Testudo Times - Maryland vs. Iowa 2014 game updatesSB Nation's award-winning Maryland Terrapins sitehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50025/testudo-fav.png2014-10-21T10:00:03-04:00http://www.testudotimes.com/rss/stream/66831482014-10-21T10:00:03-04:002014-10-21T10:00:03-04:00Game Balls: which Terps played best against Iowa?
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<figcaption>Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Maryland had a lot of standout players in the first ever conference home win as a part of the Big Ten.</p> <p><i>Ed. Note: These are the game balls Grant gives out, not the ones Randy Edsall does.</i></p>
<h4>Offensive game ball: Stefon Diggs</h4>
<p>The standout receiver racked up yet another big game for the Terps and inched his way closer to the record books. Diggs reeled in nine catches for 130 yards and also ran for 12 yards on two carries. The highlight play from Diggs came on a screen that he turned upfield and ran 53 yards to the end zone. Since starting conference play, Diggs has scored in three straight games and has recorded two 100-yard outings. Jacquille Veii earned an honorable mention for his crafty and slippery 23-yard dash for a touchdown.</p>
<h4>Defensive game ball: Will Likely</h4>
<p>The sophomore cornerback is becoming the weekly fixture for defensive game ball winner. Likely played a key role in assuring Maryland's victory over Iowa when he ball hawked an interception and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown early on in the fourth quarter. He's getting used to celebrating in the end zone, scoring three times this year, twice on interception returns and once on a punt return. Likely also recorded four tackles.</p>
<h4>Special teams game ball: Brad Craddock</h4>
<p>It comes to no surprise that the Australian-born place kicker is yet again the special teams player of the week for the Terps. He nailed home a 41-yarder on his only attempt of the game and sailed through five extra points to remain perfect on the season. His one gaffe came on a kickoff that bounced out-of-bounds to set up Iowa in decent field position, but it was his first faulty kickoff all season. Craddock had four touchbacks in seven attempts.</p>
https://www.testudotimes.com/2014/10/21/7016915/maryland-iowa-football-game-analysisGrant Whittington2014-10-20T09:00:02-04:002014-10-20T09:00:02-04:00Byrd Feeder: Between Iowa & Wisconsin
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<figcaption>Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Our weekly outlook feature on the Maryland football program, coming out of a win over Iowa and turning toward Wisconsin.</p> <p>Saturday's win against Iowa was significant for the Maryland football team in a couple of ways. It pulled the Terps to 2-1 in conference play and 5-2 overall, instantly making a seven- or eight-win season seem perfectly feasible. It fell on homecoming in College Park and was a nice uplifter for the campus community. And it was the first big-time Big Ten win for Randy Edsall's program. Simply having beaten Indiana was never going to earn the Terps much respect on its own. This game was a perceptive step forward for the program.</p>
<p><b>What we saw last week:</b></p>
<ul>
<li><span><b>Dominance on the lines.</b> If you were ticking off all the ways Maryland could have beaten Iowa, you'd have never, ever guessed it would have been physical domination along the line of scrimmage – but that's exactly what happened. Iowa's beefy offensive line couldn't stave off four- and five-man rushes from the Terps' front seven or, for the most part, open up holes on run plays. When the Terps were on offense, their maligned linemen stepped up in a big way, creating lanes for runners and usually giving ample time to Maryland quarterbacks <span>C.J. Brown</span> and <span>Perry Hills</span>. </span></li>
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<ul>
<li><span><b>Excellence in downfield blocking. </b>Everyone knows <span>Stefon Diggs</span> can catch footballs and run fast. This year, he's gotten a lot better in a less sexy but often equally important skill: downfield blocking. On Jacquille Veii's first-half touchdown run from 23 yards out, Diggs sprung Veii by working over Iowa cornerback <span>Desmond King</span> near the left sideline. King would have had a reasonable shot at corralling Veii for a short gain, but Diggs more or less took him out of the play altogether with some aggressive, hands-on blocking. <span>Marcus Leak</span> had a beautiful block, too, when he tossed King backward to seal Diggs' 53-yard score on a screen pass from Hills. It was a challenging afternoon for King, obviously. Programming-wise, we hope to have a little more on this topic soon. </span></li>
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<li> <b>Hills' homecoming return. </b>In the most ideal of situations, Hills wouldn't have seen the field at all for Maryland this year. He is, after all, the Terps' third-string quarterback, so any action he sees can only come after injuries or poor play from <span>C.J. Brown</span> and Caleb Rowe. On Saturday, with both hurt, Hills entered the game for Brown to start Maryland's second drive of the second half. From the shadow of his own goalposts, Hills threw three passes: incomplete, incomplete, incomplete. After King muffed the ensuing <span>Nathan Renfro</span> punt and <span>Anthony Nixon</span> fell on it, Hills took the field again. Three plays, punt. But Hills settled in a little bit and got the ball to Diggs on a screen to set up the long touchdown. Hills hung in over five drives and kept Maryland in position to win the game, two years almost to the day after tearing his ACL on Homecoming 2012. </li>
</ul>
<div><span><b>What we're looking for this week:</b></span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span><b>A rush defense reprisal. </b>The Terps held the Hawkeyes to 116 rushing yards on 31 carries, a 3.7-yard team average. That's a great performance, but then again, the Hawkeyes only averaged 3.8 yards per attempt coming in to the afternoon. As good as the Terps were, Iowa isn't a dynamic rush offense, even despite a meaty, athletic offensive line. Want to see a real rushing game? Watch Wisconsin. The Badgers average 343 yards per game and a downright inhumane 7.4 yards per carry. The Terrapins will not hold the Badgers to anything near what they did Iowa, but if they can keep running back <span>Melvin Gordon</span> and company <i>reasonably </i>in check, they'll have a chance. </span></li>
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<li><span><b>Protection for Brown. </b>Iowa sacked Maryland quarterbacks four times and forced C.J. Brown to scramble for yardage on a handful of plays. Even with that knowledge, it certainly didn't <i>feel </i>like Iowa had Brown (or Hills) under consistent duress. Iowa blitzed between three and five men for much of the afternoon, and the Terps' offensive line only really buckled at the very beginning of the game. Wisconsin is third in the Big Ten in sacks, averaging 3.17 per game. The Wisconsin football program has garnered a reputation as a breeding ground for monstrous linemen (on both sides of the ball). The Terps' front will have its hands full.</span></li>
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<li><span><b>A splash on special teams. </b>Other than the ceaselessly brilliant <span>Brad Craddock</span>, Maryland's special teams have cooled off recently. It's not that they've been <i>bad</i>, because they're still fourth nationally in ESPN's <a target="_blank" href="http://espn.go.com/college-football/statistics/teamratings/_/sort/stEfficiency/tab/efficiency">special teams efficiency</a>. But Andre Powell's unit got three kick blocks, a punt return touchdown and a few huge kickoff returns in the first four games of the year. In the last three, other than Craddock making everything he kicks, the Terps' special teams haven't made game-altering plays. Part of that is beyond the special teams' control: kickoffs get blasted through the end zone for touchbacks, and punts come down near the Maryland goal line in a hard-to-return spot. But the Terps' kickoff coverage has had noticeable containment problems after a strong start, and the onside kick hands team let Iowa recover one of two such attempts on Saturday. It's been a while since Maryland's special teams have made a serious splash. Here's betting they'll need one from somewhere to win at Camp Randall Stadium.</span></li>
</ul>
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https://www.testudotimes.com/2014/10/20/7003231/maryland-football-news-terrapins-wisconsin-badgers-byrd-feeder-2014Alex Kirshner2014-10-19T12:00:02-04:002014-10-19T12:00:02-04:003 more takeaways from Maryland's win over Iowa
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<figcaption>Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Terps rebounded, the defense locked down, and Stefon Diggs continues his climb in the Maryland record books.</p> <h4>Maryland can rebound from an early deficit</h4>
<p>When Maryland went down 14-0 midway through the first quarter, you could see Maryland fans panicking across social media. After C.J. Brown's first pass of the game was intercepted and Maryland was forced to punt on their second possession, Iowa's two touchdown lead felt more like 30, as flashbacks to the Ohio State game crept into the minds of many.</p>
<p>But Maryland was able to respond, scoring a touchdown on their next possession. And after allowing two touchdowns to the Hawkeyes in their first two possessions, the Terps' defense responded:</p>
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<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">IOWA </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">1st </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">I47 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">03:33 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">Kickoff </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">M48 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">01:33 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana"> </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">Punt </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="center"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">3-5 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">2:00 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana"> </font></td>
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<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">IOWA </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">2nd </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">I34 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">14:15 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">Punt </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">M47 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">13:30 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana"> </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">Fumble </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="center"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">2-19 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">0:45 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana"> </font></td>
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<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">IOWA </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">2nd </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">I25 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">10:46 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">Kickoff </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">I14 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">08:53 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana"> </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">Punt </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="center"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">3--11 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">1:53 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana"> </font></td>
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<tr bgcolor="#ffffff">
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">IOWA </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">2nd </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">I25 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">06:47 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">Kickoff </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">M44 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">03:30 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana"> </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">Punt </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="center"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">9-31 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">3:17 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana"> </font></td>
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<tr bgcolor="#ffffff">
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">IOWA </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">2nd </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">I38 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">00:17 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">Interception </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">I42 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">00:00 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana"> </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">End of half </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="center"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">3-4 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">0:17 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana"> </font></td>
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<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">IOWA </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">3rd </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">I42 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">15:00 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">Possession </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">I42 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">15:00 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana"> </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">Kickoff </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="center"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">0-0 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">0:00 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana"> </font></td>
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<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">IOWA </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">3rd </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">I35 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">15:00 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">Kickoff </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">M37 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">13:02 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana"> </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">Punt </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="center"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">5-28 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">1:58 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana"> </font></td>
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<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">IOWA </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">3rd </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">I43 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">11:46 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">Punt </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">I45 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">10:41 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana"> </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">Punt </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="center"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">3-2 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">1:05 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana"> </font></td>
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<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">IOWA </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">3rd </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">M35 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">00:00 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">Punt </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">M35 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">10:21 </font></td>
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<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">Fumble </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="center"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">0-0 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">0:00 </font></td>
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<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">IOWA </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">3rd </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">I37 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">07:56 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">Punt </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">I38 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">06:14 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana"> </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="left"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">Punt </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="center"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">3-1 </font></td>
<td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: top;" align="right"><font color="#000000" size="1" face="verdana">1:42 </font></td>
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<p> </p>
<p>Maryland's defense didn't allow an Iowa score until 1:46 left in the 3rd quarter. At one point, after being down 14-0, Maryland went on a 38-7 run, before allowing two late Iowa scores.</p>
<h4>Maryland found a running game</h4>
<p>The Terps <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">have struggled</span></span> with running the ball this season. Entering Saturday's game, they ranked 96th nationally in rushing yards per game (140.3). But on Sunday, led by C.J. Brown's 99 yards, the Terps finished the game with 212 total rushing yards.</p>
<p>Maryland also got Stefon Diggs involved in the running game, as the junior <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">wideout</span></span> ran <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">two</span></span> play designed for him that gained a total of 12 yards. Finding ways to get the ball in the hands of one of your best play makers is always a good idea.</p>
<h4>Stefon Diggs continues to climb in the Maryland record books</h4>
<p><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">Diggs</span></span> finished Saturday's win over Iowa with nine receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown. He also led the team in all-purpose yards with 163.</p>
<p>As a result of Diggs' performance, the junior wide receiver achieved several milestones this weekend, according to Maryland's athletic department:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">Diggs</span> eclipsed the 2,000-yard receiving plateau for his career and passed Azizuddin Abdur-Ra'oof (1984-87) for fifth in program history with 2,015 yards.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>What were your takeaways? One additional one is that Maryland WILL LIKELY achieve bowl eligibility this season, which is good. The Terps could also end up playing in a New Year's bowl, or in one of the B1G's lower tiered bowls.</p>
https://www.testudotimes.com/2014/10/19/7001653/maryland-iowa-reaction-analysisDave Tucker2014-10-19T09:30:02-04:002014-10-19T09:30:02-04:00Stock Report: Iowa
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/XQ_5G1rNdaK4XR7jhEnLOuyLT74=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/42199992/20141018_rnb_ax1_068.JPG.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Taking stock of the Terrapins after an important win against the Iowa Hawkeyes.</p> <p>That sure was a fascinating game, huh? There were a lot of interesting backstories at play inside Byrd Stadium today: <span>Perry Hills</span>' uneasy but all-in-all effective return to game action after two years since his last competitive snap; <span>Stefon Diggs</span> and Will Likely's brilliant, game-changing plays; <span>Andre Monroe's</span> superb work against elite Iowa tackle <span>Brandon Scherff</span>; <span>Brad Craddock</span> setting a school record by making his 17th straight field goal; homecoming weekend going on at the university.</p>
<p>There's a lot to take stock of today. Most of it's good, though not all of it. A lot happened, so, please, go easy if you see an omission that really grinds your gears. But here's a shot at who's up, who's down and who's holding.</p>
<p><b>Stock up</b></p>
<p>Blue-chippers: <b>Stefon Diggs</b>, <b>Will Likely</b>, <b>Andre Monroe</b></p>
<p>It's time to recognize Monroe as one of the best ends in the Big Ten. He's got very strong numbers – 5.5 sacks now in seven games – and, as he showed today, can be a real terror even when he isn't racking up J.J. Watt numbers from his edge-rushing position. Monroe, all 5 feet 11 inches of him, got the better of highly-touted Iowa left tackle Brandon Scherff on Saturday, limiting Iowa's options on the ground and in the air. When he doesn't have pads on, Monroe doesn't look much like a star college football player. He isn't comparatively big and doesn't have outrageous measurables. But he's developed into a terrific asset for Randy Edsall's program. Just ask Scherff.</p>
<p>Growth stocks: <b>Jacquille Veii</b>, <b>Darius Kilgo</b></p>
<p>Veii gets chunks of yardage practically every time he touches the football. He had two carries against Iowa: a 10-yarder and a 23-yard touchdown after he spun away from several tacklers and dashed through the Iowa back line. He's been in a fine run of form and should only see more touches going forward.</p>
<p>After the game, Edsall said he thought Kilgo was developing into a "force." He's right. Nose tackles aren't usually pass-rushers first and foremost, but Kilgo got into the Iowa backfield a lot. He's capable of occupying multiple blockers, and he's developed into a leader in Maryland's front seven. Like Monroe, he's a senior whose abilities have increased markedly over his time in College Park. He's also a genuinely good guy and a coaching staff favorite.</p>
<p>Penny stocks: <b>Maryland's offensive line</b></p>
<p>We've criticized Maryland's offensive linemen a lot this season, and it's been justified. On Saturday, against a non-Ohio State-good but generally effective defensive line, Maryland's five men up front held up very well. Give them credit where it's due. Ryan Doyle was ravaged in the losses to Ohio State and West Virginia, but he capably handled his assignments against the Hawkeyes. Sal Conaboy had one bad snap to Brown, but he and guards Andrew Zeller and Silvano Altamirano controlled the interior at the line of scrimmage for most of the day. And after a tough start, Mike Dunn did well against Iowa end Drew Ott.</p>
<p><b>Stock holding</b></p>
<p>Polarizing investment: <b>C.J. Brown</b></p>
<p>Brown gets a lot of heat for his bad throwing, and he didn't do anything to skirt that against Iowa. Maryland had him try to throw a lot of intermediate and deep balls, and he usually didn't do well on them. In total, he finished 12-of-23 for 120 yards and two interceptions. But we already knew throwing isn't Brown's strong suit, and his grip on his starting spot only tightened with Caleb Rowe's horribly unfair ACL tear.</p>
<p>(Speaking of ACL tears, good for Perry Hills for getting back on the field two years after suffering through his own. Hills wasn't all-and-all great, but he made some important plays in his return to the field during Brown's absence with a muscle injury.)</p>
<p><b>Stock down</b></p>
<p>Blue-chipper: <b>Deon Long </b></p>
<p>Long has been, and remains, a well-regarded talent at wide receiver. It's hard to say why he didn't have a single catch on Saturday. He wasn't targeted often, and when he was at his most open on a deep route during the first half, Brown airmailed the ball over his head. But his numbers this season aren't where they should be, and Maryland has yet to find a way to get him the ball in the way it has Diggs. There's still time for a rebound, and Long certainly has the skill to make one happen. For the moment, though Long has just over 300 yards and one touchdown in seven games. It's absolutely not all his fault, but production is production.</p>
<p>Penny stock: <b>Nathan Renfro</b></p>
<p>No one thinks much of the punter, but Renfro had a tough day on Saturday, and the Terps paid for it in field position. By the end of the day, a couple of Iowa mishaps (interceptions, fumbles and muffed punts) and skewing factors (a recovered onside kick in Iowa territory) made the field position difference between the Terps and Hawkeyes look artificially small. Iowa, on average, started at its own 37-yard line and Maryland at its 33. Before some of that skew came into play, though, there was a 19-yard difference in average starting position at one point in the second half. That falls on the punter more than anybody. Renfro placed one out of nine punts inside Iowa's 20-yard line, compared to five out of nine for Iowa's two scholarship punters. Ultimately, Renfro's yardage average was almost identical to the Iowa punters, but that was misleading, again, because of field position. The Terps managed to be OK Saturday, but some improvement from Renfro would help them going forward.</p>
https://www.testudotimes.com/2014/10/19/7000887/maryland-football-iowa-reaction-stock-reportAlex Kirshner2014-10-18T18:04:37-04:002014-10-18T18:04:37-04:00Playmakers old and new key Terps' victory
<figure>
<img alt="Stefon Diggs and Randy Edsall celebrate Diggs' 53-yard touchdown catch on Saturday." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/RBaDiVu8ORleP64XrjNlr1eGLr0=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/42197536/20141018_rnb_ax1_052.JPG.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Stefon Diggs and Randy Edsall celebrate Diggs' 53-yard touchdown catch on Saturday. | Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Dominant line performance, big plays from Maryland's usual stars help Terps overcome early deficit for win. </p> <p>Iowa left tackle <span>Brandon Scherff</span> is a big man with a big pedigree. He's listed at 6 feet 5 inches and 320 pounds, and CBS ranks him as the sixth-best prospect in next year's NFL Draft.</p>
<p><span>Andre Monroe</span> is a smaller man with a smaller pedigree. He's 5 feet 11 inches and 230 pounds. He was a two-star recruit. He entered Saturday's game with five sacks in six starts this year, but he's listed nowhere in CBS's top 1,000 prospects for the professional draft.</p>
<p>That didn't stop Monroe from chewing up Scherff for much of the afternoon on Saturday, putting serious pressure on Iowa quarterback <span>Jake Rudock</span> and helping to bring the Hawkeyes' offense to a halt after a fast start in the Terrapins' 38-31 homecoming win before 48,373 spectators at Byrd Stadium.</p>
<p>Other Maryland defensive linemen – <span>Darius Kilgo</span>, <span>Keith Bowers</span>, <span>Spencer Myers</span> and <span>Roman Braglio</span> – found themselves in the Iowa backfield frequently as well. The Terrapins' line controlled the flow of the contest and forced Iowa into a game it almost certainly didn't want to play.</p>
<p>"They threw the ball 56 times," Edsall said of Iowa. "If you go back and try to find out when the last time Iowa threw the ball 56 times, I think you're going to be searching for a while. That's a good thing; that means we probably held up well in the run game against their offensive line."</p>
<p>They did. Iowa ran for a 3.7-yard average, just 116 yards on 31 carries. As a result, Rudock had to throw a lot, and members of Maryland's front seven harassed him on many of his drop-backs. The Terps notched four sacks as a team but forced Rudock into 24 incompletions and one game-turning interception. When the Hawkeyes scored 45 points in a win over Indiana last weekend, they threw 24 fewer passes.</p>
<p><span>Particularly in the first half, Monroe seemed to slide by Scherff with ease along the left edge of Iowa's offensive line. In the second half, Monroe got a lot of help from outside linebacker <span>Yannick Ngakoue</span>, who had similar success penetrating against Scherff.</span></p>
<p>"I just treat him like a regular person, respect him like a regular player, and that's how I go about my business," Ngakoue said.</p>
<p>Monroe wound up with a half-sack and one tackle for loss. Ngakoue wound up with one sack, his only TFL. But those two, along with Kilgo and a cast of others in the Maryland front seven, kept Rudock under duress for most of the game. Iowa's receivers had little time to get open, and normally Rudock didn't even try to find them.</p>
<p>Just after halftime, with the ball and down three points in his own territory, Rudock <i>did</i> try. Running back <span>Damon Bullock</span> lined up as a receiver opposite Terrapins cornerback Will Likely, to Rudock's left in front of the Maryland sideline.</p>
<p>Rudock dropped back and fired. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terrapins-football/2014/10/18/6999631/will-likely-interception-touchdown-iowa/in/6683148">B</a><a href="http://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terrapins-football/2014/10/18/6999631/will-likely-interception-touchdown-iowa/in/6683148" target="_blank">ig mistake</a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terrapins-football/2014/10/18/6999631/will-likely-interception-touchdown-iowa/in/6683148">.</a> Likely jumped in front of Bullock for an interception and 45-yard walk into the Iowa end zone. Ultimately, it was probably the game's deciding play.</p>
<p>"I thought that was the biggest play in the ballgame," Edsall said. "We did not have a lot of momentum at that point in time, and I was on the sideline hoping we would get a defensive score or a turnover." He got both.</p>
<p>Likely, not targeted for most of the game, had been waiting for his chance. He got it, with help from his linemen.</p>
<p>"It was a big play. We came up clutch as a unit to make that happen," Likely said. "The defensive line put good pressure to make the ball come out quick, and I was just able to make a play on it."</p>
<p>Likely now has four interceptions this year, including two touchdown run-backs. Iowa's wide receivers totaled 59 yards, mostly matched against Maryland cornerbacks. The Hawkeyes threw primarily to their tight ends and backs.</p>
<p>"Will made a great play," <span>C.J. Brown</span> said. "Someday, the other offense'll learn not to throw his way."</p>
<p><span><b></b>On offense, the Terps were rough around the edges. Brown made a series of bad throws to end the first half, culminating in an ugly interception to Iowa cornerback <span>Sean Draper</span> that ended any Maryland hopes of increasing what was then a 17-14 lead. <span>Marcus Leak</span> had a brutal drop on what would have been a 47-yard first-half touchdown. Brown had a few other misses of wide open receivers early on, too.</span></p>
<p>But the Terps still mustered 31 points on offense. They did it by winning the line of scrimmage just as often on offense as they did on defense, settling down as the game went on.</p>
<p>Iowa defensive end <span>Drew Ott</span> had an interception on Maryland's first play, then ended the Terps' second drive with a third-down sack of Brown. After that, though, Maryland left tackle <span>Michael Dunn</span> handled him admirably. Highly-regarded defensive tackles <span>Louis Trinca-Pasat</span> and <span>Carl Davis</span> were barely factors at all, dealt with by the interior of the offensive line – <span>Silvano Altamirano</span>, <span>Sal Conaboy</span> and Andrew Zeller. Right tackle <span>Ryan Doyle</span>, who's taken deserved criticism this year, did a fine job against end <span>Nate Meier</span>.</p>
<p>The Terps' running game benefited, going for a 4.6-yard team average and pushing the ball up the field with consistency. When the offensive line did get beat, Brown took off running effectively a few times, carrying 21 times for 99 yards in total. <span>Jacquille Veii</span> had a 23-yard touchdown run where he spun out of a tackle near the line, picked up some downfield blocking from receivers and sprinted home.</p>
<p>And in the passing game, Maryland used some duct tape and <span>Stefon Diggs</span> to make things work. Brown threw the ball poorly outside of a couple excellent throws. When he missed time in the middle of the game with a trapezius injury, new backup <span>Perry Hills</span> showed understandable rust.</p>
<p>Fortunately for Maryland, Stefon Diggs was there from the start and never left. The Terps' best player finished with nine catches for 130 yards and a score, on a nice 53-yard catch-and-run from Hills.</p>
<p>"He came off the bench and did everything that we thought he could," Diggs said of Hills. "You all know that I had him my freshman year, so I have complete faith in him."</p>
<p>Hills threw a little screen to Diggs on that touchdown, and Diggs did the rest of the work with help from, again, downfield blockers. Iowa's defense hadn't given up a lot of splash plays, but this was certainly that.</p>
<p>"If Stefon's going against anyone, I don't care if they let up big plays or not," Hills said. "He has a great chance to make a big play."</p>
<p>Diggs was often going against Iowa cornerback <span>Desmond King</span>, one of the better coverage men in the Big Ten. Neither King nor the rest of the Hawkeye secondary managed to slow him down..</p>
<p>"I had a couple of chances to check at him, but I wasn't surprised after studying him last week," King said.</p>
<p>In Brown's brief absence during part of the second half, Hills saw his first taste of action since he tore his ACL on this same homecoming weekend two years ago. The circle story wasn't lost on him.</p>
<p>"I was thinking about that a little bit," Hills said. "You would love to see C.J. there the whole game, finish out the game, we win. But I'm glad I got an opportunity also, this game exactly two years ago. That was in my mind."</p>
<p><span>On the whole, Saturday had a lot for Maryland to like. The offense had its problems but still managed a solid point total. The defense struggled at the game's very beginning and very end but was a force in between. <span>Brad Craddock</span> made his school-record 17th-consecutive field goal try, a 41-yarder in the first half.</span></p>
<p>But Maryland's defensive front was the afternoon's defining story. The Terrapin defense was torched on the ground through its first six games. It stared down one of the country's better offensive lines and didn't blink, and the the season's second half is very much off and running. On Saturday, the Hawkeyes weren't.</p>
<p>"I felt like for the most part, we shut the running game down. I think we gave up one big one, but that was pretty much it," Kilgo said. Indeed, Iowa's Mark Weisman had a 38-yard run, but other than that, the Terps ceded none of more than 15.</p>
<p>"When you're able to take the run game out of an offense, it makes them one-dimensional. So that was our goal, and I think we were pretty good at doing that," Kilgo said.</p>
<p>After Maryland took a 38-21 lead with five minutes to play, the Hawkeyes mounted a credible comeback threat. After a touchdown and onside kick recovery, Rudock eventually had a minute of clock and 80 yards in front of him, a tie game waiting at the other end.</p>
<p>But Rudock's fourth-down pass to <span>Tevaun Smith</span> fell incomplete just shy of midfield with five seconds left, securing the final in Maryland's favor. After an early 14-0 deficit had become a 17-point and then one-touchdown lead, the Terps were finally home.</p>
https://www.testudotimes.com/2014/10/18/6999749/maryland-iowa-terps-hawkeyes-football-full-game-recap-2014Alex Kirshner2014-10-18T15:51:54-04:002014-10-18T15:51:54-04:00Terps handle Hawkeyes, 38-31
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/aQ0X5PYT4wloYAdaILAwgKN65f4=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/42187480/20141018_rnb_ax1_017.JPG.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Maryland endured a slow start, an injury to C.J. Brown and a late Iowa surge, then held on for its biggest win of the season</p> <p>Saturday's football game highlighted a BIG team that was methodical, unflashy, physical, and in control of both sides of the line. And Iowa was there too.</p>
<p>In a high-stakes, temperature-taking type of game, Maryland thoroughly handled visiting Iowa, 38-31, in a game that was probably a little more decisive than the final score indicates.</p>
<p>The Terps, now 5-2, 2-1 in the B1G, picked up easily their best win of the season over a 5-1 conference team that seems to be in bowl games each and every year. Maryland faced some adversity — a very slow start and a scary looking injury to C.J. Brown — and simply handled business at home in front of a big, robust crowd full of Iowa fans who may have enjoyed their first football trip to the DMV but most certainly did not enjoy getting stung by the new kids on the block.</p>
<p>The Terps got a late scare when Iowa, trailing by 17, scored and recovered an onside kick to make things a little more interesting than anyone would've liked, but Maryland ultimately withstood one final Hawkeye possession and picked up a huge victory.</p>
<p>Maryland fans got a pregame gut punch when it was announced that Caleb Rowe was out for the season with a torn ACL. Then the on-field activities started equally ghoulish when the suddenly undisputed quarterback, C.J. Brown, threw a downright awful interception on what appeared to be an intended quick slant on the first play from scrimmage.</p>
<p>Moments later, Mark Weisman rumbled untouched through a highway-sized hole to put the Hawkeyes in the end zone and up 7-0 only two minutes into the game.</p>
<p>Maryland moved the ball pretty effectively on its first non-turnover drive, but it died just inside the 50 after Brown, under the heaviest of pressure, tossed a picture-perfect bomb into the waiting arms of Marcus Leak near the goal line, but Leak dropped it. That was that, the Terps punted, Iowa gained 54 yards on a short pass on its very next play, and the game was officially off to an awful start for the home team. That sentiment was punctuated shortly thereafter, when Iowa, lacking a good FG kicking game, converted a 4th-and-5 inside the red zone, then scored again when Jake Rudock hit wide-open tight end Henry Krieger Coble for a short-pass TD and a 14-0 lead.</p>
<p>Then, finally, the Terps arrived. On a 75-yard drive highlighted by a 19-yard Brown keeper and several short passes, Jacquille Veii took a handoff, bounced outside and darted 23 yards to the house, making it 14-7 Hawkeyes only 12 minutes in. So much for a low-scoring game.</p>
<p>Maryland's defense, seizing on the sudden momentum, got its first stop on Iowa's next possession, fueled by a back-to-back sack and tackle-for-loss by Andre Monroe (with a little help from Keith Bowers on the TFL).</p>
<p>The Terps caught their first break a couple series later when the Hawkeyes coughed up the football at the tail end of a pass play. The Terps took over, despite being backed up 15 yards on the take-away by a silly Anthony Nixon unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The Terps drove the field on a drive that featured a nice hookup from Brown to Diggs, then marched out Brad Cradd-omatic (No? Whatever, I took a shot. The young man needs a nickname), who split the uprights from 41 to cut the lead to 14-10. The momentum was officially swinging, and it swung further when the Terp D got a quick stop aided by a great backfield tackle from the big fella, Darius Kilgo. It forced Iowa into a poor punt and gave the Terps great field position and a chance to take their first lead and fully recover from their early misfires.</p>
<p>That's precisely what happened. C.J. Brown, looking quite sharp, marched Maryland down the field and then escaped for a dazzling run that finished on the Hawkeye 1. Then, as if to almost prove a point about physicality, Maryland got into an I-type formation and sent Wes Brown into the heart of the Iowa D. Love to see that. Brown pushed through and Maryland had its first lead, 17-14. Game on!</p>
<p>Then Good CJB converted back into Bad CJB just before the half, squandering a great opportunity for Maryland to grab the reins of the game. In Iowa territory with less than a minute to go, BCJB tried to throw about four picks in a row. With Craddock getting loose on the sideline, BCJB finally tossed a can't-miss INT right into the chest of Iowa's Sean Draper, who gets credit for the pick but will forever regret never making a play for <a target="_blank" href="http://pandawhale.com/post/16848/christina-hendricks-black-dress-red-background">Christina Hendricks</a> if he doesn't take her home at least once in the final season of Mad Men. I've never understood that about Sean Draper. The dude has slept with every female either inside or outside office <i>except</i> for the intensely voluptuous and ever-available Joanie? Makes no sense. Oh, wait, that's DON Draper. Sorry. Back to football.</p>
<p>Disaster struck when play resumed in the third quarter. I'm not even going to use the dreaded acronym, because Maryland's history with quarterback injuries is beyond cute or funny at this point, but C.J. Brown took a vicious and dirty hit (unflagged). He stayed down on the field for a long and uncomfortable amount of time, then left with what appeared to be concussion symptoms. That's two QBs out in one day. Who does that happen to other than Maryland? Unreal.</p>
<p>Anyway, enter Perry Hills, who we last saw as a true freshman thrust into action way before his time. Hills faced some pretty scary pressure in his first few snaps deep in Terp territory and threw a couple bad balls, but Maryland was aided by an Iowa fumble and won back some important field position, putting out the immediate fire.</p>
<p>A few minutes -- and another defensive stand -- later, and C.J. Brown, presumably cleared by the medical staff, was warming up on the sidelines. Terrific news. More terrific news: Perry Hills began to warm up and execute, driving the Terps 92-yards, including a couple solid throws and a really nice scramble for a first down. Then Hills found Stefon Diggs on a WR screen for a 53-yard touchdown. Suddenly, after what appeared to be the worst-case scenario had happened, Maryland now had a double-digit lead, 24-14. It had officially turned into a roller coaster of a game.</p>
<p>And, like clockwork, the roller coaster dipped on Iowa's next drive, the Hawkeyes' best drive in a long time, which ended with Weisman's second rush-TD to cut Maryland's lead to 24-21.</p>
<p>The big question was, who was going to be Maryland's QB after the ensuing kickoff? It was Hills. CJB was repeatedly shown helmet-free on the sideline, an indication that he was probably done for the day (update: he later returned). But, on the upside, the fact that he was back out there at all, as well as his body language, tells us that he's probably going to be OK. Hills missed a couple passes in his third and fourth drives, however, and the Terps punted it away both times after some understandably conservative play-calling.</p>
<p>Just when we fans were being lulled to sleep, however, Will Likely woke us the F*** up. Likely jumped an ill-conceived Jake Rudock pass and Took. It. To. The. House. 31-21 Terps, thank you very much. Will Likely continues to be one of those guys who is always in the right place and has a knack for huge plays. This was definitely one of those moments and it gave the offense-challenged Terps a much-needed cushion. That cushion grew even further a few minutes later, when Wes Brown pounded it in on 4th-and-goal for his second 1-yard TD of the day and a 38-21 lead.</p>
<p>The Terps needed every inch of that big lead, because Iowa found its offense in the waning minutes of the game against a Maryland defense that was probably a little too conservative or maybe just tired. The Hawkeyes got a quick score, then recovered an onside kick, drove again and converted a field goal to make it a 38-31 game with 1:19 to play.</p>
<p>It led to another very uncomfortable onside kick attempt, which P.J. Gallo easily pounced on. Iowa had all of its timeouts remaining, setting up a final possession with a minute left and no timeouts, but the Hawkeyes couldn't get a drive rolling and turned it over on downs, ending the game.</p>
<p> </p>
<h4>Four things we learned</h4>
<p><b>1. Hello again, Perry Hills: </b>Meet Maryland's latest quarterback to see action. He has decent mobility, he's a respected guy, he is maddeningly inconsistent at throwing the ball (or maybe just not good), he has shown the ability to win games, but much of the fan base is opposed to him because of his limited skill set. Sound familiar? I'll be honest, I always liked Perry Hills and thought he deserved better than being buried on the depth chart after some really gutsy performances back when he was a true freshman and had no business being on the field. To be clear, losing C.J. Brown to what first looked like another concussion (on another dirty hit) is bad for Maryland football and even worse for C.J. Brown, who has endured so much in his Maryland career, accomplished a lot, and just deserved better than another head injury. But Hills is a gritty guy and I've always thought he showed the potential to be one of those QBs who just is tough and finds a way to win even if he's not that much of a physical match for the position. Nice to see him get some snaps and move the football. Maybe the Terps' quarterback situation, with Hills as the new backup, isn't as bad as we feared.<b> </b></p>
<p><b>2. Maryland's offensive line is getting better every week: </b>The 14-0 early deficit was a function of a bad interception, a dropped bomb and a couple of poor defensive series. Playing against a respected Iowa DL, Greg Studrawa's gang generally gave C.J. Brown time to throw, blocked well on the read option, and opened the door for some solid runs by Ross and Veii. Early in the second quarter, at the goal line, the Terps got into something resembling a power-I, busted Wes Brown up the middle and rammed it in, again, against one of those beefy B1G lines that were supposed to be too much for Maryland. If Studrawa can pull off redshirting his best physical specimens, Derwin Gray and Damian Prince, while developing the resident guys (who <i>nobody</i> was excited about), then the future of Maryland's OL unit will start to take on a decidedly positive tone. I checked at one point in the third quarter and Maryland was averaging 6.2 yards per carry on 29 touches and was out-rushing Iowa 180-71. Gotta give credit where it's due, folks. We're tough on the line when they struggle, but Saturday they played a team best known for line play and won the matchup.</p>
<p><b>3. Strong showing for the defense, especially in the front and back: </b>Forget the final score for just a moment please, because things got weird in the last 5 minutes. Before that, Darius Kilgo, Andre Monroe and Keith Bowers had a nice day against what was supposed to be a superior Iowa OL unit led by a top-10 NFL prospect in Brandon Scherff. Even Roman Braglio got penetration and played part in a big fourth-quarter sack that ended a drive. Maryland repeatedly found their way into the backfield and sacked Rudock several times while collected a few other tackles for loss. Then, on the back end of the defense, Iowa receivers were virtually non-existent throughout the day until Maryland got way too comfortable late in the 4th quarter. Rudock found some success attacking Maryland's linebackers, but couldn't hit on the deep ball and was stung by the sensational Will Likely for a pick-6. There were other times where those aforementioned sacks by the DL were the direct result of great coverage. Rudock would look, look and look, find nothing, and get swallowed up by the pass rush. So kudos to Likely, Jeremiah Johnson, Jarrett Ross, Josh Woods, Sean Davis, Anthony Nixon and whoever else may have contributed on the back end. Good day.</p>
<p><b>4. Maryland is more than capable of competing — and then some — in its new conference:</b> Forget the loss to Ohio State. I struggled with that just like so many of you did, but, as Andrew Emmer summed up quite nicely in a basketball piece last week, the Terps "were always going to lose" that one. This game was a better state-of-the-union moment, so to speak. In came Iowa, a traditional, beefy B1G program that is always in bowl games. A team with a 5-1 record and a 2-0 conference start. An honest to goodness Big Ten staple. Not the best, far from the worst. Maryland thumped the Hawkeyes, even more than the score showed. They dominated both sides of the lines, they ran it better, they threw it better, they defended better. And that's even <i>with</i> a crushing QB injury that cost Maryland their only experienced quarterback for a big chunk of the game. Eight weeks into its B1G career, Maryland is now 5-2, 2-1 in the conference, and has played two traditionally strong programs. We're here, we're game, we're not going away. So let's pack our bags and head off to Cheese Country. Bring it on, Badgers.</p>
https://www.testudotimes.com/2014/10/18/6998571/maryland-iowa-game-2014-final-score-recapFlaTerp2014-10-18T15:31:35-04:002014-10-18T15:31:35-04:00Edsall makes jumping sideline catch
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<p>WAY TO BE, COACH</p>
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https://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terrapins-football/2014/10/18/6999771/randy-edsall-sideline-catch-maryland-iowaPete Volk2014-10-18T15:05:21-04:002014-10-18T15:05:21-04:00Watch Will Likely's backbreaking pick six
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<p>Maryland's without C.J. Brown, which means their defense has to pick up the slack. Luckily, that's what Will Likely is for.</p>
<div style="position:relative;padding-top:74.06%;padding-bottom:37px;" class="snappytv-embed"><iframe style="position:absolute;top:0;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" height="100%" width="100%" src="http://www.snappytv.com/snap/likely_int_bai4b7"></iframe></div>
<p>Huge, huge play.</p>
https://www.testudotimes.com/maryland-terrapins-football/2014/10/18/6999631/will-likely-interception-touchdown-iowaPete Volk