Quarterback carousel keeps on turning
Jackson taking 1st-team reps, but nothing is sure
COLLEGE PARK — The Maryland quarterback carousel, which has been a steady and often depressing part of the football team’s struggles the past five seasons, continues to revolve as the Terps plummet through a stretch of five losses in the past six games.
Headed into Saturday’s homecoming matchup against No. 14 Michigan, the Terps have used three quarterbacks this season, and two of them have been injured.
First-year coach Mike Locksley said at his weekly news conference Tuesday that graduate transfer Josh Jackson, who returned briefly in last week’s 52-10 loss at Minnesota after missing two games with a sprained ankle, would take the first-team snaps at practice while redshirt junior Tyrrell Pigrome, who suffered a slight hyperextension of the left knee in the second quarter at TCF Bank Stadium, would be limited Tuesday.
Redshirt freshman Tyler DeSue will be the No. 2 quarterback if Pigrome is unable to play against the Wolverines. DeSue might have been the most effective of the three in the loss to the now-No. 13 and unbeaten Golden Gophers, helping set up
Maryland’s first field goal of the season late in the first half and throwing a 59-yard touchdown pass to junior running back Tayon Fleet-Davis in the second half.
“Piggy is on a limited schedule for us today,” Locksley said. “It’s my expectation that Piggy will get better as the week goes on. There was nothing structurally wrong other than a little hyperextension there.
“What we’ll have to do is see how he
feels as we go through this week. [Tuesday] and Wednesday are really big work days for us, so we’ll see how much we can get out of Piggy when he comes out to practice today.”
Though Locksley said he expects Pigrome to be healthy enough to play, there is no guarantee that he will start.
Pigrome played well for most of his team’s 34-28 loss at home to Indiana two weeks ago, but he threw an interception late in the game that quashed any chance of a comeback. Against Minnesota, Pigrome threw two early interceptions — including a pick-six — on passes that bounced off the hands of his top receiver, Dontay Demus Jr.
Jackson came in Saturday with the Terps trailing 14-0. Playing in his first game since spraining his ankle in the second quarter of a 48-7 victory at Rutgers on Oct. 12 — Maryland’s last win — he lasted one series, nearly getting intercepted on his first pass attempt and throwing behind Demus on his second. Jackson was then yanked by Locksley.
After Pigrome was injured as he was tackled making a throw, Locksley put in DeSue for the remainder of the game. It was the most extensive action for the former three-star prospect, whoseemed to put himself in the conversation — or at least in the competition — for a starting job this season with an impressive spring that culminated with him playing well in the annual Red-White game.
Pigrome sat out that game with an injury.
Asked how Jackson was doing physically, Locksley said: “With the time off, I feel he’s better. Based off of yesterday, he feels a lot better. This week will be about building the confidence up, getting back out there and seeing him operate the system and be able to operate it with his full ability. I’m looking forward to seeing what he looks like.”
Jackson’s confidence also seemed to take a hit after the transfer from Virginia Tech took a few too many hits himself in the first four games. Even in Maryland’s one-sided wins over Howard and then-No. 21 Syracuse to start the season, when he was sacked just once, Jackson got tackled hard several times. He was sacked a combined eight times in losses to Temple and then-No. 12 Penn State.
“As I said Saturday, us not playing him [after just one series] was a coach’s decision,” Locksley said. “I thought after he came off the field the one series in the [Minnesota] game, I didn’t really feel he had his confidence — that was my impression. I spoke with Josh yesterday and I feel he’s in a good place. He felt like he could’ve come back in.
“We’re going to give him every opportunity to take the reps this week. We’ll create the competition, if Piggy’s available. Then we’ll start and play the guy that gives us the the best chance to win this week.”
Former Maryland quarterback C.J. Brown said Tuesday that teams that constantly have to change quarterbacks tend to struggle with their offensive consistency.
Brown, who is in his first season as one of Maryland’s radio color analysts, should know. Brown watched the Terps struggle in 2012 — when Locksley was in his first year as offensive coordinator under second-year coach Randy Edsall — when he was the first of four quarterbacks to suffer season-ending injuries. Maryland finished with converted linebacker Shawn Petty behind center.
“It’s extremely difficult, not only for the team but for the quarterback room, especially if there’s an unknown [as to who will play],” said Brown, whotwo years later started every game, the last Maryland quarterback to do so.
“Injuries are a part of the game. Everyone knows you need to have a strong quarterback to be successful. It’s evident as to why we’re struggling a little bit on the offensive side of the ball.”
A team spokesman said all three quarterbacks would be made available to the media after Tuesday’s practice.