging about their existence. For a while, people disguised such behavior (think of the humblebrag), but now one rarely encounters a mediated message.

This is the job I just got. Here’s where I will study abroad. Are you aware I am politically savvy, that I read newspapers and have opinions and care about the world, that I am passionate? Look at the award I have been given. I am involved; here is my activism in the community.

Look at this picture of me on the TV. (Or the alternative: “Look at my Facebook post about how much I don’t like Facebook.” Try again, hipsters.)

It is beginning to spiral out of control.

Now, people compliment themselves(!) on Facebook. I have seen people straight up call themselves good at something.

Not only that, I have seen people ask other people for compliments! Not fishing for likes with a picture caption

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Geeky or great?

ALEX McGUIRE

Mike King

reading, “Oh, I am ugly”, but a pure, unadulterated request to be flattered.

It’s a monstrous thing. In person, you can’t really brag about yourself without seeming horrible, but constant self-deprecation is also off-putting. On Facebook, any attempt to self-deprecate is immediately countered with praise, and no one cares how much you talk about yourself.

On Facebook, no one is a bad person.

If someone engaged in any of this behavior (The Painfully Obvious Search for Validation of Achievement) in person, it would be uncomfortable.

Another of Facebook’s great accomplishments: It takes the hard parts out of life. There’s no awkwardness on there.

It’s the ultimate way to present yourself to thousands of people who don’t know you very well: You can brag about what you do without them getting to know who you are and why you suck.

(The exceptions are people who post vaguely sad post-breakup statuses and people who post sentimental song lyrics un-ironically; everyone can tell why those people suck.)

However, Facebook isn’t so different from reality after all. Isn’t it just like building your resume? Defining yourself to people who don’t know you by what you’ve done and what you like? Filtering the positives in your life to make yourself seem a certain (desirable) way?

It’s more than a reflection of our reality: it’s what we live in the most concentrated form imaginable. In college, we are constantly asked to be this way — to make ourselves attractive future employees and accomplished, well-balanced, highly involved super-students.

(Thumbs-up, smile, let’s go Terps!)

Even limited experience with other generations on Facebook tells me it’s much the same. Older generations are on Facebook for their existing careers or businesses; the younger generations interact in an Internet world of insecurity, nascent flirting and bullying. Facebook reveals the world we live in, which is starting to look a lot like Facebook.

Jake DeVirgiliis is a senior government and politics major. He can be reached at opinionumdbk@gmail.com.

STAFF EDITORIAL

House full of dishonesty

D

iamondback reporters have uncovered some interesting information in the past six months. Yesterday’s article, “Funds for U. House weren’t all earmarked,” culminated an investigation into just how honest officials have been in how they’ve secured funding for the new president’s home. What they found is not comforting.

Before we start, we’d like to get one thing straight: This editorial board fully supports the new university president’s residence and its potential to raise millions of dollars for the university in the years to come. When everyone — from The Washington Post to students and bloggers — seemed to have a complaint, we knew the project’s aim was to bring in more money for this university through the “aura” of the house, and we certainly can’t complain about that. We wrote a Jan. 24 staff editorial fully supporting the project, especially because we were under the impression the money couldn’t be geared toward anything else. There’s no question this university will benefit from more funds, and since the residence is slated to greatly increase donations, it’s a worthwhile undertaking.

But in light of the investigation, which revealed some of the funds for the new campus commodity weren’t specifically earmarked — and came from general university donations, contrary to officials’ claims — this editorial board believes there’s good reason to be annoyed, even angry, with those who oversaw the house’s funding.

Not earmarked — what does that mean? Well, it indicates officials misled everyone about where the money for the house was coming from. When debate sprouted as to whether the university was justified in building a new, $7.2 million president’s residence just weeks after officials announced eight sports teams would potentially be cut and this university was facing a slashed budget for the next fiscal year, offi-

cials assured everyone the money being used was specifically designated for the president’s residence. Thirty private donors had earmarked their money for the residence, former University Relations Vice President Brodie Remington said, and it wasn’t possible to use that money to save any sports teams or for scholarship funds.

However, we now know that’s not true; the University of Maryland College Park Foundation, a private non-profit organi-

OUR VIEW

The deceitful funding for the president’s residence has shaken our trust. zation that oversaw the house’s funding and construction, funneled some of the funding from general donations. One donor, John Holmes, who is deceased, left $471,000 to the foundation in late 2010, designating it to be used for “general uses and purposes.” Remington made the decision to put the money toward the house.

It wasn’t specifically designated for the building’s construction.

At least one other donor didn’t know her money was going to the house until later in the process, which means it could have been used for other purposes. Others were only asked to specifically donate to the president’s residence, which may have led them to believe other aspects of the university community didn’t need donations.

This is money that could have gone toward scholarships. This is money that could have helped keep one of the seven athletic teams that didn’t raise enough money. This is money that was directed for a specific agenda.

The worst part of it all is how officials made it seem as if donors had stepped forward just for the house and the money legally couldn’t be used elsewhere. It was deceiving. It was dishonest. And it’s not acceptable.

Furthermore, officials exaggerated funds they had already acquired, saying they had more than they actually did. In

December 2010, Remington said there was $2 million for the house’s construction. But the University Relations’ documents show only one donation at that time — a pledge of $25,000. While they had an informal pledge of $2 million at the time, it wasn’t booked until November 2011.

And Remington’s response? “If that implied the funds were paid at that time, that was not accurate, but we knew that the commitment was absolutely firm and when we needed the funds we would receive them.”

That doesn’t excuse the fact that officials misled everyone into thinking the project’s fundraising was further along than it actually was. This manipulation reflects badly on this university as a whole, as well as on the residence itself.

We don’t disagree with the building and it’s potential use, but the ramifications of this misguidance could be detrimental — will donors trust their money to go to good use anymore?

This editorial board is hopeful about how effective the new home will be in fundraising. Though there are no concrete facts or numbers to give weight to our support, we believe the foundation and administration know what they are doing in that respect.

But the trust is shaken. We now have to doubt official claims in regards to money and its disbursement throughout the university. Donors may doubt the same things.

We want to believe the goal of all officials is to help more students attend this university. We hope that in the future, they will consider this before manipulating the way donors graciously provide money for university projects.

Throughout the country, students are struggling to obtain scholarships — and leave college with massive amounts of debt — and universities are grappling with fewer resources. Funding for these initiatives should always be the primary focus. We know the president’s residence will help that aim and it will hopefully ease this burden for students in the future. We can only hope officials will be forthcoming with where the money from this project will go.

EDITORIAL CARTOON

BEN STRYKER/the diamondback

GUEST COLUMN

Illusions of electoral choice

I

grew up in a conservative, Republican family. I remember being excited when former President George W. Bush won both in 2000 and 2004, and pulling for Republican candidate John McCain in 2008. But the two parties do not make logical sense anymore.

Both parties have contributed to the insurmountable national debt.

Both parties have initiated or sustained multiple undeclared wars for decades. Every day, more people are waking up to the fact that we cannot continue along this path. Yet the two major candidates have little meaningful difference between their policies, with neither real change from the government’s rapidly increasing scope nor a path to true prosperity.

On foreign policy: President Obama has continued militarism in the Middle East by placing additional forces in Afghanistan and Libya and has threatened to occupy Syria. Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is willing to support the Middle East rebel forces as Obama has. Both are willing to enter Iran. The U.S. has participated in covert operations to

enact regime changes since 1918 with the Bolsheviks, and reportedly, recently one in Libya. Obama has raised more money from defense industries.

On health care: Romney articulated Obama’s Affordable Care Act in a 1994 Massachusetts Senate debate. Obama has said Romney’s health care plan in Massachusetts is a “blueprint” of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. On civil liberties: Obama extends Bush’s Patriot Act, which Romney supports. Obama has ordered the use of domestic drones for surveillance; Romney has not spoken against this. Both would continue the war on drugs, largely considered a failure. Obama in 2008 said he would not use federal resources to combat medical marijuana in states where it is legal, but has since ordered more dispensary raids than any president.

On sanctions: Obama touts that his administration “has systematically imposed the toughest sanctions on Iran … the toughest Iran has ever experienced.”

Romney supports this policy and has used even less emphasis on diplomacy with some Middle Eastern nations.

So what can we take from all this? Poli-

cies of relentless militarism and neo-mercantilism will continue. Banks, industry and government will continue to reap economic gains, dominating money in politics and society at large at the expense of the middle class. Liberty will continually diminish while authority grows.

Our prosperity should not come from central planning, nor inflated wealth from an inflated currency. Individuals with motivation and social responsibility, not government, are the best catalysts for progressing society. Not only is this human nature, but this is the key to realizing government cannot be trusted with grave responsibilities, simply because the institution cannot handle it. It is bringing our country to the brink of serious economic, social and environmental challenges that could cause events that disrupt the entire planet. Yet the choice of a candidate this election says next to nothing.

In the words of Voltaire: “Everything is fine today, that is our illusion.”

Tommy Creegan is a junior government and politics major. He can be reached at opinionumdbk@gmail.com.

FRiDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2012 | THE DIAMONDBACK

5

Features

CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 Not clear 6 Visual aid 11 Do a takeoff 14 Fridge maker 15 Cliffside abode 16 KGB counterpart 17 “M*A*S*H” clerk 18 Gulf Coast city 19 Tattered cloth 20 Carpe --!

22 Dry white wine 24 Fund-raising efforts 28 Cape waver 30 Recoil from 31 Lawsuit cause 32 Uptight 33 Protected, in a way 36 Ready 37 Illustrious 38 Comfy shoe 40 Krypton, for one (2 wds.)

43 Veld grazer 45 Daiquiri ingredients 46 Internet hookups 47 Talk a blue streak 50 Self-reproach 51 Cayuse 52 Daffodil starter 53 Hamilton’s prov.

54 Token user 57 Account entries 62 Boombox platters 63 Curly-tailed dog

64 Art stand 65 Boastful knight 66 By the book 67 Grimy

42 Verbatim 43 Voodoo slaves 44 Tokyo, once 46 Brooks or Ott

47 Wedge 48 Toyota rival 49 -- -craftsy 50 In the country

DOWN 1 Nick or scratch 2 “Pulp Fiction” name 3 Family man 4 Molecular biology topic 5 Gridiron gain 6 Windows tycoon 7 Juice a grapefruit 8 Tattoo site 9 Dice spot 10 Cheer up 11 Bitterly pungent 12 Billy Joel’s instrument 13 More than willing 21 Henri’s island 23 “Freeze!”

24 Goes on the stage 25 Groom carefully 26 Kind of bean 27 Space widths 28 Trifling amounts 29 Sacked out 31 Prayer-wheel turners 33 Beeper 34 Glowing coal 35 Students’ quarters 37 Wife, to a lawyer 39 Look over to rob 41 Quick lunches

© 2012 United Features Syndicate

PREVIOUS DAY’s puzzle solved:

Today’s crossword sponsored by:

52 -- -carotene 55 1950s prez 56 Tunnel 58 Lao-Tzu’s “way”

59 That, to Pedro 60 Shook hands 61 Conniving

B

HOROSCOPE STELLA WILDER

orn today, you are one of the most observant individuals born under your sign, and if you cultivate this ability as much as possible throughout your lifetime, it will give you a rare insight and wisdom that, in turn, will give you many advantages in life. Even when you are quite young, however, you seem to know and understand things that may elude those much older than yourself; you seem to have your finger on the pulse of humanity and can explain even mankind’s most unusual, perverse and destructive behavior.

There are times when you let your brain do too much of the work and avoid letting your heart become involved -- and this kind of imbalance can be unfair to others and to yourself as well. If you want to be truly happy, you must engage your heart as well as your head; this kind of balance is necessary to your health and well-being.

Also born on this date are: Chris Kattan, comedian; Evander Holyfield, boxer; Divine, female impersonator; John Lithgow, actor; Peter Max, artist; Robert Reed, actor; John Le Carre, author; Jack Anderson, columnist.

To see what is in store for you tomorrow, find your birthday and read the corresponding paragraph. Let your birthday star be your daily guide.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20 LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- That which has been planned

COLLEGE INTUITION RICHIE BATES COMIng soon

for some time may not be able to happen without you making a few key adjustments to the original idea.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -A surprise development today will require your immediate attention; keep your eyes and ears open, and be sure you have up-to-date information.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- You’re not likely to enjoy the kind of work that is in store for you -- but if you do it with good humor, it can lead to something else.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- You may find yourself in charge of others in a way that you had never fully expected -- though it may have been something you secretly desired.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- You’ll have to take orders from someone else on at least one or two occasions today; do your best to maintain a positive outlook.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Your plans are sure to go awry if you are unwilling to listen to the advice of those who have been in your shoes before.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Another’s natural gravitational pull will be impossible to resist today. You’ll find yourself with a new friend by day’s end!

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- You may have to take the blame for something that was NOT your fault, and which you knew nothing about to begin with.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Late in the day you’ll come to realize that not everything is as it seems -- and some last-minute adjustments will have to be made.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -Issues that are rather complex are likely to demand your attention today. You can do much to alleviate a tricky situation.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- You are expected to do something that you do not know how to do -- but there is time to learn how you can get it done your own way.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Be sure to follow the timetable that you worked so hard on. The moment you begin to improvise you may experience a setback.

COPYRIGHT 2012 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE, INC.

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su | do | ku © Puzzles by Pappocom

Fill in the grid so that every row, column, and 3x3 grid contains the digits 1 through 9.

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HARD

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6

Diversions

THE DIAMONDBACK | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2012

TYLER PERRY STARS IN TYLER PERRY’S ALEX CROSS (TYLER PERRY)

ON THE BLOG

Tyler Perry, star of Tyler Perry films such as Tyler Perry’s Diary of a Mad Black Woman, brings his unique Tyler Perry-ness to the new, Tyler Perry-starring adaptation of James Patterson’s Alex Cross, which Zachary Berman finds lacking despite the presence of Tyler Perry. Tyler Perry! For more, visit diamondbackonline.com.

REVIEW | SMASHED

requiem for a drink

By Warren Zhang Senior staff writer Smashed opens with an assault of impressionistic images: Kate (Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) goes out drinking with her husband Charlie (Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul); she picks up a homeless vagrant; the vagrant cajoles her into smoking some crack and Kate wakes up in the middle of nowhere.

It’s a series of events the film decides

to repeat a few moments later, just in case you didn’t get the point. Not long afterward, Kate reaches her nadir whilst urinating in a liquor store and decides to sober up. Charlie, on the other hand, couldn’t fathom living without the juice.

By now, you’ve probably clued into where Smashed is heading. The rather predictable and flimsy script is easily the worst part of the film. However, the stunning performances from the cast and James Ponsoldt’s (Off the Black) finely tuned direction elevate the film

to emotionally devastating heights.

Ponsoldt shoots this film with a hungover mentality.

Colors are muted, and the camera lurches and bobs to simulate that certain tipsy feeling associated w ith multiple rounds of whiskey.

Un l i k e , s a y, Re q uie m fo r a D re a m , S m a s h e d remains far more interested in its characters than in demonizing the bottle, yet lacks the insight to give the characters

depth. Part of the movie’s message is that alcoholism defines these characters’ lives, but the lack of characterization undermines the drama.

It’s ha rd to be invested in Octavia Spencer’s (The Help) newly sober cook when she’s just a talking head. Nick Offerman’s (Casa de mi Padre) perverted vice principal almost doesn’t get enough screen time to make an impression,

despite being vital to the story.

Acutely observed human drama isn’t Smashed’s forte. Fortunately, whenever Ponsoldt eases off of the story throttle and simply unleashes Kate’s sobriety on Charlie’s alcoholism, Smashed comes alive.

Winstead is revelatory as the newlysober Kate, alternatingly heartbreaking, loathsome and pathetic. Paul, similarly, delivers a stellar turn even though his character remains largely inert. The two have astonishing chemistry together; it’s rare that a married couple in a movie actually feels and acts like a married couple, paralleling See SMASHED, Page 2

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2EVEN FRIDAY, October 19, 2012 | SPORTS | THE DIAMONDBACK

THE DIAMONDBACK THE DIAMONDBACK | XXXDAY, | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER AUGUST XX, 31, 20127

HURRICANES From PAGE 8 of play in general … it added a lot of emotion. It was really a circus, to be honest. The lack of management of the game itself just didn’t control things.”

The on-field tussle overshadowed a disappointing overtime loss for Morgan’s squad. Terps goalkeeper Rachelle Beanlands collided with defender Domenica Hodak in the 97th minute, leaving the goal wide open. Hurricanes midfielder Jordan Roseboro easily put the ball away, and Hodak was carried off the field.

“This was a really disappointing loss for our team and our program,” Morgan said.

“We had an opportunity to do something great … and we didn’t take that opportunity.”

T he Terps (11-4-2, 6-2-1 ACC) had another opportunity, too, Morgan said. They had the chance to develop as a team in intense and aggressive situations against Miami (8-6-2, 3-4-1), but the Terps didn’t react how Morgan had wanted and instead, his leading scorer was escorted from the premises.

“We had an opportunity tonight to grow in adverse conditions when things got hot and heavy, and instead we didn’t handle the situation the right

HEELS From PAGE 8 play, but the confidence of getting the [leader] back.”

W hile the Tar Heels are getting a main source of their offense back, the Terps’ offense is hoping to continue its success this year. But in addition to being a matchup between the top two teams in the country, tonight’s game also features the ACC’s top offense and defense squaring off.

Forward Hayley Brock was one of three players ejected last night. charlie deboyace/the diamondback way,” he said. “We got caught up into the emotions. We got caught up into some things that didn’t matter, and in turn we let it affect our play and our composure. That was our own doing tonight.”

But as serious as the fight was and as physical as the match seemed — University Police squad cars were even called to monitor the parking lot until the field was cleared — it wasn’t the fi rst time midfielder Olivia Wagner had noticed high aggression in conference play.

“That’s the nature of the ACC,” she sa id . “It’s t he most physical conference in the country, and we know that

going into every single game.

It happens. It’s a competitive sport. It’s a physical sport.

It’s emotional. … Sometimes your emotions just get the better of you.”

Those emotions, though, contributed to a Terps loss last night. Although three players were ejected, the tension was building long before bodies were shoved to the ground.

“It’s pretty easy to point at the Hayley Brock incident,” Morgan said, “but I think we lost some of that composure well before that. It’s just disappointing on a lot of levels.”

Tar Heels goalkeeper Scott Goodwin has posted shutouts in 10 of 13 games this season, allowing just three goals. The Terps, on the other hand, have scored at least three goals in seven games this season and feature three players with at least five goals.

“I think it’s going to be a quick, fast-paced game that’ll be exciting to watch,” forward Patrick Mullins said. “I think that’s something UNC-Maryland games have provided as a brand the past couple years. It’s going to be entertaining soccer, fast-paced and just very tough and intense.”

The Terps have prepared for games like tonight’s since the start of the season. They opened

the year with consecutive games against teams that started the year in the preseason top 10 (Louisville and UCLA) and have survived tough nonconference matchups against College of Charleston and Rutgers.

But nothing so far will match what the Terps will experience tonight. The spectacle, the familiarity, the stakes — it’s the Terps’ biggest game this season.

In the end, though, Mullins said, it is just soccer.

“If it was on our practice field right now, it would be the same intensity it will be tomorrow,” Mullins said. “But, obviously, you’ve got to do it underneath the lights and TV.”

sportsdbk@gmail.com

sportsdbk@gmail.com

Defensive end Joe Vellano called the Terps’ homecoming matchup with ACC rival N.C. State tomorrow “the biggest game of the season this year, right now.” file photo/the diamondback

WOLFPACK From PAGE 8 the end — really fi nishing.”

And for the most part, it’s worked. The Terps (4-2, 2-0 ACC) claimed early leads and held on to win games against Temple and the Cavaliers, dug out of holes to defeat William & Mary and Wake Forest and nearly completed a comeback in a loss to Connecticut.

Quarterback Perry Hills can be credited for much of that success. Though he’s completed just 53 percent of his throws in the first three quarters this season, the freshman has compi led 390 passi ng yards and two touchdowns on 24-of-35 passing in the fourth quarter — a completion rate of nearly 70 percent.

“I hate to lose, I’m competitive, and whatever it comes down to, I just want to get the job done and lead my team down the field,” Hills said Wednesday. “I don’t want to disappoint

them, so I put everything I have into the fourth quarter.”

Hills wasn’t around for last year’s game, but he said he’s gotten a sense that revenge is on a lot of his teammates’ minds.

And after what happened in Raleigh, N.C., last season, no one could really blame them.

Mike Glennon — who totaled six touchdowns against the Terps last season — is still the Wolfpack’s (4-2, 1-1) quarterback, and many of the Terps’ defenders who played in that game are still on the team this year.

The Terps are off to a 4-2 start and are two wins away from bowl eligibility. Like they did last year against N.C. State, they got off to a hot start. Now, defensive end Joe Vellano said they have to fi nish it.

“We definitely owe them guys,” Vellano said. “This is the biggest game of the season this year, right now. We’re all in on this game, and we got to really take it to them.” sportsdbk@gmail.com

TWEET OF THE DAY

“There will be an in-depth piece on my life story tomorrow in the Diamondback…

I hope its a good one.”

A.J. Francis @The_Franchyze Terps football defensive end

Sports

TERPS SPORTS ON DISPLAY

ON THE WEB

The Terrapins field hockey and volleyball teams are playing this weekend. For more, visit diamondbackonline.com.

Page 8

FRIDAY, october 19, 2012

TERPS GAMEDAY

THE MATCHUP

MARYLAND TERRAPINS

N.C. STATE WOLFPACK

4-2, 2-0 ACC

4-2, 1-1 ACC

WHEN Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

WHERE Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium TV ESPNU LINE Wolfpack by 4.5 DATA The Terps led N.C. State 34-14 at halftime last season, but gave up 35 points in the fourth quarter in a 56-41 loss.

TERPS TRACKER 2012 TEAM STATS TERPS

WOLFPACK

Passing (YPG)

196.2

280.2

Rushing (YPG)

71.3

145.3

Total

267.5

425.5

Points per game

21.8

28.0

Opponents’ PPG

20.3

20.5

SERIES HISTORY ALL-TIME SERIES LAST MEETING

Tied, 32-32-4 Nov. 26, 2011 Loss, Wolfpack 56, Terps 41

INJURY REPORT QB C.J. BROWN - Knee - Out for season DL ANDRE MONROE - Knee - Out for season PK NICK FERRARA - Hip - Out for season WR KERRY BOYKINS - Hip/Groin - Out OL BENNETT FULPER - Foot - Out DB MATT ROBINSON - Groin - Out OL SAL CONABOY - Ankle - Doubtful RB WES BROWN - Shoulder - Questionable OL JUSTIN GILBERT - Knee - Questionable DL JUSTIN ANDERSON - Ankle - Questionable OL DE’ONTE ARNETT - Ankle - Probable OL NICK KLEMM - Knee - Probable DL DARIUS KILGO - Ankle - Probable DL A.J. FRANCIS - Back - Probable DL JOE VELLANO - Foot - Probable LB DARIN DRAKEFORD - Thigh - Probable LB L.A. GOREE - Neck - Probable LB KENNETH TATE - Knee - Probable

Coach Randy EdsalL’s Terps held a 20-point lead over N.C. State entering the fourth quarter of their Nov. 26 matchup last year, but they allowed 35 unanswered points to fall, 56-41, in their season finale.

file photo/the diamondback

‘we all remember’

After blowing fourth-quarter lead in defeat last year, Terps look to finish against N.C. State

By Josh Vitale Senior staff writer Ten months and 24 days ago, the Terrapins football team began the fourth quarter at Carter-Finley Stadium with a 20-point lead against N.C. State. They were a dismal 2-9 at that point, but a victory over the Wolfpack in the season fi nale would have sent the Terps into the offseason on a positive note.

Only it wouldn’t happen that way.

N.C. State scored 35 unanswered p oi nts i n t he f i n a l 15 m i nutes,

turning a 20-point deficit into a 15point lead and sending the Terps home with a 56-41 loss.

“That game hurt a lot,” linebacker Demetrius Hartsfield said. “To go out like that was just bad. I think we all remember that.”

Randy Edsall has said numerous times this season he doesn’t like to reflect on last year. But this week, he likely couldn’t help it. In his Tuesday press conference previewing the Terps’ homecoming matchup with the Wolfpack at Byrd Stadium tomorrow, the second-year coach’s opening

WOMEN’S SOCCER

statement revolved around one key motif: fi nishing.

“We had two opportunities [against Virginia] the other day to really put the game away, and those are the th ings, as we continue to move forward and we get into the second half of the season, we got to get better,” Edsall said. “Kind of put the dagger in people.”

Finishing off games is something the Terps weren’t able to do last year.

After cornerback Cameron Chism’s interception return for a touchdown sealed the team’s season-opening win

over Miami, the Terps slid straight downhill. They blew halftime leads in losses to Clemson and N.C. State as they lost 10 of their fi nal 11 games.

So in spring practice, summer workouts and early this season, the Terps have stressed the importance of fi nishing games.

“With the strength staff, with every drill we did, we focused on doing the drill right the whole time,” guard Justin Gilbert said. “Not just starting fast and sort of tapering off towards See WOLFPACK, Page 7

MEN’S SOCCER

Stage set for meeting of conference powers No. 1 Terps host No. 2 North Carolina tonight

By Daniel Gallen Senior staff writer

Forward Hayley Brock (right, center) is held back by her teammates after getting into a fight during the Terps’ 1-0 loss to Miami last night. charlie deboyace/the diamondback

Terps, ’Canes brawl at Ludwig Three players get red cards in team’s 1-0 loss to Miami last night

By Erin Egan Senior staff writer The Terrapins women’s soccer team did something last night it hadn’t done through 16 games this season: It brawled.

After Hayley Brock was taken down around midfield, a fight broke out between the Terps forward and several Miami players. Fists were thrown, hair was pulled and players were ejected. Two or three fans were also kicked out of the game after jumping over the fence in an attempt

to join or break up the fight.

Brock earned a red card along with Miami’s Kate Howarth and Maddie Simms. All three were escorted from the field and are not eligible to play in their next games, meaning Brock won’t be on the pitch with the Terps when they host No. 1 Florida State on Sunday.

“There were a lot of late hits and a lot of pulling of jerseys,” midfielder Becky Kaplan said after the Terps suffered a 1-0 loss in the 98th minute.

Athletic Director Kevin Anderson and university President Wallace

Loh watched from the sidelines as the two ACC teams brawled across the field with just more than two minutes left in regulation.

The fi ght was not a random outburst, though. Tension was high the whole game, as there were 29 fouls and three yellow cards in addition to the three red cards handed out.

“This game certainly was the most intense game that we’ve played this year,” coach Jonathan Morgan said. “I think that the nature of Miami’s style See HURRICANES, Page 7

Ludwig Field has hosted its share of crucial games for the Terrapins men’s soccer team through the years. From nationally touted matchups to NCAA Tournament runs, the Terps’ home has a storied history that will be added to again tonight.

There, the No. 1 Terps will host No. 2 North Carolina in a matchup to take control of the ACC and assert national dominance.

The Tar Heels are the defending national champions. The Terps are off to their best start since 1968.

A sellout crowd is expected, and ESPNU will televise the game to a national audience.

The stage is set.

“We’re going to be on a pedestal, and so are they,” goalkeeper Keith Cardona said. “It’s a clash of the titans, and we’ll see who comes out on top.”

For the fourth consecutive year, the Terps (12-0-1, 5-0-0 ACC) and Tar Heels (11-1-1, 4-0-1) are ranked in the top five at the time of their matchup.

Tonight’s game, though, should take on a slightly different atmosphere than in the past.

Three-hundred sixty-four days ago, the Terps traveled to Chapel Hill, N.C., for the teams’ annual matchup.

But North Carolina was on fall break.

Only 1,175 fans attended the 1-1 draw,

a far cry from the Terps’ average attendance of 3,141.

“It definitely wasn’t an atmosphere like we’re going to have tomorrow,” Cardona said yesterday. “I wouldn’t say bad blood, but it’s an ACC rivalry.

Us, whenever we play UNC, whenever we play Wake Forest, or a Duke or a Virginia, it’s going to be a crazy game.

Things may get chippy. We just have to keep our cool.”

The Tar Heels may have graduated most of their key contributors from last season’s championship team, but they’ve gotten a boost in recent weeks. UNC forward Rob Lovejoy, who started all 26 games and recorded 19 points (seven goals, five assists) last season, was expected to miss the season and redshirt following hip surgery.

But 13 games into North Carolina’s season, the junior returned — in high fashion, too. Lovejoy began last Saturday’s game at College of Charleston as a reserve. But in 43 minutes off the bench, the Greensboro, N.C., native notched a hat trick and led a team that had scored one goal or fewer in more than half its games to a 3-0 victory.

“They’ve got not only six quality attacking players that they can rotate,” coach Sasho Cirovski said. “Getting Lovejoy back is a big boost for them for sure. I’m sure, not only with his See HEELS, Page 7

Homecoming Football Preview Friday, October 19, 2012

The book of A.J. Francis “You’ve got to understand who you are ...

You can change, but who really wants to?

If you could be voluptuous,

why wouldn’t you?”

2EVEN 2

FRIDAY, October 19, 2012 | HOMECOMING THE DIAMONDBACK THE FOOTBALL DIAMONDBACK PREVIEW | XXXDAY, | FRIDAY, |SEPTEMBER THEAUGUST DIAMONDBACK XX, 31, 2012

Larger than life Six things you may not know about Terps defensive end A.J. Francis

Defensive End A.J. Francis (clockwise from left) as a baby; with his parents; Mike and Carrie, at their wedding; in front of his car as a high school student and with his mom after a Terps game. The senior has started every game for the Terps this season. photos courtesy of carrie francis

By Connor Letourneau Senior staff writer It’s Mike Francis’ day to play stay-at-home dad. His wife, Carrie Francis, is at work, leaving him to look after their 3-year-old son until he heads off to stock shelves at Walmart.

Shots ring out. Before Mike can figure out what’s going on, a man bursts through the front

door of the family’s Severn home, sprints through the living room and darts out the back.

Mike rushes to the front window and sees a man with a pistol walking up his driveway.

“Wait, wait, wait!” Mike screams. “He don’t live here!

He don’t live here!”

T he man with the pistol dashes down the street. Mike turns around to find his son A.J.,

an unusually large child, sitting on the living room couch.

Mike doesn’t know it yet, but his son will grow to be 6-foot-5 and a colossal 305 pounds. He will land a major Division I football scholarship as a defensive lineman and eventually help anchor a Terrapins football defense that ranks top-10 nationally.

He will become a collegiate

standout, better known for his wit than for his sacks or blocked field goals.

He will garner headlines w ith h is v iv id accou nt of “Grandpa Shaky,” his now-91year-old, Jheri-curled greatgrandfather who supposedly buried $100,000 in his mattresses. He will write a TerpsCONTINUED ON 3

2EVEN FRIDAY, October 19, 2012 | HOMECOMING FOOTBALL PREVIEW | THE DIAMONDBACK

CONTINUED FROM 2 inspired rap song the women’s lacrosse team will play during pregame warmups.

He will become the only amateur athlete on Sports Illustrated’s second-annual Twitter 100, a list of the best people to follow on the social network. The honor will recognize his commitment to giving his 3,113 followers (as of Thursday night) a constant stream of comical musings on topics ranging from professional wrestling to political debates.

But t hose publ ic a nt ics obscure the real story of A.J. He’s a guy who emerged unscathed from a violent, drugridden neighborhood with the support of his parents. He’s a guy who has helped his family through trying times and who does things — such as musical theater — most other top athletes avoid. He’s a guy who plans — not hopes, plans — to run the entire state of Maryland someday.

“I’m an open book, man,” A.J. said Tuesday. “I want people to think about things I’ve gone through because I feel like I can be an example for people who have gone through similar things to not give up.”

1. He doesn’t care about money.

Carrie had just graduated f rom M e a d e S e n ior H i g h School i n A n ne A ru ndel County and had designs of entering the Air Force to begin a career in military intelligence.

College wasn’t for her, she fi gured, so she might as well serve her country.

Her plans quickly changed, however, when the 17-yearold learned she was pregnant with her first child. Instead of joining the Air Force, she’d sp end her d ays ch a n g i n g diapers and keeping house.

Carrie moved into a modest home in Pioneer City town-

hou ses, a n i mp over i shed neighborhood in Severn, with her longtime boyfriend Mike.

The couple married when A.J. was 2 years old and did its best to make ends meet. Mike stocked shelves at Walmart overnight and did car appraisals for an auto auction during the day. Carrie took a job booking flights for America West Airlines.

As time wore on, it became increasingly clear Pioneer City was no place to raise a child.

Some of their neighbors were dealing drugs, others were trafficking stolen goods.

The breaking point came when a suspect in a drug deal gone awry ran through the family home and, weeks later, a 3-year-old A.J. picked up a crack pipe while taking a stroll through the neighborhood with his grandparents.

Carrie’s father, who worked for the Department of Defense and helped out when money was tight, went house-hunti n g w it h Ca r r ie’s mot her that day. The Francis family m o v e d i n t o We d g e w o o d Forest, a middle-class duplex community on the other side of Severn, later that month.

After that, the family’s circumstances steadily improved.

Carrie and Mike went back to school and got higher-paying jobs. Carrie started working for Verizon, while Mike began coaching and counseling at Glen Burnie’s North County High School.

They made enough for A.J. to have everything he needed to lead a well-rounded life — cable TV, a small recording studio in his room and football gear.

W hen A .J. en rol led at Gonzaga College High School, a Catholic school in Washington, he couldn’t help but notice his family fit into a different tax bracket than most of his classmates.

While many of his friends drove BMWs to school, A.J. slapped his alarm clock at 5

THE DIAMONDBACK THE DIAMONDBACK | XXXDAY, | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER AUGUST XX, 31, 20123

A.J. Francis (center) celebrates with classmates during his graduation ceremony at Gonzaga College High School, a private school in Washington, in 2008. a.m. each morning and walked to the MARC station. While teammates returned to luxurious homes in Potomac after practices, A.J. headed back to a duplex crammed with acquaintances, relatives and family friends — anyone in need of a place to crash.

Most of h is classmates’ parents covered Gonzaga’s $18,500 per year tuition. A.J. ea rned a schola rsh ip that covered 90 percent of the cost of attending, and his grandfather covered the rest.

Today, he looks back fondly on his time at Gonzaga. It was a welcoming place with a faculty and staff committed to developing well-rounded individuals.

It also helped him recognize the importance of being genuine. It made him respect people who don’t care about how much money his family has, people who love him for being himself.

“A.J. will hang out with

anyone,” said Jay Clark, A.J.’s best friend since elementary school. “It’s not about whether you’re an athlete or whatever.

It’s about if you’re real.”

2. He performed in three high school musicals.

When Mike was growing up in Pioneer City, he and h is friends th rew rocks at neighborhood children who played soccer.

K icking a ball into a net simply didn’t fit into their world view. Soccer was foreign, something their hardscrabble upbringings didn’t allow them to experience.

So they rejected it. They berated and injured kids who dared to be different. It was all they knew.

“It was more jealousy than anything,” Mike said.

When A.J. was born in 1990, Mike, who was 20 at the time, made a decision: His son would

ex perience every th i ng he didn’t. His son would dare to be different.

The father’s only requirement?

Whatever A.J. decided to do, he’d have to give it 100 percent.

T hat mea nt when A .J.’s mother signed him up for an elementary school fashion show, the 5-year-old had to strut down the walkway in his mini tuxedo with utmost confidence. That meant when he wrote a play for his middle school talent show, he had to make sure each word was chosen with precision. That m e a nt wh e n A .J. s t a r te d playing football for Severn Athletic Club as an 11-yearold, he couldn’t simply settle for being a decent player. He’d have to dominate.

“No one’s better than you,” Mike regularly told his son. “Life is not easy. Life is not promised to you. Life is not given to you.

I don’t care what it is; you must always strive to be the best.”

photo courtesy of carrie francis

For the most part, A.J. was the best at everything he did.

He maintained higher than a 3.5 GPA throughout middle and high school. He earned a reputation during his freshman year as the top rapper at Gonzaga. He played in the 2007 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, a game for top high school prospects.

And when a friend asked him to try out for the school musical his sophomore year, A.J. saw another opportunity to showcase his talents. After all, he’d already impressed teachers and classmates singing bass in the school chorus. Transferring those skills to the stage seemed a natural transition.

Francis landed the role of Big Jule, a gun-wielding gambler in Guys and Dolls. He loved everything about it — the response from the crowd, the challenge of playing an older CONTINUED ON 4

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A.J. Francis visited Australia often as a child. At 1 and a half years old, Francis accidentally broke a kangaroo’s leg, but helped nurse him back to health. photo courtesy of carrie francis CONTINUED FROM 3 character and the camaraderie with his cast mates.

He appeared in Annie the following spring, and earned a spot in West Side Story his senior year. Due to his massive frame, he was typecast as the elder authority figure.

Fra ncis d id n’t m i nd, though. He enjoyed the thrill of performing, of having a stage to showcase a largerthan-life persona.

“Just thinking back now,” A.J. said, “I’ve done so many weird things in my life. I don’t know why. All I know is it’s been fun.”

3. He’s struggled with mental illness in his family.

The Terps enjoyed a landmark season in 2010. After a 2-10 debacle the previous year, coach Ralph Friedgen’s squad tallied nine wins, including a Military Bowl victory.

It was also a notable campaign for A.J. The redshirt

sophomore started nine of the Terps’ 13 games and recorded a career-high 44 tackles.

But while his teammates spent Saturday nights celebrating the team’s newfound success at R.J. Bentley’s or Cornerstone, A.J. stayed in his dorm room and had three-to four-hour phone conversations with his mother.

On Aug. 23, 2010, just two weeks before the Terps’ season-opening win over Navy, A.J.’s parents separated. After careful discussions with his son, Mike said he agreed to leave the family home for two days. He never returned.

T he news couldn’t have come at a worse time for Carrie.

A year earlier, she was laid off from her job as an IT specialist and was suffering from debilitating arthritis and chronic migraines. It was around that same time she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, she said.

W hen M i ke moved out, Carrie said she became increasingly unstable. She was still in the process of finding

a proper medication regimen and was experiencing a range of emotions. One day, she’d be so depressed she could hardly get out of bed. The next, she’d have uncontrollable bouts of rage.

She felt a lone. She felt scared. Outside of her parents, the only thing that helped her make it through was the love and support of her only son.

A.J. called his mom nearly every day after practice that season to make sure she was holding up. Sometimes he’d call, and she’d have nothing to say. He’d stay on the phone with her for hours without uttering a word. Knowing he was there was enough to lift her spirits.

Today, Carrie’s doing much better. She lives in a basement apartment at her parents’ home with her 12-year-old daughter Meme, and her fits of rage are becoming increasingly rare. She found a medication that works for her, has come to terms with her divorce and makes it to all of her son’s home games.

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Still, every once in a while when she’s alone, she reflects on those darker days. She thinks about everything A.J. did for her in her time of need — every gesture of support, every “I love you” — and she cries.

“A.J. was my rock,” Carrie said as tears filled her eyes.

“He’s never been a mama’s boy, but he takes care of his mother.”

4. He started a pro-fat-guy “movement.”

The fi rst words Francis ever heard were, “Oh my God.” The doctor delivering him simply couldn’t believe his size. Measuring 2 feet and weighing nearly 10 pounds, A.J. was a baby giant.

And he just kept getting bigger. By the time he was 9 months old, he wore size-three shoes and T-shirts meant for toddlers. When he reached 18 months, he was already showing signs of the elite defensive

lineman he’d one day become.

As a 1-and-a-half-year-old, A.J. made his first of nine trips to Alice Springs, Australia — a midsize town in the country’s Northern Territory where his mother’s parents were stationed for 18 years.

There, he met Fletcher, a baby orphan kangaroo his grandparents had recently adopted, and began roughhousing with him. One misplaced step later and Fletcher had a broken leg. Normally, injured kangaroos are euthanized, but A.J.’s family decided to see how he’d fare wearing a cast. Over the next several we ek s, A .J. help e d nu rse Fletcher back to health.

Given his almost legendary appetite, it was perhaps a good thing A.J. didn’t have a taste for kangaroo. Ask a Terps football player about A.J. and he’ll almost surely launch into a story about the behemoth’s eating habits.

B e fo r e t ra n s fe r r i n g i n March, quarterback Danny O’Brien used to regale reporters with the tale of his visit with A.J. to the North Carolina-based restaurant CookOut. Then a redshirt sophomore, A.J. reportedly ate two full trays — two burgers, four sides, a milkshake and a 40ounce soda — in one sitting.

About two years ago, A.J. started championing a new cause, one that would allow him to eat as much as he wanted without scorn. He calls it “Fat Guy Friendly” and — like many things A.J. gets behind — it’s all about embracing one’s self.

“You’ve got to understand who you are,” A.J. said. “Being fat is like a lifestyle. It’s one of those things you can’t really r u n a w a y f ro m . Yo u c a n change, but who really wants to? If you could be voluptuous, why wouldn’t you?”

Outside of a series of hashtags littering A.J.’s Twitter account, there seems to be little to support his claim that “Fat

Guy Friendly” is a movement.

No rallies have been organized in its name. No clubs have formed in its honor.

Still, A.J. remains adamant it’s picking up steam.

“It has really caught fi re the last couple months man,” he said. “I’ve been using that term for a while. It’s one of those things — you keep chipping away at the tree, sooner or later it’s going to fall.”

5. He plans to become the governor of Maryland.

Francis was walking home from the school bus when an Anne Arundel County police officer stopped him on the sidewalk, flashed a gun and asked him to sit on the curb.

T he cop told A .J. he resembled someone suspected of robbing a nearby liquor store. Both were black and both were wearing New York Yankees sweatshirts. A.J. tried to explain he was 12 years old, a good six years younger than the suspect. He also argued he was wearing a different color sweatshirt than the alleged robber. His was blue, while the suspect’s was gray.

The officer didn’t buy it and pulled out his handcuffs to arrest the middle schooler, A.J. said.

Suddenly, the cashier who’d been robbed approached the cop. She said A.J. wasn’t the one who’d held her at gunpoint, and the officer let A.J. continue walking home.

Less than a year later, A.J. once again stared down the barrel of a gun. After pulling into a McDonald’s parking lot with his father to grab lunch, six officers told the Francises to put their hands on their heads. As black men driving a white truck, A.J. and Mike fit the description of two bank robbery suspects.

The cops were eventually CONTINUED ON 5

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THE DIAMONDBACK THE DIAMONDBACK | XXXDAY, | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER AUGUST XX, 31, 20125

CONTINUED FROM 4 persuaded they’d stopped the wrong men and moved on with their day. A.J. was shaken, though.

The 13-year-old begged his father for an explanation. He wanted to know why a kid who tried to stay out of trouble wou ld be accused of such heinous crimes.

“He told me that’s how it’s going to be my whole life as long as I look like as much of a menacing presence as I do,” A.J. said. “He told me, ‘Don’t ever forget moments like this, because you never know when they can happen again.’”

Those experiences — as well as numerous others like them — helped lay the groundwork for Francis’ political ambitions.

They strengthened his conviction that this state is burdened with systematic flaws, flaws that often work against underprivileged minorities.

And that’s why A.J. has a very specific political aim: He wants to be the governor of Maryland. After trying his luck in the NFL and maybe enjoying a few years wrestling in the WWE, he plans to run for governor as a Democrat.

T he d rea m orig i na l ly sprouted from a sixth-grade election. After losing a bid to serve as class president at Old Mill Middle School, a distraught A.J. decided he didn’t need to lead a group of 12-yearolds. He would simply govern the state.

Six years later, his ambition to follow in the footsteps of Gonzaga alumnus Gov. Martin O’Malley was so strong it played a critical role in his college decision. After weighing offers from a handful of ACC programs, A.J. narrowed his search to Georgia Tech and this university. Both schools fulfi lled his chief requirements of solid academics

Defensive End A.J. Francis (No. 96) said, “There’s nothing I can do to stop it. I’m always going to talk to the media. For some reason, you guys really, really like what I have to say.” charlie deboyace/the diamondback and proximity to a major city.

B ut t he Ter ps of fered something the Yellow Jackets couldn’t. A government and politics degree from this university would surely hold more weight come election time than a diploma from a Southern school. If A.J. was serious about living in the Governor’s Mansion, he figured, his options were limited.

“He could always be the governor of Maryland with a degree from the University of Maryland,” Mike said.

“Georgia Tech, not so much.”

A.J. made the most of his decision. He earned that government and politics degree in December, and interned this summer in the office of Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, the second-ranking Democrat in the House. A.J. is a vocal supporter of same-sex marriage, taking any available opportunity to encourage others to vote in favor

ofthe state referendum on the issue. He’s also adamant about expanding gambling in the state of Maryland, and has no qualms defending who and what he votes for in each election.

“I’m [political], but I’m not getting into any kind of political conversation with him,” linebacker Demetrius Hartsfield said with a chuckle. “He’ll just kill me. I wouldn’t want to get involved.”

A.J. doesn’t allow party lines to dominate his view of politics.

For him, the political process is about far more than elections and debates. It’s about making every voice heard, about helping people on society’s margins fi nd their way.

That’s why he hopes to establish a non-profit aimed at helping the children of Pioneer City. He saw drugs ruin childhood friends’ lives. He knows parents who have resorted to stealing food to feed their

ch i ld ren. He watched h is father struggle to provide a better life for his family, only to move back to Pioneer City when he was laid off in March 2010 from his counseling job at North County High School.

A.J. understands life will never be easy. He just wants to make it a bit less difficult.

“Everybody has an avenue that they can make themselves a better human being through,” A.J. said. “It’s just a matter of finding out what it is for you personally. That’s why my goal is to help people make it out of situations that might plague them currently.”

6. He doesn’t enjoy talking with the media.

A.J. struts into the Terps’ football team house with a Cheshire grin and takes his seat at an empty table in the room’s far corner.

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The reporters act quickly.

Some put down ham sandwiches; others leave players m i d -i n t e r v i e w. W i t h i n moments, a horde of recorders and microphones surround A.J. as he slowly leans back in his chair and exhales. He seems in his element.

But looks can be deceiving.

A.J. — the one who regularly holds court with reporters, the one who always seems to know precisely how to answer a question — does not look forward to addressing the media each week.

W h e n h e w a s yo u n ge r, sure, he relished the opportunity to entertain writers and broadcasters. It was new.

It was exciting.

But over the course of his five-year college career, his enthusiasm waned. He grew bored with the repetition, with the constant barrage of similar questions. For someone who aims to get the most out of every moment, sitting in a chair and breaking down opposing offenses gets taxing.

A .J. consta ntly treads a fine line during interviews.

He wants to say something unique, something interesting. He hates sounding like ever y ot her pl ayer who’s

ever sat in front of a microphone. Doi ng so wou ld go against the very essence of everything he represents.

At the same time, he tries to avoid being overly brash.

T he last thing he wants to do is provide the opposition bulletin-board material. He’s a lways awa re a m isplaced joke could hurt the week’s ultimate objective: winning on Saturdays.

The balancing act grows burdensome, especially for someone with a reputation for dazzling the media. He has an expectation to fulfill, and if there’s one thing he abhors, it’s letting people down.

“I understand it’s part of the deal,” he said. “It’s like front squats. I hate front squats. I know I’ve got to do them to get better, and talking to the media is part of playing college football. It’s just what it is.”

So A.J. accepts his role and tries to embrace it. He arrives at Gossett Team House’s Young Dining Hall each week — albeit a bit late sometimes — and puts on a show.

When a reporter asked him earlier this season how he’d feel facing former defensive coordinator Don Brown in an upcoming contest with Connecticut, he launched into a full-blown impersonation of the mustached coach. Mimicking Brown’s gravely bass, he detailed highlights of Brown’s pregame speech at the 2010 Military Bowl — complete with references to homicide and burial plots.

And when a writer asked him a few weeks ago about rabid West Virginia fans, he plainly explained that it makes sense Mountaineers supporters are overzealous. After all, he reasoned, there isn’t much to do in West Virginia. He should know. He has cousins there who hang out at Walmart on the weekends.

“It’s the nature of the beast,” A.J. said of his relationship w it h rep or te rs. “ T he re’s nothing I can do to stop it.

I’m always going to talk to the media. For some reason, you guys really, really like what I have to say.” sportsdbk@gmail.com

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contender or pretender?

Which teams have a chance to be ACC champions at the season’s halfway point?

ATLANTIC DIVISION

COASTAL DIVISION

Terps — CONTENDER (4-2, 2-0 ACC)

The ACC’s surprising leader at the halfway point of the season, the Terrapins football team has already surpassed expectations. The nation’s No. 9-ranked defense has carried the Terps throughout the early part of the season, and wide receiver Stefon Diggs has produced explosive plays on both offense and special teams. The Terps, however, will need to bolster their stagnant running game if they truly want to contend.

VIRGINIA TECH — CONTENDER (4-3, 2-1 ACC)

MIAMI — CONTENDER

No. 12 Florida State — CONTENDER (6-1, 3-1 ACC)

Florida State probably boasts the best all-around team in the ACC. If it weren’t for a stunning 17-16 upset at N.C. State on Oct. 6, the Seminoles might even be in the running to play in the BCS National Championship. Quarterback E.J. Manuel leads an offense averaging a league-high 46 points per game, and the team’s defense ranks No. 3 in the country. Florida State is one of the favorites in the ACC.

(4-3, 3-1 ACC)

No. 14 Clemson — CONTENDER (5-1, 2-1 ACC)

One of the most exciting teams in the sport, Clemson can and will score with the best of them. Quarterback Tajh Boyd and playmaking wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins shoulder the load for a scoring offense ranked No. 2 in the ACC. If the Tigers are going to compete for the ACC title, though, they’ll have to shore up a defense that’s allowing more than 27 points per game.

(4-2, 1-1 ACC)

(5-2, 2-1 ACC)

(3-3, 1-3 ACC)

(5-2, 2-1 ACC)

(1-5, 0-3 ACC)

Written by staff writers Joshua Needelman and Daniel Popper

Follow @DBKSports on Twitter for news, updates & more

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North Carolina is serving a one-year bowl ban, so its ability to win the ACC Championship is moot. That doesn’t mean it can’t play spoiler, though. The Tar Heels are ranked No. 21 in the country in scoring offense at 40.3 points per game and boast the No. 22-ranked defense in the nation. They can’t play for an Orange Bowl berth, but that doesn’t mean they can’t ruin one of their division rivals’ chances.

GEORGIA TECH — PRETENDER (2-4, 1-3 ACC)

BOSTON COLLEGE — PRETENDER

In the ACC, teams don’t get much worse than Boston College. The Eagles rank in the bottom half of the conference in nearly every major statistical category, both offensively and defensively. Quarterback Chase Rettig has compiled a respectable 1,653 passing yards and 11 touchdowns so far this year, but his performance won’t be enough to carry Boston College anywhere near contention.

Senior quarterback Sean Renfree leads this surprising Duke team, passing for 1,517 yards and 10 touchdowns for the nation’s No. 34-ranked scoring offense. But the team’s hot start has been marred by a suspect defense that allowed Virginia Tech to score 41 unanswered points in a comeback win last week. The Blue Devils’ record says they’re contenders, but they likely won’t earn the conference’s respect until they notch a marquee win.

NORTH CAROLINA — PRETENDER

WAKE FOREST — PRETENDER

Wake Forest has enough talent to win conference games, but the team is too filled with holes to compete this season. Its athletic department suspended eight players for a violation of team rules and star wide receiver Michael Campanaro has been forced to miss time with a broken hand. The Demon Deacons have a chance to make a bowl game, but it’s unlikely they’ll contend in the ACC with a decimated roster.

Despite concerns about Miami’s depth and experience, the Hurricanes sit atop the Coastal Division. Quarterback Stephen Morris has compiled 1,991 passing yards and nine touchdowns this season and leads a Hurricanes passing game ranked No. 24 in the nation at 296.9 yards per game. Miami can contend on the strength of its offense, but it’ll have to lock down a defense that’s allowing 32.3 points per game.

DUKE — CONTENDER

N.C. STate — PRETENDER

After its Oct. 6 upset of Florida State, N.C. State has a chance to potentially push itself into ACC contention.

Led by senior quarterback Mike Glennon, the Wolfpack have a balanced offensive attack. While its offense and defense don’t necessarily rank among the conference’s best, the team has proven it can win, something it will have to do against the division-leading Terps tomorrow if it wants to contend.

Ranked No. 16 in the AP preseason poll, Virginia Tech has struggled to meet expectations. The Hokies lost three of four games from Sept. 15 to Oct. 6, including a defeat at the hands of lowly Pittsburgh. Led by star quarterback Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech is still deep and talented enough to contend for the division crown.

If they’re going to challenge for the ACC title, though, the Hokies will have to be more consistent.

In true Yellow Jackets fashion, Georgia Tech lives and dies by the run. Led by quarterback Tevin Washington, its triple-option attack ranks No. 3 in the nation with 331 rushing yards per game. The Yellow Jackets’ defense, though, hasn’t been so successful. They have allowed 30.2 points per game this season, and they’ve given up 42 points or more in each of their past three games. They’ll have to improve on that side of the ball if they want to contend.

VIRGINIA — PRETENDER (2-5, 0-3 ACC)

Virginia had high hopes entering the season, but an 0-3 start in conference play has dampened its expectations. Its run game is just as solid as it has been in years past, but the quarterback duo of Michael Rocco and Phillip Sims has been less than impressive. Couple that with a defense that ranks No. 102 in scoring defense, and it looks like the Cavaliers have little hope of an ACC title game berth.

2EVEN FRIDAY, October 19, 2012 | HOMECOMING FOOTBALL PREVIEW | THE DIAMONDBACK

VITALE From PAGE 8 team that can make things happen as well.”

Unfortunately for the Terps, those other guys haven’t made things happen for quarterback Perry Hills. Marcus Leak, the team’s No. 2 receiver, has 299 yards on 19 catches — more than 150 fewer yards on only two fewer catches — and senior wide receiver Kevin Dorsey has just eight catches this season.

The running game has been even worse. The Terps’ 71.33 rush yards per game rank No. 118 in the nation, and only one of their four starting running backs — Diggs’ high school teammate Wes Brown — is averaging more than 3 yards per carry.

Diggs has been the only real constant on offense. He leads the team in receptions, total yards and receiving touchdowns. He’s been named the ACC Rookie of the Week twice.

And he’s always one missed tackle away from a gamechanging play.

He caught a tipped pass for a 29-yard touchdown in the Terps’ loss to Connecticut. He scored catch-and-run touchdowns of 42 and 56 yards in the Terps’ loss at West Virginia. His latest feat wasn’t on offense, but on special teams, as he returned the opening kickoff 100 yards to score the team’s fi rst points in a win at Virginia last week.

Overall, more than a third of Diggs’ catches this season have gone for more than 20 yards, and he’s averaging 21.6 yards per reception — nearly eight more yards than Hills’ average per completion.

BY THE NUMBERS

6

Number of games Diggs has played in his Terps career

21

Number of receptions Diggs has through six games this season

453

Number of receiving yards Diggs has compiled this year

21.6

Number of yards Diggs averages per reception, a team-high

3

Number of receiving touchdowns Diggs has caught this season

1,013

Number of all-purpose yards Diggs has totaled so far So why doesn’t he get the ball more?

Edsall and offensive coordinator Mike Locksley should take a page out of the Mountaineers’ playbook. Their star wide receiver Tavon Austin — who Diggs drew favorable compari-

THE DIAMONDBACK THE DIAMONDBACK | XXXDAY, | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER AUGUST XX, 31, 20127

sons to heading into the teams’ Sept. 22 meeting — never goes too long without getting his hands on the football. He’s compiled 851 yards and eight touchdowns on 75 offensive touches this season, which includes a 13-catch, 179-yard, three-touchdown performance in a win over the Terps.

Sure, those lofty numbers are unattainable in College Park — Edsall ru ns a conservative offense and Hills has just 85 completions this season — but Diggs has the talent to make an Austin-like impact on the Terps.

Austi n plays i n the slot and out of the backfield. He receives passes and runs the ball. There’s no reason to think Diggs can’t do the same.

He’s shown he can turn a short out route into a 50-yard touchdown. He’s shown he can catch a downfield pass as well as any receiver on the roster.

And he’s shown he can be an absolute terror when he has room to catch and run.

“I’m just trying to make a play, just trying to do my job,” Diggs said last month.

“Big players make big plays in big games.”

Diggs is a big player. He’s made big plays. He’s had big games.

B ut he’s avera g i n g ju s t 4 .7 to u c h e s p e r g a m e . I f the Terps ca n double that nu mb er, t hose bi g ga mes could become monstrous. sportsdbk@gmail.com

Wide receiver Stefon Diggs has been the Terps’ top playmaker all season, averaging a team-high 21.6 yards per reception in his freshman season. charlie deboyace/the diamondback

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Terps’ biggest need?

More Diggs Top playmaker should get more touches JOSH VITALE Every time Stefon Diggs touches the football, he makes something happen.

It’s been easy to see. He’s only played six games in his Terrapins football career, but he’s already established himself as undoubtedly the team’s top playmaker. The freshman has amassed 483 yards on just 28 offensive touches this season, an average of more than 17 yards per play.

That’s one of the biggest problems facing the Terps at the halfway point of the season, though. If Diggs is the top weapon on an offense lacking firepower, why is he averag i ng fewer tha n five touches a game? Why isn’t he

getting the ball every play?

Coach Randy Edsall has answered this question before.

He’s spoken glowingly about the freshman’s maturity, his knowledge of the game and his penchant for making the big play. Despite the praise, though, the second-year coach seems intent on transitioning him to the college game slowly.

“He is just a true freshman, so we want to bring him along at a pace that is good for him and good for our team to make sure that we do not overload h im to the point where he cannot be as productive as his abilities would allow,” Edsall said earlier this month. “He Wide receiver Stefon Diggs, the Terps’ leading receiver, is averaging more than 17 yards per play this season, but is getting fewer than five offensive touches per game. file photo/the diamondback has been involved, but we are extremely fortunate that we have some other guys on our See VITALE, Page 7