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Rashad Henry said he just "wanted to get a degree and go to another school" when he transferred to the University of Maryland after two years at Bowie State University.

And perhaps majoring in criminal justice at Maryland will help him toward his goal of working as an FBI agent someday.

But along the way, Henry is pursuing another love as a tailback with the Terrapins' football team.

Henry's career has taken a number of twists, but he hopes this season he will have the opportunity to make moves on the field for the Terrapins, who open their season Saturday against Delaware at Byrd Stadium.

"It's been great here," said Henry, a Mitchellville resident and graduate of Charles H. Flowers High School. "The coaches and everyone have welcomed me and said they will give me all the opportunity in the world to try to make the team."

Henry has managed to stay optimistic and upbeat amid plenty of uncertainty and being in a unique situation.

Bowie State recruited him as a wide receiver. Henry redshirted his first season (2004) with the Bulldogs before playing the 2005 season and catching nine passes for 150 yards in 11 games.

In 2006, Henry transferred to Maryland and joined the Terrapins as a non-scholarship walk-on. Last season, Henry suited up at wide receiver but did not see any game action.

Heading into spring practice earlier this year, the coaching staff made the decision to move Henry to running back. Terrapins' coach Ralph Friedgen asked Henry to make the move for a reason.

"When Rashad is running the ball and gets it in his hands, he does very good things with it," Friedgen said Monday after practice. "We just have a lot of guys [in the backfield] who haven't had the reps to be good. What he's struggling with is his pass pickups [in blocking]. He's been working extremely hard, but we don't want to put him in a game and he blows up a play. Not that he won't be going in the game and not trying to block, but he has to know what his responsibilities are."

Henry has learned that playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference is a long way from playing in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association as he did at Bowie State.

"The learning curve here is a little different," Henry said. "To be honest, it's a little more organized [here] but it's still football. You have more assignments and there is more detail here. But the coaches are understanding. They just expect me to be a team player and show leadership on and off of the field."

While he's seen little live game action over the last three years, Henry claims that he's "really ready." The Terrapins' coaches seem to know that as well.

"He's got some talent and is a very explosive runner when he gets the ball," said Terps' running backs coach John Donovan. "He's a great kid and is very coachable. If he went into the game, I would feel pretty good with him out there."

E-mail Terron Hampton at thampton@gazette.net.