Michigan Football: 5 things to know about Maryland Terrapins
By Alex Hinton
Five things to know about Michigan football’s Week 12 opponent which is the Maryland Terrapins.
After a huge road win at Penn State last week, Michigan football is back on the road again this week. The Wolverines will head to College Park to battle the Maryland Terrapins.
While the Terrapins are 5-5, Michigan cannot afford to overlook them this week. An Ohio State win over Michigan State this week makes “The Game” into the Big Ten East Division Championship game. That is all the Wolverines can ask for. Here are five things to know about the Terps.
1. Maryland likes to sling the ball around
Maryland has one of the better quarterbacks in the Big Ten in Taulia Tagovailoa and it takes full advantage. The Terrapins throw the ball on 55% of their offensive snaps. It ranks 13th in passing yards per game (319.5) and passing success rate.
Tagovailoa is completing 69.3% of his passes, thrown for 3,105 yards, and 20 touchdowns on eight yards per attempt. He has thrown for 300 yards six times this season, most in the Big Ten.
Tagovailoa has a case for being the best quarterback Michigan football has faced thus far depending on how you feel about Kaleb Eleby and Sean Clifford.
However, Michigan football has the personnel to shut down Maryland’s passing attack. Maryland has allowed 22 sacks so far, which will obviously be a problem going against Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo. The Wolverines are also eighth in passing yards allowed per game and 11th in passing success rate allowed.
2. Maryland has talented playmakers
With all of those passing yards to go around, obviously, someone has to catch the passes. Maryland’s No.1 receiver is Rakim Jarrett, who you may remember as the former five-star recruit who famously flipped from LSU to Maryland on National Signing Day. He has 47 receptions for 638 yards and five touchdowns. Tight end Chigoziem Okonowo has 40 receptions for 347 yards and five touchdowns.
Maryland likes to get involved running Tayon Fleet-Davis involved out of the backfield as well. He has 28 receptions for 269 yards and one touchdown. He also has 446 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 4.8 yards per carry.
Maryland has been without another top target Dontay Demus Jr., who was lost for the season with a leg injury against Iowa. He had already racked up 28 for 507 yards and three touchdowns in the first five games.
However, Maryland has continued to spread the wealth. Carlos Carriere, Jeshaun Jones, Marcus Fleming, Darryl Jones, and Brian Cobb each have double-digit receptions.