PLAYERS TO WATCH
–QB Kasim Hill will be under the gun Saturday at Michigan against a defense coming off a six-sack game at Northwestern. The top-ranked Wolverine defense can cause trouble, but despite his tender years, Hill has the poise of a seasoned vet. He has thrown just one interception in 97 career pass attempts and has proven adept at getting the Terrapins in the right play at the right time. Limiting mistakes this week will be particularly big against a defense that has allowed more than 20 points in just one game.
–RB Anthony McFarland has come off the bench to average 12.9 yards per rush the last two games and amassed back-to-back 100-yard games. He’s the first Maryland freshman since 1979 to accomplish that feat. He had 112 yards and two long touchdown runs (64 and 26 yards) in the 42-13 win over Minnesota before the bye week.
–WLB Tre Watson has exceeded expectations since joining the team as a senior-eligible transfer from Illinois. He leads the team with 39 tackles, has two tackles-for-loss, a sack and two interceptions, including a pick-6 against Minnesota early in the second half to thwart Golden Gopher comeback hopes. His fourth quarter interception sealed the Texas win, too, and he had 15 tackles against Temple, the most for a Terp in nearly three years.
–CB Tino Ellis has been a big surprise, developing into the team’s top cover corner man with seven pass break-ups. He held Minnesota’s top WR Tyler Johnson to two catches for 12 yards. He has been steady and at times sensational in all four games so far. He has 11 tackles, including three for loss, attacking the backfield on quick screens while also doing more than his fair share against the run. We all should have seen it coming as Ellis separated from Antwaine Richardson enough in the offseason to see Richardson moved to safety.
–P Wade Lees, once somewhat of an Aussie rugby novelty, has morphed into a solid punter as a junior. He’s averaging 41.5 yards, doing less of the rugby-on-the-run kicking, and the last two games his average has been above 43 yards. The one thing Lees has always done well — pin opponents back with directional kicks — he still does, putting eight punts into the red zone with just one touchback. His skills go hand-in-hand with the Terrapins’ improved defensive prowess. He was national punter of the week after averaging a career best 48.6 yards against Minnesota, including a pair of 50-yarders.
SERIES HISTORY: Michigan leads Maryland 6-1 and has won the last three in a row by a combined score of 122-13. The Wolverines won, 35-10, in College Park last year. Former Maryland defensive coordinator Don Brown now guides Michigan’s top-ranked defense (232.6 total yards per game).
QUOTE TO NOTE: “However we get a flow, get a rhythm, however that’s working for us that day, all of us just want to win — whether it’s running the ball or throwing the ball, whatever we have to do.” — Maryland quarterback Kasim Hill on the Terrapin offense.
