CHARLOTTE — The Maryland Terrapins took a nonconference street journey and located a protection that had no solutions for his or her prolific assault. The Charlotte 49ers supplied their Huge Ten guests a stage on which quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa and the expertise round him may shine, and Maryland headed again to School Park with a commanding 56-21 victory.
Maryland
Taulia Tagovailoa is close to perfect as Maryland dominates Charlotte
Tagovailoa settled into an environment friendly rhythm, finishing one go after one other and launching correct balls to his receivers able to race into the tip zone. The redshirt junior quarterback had a near-perfect first half, connecting on 20 of twenty-two passes for 305 yards and 4 touchdowns. His solely two incompletions within the half got here on a soar ball ultimately zone {that a} Charlotte defender intercepted and a go dropped by certainly one of his receivers. Earlier than the groups headed in for halftime, Tagovailoa had already notched a profession excessive in landing passes, and Maryland (2-0) was effectively on its solution to a lopsided win.
“He’s his personal animal,” extensive receiver Jacob Copeland mentioned of Tagovailoa. “When he will get in his mode and he’s feeling good concerning the recreation or no matter scenario he’s in, he’s going to make the perfect of it.”
The Terps’ offensive unit flashed its promise all afternoon at Jerry Richardson Stadium, a small venue that hosted 12,614 followers Saturday. Charlotte didn’t register a defensive cease till late within the second quarter when Comanche Francisco, battling Dontay Demus Jr. on a barely underthrown go, secured the interception ultimately zone. Earlier than that, Tagovailoa led his group on 5 consecutive landing drives, and the Terps simply seized management of this recreation.
To attain Maryland’s sixth landing of the afternoon, Tagovailoa corralled a excessive snap and raced 4 yards into the tip zone contained in the left pylon. Carried by momentum from the run, he continued on a couple of steps, lifted his arm in celebration and slipped to floor, grabbing his proper leg. With the Terps’ historical past of accidents at quarterback, the picture of Tagovailoa on the turf in ache absolutely prompted concern amongst a scarred fan base, however Tagovailoa relieved that anxiousness as he jogged off the sphere.
When requested about his ideas when his beginning quarterback went down, Coach Michael Locksley mentioned, “If I hold it PG-13, I used to be like, ‘Holy —,’” after which paused to reference a lacking phrase.
Tagovailoa was coping with a cramp throughout that drive, “after which I needed to run the ball,” he mentioned. “You know the way that goes. Every part simply locked up. Comfortable I bought ultimately zone earlier than it did.”
He acquired IV fluids and mentioned after the sport that he feels nice. Tagovailoa had no purpose to take the sphere once more, given Maryland’s 42-14 lead on the time of his third-quarter departure, however he returned for only one play and delivered a 25-yard go when backup Billy Edwards Jr. needed to exit briefly. These few seconds of motion offered much more reassurance.
Charlotte (0-3) gave up 559 yards in its earlier recreation towards William & Mary of the Soccer Championship Subdivision, and the Terps capitalized on their alternative to showcase much more offensive firepower. They completed with 617 yards of complete offense, with gamers from everywhere in the depth chart contributing. That was anticipated of Maryland towards the 49ers, who performed within the FCS in 2013 and 2014 earlier than shifting to Convention USA. This uncommon street journey for a Huge Ten program to a college from outdoors the main conferences marked the primary of a home-and-home collection, with Charlotte taking part in in School Park subsequent season.
Even because the Terps cruised to the win, the Maryland protection had lapses that immediate concern with harder opposition on the schedule. The Terps have yet one more nonconference recreation — towards SMU at residence subsequent week — earlier than they dive into the Huge Ten slate on the street at Michigan.
Charlotte performed with out its high two quarterbacks, however with Xavier Williams, the third-string possibility, primarily main the unit, the Terps nonetheless gave up 388 yards. On the 49ers’ first offensive possession, they transformed three fourth-down makes an attempt, together with one due to a go interference name on Maryland, on their solution to a landing. At the beginning of the second quarter, the Terps allowed a 50-yard reception adopted by a 19-yard landing go to Victor Tucker.
Williams didn’t make any main errors however solely completed 19 of 35 passing for 191 yards. Maryland struggled to stress the quarterback, and the Terps’ protection has but to pressure a turnover this season. The Terps performed with out beginning cornerback Tarheeb Nonetheless, who didn’t journey to Charlotte after slicing his finger in a “freak accident within the locker room,” Locksley mentioned.
The particular groups unit secured Charlotte’s first-quarter onside kick try, which was finally nullified due to a penalty on the 49ers, and after the pair of early scores, Maryland’s defensive effort improved. The Terps continued extending their lead and stored Charlotte out of the tip zone till halfway by way of the fourth quarter.
The Terps’ offensive brilliance overshadowed the defensive miscues. After Maryland’s operating recreation confirmed promise within the opener, redshirt freshman Antwain Littleton II bulldozed up the center of the sphere for a 59-yard rating early within the recreation towards Charlotte.
Copeland, a switch from Florida, had a quiet Maryland debut, then emerged as a powerful receiving possibility right here. Copeland scored the Terps’ opening landing and added one other rating within the second quarter, ending with a team-high 110 receiving yards. Fellow receiver Jeshaun Jones, again for his fifth 12 months after tearing his ACL final season, additionally had two touchdowns within the first half.
“I feel they caught all the things immediately,” Tagovailoa mentioned of his receivers.
Tagovailoa had an up-and-down displaying within the opener, throwing for 290 yards however not finishing a landing go for the primary time since his Maryland debut in October 2020. He rebounded in emphatic vogue, registering the perfect completion proportion (27 of 31 for 87.1 %) in Maryland’s historical past when gamers try at the least 15 passes.
As Edwards took management of the offense in Tagovailoa’s absence, Maryland continued to cruise. He led the Terps on two extra landing drives, every capped by scores from younger gamers — first sophomore operating again Colby McDonald’s 49-yard rush after which a 17-yard completion to freshman extensive receiver Octavian Smith Jr. With beneath 4 minutes to go, Maryland logged its first punt of the day. Quickly after, the Terrapins left with a win — and a wholesome Tagovailoa on the flight residence — hoping this highly effective offense will translate to greater levels.