COLLEGE PARK — — Throughout his redshirt season, Maryland running back D.J. Adams waited and watched and wondered whether he could make a difference on a football team that struggled to a 2-10 record.
On Saturday, Adams began to get some answers. Staking a claim for playing time, Adams rushed for 70 yards on 14 carries and scored two second-half touchdowns in the Red-White spring game at Byrd Stadium.
The 5-foot-10, 216-pound Adams, who will likely be used by coaches at least in short-yardage situations, was a star of the annual game, which concluded Maryland's 15-practice spring camp.
Another star— wide receiver Torrey Smith — was more familiar to Maryland fans.
Smith, the school's single-season record holder in all-purpose yards, had four catches for 90 yards and made a fingertip catch in the end zone for a touchdown from Jamarr Robinson on the opening possession.
Smith's Red team took a 13-point lead but lost, 21-13, to the White team. The White was led by Adams, who ran for touchdowns of 9yards and 4 yards in the fourth quarter.
The quarters were shortened to 10 minutes for the game, and the quarterbacks wore yellow "no-contact" jerseys.
Robinson was 11-for-18 for 143 yards and one touchdown. He threw two interceptions, one of them on a tipped ball in the final moments.
Robinson enters the season as the favorite to start at quarterback. Robinson, a redshirt sophomore last season, replaced injured senior Chris Turner in 2009, starting two games and playing in seven.
Maryland played five quarterbacks Saturday — Robinson, Danny O'Brien, C.J. Brown, Clay Belton and Devin Burns.
O'Brien, who redshirted last season, got the most playing time after Robinson and was 10-for-16 for 93 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Brown, also coming off a redshirt year, was 2-for-3 for 37yards. "I thought C.J. Brown did a good job," Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said.
Friedgen said often last season that his young team, which lost its last seven games, needs to get a taste of success.
"I think we've had a very, very good spring," Friedgen said after Saturday's game. "I think we need a lot more game-type situations."
Asked about Adams, Friedgen said he envisioned using him at least in goal-line situations. "He's very tough. He's going to get the extra yard," the coach said.
Said the flashy Adams, who sports a shiny earring and says he runs a 4.58
40-yard dash: "I'm open for anything as far as how they use me."
Adams will compete for time at running back with Da'Rel Scott, Davin Meggett, Gary Douglas and Caleb Porzel.
Porzel was absent Saturday. "It's an academic thing right now," Friedgen said without being more specific.
Also missing — either rested by coaches or recuperating from injuries — were linebacker Alex Wujciak and defensive linemen Isaiah Ross and Carl Russell.