Edwards, Harraka vie for time at Maryland

Practice for Tuesday had started a little earlier, which normally would mean an earlier finish.

But the Terps were putting in some extra effort, with the season opener against Delaware looming on Aug. 30.

Tom Brattan, the assistant coach for the offensive line, was getting almost the amount of media attention reserved for head coach Ralph Friedgen. After injuries riddled his unit last season, the big line is now deep on returning starters, working in five seniors and one junior.

But two key back-up members are both sophomores, and are both from Frederick County.

Danny Edwards, a 6-foot-1, 276-pound graduate from Tuscarora High, has worked his way up to second-string center. And Matt Harraka, a 6-4, 280-pound, product of St. John's-Catholic Prep, is a third string tackle.

Brattan was complimentary in his assessment of both linemen.

Harraka spent the last two seasons serving with the practice squad, but was promoted to the traveling squad halfway through the season and played against Villanova, though not enough to earn a varsity letter.

Edwards moved up to the traveling squad for all of last season, and was on the line against Villanova and North Carolina State.

"He's a varsity guy and a valuable member of our team," Brattan said of Edwards.

"He's extremely versatile and very sharp. He doesn't get a ton of reps, but he's getting a shot to prove himself."

But his biggest drawback for now is his size. Every player at the top of the offensive line weighs in at least at 300 pounds, including 315-pound starting center Edwin Williams. Left tackle Scott Burley is the heaviest at 335.

"What you're looking for at center is a pretty sharp guy that can combine line calls with an explosive first step and be the anchor of your line," Brattan said.

"You have to have good technique if you're going to be that light."

When Edwards came to Maryland, he was about 265 pounds.

"I came in a little chubbier, but (strength coach Dwight Galt) has done a great job of helping me out," Edwards said.

He said his weight is at about 280 now.

"Some people have to watch what they eat, but I just eat whatever I want and eat as much as I can," Edwards said.

"I'm also shorter than most of the other linemen, and that helps me get leverage on the bigger guys, I can stay lower on them."

Harraka noted that he put on his early bulk before high school, but his weight leveled off shortly thereafter.

"Now I'm at the point where if I don't eat an enormous amount of food to the point where I'm dying, almost getting sick, I won't gain weight," Harraka said.

"So it's really a combination of the weights and the diet, a lot of calories, for me to get bigger."

The other heavy key for the duo has been the weight room.

"Both of them work hard in the weight room," Brattan said. "Matt Harraka, particularly. You wouldn't recognize him from the kid that first came here."

Harraka said that while at SJCP, there wasn't a very active weight-lifting program. Instead, he would get his friends to go in and lift, while also taking in workouts with his dad at the YMCA. But coming to Maryland has been a lot more demanding.

"It was a whole new world for me, coming in from a small school, I could say that I wasn't really ready for this," Harraka said.

"The whole goal was to just do the best I can, in football and in the classroom. And so far I keep moving up."

He's gained 40 pounds since his first Terps practice three years ago. But while he steadily built up his body and made the traveling team midway through last year, that work was washed away when he caught pneumonia and lost 20 pounds.

"I went backwards from what I gained in my weights lifting," Harraka said. "I lost 30 pounds on my bench press.

"It was frustrating, just working so hard to get on the travel team and compete for playing time, and then get knocked all the way back. I had just made the travel team, too."

Harraka noted that he's now physically caught up to where he was, but he felt that mentally he was doing even better this season.

"It clicked this year, and I'm learning everything faster," Harraka said.

"It's a constant head-battle every day, but you have to keep doing the same thing you've been doing every day."

Edwards is also keeping his head in the battle instead of thinking too much about being the No. 2 center.

He noted that Phil Costa, one of the two right guards at the top of the depth chart, has also been rotating in at center.

He also didn't want to give up any inch of ground during practice, as that might mean a younger lineman sneaking past him on the depth chart.

"I'm competing as best as I can every day," Edwards said. "I feel that they're also trying to prepare me as the back-up.

"But with all the time we spend around here with spring ball and weight room work outs, I'm just part of the team."