Quick Hits: Terps Football

Image Credit: 2014 Holidays

The Maryland Terrapins football team is set to wrap up their season against Stanford in the Foster Farms Bowl next week, and will have a shot at their first 8-win season in the Randy Edsall era. Before we start previewing the bowl game, I wanted to take a moment to give my thoughts on a few general topics surrounding the program. The future is bright for Maryland football.

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Randy Edsall

The Terps’ head football coach always seems to be a very polarizing figure in College Park. After losing 10 games in his first season, the team has been invited to bowl games in each of the last two seasons. He has two years remaining on his 6-year contract, but a decision on his future with the program will likely be made in this upcoming off-season.

I have been one of Randy Edsall’s strongest supporters ever since he stepped foot in College Park. He was a program builder, a guy who, given time, could make this Maryland team a very successful one. He had a rocky start both on and off the field, but has built a solid foundation in College Park. He and his staff have pushed the hometown recruiting movement very well, solidifying commitments from local stars like Stefon Diggs and Damian Prince, just to name a few. His teams have won 7 games in each of the last two seasons, and surprised quite a few people with their 4-4 conference record this season. 

Edsall’s critics will say that his teams don’t win the big games. So far, that has been true. His team fell hard to Ohio State and Wisconsin this season, and faded down the stretch against Michigan State. However, I believe that will change given time. A few years ago, one of the biggest knocks on Edsall was that he couldn’t win on the road. His team lost only one road game this season, and recorded wins at Penn State and at Michigan. Randy Edsall isn’t the type of coach that is going to step into a program and turn it around immediately. However, he is an extremely good program builder. This Maryland team is making all of the right moves and taking all of the right steps to become a winner. That’s why Randy Edsall deserves and will get an extension this off-season.

Recruiting

The Maryland Terrapins have experienced some very good news on the recruiting trail over the past few weeks. They secured a commitment from former Penn State recruit Adam McLean, a 4-star defensive tackle from nearby Gaithersburg, MD. He is ranked as one of the best players in the state, and will make an immediate impact on the defensive line for the Terps. 4-star offensive guard Quarvez Boulware has not announced his commitment as of yet, but has said that Maryland stands out from the other schools pursuing him. 4-star offensive tackle Isaiah Prince is also very high on Maryland’s list, and the Terps are considered by many experts to be the front-runner. 3-star running back Ty Johnson just released a new highlight tape, making many people think that he will be the most underrated member of Maryland’s 2015 class. 4-star offensive tackle E.J. Donahue is an oft-forgotten member of this class, but has all of the tools to be a very solid player at the collegiate level.

The past few days have seen the “DMV-to-UMD” movement become very big news around College Park. The Terps have been sending out recruiting material to many of their 2016 recruits pushing the stay-at-home movement that the coaching staff has been advertising for years now. Some of the highest players on Maryland’s 2016 list are 4-star wide receiver Trevon Diggs (younger brother of Stefon), 4-star quarterback Dwayne Haskins, and 4-star wide receiver/safety Tino Ellis. Time will tell whether or not this movement pays off, but it has certainly sparked the interest of many high-profile recruits.

On The Field: 2015

After two straight 7-win seasons, how will the Terps fare in their second season in the Big Ten Conference? They’ll have a new quarterback, a few new offensive linemen, and a completely new front seven on defense. However, the team won’t be replacing the departing players with underclassmen at most of the newly-vacant positions.

I’d expect the offense to change a bit with Caleb Rowe taking the snaps. He’ll still likely see most of his action in either pistol or shotgun formations, but Mike Locksley will need to find new ways to get to the edge of the defense without using as many option plays. There will likely be an added emphasis on the deep passing game with Rowe’s arm strength and speedy receivers like Amba Etta-Tawo and Juwann Winfree. But this offense still has to have a strong running game to succeed, so the offensive line must get a better push up front than they got in 2014.

I expect the defense to recover fine from their losses in the front seven. Depth on the defensive line will likely be a concern, but there are still a few players that Maryland is targeting for their 2015 class. Sean Davis will be an absolute star in the secondary, and will likely have NFL scouts watching him all year. William Likely is set up for another monster year at cornerback and as a return specialist. Brian Stewart may be losing a big part of his pass rush from 2014, but linebackers like Yannick Ngakoue and Jesse Aniebonam are more than ready to fill the gaps left by Andre Monroe and Yannik Cudjoe-Virgil.

I’d expect the Terps to have another successful season in 2015. I’m not ready to project win totals just yet, but the program is certainly on the rise.

Facilities

The Terps got some great news this month when the University of Maryland approved a plan to convert historic Cole Field House into an indoor practice facility for the football team. It brings the program up to par with most of the other teams in the Big Ten, and has certainly garnered the attention of recruits across the country. While the facility won’t even begin construction until next December, it has built significant excitement around College Park.

The lack of an indoor football facility has certainly hindered Randy Edsall’s ability to sell the University of Maryland to recruits. He has been able to gain commitments from players like Stefon Diggs and Damian Prince, but trying to compete with programs like Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Ohio State without a solid indoor facility is extremely tough.

Now that the team has the indoor facility to sell to recruits, recruiting becomes much easier and more successful. Recruits who commit to the University now will have the opportunity to use the facility by their senior year. 2016 recruits will get at least two years in the facility. This is a massive selling point for Edsall and his staff, and should result in a big push in the “DMV-to-UMD” movement.