Opponent: Howard Bison (0-0, 0-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Location: Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium (51,802)
Date: Saturday, September 3, 2016
Time: 12:00 PM ET
TV/Radio Broadcasts: Big Ten Network, Maryland Sports Radio Network
Series Record: 0-0
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Opponent Preview
The Bison will travel just a few miles north to College Park, MD to face the Terrapins for the first time ever. They are coached by Gary Harrell, who is in his fifth year as the team’s head coach. He played his collegiate football at Howard as a wide receiver before playing a few years in the NFL, NFL Europe, and the CFL. His coaching experience has come exclusively at HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), spending time at Texas Southern, Florida A&M, Morgan State, and Bowie State before returning to Howard where he coached wide receivers from 2002-2003.
Under Harrell’s leadership, the Bison have had just one winning season, going 7-6 in 2012. Last season was a disaster for the program, as they won just 1 game. During their 11 games, they were outscored 408-169. The lowest point of their season came against Boston College, where they lost by a final score of 76-0. After the first quarter of that game, they were losing 41-0. At halftime, both head coaches agreed to shorten the game by 20 minutes.
The Bison are returning most of their top offensive talent from last season. QB Kalen Johnson threw for 1,174 yards and 8 touchdowns last year, and will return for his junior season. RB Ricquaz Brannon was Howard’s leading rusher as a freshman last season with 341 yards on the ground and 1 touchdown, and will return for his sophomore year. The team’s three leading receivers from 2015 return this season, including WR Jalen Avery and WR Guy Lemonier, Jr.
Howard runs a no-huddle spread offense which isn’t too different from any standard spread offense in college football. Offensive coordinator Ted White will attempt to attack the defense with inside runs and short passes, as well as utilize Johnson’s running abilities behind center. However, this unit struggled mightily to move the ball last season, and there aren’t very many positive signs for them this year. They were unable to put up many numbers because they struggled to hold on to the football and maintain drives, putting their defense in bad positions game after game.
The Bison’s defense will return all 3 of their leading tacklers from last season, DBs Craig Johnson and Travon Hunt, and LB Elijah Anglin. Johnson led the team with 59 tackles and 3 sacks from his safety position last season. Hunt recorded 37 tackles on the year, and also intercepted 5 passes.
Defensive coordinator Rayford Petty runs a fairly standard 4-3 defense with the Bison. As I mentioned above, the 2015 season saw Howard’s offense struggle to stay on the field, resulting in many long days for the defense. It’s never a good sign when a team’s leading tackler is a defensive back, as was the case with the Bison last year. As is the case when any FCS team takes on an FBS team, Howard’s defensive line will be greatly overmatched by Maryland’s offensive line, and vice versa.
Maryland Preview
The Terrapins are looking forward to their first game under new head coach DJ Durkin. While Howard is not a glamorous opponent by any means, this matchup couldn’t have come at a better time for the Maryland football program. This game ought to allow Durkin to use most of the players on his roster, getting a better feel for his team before they head down to Florida for two straight road games.
The focus of the offense in this game, and all season long, will be the running game. New offensive coordinator Walt Bell has a stable of 4-5 talented running backs at his disposal to run behind a strong offensive line. The Terrapins ought to be able to dominate the line of scrimmage against Howard, leaving huge holes for Ty Johnson and the ball-carriers. Bell’s offense won’t look very complex for this game, but it will look very fast. If Maryland is able to stay ahead of the chains consistently, Howard could be in for another rout.
While the running game will be the focus, all eyes will likely be on QB Perry Hills. After a rocky 2015 season that saw him throw 8 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, he will need to prove that he is the right man to be running Bell’s up-tempo spread offense. His legs will be an asset for him, as Bell likes to run a few different option plays. More importantly though, he will need to prove that he has the accuracy and decision-making abilities in the passing game to score points for the Terrapins. Bell has praised his deep passing skills over the past few weeks, so look for him to take a few shots down the field early in Saturday’s game.
Maryland’s defense will also be fun to watch, as new defensive coordinator Andy Buh calls his first game for the Terrapins alongside Durkin. Since the Bison run a spread offense, Maryland’s defense will be almost exclusively in a nickle formation. This means that JC Jackson and Alvin Hill will be covering Howard’s outside receivers, while William Likely covers the slot receiver. The player to watch for defensively is DE/LB Jesse Aniebonam, who will start at the “Buck” position this season. Durkin and Buh like to move this player around to confuse opposing offenses. Another player to watch for is LB Shane Cockerille, who will be starting on defense after spending last season as both a fullback and a quarterback.
One of the most fun things to watch for will be Maryland’s 3 two-way players. When Durkin released his team’s depth chart on Monday evening, many people were surprised to see so many players listed on both sides of the ball. DB William Likely is not only listed as the team’s starting nickle cornerback, but also as a co-starter at slot receiver. Bell has heaped praise upon Likely, saying that he has an incredible grasp on his offensive scheme. It sounds as if he could play up to 30-35 snaps on offense in each game this season. Additionally, RB Jake Funk is listed as a co-backup at running back and as a co-backup at free safety. WR Tino Ellis is listed as a co-backup at wide receiver and as a backup at cornerback. While you’re at Maryland Stadium on Saturday afternoon, or watching from your couch, look closely to see how many snaps each of these players plays on both sides of the ball.
Zack’s Keys to the Game
- Don’t Get Hurt — In a game like this, the most important thing for Maryland is to come out of it healthy. The last thing you need is a key player suffering a severe injury against a team like Howard.
- Finish Early — If Howard’s game against Boston College last season is any indication, the Terrapins ought to be able to put their backups in before halftime. The best way to avoid injuries is to get your work done and head to the bench early.
- Win Decisively — Howard is an inferior opponent. Maryland must be able to dominate them and win in a decisive manner.
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.