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.