1956 Maryland Terrapins football team The 1956 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) college football in its fourth season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference . They were led by first - year head coach Tommy Mont , who had been promoted from backfield assistant after Jim Tatum left to take over at . Preseason hopes were high for the team , but it suffered numerous injuries and other misfortunes . Maryland finished with a 2 – 7 – 1 record , and the Associated Press called it " one of the year ' s most disappointing football teams " . Before the season . Maryland head coach Jim Tatum resigned on January 8 , 1956 to take the same post at his alma mater , North Carolina , and he was replaced by backfield coach Tommy Mont . Mont was a former quarterback for Maryland and the Washington Redskins . Mont came with the personal recommendation of Tatum . Tatum also instructed his former players to stay at Maryland rather than follow him by transferring to North Carolina . As head coach , Mont was unable to recruit the highly - skilled athletes that Tatum had consistently secured during his tenure . Rod Breedlove , who played on freshman team in 1956 and started on the varsity squad thereafter , was an exception as one of the best guard prospects in the nation . Due to the pressures associated with coaching a major college program , Mont eventually resigned as head coach after the 1958 season in order to take the same position at DePauw University . Personnel . The 1956 team consisted of the following letterwinners : The coaching staff consisted of : Season . Maryland entered 1956 ranked number - six in the Associated Press preseason poll . The previous year , the freshman Terrapins finished with an undefeated record , and " Sports Illustrated " had called it the " best freshman team in the entire South . " Before resigning his post as head coach , Jim Tatum had said before the 1956 Orange Bowl , " Our 1956 squad will have the greatest potential of all , despite the loss of ten seniors . " The roster , however , was depleted by injuries and the team beset by bad luck in general . The 1957 edition of " The Terrapin " yearbook wrote the most serious blow to the team ' s prospects occurred when would - be starting quarterback Frank Tamburello was drafted into the Army . Maryland lost another returner when back Phil Perlo did not re - enroll at the school . In another twist of fate , the entire team had to be inoculated against jaundice after starting halfback Howie Dare and a reserve center were diagnosed with the malady . Dare would miss the entire season . In the season opener , Syracuse soundly defeated Maryland , 26 – 12 , which in part , " rudely jolted " the preseason prognostications of many college football experts . After the Terrapins edged Wake Forest , 6 – 0 , 16th - ranked handed Maryland its first shutout , 14 – 0 , in 70 games . The following week at the Orange Bowl , 13th - ranked resorted to the air to beat Maryland , 13 – 6 . After the loss , the Associated Press called the Terrapins squad " one of the year ' s most disappointing football teams . " Led by former Terrapins ' coach Jim Tatum , North Carolina decisively beat Maryland , 34 – 6 , in one of its two wins of the season . Both Carolina victories , however , were later vacated due to use of an ineligible player , although Maryland records still credit the Tar Heels with the win . A week later , Johnny Majors led third - ranked Tennessee to beat Maryland , 34 – 7 , and completed three touchdown passes while " hitting his receivers with the accuracy of a mountaineer rifleman . " After a loss to , Maryland tied 11th - ranked Clemson , which had hoped to secure its invitation to the Orange Bowl as the ACC representative . Maryland lost at , 13 – 0 , and then traveled to Raleigh to face . Maryland trailed in the second half , but a 103 - yard interception return from the Terrapins ' end zone by back Dickie Lewis sparked a comeback . Maryland won , 25 – 14 , to finish the season with a 2 – 7 – 1 mark . After the season , " The Baltimore Sun " described Mont and quarterback John Fritsch as " two of the biggest fall guys in college football this year " for events beyond their control .