Around the B1G East: Maryland
The Michael Locksley era began with much promise, with Maryland starting the 2019 season 2-0 and earning a brief national ranking before things began to unravel.
The Terps finished the 2019 season on a seven-game losing skid and struggled equally on offense and defense, finishing in the bottom fifth nationally in both categories.
But there is hope for the future. In his first full recruiting cycle, Locksley was able to haul in the 31st-ranked recruiting class in the country and many of Maryland's underclassmen saw a significant number of snaps last season and should make big improvements moving forward.
TerrapinSportsReport.com publisher Scott Greene gives an inside look at the Maryland Terrapins.
Three prominent storylines
Who starts at quarterback?
This is really the biggest storyline heading into next season, as the Terps enter the summer months with just two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster in former Virginia Tech grad transfer Justin Jackson and redshirt freshman Lance LeGendre. Jackson began last season as the Terps' starter but struggled both on the field and with injuries. LeGendre saw limited action late in the season versus Michigan and Nebraska and it seemed as if he might have had a prominent role over the last couple of games of the season, but a dislocated shoulder in the first half versus Nebraska ended his 2019 season.
The Terps have been active in the grad-transfer quarterback market this offseason, but so far have been unable to land an immediate impact signal caller. If they are unable to land a starter-caliber QB, it is very likely they could turn to LeGendre, who is now fully recovered from the shoulder injury he suffered last season, if Jackson does not show significant improvement. The former four-star out of Louisiana has the potential to be a multi-year starter. With that said, expect Locksley to keep an eye on the transfer portal.
Who carries the load at running back?
Heading into the 2019 season, the Terps' running back room was considered one of the best in the nation. Anthony McFarland was coming off of a 1,000-yard freshman campaign and Javon Leake averaged over nine yards per carry and scored seven rushing touchdowns as a sophomore.
But things didn't go as planned in 2019. McFarland struggled with a high ankle sprain throughout much of the 2019 season, Lorenzo Harrison suffered what would be a career-ending injury early in the season versus Penn State and the offensive line struggled.
With the Terps' top two backs from last season off to the NFL, Maryland will likely turn to true freshman Peny Boone to carry the load in 2020. Boone is a big, bruising back who put up huge playoff numbers in Detroit last season. He could be complimented by another true freshman, Isaiah Jacobs, the younger brother of Raiders running back Josh Jacobs. The Terps will also still have upperclassmen Tayon Fleet-Davis and Jake Funk to help carry the load.
Can the Terps improve in the trenches?
Other than who starts under center, this is perhaps the biggest question for Maryland heading into next season. Maryland was regularly pushed around in the trenches last year, finishing 120th in sacks allowed and tied for 94th in sacks per game. To address the issue, Locksley went out and picked up as many experienced big bodies as he could. The Terps bring in five JUCO linemen, four of which are all at least 315 pounds and two of which spent time previously as members of BCS programs. The hope is that some additional beef and college experience can help quickly turn around the Terps' fortunes along both lines.
Three biggest departures
Antoine Brooks Jr. , safety
A three-year starter, Antoine Brooks Jr. was basically the heart and soul of Maryland's defense last year. A two-time All-Big Ten selection, Brooks led the Terps with 87 total tackles and 69 solo tackles as a senior. His 5.8 solo tackles per game led the Big Ten and were good for ninth nationally. He was also second on the team with 8.5 tackles for loss and tied for the team lead with five pass breakups. It goes without saying, Brooks made an impact all over the field. But beyond the numbers, Brooks was a leader of the defense and brought an attitude and swagger that carried over to other defenders that played along side him.
Javon Leake, running back/return specialist
Maryland likely won't miss any one player more than they will miss Javon Leake. The junior standout led the Terps in rushing with 736 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging an impressive 7.2 yards per carry. But Leake had an even bigger impact on special teams, leading the Big Ten with 804 total kickoff return yards and a couple of kickoff return touchdowns. His 26.8 yards per kick return also led the Big Ten and ranked him 13th nationally.
Terrance Davis, offensive lineman
A former Rivals100 four-star from right up the road at DeMatha Catholic, Davis started 31 games at right guard during his four-year Maryland career. Although he only played in four games in 2019 due to injury, he would have been penciled in as the Terps' starting right guard for 2020, brining his size, smarts and experience into the offensive huddle. Instead, Davis will play his final season of college football in the ACC for Dave Clawson and Wake Forest University.
Three key returners
Jeshaun Jones, wide receiver
Almost forgotten about after tearing his ACL prior to the start of the 2019 season, Jones' college career started off with a bang as he accounted for three touchdowns in the Terps' season-opening win over Texas in 2018. He finished his true freshman season with 22 catches for 288 yards and five receiving touchdowns as well as another 173 yards on the ground and two rushing touchdowns. He also threw for a touchdown in his collegiate debut. Maryland coaches had raved about Jones prior to his injury and his return should give offensive coordinator Scottie Montgomery another weapon in his arsenal.
Antwaine Richardson, safety
Another 2018 standout who was almost forgotten about this past season after tearing his ACL last spring was senior safety Antwaine Richardson. A converted cornerback, Richardson started 10 games at safety as a junior, finishing fifth on the team with 41 tackles while also adding 1.5 tackles for loss, an interception and two pass breakups. Richardson will likely see action at one of the safety spots in 2020 with sophomore standout Nick Cross likely manning the other.
Lance LeGendre, quarterback
With just two scholarship quarterbacks currently on the roster and the Terps so far this offseason unable to land a grad transfer at the position, the progression of redshirt freshman Lance LeGendre could be the most important factor in how Maryland fares next season. Locksley won an important recruiting battle over Florida State in landing LeGendre out of Louisiana and the dual-threat QB showed promise as a true freshman. But if Maryland wants to take that next step, it might be dependent on how quickly LeGendre picks up the offense and is comfortable with his surroundings. The tools are there, as LeGendre showed in practice that he can really spin the ball and use his wheels to pick up big chunks of yardage on the ground. Now he has to show he can do it consistently with the lights on versus some of the elite defenses in the Big Ten and remain healthy.
Three big additions
Rakim Jarrett, wide reciever
The Terps pulled a huge signing-day upset when they were able to flip five-star wideout Rakim Jarrett from LSU to Maryland. Now the local St. John's prospect will be expected to have an immediate impact for the Terps on offense. A dynamic playmaker who can both stretch the field and make defenders miss in space, Jarrett is the highest rated recruit to sign with Maryland since Stefon Diggs and he will be met with similar expectations.
Peny Boone, running back
Boone was a bit of a surprising commitment for Maryland, as he played his high school football in Detroit, Michigan. But once he committed to Locksley and the Terps, he was locked in and focused on finishing out his high school career strong. And boy did he! Boone finished his high school career rushing for over 800 yards and 13 touchdowns in five playoff games. With Maryland losing their top two workhorses to the NFL, Boone could very well come in and earn starter carries as a true freshman.
Brawley Evans, outside linebackers coach
While Evans has technically been on the Terps' staff in an off-field role since D.J. Durkin was in charge, he was promoted to an on-field coaching position this offseason, as he is now Maryland's outside linebackers coach.
Evans has previous on-field coaching experience at the collegiate level, having coached defensive backs at Morgan State. But the reason this move is such a big addition for Maryland is what he brings to the table as a recruiter. Evans was already one of Maryland's top recruiters in an analyst role, which did not allow him to go out and visit kids at their schools and homes. But he was still able to build strong relationships with kids by talking to them on the phone or over social media and hosting them on campus. A Baltimore native, Evans has deep roots locally and previously coached at Good Counsel in the WCAC , arguable the best high school football conference in the country. Now that Evans has the ability to get out and see kids on the recruiting trail, his profile as a recruiter should continue to grow.
Expectations for 2020
Locksley inherited a massive rebuild, there is really no other way to put it. Luckily, the key to a successful rebuild is stocking up on top-shelf talent and Locksley is off to a good start. True freshmen like Rakim Jarrett, Peny Boone and Ruben Hyppolite should have an immediate impact and the Terps have brought in enough big, physical, experienced linemen that at least a few should pan out and help the Terps improve in the trenches, on both sides of the ball. All of that said, it is likely to be tough sledding for the Terps in 2020. The Terps are likely to be favored in their season-opener versus in-state Towson and in their second game of the season, a home contest versus Northern Illinois. But right now those are likely the only two games you can say for sure Maryland will be favored.
All is not lost, however, with Maryland currently having a top 10 recruiting class for 2021 and looking good for some additional elite talents, it is likely just a matter of time before the Terps have a big breakthrough and start pulling some upsets and competing for a spot at the top of the Big Ten East.