Where Maryland football stands after a much-needed bye week — and why the next two games are so important
By RYAN MCFADDENBALTIMORE SUN |
OCT 21, 2021 AT 8:00 A
Even though Maryland treats each opponent with the same level of intensity and preparation, the next two games against the Golden Gophers and Indiana, which is on Oct. 30, should be treated with a great sense of urgency, as the Terps can clinch their first bowl appearance since 2016.
Yahoo Sports currently has the Terps facing USC in the Vegas Bowl, while CBS Sports does not project the Terps to reach a bowl game.
Minnesota and Indiana are two winnable games for Maryland. The Terps have won three of the past four matchups against the Golden Gophers, who are 4-2 and 2-1 in conference play. Last season, Maryland defeated Minnesota, 45-44, in an overtime game in which junior quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa had 394 passing yards and five total touchdowns.
“I felt like one of the things we’ve been able to do against two of the top teams was play the run,” Locksley said. “But, we gave a lot of explosive plays in the passing game, which hadn’t been something that we had done earlier in the year. Obviously, when you’re playing without your top three to four corners, the next man has to step up.”
Locksley is hopeful senior defensive backs Jakorian Bennett and Kenny Bennett, who missed the game against Ohio State with hamstring injuries, are game-time decisions Saturday. The Terps lost junior linebacker Durell Nchami, who will undergo season-ending upper-body surgery, but Locksley hopes freshman linebacker Branden Jennings can return to practice this week.
Maryland’s offense will be tested even further with receivers Dontay Demus Jr. (knee) and Jeshaun Jones (lower leg) out for the season. Tagovailoa, the brother of Alabama star and Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, is confident that sophomore receiver Rakim Jarrett, Okonkwo, running back Tayon Fleet-Davis and senior receivers Darryl Jones and Brian Cobbs can step up.
“I feel like we are at a pretty good spot,” Tagovailoa said. “We got some guys banged up, but we also got a couple of guys that I’m excited for. I’m looking forward to them stepping [into] the roles they came here to be in. We have the right mindset. We are playing together. We are getting closer, and going into the next half of our season, that’s what we need to be.”
Where Maryland football stands after a much-needed bye week — and why the next two games are so important
Maryland junior tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo has been in this situation before. After a strong start to the season, the Terps once again struggled against the top of the Big Ten, suffering back-to-b…
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