DATE: Thursday, September 11, 1997          TAG: 9709110479

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C6   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE:    - FRANK VEHORN

                                            LENGTH:   57 lines

ACC REPORT

Despite opening loss,

Maryland AD stands

behind new coach

Seldom does an athletics director feels the need to give the football coach a vote of confidence after only one game, but that was the case this week at Maryland.

Debbie Yow, who hired Ron Vanderlinden without bringing any other candidate on campus to interview, told reporters she remains convinced the former Colorado and Northwestern assistant will turn Maryland's program around.

The Vanderlinden era began last Saturday with a stunning 21-14 loss to unheralded Ohio University. The Terps' next two games are against top-10ers Florida State and North Carolina.

``Rebuilding a program means having two to three very good recruiting years

FSU quarterback off

to less-than-sterling start

OK, the season is only one game old, but it is still strange to see a Florida State quarterback ranked eighth in ACC passing efficiency.

Thad Busby, a second-year starter, completed only 19 of 39 attempts and had 2 interceptions in the Seminoles' tighter-than-expected 14-7 win over Southern Cal.

``He (Busby) had receivers open and missed them, especially on long routes,'' coach Bobby Bowden said. ``He's got to do a much better job.''

Third down the only

place for Wolfpack to be

The statistic that best explains North Carolina State's surprising 2-0 start is the one for third down conversions.

The Wolfpack were successful on 22 of 33 third-down plays in wins over Syracuse and Duke.

State coach Mike O'Cain spreads the credit between quarterback Jamie Barnette and a veteran offensive line.

``The line is doing a tremendous job of protecting Jamie and he has done a tremendous job in his decision-making, knowing when to throw the ball and when to pull it down and run,'' O'Cain said.

Stanford give UNC's

Brown cause for conern

North Carolina coach Mack Brown is worried to death about Saturday's opponent.

So what's new? Brown would be worried if the Tar Heels were playing the Sisters of the Poor.

What's new is this time the concern is justified.

Stanford's 6-foot-5 quarterback Chad Hutchinson could present big problems for Carolina's gambling defense.

``There is the potential for (Stanford) to come in here and run up and down the field and beat us to death,'' Brown said. ``It could be a blow-out.''

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