Posted by Chip Patterson

Former Maryland quarterback Danny O'Brien will no longer be restricted from transferring to Vanderbilt, the school announced on Wednesday.

The Baltimore Sun first reported Wednesday that Danny O'Brien, offensive lineman Max Garcia, and linebacker Mario Rowson are all no longer restricted from accepting aid from Vanderbilt to play football. When the trio was released from their scholarship, they were reportedly restricted from transferring to any future ACC opponents, West Virginia, Temple, and Vanderbilt.

More On O'Brien

Doyel: Edsall's hypocrisy show's in O'Brien's transfer Feldman: O'Brien expected to appeal Vandy ban Franklin denies tampering allegations What's next for Danny O'Brien?

The school released an official statement from head coach Randy Edsall.

“While at first I thought it was important to limit the institutions to which they could transfer, I have since reconsidered my decision” Edsall said in a statement. “At the end of the day, I want what’s best for these guys and I wish them well in their futures.

“As a program we are looking forward to putting this distraction behind us and to moving forward. Spring practice opens on March 10 and we can’t wait to get back out on the field.”

All of those schools, except the Commodores, are slated to appear on Maryland's schedule in the near future. Vanderbilt was reportedly added because of concerns with head coach James Franklin, the former offensive coordinator at Maryland under Ralph Friedgen.

“I am pleased to be able to move on and pursue a graduate degree and continue my athletic career at the school of my choosing.” O’Brien said in a statement. “I would like to thank Coach Edsall for his support throughout this process.”

According to the Baltimore Sun, Maryland believes that O'Brien had been in contact with Franklin, possibly violating NCAA tampering rules. The school has opted to allow the three players to transfer, but has filed an official complaint against Vanderbilt through the ACC.

“We have been informed by the Southeastern Conference that the Atlantic Coast Conference has filed a formal complaint involving Vanderbilt University football on behalf of one of its members," Vanderbilt vice chancellor of athletics David Williams said in an official statement. "We are complying with SEC and Vanderbilt procedures and are conducting an investigation on the matter.”

James Franklin denied tampering allegations in an apperance on Nashville radio last week.

“I don’t like innuendos and comments being made about tampering and things like that,” Franklin told 104.5 The Zone. “You guys know me. I’m the type of guy, I’m going to have relationships with my players. I hope to have relationships with the guys that play for me for the rest of my life.

“But the fact that people would make accusations that we tampered or did this or did that, again, I’m just going to defend our program and defend our character and how we do things. But I think it’s ridiculous to think that I’m not going to have relationships with these kids after I leave places.”

In addition to Vanderbilt, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Stanford have all been listed as possible landing spots for O'Brien. Last week, The Washington Post reported that Mississippi, Arizona, South Florida, and East Carolina have all shown interest in O'Brien immediately following the transfer announcement.

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Posted by Chip Patterson

One of the many twists and turns in the transfer of Maryland quarterback Danny O'Brien has been the reported stipulation that prevents O'Brien from accepting financial aid from Vanderbilt. It is common for hopeful transfers to be blocked from future opponents - O'Brien also cannot accept aid from future ACC opponents, West Virginia, and Temple - but the Commodores are not currently on any future Terrapins schedule.

No Maryland officials, including head coach Randy Edsall, have elaborated on why Vanderbilt is not an acceptable landing place for O'Brien, but it is likely because of former Terps offensive coordinator James Franklin. Franklin was O'Brien's offensive coordinator, and thought to be a candidate to replace Ralph Friedgen, before accepting the head coaching job at Vanderbilt. Speaking to a local radio station, Franklin addressed the allegations regarding his involvement in O'Brien's departure.

“I don’t like innuendos and comments being made about tampering and things like that,” Franklin told 104.5 The Zone in Nashville.  “You guys know me. I’m the type of guy, I’m going to have relationships with my players. I hope to have relationships with the guys that play for me for the rest of my life.

“But the fact that people would make accusations that we tampered or did this or did that, again, I’m just going to defend our program and defend our character and how we do things. But I think it’s ridiculous to think that I’m not going to have relationships with these kids after I leave places.”

Todd Willert, O'Brien's high school coach, told CBSSports.com's Bruce Feldman he expects the quarterback's family to appeal Edsall's reported restriction in order to have the option to transfer to Vanderbilt.

"I believe they will," said Willert. "This weekend, Danny and his family will sort through everything. They think (Vandy) should be an option but I don't know exactly what they'll decide. It should be an option for him.  Just be fair to everybody. Danny has no ill will towards anybody."

O'Brien is set to earn his undergraduate degree from Maryland this spring, and will be eligible to compete immediately as long as he enrolls in a graduate program not offered in College Park. It is the same transfer rule that allowed Russell Wilson to compete right away at Wisconsin. Unlike Wilson, O'Brien will still have two full years of eligibility once he joins a program.

Willert told CBSSports.com there has been a lot of interest, but would not reveal what schools have attempted to contact O'Brien. In addition to Vanderbilt; Stanford, Michigan State, Wisconsin, East Carolina, and Ole Miss are all believed to be in the mix.

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Posted by Chip Patterson

When Maryland announced that quarterback Danny O'Brien would be among the latest group to leave the football program, head coach Randy Edsall said he was "disappointed" in the decision. On Tuesday, O'Brien released a statement to the media regarding his decision to transfer.

After careful thought, contemplation, prayer, and consultation with my family, we have come to a consensus that it is in my best interest to continue my educational and athletic endeavors elsewhere.  This was a very difficult decision, one which I did not take lightly. I will forever cherish the friendships of teammates, academic and athletic support staff, fellow students, professors, and of course Terp fans.

Playing at Byrd Stadium and experiencing college life in College Park will remain as unforgettable experiences for the rest of my life. I certainly wish nothing but the best to the team next season and for years to come.  I look forward to completing one of my established goals of graduating from the University of Maryland this spring and becoming a proud alumnus of this great institution.

Danny O’Brien

O'Brien's transfer release excludes all upcoming ACC opponents, upcoming non-conference opponents West Virginia and Temple, as well as Vanderbilt. Current Commodores' head coach James Franklin was offensive coordinator at Maryland during O'Brien's 2010 ACC Rookie of the Year campaign, and there is speculation the two have remained close while the quarterback pondered his future.

Franklin declined to comment Monday when asked if Danny O'Brien would transfer to Vanderbilt.

It is possible that O'Brien could appeal the Vanderbilt stipulation to the NCAA, though there has been no indication that will be the plan of action. The Washington Post reports that Mississippi, Arizona, South Florida, and East Carolina have all shown significant interest in O'Brien since the release was made official on Monday.

O'Brien's ideal system fit is likely a pro-style or West Coast offense. In addition to Vanderbilt, the Baltimore Sun listed Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Stanford as possible landing spots for the Kernersville, N.C. native.

As he mentioned in his statement, O'Brien is set to earn his undergraduate degree this spring from Maryland. That would make him eligible to play immediately if he enrolls in a graduate program not offered in College Park - the same rule allowing Russell Wilson to compete immediately for Wisconsin in 2011. With two years of eligibility remaining, O'Brien has become the latest college football free agent.

It is still too early in the process to predict O'Brien's destination, but he will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact wherever he lands.

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Posted by Chip Patterson

Maryland quarterback Danny O'Brien has been released from his scholarship and will seek a transfer, the school announced on Monday. O'Brien's exit was announced in an official release along with starting offensive tackle Max Garcia and linebacker Mario Rowson.

“I’m disappointed by Danny’s decision,” head coach Randy Edsall said in the release. “Danny told me that he’s not committed to our program, that he’s not ‘all in.’ I want what’s best for all of our players. Danny wants a fresh start elsewhere. I wish him well.”

O'Brien, the 2010 ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year, is coming of a rough sophomore season that included temporarily losing the starting job to freshman C.J. Brown. After lighting up opponents under former offensive coordinator James Franklin for 22 touchdowns and just 8 interceptions, O'Brien struggled in the new system. He finished 2011 with 1,648 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Sophomore Max Garcia started all 12 games at left tackle for the Terps, and according to Edsall is transferring closer to his home (Norcross, Ga.) to be near family. Rowson started four games as a redshirt freshman in 2011, and made appearances in 11. Edsall identified Rowson's displeasure as a position issue.

O'Brien's departure hurts the Terps' offense, particularly with the addition of prized recruit Stefon Diggs. Diggs, the nation's No. 14 overall recruit according to MaxPreps, reportedly was hosted by O'Brien on a recent visit to College Park. When the top ranked wide receiver announced his plans to stay home and play for Maryland, fans hoped that would be a good sign for retaining the strong armed quarterback.

Rising sophomore C.J. Brown now will be the top returning quarterback for the Terps. After being primarily a rushing threat in 2011, it will be interesting to see how Diggs and Brown are used by new offensive coordinator Mike Locksley.

Maryland opens spring practice March 10, for all the latest check out the Terrapins RapidReports.

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Posted by Jerry Hinnen

The exodus of players out of Maryland's football program may cost the Terps their biggest loss yet: quarterback Danny O'Brien.

The Washington Post reported Wednesday that O'Brien is "seriously considering" a transfer out of Randy Edsall's struggling program, and "will spend the weekend deciding with his family" whether to leave the Terps or not. A school spokesman said could not “confirm or deny” O'Brien's intention to transfer.

Reports from earlier Wednesday suggested that O'Brien had already decided on his departure, but O'Brien took to Twitter himself to call those reports premature:



O'Brien would be the most high-profile casualty of the Terps' disastrous 2-10 2011 campaign yet. Though he struggled with injuries and accuracy in 2011, eventually being benched for backup C.J. Brown, O'Brien was named the 2010 ACC Rookie of the Year after having thrown for 2,438 yards and a 22-to-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Despite the expected spring camp battle against Brown, O'Brien would represent the Terps' most experienced and possibly highest-ceilinged option.

Then there's the numbers: per the Post, an O'Brien departure make 11 Terps who had left the team with eligibility remaining since the end of the season, and an incredible 23 since Edsall was hired in January of 2011.

For the 2011 season, Brown completed 49 percent of his passes for 5.1 yards an attempt with 7 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Those aren't impressive numbers by any means, but if O'Brien does head for the exits, Edsall won't appear to have much choice other than to put his faith in him and hope for dramatic improvement.

And it has to be said--with or without O'Brien, the way the Maryland program seems to be going, that's also all Terp fans (and administrators) can do with Edsall after the rockiest Year 1 in recent FBS memory.

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Posted by Chip Patterson

Breaking down who won and lost in the ACC on National Signing Day

WINNER: Florida State

For the second year in a row, multiple top uncommitted prospects picked Florida State in widely publicized National Signing Day announcements. Cornerback Ronald Darby (pictured above, No. 3 athlete in 2012 class) never even told head coach Jimbo Fisher he was definitely coming to Florida State, but when decision time came he reached for the Seminoles' hat. It started with Mario Edwards, Jr. signing his letter on ESPN in the morning, then on to Eddie Goldman's commitment and Jameis Winston's public recruitment of Darby just before the cornerback's announcement. For Florida State, the revolution was televised.



LOSER: North Carolina schools

Recently, high school football in the state of North Carolina has been on the rise. Unfortunately, it has not resulted in a boost to any of the North Carolina schools in the ACC. North Carolina, NC State, Wake Forest, and Duke missed out on every North Carolina prospect in Tom Lemming's Top 100 Players, and allowed 31 of the 55 in-state prospects to sign with out-of-state schools. If these football programs want to shake the "basketball school" reputation of Tobacco Road, they need to stop letting the best in-state talent get poached by other programs.

WINNER: Miami

The Hurricanes got a jump start on the competition due to self-imposed bowl ineligibility, and those early verbal commits helped secure enough to talent to keep the Hurricanes as a Top 10 class despite some defections. Miami also got a much-needed boost in the secondary with the commitment of Tracy Howard, and defensive end Tyriq McCord signed his letter despite rumors he may flip to USC or South Carolina. The heart of Golden's 2012 recruiting class lies right in Miami's backyard, with over half of the class from Southern Florida - many from Broward-Dade County area. Several Hurricanes' signees openly spoke about expecting NCAA action, and are willing to follow Golden's plan for success anyway.



LOSER: Georgia Tech

Recruiting is just not a great time for the public image of Georgia Tech football. Head coach Paul Johnson was publicly critical of oversigning again, and the Yellow Jackets' stiff academic requirements have become a topic of conversations when competing against the SEC for in-state talent. But Georgia Tech did have a hat on the table when defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson was making his decision between the Yellow Jackets, Alabama, and Georgia on National Signing Day. Tomlinson, one of the top uncommitted in-state recruits, paused on the Georgia Tech hat, only to publicly spurn the Yellow Jackets and commit to Alabama. Additionally, Georgia Tech offensive line coach Todd Spencer resigned amidst potential NCAA violations from impermissible text messaging. Just not a good PR day for Georgia Tech.

WINNER: Maryland

Wide receiver Stefon Diggs (No. 14 overall prospect) did not commit on National Signing Day. The top ranked unsigned recruit is strongly considering Florida, Auburn, and Maryland. While many believe the Gators are in the lead for Diggs, MaxPreps' Stephen Spiewak writes that Maryland still might have a chance. Former Illinois head coach Ron Zook believes that new Maryland offensive coordinator Mike Locksley, who has a great relationship with Diggs' family, could convince the Olney, Md. standout to stay in-state. With Locksley playing catch up in the recruiting game, every day without a Diggs commitment is likely to Maryland's advantage.

LOSER: Virginia Tech

While the Hokies pulled in another solid class, including talented wide receiver Joel Caleb, there was one decommit that caused an unwanted scene. Linebacker Jawand Blue, a Boca Raton, Fla. native, was committed to the Hokies until an opportunity arose at the last minute to jump in with Miami. When he called Virginia Tech, the phone conversation apparently did not go well. Unfortunately, a local reporter heard the conversation (from Blue's end) and began tweeting quotes "from Frank Beamer." A Virginia Tech spokesperson later clarified it was not Beamer, but assistant coach Charley Wiles. For more on the interaction, you can check out ACCSports.com's Signing Day blog. Blue was not a make-or-break recruit for Beamer, but the whole situation was a loss on a very public day for all recruiting news.

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Posted by Chip Patterson

Less than a week after announcing the "mutual" exit of Todd Bradford, Maryland has found the next defensive coordinator for Randy Edsall's staff.On Tuesday, the school announced the hiring of Houston defensive coordinator Brian Stewart..

"I'm very pleased to have Brian come on board," Edsall said in the official release. "He is a proven defensive coordinator at both the collegiate and professional level. All of his experience will help us move forward as we look for him to implement his aggressive style. He will also be a great addition to our recruiting efforts."

Stewart, 47, spent the last two seasons as Kevin Sumlin's defensive coordinator at Houston. The Cougars used a 3-4 scheme under Stewart, and were 18-8 in his time on staff. Stewart spent eight seasons as an assistant in the NFL, highlighted by a two-year stint as the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator in 2007-2008. He has primarily worked with defensive backs, the same position he played at Northern Arizona.

"I'm excited to join Randy's staff," Stewart said. "I admired what he did at UConn and saw the beginning of that transformation while I was at Syracuse. We've taken similar career paths as secondary coaches and then coordinators. It will be an exciting new challenge implementing our defense in the ACC, a very competitive league and one of the traditional BCS conferences."

Maryland ranked 74th nationally in passing defense (237.4 yards per game) and dead last in the ACC in total defense. The aggressive offseason plans to rebuild around head coach Randy Edsall have included changeovers at both coordinator positions. Mike Locksley was announced as the Terrapins offensive and recruiting coordinator in December, and now Stewart joins the staff with two weeks left until National Signing Day. Stewart's NFL experience will no doubt be a selling point for prospects as the Terps look to lock up a talented group of local prospects in the final days of recruiting.

For more information on the Maryland coaching changes, follow Terrapins RapidReports

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Posted by Chip Patterson

After just one year on the job, Maryland has opted not to retain defensive coordinator Todd Bradford for 2012. The school announced on Friday that Bradford received an undisclosed "negotiated buyout," and head coach Randy Edsall offered some words of thanks for his services.

“We appreciate Todd’s efforts this past season and wish him well in his future endeavors," Edsall said in the official release. "It is the right time for us to move forward in a different direction.”

Bradford was hired from Southern Miss after former defensive coordinator Don Brown left to join Paul Pasqualoni's staff at Connecticut - Edsall's former employer.

The Terps ranked dead last in the ACC in total defense this season, giving up 457.2 yards per game. In addition to the poor statistical showing, Maryland defense displayed an inability to close out games that cost the team at least two potential conference upsets. After blowing an 18-point third quarter lead to Clemson at home, Maryland finished the season by allowing NC State to overcome a 41-14 third quarter deficit to win 56-41. It was the biggest Wolfpack comeback in school history, and possibly the nail in the coffin for Bradford's time in College Park.

After a tumultuous 2-10 start, Randy Edsall gets to hit the reboot button in 2012. With Gary Crowton and Bradford out, the reprise of Edsall's start will be with offensive coordinator Mike Locksley and a to-be-named defensive coordinator. Competition to fill that spot will be hot in the ACC over the next several weeks, as Clemson will also be in the market to replace Kevin Steele.

Just a hunch, but it would not surprise me if former Miami head coach Randy Shannon is a name that pops up as a potential candidate for both positions. Shannon was an extremely successful defensive coordinator for six years under Larry Coker before being promoted to head coach in 2007. He has been out of coaching since his dismissal in 2010.

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