ATLANTA - For the Maryland football team, an early arrival yesterday allowed for normal game-week preparation for Tuesday's Peach Bowl against Tennessee, and it also served as extended homecoming.
Beginning with coach Ralph Friedgen, the 20th-ranked Terps (10-3) come to Atlanta with heavier ties to the town than the team carried to Miami and last season's Orange Bowl.
Before coming to Maryland, the coach worked as an assistant at Georgia Tech from 1987 to 1991 and again from 1997 to 2000.
"I have so many great years at Georgia Tech - memories and everything," Friedgen, who resumes practices this morning, said before leaving for Atlanta. "It would be another nice memory if we go down there and play well against Tennessee."
In addition to Friedgen, defensive line coach Dave Sollazzo and assistant recruiting coordinator John Donovan are also alumni of the Yellow Jackets coaching staff. Players Latrez Harrison, C.J. Brooks, Eric Dumas and Stephon Heyer played high school ball in the Atlanta area.
Harrison, Brooks and Dumas said they expected a heavy group of family and friends to show up Tuesday at the Georgia Dome. Harrison said his group was at "35 and counting."
"This is a dream come true," said Harrison, a junior wide receiver. "So it's a tremendous experience for me to go back there. I lived about 10 minutes from the dome. Every time I go home, I see the bowl. For me to get the opportunity to do that, that's a huge thing for me."
The Georgia Dome looms large in the minds of players who grew up here. The dome is the site of the semifinals and finals of the state high school football playoffs. Getting to the dome is the ultimate goal of every team in Georgia, and it's a treat for the players to finally play there.
"My team wasn't that great, and they played the semifinals in the dome. So I always wanted to play here," Brooks said.
More than anything, however, the homecoming Terps would like to play well in a big game.
Against the brand-name teams - Florida State, Florida and Notre Dame - Maryland has been outscored by an average of 26 points in the past four games, a trend it would like to reverse against the Volunteers.
"We're aware that we're playing at home, but our main focus is to play our best against Tennessee and try to win the game," said Dumas, who grew up 10 minutes from the dome. "It's just a plus."
Nonetheless, Friedgen expects a relatively laid-back approach the next few days. The players will enjoy a 1 a.m. curfew until the last two nights.
"You can enjoy yourselves and also behave," Friedgen said he told his team. "They understand that we're here to win a game. We want them to enjoy themselves and also be productive when they come to practice."
In other Terps news:
For the second year in a row, Maryland may have a New Year's resolution to find playing time for a highly touted quarterback.
Last year, it was Harrison, now a receiver. After this season, it may be Chris Kelley, whose time as a Terp has included more dreary episodes than bright ones. According to The Washington Times, Kelley recently mulled over the possibility of switching positions to receiver.
In less than 30 months, Kelley has suffered three severe knee injuries. The last one, on the last day of spring practice in April, took him from the top of the depth chart to the point where most of his playing time this season has come in blowouts.
The time crunch may not get any better in 2003. Scott McBrien's emergence during the last half of his junior season makes it unlikely Kelley would unseat him, and freshman Joel Statham is a player coaches may want to evaluate in game situations next season.
Fan interest was ripe among the Maryland contingent for the Orange Bowl last season, but it appears down for the Peach.
Last year, Terps officials said 24,000 backers followed Maryland to Miami. Only 13,500 people had bought Peach Bowl tickets from the school's ticket office as of yesterday.
For the Peach, Maryland asked for 20,000 tickets - 2,500 more than it was required to sell by the bowl.
If sales fall short, Maryland must reimburse the bowl for 2,500 tickets.