Published: January 27, 2009 10:19 pm      

Turner, Perlozzo featured speakers at Dapper Dan banquet

CUMBERLAND — University of Maryland quarterback Chris Turner, who has led the Terps to two straight bowl games, and Aberdeen IronBirds second baseman Eric Perlozzo, who just completed his second year of professional baseball, will be the featured speakers at the 61st annual Dapper Dan Awards Banquet Saturday, Jan. 31, 6 p.m., at the Ali Ghan Shrine Club.

This past season, Turner quarterback the Terps to an 8-5 season, capped off by a 42-35 victory over Nevada in the Humanitarian Bowl. The 6-4, 210-pound junior from Simi Valley, Calif., started 12 of Maryland’s 13 games, completing 214 of 374 attempts for 2,516 yards, 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He had a passing efficiency of 119.3, a season-long 80-yard completion, and averaged 193.5 yards passing per game.

As a sophomore, Turner helped the Terps to a 6-7 record and a berth in the Emerald Bowl, where Maryland lost to Oregon State, 21-14.

Turner ranked third in the ACC and 36th nationally in passing efficiency (135.5 rating), completing 63.5 percent of his passes after taking over for an injured Jordan Steffy. He played in 11 games at quarterback, starting the last eight, and threw for more than 200 yards seven times, including the final six games of the season. His completion percentage of 63.5 was the fifth-best single-season mark in Maryland history.

Against Rutgers, he entered the game in relief of Steffy, and performed well in the clutch, leading the Terps on four scoring drives in the second half, completing 14 of 20 passes for 149 yards and connecting on 7 of 8 passes on third down. He earned ACC Co-Offensive Back of the Week for his performance.

The following week against Georgia Tech, Turner earned his first career start and responded with another solid performance, completing 10 of 17 passes for 255 yards and a touchdown. His 255 yards were the most by a Terrapin quarterback since 2005; they were also the most by a Maryland quarterback in a starting debut since 1990.

Later in the season against Boston College, Turner completed 21 of 27 passes for 337 yards and three touchdowns, setting career highs for completions, passing yards and TDs. His completion percentage (77.8) tied for ninth on the Maryland single-game list, his three touchdowns were the most by a Maryland QB since Sam Hollenbach threw three against Florida State in 2006, and he recorded the first 300-yard passing day by a Terp QB since Hollenbach had 374 against North Carolina in 2005.

Perlozzo, a 2002 graduate of Bishop Walsh, graduated from Shippensburg University in 2006 with a degree in psychology. He was drafted in the 35th round of the amateur player draft by the Baltimore Orioles

A right-hander at the plate and in the field, Perlozzo played his first year in the minor leagues for the Bluefield Orioles where he hit .247 with 16 RBIs. He played last season for the Aberdeen IronBirds, hitting .241 in 51 games, with 4 doubles, 1 home run, 8 RBIs in the short-season Class A New York Penn League.

Proceeds from the Dapper Dan dinner benefit the League for Crippled Children. For ticket information, call The Original Sports Shoppe at (301) 722-5490.