The biggest storyline for the 2010 Military Bowl isn't what is happening on the field. It's Maryland football coach Ralph Friedgen's final game after being let go earlier this month, and it comes in front of a local audience.
But that's not necessarily a storyline that directly relates to the game itself. What can fans expect on the field when Maryland takes on East Carolina Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. at RFK Stadium?
Offense. Lots and lots of offense.
East Carolina is among the worst defensive teams in college football. The Pirates allowed 76 points in a game against Navy earlier this year and rank near the bottom in many defensive categories. Testudo Times points out ECU's defensive futility here.
- 118th in scoring defense
- 115th in rushing defense
- 108th in passing defense
- 104th in sacks
- 119th in 3rd down defense
- 120th in total defense - yes, that's dead last
The Terps are coming off a big offensive performance against North Carolina State, so they should be able to put a ton of points on the board in this one. However, East Carolina's offense is also outstanding. As Testudo Times notes, the Pirates run a spread offense that's very effective.
The thing that might save the game, then, is ECU's own ability to put up points. What with all the Mike Leach stuff floating around, it's worth noting that ECU's offense is extremely similar to Mike Leach's Air Raid. In fact, head cocach Ruffin McNeill - Leach's former DC at TTU - has borrowed many of Leach's former personnel to create the offense.
Unsurprisingly, it's a wide-open system that involves a lot of passing, a lot of yards, and a lot of points. Many of their numbers are Leach-esque: 12th in the nation in scoring, 7th in passing, 23rd in total offense, and 3687 yards for starting QB Dominique Davis, among a few other hefty numbers.
It looks like the Military Bowl will be a very high-scoring game. Get ready for a lot of touchdowns.