[HT: DTMB]
According to a report by CBS' own Bruce Feldman, former starting Maryland Terrapins quarterback Danny O'Brien and left tackle Max Garcia will be in Oxford today to visit with the Ole Miss Rebel coaches and players. Both are interested in a possible transfer to Ole Miss, as well as Vanderbilt, Penn State, and others.
During his redshirt freshman year, O'Brien was named the 2010-11 ACC Freshman of the Year. He started 10 of Maryland's 13 games that season, going 192 of 337 for 2438 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. His efficiency rating was 134.5 which was the fourth best mark of any quarterback in the ACC. He even had a 400+ yard performance against NC State that season, becoming only the fourth Maryland quarterback to ever throw for more than 400 yards in a game.
The season after that (this past season), though, he underwhelmed tremendously. He passed for just 1648 yards with 7 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Perhaps this could have been an epically slumpy sophomore slump, or a dramatic regression to the mean. Or, perhaps - and many speculate this - the firing of the Terps head coach Ralph Friedgren and departure of offensive coordinator/head coach in waiting James Franklin to Vanderbilt, followed by the hiring of respective replacements Randy Edsall and Gary "LOLWUT" Crowton, caused a general malaise to hover about the Maryland program. Grasping for straws? Perhaps, but it's certainly not difficult to suggest that a drastic, somewhat unexpected,and even moderately controversial coaching change could have had significant negative impacts on the performance of the Maryland football team.
Regardless, O'Brien and Garcia want the heck out of dodge and, personally, I'd take both of them. I realize we just signed Junior College all-American Bo Wallace and have approximately two-hundred quarterbacks tucked away in our depth chart, but none of them have any successful or, in some cases, meaningful experience at the D1 level. O'Brien does, even though he struggled somewhat significantly during his sophomore season. He's shown flashes of greatness and against great opponents, and it's tough to say that any of the quarterbacks we currently have on the roster are any better than he is. If he's willing to come here, practice, learn the playbook, and contribute, we'd be foolish to pass that up.
As far as Garcia goes, well, that's a no-brainer. He has experience at left tackle and could contribute to the depth of the line right away. You really cannot have enough big bodies with legitimate playing time under their belts on an SEC depth chart.
If you see either of them about town, hand them a cash-filled envelope, buy them a beer plus a catfish po'boy from Ajax, and introduce them to some of your more "ambitious" ladyfriends say hello and offer your best regards.
[By the way, if you think our football program is in shambles now, be comforted to know that we aren't suffering alone. The firing of Ralph Friedgren, the ensuing departure of James Franklin to Vanderbilt, the somewhat controversial hiring of Randy Edsall, a 2-10 season, rampant transferring of starters, a loss of offensive identity or firepower with the hiring of Gary Crowton's dumb ass, etc.]