 After the 1955 season, Tatum resigned to return to North Carolina, where he soon died of Rocky Mountain spotted fever.The Terrapins entered 1956 ranked number-six, but after the departure of Tatum, they suffered their first losing season in a decade.It marked the beginning of a long undistinguished period of Maryland history, and between 1956 and 1971, they compiled a record of 50–100–1 and only three winning seasons.