Earlier this week, it was announced that quarterback Danny O’Brien was leaving the program.  O’Brien was the 24th player to leave the program since new head coach Randy Edsall took over just one year ago.  (photo courtesy of bcsfootball.net)

Many fans criticized the firing of former Terps’ coach Ralph Friedgen, who was fired after taking home ACC Coach of the Year honors after a solid 9-4 season a year ago.

Edsall has a much more disciplined approach than Friedgen, and that dictatorship approach appears to have not resonated well among the players–since the conclusion of the Terps’ dreadful 2-10 season in Edsall’s debut, O’Brien marked the 12th player to leave the program, since the season ended.

If the mass exodus continues, the Terps will have to hope they’ll have enough players to scrimmage by the end of spring camp.

Meanwhile, Maryland fans have to be scratching their heads and questioning the adminstration even more for the coaching change that has most likely set the program back at least 2-3 years–and that’s assuming that Edsall will turn things around.

Terps fans have Maryland athletic director Kevin Anderson to thank for the plumet into college football obscurity.  It was Anderson who announced in November of 2010, that Friedgen would be on the Terps sidelines in 2011 to finish his contract.

The following month, however, Anderson announced that Friedgen was out.  Edsall took over, and it hasn’t been pretty.  Just ask the two dozen players who have jumped ship before things get even worse in College Park.