73 replies to this topic

[BSLZackKiesel]

Didn't have a chance to watch live, but QB MJ Morris was named the Spring Game's MVP. Good sign for his standing in the ongoing competition.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Testudo Times: What we learned from Maryland’s spring football game

https://www.testudot...all-spring-game

[You Play to Win the Game]

@ChuckDouglas_

Embarrassing for Terp Nation. Maryland is dead last in Football Revenue per Fan in the Big Ten. Lack of Game Day revenue + attendance is the ONLY thing holding this program back from being a perennial Top 25 program and CFB playoff contender. Do Better. These young men and Coach Locks deserve your support.


https://twitter.com/...887594842157347

Total nonsense. Build it, and they will come.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Balt Sun: Three takeaways from Maryland football’s Red-White spring game, including the race to start at QB

[BSLZackKiesel]

IMS: Mike Locksley on quarterback situation, an emerging playmaker and hiring Brian Ferentz

https://247sports.co...emby-231151361/

[BSLChrisStoner]

CBS Sports: Big Ten post-spring power rankings: Ohio State over Oregon for No. 1, USC lands in top five

https://www.cbssport...ds-in-top-five/

[BSLChrisStoner]

CBS Sports: 2024 college football coach rankings: Deion Sanders falls slightly among Power Four coaches ranked 68-26

https://www.cbssport...s-ranked-68-26/

 

41 Mike Locksley: It's an interesting season for Locksley and the Terrapins. He climbs eight spots in the rankings this season after a second straight 8-5 campaign, but while the Terps have won three straight bowls, they're yet to finish with a winning record in Big Ten play. Perhaps getting out of a division with Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State will help, but the Terps must also replace Taulia Tagovailoa at QB. It's not often the sixth season at a school feels like a fresh start, but you get that sense in College Park. 2023 rank: 49 (+8)

[BSLZackKiesel]

Maryland’s game against Northwestern has been moved to Friday, October 11th. It’ll kick off at 8:00 PM ET and be broadcast on FOX.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Maryland has announced start times and broadcast information for their first three games.

• 8/31 vs. UConn (Noon, FS1)
• 9/7 vs. Michigan State (3:30 PM, BTN)
• 9/14 @ Virginia (8:00 PM, ACCN)

[BSLZackKiesel]

IMS: Five Terps pick up Phil Steele preseason All-Big Ten honors

https://247sports.co...taaM4eHkbj6TioD

 

First-Team

• KR Braeden Wisloski

Second-Team

• WR Tai Felton
• WR Kaden Prather
• LB Ruben Hyppolite II

Fourth-Team

• S Dante Trader, Jr.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Sad news today, as assistant offensive line coach Damian Wroblewski announced the death of his 15-year old son after a battle with brain cancer.

 

This comes shortly after the death of 30-year old former running back Kenneth Goins, Jr., who was involved in a fatal motorcycle crash in Frederick County last weekend.

[BSLZackKiesel]

I was hoping the source of this story was The Onion, but it does in fact appear that MD has hired Brian Ferentz as an offensive analyst. If he's there strictly to work with OL/TE, then he could be a decent asset. If he's doing any offensive game-planning, then they need to take the Costanza Approach and do the exact opposite of what he advises.

 

https://247sports.co...role-231040492/

The NCAA has officially approved a rule change that will allow analysts to coach during practices and games.

 

This is big news for Maryland, as Ferentz will be able to play a bigger role on Locksley's staff. They also added former Towson head coach Rob Ambrose to the staff this season as a defensive analyst.

[BSLMikeLowe]

The NCAA has officially approved a rule change that will allow analysts to coach during practices and games.

 

This is big news for Maryland, as Ferentz will be able to play a bigger role on Locksley's staff. They also added former Towson head coach Rob Ambrose to the staff this season as a defensive analyst.

 

Are we sure this is a good thing?

[BSLZackKiesel]

Are we sure this is a good thing?

Everything I’ve heard suggests that he’s essentially acting as a run-game coordinator. Working with the running backs, tight ends, and offensive linemen. His poor play-calling with Iowa obviously stole the headlines, but he’s an excellent run-game specialist and won’t be involved in calling plays for the Terps.

[Ravens2006]

@ChuckDouglas_

Embarrassing for Terp Nation. Maryland is dead last in Football Revenue per Fan in the Big Ten. Lack of Game Day revenue + attendance is the ONLY thing holding this program back from being a perennial Top 25 program and CFB playoff contender. Do Better. These young men and Coach Locks deserve your support.

https://twitter.com/...887594842157347

 

Hmmm.  I dunno.  There's a bit of a chicken vs egg debate to be had there. When's the last time Maryland football REALLY posted a big, news-making win?  Against a highly ranked team / big name progam (that wasn't itself in a "down" season)?  Heck, beating Auburn in a bowl game would have been a big deal not THAT long ago, but now with the ridiculousness of everyone opting out of bowl games, even that was kind of an "Eh" event it seems since bowl games in general aren't what they used to be.

 

Personally, I took the family to a Terps bball game a couple years back and the experience of getting on to campus and parking was an absolute mind-numbing nightmare.  Whether that was unfamiliarity with the best routes in or where to park once there, I don't know.  But arrived to the edge of campus about 60 minutes prior to tip-off, sat in gridlock on campus as one lot after another was off-limits and garages filled, and missed most of the first half.  On a Sunday, not a weeknight. That was MY experience with the campus / game day routine, and I have just about zero interest in doing it again.  Can't imagine a football game against a blue chip conference opponent would be any less annoying.

 

So... a team that never really even competes against the top tier (more often than not gets blown out it seems) combined with a not-very-appealing prospect of game day commute.  That's a hard sell I think for the "non-alum" fan to commit their time and money to.  And the odd "rivalry" angle with PSU is about as lopsided as anything could get, so they don't even have an annual grudge match game to get fans worked up, because there's almost zero expectation that they might win.  The Big 10 wants to make Rutgers the new rival, which also carries no weight with anyone.  And I don't get much feeling that they care to embrace the Baltimore market either (the entire athletic dept).  Quick glance at schedules tells me it's been at least 4 years since they played a game here?  If I'm going to spend time and money on a Terps football game in person, I'm WAY more likely to take in the "one game a year" at M&T Bank Stadium if they ever did that.  

 

You want the ticket sales and discretionary casual fan spending to jump up, I think the program has to be the side that fires the first shots in terms of winning / rankings / bowl games and a true marquee win or two.

[You Play to Win the Game]

PFF’s Implied Rankings:



Top 10:
1. Georgia
2. Texas
3. Michigan
4. Ohio St
5. Alabama
6. Oregon
7. Florida St
8. Penn St
9 Washington
10. LSU

https://www.pff.com/...r-rankings-2024

[BSLZackKiesel]

PFF’s Implied Rankings:



Top 10:
1. Georgia
2. Texas
3. Michigan
4. Ohio St
5. Alabama
6. Oregon
7. Florida St
8. Penn St
9 Washington
10. LSU

https://www.pff.com/...r-rankings-2024

That seems about right to me. With so many new pieces at crucial spots, it’s hard to know what to expect until we see the product on the field.

One thing to note is how well the schedule sets up for them. In years past, they’ve had a Top 5 toughest schedule in the country. So they could potentially be an 8-9 win team if things happen to click for the QB, OL, etc. early-on.

[Hooded Viper]

Not that Taulia was a pro prospect or anything, but there will be a big drop off this year in quarterback play. Anything over 500 would be a win in my book.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Not that Taulia was a pro prospect or anything, but there will be a big drop off this year in quarterback play. Anything over 500 would be a win in my book.

 

Taulia was a very good college QB (that weird juxtaposition of being the Big Ten career leader while never being an elite college QB).
I don't think there is going to be a very big drop off in the QB play though. They've got multiple quality options. 

The key is the line in-front of the QB, which has had a lot of change.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Former Maryland DB Isaiah Hazel was killed early this morning in a Prince George’s County car accident which also claimed the lives of two other players (including Vikings DB Khyree Jackson).