Right Off Russell

Strong words were uttered this week by John Turner about University of Maryland Athletic Director Debbie yow.  Turner, former drummer for the band Ratt and father of current Maryland starting QB Chris Turner posted the following on a Inside MD Sports message board:+

“Get rid of Yow. And you might have a chance on being decent in football and basketball. Shes [sic] the absolute worst and will destroy your program! TRUST ME!”

Strong words coming from a passionate supporter of Maryland football, but he is not just any fan.  Being the father of the starting QB, Turner obviously has insight into how things are run in the athletic department in College Park.  So what is it that has John Turner calling for the head of Debbie Yow?

Yow’s frosty relationship with Maryland basketball coach Gary Williams came to a head last year with a rather public tiff.  Rumor had it that Yow made efforts to raise money to afford a buyout of Williams’ contract.  The episode concluded with Yow offering a rather forced showing of public support for Williams.  It is believed that Yow’s relationship with head football coach Ralph Friedgen has soured and that Yow is making things increasingly difficult for the success of the program.  This lack of support may have lead to Turner’s comments.  Tuner had more to say to the Baltimore Sun’s Jeff Barker:

“I just fully support the football program,” John Turner said in an interview Tuesday in which he confirmed beginning the thread. “I know I’m one small voice, but I believe in what those guys are doing and I want to stand behind them. This was a weekend where I really felt strongly for the football program.”

Turner also posted in the message forum that Friedgen needs to have “the same tools that some of the bigger programs have.”

All the evidence points to a severe system failure within the Maryland athletic department.  I am not naive enough to believe that the recent struggles of the basketball program and the train-wreck that is Maryland football are due to friction between the AD and the two main bread winning coaches at the University.  But I do believe that the administration and the coaches are not on the same page and this has led to the perception that they are not working toward the success of the football and basketball programs. 

Whether or not this perception is reality is debatable, but there is clearly too much smoke for there not to be a fire.  The mere fact that prominent athletes parents and those close to the program are calling out Yow is a huge problem.  Not only does it make Maryland look bad, but it also makes one wonder whether or not the leadership is there for Maryland to be consistently good in basketball and football. 

Debbie Yow consistently hangs her hat on her ability to balance Maryland athletic budget.  What she needs to realize is that making life difficult for the schools money making coaches will hamstring her ability to bring money into that budget.  Sooner or later support for floundering teams will dry up, more than likely sooner in the case of Maryland football.  Yow needs to either check her ego and mend things with Williams and Friedgen or the higher ups at Maryland should step in and find an AD who is willing to support and work with the coaches toward the common goal of athletic success in College Park.