Tagovailoa strengthens QB position
Offense improved, but now defense must do same in ’21
The 2020 season for theMaryland football team may be remembered more for the final game it didn’t play than the ones it did.
Sure, the Terps’ fourth-quarter rally from a 17-point deficit to outlast Minnesota on Oct. 30 in a 45-44 overtime decision was a thrilling development for a program smarting from a 43-3 humbling at Northwestern six days before. Anda 35-19 rout of archrivalPenn State — which had easily won the previous four meetings by a combined score of 201-20 — on Nov. 7 began to draweyeballs nationally to the school.
ButMaryland’s campaign ended Thursday afternoon with the announcement that the team was forced to cancel Saturday’s home game against Michigan State for the second time in as many months. Fifteen players and six staff members tested positive for the coronavirus between Dec. 10-16, with three more potential positive cases pending polymerase chain reaction tests.
That development marked the fourth such cancellation for the Terps (2-3 overall and in the Big Ten), who lost games against then-No. 3 Ohio State on Nov. 14 and the Spartans on Nov. 21 because of a COVID-19 outbreak within their program and Michigan on Dec. 5 due to coronavirus issues plaguing the Wolverines.
Coach Mike Locksley had frequently peppered his media sessions with references to facing two opponents every week: a Big Ten rival school and COVID-19.
Here are four things we learned in the 2020
The offense found its quarterback of the future in Taulia Tagovailoa.
The Tagovailoa era opened horrifically (14 of 25 for 94 yards and three interceptions) againstNorthwestern, but the sophomore blossomed into the quarterback Locksley envisioned when he convinced the younger brother of Miami Dolphins starter TuaTagovailoa to transfer fromAlabama.
Tagovailoa was fantastic in victories over Minnesota and Penn State, and despite a poor showing in a 27-11 loss at then-No. 12 Indiana on Nov. 28 he finished the regular season rankedthirdinthe BigTenin passing yards per game (252.8) and fourth in completion percentage (61.5).
Redshirt freshman Lance LeGendre did little to enhance his candidacy when he started the 27-24overtime loss toRutgerson Dec. 12. Hewas pulled in favorofsophomore walk-on Eric Najarian, who fared much better after a shaky start.
But the offense runs more smoothly and is exponentially more dangerous when Tagovailoa is zipping accurate passes to junior wide receiver Dontay Demus Jr. and freshman Rakim Jarrett or scrambling out of the pocket for first downs and touchdowns.
Locksley appreciated how Tagovailoa relentlessly sought to improve himself mentally and physically and said the quarterbackwas beginning to assert himself more among his teammates. For his part, Tagovailoa said he cared only about team success, not personal accolades.
“Every game, I’m just trying to go out there and do my job, limit the mistakes and just leadmy team to victory,” he said Dec. 8, just four days before getting scratched from the game against Rutgers for “medical reasons.”
“Whether I do as good as I did in the Minnesota or Penn State games or if I’m handing off the ball, whatever it takes formy team to win, that’s all thatmatters.”
The defense should be the next priority.
As improved as the offense looked, the defense was decent at best and downright dreadful atworst.
In five games, the unit ranked 11th in the
Big Ten in per-game points (32) and yards (430) allowed. The Terps were the most generous team in the conference in rushing yards given up (230 per game) and surrendered 14 touchdowns on the ground, which was tied for the third-highest mark.
The defensewasmuch better against the pass, ranking third in the league in yards allowed per game (200) and opponents’ completion percentage (56.4). Maryland also gave up only six passing touchdowns, albeit in a smaller sample size than many of its BigTen rivals.
The secondary appears solid with sophomore safety Nick Cross and freshman cornerback Tarheeb Still. But there’s a reason why 12 of the incoming 21 recruits play defense, including six along the defensive line, and why all four of the four-star prospects — defensive end Demeioun Robinson, outside linebacker Branden Jennings and defensive tackles Tommy Akingbesote andTaizse Johnson— are found on that side of the ball.
“I think you can tell by the names we announced [that] our focus for this season was on the defensive side of the ball, especially in the front seven,” Locksley said Wednesday. “I firmly believe you need to build your programfromthe trenches.
“Last year, we signed six offensive linemen and felt likewe took care of getting started with building that side of the ball. ... This year, we took care of the defensive side of the ball and defensive line.”
Stabilitycould be an important asset.
Assuming there is an offseason of relative calm for the team, next season will be Locksley’s thirdasMaryland’shead coach— the first person to enjoy that kind of longevity since Randy Edsall helmed the Terps from2011-15.
That illustrates the turmoil the program has endured in recent years and that introduced a revolving door of sorts for coaches who had their own visions of how to build and fortify Maryland into a contender in the BigTen.
If Locksley and his staff remain intact for next fall, they should be light years ahead in terms of developing a rapport with their players and game plans that accentuate strengths and disguiseweaknesses.
Locksley has frequently commented that the coronavirus forced him to learn he needs to be flexible and adaptable as a coach.
To that end, players such as Tagovailoa
and sophomore defensive tackle Mosiah Nasili-Kite praised Locksley for letting his proverbial hair down on the day Michigan canceled its game against the Terps.. He did so by playing music and providing live commentaryduring thatday’s practice to lift the players’ morale.
Locksley acknowledged the significance of the coaches being a consistent presence for the players.
“That’s what we wanted to do when we came in here a year ago, to stabilize the program and build a really strong foundation,” he said Wednesday. “When you have three different head coaches as this class has been through, and we’ve talked about the number of assistants that have come through the program during their four to five years in our program, it definitely takes its toll.
“I know for our future, it’s really important thatwe keep players here.”
Abowl appearancemight not be toofar away.
Yes, that may sound like a hex of epic proportions, but the building blocks for potential success are there.
The offense is headlined by an emerging quarterback, a talentedwidereceiving corps and a sturdy offensive line. The defense is anchored by a diverse secondary, a solid inside linebacking group and incoming aid for the defensive line and outside linebacker positions.
And if you’re looking for a Big Ten comparison, look at Indiana.
In coach Tom Allen’s first two years in 2017 and 2018, theHoosierswent 5-7 overall and 2-7 in the conference. In his third season, the programwent8-5and5-4, losing to Tennessee by one point in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.
This fall, Indiana is 6-1, rankedNo. 7 inthe most recent Associated Press rankings and poised to play in another bowl.
And dreams of a bowl appearance were already dancing in the heads of Maryland players, who had hoped a win against Michigan State on Saturday would draw an invite.
“It’s a good start for us,” redshirt sophomore outside linebacker Durell Nchami said Tuesday of taking aim at a bowl.
“It’s a good start for building our program andhowwewant it to be built. We can really change the future of our program by getting this thing built.”