Maryland wrapped up their fourth spring under newly-extended head coach Michael Locksley with the annual Red-White Spring Game on Saturday afternoon in College Park. The game was dominated by the first-team offense early on, before turning into a defensive battle in the second half. It offered a few glimpses of what to expect when the Terrapins open their 2022 season on September 3rd against Buffalo.
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Tagovailoa Looks Sharp as Ever
For the second straight year, there’s no question who Maryland’s starting quarterback will be when the season begins. Redshirt junior signal-caller Taulia Tagovailoa picked up right where he left off in 2021, completing 9 of his 14 pass attempts for 144 yards and a touchdown. He played three-quarters of the game, and led the Red Team to touchdowns in each of their first two drives. His best throw was a 46-yard completion to redshirt sophomore tight end Corey Dyches on a deep crossing route off of play-action. Entering what may very well be his last collegiate season, he has every chance to prove himself as one of the Big Ten Conference‘s best quarterbacks.
Pass Defense Has Improved
Maryland’s defense boasted one of the country’s best units against the pass in 2020, but dropped off significantly in that regard last season. If yesterday’s Spring Game is any indication, things may have gotten better during the offseason. Junior cornerback Tarheeb Still flashed consistently, with tight coverage and a near-interception on a slant pass by Tagovailoa in the second quarter. Senior defensive back Isaiah Hazel and senior linebacker TJ Kautai also flashed in coverage. Senior defensive back Lavonte Gater had an excellent game as well with five tackles and two pass breakups, but entered the transfer portal just hours after the game.
Copeland is a Beast
Junior wide receiver Jacob Copeland has quickly made his mark in College Park, being named the Spring Game’s MVP just months after transferring from Florida. He had five catches for 70 yards, and was Tagovailoa’s favorite target with Dontay Demus, Jr., Marcus Fleming, Rakim Jarrett, and Jeshaun Jones all missing the game. Playing almost exclusively on the outside, his impact was particularly felt on third downs. He’ll almost certainly be among the starters when the season begins, along with Demus, Jr. and Jarrett. His versatility and explosiveness gives the Terrapins another weapon in an already potent passing game.
Defensive Line Questions
While a number of the team’s defensive backs and linebackers flashed in coverage, there wasn’t much to report in the way of a pass rush or run defense. All five quarterbacks who played in the game had consistently clean pockets to work with, and the running backs were able to hit massive holes when they received the ball. Lack of pass rush could potentially be explained away by considering the low number of blitzes in scrimmages, but the run defense should certainly be a concern.
Finding a Running Back Committee
Despite boasting one of the best passing attacks in the country last season, Maryland’s running game left a lot to be desired. Sophomore Colby McDonald and redshirt freshman Roman Hemby both looked excellent at the running back position in the Spring Game, combining for 157 yards on the ground. Hemby flashed early, with a 43-yard touchdown run off of an outside zone play. McDonald also proved to be a reliable pass-catcher, adding 52 yards through the air. Senior Challen Faamatau should also be a part of the rotation this season, but suffered an injury on his first carry of the game yesterday.
Young Tight Ends Stepping Up
With Chigoziem Okonkwo heading to Nashville after being drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the NFL Draft and Corey Dyches working with the wide receivers due to the number of players at the position absent during spring practices, there’s been an opportunity for some of the team’s younger tight ends to make an impact. Sophomore CJ Dippre and redshirt freshman Weston Wolff both flashed during the Spring Game, with the former working with the first-team offensive unit. Wolff showed off his fantastic receiving skills, hurdling and spinning his way to five catches for 45 yards.
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.