Maryland had high aspirations after whooping Howard 79-0 and routing then-No. 21 Syracuse 63-20. Maryland was ranked with thoughts they were ready to compete in the loaded Big Ten East. However after a 34-28 loss to Indiana Saturday, the Terrapins may not even become bowl eligible.
How the Game Was Lost
Despite 158 rushing yards from Javon Leake, and an okay game by quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome, Maryland’s defense couldn’t stop the Hoosiers offense. And a key Leake fumble and a last-ditch interception by Pigrome dashed away any chance of stealing a victory.
Maryland entered as the worst-pass defense in the Big Ten. Indiana took full advantage throwing for 334 passing yards, amassing 520 yards of total offense. Backup Pete Ramsey threw for 193 yards and one touchdown in relief of Michael Penix Jr, who threw for 141 yards, one touchdown and one interceptions. Stevie Scott III rushed for 108 yards and two touchdowns.
The loss drops Maryland to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the Big Ten. With Minnesota, Michigan State, Michigan, Nebraska and Ohio State remaining on the schedule, any faint chances of becoming bowl eligible vanished at Maryland Stadium against Indiana.
Mike Locksley’s first year as Maryland head coach has soured after an impressive start. The Terrapins have faced reality, they’re not only not ready to contend in the Big Ten, they’re not ready to be a second-tier program in the conference.
Taking a Step Back
Losing to Indiana a huge step back for Maryland. Sure, they cannot compete with against the giants of the league like Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and Wisconsin. They’re just a step ahead of basement dweller Rutgers. Losses to the Hoosiers and Purdue stamp the notion.
Quarterback is still an area of emphasis for the program that has yearned a long time for a capable signal caller. Both Josh Jackson and Pigrome have had spurts of good play overshadowed by deficiencies.
However, the turnaround has to start on the defense. This was supposed to be a veteran defense that has been a huge disappointment this season. The pass defense cannot cover anyone of stature in the conference. The pass rush has been nonexistent sans Keandre Jones.
Senior safety Antoine Brooks is being wasted. He has been trying to make the most of his final season in College Park. Saturday, he had seven tackles, two tackles for loss and an interception in the end zone. Still, the pair isn’t enough to stabilize a defense that is now yielding 414 yards per game.
It’s Gonna Get Worse
As bad as the past month has been for Maryland, it is on the verge of getting worse. Minnesota is 7-0 for the first time since 1960. Michigan may struggle against the giants too, but they are still a giant compared to Maryland. Ohio State is arguably in a league of their own, and that’s saying alot with Penn State as their nearest equal. The same Penn State that smoked Maryland 59-0 earlier this season.
Nebraska and Michigan State are also still superiors to Maryland. The Terrapins are in danger of going 1-8 in the league with its only win over Rutgers unless they pull off drastic upsets.
Maryland is set to be just a story above Rutgers. It’s a harsh reality. The start of the season looked like Locksley was about to cement a legacy, however, now it’s clear he has a long road ahead of him to just make the Terrapins competitive in a league its struggling to fit into.
