Q&A: Terps Season-Opener Against Richmond

As part of BSL’s look ahead to the Terps’ 2015 season-opener against Richmond, Terps analysts Zack Kiesel and Chris Garman answer questions on some hot topics. Here is insight on the decision to start Perry Hills at quarterback, what to expect from running back Brandon Ross, and other depth chart decisions.  

(Discuss on the BSL board here)

Q: What was your initial reaction when hearing the news that Perry Hills would be the starting quarterback in the season-opener?

Garman: I was very surprised when first hearing that Hills would be starting under center. I knew he had been taking first team reps recently, but based on the play on the field that we’ve seen from both Rowe and Garman, it felt like a two man race. I’m still not completely sold that we won’t see one of the other two quarterbacks in the season-opener and Hills might be on a short leash. You have to give Hills credit for competing during camp and earning the spot. It will be interesting to see how this plays out during the season.

Kiesel: My initial reaction was one of significant surprise, as I thought (like many others) that it would be Caleb Rowe who took the first snap for the Terrapins against Richmond. When Randy Edsall announced that Hills was the front-runner after last weekend’s scrimmage, I thought that was simply a motivational tactic to get Rowe to practice better before the season began. However, it’s clear now that the coaching staff likes Hills and is very comfortable with him taking the reins.

Q: What does Hills bring to the offense over Caleb Rowe and Daxx Garman?

Garman: Hills will help with the rushing attack and the Terps can run more of the read option with him at quarterback. I feel like the decision to start Hills means that the team will focus more on the run and we will see multiple running backs in the game. The Terps could look to add a few wrinkles in the offense aside from the standard read option that they ran with Hills in the past. With focusing more on the rushing attack, this could help the Hills led offense limit the amount of turnovers committed.

Kiesel: Perry brings a very unique tough-guy mentality to the position that stems from his wrestling background. He doesn’t back down from anything or anyone, and is comfortable taking on even the toughest of challenges. He entered this off-season as the third-string quarterback and propelled himself into a starting job. If that doesn’t tell you something about Hills, I don’t know what does. He doesn’t have the raw arm talent that Rowe and Garman have, but he is the most mobile of the three quarterbacks. Mike Locksley won’t run many option plays with him, but he should be able to stay mobile in the pocket and extend some third-down plays with his legs. He isn’t afraid to take a hit either, so don’t be surprised if we see him barreling over a safety or linebacker into the end zone on Saturday afternoon.

Q: Do you think Hills will keep the starting job throughout the season?

Garman: I personally don’t believe Hills will still be the starter by the time the Terps get to the West Virginia game, their fourth of the season. I have doubts about his ability to hit his receivers and put points on the board. We saw the offense look stagnant under him in 2012 and I fear that not much has changed. Rowe and Garman are better passers and with the athletes at wide receiver, I don’t know if Hills and make passes consistently. There is something that Edsall must have seen during the preseason for Hills to have earned the nod, but I don’t think it will take much for him to be replaced in a game.

Kiesel: With three qualified quarterbacks on the roster, this is going to be a very tough job for anyone to hold down for an entire season. With that being said, Hills has the experience to do a very good job this season. If you remember correctly, he led the Terrapins to a 4-2 (2-0 ACC) record in 2012 as a true freshman with 3 weeks to learn Mike Locksley’s offense before suffering a season-ending ACL tear. He’ll need a defense and a running game around him in order to win games, but Hills is capable of leading his team to victory, and has experience doing it.

Q: Are you confident in Hills’ ability to get the ball to his receivers?

Garman: From what I have seen on the field in the past, I am not. He’s better suited for a rushing attack and we have seen him miss easy throws before. The play makers at receiver might be the best attribute of this Terps offense in 2015 and I don’t know if Hills is the guy to get the most out of that talent. He will definitely be able to help open up the playbook, but there will be critical times in games where a quick slant or timing route will need to be hit and I’m not as confident in him to make that throw as the other quarterbacks. Again, there must have been something that he has shown during the preseason to earn the job, but it’s something he’ll need to show Terps fans in the opener.

Kiesel: As I mentioned before, Hills doesn’t have the raw arm talent that Rowe or Garman has. However, he won this job because he was the most consistent passer on the roster. I’m confident in his abilities in the pocket, and I think he’s really improved every facet of his game since his freshman season. The one area that I’d be concerned in is his ability to throw the deep ball. C.J. Brown didn’t have the arm strength to throw the ball deep, but he made up for it with his running ability. Hills isn’t the runner that Brown was, so I’ll be keeping an eye on how well he can push the ball down the field. Maryland has a lot of speedy receivers, but they need a quarterback who can consistently get them the ball on vertical routes.

Q: In your opinion, were there any other surprises on the depth chart heading into the opener against Richmond?

Garman: Though Roman Braglio is the more experienced player, I thought Jesse Aniebonam would get the start at defensive end. Aniebonam is a special player for the Terps on defense and he’s a guy that has the ability to be one of the premier players in the conference in the coming years. He has great speed off the edge and was a highly sought after recruit coming out of high school. This is no slight to Braglio because he is a good player and will make a significant impact in the defense, but I thought Aniebonam would win the job. This is one of a couple positions to keep an eye on throughout the season.

Kiesel: I was a bit surprised that Derrick Hayward won the starting tight end job over P.J. Gallo. Obviously Andrew Isaacs will be the starter once he returns from injury, but Gallo has been the second-stringer for the past two seasons. Hayward is a converted linebacker who has really impressed the coaches in camp. I’ll be interested to see how good he looks catching the ball. Maryland has struggled to get consistent production out of the tight end position ever since Matt Furstenburg graduated after the 2012 season.

Q: Brandon Ross has been named the starting running back, what are your expectations for him and the rushing attack?

Garman: I like Brandon Ross and what he brings to this offense. He’s a hard nose runner with good speed hitting his holes. The hope is that he will be more consistent this season and really help the Terps have a stable running game. I think Wes Brown will get carries this season and will be a valuable part of the running attack, but he’ll need to limit his turnovers. To me, that was the biggest difference between the two running backs in the past. Ross is more reliable with the ball in his hands and had made a few more explosive runs, getting to the second level of the defense. With Hills at quarterback, I expect both backs to be used heavily in the running game.

Kiesel: I’m a big fan of Brandon Ross and what he brings to the table. He’s a very balanced, all-purpose back. He can run inside and outside, he can catch the ball and pass-block. He showed good explosiveness in the team’s fall scrimmage last weekend, and really separated himself from Wes Brown ever since fall camp began. He’s been the team’s starting running back since 2013, and has the experience to have a very good senior season. The rushing attack should certainly be better this season, as the offensive line boasts more talent and more strength. Each member of Greg Studrawa’s unit has bulked up significantly, which will serve them well in the more physical Big Ten Conference.

Q: How do you feel about the Terps’ front seven that is expected to start Saturday?

Garman: This front seven, particularly the linebacker group is really going to miss Abner Logan. The group is stretched thin with inexperience as is and they will really miss his services. When I look at the defensive line, I do feel like this will be a solid group if they can stay healthy. Quinton Jefferson and Yannik Ngakoue are bound for big years in this defense and will be key in stopping the run and getting to the quarterback. The defensive line will really need to help the young linebacker group get up to speed and pick up any slack. I’m intrigued to see what transfer Jefferson Ashiru will bring to the table. I expect him to anchor the linebacker group and provide veteran leadership. 

Kiesel: I feel pretty good about the starters, but the depth behind them is where concern begins to creep in. Yannick Ngakoue will be the star of this unit, and will be the team’s featured pass-rusher on the weak-side. Quinton Jefferson returning from injury will be big for the interior of the line, and Roman Braglio is a solid strong-side end. I’m a big fan of Jermaine Carter’s, and I think he’s poised for a breakout year at middle linebacker. The pickup of transfer Jefferson Ashiru from Connecticut proved to be huge, as he’ll start immediately and provide some great senior leadership. As long as the front seven can stay relatively healthy, they can be very good.

Q: Aside from quarterback play, what else will you have your eye on through the first three non-conference games?

Garman: There are a couple things that I will have my eye on. The first is obviously going to be the defense, particularly the front seven. The non-conference games will be a good measuring stick to see how good they are and if they will be prepared to take on some of the Big Ten offenses. Another is Nicholas Pritchard at punter. He won the job over Lee Shrader and this is an area that the Terps need more consistency from. The field position battle will be huge for them this season and the punting will be a key to that battle. Finally, I want to see improvement from the offensive line. The coaching staff has been working to revamp this offensive line and get better protection, so now we will see it at work. There’s a good amount of experience now and we should see improvement from a season ago.

Kiesel: The thing I’ll be watching most closely is the play of the offensive line. More specifically, how they open holes in the running game. Against these three non-conference opponents, they should be able to create gaping holes in their smaller defensive lines. Brandon Ross and Wes Brown should be able to have big games, and Perry Hills should be able to make some big plays off of play-action passes. If they can’t create holes in the running game against Richmond, Bowling Green, and South Florida, it could be another long year for Maryland’s offense in the Big Ten.