Indiana will face off against an athletic Maryland team on the road come Saturday afternoon. The Terps have had a roller coaster of a season following a fast start that saw them enter the AP top 25 for the first time since 2013 before dropping three of their last four contests.
Notes:
- Despite a strong start to the season for Maryland from a coverage standpoint, the last few weeks have not been kind to the Terps defense. The Terps struggled mightily in coverage against Penn State, in which they earned a season low 50.4 grade. Last week’s match-up with Purdue did not fare much better, with Maryland earning a grade of just 53.4. The loss of senior cornerback Tino Ellis, the Terps’ leader in pass breakups last season, should only make matters worse for a depleted secondary.
- The rushing attack for Maryland has been one of the few categories to consistently grade well throughout the season. The Terps grade out second in the Big Ten for 2019, trailing only Wisconsin. They have done so despite mediocre run blocking (PFF grade of eighth in the Big Ten) which is a true testament to the explosiveness across their stable of running backs. With Anthony McFarland nursing a high ankle sprain, leaving his status for Saturday’s match-up shaky, expect Indiana to switch its focus to running back Javon Leake. Leake has earned Maryland’s top overall grade on offense this season and is currently averaging a stunning 9.5 yards per carry along with five touchdowns on the season.
- One of the major causes for concern for Maryland has been their struggles in pass protection. The Terps rank dead last in Big Ten in pass protection by a significant margin, and keeping a clean pocket for Josh Jackson and Tyrell Pigrome has been a problem all season long. The loss of starting right guard Terrance Davis, who is expected to miss a few more weeks with a sprained MCL, is really felt here. Davis graded out as the second-best pass protector on the team in the three games he’s played this season.
- Special teams have also consistently been one of Maryland’s strongest performing units, earning their top grade over the course of the season for any grading category. The Terps already have one kickoff return for a touchdown this season and Leake ranks in the top-15 in the country in kickoff return average, at 28.4 yards per return.
Season Comparison
- Offensively, the Hoosiers hold advantages in every category except rushing and run blocking. The Terps will rely heavily on their rushing attack, so this should come as no surprise. Limiting Maryland to a one-dimensional offense will be a major key for Indiana.
- Surprisingly Maryland still grades out effectively as a defense, topping Indiana in every category besides pass rush and coverage grades. However, recent blemishes against Purdue and Penn State have started to take their toll upon the Terps season grade.
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