As the Terps’ unfortunate 2012 football season draws to a close, let’s take some time to preview how the 2013 roster might shake out. Between players graduating, redshirted players entering their first year, and transfers and new recruits entering Maryland, the roster will (as always in college football) look significantly different.
Quarterback:
Key Players Leaving: None.
Key Players Returning: C.J. Brown, Perry Hills, Devin Burns, Caleb Rowe.
Key Players Entering: Ricardo Young (transfer), Shane Cockerille (recruit), Milan Collins (recruit).
Summary: The Terps will open spring camp with Ricardo Young and Dustin Dailey as their starting QBs due to injuries to all of the returning QBs. C.J. Brown should be ready soonest of all the injured QBs, but his rehab will most likely stretch into part of spring camp. The most intriguing name here for 2013 is Cockerille, one of the top QB recruits in 2013. He will most likely compete with Brown and Hills for the starting job next year. As for Collins, he was recruited by the Terps as a 3-star Athlete. He has the ability to play QB, but with the current logjam at the position, he will most likely play another position or redshirt next year.
Running Back:
Key Players Leaving: None.
Key Players Returning: Wes Brown, Brandon Ross, Justus Pickett, Albert Reid.
Key Players Entering: None.
Summary: The Terps will get all 4 of their RBs back next year, with Brown expected to be the starter in his sophomore year. Ross, Pickett and Reid will compete for backup jobs. The Terps do not yet have any RBs in their 2013 recruiting class. ESPN reports that 5 RBs in the class of 2013 are considering Maryland, including two 4-star RBs.
Fullback:
Key Players Leaving: Jeff Hernandez.
Key Players Returning: Tyler Cierski.
Key Players Entering: Kenneth Goins (redshirt).
Summary: The Terps will lose backup FB Jeff Hernandez to graduation, but will keep starter Tyler Cierski. Goins is a promising young FB who can play both FB and RB.
Wide Receiver:
Key Players Leaving: Kerry Boykins, Kevin Dorsey.
Key Players Returning: Stefon Diggs, Marcus Leak, Nigel King.
Key Players Entering: Deon Long (transfer).
Summary: The Terps will be losing two of their best WRs from the past few years in Dorsey and Boykins, as they will be graduating after this season. But Diggs, Leak, and King will be more than ready to take over starting roles in 2013. Tyrek Cheeseboro could also play a fairly significant role next year. Deon Long is a Junior, coming out of Iowa Western Community College. He received offers from Maryland and Illinois, and was perceived as a very underrated player coming out of high school in 2009. It should be interesting to see if he can rise to the challenge and compete for a starting job next year.
Tight End:
Key Players Leaving: Matt Furstenburg, Devonte Campbell, Ryan Schlothauer.
Key Players Returning: Dave Stinebaugh.
Key Players Entering: Daniel Adams (transfer), Andrew Isaacs (recruit).
Summary: The Terps are losing their Top 3 TEs next season, leaving them extremely bare at this position. Furstenburg is a guy that the coaching staff has never really been able to figure out how to use. He has a great amount of talent for a TE, but has never really meshed well with the offense that the Terps have been trying to run. Stinebaugh, Adams, and Isaacs will all compete for the starting job next year.
Offensive Line:
Key Players Leaving: Justin Gilbert, Bennett Fulper.
Key Players Returning: Mike Madaras, Sal Conaboy, Nick Klemm, Andrew Zeller.
Key Players Entering: Derwin Gray (recruit), Moise Larose (recruit).
Summary: Gilbert and Fulper were the starting RT and LG (respectively) on this year’s 2012 team. Josh Cary has been starting at LG for the past few weeks due to an injury to Fulper, but Gilbert has been healthy and solid all year. The Terps’ biggest recruit for 2013 will be 4-star OT Derwin Gray, the #2 recruit out of Washington, D.C. this year. He was recruited by top programs all around the country, but chose to stay home and attend Maryland. He will step into a starting job immediately, and projects as a LT. This means that either he or Mike Madaras will need to move to RT next season. Expect an offensive line similar to this next year: Gray (LT), Cary (LG), Conaboy (C), Zeller/Arnett (RG), Madaras/Klemm (RT).
Defensive Line:
Key Players Leaving: Joe Vellano, A.J. Francis.
Key Players Returning: Darius Kilgo, Keith Bowers, Andre Monroe, Isaiah Ross.
Key Players Entering: Kingsley Opara (recruit).
Summary: The Terps will be dealt a huge blow here, losing two of the ACC’s best defensive linemen in Vellano and Francis. It will be tough to fill their shoes, but the 5 players listed above will have to fill the 3 starting jobs on the 2013 defensive line. Kilgo will return as the starting DT (Opara will compete for that job), and Bowers, Monroe, and Ross will compete for the two DE jobs.
Linebacker:
Key Players Leaving: Demetrius Hartsfield, Darin Drakeford, Kenneth Tate.
Key Players Returning: Alex Twine, Cole Farrand, L.A. Goree, Marcus Whitfield.
Key Players Entering: Abner Logan (redshirt), Derrick Hayward (recruit), Cavon Walker (recruit).
Summary: The Terps will also be losing some very key players at LB. The names of Hartsfield, Drakeford, and the former safety Tate have rung through the houses of Terps fans for just as long as the names of Vellano and Francis. But the Terps have a strong group of LBs to fill their shoes. Farrand has been one of the Terps starting MLBs in their 3-4 scheme and has done very well. Alex Twine and L.A. Goree have shown promise in their young careers, and next year is their time to shine. Abner Logan was redshirted specifically because of the 3 seniors on the 2012 team. He will play a big role on the Terps defense in 2013.
Defensive Back:
Key Players Leaving: Eric Franklin.
Key Players Returning: Dexter McDougle, Jeremiah Johnson, Matt Robinson.
Key Players Entering: Jarrett Ross (recruit), Zach Dancel (transfer).
Summary: Franklin has been a starting safety for the Terps for awhile, but the Terps have most of their DBs returning for 2013. McDougle and Johnson have done well as the starting CBs this year, and Robinson has played extremely well, and is only a sophomore.
Special Teams:
Key Players Leaving: Nick Ferrara.
Key Players Returning: Nathan Renfro, Brad Craddock, Brendan Magistro.
Key Players Entering: None.
Summary: Ferrara has been hurt most of his Maryland career, and was average at best in his starting role last season. Craddock and Magistro will compete for the starting K job next season, unless Randy Edsall decides to use both of them as he will do for the rest of the 2013 season (Craddock handles long FGs and kickoffs, Magistro handles short FGs and extra points). Renfro looks to have locked up the starting punting job in 2013 with his solid performance this year, but will receive competition from Craddock and Michael Tart.
Overall:
The Terps look to have a solid team again next year, and if the team can avoid devastating injuries, a bowl game should be expected, and an ACC title shouldn’t be too far down the line. This is a team with extremely talented freshmen, and a system that seems to be working.
Terps Analyst
Zack is a financial analyst for a defense contractor in Washington, DC. The Owings Mills native focuses most of his efforts on Maryland Football recruiting and individual coach and player pieces; but also covers Terps Basketball. He has established relationships with Big Ten beat reporters across the conference, which he utilizes in his game previews. Now a Sr. Terps Analyst for BSL, Zack can be reached at: zack.kiesel@baltimoresportsandlife.com.