Season Preview: Maryland Football aims to take the next step – WMUC Sports

By Brennan Stewart

2021 had its justifiable share of ups and downs for the Terps. The crew completed 7-6 total after the Terps’ squad received its first bowl sport since 2010, routing Virginia Tech within the New Period Pinstripe Bowl. All six losses got here from groups throughout the Huge Ten convention: Iowa, Ohio State, Minnesota, Penn State, Michigan State and Michigan. The Terps will play 9 in-conference video games this season, simply as they did final 12 months, hoping to extend its 33.3% win proportion within the Huge Ten and make it to a different bowl. 

Guess who’s again?

Who can neglect the Terps’ Week 5 blackout in opposition to  No. 5 Iowa? Early within the second quarter, Maryland’s high huge receiver, Dontay Demus Jr., suffered a ugly proper knee harm that required surgical procedure and in flip ended his season. Simply as he promised, Demus might be returning in 2022 for his last 12 months as a Terp.  

Demus, at present graded 75.8 on PFF.com,  is now the third highest grade to be given to a Maryland huge receiver behind D.J. Moore (77.1) and Stefon Diggs (79.5). With rising expertise Taulia Tagovailoa as his Quarterback, Demus Jr. might be seeking to make a comeback as a high huge receiver prospect within the 2023 NFL Draft. 

Earlier than his harm final season, Demus had 3 touchdowns and 507 receiving yards, which was probably the most receiving yards within the Huge Ten on the time. He’s anticipated to be prepared by the beginning of the season, in keeping with Coach Locksley. “Our thought is that we’ll see him within the first sport and I feel that’s nonetheless the place we at the moment are,” Locksley instructed reporters throughout his Huge Ten Media Day press convention earlier this month.

The Offense

Demus received’t be the one highly-touted receiver popping out of Maryland after this season. Junior huge receiver Rakim Jarrett might be seeking to make one other splash this 12 months after a stellar 2021 season that landed him at #68 on ESPN’s top-100 faculty soccer participant checklist. Jarett completed 2021 with 829 receiving yards on 62 receptions, and a complete of 5 touchdowns. Moreover, former Florida Gators receiver, Jacob Copeland, transferred to Maryland within the offseason and appears to search out his place in a proficient receiving corps. Copeland had a restricted function as a Gator, incomes 642 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns, however in Faculty Park, he appears to spice up his affect. 

Now, again to Maryland’s quarterback,  Tagovailoa. Arguably probably the most underrated quarterbacks in faculty soccer, Tagovailoa had a formidable exhibiting in 2021, accumulating 3,860 yards passing and an astonishing 26 touchdowns. With a whole and wholesome receiving tandem at his disposal, anticipate Tagovailoa’s numbers to exceed his already elite exhibiting from final 12 months.

The Protection

Sadly, Maryland’s protection seems to be the crew’s weakest facet on paper. A number of of Maryland’s key defensive gamers entered the switch portal earlier than the deadline arrived in Might. Sophomore Darrell Jackson transferred to the College of Miami after raking in 15 solo tackles in his first 12 months at Maryland. Senior Lavonte Gater transferred to Kent State after incomes 21 solo tackles and 1 pressured fumble. Different names embody Demeioun Robinson, Andre Porter, Kenny Benett, and Devyn King. In complete, six defensive gamers have been misplaced to the switch portal. 

With Brian Williams serving as the brand new defensive coordinator this season, he turns into the 4th particular person to carry the place since 2019. Williams was the top play caller for the ultimate two video games in 2021, serving to Maryland earn wins over Rutgers and Virginia Tech. the Terps’ teaching workers hopes he’ll be capable to construct upon his early success after incomes the promotion earlier within the 12 months. 

Teaching Workers

Williams might be joined by a number of new coaches on the defensive workers. Considered one of these coaches is Lance Thompson, a educated recruiter who has additionally coached at eight totally different faculties across the NCAA together with Alabama, LSU, and Auburn. Most just lately, Thompson served because the linebacker coach at Florida Atlantic College and can now be teaching Maryland’s inside linebackers. 

Moreover, one other new addition to the workers is Wes Neighbors, who joined the Terps as a safeties coach. Neighbors has coached at three totally different faculties: Louisiana, South Florida, and Florida Atlantic. Final season, Neighbors helped the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns go 13-1 en path to a Solar Belt Convention championship. The Ragin Cajuns’ protection was ranked #14 within the FBS, solely permitting 18.5 factors per sport on common. 

Moreover, Beneath new management, Maryland’s protection might be seeking to change the narrative after being ranked third-worst amongst defensive models within the Huge Ten in 2021.

On the opposite facet of the ball, Coach Locksley employed Gunter Brewer because the crew’s new huge receiver coach. Brewer started his teaching profession at Purdue in 1986. Over the previous three many years, Brewer has developed many notable receivers together with Dez Bryant and Randy Moss. With the abilities of Demus Jr., Copeland, and Jarett in his receiving corps, Maryland’s passing sport is definite to strike concern into its Huge Ten opponents.

Schedule Preview

Week 1: Buffalo at Maryland – September third, 12:00 PM

Week 2: Maryland at Charlotte – September tenth, 3:30 PM

Week 3: SMU at Maryland – September seventeenth, 7:30 PM

Week 4: Maryland at Michigan – September twenty fourth, 12:00 PM

Week 5: Michigan State at Maryland – October 1st, TBA

Week 6: Purdue at Maryland – October eighth, TBA

Week 7: Maryland at Indiana – October fifteenth, TBA

Week 8: Northwestern at Maryland – October twenty second, 3:30 PM

Week 9: Maryland at Wisconsin – November fifth, TBA

Week 10: Maryland at Penn State – November twelfth, TBA

Week 11: Ohio State at Maryland – November nineteenth, TBA

Week 12: Rutgers at Maryland – November twenty sixth, TBA

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