By Danielle Daniels

Michael Locksley Maryland FTB coach Football Program Outlook July 2023.mp3

The winner of the 2018 Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant coach, Locksley spent three years working under Nick Saban at the University of Alabama before taking the head coaching job at Maryland. He served as the Crimson Tide’s co-offensive coordinator and won a national championship in 2017 before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2018 and helping Alabama return to the College Football Playoff.

Maryland has made major strides since Locksley took over the program. The Terps have posted back-to-back winning seasons in 2021 and 2022, a first for the football program since 2013-14. Locksley has also guided Maryland to bowl wins in each of the last two years, the first time Maryland has accomplished the feat since winning the Peach Bowl (2002) and Gator Bowl (2003) nearly 20 years ago.

During the 2022 season, Locksley propelled the Terps to an 8-5 record and a win over No. 23 N.C. State in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. It marked the most wins for the Terps in a single season since 2010. Thirteen Terps garnered All-Big Ten recognition, highlighted by kicker Chad Ryland and quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa being named Second Team All-Conference.

In 2021, Locksley led the Terps to their first winning season in seven years. The season was capped off with a 54-10 win over Virginia Tech in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. Maryland’s 54 points in the game marked the most ever for a Terrapin team in a bowl game and it was the most points ever scored by any team in Pinstripe Bowl history.

Maryland’s potent offensive attack was on full display in 2021, setting numerous school records, including the single-season marks for total yards (5,740) and passing yards (3,960).

Under Locksley’s tutelage, Tagovailoa has developed into one of the best quarterbacks in the country. The Locksley and Tagovailoa connection has elevated Maryland’s passing game to heights it has never seen before. Tagovailoa set seven single-season Maryland records in 2021, including program best marks for passing yards (3,860), completions (328), completion percentage (69.2) and passing touchdowns (26 – ties school record). At the conclusion of the 2022 season, Tagovailoa owns eight Maryland career passing records, including most passing yards, passing touchdowns and most completions.

TODAY’S GAME PREVIEW AT OHIO STATE

COLLEGE PARK, MD –  The University of Maryland football team travels to No. 4 Ohio State for a battle of unbeaten Big Ten East teams on Saturday, Oct. 7 at Ohio Stadium. The game is set to kickoff at 12:10 p.m. and will be broadcast on FOX and the Maryland Sports Radio Network.

STRONG START

• The Terps are 5-0 to start the season for the first time since 2001, winning each game by 18-plus points. Maryland is one of only two schools in the FBS to be 5-0 and win each game by 18-plus (#2 Michigan).
• Over the last 20 games played, dating back to 2021, Maryland is 15-5, good for the fourth-best record of any Big Ten school, trailing only three top-10 teams: #2 Michigan (18-2), #4 Ohio State (17-3) and #6 Penn State (16-4).
• Maryland has won each of its first five games of the season by at least 18 points for the first time ever. This start also marks the first time in program history that Maryland has scored 31-plus points in the first five games of the season and the first time they’ve scored 31-plus in any five game stretch in the same season since 2002 where they did it in six straight. Maryland is one of only five FBS teams and the only Big Ten team that is 5-0 and have scored 31-plus in their first five games (#3 Texas,  #7 Washington, #8 Oregon, #9 USC).
• The Terps have won seven games in a row dating back to last season’s game vs. Rutgers (11/26), their longest winning streak since winning seven in a row 2003-04. The seven-game winning streak is currently the ninth-longest in all of the FBS and the second-longest in the Big Ten, only trailing (#1 Georgia – 22, #24 Fresno State – 14, #7 Washington – 12, #5 Florida State, 10, #6 Penn State – 10, Air Force – 9, Marshall – 9, James Madison – 8).
• Maryland currently ranks first in the Big Ten in total offense, averaging 454.8 yards per game and second in scoring offense, averaging 38.6 points per game, passing offense, averaging 297.4 yards per game and third down percentage, converting at a  49.3-percent rate. The Terps also stand top-16 in the FBS both scoring offense (38.6 ppg) and scoring defense (13.2), one of only five FBS programs in the top-16 in both categories and the only in the Big Ten (#1 Georgia, #8 Oregon, #12 Oklahoma & #17 Miami).
• Dating back to last season, Maryland has won each of its last three Big Ten games by at least 20 points. It’s the longest such streak of conference games for Maryland since 2002. The Terrapins’ last four-game conference win streak with each win being by 20+ points was a streak that spanned the 1983 and 1984 seasons. Maryland’s current three game Big Ten winning streak is its longest since joining the league. With a win this week the Terps will win four conference games in a row for the first time since winning five in a row in the ACC in 2006.

REWRITING THE RECORD BOOKS

• The current Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, QB Taulia Tagovailoa has helped ascend the Terps’ passing game to new heights during his three-year career. The quarterback has set Maryland career records for passing yards (9,343), passing touchdowns (64), total touchdowns (75), completions (776), completion percentage (67.1), 300-yard passing games (14), passing efficiency (148.5) and total offense (9,232).
• Tagovailoa has been the best quarterback in the Big Ten through five games, currently leading the conference and standing top-20 in the FBS in passing yards (1,464), passing TDs (13), total offense (1,532) and points responsible for (98).
• Tagovailoa’s current career completion percentage (.671) is the fourth-best of any Big Ten quarterback all-time, only trailing Dan Persa, Nebraska (.727), Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State (.700) and Scott Tolzien, Wisconsin (.681). He stands 13th all-time on the career Big Ten passing yards list with 9,343. Last week, he passed the likes of Iowa’s Chuck Long (9,210), Michigan State’s Connor Cook (9,194) and Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins (9,131).
• Last week vs. Indiana (9/30), Tagovailoa set a career-high with five passing touchdowns and six total touchdowns, earning the third Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honor of his career. He became the first quarterback in program history to eclipse 9,000 passing yards in the game, completing 24-of-34 passes for 352 yards.
• Also on the Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Manning Award and Polynesian Player of the Year Watch Lists and the past two weeks Davey O’Brien Great 8 award winner, Tagovailoa currently stands top-15 among all FBS QBs in career completion percentage (sixth), passing yards per game (12th), completions per game (13th) and total offense (14th).

STOUT DEFENSE

• The Maryland defense has been fantastic for the past seven games (Rutgers, 11/26/22 – pres.) dating back to last season, only allowing nine points per game. The Terps have only allowed seven touchdowns over the last seven games.
•  Dating back to last season, the Terps have gone seven games in a row allowing 20 points or less, the longest current streak in the country. The last time the Terps allowed more than 20 points was 11/19/22 against #2 Ohio State (43).
• This season, the Terps are allowing only 13.2 points per game, the 16th-best mark in the country. Maryland has forced 12 turnovers, the third-best in the nation while also standing second in the nation in turnover margin (+9).
• Through four games, the Terps have only allowed 60 points of offense (seven touchdowns, four field goals). Those seven touchdowns are the only two Maryland has allowed in the last seven games, all wins.
• Maryland has allowed its opponents to score on only 66.7-percent of their red-zone drives this season, the third lowest in the Big Ten and 12th lowest in FBS.

TURNOVER TERPS

• Maryland has been one of the best teams in the nation at forcing turnovers through four games, currently standing second in the country in turnover margin (+9) and third in the country an first in the Big Ten in turnovers gained (13)
• Over the past three games alone, Maryland has forced 10 turnovers (four vs. Virginia, five at Michigan State, one vs. Indiana). The nine turnovers in the Virginia & Michigan State game were the Terps’ first time tallying four turnovers in back-to-back games since Oct. 8 and 20, 2005, when the Terps had three fumble recoveries and an interception at Temple and three interceptions and a fumble recovery vs. Virginia Tech.
• On the offensive side of the ball, the Terps have only lost three turnovers, good for fifth in the nation and second in the Big Ten (Penn State – 1). Maryland is one of only 10 schools to not lose a fumble this season and the only Big Ten school.
• The Terps stand third in the nation and first in the Big Ten in interceptions, tallying eight through five games. CB Tarheeb Still has three himself (two vs. Virginia & one at Michigan State), one of only 21 players in the FBS with at least three interceptions. Still’s three interceptions over the two games are the first time a Maryland player has done that since current Green Bay Packers safety Darnell Savage Jr. in 2018 (one at #15 Michigan, 10/6 & two vs. Rutgers, 10/13). Against Virginia,
• Maryland’s five turnovers against Michigan State were tied for its most in a conference game since joining the Big Ten (also October 13, 2018 against Rutgers). It is the most forced turnovers for the Terrapins in a conference opener over the past 25 seasons.

GETTING IT DONE IN THE 2ND HALF

• The Maryland defense has been especially good in the second half of games dating back to the beginning of last season, only allowing 142 points in those 18 games for 7.9 per game. This season in five games, the Terps have only allowed 29 points in the second half.
• Maryland has outscored opponents by a score of 94-29 (+65) in the second half of games to start this season, the sixth-best second half point differential in the FBS and second-best in the Big Ten, only trailing #6 Penn State (+101), #1 Georgia (+77), #8 Oregon (+77), #12 Oklahoma (+76) and Duke (+67).
• The Terps have been especially good in the third quarter, only allowing 42 points in the past 18 games dating back to the beginning of last season. This is the third-fewest in the FBS, only trailing Air Force (29) and Ohio State (30).
• In addition, Maryland has shut 11 of 18 opponents out completely in the third quarter, tied for the sixth-most third quarter shutouts in the FBS in that 18-game span, trailing only #2 Michigan (13), #6 Penn State (13),  #4 Ohio State (12), Memphis (12), and Air Force (12). Charlotte, Virginia and Indiana did not score in the third quarter this season, and Michigan State and Towson only scored a combined nine.

MANY, MANY RECEIVERS

• The Maryland wide receiving corps has totaled 6,100 receiving yards in their careers. This is led by transfer WR Tyrese Chambers, who has tallied 150 receptions for 2,459 yards over his collegiate career at Sacred Heart, Florida International and Maryland. Sixth-year WR Jeshaun Jones, has accumulated 112 receptions for 1,572 yards as a Terp.
• Maryland has six players with at least 11 receptions and 100 receiving yards this season (WR Kaden Prather, TE Corey Dyches, WR Jeshaun Jones, WR Tai Felton, WR Octavian Smith Jr. & RB Roman Hemby), tied for most in FBS with Arizona, Colorado, UMass and #7 Washington.
• Over the course of his career, Maryland is 10-0 when WR Jeshaun Jones has 70 or more yards receiving. Last week against Indiana, Jones tallied six receptions for 121 yards. Jones is currently ninth all-time in program history with 12 receiving touchdowns and 13th all-time with 112 receptions.
• WR Tai Felton had a career day last week against Indiana, catching seven passes for 134 yards and three touchdowns, all in the first half, the first Maryland player to ever accomplish that feat. He became the sixth Terp with three receiving touchdowns in a game – and the first since Torrey Smith had four vs. NC State in 2010. The others on the list are: Vernon Davis (vs. Duke in 2004), Guilian Gary (vs. Georgia Tech in 2000), Jermaine Lewis (vs. West Virginia in 1993) and James Milling (vs. North Carolina in 1986).
• In last season’s game against Ohio State, six different Maryland players had at least 30 yards receiving. The only other game this century with six such players for the Terps was on September 5, 2011 against Miami (FL).

COURTESY MARYLAND ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS