Terps' Merrills won't let up after smashing debut

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) It took four years of lifting weights, watching game film and practicing diligently before Mario Merrills earned the right to be the starting running back at Maryland.<br> <br> Now that he&#39;s got the job, the fifth-year senior has no intention of sharing the load.<br> <br> Merrills ran 30 times for 149 yards last Saturday in the Terrapins&#39; season-opening 23-20 victory over Navy. Coach Ralph Friedgen never intended for Merrills to get that many carries, but he wasn&#39;t about to pull the plug on a guy averaging five yards per attempt.<br> <br> ``He had eight or nine broken tackles in the game, and I don&#39;t think he had eight or nine broken tackles in the preseason,&#39;&#39; Friedgen said Tuesday.<br> <br> The coach hasn&#39;t abandoned his quest to dip deep into the depth chart at tailback, but conceded that Merrills could make him change his mind.<br> <br> ``If he keeps it up like he done, he will be the running back,&#39;&#39; Friedgen said. ``I was surprised that we even played him that much, because that wasn&#39;t the plan going in. But we&#39;ll adapt our plan, depending on how the guy is going.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Merrills had 96 career carries before Saturday, including only 33 last season. So getting 30 a game was a unique and fully satisfying experience.<br> <br> ``I don&#39;t think any running back would complain about getting the ball 30 times a game,&#39;&#39; he said. ``We were running effectively, so they just kept giving me the ball.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Merrills gained 10 yards on his first carry, and accounted for a third of the yardage on the 66-yard opening drive that produced a field goal.<br> <br> He was as effective at the end as he was at the outset. Merrills scored on a 12-yard run with 9:15 remaining, and ran in the conversion after the Terrapins&#39; final TD.<br> <br> His durability and ability to break tackles can be attributed in part to his relentless work in the weight room. Using the strength index set by the team, he&#39;s pound-for-pound the strongest player on the roster.<br> <br> ``It&#39;s very important. You have to be strong, fit and in shape to run the ball that many times,&#39;&#39; he said. ``It&#39;s tiring out there, but you don&#39;t think about it. You just go out there and do it.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Lifting weights isn&#39;t always exciting, but Merrills hits the barbells in the same fashion he hits a hole on the line: full force.<br> <br> ``I&#39;ve always been a weightlifting kind of guy since a young age,&#39;&#39; he said. ``I like challenging myself and challenging guys that are bigger than me.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> He takes that philosophy into practice. Maryland defensive lineman Conrad Bolston, who faces Merrills on a daily basis, has seen enough to be thankful that he&#39;s a teammate.<br> <br> ``All I know is he&#39;s fast and he reads holes. Just catching up to him is hard,&#39;&#39; Bolston said. ``Plus, he&#39;s real strong, one of the strongest on the team.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Merrills&#39; strength is matched by his desire to maintain the job he&#39;s worked so hard to secure. When Maryland hosts Clemson on Saturday, Merrills will be seeking to get another 30 carries.<br> <br> ``Everything happens for a reason, so I&#39;m just trying to take advantage of what I have now,&#39;&#39; he said. ``It feels good, but I just try to remain humble.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)