Image Credit: GreenwichTime.com
After a very good 4-0 start to their season, the Maryland Terrapins football team has a bye week this weekend before heading down to Tallahassee to face their first ACC team of the year in Florida State. The team got their first Top 25 poll votes this past week, and will attempt to upset one of the best teams in the country on the road next weekend. But before previewing Florida State, let’s take a look back at what has been a very good undefeated start for the Terps this season.
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Everyone figured that the Terps’ offense would be the strength of this team. What they didn’t figure was that the defense wouldn’t take much of a step back at all from last season. In fact, this year’s defense has already forced more turnovers than last year’s squad. Their most dominant performance was last week against pass-happy West Virginia, who they shut out and forced 6 turnovers against. The Mountaineers were completely baffled by the Maryland defense, and QB Ford Childress was obviously rattled by the continuous pressure they were able to bring.
The Maryland offense has taken a huge step forward from last season, and a lot of that is due to the return of QB C.J. Brown. Mike Locksley’s offense needs a mobile quarterback to make it run, and Brown is certainly mobile. The read-option is a huge part of this team’s offense, and Brown has shown that he can make the good read with regularity. RB Brandon Ross has been very good this season as well, and has changed his running style from east-to-west to north-to-south. He has limited his dancing in the backfield, and is becoming more of a downhill runner. Backup RB Albert Reid has been good coming in to spell Ross.
FB Kenneth Goins has been a nice surprise for the offense so far this season. Taking over for projected starter Tyler Cierski, Goins has improved his blocking each week, and has also shown a great ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He showcased that ability in the first game of the season, as he was left wide open near the goal line by the FIU defense. It was an easy throw for C.J. Brown, and Goins recorded his first touchdown of his collegiate career. The offensive line has held their own for the most part so far this season. While still the weakest link of the offense, they have made holes for the running backs and have held off defensive linemen long enough for C.J. Brown to make good reads downfield.
Losing your top 2 cornerbacks is never something that a head coach wants to deal with. But in their first game without Dexter McDougle and Jeremiah Johnson, the Terps basically shut down the West Virginia wide receivers. They will be helped by a great pass-rush, but were able to play well in zone coverage last week. Florida State’s receivers are an even better test for this defensive backfield, and all eyes will be on the cornerbacks to see how well they are able to handle the talent of the Seminoles. DB A.J. Hendy had a massive game last week, and is a big key to this Terps pass-coverage unit. Hendy can play both safety and cornerback, so he is an obvious choice to replace Isaac Goins as the nickel-back for this defense.
Brad Craddock has shown how much one player can improve in one off-season. Following a year where he was extremely inconsistent, the Australian kicker has become the #1 kicker in the entire nation with 10 field goals made. He has missed just one field goal on the year, a 50-yarder against UConn. He has also missed one extra point. He has been getting some help from former Ravens K Matt Stover, who has worked with Craddock to create goals for the season, and to improve his technique. Stover also gave him some tips on kicking in M&T Bank Stadium, which resulted in Craddock having the best game of his collegiate career.
This season’s Maryland team is definitely improved from last year. Brown is healthy, the defense has improved despite losing 5 of their starting front 7, and Craddock’s leg is providing a lift from Special Teams. Florida State will be a great test for this team, and has shown a tendency to lay a few eggs in the past. There’s no doubt that the expectations for this team have risen after the first 4 weeks, and there’s no reason why they shouldn’t have. 8-10 wins is certainly in reach for the Terps this season as long as they are able to stay relatively healthy. It looks like this Maryland team is poised to make a name for themselves in their final season in the ACC.
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.