Maryland's Randy Edsall on James Franklin's recruiting comments: 'Talk is cheap'
Ever since James Franklin was introduced at Penn State back in January, he has made it well-known that he plans to have a ton of success recruiting in the Northeast. Not only does he plan to “dominate the state” of Pennsylvania, he also said that he considers New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C. and northern Virginia as “in-state” recruiting territories.
With the nation’s third-best recruiting class so far according to Rivals, Franklin is backing up his boasts. Maryland head coach Randy Edsall is certainly cognizant of Penn State’s presence in the fertile recruiting grounds near the Terrapins’ campus, but when asked about Franklin’s comments at an event York, Pa., Edsall didn’t seem too worried.
“We’re not gonna boast and brag. We’re more about substance at Maryland,” said Edsall, a native of Glen Rock in York County, Pa. “We’re gonna find guys that fit the profile we’re looking for. We’re gonna worry about ourselves and not worry about anything else. Talk is cheap.”
As Maryland transitions to the Big Ten this upcoming season, the Terps will travel to Happy Valley to square off against Franklin and the Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium on November 1. Penn State has owned the all-time series between the two schools, boasting a 35-1-1 record, but the two schools haven’t played one another since 1992.
With both teams in the conference’s eastern division, Edsall sees the potential for a rivalry to form.
“Maryland has not had a lot of success against Penn State, but there’s been some great games in that series. I think it’s something that can be a good rivalry,” Edsall said, per the York Dispatch. “We have to do something about that on our end. I think it’s just a natural fit. It’ll be fun to play. To be able to play against them is fun. They’re a good program and a good school. Being a border rival is something, to me, that will be exciting for both schools.”
The Terps, whose current recruiting class is ranked No. 36 in the nation according to Rivals, are coming off a 7-5 campaign in the program’s final season in the ACC.
Penn State also went 7-5 last season.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
