As the Huskies’ opening kick-off soared through the endzone, eyes throughout SECU Stadium turned toward the Maryland sideline. The biggest mystery of the offseason of who would replace Taulia Tagovailoa was about to be revealed.
Billy Edwards Jr. got the start and led the Terps 75-yards down the field in eight plays, capping off his starting drive with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Tai Felton. Edwards Jr. finished the game with 311 passing yards on 20 completions leading Maryland to a 50-7 win over UConn, in its season opener.
“One of the things we strive for is that the mind of a coach and the skill of a player,” said head coach Michael Locksley. “If you just look at the comfort level that he showed, operating in the system with all the stuff going on around him and the way he was able to distribute the ball, you know, that’s the reason.”
The redshirt junior played on all but one of Maryland’s seven offensive drives in the first half. Of those six drives, Maryland scored on five of them, three of those scores coming on field goals from Jack Howes.
Edwards Jr. played the majority of drives throughout the game with NC State transfer MJ Morris mixing in. Cameron Edge also saw time at quarterback in the fourth quarter.
The Terps’ only other touchdown of the opening half came on Nolan Ray’s first carry of the season. Ray broke through the middle of the field and sprinted to the left of the endzone to score on a 48-yard rush, marking the Terps’ biggest play of the half.
Maryland’s defense dominated as well, holding the Huskies scoreless while allowing just over 100 total yards.
Glendon Miller earned the first turnover of the season for the Terps’ explosive defense — intercepting UConn quarterback, Nick Evers, with 36 seconds to go in the half. The turnover resulted in Howes’ third field goal and a 23-point lead for Maryland at the break.
The Terps continued their strong play in the second half, stopping the Husky offense in their first possession of the third quarter — before then proceeding to score right back. Maryland’s defense ended the game with two interceptions (the second being Ruben Hyppolite II’s first career interception), allowing Connecticut only one score.
Maryland’s offense finished the game with 629 total yards, 381 coming from the air. Roman Hemby led Maryland rushers with 66 yards on the ground, with Felton pacing the receivers hauling in seven catches for 178 yards.
Felton’s receiving total was his new career high, which was set on his seventh and final catch of the game — a 75 yard catch and run that saw the receiver shed two tacklers before scampering down the sideline. It’s Felton’s third career game with 100 or more receiving yards.
“We have so many playmakers, it’s hard for anybody just to stop one guy or stop everybody,” said Felton. “So our goal is to just always make plays. So when it’s my turn to get the ball, I’m trying to make a play, when it’s [Kaden Prather’s] to get the ball [he’s] trying to make a play, but our goal is to make a play no matter who’s getting the ball.”
Maryland’s offense was able to be so effective thanks, in part, to the job the Terps’ offensive line did. The Terrapin offensive line did not allow a sack through the first three quarters and were only penalized twice.
“I thought for the most part, the five did a good job with the communication piece,” said Locksley.
The Terps will try and carry this momentum into their next game against Michigan State on September 7. It will be the first Big Ten conference game of the season for both teams.
