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N.C. State cornerback Rashard Smith will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Smith, a freshman backup and kick returner, was injured in the second quarter of last week's 52-20 loss to Boston College.

Coach Tom O'Brien also said defensive end Jeff Rieskamp, a sophomore who hasn't played this season because of a sports hernia, and had surgery last week and will not return this season.

MARYLAND TRIES TO STAY UPBEAT: Since taking over as head coach at Maryland in 2001, Ralph Friedgen never experienced the anguish of a 2-5 start — until now. But his players remain upbeat, and Friedgen said their confidence has made it easier for him to cope with this difficult season.

"All the time, people talk about how the coaches affect the players," Friedgen said. "This time it may be the players affecting the coaches. They kind of pick us up."

The hope is that when the Terrapins play Duke on Saturday, all thoughts about the ACC standings will remain on the team bus.

"Maybe we just need to go out and relax, just have a good time and let it go," Friedgen said.

UCONN AFTERMATH: The football coach at Connecticut said Tuesday he's heard nothing to indicate members of his team were involved in a fight before player Jasper Howard was killed over the weekend.

Randy Edsall said there may have been some "verbal jostling" but he has not been told that his players were fighting.

"When I hear fight, I usually think of people throwing fists," Edsall said. "I haven't got that information. Now young kids, could it be verbal jostling, yeah."