Terps face toughest test of season at Michigan
On Tuesday, as the Washington Post asked why Maryland coach DJ Durkin still hadn’t been fired in the fallout from the death of Terrapin tackle Jordan McNair, the Terrapins continued preparations for their toughest test this season.
At noon on Saturday, Maryland visits perennial powerhouse, No. 15 Michigan, and squaring off against the nation’s top-ranked defense which is allowing just 232.6 yards per game. But at Maryland — this year — it’s never just about football as speculation swirls as an appointed commission investigates charges of a “toxic culture” under Durkin’s watch.
With Durkin on continuing administrative leave, interim head coach and erstwhile offensive coordinator Matt Canada appreciated the week off for the Terrapins (3-1, 1-0) to heal up for the showdown with Michigan (4-1, 2-0).
Minus their coach since Aug. 11, and under the specter of on-going investigations not only into McNair’s tragic death, but also the way players have been treated under Durkin, the Terrapins have remarkably posted a 3-1 record and are receiving Top 25 votes.
“It’s unbelievable,” shouted Canada, interrupting a reporter’s question about resiliency after the 42-13 win over Minnesota.
“We are so proud of our players and how hard they play and how hard they stick together and how hard they focus on each other. Somebody smart ought to do some kind of study on it because it’s impressive.”
The bye week, particularly timely for a team riding the emotional roller-coaster, came at an opportune time. Maryland had an extra week for Canada specifically to script a plan against that top-ranked defense and one rated fourth in pass defense and fifth in tackles for loss.
Despite injuries and the uncertainty surrounding their head coach, the Terrapins have often rolled this season, racking up 34 or more points in three of four contests. The notable exception was the 35-14 clunker against Temple. They bounced back to beat Minnesota in the Big Ten opener, but this game may be the true litmus test to determine what kind of team the Terrapins can actually be this season.
Canada wouldn’t take that bait at the weekly Tuesday football press conference. Instead he turned the focus to the challenge of visiting the Michigan Stadium “Big House.”
“They are really, really talented, and they’re very well coached,” said Canada of Michigan. “We’re excited to put in the plays and see what happens. We’re excited to play a great football team in a great atmosphere.”
The Terrapins have a healthy team overall, with a lot of the dings and nagging injuries that players — particularly on the offensive line — had suffered have abated. The notable exception is the loss of running backs Lorenzo Harrison (knee) and Jake Funk (hand), neither who will be back any time soon.
The Maryland running game, though, has been stellar, even without them as freshman Anthony McFarland has emerged as a game-breaking threat with senior Ty Johnson in the backfield. Those two and versatile sophomore Tayon Fleet-Davis have rung up most (739 yards) of Maryland’s 1,034 yards on the ground.
Meanwhile, quarterback Kasim Hill has managed the offense well, save the Temple game, and he has spread the ball around to 12 different receivers. Senior Taivon Jacobs leads the corps with 12 catches for 132 yards, but DJ Turner has 11 grabs and 129 yards. True freshman Jeshaun Jones burst on the scene with three touchdowns the first three times he touched the ball in the season-opening upset of Texas.
But the Wolverines are no slouches on offense, either. They have clawed to 45 or more points in three games this season, and their offense is much more dynamic than last year when Michigan powered to a 35-10 win at Maryland.
The Terrapins won’t have a week off the rest of the way, now fully into the Big Ten gauntlet that has proven so challenging since Maryland joined the league in 2014.
“Jump in the deep water with the big sharks, right?” asked Canada. “That’s what you want to do. You want to play the best and you want to be around the best.”
And the Terrapins want to find out how they rank among the best.
