The Maryland football team opens its season with a nonconference game on Aug. 31 at noon against Connecticut.
Maryland will be without one of its key components of their recent success in Taulia Tagovailoa, with emotions ranging from excitement to anxiousness as the team searches for an answer at quarterback.
The Terps do return some key starters however such as junior running back Roman Hemby, third-team All-Big Ten wideout Tai Felton and defensive leader Ruben Hyppolite II among others.
Maryland will look to win its 13th straight nonconference game and begin its quest to go bowling for a fourth consecutive season. But first, here are three things to look for:
Who will start at quarterback?
The team is aware who will start at quarterback against UConn, but Maryland head coach Michael Locksley has declined to reveal the Terps’ signal-caller to the public. The starter will be redshirt junior Billy Edwards Jr., NC State transfer MJ Morris or redshirt sophomore Cam Edge.
“It gives us no competitive advantage to name it publicly,” Locksley said.
Locksley said protecting the football played a key role in his decision and that he feels confident the team could win with all three. Whoever it is will likely be compared to Tagovailoa, who led the Terps to three bowl games appearances and two wins (he opted out of last December’s 31-13 Music City Bowl win against Auburn).
Locksley mentioned the quarterback will not have to win games alone, however.
“The guy doesn’t have to win the game for us. What we’ve got to do is play to the standard, practice and prepare to our standard and I feel good about the quarterback room as a whole,” Locksley said.
How will the offensive line perform?
Especially with a new quarterback at the helm, how the offensive line performs will be a vital part of the Terps’ offensive success. The line has gotten younger and less experienced, but Locksley has been pleased with the development up front.
Only redshirt junior Kyle Long, who started six games a year ago, returns among starting linemen.
“I saw the immediate improvement and the development of those young linemen, and we’re going to need that depth,” Locksley said.
“We’ve done everything based on the resources that we’ve been given to be able to try to expedite how we develop our guys up front,” Locksley added.
One negative Locksley mentioned is the many voices in the huddle or on the sideline as the quarterback competition took place.
“They’ve all kind of had to adapt as those three guys have competed,” Locksley said.
Can the defense be elite?
With uncertainty at quarterback, the defense will have to step up this season.
The defense has produced NFL talent the last couple of seasons, most recently undrafted free agent safety Beau Brade, who made the Ravens’ 53-man roster.
Maryland returns seven players from last year’s starting defense: linemen Quashon Fuller, Jordan Phillips and Tommy Akingbesote, linebackers Kellan Wyatt and Ruben Hyppolite II and safeties Glendon Miller and Dante Trader Jr.
The Terps held opponents to 22.5 points per game last season, marking the program’s fewest points allowed since 2010 (22.2).
Locksley mentioned stopping the run and limiting big plays as signs of a good defense.
“Most big plays start with missed tackles, and then the next starts with the missed assignments, making sure everybody’s on the same page and not giving up the explosive plays,” the coach said.
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