Penalties are becoming a worrisome topic for Maryland football.
With eight infractions for 89 yards in Saturday afternoon’s 38-20 victory over Villanova at SECU Stadium, the Terps rank third in the Big Ten in total penalties (30), penalties per game (7.5) and total penalty yardage (280). Their opponents have accrued 20 penalties (an average of 5) for a loss of 171 yards.
The matchup against the Wildcats included four infractions of 15 yards each, including pass interference calls on junior cornerback Jalen Huskey and freshmen cornerbacks Judah Jenkins and Kevyn Humes (St. Frances). Redshirt senior safety Glendon Miller was flagged 15 yards for making a tackle without wearing his helmet, and fifth-year senior linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II was cited for a horse collar tackle that cost 14 yards.
Coach Mike Locksley acknowledged that the accumulation of penalties is “concerning.”
“Glen’s playing without a helmet on,” he said. “Part of the rulebook a few years ago was if the helmet comes off, you can’t continue to play. We coach it. We hit situational football. We’ve got to execute and stuff, and it’s my job to get it executed. The horse collar tackle is a lack of fundamentals. We do sideline tackle drills — long strides, short strides, strike, don’t stop your feet. When you stop your feet, you reach and grab. We’re able to see it. We’ve got to get it corrected.”
On Saturday at noon in Bloomington, Indiana, Maryland (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) will clash with an Indiana team (4-0, 1-0) that has induced opponents into committing 26 penalties for a loss of 205 yards. More yellow could have Locksley seeing red.
Here are three observations from Saturday afternoon’s win.
Is Tai Felton a Heisman Trophy candidate?
After another strong performance that yielded 14 catches for 157 yards and a touchdown against Villanova, the senior wide receiver’s name was floated as a Heisman Trophy candidate in some social media circles. Felton hardly paused when asked about the possibility after Saturday’s game.
“It’s cool,” he said. “It’s honestly a blessing to have my name even brought up like that. But I’m just here for the team. So as long as we’re winning and I’m doing my job, it’s all good.”
Does Felton, who has 41 receptions for 604 yards and five touchdowns, have a legitimate shot? Although he trails only San Jose State senior Nick Nash (50 catches for 637 yards and eight touchdowns) in receptions and touchdown catches and Nash and Mississippi senior Tre Harris (628) in yards, just four wide receivers have captured the Heisman Trophy: Nebraska’s Johnny Rodgers in 1972, Notre Dame’s Tim Brown in 1987, Michigan’s Desmond Howard in 1991 and Alabama’s DeVonta Smith in 2020.
The list of wide receivers who finished in the top four of Heisman voting reads like a who’s who at that position. Marshall’s Randy Moss (1997), Pittsburgh’s Larry Fitzgerald (2003) and Alabama’s Amari Cooper (2014) are part of that group.
Locksley, who coached Smith at Alabama before taking the helm at Maryland in 2019, pointed out that his offenses have produced 2018 Heisman runner-up Tua Tagovailoa and 2020 Heisman finalist Mac Jones.
“The system creates these opportunities, and Tai has taken advantage of these opportunities,” said Locksley, who jokingly suggested the award might be renamed “The Tai-sman.” “If the people have spoken, let the marketing begin. He’s playing at a high level.”
Is Billy Edwards Jr. one of the best quarterbacks in the nation?
Many observers might not include him in a group headlined by Mississippi senior Jaxson Dart, Miami (Fla.) senior Cameron Ward, and Colorado senior Shedeur Sanders, but the redshirt junior has been the right player to spark the Terps offense.
Edwards leads the Big Ten in passing yards (1,155) and is tied for second in touchdown passes (eight). And he has only been intercepted twice while carrying the ball 23 times for 69 yards and two scores.
Edwards said his comfort level at the helm is growing.
“I think if you asked people around the facility — and I’m kind of conscious about this — for most games, I’m very and almost too calm,” he said. “I’m the quarterback, and since the game is obviously mental, I just try to stay level-headed knowing that it’s a long game. I don’t try to get wound up in it. But I think each game, I’ve just gotten calmer and calmer. Monday through Friday, I go put the work in, and when I come out here Saturday, I have all the confidence in the world. There’s no nerves, no big-eyed look whether it’s home or away or whatever the situation is. I just pride myself on the preparation Monday through Friday, and every game, I think I’ve gotten a little bit more comfortable and calm so far.”
Felton, who has been the primary beneficiary of Edwards’ prowess, isn’t surprised by his numbers.
“That’s a guy right there,” he said. “That’s a testament to how hard he works. I think I tell you guys all the time. He’s the first one in the building and the last one out. He doesn’t leave the building until 11:30, 12 o’clock at night. So it’s definitely a testament to how hard he works and how he’s pushing all of us to be better. That guy definitely inspires me.”
Can the defense continue to fill the gaps at cornerback?
Statistically, Maryland contained Villanova’s passing attack as sixth-year quarterback Connor Watkins completed only 41.4% of his passes (12 of 29) for 106 yards and one touchdown. But that doesn’t tell the whole story.
The secondary broke up only one pass, and as mentioned before, Humes and Jenkins were flagged for pass interference calls. Even Huskey, the heralded transfer from Bowling Green who is tied with redshirt senior safety Glendon Miller for the team lead in interceptions with two each, was cited for pass interference.
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Despite the miscues, Locksley praised Humes, sophomore Kevis Thomas, and redshirt junior Chantz Harley for getting better and defensive coordinator Brian Williams for employing them with mostly effectiveness.
“The young corners are going to continue to be tested,” he said. “I thought B-Dub did a better job today of mixing the picture up to protect them against some of those things that people want to attack. We got better today, but we did give up some plays that we can teach and coach. I think the big coaching point is, they’re closer now in coverage and now it’s becoming, [play] the receiver and the ball in the air to where we had a couple P.I.’s on third down, which we can’t have.”
A secondary’s best friend is a consistent pass rush, and the Terps did register three sacks on Saturday. Senior defensive tackle Tommy Akingbesote, who registered one of those sacks, said the onus is on him and his teammates to alleviate the burden on the young cornerbacks.
“I feel like they do a great job,” he said. “So it’s all about getting pressure on the quarterback so that he can throw errant throws and they can look good on the back end. I know they’re going to do their job. So it’s all about us on the D-line doing our job.”
Maryland at Indiana
Saturday, noon
TV: Big Ten Network
Radio: 105.7 FM
Line: Indiana by 6 1/2
