Image Credit: Zack Kiesel
The Maryland Terrapins football team held their annual Red-White Spring Game on Friday evening. This was the first time that the Red-White game was held on any day other than a Saturday afternoon. In front of 8,200 fans, the Terps split up into two teams and ran a Mike Locksley v. Brian Stewart scrimmage. There were quite a few things to be excited about, and quite a few things to be concerned about.
Note: QB C.J. Brown (named the starter earlier this week) did not play in the game. He is still recovering from a torn ACL and is limited to 7-on-7 drills.
Positives:
- The running game. Running backs Albert Reid and Brandon Ross both ran for over 100 yards in the game. Both Reid and Ross showed their improved power running. Wes Brown did not play (injury) but there should be a very good competition for carries this fall.
- The defense. Solid tackling and quick pass rushing was on display from the Terps’ defense. They were flying all over the field in pass coverage, and did a decent job shutting down the Terps’ very talented backs.
- Special teams. Brad Craddock went 2-for-2 in field goal attempts, and continues to show improvement over his dismal freshman season. The field goal defense even blocked a potential game-winning field goal attempt by Brendan Magistro to end the game.
- Stefon Diggs. There isn’t much that can be said about Stefon Diggs that hasn’t already been said. His shifty explosiveness was on display in the game, and he took a screen pass 51 yards for a score.
Negatives:
- The offensive line. If there is one thing to panic about coming out of this scrimmage, it’s the offensive line. More specifically, the pass blocking from the offensive line. It seems like they will do fine in run blocking, but gave quarterbacks Dustin Dailey and Ricardo Young absolutely no time in the pocket before they were “sacked”. Incoming 4-star freshman Derwin Gray may be forced to play this season after all.
- The quarterbacks. The Terps’ backup quarterback situation is ugly. While Perry Hills, Caleb Rowe, and C.J. Brown all watched from the sidelines, Ricardo Young and Dustin Dailey struggled to complete consistent passes. C.J. Brown will be the starter, but Ricardo Young may not even end up being his backup once Hills and Rowe are healthy.
- The punters. Excluding them from special teams, the punters were not good at all in this game. There was a lot of wind in the stadium, but no matter who was punting (Michael Tart or Nathan Renfro) it seemed that they could not figure out how to get the ball a good distance down the field.
Notes:
The Terps look to have a decent team this year that will only get better when C.J. Brown can add his talent to the offense. The defense is normally ahead of the offense at this point in camp, so seeing them dominate may not be as much of a concern as it seems like it should be. Overall, this game was dominated by the running game and the defense, which is a good sign as the Terps move into Big Ten play in 2014.
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.