A Tale of Two Quarterback Cities

It seems amazing that the Redskins and Terps find themselves at quarterbacking crossroads so early in the season.  One team is poised to become one of the premier teams in their sport, and the other is one injury away from possibly having to start its' second linebacker at quarterback in five years.  It is the best of times for one team and the possible beginnings of the worst for another, but 15 years ago the current situation would seem ludicrous to Skins and Terps fans who were witnessing a reversal of fortune for either team at the quarterback position.  It is always good to look back on history to put the present into context, so before the Redskins and Terps embark on a season defining weekend lets take a trip down memory lane to the 2002 season for both teams to see just how far they have come in 15 years.

The 2002 season was being pegged as a renaissance year for both teams, even though there were major uncertainties surrounding the quarterback position. The Terps stunned everyone the previous year by winning their first ACC Championship since 1985 under newly hired head coach Ralph Friedgen.  Expectations were high for the Terps' 2002 season despite the fact that they would be starting Junior quarterback Scott McBrien.  McBrien was a Dematha alumnus who had transferred to Maryland from West Virginia and had yet to take a snap for the Terps, but he was being entrusted to continue the momentum from the previous year.  While the Terps built their momentum the Redskins manufactured it.

The 2001 season saw Marty Schottenheimer salvage an 8-8 season from an 0-5 start, and for his troubles he was let go along with starting quarterbacks Tony Banks and Jeff George.  Enter Steve Spurrier and cue the pandemonium.  Dan Snyder hired the Ole Ball Coach for the 2002 season and the sky was the limit.  Redskins fans were expecting it to be Florida Gators North and in a way it was.  Spurrier filled his quarterbacking void with two of his old pals from Gainesville in Shane Mattews and Danny Wuerffel. The Redskins also used the last pick in the first round of the Draft that year to select Patrick Ramsey.  It looked like Spurrier had all the firepower he needed to run his Fun and Gun offense and take the Redskins to new heights.

Despite the optimism being espoused within both fan bases for their quarterbacking situation, the outcome of the 2002 season was very different for both teams.  It was evident from the beginning of the season that Shane Matthews was not the answer at quarterback, and he was benched after only three games in favor of Wuerffel.  Wuerffel got hurt the next game, and then it was Patrick Ramsey's turn.  Spurrier would go through this full rotation one more time in the last ten games of the season, and it was evident that the Redskins had nothing close to a franchise quarterback or a competent NFL coach.  The Redskins ended the season 7-9, and the 2002 season would be a precursor for the Redskins quarterbacking situation over the next decade and a half that was rife with uncertainty, inconsistency, and lackluster performance.  The 2002 season for the Redskins was the beginning of an arduous time for Redskins fans, and The Terps' 2002 season started out just as bad.

McBrien and the Terps were shutout in the opening game of the season against Notre Dame on

national television, and things didn't improve two weeks later when Florida State came to Byrd Stadium and the Terps could only muster ten points.  A lowly 1-2 start after a Conference Championship season was leaving the natives a bit restless, but McBrien would prove his worth.  The Terps would reel off eight straight wins that included wins over a Phillip Rivers led NC State team on homecoming weekend and a 30-12 victory at Clemson.  McBrien would cap off the season with a brilliant 30-3 drubbing of Tennessee in the Peach Bowl, and he led Maryland to its second straight 10 win season.  McBrien would do the same his senior year, leading the Terps to a 10-3 record that culminated with the Terps embarrassing their hated rival West Virginia 41-7 in the Gator Bowl.  McBrien was named Gator Bowl MVP, and while he would graduate after the 2003 season things seemed to be looking up for the Terps.  The Terps had won 31 games in three years, and with McBrien's performance and Fridge's offense it seemed as if the Terps were poised to lure quarterbacks to College Park that could recreate McBrien's success.  It was anything but that, and now we see a reversal of fortune for both teams.

  Kirk Cousins is set to make his 36th straight start for the Redskins on Monday Night, and many are speculating that a win over the Chiefs could vault the Redskins into Super Bowl contending status for the first time in 25 years.  If Cousins can make it through this season unscathed, he will be the first Redskins quarterback to start every game in three consecutive seasons since Joe Theismann between 1981-1984, and it is possible he could see some of the same success that Theismann's teams had in that time period.  Compare that to the Terps, who have seen two of their starting quarterbacks end their season with ACL tears in the first three weeks, and their replacement looked less that adequate last week.  This is a far cry from 2002-2003 where Scott McBrien started all 27 games in that two year span.  Since that time, the Terps have had only one quarterback (Sam Hollenbach in 2006) start every game in a season without being injured or replaced.  The game against Minnesota will be a litmus test for the Terps as they will see if they can keep their aspirations high with either Max Bortenschlager or Caleb Henderson under center, or if they will need to temper their expectations in light of another injury riddled season at the quarterback position.  Both teams have come a long way in 15 years, and it seems that despite injuries and contract disputes, each team has found viable starting quarterbacks that can lead them to new heights for the future.  This weekend, however, will show Terps and Skins fans if they can start to get excited about the present.