Stay connected for news and updates Follow @sbnationdc
Maryland made it interesting in the fourth quarter, but ultimately the Terps fell short and lost to the visiting UConn Huskies 24-21 on Saturday.
Like us to subscribe
Maryland lost their first game of the season Saturday, but there were lots of positive signs, especially from the defense and two freshmen playmakers.
Continue
Though the Maryland Terrapins started the season 2-0, the overwhelming expectations around College Park have remained that the Terps don't seem likely to have many more wins in them. That seemed to ring true as they failed to come back over the UConn Huskies Saturday, in a 24-21 loss.
Maryland blog Testudo Times' editor Ben Broman seemed resigned to that idea. The Terps have a true freshman quarterback, Perry Hills, underclassmen at running backs — sophomore Justus Pickett, freshmen Brandon Ross, Wes Brown and Albert Reid — and myriad injuries at defense, including once first-team All-ACC linebacker Kenny Tate. The mistakes that come with youth haunted the Terps, particularly on their last possession, in which they ran out the clock and lost seven yards in four downs.
Here's Broman's take:
This loss is frustrating, and should be. It showcased just how little ready this team is for primetime. They're still too young, with not enough talent or depth in key positions. Long-term, there's actually plenty to be encouraged about. Stefon Diggs is the truth, Wes Brown got the ball and showed that he deserved to, and the defense is still pretty well set. There are bright points here, and if they're built around this team has some true potential down the road.
They're just not there this year.
Maryland fans are sure to have more to gripe about next week, when they venture up to Morgantown and take on West Virginia.
For more on the Terps, make sure to visit Testudo Times.
Saturday's 24-21 loss to the Connecticut Huskies showcased a lot of what's wrong with the Maryland Terrapins football program. Mistakes led to an early 14-0 hole and the young offense wasn't powerful enough to overcome the deficit. The game that was dubbed the "Randy Edsall Bowl" turned out better for the Terps' head coach's former team, and left his current team looking lost and inexperianced.
"This loss is frustrating, and should be,' wrote the SB Nation blog Testudo Times after the game. "It showcased just how little ready this team is for primetime. They're still too young, with not enough talent or depth in key positions. Long-term, there's actually plenty to be encouraged about. Stefon Diggs is the truth, Wes Brown got the ball and showed that he deserved to, and the defense is still pretty well set. There are bright points here, and if they're built around this team has some true potential down the road."
The loss did feature some bright sports, however, as freshman wide receiver Stephon Diggs almost single-handedly led the Terps to a second-half comeback.
"The star of the game was undoubtedly Diggs, who finished with 223 total yards," writes Testudo Times. "The fact that he gets so few touches on offense - four today, and one of them wasn't even thrown to him - is a continuing travesty. He's Maryland's best player by a mile, especially on offense."
For more on the Maryland Terrapins, head over to Testudo Times and continue to check out SB Nation DC for the latest news and updates. Visit The UConn Blog and SB Nation Boston for Huskies news and notes
Maryland got touchdowns from three true freshmen, but ultimately fell short in their comeback attempt during the "Edsall Bowl", losing 24-21 to visiting UConn.
Continue
Another quarter, and another showcase of offensive inefficiency from Maryland and Connecticut. There were three first downs in the entire quarter, all from the Terps, but the Huskies have managed to add to their lead.
Wes Brown started out the half at running back for Maryland, and it appears he's won the starting job...at least for the day. In three games, the Terps have had three different "feature" backs - Albert Reid in week one, Justus Pickett last week, and now Brown today.
After a Darin Drakeford sack forced a third down, Stefon Diggs returned a punt where he was surrounded by Husky defenders for 31 yards, juking the punter out of his socks along the way. The Terps ended up moving backwards on the drive thanks to a personal foul penalty and a sack, and were forced to punt.
Later in the quarter, Maryland got a first down when Perry Hills completed an eight yard pass over the middle to Kerry Boykins. After a false start, Yawin Smallwood tore through the line and absolutely demolished Hills, forcing a fumble that the Huskies recovered at the Terps' 23. Maryland's defense held strong, holding UConn to seven yards over the next three plays and forcing a field goal attempt. Chad Christen nailed the 34-yard field goal to make it 17-7.
Perry Hills continues to struggle, and is 5/16 for 45 yards. Wes Brown has nine carries for 55 yards, and Stefon Diggs has 139 yards on nine total touches.
For more on the Maryland Terrapins, head over to Testudo Times and continue to check out SB Nation DC for the latest news and updates. Visit The UConn Blog and SB Nation Boston for Huskies news and notes.
Maryland finally got some offense going thanks to the contributions of two true freshmen, but both offenses still looked sluggish in a quarter that featured two touchdowns. At halftime, Connecticut leads Maryland 14-7.
On a drive that started at the end of the first quarter, Lyle McCombs had 24 yards on the ground to bring the Huskies to the three-yard line on third and goal. Quarterback Scott McCummings ran it in to give UConn the 14-0 lead.
On the Terps' next drive, they were finally able to get some movement, thanks to 13 yards on the ground from Perry Hills and a late hit penalty against Connecticut. After an underthrown incompletion to a double-covered Kevin Dorsey and a drop over the middle by Kerry Boykins, Hills found Stefon Diggs over the middle for a huge fourth down completion. Diggs faked out three Husky defenders on his way to an 18-yard gain. Two plays later, Wes Brown took a hand-off up the middle for 19 yards and the score, making it 14-7 Huskies. It was Brown's first collegiate touchdown, and his first touch of the day.
Connecticut was able to move down the field after a 19-yard completion to tight end John Delahunt on their next drive, but Chad Christen missed the 49-yard field goal.
On Maryland's next drive, Hills had a wide open Boykins over the middle but instead threw it to Marcus Leak, who was unable to pull it in. Hills was sacked on the next play, forcing a punt.
Later in the quarter, Diggs made something out of nothing with a 23-yard punt return from his own five, and big ground gains from Hills and Brown moved the Terps down the field. The drive ended quickly, with a Hills incompletion (again with an open receiver), a Diggs rush for no gain, and a sack.
Brown had three rushes for 38 yards in the quarter, and Diggs has 100 total yards of offense on seven touches. Hills has looked dismal thus far, with a 2/11 mark for 24 yards and an interception.
For more on the Maryland Terrapins, head over to Testudo Times and continue to check out SB Nation DC for the latest news and updates. Visit The UConn Blog and SB Nation Boston for Huskies news and notes.
Both offenses have struggled so far, but Connecticut has taken an early lead in what has been dubbed the "Edsall Bowl" thanks to a big special teams play.
On Connecticut's first drive, Connecticut quarterback Chandler Whitmer took advantage of some space up the middle and scrambled for 29 yards. Darin Drakeford was able to make a fantastic play, catching up to Whitmer from behind and stripping the ball free, which Eric Franklin recovered.
On the next play, Perry Hills threw his fourth interception of the season, as a blitz forced him to make a poorly executed throw towards Marcus Leak. Dwayne Gratz picked it off, and the Huskies had the ball back.
The Terps were able to make a defensive stop on the next drive, highlighted by two tackles from Jeremiah Johnson and a big hit from Franklin.
After a Connecticut punt pinned the Terrapins within their own five, Maryland went three-and-out and were forced to punt. Nick Williams returned Nate Renfro's kick 58 yards for a touchdown, giving the Huskies an early lead. It was Williams' first career punt return for a touchdown.
UConn has outgained the Terps by a margin of 85-8, and Maryland is without a first down in the game. Hills finished the quarter 1/4 for six yards and an interception, and Justus Pickett ran three times for a total of zero yards.
For more on the Maryland Terrapins, head over to Testudo Times and continue to check out SB Nation DC for the latest news and updates. Visit The UConn Blog and SB Nation Boston for Huskies news and notes.
The Maryland Terrapins could actually get off to a 3-0 start after being decimated by injuries and transfers as they face off against a struggling Connecticut Huskies team in a Big East/ACC matchup.
Continue
The Edsall Bowl will take place in College Park this Saturday as Randy Edsall faces his old school. Will Maryland jump out to a surprising 3-0 start?
Continue