Testudo Times - Maryland football travels to play Penn State - 2016 game updatesSB Nation's award-winning Maryland Terrapins sitehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50025/testudo-fav.png2016-10-12T08:02:02-04:00http://www.testudotimes.com/rss/stream/129306712016-10-12T08:02:02-04:002016-10-12T08:02:02-04:00Podcast: Minnesota is a beatable opponent for Maryland
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<figcaption>Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Gophers won't have their starting quarterback on Saturday.</p> <p>It's the 59th episode of the Testudo Times Podcast and it's a noticeable more somber yet realistic podcast compared to recent editions of the show, and for good reason. The Maryland football team suffered a 38-14 loss to Penn State this weekend, and it might be time for some of you to recalibrate your expectations a bit.</p>
<p><iframe src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/287265167&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" height="450" width="100%"></iframe></p>
<p>Ryan, Thomas and I looked over these topics and more:</p>
<p>- Updates on the injuries to Perry Hills and Trey Edmunds, and Isaiah Davis' suspension.</p>
<p>- What the loss to Penn State says about where the program is now, relative to the 4-0 start.</p>
<p>- Does Maryland have a talent gap with other teams in the B1G?</p>
<p>- Can Perry Hills stop putting himself in danger every week?</p>
<p>- Maryland will face Minnesota's backup QB. Is this game now suddenly a must win?</p>
<p>We also had a chance to briefly mention Maryland Madness on Friday, so if football isn't floating your boat, just remember that basketball isn't that far away. Hopefully we've resolved the issues with downloading the show and iTunes. Enjoy the show!</p>
<p><i>You can find every episode of the Testudo Times Podcast on iTunes <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/testudo-times-podcast/id990670171?mt=2">here</a> and SoundCloud <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Ftestudo_times&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.testudotimes.com%2Fmaryland-terps-football%2F2016%2F10%2F12%2F13253522%2Fminnesota-penn-state-recap-preview-podcast" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">here</a>. If you're into these things, rating and subscribing will help the podcast grow, and that's always a good thing.</i></p>
https://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football/2016/10/12/13253522/minnesota-penn-state-recap-preview-podcastMatt Lichtenstadter2016-10-10T15:29:15-04:002016-10-10T15:29:15-04:00Maryland couldn’t pass against Penn State
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Maryland at Penn State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QOmtNBZ2cun-V62fT5UQl3MPP3I=/0x0:3823x2549/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51291917/usa-today-9594844.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A deeper look into the Terps’ offensive struggles.</p> <p id="0ibNhy">It’s extremely possible that Maryland could have not passed the ball a single time and still won at least three of its first four games, but those times are over. The Terps’ loss to Penn State paints a much darker picture of the team’s passing offense. </p>
<p id="6Lr18H">Before last week, Maryland football’s passing attack wasn’t asked to do much. After a 38-14 loss to the Nittany Lions, it’s clear the Terps need to improve in that aspect of the game.</p>
<p id="oqt7qj">The Terrapins tallied 170 yards on the ground, a season low, but it was a lack of success through the air that doomed them, <a href="http://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football/2016/10/8/13213242/penn-state-stats-saquon-barkley-trace-mcsorley-rusing-yards">along with an inability to stop Penn State’s rushing attack</a>.</p>
<p id="wdCTm9">Quarterback Perry Hills didn’t have much success before leaving right before halftime with a shoulder injury, and the offense didn’t fare any better with true freshman Tyrrell Pigrome at the helm. </p>
<div id="2EYMHK"><table style="table-layout: fixed; font-size: 13px; font-family: arial,sans,sans-serif; border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid #ccc;" border="1" dir="ltr" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
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<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Hills/Pigrome"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial;">Hills/Pigrome</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Left"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">Left</td>
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<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Right"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">Right</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"All"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">All</td>
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<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"20+ yards"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; text-align: center;">20+ yards</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"0/1"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; text-align: center;">0/1</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"0/0"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; text-align: center;">0/0</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"0/1"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; text-align: center;">0/1</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"0/2"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; text-align: center;">0/2</td>
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<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"15-19 yards"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">15-19 yards</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"0/0"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">0/0</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"0/0"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">0/0</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"0/1"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">0/1</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"0/1"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">0/1</td>
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<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"10-14 yards"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">10-14 yards</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"0/2"}' style="padding: 2px 3px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: bottom; text-align: center;">0/2</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"0/1, 1 INT"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">0/1, 1 INT</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"0/0"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">0/0</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"0/3, 1 INT"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">0/3, 1 INT</td>
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<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"5-9 yards"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">5-9 yards</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"0/0"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">0/0</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"0/0"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">0/0</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"1/1, 8 yards"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">1/1, 8 yards</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"1/1, 8 yards"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">1/1, 8 yards</td>
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<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"0-4 yards"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">0-4 yards</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"0/0"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; text-align: center;">0/0</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"3/3, 14 yards"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">3/3, 14 yards</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"1/1, 0 yards"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">1/1, 0 yards</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"4/4, 14 yards"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">4/4, 14 yards</td>
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<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Less than 0 yards"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">Less than 0 yards</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"2/2, 8 yards"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">2/2, 8 yards</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"1/1, 3 yards"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">1/1, 3 yards</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"2/2, 67 yards"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">2/2, 67 yards</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"5/5, 78 yards"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; text-align: center;">5/5, 78 yards</td>
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<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"All"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">All</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"2/4, 8 yards"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">2/4, 8 yards</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"4/5, 17 yards, 1 INT"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">4/5, 17 yards, 1 INT</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"4/6, 75 yards"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">4/6, 75 yards</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"10/16, 100 yards"}' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-family: Arial; color: #626262; text-align: center;">10/16, 100 yards</td>
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<p id="cYzB5R">Last season, this team would abandon its rushing attack for stretches, passing the ball over 30 times a game when it simply didn’t have the personnel to make that work. New offensive coordinator Walt Bell isn’t making that same mistake.</p>
<p id="CMwQ3Q">Completing 10 out of 16 passes isn’t great, but Maryland could probably win a lot of games with that statline. However, Maryland’s not winning many games during which 66 percent of its passing yards come on one play. That play was a touchdown on a screen to Ty Johnson, a rare bright spot and an example of Walt Bell’s offense at its best.</p>
<div id="EMbPFM">
<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">DOWN THE SIDELINE AND IN. <a href="https://twitter.com/TerpsFootball">@TerpsFootball</a><br><br>More video >> <a href="https://t.co/jJmAUSFVSx">https://t.co/jJmAUSFVSx</a> <a href="https://t.co/dp2TcpFonz">https://t.co/dp2TcpFonz</a></p>— Maryland On BTN (@MarylandOnBTN) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarylandOnBTN/status/784791710924537856">October 8, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p id="hdoYvt">But take that play out, and Maryland’s quarterbacks averaged 2.2 yards per attempt on 9-of-15 passing. Bell’s offense thrives on short completions with big runs after the catch, but Penn State snuffed out most of Maryland’s short completions with solid tackling. Pigrome’s eight-yard pass to Teldrick Morgan traveled further in the air than any other completion he or Hills had on Saturday.</p>
<p id="PQp8IZ">With Pigrome, the team’s approach didn’t seem to change all that much. The freshman is more limited than Hills as a passer but more talented as a runner. He picked up 39 yards on 10 rushing attempts, six of which were scrambles. </p>
<p id="vjo4c5">Pigrome’s future is still bright, but his strength is in his legs, and it’s unreasonable to ask a true freshman to lead some sort of magnificent comeback against the best defense Maryland’s faced this season in his first extended playing time. He and Hills both suffered from the same problems: defensive pressure, no downfield passing presence and and no consistency beyond the line of scrimmage.</p>
<p id="xm1yRZ">Some bright spots for Pigrome included a 15-yard screen to Levern Jacobs and a deep pass that clanked off D.J. Moore’s helmet.</p>
<p id="TnmnNw">Based on <a href="http://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football/2016/10/10/13226054/perry-hills-injury-penn-state-minnesota">DJ Durkin’s comments in his Monday teleconference</a>, I think we can expect Hills to be the starter this week against Minnesota. But no matter who’s under center, similar things need to change.</p>
<p id="DbGLki">Bell, Durkin and Maryland’s staff are surely already working to make sure things get better, and things certainly can. Maryland doesn’t necessarily need to pass downfield to be effective as long as it gets some more production in the short-passing game. It’s a long season, and there’s no reason the offense can’t overcome some warts. After all, Saturday was just one game.</p>
<h3 id="Z04iSB"><strong>Maryland’s quarterbacks had no time to throw, but also didn’t help themselves.</strong></h3>
<p id="eKuV8B">Pass protection is a complicated thing, and I’m not qualified to say exactly what went wrong on each of Penn State’s four sacks or on the countless other times Maryland’s quarterbacks were under pressure. Suffice to say there’s probably blame to go around. This goes on the offensive line, the quarterbacks, and the tight ends and the running backs involved in pass protection. </p>
<p id="JJb48N">Penn State defenders got into Maryland’s backfield all day, and that helped force both of the Terps’ turnovers.</p>
<div id="hW9AVo"><div><div style="left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 55.3465%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/mjqr" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" style="top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div></div></div>
<p id="1FlWgG">Pass protection has been a reoccurring problem so far during this young season, and this team needs to find a way to either buy its quarterbacks more time or have them get the ball out quicker. </p>
<p id="3KSi7s">There’s good news, though.</p>
<h3 id="rPcMaZ">This team doesn’t need to light it up through the air to be successful.</h3>
<p id="AEU9NV">Maryland’s offense is going to be at its best when the ground game is humming. That’ll be this team’s bread-and-butter, and all it needs to do is keep teams honest through the air. That’s more or less what Hills and Co. did in their first few games, and it’s what the Terps will need against Minnesota.</p>
<p id="b5j1dZ"><em>On another, more positive note</em>, Maryland contained what is now the No. 2 passing offense, <a href="http://www.footballstudyhall.com/pages/2016-penn-state-advanced-statistical-profile">per S&P+</a>, to 5.6 yards per attempt, which isn’t bad. That total includes Penn State’s 70-yard completion that iced the game in the third quarter. That play was largely due to JC Jackson tripping in coverage, which is something no one can control.</p>
https://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football/2016/10/10/13218512/penn-state-passing-stats-perry-hills-tyrrell-pigromeRyan Connors2016-10-10T10:32:04-04:002016-10-10T10:32:04-04:00Maryland looks to rebound vs. Minnesota
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Maryland at Penn State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/uhZ9_PvL7ikNJ3kChSbyX8uF4vg=/58x0:4099x2694/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51280307/usa-today-9595256.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Our weekly outlook on the Maryland football program.</p> <p id="5gaheH">Welp.</p>
<p id="oZcXMW">At this time last week, Maryland’s football team was 4-0 and getting damn close to a top-25 ranking. But the Terps couldn’t keep up with Penn State, as a 17-14 second-quarter deficit turned into a 38-14 blowout. Although the 24-point margin is due at least in part to Perry Hills’ first-half shoulder injury, Maryland was clearly the worse team.</p>
<p id="NSpjK7">Minnesota is up next. The Golden Gophers are 3-2 and have lost their last two games, a 29-26 overtime defeat at Penn State and a 14-7 home loss to Iowa. This is a winnable game at home for Maryland, but the Terps will have to play much better than they did against the Nittany Lions.</p>
<h3 id="wvlzeZ">Maryland vs. Penn State - what we saw</h3>
<ol>
<li id="c5lY1a">
<strong>Penn State ran over, around and past the Terps. </strong>The Nittany Lions tallied 372 yards on the ground and averaged six yards per attempt. Saquon Barkley led the way with 202, while quarterback Trace McSorley tallied 81. The highlights were Barkley’s 45-yard score at the end of the first half and his hurdle of Will Likely, but McSorley killed the Terps in a different way, scrambling for five first downs and a touchdown.</li>
<li id="AyhkvX">
<strong>Perry Hills went down again and missed the second half.</strong> Hills was banged up on an inside run late in the second quarter and didn’t return. True freshman Tyrrell Pigrome entered the game and immediately ran for a 7-yard touchdown, but it’s unfair to ask him to lead a comeback against Penn State in Happy Valley. He was 5-of-9 for just 28 yards, throwing almost exclusively screens and check-downs (he overshot Levern Jacobs on his one shot downfield). <a href="http://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football/2016/10/10/13226054/perry-hills-injury-penn-state-minnesota">DJ Durkin said Hills should “be fine”</a> in his teleconference with reporters on Monday.</li>
<li id="4Y9Mqh">
<strong>Maryland’s run game regressed to the mean. </strong>After a 400-yard outburst against Purdue, the Terps were held to 170 yards on 38 attempts on Saturday. (Sacks count against rushing totals, and Maryland lost 30 yards on four of them, but even then, the yardage total was cut in half). Ty Johnson followed a 204-yard performance with three yards on three carries, although he did have a 66-yard receiving touchdown. Lorenzo Harrison’s 76 yards led the way, but the rest of Maryland’s backs didn’t keep up.</li>
</ol>
<h3 id="TsgwmA">Maryland vs. Minnesota - what we’re expecting</h3>
<ol>
<li id="TTducS">
<strong>More downfield passing. </strong>The Terps became one-dimensional against Penn State, and one would imagine DJ Durkin and Walt Bell will do what they can to make sure that doesn’t happen. It’s unclear who will be under center for Maryland, but there are similar problems to be fixed no matter who it is.</li>
<li id="RM5zVq">
<strong>The Terps ought to win the explosive-play battle.</strong> Minnesota ranks toward the bottom of the country in IsoPPP, which measures explosiveness, on both offense and defense. Maryland, meanwhile, is above-average in creating big plays and avoiding the same from the opposition.</li>
<li id="lN89CL">
<strong>A focus on keeping Mitch Leidner in the pocket.</strong> The senior quarterback is Minnesota’s second-leading rusher, just like McSorley is for Penn State. McSorley’s 81-yard performance on the ground could have been avoided, and with the Gophers lacking a running back as dynamic as Barkley (all respects to Rodney Smith), Maryland can stay back and make sure it doesn’t get beat.</li>
</ol>
https://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football/2016/10/10/13221342/penn-state-minnesota-stats-recap-previewThomas Kendziora2016-10-10T06:32:02-04:002016-10-10T06:32:02-04:00MM 10.10: BTN profiling Will Likely
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Football: Maryland at Penn State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/BIzyo1x71Lj6AyJXNoAjc_6xchg=/0x0:2901x1934/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51280853/usa-today-9595456.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>This is the Maryland Minute, a short story followed by a roundup of Terps-related news.</p> <p id="fD4NwX">More than anyone else, Will Likely is probably be the face of the Maryland football program. The Big Ten Network did a big piece on his upbringing, which they’re airing on Oct. 19.</p>
<p id="UINqTQ">This looks pretty well-done. Here are a couple clips:</p>
<p id="Ym9Vd5">Likely hunted rabbits when he was young, just so he’d have food to eat. Sure seems like the agility he learned there helped him get to where he is now.</p>
<div id="4zMhKf"><div><div style="left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.2493%;"><iframe src="https://widgets.boxxspring.com/MjA1NSw0MDE4OTgxOA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" style="top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div></div></div>
<p id="13LW91">This look at Likely’s hometown is a much more harrowing story. “The Muck” has produced many NFL players, but families that don’t get that golden ticket live hard lives.</p>
<div id="7PvRBv"><div><div style="left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.2493%;"><iframe src="https://widgets.boxxspring.com/MjA1NSw0MDE4OTgxOQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" style="top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div></div></div>
<p id="vKjqjh">This season, Likely’s been the focus of Maryland’s promotional efforts.</p>
<div id="tzKgUU"><div><div style="left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.2493%;"><iframe src="https://widgets.boxxspring.com/MjA1NSw0MDE5MDIyNQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" style="top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div></div></div>
<p id="NZ3GP0">This looks like it’ll be worth tuning in for.</p>
<h3 id="fyQexQ">In other news</h3>
<p id="0OWLOd">Three-star Virginia recruit Dazz Newsome <a href="http://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football-recruiting/2016/10/9/13220698/dazz-newsome-commits">committed to Maryland</a> on Sunday.</p>
<p id="7mDH0a">Saquon Barkley <a href="http://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football/2016/10/8/13213242/penn-state-stats-saquon-barkley-trace-mcsorley-rusing-yards">just ran right over Maryland’s defense</a> in Penn State’s win.</p>
<p id="CcUOjz">Maryland linebacker Isaiah Davis was ejected for a late hit on Penn State’s kicker. <a href="http://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football/2016/10/8/13212780/maryland-football-joey-julius-isaiah-davis-durkin">DJ Durkin was clear in his postgame comments about the incident</a>.</p>
<p id="WxxI5X">Maryland <a href="http://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football/2016/10/8/13211946/penn-state-final-score-results-recap-lorenzo-harrison-tyrrell-pigrome">showed some clear weaknesses</a> in the loss.</p>
<p id="KEvXSw">Maryland women’s soccer <a href="http://www.testudotimes.com/2016/10/9/13218462/maryland-womens-soccer-penn-state-final-score-stats-results">lost to Penn State</a>, too.</p>
<p id="B29v6l">Check out<a href="http://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps/2016/10/9/13210708/soccer-ohio-state-goals-stats-game"> these two nice goals </a>from Maryland men’s soccer’s win over Ohio State on Friday night.</p>
https://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football/2016/10/10/13213624/will-likely-belle-glade-floridaRyan Connors2016-10-08T17:02:04-04:002016-10-08T17:02:04-04:00Maryland showed clear weaknesses vs. Penn State
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<figcaption>Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Terps’ first defeat of the year was a rough one.</p> <p id="sX5J4a">Maryland football is no longer undefeated after a <a href="http://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football/2016/10/8/13210560/penn-state-final-score-recap-results-stats-game">38-14 drubbing by Penn State</a>. The Terps fell behind early and then lost their starting quarterback as a three-point halftime deficit turned into a 24-point defeat.</p>
<p id="bgOtnH">We’ll have a lot more to say about this game and what it means for the Terps going forward, but here’s an instant assessment of some positive and negative takeaways from Saturday.</p>
<h3 id="GBl1rQ">Stock up</h3>
<p id="pEfCya"><strong>Lorenzo Harrison, running back. </strong>The true freshman was the only member of Maryland’s offense whose early-season success carried over into this game. He ran for a team-high 76 yards on six carries. A 44-yard burst was most of it, but Harrison averaged over six yards a carry outside of that. However, his streak of four consecutive games with a touchdown has come to a close.</p>
<h3 id="0iAT1v">Stock holding</h3>
<p id="5eH95n"><strong>Tyrrell Pigrome, quarterback.</strong> He’s clearly a playmaker at the college level, but he’s clearly not a good enough passer to be a team’s best option right now. Pigrome entered the game after Hills’ injury late in the first half and immediately rushed for a touchdown; he had some impressive scrambles in the second half, too. But his 10-yard overthrow of Levern Jacobs on a fourth-down heave in the final quarter shows he’s not a complete package yet. This has pretty much been the consensus for a while, so there’s no reason to be too high or low on him at the moment. </p>
<p id="xfxlSC"><strong>Ty Johnson, running back.</strong> After a Madden-esque 204 yards on seven carries in the Big Ten opener, Johnson rushed for a meager 11 yards on five attempts. However, the conference’s reigning offensive player of the week did take a short pass from Hills to the end zone for a 66-yard score. </p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">DOWN THE SIDELINE AND IN. <a href="https://twitter.com/TerpsFootball">@TerpsFootball</a><br><br>More video >> <a href="https://t.co/jJmAUSFVSx">https://t.co/jJmAUSFVSx</a> <a href="https://t.co/dp2TcpFonz">https://t.co/dp2TcpFonz</a></p>— Maryland On BTN (@MarylandOnBTN) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarylandOnBTN/status/784791710924537856">October 8, 2016</a>
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<p id="gbx5vh">This was by far Maryland’s longest play of the day. The sophomore didn’t necessarily have a bad game, but it was an emphatic return to mortality.</p>
<h3 id="e7znjI">Stock down</h3>
<p id="5ELop6"><strong>Run defense.</strong> If you doubled Maryland’s passing yardage total and added it to the Terps’ rushing yards, the sum would still be less than Penn State’s 372 yards on the ground. Saquon Barkley (202 yards on 32 carries, both career highs) was in peak form, and there’s only so much that can be done about that, but Trace McSorley’s 81-yard performance is worrisome. Maryland has struggled to contain mobile quarterbacks this season. McSorley scrambled for several first downs, including one on what looked like a designed quarterback draw on 3rd-and-13.</p>
<p id="uawt0B"><strong>Pass protection.</strong> Penn State had four sacks, and both of Perry Hills’ turnovers were pressure-induced. He was hit on a throw that became an intercepted floater, and later fumbled after being completely blindsided. Right guardMaurice Shelton’s injury didn’t help, but the problems were there from the start of the game. The offensive line didn’t look completely cohesive, and the running backs and tight ends were suspect in this phase of the game too. We won’t necessarily assign blame to anyone in particular because pass protection is a group effort, but just about everyone here played poorly.</p>
<p id="8jlPiU"><strong>Downfield passing.</strong> If you pretend that Johnson’s 66-yard touchdown was a run, then Maryland was 9-of-15 for a dismal 34 passing yards. When teams fall multiple scores behind, it usually takes a strong aerial attack to bring them back. The Terps just threw short passes, with the occasional downfield attempts being unsuccessful. This area has never been Maryland’s strength, but it can’t be so nonexistent going forward.</p>
https://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football/2016/10/8/13211946/penn-state-final-score-results-recap-lorenzo-harrison-tyrrell-pigromeThomas Kendziora2016-10-08T16:44:27-04:002016-10-08T16:44:27-04:00Durkin condems late hit on Penn State’s kicker
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<p>Davis’ late hit sent kicker Joey Julius to the ground.</p> <p id="KA16WT">Maryland football linebacker Isaiah Davis was ejected for this hit on Penn State kicker Joey Julius in the the first half of what ended up as a <a href="http://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football/2016/10/8/13210560/penn-state-final-score-recap-results-stats-game">38-14 loss for the Terps</a>.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">We have another player ejection after a defender hit <a href="https://twitter.com/PennStateFball">@PennStateFball</a> K Joey Julius. Here's what happened.<br> <a href="https://t.co/cxhXSUp1pf">https://t.co/cxhXSUp1pf</a></p>— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigTenNetwork/status/784816753721212928">October 8, 2016</a>
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<p id="behjuI">Maryland head coach DJ Durkin made his stance on the matter explicitly clear in his postgame press conference.</p>
<p id="EApbno">“If he wasn’t thrown out of the game, he was removed from the game by me,” DJ Durkin said. “He would not have played another snap of the game in any phase. That is not our program. We will not do that. That message had been made and will be made even clearer now.”</p>
<p id="cTfa5j">Julius has become a small celebrity in the college football world lately, as any 260-pound kicker who levels opposing returners should. But it appears all that attention has come with some unfortunate consequences. Davis is the second player in as many weeks to hit Julius late. A Minnesota player hit him illegally in a <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2016/10/1/13134058/penn-state-kicker-minnesota">similar incident</a> last week, and was also ejected.</p>
<p id="F57410">Here are Durkin’s full postgame remarks (some audio problems for the first 15 seconds, but the issues should end after that).</p>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/testudotimes/videos/1338853856132755/"></a><p>Here's DJ Durkin speaking after the Maryland Terrapins loss to Penn State Football:</p>Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/testudotimes/">Testudo Times</a> on Saturday, October 8, 2016</blockquote></div>
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https://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football/2016/10/8/13212780/maryland-football-joey-julius-isaiah-davis-durkinMatt Ellentuck2016-10-08T15:17:05-04:002016-10-08T15:17:05-04:00Maryland loses at Penn State, 38-14
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Maryland at Penn State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/iyRo8X_OtAqahZOjdxcEVPRPpJA=/0x0:3507x2338/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51264105/usa-today-9594845.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Terps just couldn’t keep up.</p> <p id="jfJJmm">The Maryland football team finally suffered its first loss of the 2016 season, falling 38-14 Saturday at Penn State. After winning big against Purdue in their conference opener, the Terps couldn’t keep up with the Nittany Lions.</p>
<p id="HssEKe">From the very beginning, this game was different. Penn State might not be any kind of juggernaut, but the Nittany Lions are still on another level from the competition Maryland had previously faced this season.</p>
<p id="zvOEo9">Penn State overwhelmed Maryland’s front seven all day. The Terps were unable to contain the Nittany Lions’ rushing attack, as running back Saquon Barkley and quarterback Trace McSorley consistently gashed the defense for big gains. McSorley only completed 10 of his 19 passes for 152 yards through the air, but he did what he needed. That included a 70-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Thompkins at the end of the third quarter that solidified Penn State’s lead.</p>
<p id="mSlBkK">Barkley accumulated 202 rushing yards on the day, constantly sprinting past Maryland defenders. The Terps had a tough time tackling him, and plays like this show why:</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">ANOTHER SAQUON BARKLEY HURDLE SIGHTING. <a href="https://twitter.com/PennStateFball">@PennStateFball</a><br><br>More Barkley video >> <a href="https://t.co/t8bE5AED7C">https://t.co/t8bE5AED7C</a><br> <a href="https://t.co/838PUwNpze">https://t.co/838PUwNpze</a></p>— Penn State On BTN (@PennStateOnBTN) <a href="https://twitter.com/PennStateOnBTN/status/784819634935521280">October 8, 2016</a>
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<p id="HGXBmF">The game was close in the first half, as Maryland hit back after an early Penn State touchdown. After looking punchless on the team’s first drive, Perry Hills hit Ty Johnson for a 66-yard score on this screen pass to get Maryland right back in it.</p>
<div id="xj0RBA">
<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">DOWN THE SIDELINE AND IN. <a href="https://twitter.com/TerpsFootball">@TerpsFootball</a><br><br>More video >> <a href="https://t.co/jJmAUSFVSx">https://t.co/jJmAUSFVSx</a> <a href="https://t.co/dp2TcpFonz">https://t.co/dp2TcpFonz</a></p>— Maryland On BTN (@MarylandOnBTN) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarylandOnBTN/status/784791710924537856">October 8, 2016</a>
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<p id="Xt3YID">Hills was 5-for-7 for 72 yards passing before he went out with an injury in the second quarter. He had two turnovers that hurt the Terps, but both came after missed blocks in pass protection. Hills threw his second interception of the year as he was getting hit, and fumbled in the second quarter when Koa Farmer crushed him as he dropped back to throw. </p>
<p id="OHm33O">Hills suffered the injury on an inside run late in the first half and never returned. In came freshman Tyrrell Pigrome, who was forced to try to bring the Terps back. In his first extended meaningful action, Pigrome was 5-of-9 through the air with 39 yards rushing. He ran for a touchdown from seven yards out on his first snap of the game and helped march the Terps down the field a few times in the second half, but Maryland’s offense was still helpless for large stretches.</p>
<p id="Kto3hM">The Terps’ halftime deficit looked to be a manageable 17-14, but Barkley ran for a 45-yard touchdown with 26 seconds left in the half to make it 24-14 going into the break. </p>
<p id="Cn00Fu">Maryland’s offense couldn’t get anything going in the second half after having some success in the first. That, combined with an inability to stop Barkley and McSorley, spelled doom for the Terps. </p>
<p id="FP9pSj">Once McSorley hit the 70-yarder to Thompkins, though, this was over. A rushing touchdown for Miles Sanders further cemented Penn State’s win.</p>
<h3 id="jvMmxI">Three things to know</h3>
<ol>
<li id="ymfMc2">
<strong>This is likely the type of game you’ll see from Maryland for the rest of the season.</strong> Things were easy against teams like Purdue and FIU, but most conference teams that aren’t Rutgers will be tough. Wins won’t be easy, and they won’t necessarily be pretty.</li>
<li id="EoCN5B">
<strong>Maryland couldn’t contain Penn State’s rushing attack.</strong> Barkley is one of the most-feared backs in the nation, and against Maryland’s defense, he showed why. McSorley also had a huge day on the ground, as the Terps couldn’t catch him whether he was keeping the ball on a read-option or scrambling. </li>
<li id="6AjC2G">
<strong>This was disappointing, but it’s not the end of the world.</strong> These two teams came in with about an equal chance of winning. S&P+ gave the Terps a 43 percent chance of bringing home a victory, so this loss isn’t outrageous. Still, it’s okay to be pretty disappointed. This was arguably the most-hyped game on Maryland’s schedule, and the Terps didn’t play well.</li>
</ol>
<p id="PLbU8Q"></p>
https://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football/2016/10/8/13210560/penn-state-final-score-recap-results-stats-gameRyan Connors2016-10-08T11:00:03-04:002016-10-08T11:00:03-04:00GameThread: Maryland-Penn State
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jWVbmrg1aASK2j87d4ECXMwZ2vU=/0x0:3716x2477/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51249749/usa-today-9581195.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Come discuss!</p> <p>After what's felt like a particularly long week, today's finally the day the Maryland football team plays Penn State at Beaver Stadium.</p>
<p>Maryland's undefeated, and Penn State is the Terps' first big test of the season for a noon kickoff on BTN. What are you excited to see? What do you think's gonna happen? Share your thoughts below in the comments.</p>
<p>As always, here are some of the things we wrote this week:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football/2016/10/6/13163876/penn-state-rivalry-preview-stats-game">This game doesn't have to be a "rivalry" to be really awesome</a></li>
<li>Here's <a href="http://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football/2016/10/7/13155416/penn-state-preview-stats-game">Our Big Penn State Preview</a>. Here's our <a href="http://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football/2016/10/5/13168826/penn-state-preview-stats-podcast">podcast preview</a>.</li>
<li>Shane Cockerille is turning into the linebacker Maryland needs him to be</li>
<li>Maryland's gameplan is a "secret?" <a href="http://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terps-football/2016/10/7/13190230/penn-state-secret-gameplan-what-could-it-be">What could it be?</a> </li>
<li>Here's a <a href="http://www.testudotimes.com/2016/10/5/13177164/penn-state-preview-game-stats">Q&A we did with Black Shoe Diaries</a>, SB Nation's Penn State site. Here's a <a href="http://www.blackshoediaries.com/penn-state-football/2016/10/7/13195450/penn-state-football-maryland-interview-ty-johnson-perry-hills-jermaine-carter-jesse-aniebonam">corresponding Q&A</a>on their site</li>
</ul>
<p>I'll be in Happy Valley at the game, so be sure to follow along <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanConnors_">@RyanConnors_</a> on Twitter, and don't forget <a href="https://twitter.com/testudotimes">@TestudoTimes</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/TKendziora37">@TKendziora37</a>.</p>
https://www.testudotimes.com/2016/10/8/13203408/gamethread-maryland-football-vs-penn-stateRyan Connors