Football in Maryland hasn’t had the easiest of times in the past few years. They are now preparing to start a new season and hopefully even better in 2022.
Football in Maryland has seen its share of ups and downs, but mostly they’ve declined in the past few years. But head coach Mike Locksley is entering his fourth season with the Terrapins hoping the trend will continue as he has improved the team’s record every year since his arrival.
With an experienced core, albeit in a tough Big Ten, the Terps have a legitimate chance to do the Bowl in consecutive years and, perhaps no less importantly for the future, be one of the most enjoyable teams in the country.
Coming in at number 48 in FanSided’s Top 50 pre-season rankings are Maryland Terrapins.
Maryland football season 2021 review
Maryland fought hard last season after some ordeals in the middle of the year and managed to secure a berth followed by a big 54-10 win over Virginia Tech in the Pinstripe Bowl. It was their first championship win since 2010, which undoubtedly shows an improvement in potential under coach Mike Locksley.
They started the season strong with four straight wins before losing to Iowa. After the loss, they struggled for success against nearly every Division One they faced in the Big Ten but got the gains they needed to see post-season.
Terps have lost some talent, particularly in defense with Sam Okuayinonu and safety start Nick Cross and Jordan Mosley. But finally, the team brought back 15 rookie players and hope both sides of the ball can make the jump from last season and take Maryland football to another level.
Preview of the Maryland Terrapins offense for the 2022 season
Return appetizers (8): QB Taulia Tagovailoa, WR Rakim Jarrett, WR Dontay Demus, OL Jaelyn Duncan, OL Spencer Anderson, OL Mason Lunsford, OL Aric Harris, OL Johari Branch
Notable newcomers: Jacob Copeland (FL) 4 stars RB Ramon Brown, QB Billy Edwards Jr (Wake Forest)
effect player: Rakim Jarrett
Jaylene Duncan and Spencer Anderson are among Maryland’s top offensive players. Both had honors for the All-Big Ten teams and brought continuity to the offensive front that brought back all five starters.
Taulia Tagovailoa also deserves credit for leading the attack last season and possibly taking a step forward this season as he threw for 3,860 yards and 26 touchdowns last season, although he did have 11 interceptions with five losing to Iowa State.
However, the spacious reception room is where the star players shine with the return of Rakim Jarrett and Dontay Demus – the latter returning to the field after dealing with injuries in 2021 – and looking to be selected for the 2023 NFL Draft. They must attack an offense that, along with Florida transfer Jacob Copeland and freshman Ramon Brown, could prove fatal even against the best teams in the Big Ten.
Maryland Terrapins defense preview for 2022
Return garnish (7): NT Ami Finau, D. L. Mosiah Nasili-Kite, LB Durell Nchami, LB Ruben Huppolite II, LB Fanajae Gotay, CB Deonte Banks, CB Jakorian Bennett
Notable newcomers: LB Vandarius Cowan (Alabama/West Virginia), DT Henry Chibueze (Liberty), 4-star LB Jaishawn Barham
effect player: Dorell Nashami
The defense will be supervised by another new defensive coordinator in Maryland, this time Brian Williams. While change is always difficult for college defense to find consistency with, the good news for Terps is that they have plenty of experience coming back on that side of the ball as well and can make an impact.
Ami Finau and Musia Nassili-Kate returned to the defensive line and came in strong at the end of last season to give a lot of hope. On top of that, returning corner players from Duent Banks and Jakorian Bennett, as well as Steele’s intimidating nickel cornerback, should help mitigate the intrusion of new bodies into safety this season.
It’s a group-back, however, and it should be the backbone for Terrapins to see their defensive improvement in the 2022 season. Durell Nchami is a top playmaker but he has to stay on the field to make that worthwhile. Furthermore, newcomers Vandarius Kwan and Jayshawon Parham are coming to College Park with high hopes for the immediate impact they can make.
Watch the 2022 Maryland Footballers Awards
There are three Maryland Terrapins calling attention to their pre-season awards watch lists.
Taulia Tagovailoa, Heisman
If anyone won a Heisman Trophy bid for Maryland, it would most likely be Tagovailoa. He is no stranger to the NFL. His brother, Toa, was a first-round draft pick for the Miami Dolphins and was a Heisman finalist while in Alabama, and he will likely follow in his footsteps.
Tagovailoa is a confident player and quick to make decisions. Because of that, he leads Maryland’s offensive very well. With more development and some work under pressure, he could easily be an asset in the NFL and have a real chance of winning the Heisman Cup.
Anthony Pecorella, Wuerffel Trophy
Pecorella has been added to the Wuerffel Prize’s pre-season watch list, and he’d be a hot nominee. The Wuerffel Cup honors players who serve their community.
According to UMTerpsPecorella is highly involved in raising awareness of mental health and is also partnering with the IMPACT team to help connect children with sports teams. He undoubtedly has a huge impact on society, and definitely has a strong chance of winning the award.
Steele Intimidation, Paul Hornung Award
It was added to the watchlist for the Paul Hornung Prize, which is Awarded annually to the most versatile player in major college football. He still has a huge impact on the team and has many roles, including playing every shot in the rib, being the penalty kick returner and blocking kicks. He broke several school records. He was one of the 52 players recognized and added to the Watch List, and if he continues to wear all those hats for the Terps, he should be strongly considered for the win.
Maryland’s biggest football match in the 2022 schedule
On October 8, the Terrapins welcomed the Purdue Boilermakers to College Park in a game that could prove very crucial for Locksley and his team to return to the ball game for the second consecutive season.
Purdue is a big spoiler again in the Big Ten as they bring back their experienced quarterback, attacking and some talent in defense, despite some losses. But the reason this game is so crucial for Maryland, is that they get the game at home and the difference could be 6-6 5-7 at the end of the regular season. If they drop a winable game for the likes of Northwestern, SMU, or Indiana, they’ll need to beat Purdue to secure their bid.
Having the Spoilermakers at home is a stroke of luck, but, in what can be a frantic and high-score affair given the composition of both teams, Maryland State needs to use the home stadium to their advantage for a major win to lock them up. Spot in the postseason.
Best-case scenario for football in Maryland
All cards on the table, Terps aren’t ahead of the likes of Ohio State and Michigan this season. Even with the improvements at Locksley, this amounts to a pretty good deal. The same is likely true for games in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, as well as most likely when Michigan comes along.
However, the best case scenario for this team is to win the other seven matches in the timeline, all of which are either spinning as a “W” or at least a toss so far, but also being able to strike from the Spartans or another higher level opponent. This would put them at 8-4 on the season, which would continue the improvement we’ve seen as Locksley left his fingerprints on the program.
Worst-case scenario for football in Maryland
The part that every fan wants to believe isn’t possible. There is at least a chance that Taulia Tagovailoa and crime won’t take the next step. Meanwhile, it is also possible that the defense will remain an issue and not see the expected improvements under the guidance of a new defensive coordinator and with their experience and a small influx of talent.
If one or both of these situations occur, making a bowl game can be a challenge for Terrapins. If we go back to the 7-5 baseline mentioned earlier, those shortcomings would give them a potential loss to the Purdue game and also likely mean slipping down the road against teams like Indiana and SMU. He lost both of those three games and the Terps took a step back with a 4-8 record and watched the postseason at home.
Maryland Terrapins 2022 Predictions
With the large number of junior players on both sides of the ball, football in Maryland has cause for legitimate optimism this season. No, they won’t be competing to win the Big Ten, but they have a chance to be more competitive than they were a year ago.
Finally, the best-case scenario for this team seems much more likely than the worst-case scenario. This sudden attack during the 2021 season could be a steady force this year while the defense should be significantly better. With that being said, the expectation is that this team lives up to a best-case scenario, does its job against Purdue at home, and scores a feature win over Michigan State, Pennsylvania or Wisconsin to go 8-4. the classroom.
Maryland football predictions 2022
Maryland could end up in the ‘military bowl’ this year, according to Bill Bender with Sporting News, where they will match Liberty in those expectations. Last year, they won the Pinstripe Bowl after a tough season.
If all goes well, Terps could be on their way to winning the ball for the second time in a row.
next one: #47: UCF Knights
Other articles in this series:
For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinions, and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football, be sure to bookmark these pages.
[ad_2]
