Discussions ahead of the Maryland football team's 2024 season were filled with anticipation and unanswered questions, especially about the quarterback. It was obvious that the play on the field would have to answer many of the uncertainties.
In Saturday's matinee game against UConn, “uncertainty” was not the right word to describe the Terps' play. Maryland's game was convincing from start to finish, beating UConn 50-7. The team is now 14-1 in season openers since 2010.
The Terps started the game with possession and Billy Edwards Jr. at quarterback. In a drive that lasted just 3 minutes and 28 seconds, Maryland's offense raced down the field and finished things off with an 18-yard pass to wide receiver Tai Felton.
Felton was outstanding throughout the game, making seven catches for 178 yards and two touchdowns, surpassing his previous career high of 140 yards set last year against Rutgers.
Edwards looked confident on offense, even though he almost lost the ball to a quarterback keeper early on. On his first drive, he relied on a quick, planned passing attack that featured Felton and a 13-yard run by Roman Hemby.
The defense was equally assertive on its first few drives. Neither of UConn's first two drives lasted more than three minutes, the first lasting just 1:21. The Terps were aggressive, often using man coverage and sending extra attackers to inexperienced Husky quarterback Nick Evers. On UConn's second drive, linebacker Caleb Wheatland's blitz forced a fumble on third down.
The best play of the first quarter — and perhaps the entire game — was undoubtedly redshirt freshman Nolan Ray's 48-yard touchdown run for Terps. He evaded several Huskies defenders before running the final 20 yards into the end zone. Maryland's 131 rushing yards in the first quarter were its most since 2018, when it posted 148 against Ohio State.
The pace of the game slowed significantly in the second quarter. Not only did Maryland fail to score a touchdown, but they also had to concede four consecutive punts, beginning in the second half of the first quarter.
On one of the four drives that ended in a punt, redshirt sophomore quarterback MJ Morris took the reins of the offense, but he only spent 1:32 on the field and managed to get out three times after slipping just before the first-down marker.
A pike interception by redshirt senior Glendon Miller with less than a minute left in the first half gave Edwards and Co. a chance to extend their lead. But after a seam beater and a subsequent sideline toss to tight end Dylan Wade, the Terps were unable to sink the ball from five yards out.
Maryland's inability to complete its offense ultimately led to three field goals in the second quarter, all scored by Jack Howes, and the Terps led 23-0 at halftime.
A quick change in intensity put Maryland on the road early in the third quarter, as Edwards orchestrated a drive that culminated in a touchdown by Hemby. The redshirt junior showed off his 2022 self, finishing the day with 14 carries for 66 yards and a touchdown.
With a 30-0 lead, the rest of the game felt like a formality for the Terps, who used a variety of their reserve players. But that wasn't before senior linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II secured a tip-drill interception, the first of his career.
Even when UConn cut Maryland's one-point lead late in the third quarter – now with Joe Fagnano at quarterback – the Terps didn't hesitate to respond. Edwards and the starters were immediately reinstated and Felton broke through several tackles on his way to a 75-yard touchdown.
It's still unclear how Maryland will fare against stronger conference opponents this season, but a dominant win early in the season will be more than enough for now.
Three things you should know
1. Three quarterbacks played in the game. The quarterback competition that garnered much of the preseason attention continued Saturday afternoon. While it was obvious that Edwards was the No. 1 pick, the fact that Morris had some early runs showed that Locksley was interested in seeing both in game action.
Edwards completed 20 of 27 passes for 311 yards and two touchdowns and also had 39 rushing yards. Morris had 13 passing yards — a 75% completion rate — and 13 rushing yards. Cameron Edge replaced Morris in the fourth quarter after he suffered a head injury. He completed four of six passes for 57 yards and a touchdown.
2. A combination of played tight ends. Preston Howard, who was listed as a starter and was on the field early, did not play after the first drive and spent the rest of the game on the sidelines wearing protective gear and without a helmet.
Instead, a combination of Dylan Wade, Leon Haughton Jr. and Leron Husbands impressed, with the former taking the majority of snaps. Wade finished the game with two catches for 38 yards and the trio delivered a solid blocking performance.
3. The secondary side made its presence felt. One of the questionable areas early in the season was the functionality of the Terps' defensive back room. But the secondary impressed on Saturday, allowing just 14 completions. Transfer Jalen Huskey and redshirt sophomore Perry Fisher were both excellent at outside cornerback, but Miller was the best, moving down the field as both a safety and nickelback. He led the team with six tackles and grabbed a pick.
