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Maryland’s revamped defensive line will rely on fresh faces to take a step forward

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1 year ago

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Maryland’s revamped defensive line will rely on fresh faces to take a step forward


After examining Maryland’s offensive line Monday, we continue our football position previews by flipping to the other side of the line of scrimmage.

Maryland’s defensive line showed flashes in 2022, especially on the interior. But with starters Ami Finau, Greg China-Rose and Mosiah Nasili-Kite moving on, the Terps have some 300-pound holes to fill. The trio combined for a hefty 85 tackles (54 solo), 12 tackles for loss and five sacks last year, and won’t be easy to replace.

Only a handful of the returning defensive linemen received significant playing time last season, making virtually all of the starting spots up for grabs.

Maryland’s 2023 defensive line depth

PLAYER YEAR 2022 STATS
PLAYER YEAR 2022 STATS
Tommy Akingbesote Junior 14 tackles (9 solo), 2.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks
Quashon Fuller Junior (RS) 7 tackles (5 solo), 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sacks
Donnell Brown Junior 48 tackles (31 solo), 14.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks, 1 FF, 3 FR (with Saint Francis)
Tre Colbert Graduate 48 tackles (15 solo), 8.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks (with Angelo State)
Taizse Johnson Junior 4 tackles (2 solo), 1.0 TFL, 1.0 sacks
Isaac Bunyun Junior (RS) 7 tackles (6 solo)
Christian Teague Senior 3 tackles (2 solo), 1.0 TFL
Jordan Phillips Freshman (RS) 1 tackle (with Tennessee)
Daniel Owens Freshman (RS) N/A
Dillan Fontus Freshman High School (3-star recruit)
Lavon Johnson Freshman High School (3-star recruit)

More experience than meets the eye

Despite Finau, China-Rose and Nasili-Kite receiving the majority of the starts over the last two seasons, head coach Mike Locksley is not concerned about the current defensive line’s experience, or lack thereof.

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“We rotated a bunch of players a year ago,” Locksley said. “Guys like Tommy Akingbesote was similar to a starter in terms of how much he played. Taizse [Johnson] played a ton of reps the last couple of years.”

Akingbesote is without a doubt Maryland’s top returning defensive linemen and a frontrunner for a starting role. He started at defensive tackle in Maryland’s Red-White Spring Game in April, where he tallied one of the white team’s four sacks.

In his sophomore campaign, Akingbesote started in two of his 12 appearances, recording 14 tackles (nine solo) and two sacks. In his first career start against Wisconsin, the 315-pound lineman racked up three tackles and one sack.

Redshirt junior Quashon Fuller tallied the other three sacks for the white team, flashing a potential emergence on the edge. While Maryland’s offensive line is questionable — and was incohesive in April — Fuller’s performance in the spring game is encouraging nonetheless, especially after recording just one sack last season.

The other defensive tackle to start alongside Akingbesote for the white team was junior Taizse Johnson. Last year, Johnson posted four tackles (two solo) and one sack in nine appearances.

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Akingbesote and Johnson were both four-star recruits coming out of high school and should be a major part of the Terps defensive line, whether that be as starters or depth pieces.

As for some of the lesser-experienced linemen, Tennessee transfer Jordan Phillips gave insight as to why they could play a major role on the Terps defense as well.

“The unique thing about the University of Maryland is that in practice, you know, if you’re a guy who doesn’t really play like that, you’re still getting reps in like you’re a starter,” Phillips said. “A lot of the guys who are making appearances, you know what I’m saying, as starters now, you know, they’ve been playing a lot of snaps in last year’s practice consistently. So, you know, their faces might be new to the nation, but in all reality, they’re really veterans because they’ve played so many snaps.”

This statement applies to redshirt junior Isaac Bunyun and senior Christian Teague. While neither received much playing time last year, combining for 10 tackles (eight solo), they could take on larger roles in 2023.

It’s clear Locksley and defensive coordinator Brian Williams have prepared the entire unit to be ready when called upon.

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How will the newcomers fit in?

Maryland picked up three defensive linemen through the transfer portal this offseason, two of which are ripe with experience.

Graduate Tre Colbert has the most playing time under his belt. Colbert appeared in all 17 games over the last two seasons for Angelo State (Division II), totaling 95 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. He was also a 2022 All-LSC first team defense selection.

Junior Donnell Brown also brings significant experience, transferring from St. Francis (Pa.). In three seasons there, Brown racked in 99 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. He could be a prime candidate to successfully make the jump to the FBS level and become an impact player.

While both Colbert and Brown could earn significant playing time, the most talked about transfer this offseason has been Phillips. The Tennessee transfer did not receive much playing time during his lone season in Knoxville, but seems to already be scaling the Terps depth chart.

“Jordan has a lot of leadership qualities. He works extremely hard,” Williams said. “He’s not afraid to let guys know when they’re not getting it done, and then at the same time, if someone sees him not getting it done, he takes it. So, trust is built.”

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As someone who was heavily recruited by the Terps out of high school, it should come as no surprise if he becomes a vital piece of Maryland’s defensive front.

In addition, the Terps are adding two incoming freshmen to the unit in Dillan Fontus and Lavon Johnson. Both were three-star recruits in the class of 2022, but it’s Fontus who seems to have caught the coaches’ eyes.

“I think you’ll see some of these young players, like Dillian Fontus, who came in in the spring,” Locksley said. “You’ll see his development kind of expedite itself because of the size and strength that he comes in with and being in our weight room.”

While Maryland’s defensive line is facing a complete turnover as far as starters go, there is still room for optimism with some fresh faces stepping into bigger roles.



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Maryland

Watch Aidan Chiles, Nick Marsh talk MSU win over Maryland

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5 hours ago

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September 7, 2024

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Watch Aidan Chiles, Nick Marsh talk MSU win over Maryland


Michigan State won a big time road game over Maryland, improving their record to 2-0, and giving head coach Jonathan Smith his first Big Ten conference victory as the head man of the Spartans.

A big part of that win was the connection between Aidan Chiles and Nick Marsh, and more specifically their 77-yard touchdown connection tying the game 24-24 late in the fourth quarter.

Chiles and Marsh spoke to the media after the team’s win, which you can watch via Spartan Mag on YouTube:

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Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on X @Cory_Linsner





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16-year-old arrested after 15-year-old fatally shot in Maryland high school bathroom

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12 hours ago

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September 7, 2024

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16-year-old arrested after 15-year-old fatally shot in Maryland high school bathroom


A 16-year-old student at a high school in Maryland has been detained after he allegedly shot and killed a 15-year-old student in one of the school’s bathrooms.

The name of the suspect has yet to be released. The victim, Warren Curtis Grant, died following the shooting at Joppatowne High School. Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler made the announcement at a press briefing.

The suspect fled the scene but was detained close by just minutes later.

“He has yet to be charged but will be charged, and at the time those charges are preferred as an adult, we will release the name of the suspect,” Gahler told the press, according to The Guardian.

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The sheriff added that his office has handled more than 10 cases in the last two years “where the suspect was either the victim, witness or the suspect in an incident handled by the Harford county sheriff’s office.”

A member of the Harford County Sheriff's department tries to clear the way for an emergency vehicle as it heads toward Joppatowne High School after a shooting at the school, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Joppatowne, Md
A member of the Harford County Sheriff’s department tries to clear the way for an emergency vehicle as it heads toward Joppatowne High School after a shooting at the school, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Joppatowne, Md (AP)

While the sheriff’s office told the public to avoid the area after the shooting, it said that it was an “isolated incident, not an active shooter.”

An “active shooter” situation refers to when a suspect is firing against everyone they see rather than targeting a particular person.

An area church was used as a reunification center for students and their parents. The school is located about 20 miles northeast of Baltimore.

Gahler noted that more than 100 law enforcement officials responded to the scene.

The fight at Joppatowne High School took place just two days after the shooting at a high school outside Atlanta, Georgia where a 14-year-old shot and killed four people.

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How to watch Michigan State vs. Maryland (9/7/24): TV channel, kickoff time, live stream

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20 hours ago

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September 7, 2024

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How to watch Michigan State vs. Maryland (9/7/24): TV channel, kickoff time, live stream


Michigan State got the job done in its season opener, but it wasn’t pretty as it hung on at home against Florida Atlantic. Now, it has to head on the road to open Big Ten play in what promises to be a tougher test.

· Watch the Michigan State Spartans on FuboTV (free trial)

· Watch the Michigan State Spartans on Sling

· Watch the Michigan State Spartans on DirecTV Stream

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· Visit MLive’s Betting Home for latest odds & sportsbook promos

Michigan State is 1-0, but the road gets tougher now. The Spartans go on the road and start Big Ten play early in Week 2 with a trip to Maryland. The Terrapins have a new look this year without quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa but looked strong in their season-opener against Howard last week.

· Who: Michigan State at Maryland

· When: 3:30 p.m.

· Where: SECU Stadium, College Park, Maryland

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· Twitter: Follow Matt Wenzel

· Live updates: Beginning at 2:30 p.m. at mlive.com/spartans

· Latest line: Maryland -9.5

TV Network: Big Ten Network

Streaming options:

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· FuboTV is offering $30 off the first month for all U.S. plans. Sign up to get your favorite TV shows, live sports events, and much more

· Sling currently has an offer of $20 for the first month of subscription and has streaming coverage of live sports, news and entertainment.

· DirecTV Stream offers live sports, news and on demand TV.

Five must-reads before kickoff:

* Michigan State lost two members of its secondary, Dillon Tatum and Khalil Majeed, to long-term injuries in its season opener. The team is turning to some new faces to fill in the holes from those injuries.

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* Alex VanSumeren was once Michigan State’s top-rated recruit, but he’s been seldom seen on the field due to injuries. Now, though, he’s healthy and making his mark on the Spartans’ defensive line.

* Aidan Chiles’ 10-completion, two-interception performance in Michigan State’s season-opener was his “floor,” according to offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren, who has a plan to improve the quarterback’s performance going forward.

* Jonathan Smith had a name for Week 1 in college football: overreaction Saturday. He’s cautioning fans not to put too much stock into an opening performance that likely underwhelmed many.

* The run game and discipline are two of Matt Wenzel’s five things to watch in this week’s matchup.

Michigan State

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* Passing: Aidan Chiles 10-14, 114 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT

* Rushing: Kay’ron Lynch-Adams 9 rush, 101 yards, 1 TD

* Receiving: Michael Masunas 2 rec., 29 yards, 0 TD

* Tackles: Angelo Grose 12

* Sacks: Khris Bogle 1.5

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* Interceptions: Grose, Nikai Martinez 1

Maryland

* Passing: Billy Edwards Jr. 20-27, 311 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT

* Rushing: Roman Hemby 14 rush, 66 yards, 1 TD

* Receiving: Tai Felton 7 rec., 178 yards, 2 TD

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* Tackles: Glendon Miller 6

* Sacks: None

* Interceptions: Ruben Hyppolite II, Miller 1

Friday, Sept. 6

Western Illinois at Indiana

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Duke at Northwestern

Saturday, Sept. 7

Texas at Michigan, noon (FOX)

Rhode Island at Minnesota, noon (Peacock)

Bowling Green at Penn State, noon (BTN)

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Akron at Rutgers, noon (BTN)

Iowa State at Iowa, 3:30 p.m. (CBS)

Michigan State at Maryland, 3:30 p.m. (BTN)

Eastern Michigan at Washington, 3:30 p.m. (BTN)

South Dakota at Wisconsin, 3:30 p.m. (FS1)

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Kansas at Illinois, 7 p.m. (FS1)

Colorado at Nebraska, 7:30 p.m. (NBC)

Western Michigan at Ohio State, 7:30 p.m. (BTN)

Boise State at Oregon, 10 p.m. (Peacock)





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