Maryland Terrapins

MARYLAND TERRAPINS

Division:

Big Ten East

2013 record

: 7-6 (3-5 5th Atlantic Coast Conference Atlantic Division; 31-20 loss to Marshall in Military Bowl)

Returning offensive starters (9)

: QB C.J. Brown, C Sal Conaboy, WR Stefon Diggs, RT Ryan Doyle, LT Michael Dunn, WR Nigel King, WR Deon Long, RB Brandon Ross, RG Andrew Zeller

Projected starting offense

: QB C.J. Brown, sr., 6-3, 210; TB Brandon Ross, jr., 5-10, 205 OR Albert Reid, jr., 5-9, 210; WR Amba Etta-Tawo, so., 6-1, 190; WR Levern Jacobs, jr., 5-11, 185; WR Nigel King, jr., 6-3, 210; FB Kenneth Goins, Jr., so., 5-9, 225; TE P.J. Gallo, so., 6-2, 250 OR Andrew Isaacs, so., 6-2, 250; C Sal Conaboy, sr., 6-4, 290; LG Andrew Zeller, jr., 6-4, 300; LT Michael Dunn, so., 6-5, 295; RG Silvano Altamirano, sr., 6-2, 290 OR Evan Mulrooney, jr., 6-5, 290 RT Ryan Doyle, jr., 6-4, 300

Returning defensive starters (9)

: DL Keith Bowers, DB Sean Davis, ILB Cole Farrand, ILB L.A. Goree, DL Quinton Jefferson, DL Darius Kilgo, DB William Likely, DB Anthony Nixon, OLB Matt Robinson

Projected starting defense

: DE Quinton Jefferson, jr., 6-3, 275; NT Darius Kilgo, sr., 6-3, 310 OR Keith Bowers, sr., 6-1, 275; DE Andre Monroe, sr., 5-11, 275; OLB Matt Robinson, sr., 6-3, 240; ILB Cole Farrand, sr., 6-3, 245; ILB L.A. Goree, sr., 6-2, 240; OLB Yannick Ngakoue, so., 6-2, 250; CB Alvin Hill, jr., 5-11, 200 OR Jeremiah Johnson, sr., 5-11, 195; CB William Likely, so., 5-7, 175; S Sean Davis, jr., 6-1, 195; S Anthony Nixon, jr., 6-1, 205

Returning specialists (4): K Brad Craddock, jr, 6-1, 180; P Nathan Renfro, jr., 6-1, 205; LS Christian Carpenter, so., 5-11, 215; KR/PR William Likely, so., 5-7, 175

Key losses:

OL De'Onte Arnett, TE Dave Stinebaugh, DB Dexter McDougle, OLB Marcus Whitfield

Key additions

: OL Damian Prince (6-5, 300), OL Derwin Gray (6-5, 300), LB Jesse Aniebonam (6-3, 240), WR Juwann Winfree (6-2, 180), QB Will Ulmer (6-0, 185), LB Tyler Burkle (6-4, 240), DB Josh Woods (6-2, 180)

2013 review

: Things were looking great for the Terps when they jumped out to a 4-0 record. Then came Florida State and that 63-0 dismantling left a mark on their season. Major injuries and mediocrity followed. Maryland put together some solid ACC wins and made it to the Military Bowl, where it fell 31-20 to Marshall.

The 2013 season can only be characterized as a positive. It was coach Randy Edsall's first winning year in College Park, coming on the heels of a 4-8 2012 and 2-10 2011.

Maryland formally joins the Big Ten July 1 after a 61-year run in the ACC. The Terps had some good times in the conference and some of them were even in football when they pieced together brief dominant bursts in the 1950s, 1970s, 1980s and from 2001 to 2003.

Maryland hasn't won 10 games in a season in the last decade. Those hopes in 2013 fell apart pretty much the same time wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Deon Long suffered broken legs in an Oct. 19 loss at Wake Forest.

Now, Maryland goes into the Big Ten's east division, its new home next to Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Penn State. Maryland doesn't have the football capital to stay in step with these programs on a regular basis. It doesn't yet, anyway. The Terrapins will need to go through a capital campaign and then another one and then probably another one just to keep up. It does, however, have alumnus Kevin Plank, who happens to be the billionaire found of Under Armour That's not a horrible place to start.

The B1G fun begins, officially, July 1.

2014 schedule:

A30 James Madison, S6 at USF, S13 West Virginia, S20 at Syracuse, S27 at Indiana, O4 Ohio State, O18 Iowa, O25 at Wisconsin, N1 at Penn State, N15 Michigan State, N22 at Michigan, N29 Rutgers

Key Stretch:

The Big Ten invited Maryland to join. The housewarming gift is a schedule that is a wrecking ball wrapped in barbed wire. Ohio State, at Penn State, Michigan State and at Michigan, so that's the price of admission. The Terrapins will get their B1G's money's worth in year 1.

The Terrapins have two great non-conference tests in West Virginia and at Syracuse, but the key stretch might be when they play host to Iowa on Oct. 18, travel to Wisconsin and then jet off to Penn State. The 'winnability” of these games is in the eye of the beholder. (By the way, the Terps' stadium is Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium. It holds nearly 52,000 but has crowds of 58,000. We'll call it Byrd Stadium here.)

Iowa will be one of the favorites in the west division, but this will be a stern road test. Maryland returns 18 starters. Iowa's O-line will be pressed to keep a clean pocket. Let's file this under 'stern test” and see where it sits in October.

Wisconsin might be a stretch for the Terps. The Badgers are probably the top pick as far as favorites go in the west. Never mind the fact that the Badgers replace six of their front seven on defense. RB Melvin Gordon has trumped all the possible deficiencies. Maryland and Penn State will be a great eastern matchup for the Big Ten. Commissioner Jim Delany talks about 'living” in the east and not renting. This game, if Maryland and coach Randy Edsall keep pace, could be a foundation. With Penn State in the full throes of the NCAA sanctions stemming from the Jerry Sandusky case, the Terps could be favored at State College.

Trap game:

Iowa knows the zombie effect that Indiana's Memorial Stadium can throw on an opponent. Teams become used to all of the loudness and fervor that come with games. That can be muted at Indiana. That doesn't mean the Hoosiers can't play the game. QB Tre Roberson's transfer last week does dent IU's offense, but coach Kevin Wilson has his team pointed toward a bowl. After missing out last season, a ‘14 bowl bid would calm nerves in Bloomington.

Indiana can score points. For Maryland, this game is after a road trip to Syracuse and before it plays host to Ohio State. It's a game that would catch a lot of teams, especially if the mood in Memorial is muffled.

Glass half-full:

The Terps have a shot at being terrifically athletic on offense. Quarterback C.J. Brown is a sixth-year senior, a grad student, the school's career leader for QB rushing yards and a solid dual-threat (he missed 2012 with a torn ACL). Maryland returns its starting RBs from 2012 and 2013 (Brandon Ross, Wes Brown). Injuries at wide receiver (namely top-shelf Stefon Diggs and Deon Long out with broken legs) forced young players into the game (Levern Jacobs, Amba Etta), and now that group is loaded with experience. Five O-linemen with starting experience return (55 career starts).

On defense, the Terps are awash in experience (18 players from 2013's two deeps return). The top five D-linemen, eight of the top 10 linebackers return and five of 2013's top six defensive backs return.

And there's no Florida State. There's an Ohio State, but the Terps seemed poised for a breakthrough last season, starting the season 4-0 with an average score of 40-10. Then, FSU pummeled UM, 63-0, and that was that.

Maryland's offense has the ingredients to make big plays (with 73 plays of 20-plus yards last season, the Terps were No. 27 in the country). The defense returns six starters from a front seven that allowed just 3.74 yards a carry last season.

The schedule is far from favorable, but, with the talent and experience on the depth chart, Maryland has to be welcoming in 2014 and its first go in the Big Ten.

Glass half-empty:

The Terrapins should be poised for a competitive season in the B1G. Right now, it's hard to see what some of the real dimples might be. A backup QB would be good. Edsall also might want three live footballs for all the carries UM's empire of running backs will certainly require. And, why not, maybe a little more experience on defense (UM did allow 25.3 points a game), but, really, if you wanted to pick a Maryland squad in the last seven seasons to enter the Big Ten, it might be this one (the 2010 Terps were a solid 9-4).

The ACC wasn't a hammock near the beach last season. Maryland felt the force of a national champion. Still, the move to a new league will be a challenge for a coaching staff. You will hear this in July at the Big Ten media days, so get used to the term 'new preparations.” Maryland is new for the Big Ten and vice versa. This will have staffs working overtime getting to know tendencies and all that football stuff. The schedule is tough, but the Terps do get Ohio State, Iowa and Michigan State in College Park. It remains to be seen if that is a favor or a burden for UM.

The Iowa angle:

The schools have never met on the football field. In fact, even after this season, Iowa will have played Marquette more in football (that series will forever be deadlocked at 1-1).

Maryland has speed and it could give Iowa problems. Diggs and Long are an explosive duo. They combined for 66 receptions for 1,076 yards and four TDs. They also combined for just 14 games after suffering broken legs last fall. They weren't ready for full contact this spring, but will be ready for fall. Even before senior safety Nico Law announced his decision to transfer last week, Iowa had a deficiency at safety. A true freshman might be counted on early. Iowa still hasn't sealed the deal on the second corner, although sophomore Maurice Fleming looks like a good bet.

The Hawkeyes loved Desmond King and what the sophomore corner brought to field as a true freshman last season, in terms of poise and ability. Maryland had similar success with sophomore corner William Likely. As a true freshman last season, he ranked third in the ACC in kick return and punt return average. He also had a team-high seven passes defensed. Likely kept it up this spring with two interceptions in the spring game.

At the end of last season, Iowa offensive coordinator Greg Davis talked about Iowa's offense needing to be more dimensional. This game will be a great test in that regard. It's hard to see Iowa winning in College Park on a stout running game and only that, not with UM's experience and potential explosiveness on offense. This will probably lean toward a grinder game, but big plays could tilt it one way or the other.

Quotable:

'We're a multiple, no-huddle offense that will use some spread mechanics. We want to be able to run and throw it and be balanced. We're probably most like Indiana, but they're more of a true spread. I don't think we're that. On defense, we're a hybrid 3-4-type of defense. We're an attacking defense. We aren't as big up front as some other teams, but we want to be an aggressive, get-after you defense.” - Maryland coach Randy Edsall on comparing Maryland's offensive and defensive styles to other Big Ten schools

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@sourcemedia.net