2011 Maryland Terrapins Football Preview

Maryland nearly won its division last season despite numerous questions coming into the season and uncertainty at the head coaching position. Maryland had a clearly delineated head coach in waiting in James Franklin, but as the season wore on, the Terrapins brass decided to go in a new direction and despite finishing 9-4 with a bowl win, pushed out beloved head coach Ralph Friedgen and coach-in-waiting Franklin. They replaced him with Connecticut head coach Randy Edsall. An odd choice to say the least, given the school’s stated desire for a more exciting product and Edsall’s propensity for conservative football. Still, there’s no arguing with Edsall’s success in taking Connecticut from FCS football to a Big East title in his time there. Now Edsall inherits a team that returns 14 starters and a very tough schedule. He better start off hot or it could be a long 2011 season in College Park.

It’s hard to say just what the new Maryland offense will look like under Edsall and his offensive coordinator Gary Crowton, who was hounded out of LSU for the Tigers’ offensive ineptitude under his leadership, but perhaps a change in scenery will help him regain his groove as a play-caller. He certainly has talent to work with in quarterback Danny O’Brien. As a freshman, O’Brien came out of nowhere to throw for 2,438 yards and 22 touchdowns last season. He’ll have the opportunity for even better numbers this season as Crowton is more apt to open it up down the field than perhaps Friedgen was. The challenge for the offense will be in replacing its leading receivers Torrey Smith and Adrian Cannon. The job will likely fall to Ronnie Tyler and redshirt freshman Adrian Coxson. Neither Edsall at UConn nor Crowton at LSU consistently developed great receivers, so this is a concern worth watching as the passing game develops.

The running game is in a bit better shape. Senior Davin Meggett will be the primary ball-carrier after splitting carries with the now departed Da’Rel Scott in 2010. Meggett is a short (5’9) but very powerful back that is also a homerun threat. The coaches are optimistic about the collection of backs behind Meggett, particularly freshmen Tyler Smith and Troy Jones. Given Edsall’s ability to develop unheralded running backs at UConn, the running game should develop just fine. The best thing for the running game is that Maryland gets four of five starters from last year’s very good run-blocking line back. The line should be a team strength and help make the transition to Crowton’s system easier for everyone.

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Defensively, the Terrapins return a lot of very good, experienced talent. Still, there is unease about the defense due to the coaching change. Defensive coordinator Don Brown was quietly developing a reputation as one of the nation’s best up and coming defensive coordinators and seemed to truly have the magic touch with this Maryland defense. With Edsall’s hiring, Brown decided to leave and join Paul Pasqualoni’s staff at UConn. Now the job falls to Todd Bradford, previously the defensive coordinator at Southern Miss. Bradford has plenty to work with, especially up front. The Terps went with a youth movement up front in 2010 that now returns to them a deep and experienced defensive line led by the agile pair of defensive tackles A.J. Francis and Joe Vellano. They anchor a very aggressive and sound defensive front seven.

The concern for Edsall and the defense is in the secondary. Last year Brown often turned the linebackers loose, feeling confident in the coverage provided by the secondary. Senior corners Cameron Chism and Trenton Hughes were solid last season, but picked off just one pass between them. They’ll need to step up their play this year because neither safety returns. Storng safety Matt Robinson saw some action as a freshman and now takes over the role full time. At free safety, Edsall will lean on redshirt freshman Titus Till to be the defense’s centerfielder. This unit will either be the surprise, or the demise of the Terps defense in 2011.

The schedule will be a baptism by fire for new coach Randy Edsall. The Terps open at home against Miami on Memorial Day. They then get a week off to prepare for Dana Holgorsen’s pass happy offense and West Virginia. October features Clemson and then a trip to Florida State in back to back weeks. The rivalry game against Notre Dame will be played in Landover and is not a true home game. The Terps then finish the season on the road at N.C. State, who knocked them out of the ACC title game last season. There are pieces for Edsall to work with in year one, but the schedule will demand that he pick it up quickly if he hopes to match last season’s win total.