All eyes were on the offensive line heading into the 2023 season as head coach Mike Locksley was tasked with finding four new starters to revamp the offensive line. After allowing a Big Ten-leading 43 sacks in 2022, Maryland showed flashes in pass protection and finished 2023 allowing 29 sacks and largely held up in pass protection through conference play.
Maryland had a chance to build off that development heading into 2024, with DJ Glaze initially bouncing between a stay-or-go decision and Corey Bullock awaiting word on his eligibility status for a sixth-season pending waiver. One day after Maryland missed on its final target of the early signing period, Glaze capitalized on the chance to take the jump into the pros, officially announcing plans on Saturday, where he’ll suit up in the Senior Bowl where he’ll get a chance to showcase his versatility in the pros. Bullock’s situation bounced around through the end of December into January, but that ended on Jan. 12 with his waiver denied as he announced his intention to enter the 2024 NFL Draft. Gottlieb Ayedze, who was expected to depart and has already accepted an invite to the East-West Game, made his plans official after declaring roughly an hour after Bullock went public. Both Mike Purcell and Aric Harris, who split time at center through the season, also announced their intention to enter the draft as all five vets look to hear their names called in April. Now, Maryland will hope to have at least two offensive linemen drafted for the second consecutive year, the first time the program has done so since the 1950s.
— Brian Braswell (@coachbraswell) January 6, 2024
More importantly, Maryland is tasked with restocking its starting offensive line once again, but the December portal haul puts the unit in good standing. Days after entering the portal, former IMG Academy and Georgia IOL Aliou Bah made his way to College Park for an official visit and that was all it took after silently committing during the visit. Bah was able to join the team and rotate in during bowl prep, giving confidence that he can step in and become an immediate impact player. He’s shown potential to play tackle, but he’s in line for a starting guard role. Opposite of Bah could be Kyle Long, who was the primary challenger to Amelio Moran through spring ball into fall camp for the fifth starting spot heading into 2023. Long started in ten games and tied Ayedze, Glaze and Bullock for a team-high 59 snaps in the Music City Bowl win vs. Auburn, providing the confidence needed to become a full-time starter in 2024. That tandem has alleviated the concern for Maryland’s interior line.
Josh Kaltenberger found himself playing both tackle and center while at Purdue, but he’ll head to College Park to fill the void at center left by Mike Purcell and Aric Harris after heading to the 2024 NFL Draft. His signing was officially announced on Thursday after being admitted into his graduate program, while he first arrived on campus in late December. Kaltenberger will officially enroll for the spring semester and begin efforts to become a starter through offseason player-run practices into spring ball, while second-year lineman Tamarus Walker gets a chance to learn behind another veteran to provide optimism as the future starter in 2025.
Offensive line coach Brian Braswell was able to lead the way to pull off the flip of D2 lineman Alan Herron the weekend heading into the early signing period, giving the unit an immediate starter at tackle. Whether it’s left or right tackle remains fluid, as does Maryland’s biggest remaining need heading into the rest of the month. To be clear, Maryland hasn’t stood pat in the portal, but the portal continues to evolve with new names as the coaching carousel begins to hit college football harder. Maryland tried to make a run at former Tennessee OT Gerald Mincey, but he opted to shut down his recruitment after a pair of quick visits before committing to Kentucky on Friday. That’s the spot where I continue to expect new names to surface.
In addition to Tamarus Walker at center, Maryland will also have returning depth to bolster the two-deep with Andre Roye the primary backup at tackle, where he’s lined up primarily at right tackle through the 2023 in both games and open sessions during practice. Former Gonzaga tight end-turned-lineman Conor Fagan was able to step in as a starter through the nonconference portion of the 2023 season with Ayedze sidelined, and he’s expected back in 2024 to bolster the tackle position. Marcus Dumervil has been a consistent two-deep player and while he’ll look to challenge Long at guard through spring ball, the former LSU lineman provides depth at guard. Deandre Duffus, who made the frequent trip from Florida to Maryland for home games during the 2022 season, stepped into the program back in January and is another underclassman who’s flashed at guard to become a two-deep candidate in 2024.
What to look for in the future? That’s the 2024 class where Maryland signed eight players led by Terez Davis and Ryan Howerton. IOL Logan Bennett and IOL Ryan Howerton are among the eight early enrollees, set to move in next Saturday, Jan. 20.
Related Links
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One Maryland football vet announces return, another declares for NFL
Maryland OL Corey Bullock declares for 2024 NFL Draft
Notes heading into the weekend (+)