Maryland will have a chance to reset multiple longtime feats when Indiana and head coach Tom Allen head to College Park for family weekend.
Head coach Mike Locksley will look to guide Maryland to a 5-0 start, marking its first since 2001, a first-ever 2-0 start in Big Ten play. Maryland will also have a chance to win seven consecutive games for the first time since 2003-04 and move to 4-0 for the first time since 2010. In order to achieve that, Maryland will need to pick up its third consecutive win against Indiana as head coach Tom Allen and the Hoosiers will look to stay above .500.
Indiana will look to turn the page after a 4OT victory over Akron, 29-27, where the play calling under first-year offensive coordinator Walt Bell came under fire. With the Hoosiers looking to pull off the upset in College Park, we look at three things Maryland needs to do to stay perfect coming out of the weekend.
Camper and Lucas are the two players that Maryland’s defense needs to have someone on at all times. Camper leads the Hoosiers in receiving yards, while Lucas is their top rusher. Lucas hasn’t had more than 13 carries in a game this season, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t dangerous. He already has three plays of 20+ yards and is second in the Big Ten in all-purpose yards (114.5). He will be a factor in the passing game, as he leads the team in catches. Against Louisville, he caught ten passes for 98 yards and a touchdown. Maryland must keep him contained and not allow him to get outside. Michigan State’s Nathan Carter rushed for over five yards perry carry last week and the Terps have had problems stopping the run. This is the game where they need to be disciplined and make it hard for Lucas to break a big one. If Maryland can do that, then Indiana will have to rely on a passing game that has an inexperienced quarterback, with two touchdown passes through four games to show for it.
The Terps have had some problems in coverage this year, particularly against Virginia’s Malik Washington and Malachi Fields, when the two combined for 17 catches for 211 yards. They cannot allow Camper to get into open space, as he is averaging over 19 yards per catch. Cornerbacks Tarheeb Still and Ja’Quan Shepperd will have their hands full against him. Still has had three interceptions in the last two games, but has given up some chunk plays.
Also, keep an eye on Donaven McCulley. The former quarterback is the Hoosiers’ other starting receiver with a 6-foot-5 frame that will test the Terps’ secondary on the 50-50 balls.
Maryland might be facing the best passing defense through the first five weeks as Indiana ranks fourth in the Big Ten in pass defense (176.8). While Maryland leads the Big Ten in interceptions with seven, the Hoosiers are right behind them tied for second with six as defensive backs Louis Moore and Phillip Dunnam have combined for five. The Hoosiers are going against the best quarterback they have faced so far in Taulia Tagovailoa and when he’s on, Lia plays as good as any quarterback in college football. Taulia enters the weekend leading the Big Ten in passing yards (1,112), touchdowns (8), total offense (291.3) and points responsible for (62), but the key for him is to continue taking what the defense gives him and trusting his receivers to make plays.
Maryland’s receivers, meanwhile, have been able to shake off the rust and limit their drops over the last two weeks as the efficiency has largely been there on offense. Maryland was able to quiet concerns about a slow start during last weekend’s win, while still leaving meat on the bone as they look to improve redzone efficiency. Taulia has only had a few throws that have proved costly this season with three interceptions through four weeks, but both Moore and Dunnam have shown they can fly around in the secondary to make plays. Does that mean fans could see another name emerge outside on Saturday? Junior Tai Felton could be the beneficiary of Jeshaun Jones and Kaden Prather drawing the top two corners.
Besides the Charlotte game, Maryland hasn’t had the rushing attack that many expected them to have when the season began. The group has struggled at times to the point where Lia was the second-leading rusher against Michigan State. Indiana has the third-worst rushing defense in the Big Ten, giving up over 165 yards per game. This could be what the unit needs to get back on track. The only question is who is getting the carries? Roman Hemby, the expected top guy, has been held to under four yards a carry in the last two games. Antwain Littleton hasn’t had a rush go for over ten yards this season, while Ramon Brown has yet to play. Colby McDonald has stepped up and been the team’s leading rusher in each of the last two games as he looks to continue his positive play back inside The Shell. Whoever gets the carries the goal is clear–make Indiana focus on the run and get the pressure off of Lia and the passing game. If Hemby can forget about last week and play like he did against Charlotte, that would be the biggest thing for the offense.
Head coach Mike Locksley touched on the up-and-down rushing attack through four weeks. “There were there was a game I thought, the UVA Game, where we were able to. I thought we did a little bit in the second half of Charlotte as well where the run game, we were able to rely on it. It was consistent but if I were to say not as consistent as we’re going to need it to be,” Locksley added. “And it’s really important, especially down in Big Ten play, the ability to control the ball and run the ball comes up big. And so, we’re still a work in progress in the run game but we’ve had bits and pieces of games where I thought it showed what we could be.”
That rushing attack will need to be mindful of a Hoosier front seven led by star linebacker Aaron Casey and defensive lineman Andre Carter, who are tied for the team lead in sacks with two. Carter, a graduate transfer from Western Michigan, was brought in to be a playmaker on the defensive line after having 68 tackles and seven sacks in 2022. The veteran lineman added four sacks through the first two weeks, while Casey’s team-high 44 tackles make them the two key names to know for the Terps’ protection. The Hoosiers have been solid against the pass, though the same can’t be said for the run. Indiana is third-worst in the conference in stopping the run, giving up over 165 yards per game, and after a shaky performance last week at Michigan State, this might be the game to get the Terps rushing attack back on track.
The question is, can Hemby bounce back? And will Ramon Brown make his season debut against the Hoosiers?
Mike Locksley talks Maryland’s rushing attack, impact of Gunter Brewer
Young Terps: breaking down Indiana vs. Maryland, odds of 5-0 start
