Freshmen will get to try for starting jobs, Durkin says

Coach voices optimism on 9-game league schedule

CHICAGO — With football coach DJ Durkin working on a truncated calendar, Maryland’s recruiting Class of 2016 didn’t quite garner the same accolades as the class the staff is constructing for the 2017 cycle. But the Terps were able to sign some intriguing prospects at positions of need.

Andthose players will have the chance to compete for starting jobs and playing time right away.

Durkin preached competition through spring practice and into the summer. He didn’t put together a depth chart as he worked to keep the players unsettled in their roles, and he’s going to give everyone on the roster a chance to earn a spot — even at quarterback.

“It’s you earn what you get. Nothing’s handed to you,” Durkin said Tuesday during the Big Ten Conference’s media days. “[Our] freshmen have been there all summer working with us, and our older guys have done a great job embracing them and having them be part of the team. It’s not someone has to pay their dues or put in a certain amount of time before they’re part of the team. There’s none of that. We’re all a team.”

The veterans who made the trip to Chicago with Durkin have taken notice of the freshman class — which finished No. 42 nationally and No. 7 in the Big Ten in the 247sports.com composite rankings — and they realized there’s an early impact to be made.

“It kind of reminds me of back when I came as a freshman and how hungry I was and still am hungry,” cornerback Will Likely said.

The freshman class could have one of the biggest effects in the secondary, where Likely is the lone returning starter. The Terps signed five defensive backs from Florida — Likely’s home state — in the class.

“One thing I can tell you about those guys is not only are they from Florida, but those guys are hungry,” Likely said.

Durkin said seniority or experience won’t be a deciding factor in who gets a starting job. He gave every player a blank slate, and he wants to base his decisions on what the players do. And this freshman class — offensive lineman Terrance Davis, wide receiver Tino Ellis and offensive lineman Richard Merritt, all four-star recruits, headline it — will make its first impression on the practice field in August.

“The freshmen all work hard and they’re all guys that can step in and play,” linebacker Jermaine Carter Jr. said. “When we put the pads on, it’s going to show who’s ready.” Big Ten’s nine-game schedule ‘good for our conference’: One of the Big Ten’s most significant changes of the past few years — other than adding Maryland and Rutgers, of course — goes into effect this fall whenits member schools play a nine-game league schedule instead of the eight games that had been standard.

Theoretically, the move strengthens the conference by adding another game against stiffer competition.

Maryland plays its three nonconference games in September before starting Big Ten play against Purdue on Oct. 1. From there, it’s nine straight games against familiar foes.

“It’s good for our sport, good for our conference,” Durkin said Tuesday. “There’s more buzz around conference games than nonconference games, mostly. You get those good, big matchups, obviously there’s buzz around it. But for the most part, there’s more to it when you’re playing conference games. The fans like it better, and ultimately, that’s what it’s all about. Let’s play more games that we can be excited about.”

With a homecoming crowd on hand for the matchup against Purdue on Oct. 1, Maryland will dive headfirst into its longer Big Ten schedule.

“There’s excitement to it,” Durkin said. “When you’re playing a conference game, the excitement’s turned up a little bit, the intensity of the game’s turned up a little bit.” All five QBs to have chance at starting job: While Maryland’s quarterback race remains wide open entering fall practice next month, Durkin remains confident of having a quarterback who can succeed in offensive coordinator Walt Bell’s system.

“Absolutely. I think several of those guys, we can win with,” Durkin said Tuesday. “It’s us finding the right guy that gives us the best chance to win and fits with the pieces around him best.”

The Terps have five quarterbacks on their roster — fifth-year seniors Perry Hills and Caleb Rowe, redshirt freshman Gage Shaffer and true freshmen Tyrrell Pigrome and Max Bortenschlager — and Durkin stood by his comments from spring practice that he will keep the competition open, with each quarterback having a shot at winning the job.