Terps’ WR Demus to miss rest of season

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Maryland’s hopes of upsetting Iowa last week fell apart quickly after Dontay Demus left with a knee injury.

Now the news is even worse for the Terrapins.

Demus, the Big Ten’s leader in yards receiving, is expected to miss the rest of the season, coach Michael Locksley said Tuesday.

“Dontay is out — season-ending knee surgery here this week,” Locksley said. “Obviously very devastating for a player that I felt was playing at a very high level.”

Demus was hurt early in the second quarter while returning a kickoff. The Terps ended up being outscored 31-0 in that period on their way to a 51-14 loss Friday. Demus’ fumble on that kickoff was one of seven Maryland turnovers on the night.

“A 31-point differential in the second quarter kind of tells the story, and it kind of took place after one of our emotional leaders of our team was injured,” Locksley said. “It’s got to be a next-man-up mentality. I thought when Dontay went out, obviously the fumble on that play is what started our downward spiral there in the second quarter.”

The path forward doesn’t get any easier for Maryland, which plays at No. 7 Ohio State this weekend.

Even after missing most of Friday’s game, Demus is atop the Big Ten with 507 yards receiving. Maryland has two other players in the top 25 in Rakim Jarrett and Jeshaun Jones, so there’s productive depth that could help the Terrapins withstand the loss of Demus.

Maryland is averaging 317.4 yards passing per game, the secondbest mark in the league behind Ohio State. Quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa was impressive as the Terps won their first four games of the season, but then he was intercepted five times against Iowa.