Maryland football turns to a pair of new faces at long snapper

The Testudo Times football preview series is reaching its end. We started with quarterbacks back in early June, and we’ve since broken down the running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive linemen, defensive linemen, linebackers and defensive backs over the ensuing two months.

To wrap it all up, the last group to analyze is the specialists. Cody looked at Joseph Petrino and the kickers on Monday, and Wes took a dive into an inexperienced punter position on Tuesday. Today, I’ll be talking about a pair of long snappers who have zero games of experience between them and will hope to fill the shoes of Matt Oliveira, who transferred to South Carolina.

James Rosenberry, No. 47

Height: 5’11
Weight: 209
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
High School: Olentangy

After backing up Oliveira last season, Rosenberry enters fall camp as the incumbent and could be the presumed starter. He didn’t appear in any game action as a freshman, but has familiarity with the special teams units. However, with Wade Lees trasnferring to UCLA, he’ll have to find chemistry with a trio of punters. Before coming to Maryland, he was ranked as the No. 7 long snapper in the Class of 2018, per Kohl’s Kicking.

Paul Mouring, No. 58

Height: 5’10
Weight: 196
Year: Freshman
Hometown: Centerville, Md.
High School: Calvert Hall

Following Oliveira’s departure from the program, the Terps were in the market for another long snapper. Enter Mouring. He wasn’t as highly touted as Rosenberry coming out of Calvert Hall — Kohl’s Kicking ranked Mouring as the No. 54 snapper in the country — but the incoming freshman has a ton of athleticism. He ran a 4.6 40-yard dash at Kohl’s Eastern Showcase, and his ability to get down the field in a hurry could be a determining factor in the position battle.

The group is inexperienced all around.

Rosenberry was with the program last season, but he sat behind a three-year starter in Oliveira and didn’t see any game action. Mouring arrived on campus this summer, and he has little to no experience with the Terps’ special teams units. That lack of field time could be evened out with a veteran group of specialists around them, but unfortunately for Maryland, none of the three punters on the roster have any experience either.

Rosenberry and Mouring both have promise, but there could be some growing pains in 2019. This season should help the staff evaluate the position’s outlook for the near future.