Remember all that excitement over Randy Edsall saying that Wes Brown will start getting starter-level snaps? Yeah, well, we'll have to wait at least a week for it, because Brown is listed as "out" for Maryland's game at Virginia on Saturday. The Terps released their depth chart for the weekend earlier today, and Brown's shoulder injury was the obvious headliner.
If you remember back to last week, Brown actually appeared to limp off the field in the fourth quarter, and it was all Justus Pickett after that. It would appear that Brown was, in fact, injured, and it's serious enough to keep him off the field in Charlottesville.
Obviously Maryland losing their best back is going to hurt them, especially if their offense struggles as much as it did against Wake Forest. But the killer is that Justus Pickett, who would probably get nearly all the carries without Brown on the field, is himself listed as probable, apparently struggling with an illness. I could deal with either one of those injuries; both is a much tougher proposition. Brandon Ross and Albert Reid are good prospects, but I think we've learned that they're not ready for prime time yet. And choosing between a reduced-effectiveness Pickett and a Ross/Reid combo is ... unappetizing. Maryland will need to get a big performance from Perry Hills to keep their offense afloat in this one. It doesn't wreck my hopes for Saturday, but I am much more cautious about my optimism.
And I really hope this doesn't ruin my Devin Burns triple zone-read option plan.
Elsewhere, Matt Robinson is also out, which was expected since he wasn't on the depth chart on Tuesday, with Anthony Nixon starting. A ridiculous number of players are probable, though - De'Onte Arnett, Justin Gibert, Jeremiah Johnson, Darius Kilgo, Nick Klemm, Kenny Tate, Joe Vellano, and Andrew Zeller. Oi. Probable means it's not time to worry, but man ... that's a lot of guys to be at reduced effectiveness.
Maryland sports: losing recruits, fighting Kentucky fans, and getting disappointing football injuries since 1856. Hey, let's look at the bright side: it wasn't Stefon. Thank goodness it wasn't Stefon.