As the Maryland football team prepares for their fifth season under the leadership of head coach Michael Locksley, they’ll be looking for their offense to continue the success they’ve enjoyed over the course of the last few years. Since 2021, the offense has averaged nearly 29 points and more than 420 yards per game. What was once a liability for the Terrapins has now become a strength, as the team is led by their high-octane attack. Quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa returns for his fourth season behind center, and will look to continue smashing the record books in College Park en route to another winning season.
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The Coaching Staff
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach: Josh Gattis
Associate Head Coach/Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends Coach: Kevin Sumlin
Passing Game Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach: Gunter Brewer
Running Backs Coach: Latrell Scott
Offensive Line Coach: Brian Braswell
Maryland’s offensive coaching staff features three new coaches, including a new play-caller. After Dan Enos left to become the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Arkansas, Locksley hired Josh Gattis to be his replacement. Like Enos, they have ties back to Nick Saban’s Alabama coaching staff, where they coached together in 2018. Gattis was widely reported to have accepted the position as Maryland’s offensive coordinator in 2019, but quickly spurned Locksley for the same job on Jim Harbaugh’s staff at Michigan. He won the Broyles Award for his work with the Wolverines in 2021, and spent the 2022 season on Manny Diaz’s staff at Miami (FL).
In addition to Gattis, Locksley hired Kevin Sumlin to replace former co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Mike Miller, who left to become the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on Biff Poggi’s staff at Charlotte. Sumlin brings a wealth of experience with him to College Park, having spent 13 seasons as the head coach at Houston, Texas A&M, and Arizona. Most recently, he served for one year as the head coach and general manager for the Houston Gamblers of the USFL.
After spending four seasons on Locksley’s coaching staff, former running backs coach Elijah Brooks left to take the same position on Brent Pry’s staff at Virginia Tech. Richmond, VA native Latrell Scott has been hired in his place, and brings strong local recruiting ties with him to College Park. He spent the last two seasons as the tight ends coach on Mike Houston’s staff at East Carolina, and previously served eight years as the head coach for Virginia State and Norfolk State.
The Offense
Schematically, Maryland’s offense won’t change much at all from the system that they’ve run since Locksley took over before the 2019 season. While Gattis will be the third offensive coordinator to pass through College Park in the last five years, he’ll essentially be working from the same playbook that Scottie Montgomery and Dan Enos were. At its core, the system is built to spread the field and execute quick-hitting run-pass options (RPOs) with tempo. If anything were to change this season, one could reasonably expect them to take even more shots down the field, a trend that they began in 2022. A large burden of responsibility falls on the quarterback, as he must make the correct reads on the fly and have the ability to work quickly. Fortunately for the Terrapins, this will be Tagovailoa’s fifth season in this system dating back to his freshman year at Alabama.
There will be some new faces on the offensive side of the ball this season, particularly at the wide receiver position. Rakim Jarrett, Jacob Copeland, and Dontay Demus, Jr. have all graduated from the program, though leading receiver Jeshaun Jones does return for a final year. Expect younger players like Tai Felton and Octavian Smith, Jr. to step into bigger roles in 2023 after putting together solid reserve campaigns last season. Locksley also hit the transfer portal and added two impact players in Kaden Prather (West Virginia) and Tyrese Chambers (Florida International). These five players will jockey for position towards the top of the depth chart, with others such as Shaleak Knotts, Leon Haughton, Jr., Tamarcus Cooley, and Braeden Wisloski providing depth behind them.
The tight end position also features some changes, as CJ Dippre and Weston Wolff both transferred out of the program following Mike Miller’s departure from the coaching staff. Corey Dyches returns as the top option, but freshmen Rico Walker and Dylan Wade have opportunities to make immediate impacts behind him.
The position where we’ll see the most changes will be along the offensive line. Jaelyn Duncan, Spencer Anderson, Johari Branch, and Mason Lunsford have all moved on from the program, leaving four holes in the line that need to be filled this season. Andre Roye, Jr. looks ready to step in as Duncan’s replacement at left tackle, but the right tackle and center jobs, and at least one guard position, are being competed for during camp at the moment. Locksley added four offensive linemen to his team through the transfer portal, and all of them have a chance to make impacts as soon as the season begins. Corey Bullock (North Carolina Central), Mike Purcell (Duke), Gottlieb Ayedze (Frostburg State), and Marcus Dumervil (LSU) all provide experienced and versatile options along the offensive line.
The running back position is as deep as it was last season, led once again by Roman Hemby. His blend of explosiveness and power make him an ideal leading back, particularly for Locksley’s offensive system. He has the ability to run between or outside the tackles, and is an excellent receiver out of the backfield. Antwain Littleton II provides an excellent change of pace behind him, while players like Ramon Brown and Colby McDonald will also see plenty of the field. While Maryland’s offense is designed to throw the ball more often than not, its running backs play a key role and this group should have no problem providing balance and occasional explosiveness while also being able to close out games.
The Projected Depth Chart
QB: 1. Taulia Tagovailoa, 2. Billy Edwards, Jr.
RB: 1. Roman Hemby, 2. Antwain Littleton II
WR-X: 1. Tai Felton, 2. Shaleak Knotts
WR-Z: 1. Jeshaun Jones, 2. Kaden Prather
WR-H: 1. Tyrese Chambers OR Octavian Smith, Jr.
TE: 1. Corey Dyches, 2. Dylan Wade OR Rico Walker
LT: 1. Andre Roye, Jr., 2. Marcus Dumervil
LG: 1. Corey Bullock, 2. Kevin Kalonji OR Kyle Long
C: 1. Aric Harris, 2. Khristopher Love
RG: 1. Delmar Glaze, 2. Amelio Morán
RT: 1. Gottlieb Ayedze, 2. Mike Purcell
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.