2023 College Football Catalog: Previewing the Maryland Terrapins
Josh Frey
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Just like the NFL season is right around the corner, college campuses are preparing to welcome back their football squads for the fall season. As the summer progresses we will be taking a look into how many of the FBS college football programs fared in 2022, what they did during the offseason, and how they can find success during the 2023 season. As we continue our tour through the Big Ten, today, we move onto the Maryland Terrapins.
Overview
2022 Results
- W vs. Buffalo, 31-10
- W @ Charlotte, 56-21
- W vs. SMU, 34-27
- L @ (4) Michigan, 27-34
- W vs. Michigan State, 27-13
- L vs. Purdue, 29-31
- W @ Indiana, 38-33
- W vs. Northwestern, 31-24
- L @ Wisconsin, 10-23
- L @ (14) Penn State, 0-34
- L vs. (2) Ohio State, 30-43
- W vs. Rutgers, 37-0
- W vs. (25) NC State, 16-12 (Duke’s Mayo Bowl)
Overall Record: 8-5 (4-5)
All-Big Ten Members
- QB Taulia Tagovailoa (Coaches Second-Team)
- K Chad Ryland (Coaches Second-Team)
Recent Vikings Draft Picks
- WR Stefon Diggs (2015 Draft; R5, P146)
Every Kwesi Adofo-Mensah Draft Pick
2023 NFL Draft Selections
- R1, P24: CB Deonte Banks (New York Giants)
- R4, P104: CB Jakorian Bennett (Las Vegas Raiders)
- R4, P112: K Chad Ryland (New England Patriots)
- R6, P186: OT Jaelyn Duncan (Tennessee Titans)
- R7, P251: OL Spencer Anderson (Pittsburgh Steelers)
2023 Schedule
- 9/2 vs. Towson
- 9/9 vs. Charlotte
- 9/15 vs. Virginia
- 9/23 @ Michigan State
- 9/30 vs. Indiana
- 10/7 @ Ohio State
- 10/14 vs. Illinois
- 10/28 @ Northwestern
- 11/4 vs. Penn State
- 11/11 @ Nebraska
- 11/18 vs. Michigan
- 11/25 @ Rutgers
Notable Additions
- WR Tyrese Chambers (transfer portal, FIU)
- WR Kaden Prather (transfer portal, West Virginia)
- TE Rico Walker (four-star recruit)
- OT Marcus Dumervil (transfer portal, LSU)
- OT Gottlieb Ayedze (transfer portal, Frostburg State)
- IOL Corey Bullock (transfer portal, North Carolina Central)
- DL Jordan Phillips (transfer portal, Tennessee)
- EDGE Neeo Avery (four-star recruit)
- LB Michael Harris (four-star recruit)
- CB Ja’Quan Sheppard (transfer portal, Cincinnati)
- OC Josh Gattis (Miami)
Recruit/transfer information can be found at 24/7 Sports
Notable Losses
- TE C.J. Dippre (transfer portal, Alabama)
- TE Weston Wolff (transfer portal, USF)
- OT Mason Lunsford (transfer portal, LSU)
- OT Jaelyn Duncan (NFL Draft, Tennessee Titans)
- OL Spencer Anderson (NFL Draft, Pittsburgh Steelers)
- IOL Coltin Deery (transfer portal, TCU)
- DL Anthony Booker (transfer portal, Arkansas)
- DL Mosiah Nasili-Kite (transfer portal, Auburn)
- EDGE Terrance Butler (transfer portal, Charlotte)
- CB Deonte Banks (NFL Draft, New York Giants)
- CB Jakorian Bennett (NFL Draft, Las Vegas Raiders)
- CB Isaiah Hazel (transfer portal, Charlotte)
- K Chad Ryland (NFL Draft, New England Patriots)
Keys to 2023
Taulia Tagovailoa’s Return Raises the Ceiling
Following his fourth collegiate season, there were some that wondered whether or not Taulia Tagovailoa could opt to take his talents to the NFL, and without an established solution at QB behind him, that could have derailed Maryland’s hopes for the 2023 season.
However, the veteran QB opted to play his fifth year at the collegiate level, returning as the Terrapins starter. The All-Big Ten QB has a lot of pressure on his shoulders as he hopes to break into a stacked 2024 Draft class at the position, but he has steadied Maryland’s offense as a starter, with the team averaging at least 28 points per game in each of the past two seasons.
Rebuilding the Secondary
Maryland may have their QB back, but that doesn’t fix their defense. The group was a top-50 scoring program last year, and PFF graded them 49th overall in terms of pass coverage with Deonte Banks and Jakorian Bennett leading the CB room.
However, both these players are now in the NFL, and the Terrapins find themselves in a very difficult spot where they have to replace their stars. Ja’Quan Sheppard, a transfer from Cincinnati who had nine pass breakups in his first year as a starter, should help, but this group still needs to find other producers to remain competitive.
New Assistant Coaches Take on Big Roles
The hire of Josh Gattis was arguably one of the most influential coordinator hires in all of college football. We already talked about Tagovailoa needing a big season in 2023 to raise his draft stock in 2024, and Gattis should play a big role in making sure that happened.
The new OC was most recently in Miami where the Hurricanes had a disappointing 2022 season before letting him go, but prior to that, Gattis was with the Michigan Wolverines from 2019-2021. He was named the assistant coach of the year in 2021 after helping Michigan go 12-2, win the Big Ten title, and score 35.8 points per game.
Prediction
- W vs. Towson
- W vs. Charlotte
- W vs. Virginia
- L @ Michigan State
- L vs. Indiana
- L @ Ohio State
- L vs. Illinois
- W @ Northwestern
- L vs. Penn State
- L @ Nebraska
- L vs. Michigan
- W @ Rutgers
Overall Record: 5-7 (2-7)
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.