Takeaways from Maryland football’s 35-26 disappointment against Virginia Tech

Maryland football gave fans a blast from the past Saturday night in the worst possible way.

The Terps fell behind far too quickly against Virginia Tech and never recovered, struggling to move the ball consistently on offense while simultaneously having few answers on defense in a 60-minute head-scratcher. Maryland head coach Mike Locksley succumbed to his former co-worker and current rival, Hokie head coach James Franklin, in a crucial 35-26 loss.

Here are three takeaways from the Terps’ road opener.

While Maryland was able to get away with backup running backs against UConn, it was left completely exposed by the Hokies.

The Terps utilized just two backs Saturday – Iverson Howard and Harry Dalton III – but the pair were met by a host of Virginia Tech defenders each time they touched the ball. Maryland finished the night with only 64 rushing yards, with only 48 of those yards coming from players whose primary job is to take handoffs.

Offensive coordinator Clint Trickett’s influence was essentially nonexistent against the Hokies as Maryland’s offensive line struggled to perform in simple blocking concepts. The group’s lack of productivity further capped the Terps’ ground game in which the running backs averaged just 2.8 yards per carry.

A lackluster first quarter that saw Maryland attempt three rushes for a collectively negative yardage total encapsulated its early offensive struggles.

“Our O-line has done a better job protecting us, but this game also shows the importance of establishing the ability to run the football and stop the run, which are two things that we’ve emphasized from the time we got back together in January,” Locksley said. “And today we didn’t get either of those things accomplished.”

Locksley put a huge emphasis on limiting costly penalties during Maryland’s spring and fall camps. During his first press conference of the season, he repeatedly emphasized how keeping “self-inflicted wounds” was a top priority heading into non-conference play.

To Locksley’s dismay, the Terps’ reserved nature they exhibited in their prior matchups was completely out the window.

While Maryland’s five first-half flags only accounted for 39 yards, the missteps frequently took place during pivotal drives.

Down six points with 2:11 remaining in the first half, the Terps had a chance to quickly stymie Virginia Tech’s offense and launch a quick drive downfield. Instead, a blatant Amari Jackson pass interference on a critical 3rd-and-8 play gave the Hokies the lifeline to drive all the way into the red zone.

And when they got there, Maryland’s mistakes continued. Inside the five-yard line, defensive tackle Eyan Thomas jumped offsides well before the snap, plowing through center Kyle Altuner as the Hokies advanced even closer to the goal line. The very next play, Ethan Grunkemeyer connected with a wide-open Ja’Ricous Hairston to extend Virginia Tech’s lead.

Maryland’s defense left much to be desired across all four quarters Saturday night, allowing plays to continue on far longer than necessary.

The secondary’s performance in particular showed deep gashes in coverage that had been exposed to a lesser extent in the Terps’ prior game. Maryland’s boundary corners struggled mightily against Virginia Tech’s wideouts and were one of the main proponents of the 314 passing yards Grunkemeyer produced.

The Terp’s pass rush – who logged 10 sacks in their first two games – were significantly muffled in running and passing scenarios. Nahsir Taylor secured the team’s lone sack as Maryland only mustered four tackles for loss; the Hokie running back duo of Marcellous Hawkins Jr. and Jeffrey Overton Jr. proved all too slippery for most defenders in their way.

“Today was just one of those days where we did not tackle the ball very well,” Locksley said. “And again, I gotta give Virginia Tech credit; those running backs ran hard, ran through some tackles, two good backs. But I expect us to play better, and I think our players will say the same.”

Franklin’s unorthodox first half offensive playcalling played a large part in his squad’s win. A more than relaxed pace between plays combined with obscure motion concepts allowed Grunkemeyer to methodically make play after play over the top of Maryland’s rattled defense.