2022 Terps Football: Early Lookahead

It’s not every year we end Maryland’s football season on such a high note that it has us eager as a fanbase to get back on the gridiron ASAP. But that’s what we have here after the Terps demolished Virginia Tech 54-10 in the Pinstripe Bowl at the end of December to finish the season with their first winning record since 2014 and first bowl win since 2010.

There has certainly been some roster attrition in College Park, but it’s not nearly as bad as it could have been with many key players returning on both sides of the ball for the 2022 season. In fact, the coaching attrition is probably a bigger concern (could also mean improvement in that area).

With that said, let’s take a look at what next season’s roster might look like and where some of the strengths could be. Courtesy of our BSL Colleague, Zack Kiesel, here’s a projected depth chart for the 2022 season:

OFFENSE

QB: 1. Taulia Tagovailoa, 2. Eric Najarian

RB: 1. Challen Faamatau OR Colby McDonald

WR-X: 1. Dontay Demus, Jr., 2. Tai Felton

WR-Z: 1. Rakim Jarrett, 2. Jeshaun Jones

WR-H: 1. Jacob Copeland, 2. Marcus Fleming OR Octavian Smith, Jr.

TE: 1. CJ Dippre OR Corey Dyches

LT: 1. Jaelyn Duncan, 2. Maximus McCree

LG: 1. Mason Lunsford, 2. Ja’Khi Green

C: 1. Spencer Anderson, 2. Aric Harris

RG: 1. Johari Branch, 2. Amelio Moran

RT: 1. Delmar Glaze, 2. Marcus Finger

DEFENSE

DE: 1. Greg Rose, 2. Tyler Baylor

NT: 1. Ami Finau, 2. Anthony Booker, Jr.

DT: 1. Mosiah Nasili-Kite, 2. Darrell Jackson

SAM: 1. Demeioun Robinson, 2. Jaishawn Barham OR VanDarius Cowan

MIKE: 1. Ruben Hyppolite II, 2. Ahmad McCullough

WILL: 1. Fa’Najae Gotay, 2. Gereme Spraggins

JACK: 1. Durell Nchami, 2. Terrance Butler, Jr. OR Zion Shockley

FCB: 1. Deonte Banks, 2. Corey Coley, Jr.

SS: 1. Beau Brade, 2. Glendon Miller OR Shane Mosley

FS: 1. Dante Trader, 2. Gavin Gibson OR Lavain Scruggs

BCB: 1. Tarheeb Still, 2. Jakorian Bennett

(Note: Bennett and Still would likely split time as the team’s nickel cornerback.)

SPECIAL TEAMS

K: 1. Chad Ryland, 2. Harrison Beattie

P: 1. Anthony Pecorella OR Colton Spangler

LS: 1. Ethan Gough, 2. Jake Foggia

KR: 1. Dontay Demus, Jr., 2. Rakim Jarrett

PR: 1. Tarheeb Still, 2. Rakim Jarrett

Based on these projections, here are some thoughts:

Offensive Strengths

According to ESPN’s SP+ rankings, which take into account teams’ returning production, recent recruiting and recent results to project where they’re trending between seasons, Maryland comes in at No. 41 overall, with the No. 10 offense and No. 77 defense. So clearly the Terps are expected to have most of their strengths on offense. Some of those strengths should include:

Quarterback stability (solid backup option too): Many of Maryland’s high expectations on offense are tied to the return of starting quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa finished second in the Big Ten in passing last season only behind Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud. He is as talented of a quarterback as Maryland has had in a long time and he will make the rest of the offensive players around him better. His familiarity with Locksley’s system — entering his third year in the same offense — is another check in Tagovailoa’s plus column. Losing backup quarterback Reece Udinski to the transfer portal was a bit of a blow — albeit an expected one — but this year’s projected backup, Eric Najarian, looked good in his limited action early in his career and the local product could possibly hold things together were something to happen to Tagovailoa. Losing the starter would be a huge blow, but there are backups and there are BACKUPS.

Big Ten’s best receiving corps?: Rakim Jarrett taking his game to the next level as he looks toward the pros. Demus returning from a gruesome injury with a chip on his shoulder, also with his eyes on the pros. Former four-star Jacob Copeland transferring in from Florida. Speeders like Jeshaun Jones, Tai Felton, and Marcus Fleming to add some depth. Enough said. This could be the most loaded unit on the team and could be the best receiving corps in the conference.

O-Line should be a strength: Left tackle Jaelyn Duncan returning for another year was huge news for Maryland. He is another Terp that will have pro prospects and should continue to show the progressive growth he has shown throughout his career. All of the expected starters on Maryland’s offensive line have some experience and most of them were starters last year. The makings of the good offense starts in the trenches and those projecting Maryland to be strong on that side of the ball know it.

Defensive Strengths

Based on ESPN’s SP+ rankings, Maryland might struggle a bit on defense next year. But despite losing a key playmaker like Nick Cross and implementing a new defensive coordinator, the Terps return plenty of production to have some success.

Underrated front seven not getting any love: Guys on the defensive line like Greg Rose, Ami Finau, and Mosiah Nasili-Kite aren’t going to blow anybody away for takeover games themselves, but they are all solid, all have plenty of experience, and all give a nice mixture of run defense and pass rushing. But where the pass rush is really going to come from in the front seven are the athletic, versatile linebackers the Terps have. Ruben Hyppolite II has yet to break out but I believe he will. He should be rangey enough in the center of the defense to allow pass rushing linebackers like “Chop” Robinson and Durrell Nchami go to work on opposing quarterbacks. Fa’Najae Gotay is also a solid part of the front seven who can do a little bit of pass coverage and pass rushing. When Maryland’s defense does get brought up, it’s usually the secondary that gets the praise because of standout players like Tarheeb Still. So the lackluster preseason hype the Terps’ defense is getting most likely has to do with this front seven not getting much love. Perhaps they can use that as motivation to prove the haters wrong.

Corners that can make up for inexperienced safeties: Losing both starting safeties is going to have people wary of Maryland’s defense this year, but let’s not write off guys like Beau Brade and Dante Trader before they even get a shot. Now, I’m not saying either one will be Nick Cross, but Jordan Mosely was developed into a solid safety while at Maryland and these two projected starters will have some leeway with their growing pains because of the talent the Terps have on the outside. Tarheeb Still, Jakorian Bennett, and Deonte Banks can match up with most receiving corps in college football and Still could become a player that offenses avoid throwing at completely because of his ball skills. A player like that in the secondary can make up for a lot of deficiencies and allow defensive coordinators to get creative.

Special Teams Strengths

Two of the major components of Maryland’s special teams — punter and punt returner — are back in College Park for another year. Still showed in the Pinstripe Bowl just how dangerous of a return man he can be. He is a playmaker and reminds me almost of Will Likely in terms of the impact he can have on a game on both defense and special teams.

Anthony Pecorella started seven games as Maryland’s punter last year and it’s always good to have someone who knows what they’re doing back there. He averaged 44 yards per punt last year and placed 11 of his 28 punts inside the 20 yard line.

Field position, both punting and returning, could very well be a strength of Maryland’s in 2022.