Image Credit: Nike Talk
Opponent: Virginia Tech Hokies (7-3, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference)
Game Date/Time: Saturday, November 16, 2013; 12:30 PM ET
Venue: Lane Stadium (65,632)
TV/Radio Broadcasts: ACC Network, Terrapin Sports Radio Network
All-Time Record: 15-15 Tie
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The Terps’ Chances:
The Terps will be playing a Virginia Tech team coming off of a big win over #11 Miami on the road. They’ve had a very up-and-down season, but this was a very big win. Now they get to head back home to Blacksburg to face a 5-4 Maryland team desperate for just one more win before the season ends to send them to a bowl game. So do the Terps even have a chance?
Yes, they do. While I don’t think they’ll be able to pull out a victory this Saturday, anything is possible and the Hokies haven’t exactly been a model of consistency this season. Before beating Miami, they lost to Duke at home and to Boston College on the road. But, those were their first losses since losing to Alabama in their season opener.
In order for the Terps to pull out a win on Saturday, they have to be smart. They have to be able to limit their number of turnovers and just play smart football. There’s a decent chance that this game could turn into a defensive battle, so the Terps’ offense needs to be able to put their defense in places to succeed. The best way to do that is by scoring points and not giving Virginia Tech good starting field position. Make the Hokies earn their points.
The Terps’ offensive line also needs to be able to stay afloat against an extremely talented Virginia Tech defense. Moise Larose has one start under his belt, and needs to be just a little more consistent this week. They need to get some space in the running game, and get C.J. Brown just a little more time to pass, which should limit his interception total. The Hokies have the #3 defense in the country this season, so focusing on moving the ball and not turning the ball over is important.
Virginia Tech’s offense is led by quarterback Logan Thomas. The big 6’6″ 257 pound senior has always been touted as having a great skill set, but the Hokies have never really played to that skill set enough to allow him to succeed. He has great agility in the running game, but you don’t see a whole lot of read-option runs from the Hokies. The Virginia Tech offense is based on the deep pass. They want to stretch the field with a lot of deep passes, whether there’s receivers open or not. The Terps need to be careful not to commit too many pass interference penalties and just try their best to stick with the Hokies’ receivers.
Re-Analyzing the Terps’ Offense:
The Terps’ offense was stagnant for basically the entire game against Syracuse. The offensive line wasn’t able to do much at all against the Orange, and C.J. Brown was under constant pressure because of that. Mike Locksley tried to get his running backs to the perimeter, but that’s where you miss the great downfield blocking abilities of Stefon Diggs and Deon Long. These new receivers just don’t have the strength and experience to block their man down the field.
C.J. Brown was 21-for-40 for 211 yards and 2 interceptions last week against Syracuse. He also ran the ball 15 times for a net of 5 yards. The Terps’ offense doesn’t run well if C.J. Brown has to throw the ball 40 times. But when you don’t have a running game, that’s what happens. And the interceptions come because the quarterback is forcing passes that he shouldn’t be because he doesn’t have a running game to lean back on.
Much has been made of the Terps’ receiving corps, and it will get a new face this week as the team faces Virginia Tech. QB Ricardo Young will be moving to wide receiver, and could get playing time in the slot. It’s a move that Randy Edsall didn’t want to have to make, but injuries have forced him to. Young is a talented athlete who knows the offense well. He also played for Virginia Tech in the past, so it will be a homecoming of sorts for him. He won’t be the first Maryland quarterback to move to wide receiver. Devin Burns did the same thing over the past few years before transferring after last season.
Zack’s Keys to the Game:
- Be patient – This is a matchup between two good defenses, and the Terps need to realize that on offense. If their defense can keep them in this game, that will allow the offense to be patient and wait for their time to shine, instead of forcing the issue and making stupid mistakes.
- Run the ball – No matter how bad it gets, keep running. That’s what this offense is built around, and passing the ball 40 times with C.J. Brown is very rarely a formula for success. Keep pounding the rock with Brandon Ross, Albert Reid, and C.J. Brown.
- Pressure Thomas – If Logan Thomas is allowed to sit in the pocket, he’ll pick a defense apart. Even though he’s comfortable throwing on the run, pressuring him will take away that deep pass that the Hokies love so much. Look for a lot of blitzing from Brian Stewart and the Terps’ defense.
- Make Tech kick – Much has been made about the Hokies’ kicking struggles this season. This week, they dismissed starting kicker Cody Journell from the team for a violation of team policies. He had only made 10 of his 16 field goal attempts, a bad line for a senior kicker. The Hokies don’t know who will replace Journell, but whoever it is will have little to no experience at the collegiate level. This means that Virginia Tech will go for it a lot on 4th down, and the Terps have to be ready for that.
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.