Maryland coach Mike Locksley has made it clear that it starts in the trenches to move the needle when it comes to success within the Big Ten, and that’s where all eyes are heading into the first scrimmage to close the second week of fall camp.
The BTN crew was openly bearish on Maryland’s chances along the offensive line with DJ Glaze the lone returner, but the portal additions have reshaped the new-look offensive line.
One of those additions is Gottlieb Ayedze, who arrived in January from Frostburg State. The late bloomer out of Northwest (MD) established himself as an under-the-radar NFL prospect following the 2022 season, but the decision to head to Maryland was an easy one for him.
“It’s closer to home. I’m like 30 minutes away from here. It’s a great opportunity to if my family wants to come and watch a game, friends. I’m from Maryland so why not represent the DMV?”
Ayedze isn’t the only local prospect along Maryland’s eventual starting offensive line with Corey Bullock, a Gwynn Park graduate, taking over at guard. Now, the two will look to become part of the answer to Maryland’s biggest question.
Since arriving in January, the biggest adjustment for Ayedze? The playbook.
“For me personally it was hard because I came from a DII to a DI. Everything was harder, getting used to it,” Ayedze added. Arriving ahead of spring ball helped soften the learning curve as he and DJ Glaze now step into starting roles at tackle.
Maryland has spent the spring ironing out different rotations to iron out the interior line, though Bullock’s presence locks down one guard spot. Even with uncertainty upfront, the senior spoke to the media Thursday and echoed the same sentiment Locksley and senior quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa have preached about team success. “We just want to keep it going, winning a Big Ten and hopefully a National Championship and that’s our goal,” Ayedze said.
Without stout protection upfront, Taulia Tagovailoa and the running game powered by junior running back Roman Hemby will have a hard time getting anything going. Yet, the concerns of many won’t disway Ayedze. “As an [offensive] line, we’re more connected, so I think we’ll be fine,” Aydede said.
On the flip side of the ball, the defensive line retained talent from 2022, and added major talent through the transfer portal.
Junior defensive lineman Tommy Akingbesote, who spent the past two seasons with Maryland, spoke Thursday about his understanding of how big of a role the trenches can play. “As coach Locks says, everything starts in the trenches. I feel like the offensive line [and] defensive line is really what our team is based off of,” Akingbesote said.
One main acquisition out of the transfer portal on the defensive side for the Terps was defensive lineman Jordan Phillips from Tennessee. He, along with the others, are learning from each other and learning how to play together as the practice days pile up. “Our bond has grown up to this point, it’s just about getting better, trusting each other and going out there ready to play,” Akingbesote said.
Whether it’s returning or new, Maryland has the experience in the secondary to matchup against the Big Ten’s best, while a loaded inside linebacker room leads the front seven into the second season under defensive coordinator Brian Williams.
The same could be said for the offense with Taulia leading a deep crew of skill players at his disposal. Maryland will go as far as the trenches take them in 2023 and Akingbesote felt that sense of pressure.
“It’s a big role we’ve got to take and I feel like we’re ready for that.”
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