Three takeaways from Maryland football’s competitive 34-27 loss at No. 4 Michigan

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Maryland put forth a valiant effort in opposition to the No. 4 Michigan Wolverines, falling, 34-27, in a aggressive sport.

Maryland hung round for greater than three quarters, nevertheless it couldn’t pull off the upset victory. The Terps additionally handled some harm scares, as head coach Michael Locksley mentioned that star huge receiver Rakim Jarrett was dominated out with a head harm and beginning quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa is battling knee and rib accidents; he mentioned they’ll have extra updates once they get again to School Park.

Saturday was by far Maryland’s closest sport in opposition to Michigan because it beat the Wolverines in 2014, and there are some positives to remove.

Maryland overcame its early gaffe with a powerful response by competing — and taking the lead — within the first half.

It gave the impression to be a nightmarish begin for Maryland.

Sophomore huge receiver Tai Felton fumbled the opening kickoff, with the ball bouncing proper off his helmet. Michigan took over on the Terps’ 10-yard line and instantly scored on its first play from scrimmage, with sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy discovering senior tight finish Luke Schoonmaker for the landing.

Folks might have anticipated the Terps to pack it up from there and succumb to the Wolverines — who’ve overwhelmed Maryland by greater than 200 mixed factors within the earlier six conferences — however they didn’t.

“Our workforce, we’re simply immature sufficient as a workforce the place these kind of issues actually don’t faze us,” Locksley mentioned. “I hate it as a result of we gave ‘em an inexpensive landing. It’s a routine, catch the kick along with your arms and hold your kind parallel to the bottom. Excessive head, excessive arms — the ball hits off his face masks… Clearly it’s a mistake, and good groups don’t want our assist. And to only spot ‘em seven factors after which the result of the sport is seven factors, we don’t want to assist good groups.”

As a substitute, the Terps put collectively certainly one of their finest halves in opposition to elite competitors since becoming a member of the Large Ten.

The offense appeared poised, as beginning quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa was taking part in with a sure hearth and the protection was developing with clutch stops — even securing a turnover in its personal territory.

Maryland put collectively an evenly-distributed first-half offensive showcase with 121 passing yards, 74 speeding yards and 12 first downs.

The Terps entered Michigan territory on every of their first 4 drives, however certainly one of them was controversially halted early. Tagovailoa threw an interception to senior defensive again DJ Turner, although it appeared just like the ball was clearly trapped in opposition to the bottom. Regardless of that, there was no time stoppage for an official evaluation, a lot to the dismay of Terps followers.

Michigan in the end took a 17-13 halftime lead with a landing on an eight-play, 70-yard drive within the closing minute and alter of the half. The Terps left loads to be desired by not executing to finish the half, however they had been nonetheless competing.

“I’d like our effort by our workforce — we play for 4 quarters. I’d prefer to see us not give good groups the alternatives that we gave Michigan, they usually took benefit of it,” Locksley mentioned. “However positively a step in the suitable route for our program to have the ability to get these things fastened and get it fastened in time for a possibility in ‘The Shell’ subsequent week.”

Despite the fact that this isn’t precisely the subsequent step for Maryland, holding the lead on the highway in opposition to a top-five workforce for nearly 1 / 4 within the first half is undoubtedly an enchancment.

The Terps cleaned up their self-discipline.

A scarcity of self-discipline has been a theme for Maryland, one which it hasn’t backed away from both.

In 2021, Maryland dedicated the second-most penalties (88) within the Large Ten and had the third-most penalty yardage (743 yards) within the convention. So far in 2022, that pattern had continued.

After committing eight penalties in every of their first two video games, the Terps almost threw their week three sport in opposition to SMU away by committing 15 penalties for 141 yards.

The Terps heard the murmurs, and Locksley repeatedly needed to reply for them in his media availabilities. On Saturday in opposition to a premier opponent, his workforce responded.

“I assume they did what they’re coached to do,” Locksley mentioned.

Maryland dedicated zero penalties for almost the primary 58 minutes of Saturday’s sport. Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Delmar Glaze was flagged for a false begin on the Terps’ closing drive for his or her lone penalty. Maryland’s protection performed a clear sport and was not hit with a single penalty name.

“We’re on target with that,” senior defensive again Jakorian Bennett mentioned. “Coach put emphasis on simply not doing dumb issues and never beating ourselves… We actually type of locked in and actually centered in the present day.”

If Maryland can proceed to play with restricted penalties, it’ll put itself in place to win extra massive video games sooner or later.

Whatever the loss, Maryland soccer proved it may well compete with the most effective within the convention.

The Terps took the subsequent step towards the subsequent step.

Locksley has detailed how this system must “shut the hole” between itself and the highest Large Ten groups. He’s additionally dove into the “subsequent step” for Maryland after profitable its first bowl sport in 11 seasons final December. Maryland inched nearer to each these objectives Saturday.

“It is a good sport to construct upon,” redshirt senior offensive lineman Spencer Anderson mentioned. “Clearly, we didn’t have the end result we needed, however one thing to construct upon. Get in, get it watched and on to the subsequent.”

Saturday’s sport was in limbo till the waning minutes of the fourth quarter, which is all Maryland followers may have requested for. Not solely had been the Terps able to maintain the deficit shut, however they had been able to struggle for a win.

After holding the Wolverines to only a subject objective, Maryland received the ball again trailing by only a possession with fewer than six and a half minutes to play.

Tagovailoa, for as many spectacular performs as he made each working and throwing the rock Saturday, made a brutal determination at his personal 30-yard line. In search of junior huge receiver Jacob Copeland, Tagovailoa threw a prayer into double protection in Michigan territory. Junior defensive again R.J. Moten made an excellent play — batting the ball to himself for the interception and successfully ending all possibilities for the Terps.

Maryland’s protection fought on the subsequent drive, however Michigan working again Blake Corum iced the win with an ensuing 47-yard speeding landing.

“Now we took some steps ahead, clearly as a program, and that there are some issues that I assumed that we confirmed the place now we have an opportunity to be, who now we have an opportunity to be as a workforce,” Locksley mentioned. “However the ethical victories and coming shut and all of that, man, that’s not what we’re about.”

The frustration of letting a doubtlessly program-altering win slip was palpable, however the efficiency ought to show to be encouraging in the long term. In opposition to the most effective of the most effective, Maryland followers would a lot relatively favor a heartbreaker than a 50-point blowout.