Michigan Wolverines Football: Previewing Maryland With A Terrapin Insider

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After its thrilling 20-17 victory at Northwestern last week that saw Michigan come back from a 17-point deficit, the Wolverines will welcome 3-1 Maryland to Ann Arbor this Saturday.

Terrapin Sports Report insider Scott Greene was kind enough to swing by and break down the entire Maryland team, explaining what its biggest strengths and weaknesses are.

• QB Kasim Hill (redshirt freshman) — He hasn't been able to duplicate the success he enjoyed in three games last year as a freshman (85.7 completion percentage, two touchdowns, no interceptions), only connecting on 55.3 percent of his passes in 2018, with three scores and one pick. Hill is averaging only 129 passing yards per game, and after tossing 222 in the season-opener against Texas he has failed to compile more than 121 in an outing — and that's while playing Bowling Green, Temple and Minnesota.

• RB Ty Johnson (senior) — The senior has had an illustrious career at Maryland, rushing for 1,879 yards and 11 scores from 2016-17, and is off to a similar pace once again in 2018. Despite splitting carries with sophomore Tayon Fleet-Davis and redshirt freshman Anthony McFarland in the backfield, Johnson has still racked up 300 yards and two scores, and his 7.5-yards-per-carry average is the second-best mark in the Big Ten (behind McFarland's 10.7).

• WR Taivon Jacobs (sixth-year senior) — The veteran has the best numbers of any Maryland wideout in 2018, leading the club in both catches (12) and yards (132) in the early going. Jacobs' best showing came in the Sept. 1 triumph over Texas, when he hauled in five passes for 73 yards and a score.

• WR Jahrvis Davenport (senior) — He has made a minimal impact so far in 2018, only reeling in four catches for 81 yards and a touchdown, though his 20.3 yards per reception are impressive. Davenport has racked up more than 46 yards in a contest just once during his entire tenure in College Park.

• WR D.J. Turner (junior) — His statistics are the second best among all the receivers on the team, checking in second to only Jacobs in both receptions (11) and yards (129). A heavy rotation at the position has seen Turner's snap count decrease every game this year, with him only playing 19 in the Terrapins' 42-13 victory over Minnesota on Sept. 22 (Maryland enjoyed a bye last week).

• TE Avery Edwards (senior) — Despite being the team's primary tight end, he has been nonexistent in the passing game this season, compiling one catch for four yards. Interim head coach Matt Canada has used redshirt sophomore Noah Barnes and freshman Chigoziem Okonkwo heavily at the position as well.

• LT Derwin Gray (fifth-year senior) — He started the Bowling Green and Minnesota contests at left tackle, but missed the Texas and Temple affairs with injury. Gray appeared in all 25 games from 2016-17 (15 starts) and is expected to be fully healthy this Saturday against the Wolverines.

• LG Sean Christie (fifth-year senior) — Due to injuries on the offensive line, Christie is the only player on the entire unit who has started all four games at the same position (left guard) up front. He has now begun 16 straight outings for the Terrapins, and has helped pave the way for a rushing attack that is averaging 6.1 yards per carry (sixth best in the country).

• C Brendan Moore (fifth-year senior) — He started the first three games playing out of position at right guard (due to an injury to junior Terrance Davis), and then slid back over to his natural center spot for the Terrapins' blowout win over Minnesota once Davis returned. The fifth-year senior has started the past 30 contests for Maryland, dating back to the 2015 finale.

• RG Terrance Davis (junior) — Maryland's offensive line finally inched closer to full health when Davis started his first outing of the season against the Gophers — he had begun 21 straight tilts prior to this year's injuries. “We had practiced through camp with different guys at different spots with the thought of having a lot of guys play,” Canada explained on Tuesday. “We weren't doing it to plan on a lot of guys being injured, but that's what's happened. We're fortunate we prepared that way, and I think they're doing a good job of it.”

• RT Damian Prince (fifth-year senior) — He began the first two tilts of 2018 against Texas and Bowling Green, but then missed the next two games with injury. According to Emily Gianbalvo of The Washington Post, all five starting offensive linemen practiced with the first-team unit on Tuesday.

• DE Jessie Aniebonam (fifth-year senior) — He has bounced back nicely from an injury that cost him all but one game last season, racking up 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in 2018. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), the fifth-year senior's two best games this year have come in the team's last two outings, against Minnesota Sept. 22 and Temple Sept. 15.

• DT Mbi Tanyi (senior) — The veteran has posted 14 tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss so far in 2018. At 6-1, 290 pounds, he has been a large reason the Terrapin rush defense is only allowing 2.6 yards per carry on the year, which is eighth best nationally.

• DT Oluwaseun Oluwatimi (redshirt sophomore) — The 6-1, 294-pounder is in his first season as a starter and has tallied five tackles, but is still looking for his first stop behind the line of scrimmage. Of the 29 Terrapin defensive players who saw action against Minnesota two weeks ago, Oluwatimi's 43.7 overall grade by Pro Football Focus (PFF) was the lowest of any of them.

• DE Byron Cowart (redshirt junior) — The former No. 1 recruit in the country — who began his career at Auburn — is off to a respectable start in his Maryland tenure, tallying 14 tackles, two sacks and two tackles for loss through four games. Cowart has helped lead a Terrapin front seven that is averaging 7.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage per outing, which ranks as the fourth most in the Big Ten.

• LB Tre Watson (fifth-year senior) — He spent the first four years of his career at Illinois before transferring to College Park and has been a tackling machine with the Terrapins. His 9.7 stops per game are the most in the conference, and he has played at least 74 snaps in three of Maryland's four outings this season.

• LB Isaiah Davis (redshirt junior) — His 32 tackles are second on the team to Watson's 39, and he has also racked up two for loss and a pair of sacks. PFF has graded out Davis at 70 or higher (above average) in three of Maryland's four affairs this season.

• NB Antoine Brooks (junior) — His 4.5 tackles for loss lead the team, and his 26 stops are third most. Brooks is a jack-of-all-trades player the staff has moved around in 2018, playing him at both linebacker and nickel back.

• CB RaVon Davis (fifth-year senior) — The fifth-year senior has been a staple in the Terrapin secondary over the last two years, appearing in 24 contests from 2016-17. Davis has helped lead a defensive backfield that is only yielding a 54 completion percentage to opponents, which checks in at No. 26 in all of college football.

• CB Tino Ellis (junior) — After starting six contests in 2017, Ellis has entrenched himself as a full-time starter in 2018. He has recorded three tackles for loss from his corner spot, and his seven pass breakups rank second in the Big Ten.

• S Darnell Savage (senior) — He left the Sept. 22 win over Minnesota with injury and never returned, but is expected to play on Saturday. Savage has compiled four tackles for loss and a pick on the year, and has an excellent overall grade of 90 from PFF on the season.

• S Antwaine Richardson (junior) — Like Savage, Richardson left the Sept. 22 triumph over Minnesota, but is expected to be healthy for Saturday's affair. He earned a 72.5 grade from PFF in the team's last contest against the Gophers (fourth best among Maryland defensive players who saw at least 17 snaps).

• K Joseph Petrino (freshman) — He has been perfect during his debut collegiate season, converting all 18 of his extra points and all three of his field goals. The trio of successful kicks have each come from inside 41 yards, though.

• P Wade Lees (junior) — The Australian native has averaged 41.5 yards on 24 punts this season, including eight that have been downed inside the 20-yard line. The junior has picked up his performance recently, though, tallying 45.8 yards per boot over the last two games.

"It's, without a doubt, their stable of running backs," Greene explained. "Even with junior Lorenzo Harrison out for the rest of the year after recent knee surgery and fellow junior Jake Funk out with a wrist injury, the Terps are absolutely loaded in the backfield.

"Johnson is a one-cut home run hitter who rushed for over 1,000 yards as a sophomore, while McFarland has emerged over the past few weeks as possibly the Terps' most talented back of all, running for over 100 yards in each of the team's past two games. McFarland has elite track speed and the ability to make defenders miss and break tackles.

"Fleet-Davis is a bigger, bruising back who runs more upright. He, too, has a 100-yard game to his name this season, to go along with three rushing touchdowns.

"With the offensive line the healthiest it has been all year, the Terps are likely to rely on the running game this week."

Maryland's rushing attack has been dangerous throughout the entire 2018 campaign, compiling at least 132 yards in every game, including two of at least 315 yards (Bowling Green and Minnesota).

As Greene explained, it has been nearly impossible for opponents to single in on a specific player in the Terrapin backfield — Johnson, McFarland and Fleet-Davis have all totaled at least 148 yards this season, making them just one of three Big Ten teams (Michigan and Minnesota being the other two) to have a trio of running backs that can claim that.

"It's the passing game," the analyst revealed. "While Hill has been efficient for the most part, including limiting turnovers, he has only thrown for 516 yards and three touchdowns through four games.

"Jacobs has been Hill's most reliable target, but no one player has really emerged behind him as a clear-cut No. 2 receiver.

"Turner [11 catches], freshman Jeshaun Jones [five] and Davenport [four] have all caught long touchdown passes from Hill, but none have emerged as a reliable second target to this point."

Maryland's 21.3 passing attempts per outing are the fewest in the Big Ten, and check in at 122nd nationally.

Hill has struggled mightily to simply complete passes this season, connecting on just 58.6 percent of his throws against Texas, 50 percent versus Bowling Green and 41.2 against Temple, before converting 71.4 in the win over Minnesota.

Michigan's pass defense, on the other hand, is yielding just a 53.1 completion mark to foes to rank 21st in the country.

On top of that, the Wolverines' 146.2 passing yards surrendered per contest are the fourth fewest in the nation, and 17.4 less than the Big Ten's next best secondary (Indiana at 163.6).

The Maize and Blue defensive backfield started slowly last week against Northwestern, allowing fifth-year senior quarterback Clayton Thorson to complete 10 of his first 12 passes, but then let him connect on just six the rest of the way.

"Their secondary, which is led by Savage and Ellis," Greene noted. "Savage is one of the defense's top tacklers and returned an interception for a touchdown against Temple.

"Ellis is Maryland's top cover corner, leading the team in pass breakups. Brooks, who plays the hybrid safety/linebacker/nickel position, has a nose for the ball and is constantly making plays all over the field. Brooks is fourth on the team in tackles, first in quarterback pressures and second in sacks."

The Terrapin secondary has made life miserable for opposing signal-callers this season, only allowing them to complete 54 percent of their throws (26th nationally).

In fact, Maryland has held three of its four opponents (Bowling Green being the exception) to a 57.1 completion mark or lower.

In terms of total passing yards allowed, the Terrapins have had two outstanding performances (143 to Bowling Green and 169 to Minnesota), and two subpar showings (263 to Texas and 264 to Temple).

That equates out to 209.8 yards yielded per game, which ranks 52nd in college football.

"There hasn't been a whole lot to complain about, but if forced to pick something, one would likely go with the front seven," Greene admitted. "While the defensive line is much improved over last year, thanks to the addition of Cowart and the return of Aniebonam from injury, the unit failed to get much, if any, push in Maryland's loss to Temple.

"As for the linebackers, Watson has come up with a couple of big interceptions in wins over Texas and Minnesota, and has done a good job replacing Jermaine Carter Jr., who is now with the Carolina Panthers."

If the front seven is indeed Maryland's biggest weakness, then the team is in great shape. According to PFF, its run defense has graded out as a 91.0 this season, which ranks 29th nationally.

It held Minnesota and Bowling Green to 2.4 and 0.5 yards per carry, respectively, and has surrendered just four scores on the ground all year (tied for fourth fewest in the conference).

On top of that, PFF explained that Michigan's offensive line has not run blocked well this season. The publication revealed that fifth-year senior right tackle Juwann Bushell-Beatty and sophomore center Cesar Ruiz are the only two U-M linemen who have a grade of 60.0 (64 is average) or higher this year in terms of run blocking.

"Offensively, the Terps will likely try to establish the run early, but as far as exploiting the No. 1-ranked defense in the country, they will simply need to bring their 'A' game and execute their plan without many, if any, stupid mistakes or penalties," Greene opined.

"Defensively, the Terps come into this game top 20 in opponent third-down conversions [13th nationally, allowing 29 percent]. If Maryland can force Michigan into third-and-long situations and let its defensive backs make plays and possibly create turnovers, it should have a chance."

Michigan 27, Maryland 24

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