Maryland football still a mystery at its first bye of season

Five games into the college football season, it’s difficult to get a bead on this Maryland team.

The Terps flashed promise in their three victories over nonconference opponents UConn, Virginia and Villanova. The offense averaged 38.3 points and 505.7 yards, while the defense surrendered just 13.3 points and 303.7 yards in those games.

But Maryland (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten) has looked disappointingly outclassed in its two setbacks to league opponents Michigan State and Indiana. The offense averaged only 26 points and 370 yards, and the defense coughed up 34.5 points and 497 yards in those matchups.

The schedule won’t get much easier with upcoming games against No. 11 USC (3-1, 1-1) on Oct. 19, No. 6 Oregon (4-0, 1-0) on Nov. 9, Rutgers (4-0, 1-0) on Nov. 16, Iowa (3-1, 1-0) on Nov. 23, and No. 7 Penn State (4-0, 1-0).

Here is what we’ve learned about the Terps at their first bye weekend of the season.

What’s gone right: Quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. has validated Mike Locksley’s faith in him when the coach named him the starter over redshirt sophomores MJ Morris and Cameron Edge. The 6-foot-3, 222-pound redshirt junior has dismissed any concerns about his grip on the position by leading the Big Ten in passing yards (1,444), tying for first in touchdown passes (11), and ranking fourth in completion percentage (.723) while throwing just two interceptions.

Edwards reset the school record for single-game completion rate when he connected on 87.5% of his throws (28 of 32) in a 38-20 win against Villanova on Sept. 21. Edwards’ performance has helped allay any fears about who would succeed Taulia Tagovailoa, the Big Ten’s leader in all-time passing yards (11,256) and program leader in touchdown passes (76), completion percentage (.671) and 300-yard passing games (15).

What’s gone wrong: An offensive line that lost all five starters from last year’s unit has demonstrated it is a long way from being a finished product. Maryland ranks 13th in the 18-team Big Ten in sacks allowed (nine) and was exposed for five sacks in Saturday’s 42-28 loss at Indiana (5-0, 2-0), which converted the victory into rising to No. 23 in the latest Associated Press poll.

The offense ranks 11th in the league in rushing yards per game (146.6), but redshirt junior running back Roman Hemby, an Edgewood native and John Carroll graduate, had not reached 68 yards in each of his first four starts until erupting for 117 yards and a 75-yard touchdown against the Hoosiers. Primarily starting three transfers, a redshirt sophomore and a former defensive lineman, the offensive line could use the bye to shore up some vulnerabilities, but will a week be enough time?

What’s gone right: Wide receiver Tai Felton could challenge Edwards for the fall’s feel-good story. The 6-2, 186-pound senior ranks third among all NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision players in receiving yards (642) and is tied for third in catches (46) and seventh in touchdown receptions (five). Felton already became the first player in program history to open a season with four consecutive 100-yard showings, broke former tight end Frank Wycheck’s mark of 38 catches in his first four games in 1991 with 41, and joined Michigan State’s Charles Rogers (2002) and Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson (2020) as the only Big Ten players to begin with 100 receiving yards in each of his first four games. Felton was limited to five receptions for 38 yards by the Hoosiers as an apparent head injury sidelined him for much of the second half. If he can return for the Terps’ Oct. 11 home game against Northwestern (2-2, 0-1), Felton should pick up where he left off.

What’s gone wrong: A defense that returned seven starters brought back only one in the secondary, and the inexperience has shown. Redshirt senior safety Glendon Miller and junior cornerback Jalen Huskey lead the team with three interceptions each, but the unit was gashed in both losses. Michigan State sophomore Aidan Chiles exploded for 363 yards and three touchdowns in a 27-24 win on Sept. 7, and Indiana redshirt senior Kurtis Rourke amassed 359 yards and three scores Saturday. The defense has turned to four freshman cornerbacks at times due to injuries, but those players have had to endure a baptism by fire. Their learning curve must be accelerated for the Terps to have a chance against future opposing quarterbacks such as USC redshirt junior Miller Moss, Oregon senior Dillon Gabriel and Minnesota graduate student Max Brosmer.

What’s gone right: Maryland owns the nation’s best turnover margin at plus-11 after creating 14 turnovers and losing just three. The defense has intercepted eight passes, which is tied for sixth in the country and tied for first in the Big Ten. The unit also has recovered six fumbles, which is tied for second nationally and ranks first in the conference. On the flipside, the offense has turned the ball over just three times (two interceptions and one fumble). The unit has finished three games without a turnover, including Saturday at Indiana. Overall, the team has done a credible job forcing takeaways and limiting giveaways.

What’s gone wrong: As proficient as the defense has been at producing turnovers, the offense has been less-than-opportunistic in converting them into points. The Terps have scored three touchdowns and two field goals after takeaways. That means that the team has gone empty-handed in nine possessions after turnovers.