

Maryland wide receiver Stefon Diggs returns a punt during the first half against Penn State. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

After missing the past two games of the regular season because of a lacerated kidney, Maryland wide receiver Stefon Diggs is expected to return to practice Friday.

Maryland Coach Randy Edsall said he consulted with the team’s trainers Sunday about Diggs’ status, which has been in limbo ever since he took a shot to the midsection on a red zone catch against Penn State on Nov. 1. Edsall had said earlier in November that Diggs would be medically cleared for contact Dec. 1, but the team will have the next four days off before returning to practice Friday.

The Terrapins, who wasted a 25-point lead in a 41-38 loss to Rutgers in the season finale last week, await word on which bowl game will select them.

Having Diggs back for the bowl game certainly will help. He missed the Michigan State game after being suspended by the Big Ten for his role in a pregame altercation in the win over Penn State, and although Maryland flashed offensive productivity through stretches against Michigan and Rutgers, the absence of Diggs was glaring. Maryland’s receivers dropped a combined 11 passes against Michigan State and Michigan, and the passing game stalled in the second-half meltdown against Rutgers.

Edsall also said junior punter Nate Renfro will leave the program after the team’s bowl game later this month. Renfro is set to graduate from the school this month.

“He came in to see me and he just said, ‘Coach, I’ve decided that I’m going to be done,'” Edsall said. “We’re going to help him … [with] where he wants to go with his career after graduation.”

It was unclear if Renfro will continue his career elsewhere, but Edsall said he anticipated the junior would spend the spring preparing to gain entrance into graduate school. A Tennessee native, Renfro started 25 games over the first two years of his career and averaged 39.7 yards per punt last season. He has averaged 40.5 yards per punt this fall, which is ranked seventh in the Big Ten.