Terps Football: 5 Thoughts Before Maryland/Michigan

Opponent: #14 Michigan Wolverines (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten Conference)
Location: Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium (51,802)
Date: Saturday, November 2, 2019
Time: 12:00 PM ET
TV/Radio Broadcasts: ABC, Maryland Sports Radio Network
Series Record: 5-1 Michigan

Following a 52-10 shellacking at the hands of Minnesota last weekend, the Terrapins return home for another clash with a ranked team. It was another chapter in what has been a disappointing season for the team, and their schedule only gets more difficult from here. Michigan is fresh off of a big win over Notre Dame, and will be looking to solidify their stance in what has become a crowded East division of the conference.

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1. Where To Go From Here?

After last weekend’s loss to the Golden Gophers, Maryland’s record stands at 3-5. The only conference team they’ve beaten is Rutgers, and it’s tough to find another win on the schedule for the remainder of the season. It’s been an unfortunate series of events for a team that certainly had enough talent to compete for a bowl berth. As I wrote last week, the rest of 2019 ought to be focused on player development for the future. Head coach Michael Locksley should play as many underclassmen as he can, particularly those whose redshirt seasons are still intact. The team’s final four games against Michigan, Ohio State, Nebraska, and Michigan State provide opportunities for development and incremental steps. Losses will be expected, but competing for at least three quarters would be a step in the right direction.

2. It Might Be Time For Tyler DeSue

It’s been a revolving door between Josh Jackson and Tyrrell Pigrome at the quarterback position for the Terrapins over the last few weeks, but DeSue was given the opportunity to start the entire second half against Minnesota. He didn’t play very well, completing just 4 of his 12 pass attempts, but had a beautiful 59-yard touchdown pass to Tayon Fleet-Davis in the fourth quarter. With Pigrome injured and Jackson still recovering from injury, it may be time for Locksley to give DeSue the reins. What does he really have to lose?

3. How Much Blame Does Locksley Deserve?

Speaking of Locksley, it’s fair to begin to wonder how much blame he deserves for the team’s results this season and what it might mean for his future. At the end of the day, he’s the head coach and should rightly shoulder the majority of the blame and credit for Maryland’s performance on the field. But it’s important to remember that he’s a first year head coach who inherited an extremely messy culture. He’s been tasked not only with winning football games, but rebuilding a broken program following the tragic death of Jordan McNair.

One thing is for sure, and that’s that Locksley isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. The athletic department has fired two head coaches since 2015, and can’t afford to fire another one after one or two seasons. He’ll be given every opportunity to build his program, as well he should. Discussions about his future likely won’t carry weight for at least a few more years.

4. Examining The Lines

One of the biggest obstacles to Maryland competing in the Big Ten Conference has been the performances of its offensive and defensive lines. More so than in the Atlantic Coast Conference, games in this conference are won and lost on the lines. Unfortunately for the Terrapins, they’ve been unable to build the necessary talent in the trenches to beat or compete with the blue blood members of the conference.

The offensive line of the last two years performed fairly well. Two solid tackles in Derwin Gray and Damian Prince anchored a line that was talented and experienced. They were able to run the ball on almost anyone, and protected their quarterbacks well (what those quarterbacks did with that protection is a different story). But this season, the loss of both starting tackles and an injury to senior right guard Terrance Davis has forced inexperienced and unproven players into roles they’re not quite ready for.

It’s a similar story along the defensive line, which has transitioned from a 4 to a 3-man front in 2019. Starting defensive ends Jesse Aniebonam and Byron Cowart are gone, as are starting defensive tackles Adam McLean and Mbi Tanyi. Once again, the team has been forced to turn to younger players who weren’t necessarily expected to play big roles on the interior.

Recruiting linemen is typically a challenge in the DMV area, which is known more for blue-chip skill players than for talent in the trenches. The last five years or so have been an anomaly, with players like Gray, Prince, and Davis becoming available for the Terrapins. But things seem to be regressing towards the norm, which will likely force Locksley and his coaching staff to venture into Pennsylvania and the midwest to look for linemen.

5. Should There Be Changes To The Coaching Staff In 2020?

While it’s far too early to be talking about Locksley’s future with the program, it could be worth looking at potential changes to his coaching staff for next season. While it’s tough to see Locksley making any changes on the offensive side of the ball, defensive coordinator Jon Hoke could be on a short leash simply based on the defense’s performance so far this season. They’ve been unable to stop much of anything despite having a number of players likely headed to the NFL. Hoke also isn’t one of the program’s primary recruiters, so if Locksley is looking to make a change, he may be the most likely to go.