Sr. Terps Analyst
Posted 14 October 2019 - 11:37 AM
Indiana is 4-2 (1-2) on the season, and is coming off of a 35-0 victory over Rutgers last weekend. Tom Allen is in his 3rd season as the Hoosiers' head coach, and both his offensive and defensive coordinators are in their first seasons with the team.
Wins: Ball State, Connecticut, Eastern Illinois, Rutgers
Losses: Michigan State, Ohio State
Sr. Terps Analyst
Posted 15 October 2019 - 10:17 AM
Starting CB Tino Ellis is out for the rest of 2019 with an upper body injury.
Also, starting RB Anthony McFarland, Jr. is dealing with a high ankle sprain and apparently hasn't practiced for 3-4 weeks.
Owner
Posted 15 October 2019 - 11:02 AM
Starting CB Tino Ellis is out for the rest of 2019 with an upper body injury.
Also, starting RB Anthony McFarland, Jr. is dealing with a high ankle sprain and apparently hasn't practiced for 3-4 weeks.
Sr. Terps Analyst
Posted 17 October 2019 - 08:27 AM
HOF
Posted 17 October 2019 - 08:37 AM
BSL: 5 Thoughts Before Maryland/Indiana
MD's struggles with line play to me mirror the Orioles struggle with starting pitching. Doesn't seem to matter who we bring in, personnel changes, coaching changes, whatever, they're still not good. Edsall and Durkin both brought in pretty good recruits on the line, and the line still got consistently beat by lesser-rated lines throughout the Big 10. Happened across multiple position coaches as well. I'm just not sure what the answer is there at this point.
Owner
Posted 17 October 2019 - 08:40 AM
MD's struggles with line play to me mirror the Orioles struggle with starting pitching. Doesn't seem to matter who we bring in, personnel changes, coaching changes, whatever, they're still not good. Edsall and Durkin both brought in pretty good recruits on the line, and the line still got consistently beat by lesser-rated lines throughout the Big 10. Happened across multiple position coaches as well. I'm just not sure what the answer is there at this point.
Should bring in Bret Bielema as Co-Head Coach and let him concentrate on the lines.
Figure out how Wisconsin had dominating O-lines with recruits far lesser regarded vs. what MD had been adding.
Sr. Terps Analyst
Posted 17 October 2019 - 08:43 AM
MD's struggles with line play to me mirror the Orioles struggle with starting pitching. Doesn't seem to matter who we bring in, personnel changes, coaching changes, whatever, they're still not good. Edsall and Durkin both brought in pretty good recruits on the line, and the line still got consistently beat by lesser-rated lines throughout the Big 10. Happened across multiple position coaches as well. I'm just not sure what the answer is there at this point.
The lines were definitely improving the last few years, but there was a bunch of turnover (and some injuries) this year. Offensively, you lost both starting tackles and your starting right guard has been out for a few weeks. The defensive line has been better than I expected, but their issues with turnover and depth go hand in hand when you're forced to move defensive linemen to offense.
For the last 5 years or so, there has been an unusual plethora of blue-chip linemen in the DMV area, but that's starting to dry up and return to its typical number. The coaching staff is going to have to start venturing into Pennsylvania, Ohio, and the Midwest to start grabbing some better linemen. Problem being of course, where do you think all the rest of the teams in the conference are getting their linemen?
Sr. Terps Analyst
Posted 17 October 2019 - 09:31 AM
For reference, here's a quick comparison I put together using each team's starting lines at the beginning of the year with their average 247Sports Composite Scores and average years of experience:
OFFENSIVE LINE
Wisconsin: 0.8529 (3.8 years) *excludes 1 walk-on without Composite Score
Maryland: 0.8783 (4.2 years)
Ohio State: 0.9084 (3.8 years)
DEFENSIVE LINE
Maryland: 0.8373 (4.0 years) *excludes 1 walk-on without Composite Score
Wisconsin: 0.8792 (3.3 years)
Ohio State: 0.9174 (4.5 years)
Sr. Terps Analyst
Posted 17 October 2019 - 12:31 PM
Should bring in Bret Bielema as Co-Head Coach and let him concentrate on the lines.
Figure out how Wisconsin had dominating O-lines with recruits far lesser regarded vs. what MD had been adding.
Bielema's got a pretty good gig right now with the Patriots, not sure a college assistant position would be enough to entice him to leave. I have to wonder if Friedgen would consider an advisory role similar to the one Ron Zook is playing right now. He'd certainly bring a specialty in offensive line development.
CFB Analyst
Posted 17 October 2019 - 12:58 PM
MD's struggles with line play to me mirror the Orioles struggle with starting pitching. Doesn't seem to matter who we bring in, personnel changes, coaching changes, whatever, they're still not good. Edsall and Durkin both brought in pretty good recruits on the line, and the line still got consistently beat by lesser-rated lines throughout the Big 10. Happened across multiple position coaches as well. I'm just not sure what the answer is there at this point.
Speaking specifically of the O-line, I still wonder how the constant turnover in coaching at that position has impacted the performance. There have been 5 different OL coaches over the past 5 seasons. For a unit that typically thrives on continuity, that sort of thing would seem to be the antithesis of having success, individual talent be damned.
CFB Analyst
Posted 17 October 2019 - 01:08 PM
Should bring in Bret Bielema as Co-Head Coach and let him concentrate on the lines.
Figure out how Wisconsin had dominating O-lines with recruits far lesser regarded vs. what MD had been adding.
I think Wisconsin's success is simply that they have a long established philosophy/identity that they have consistently stuck with, dating back to when Barry Alvarez was the HC (and has been the AD ever since). They seem to place a lot of emphasis on development at the OL position, such that it seems they always have new guys ready to plug in when the others move on. Maybe I'm mistaken, but it seems like by the time a guy becomes a starter on their OL, he's already in his Jr or Sr season, and has both physically developed into what they need to do what they do and has the technique down pat.
MD on the other hand has had no such continuity, either at the position or when it comes to the overall identity of what sort of program they want to be. I'm sure that's mostly due to shooting themselves in the foot with poor coaching hires, but really I think the root is an administration that just doesn't care whether they have a successful football program.
Owner
Posted 18 October 2019 - 08:04 AM
Washington Post: Anthony McFarland Jr. is the Terps’ best offensive player, but an ankle injury has slowed him
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Owner
Posted 19 October 2019 - 02:58 PM
Indiana up 7... MD ball. Pigrome again starting with Jackson out.
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Owner
Posted 19 October 2019 - 03:02 PM
Picked up the 1st...
Penalty on Indiana on the next set of downs.
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Owner
Posted 19 October 2019 - 03:12 PM
Isaiah Davis done for the day after a targeting foul.
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