By Ethan Cadeaux (@Ethan_301)
Maryland head coach Randy Edsall is trying to forget about the blowout his team endured this past week just as much as the entire Terrapin fan base. Edsall and his team cannot afford to dwell on the rout rival West Virginia poured on the Terps this past Saturday, as a very impressive Michigan team riding a three game winning streak comes to Byrd Stadium Saturday night.
“This isn’t the way we want to play, or expect to play,” said Edsall, referring to the devastating 45-6 loss to West Virginia. “Everybody at some point in their career [has] all been down this road before. We are 2-2, have eight games left in the season, and we have to take it one day at a time.”
Edsall kept emphasizing and reiterating back to the fact that the only way the Terps are going to get through this tough spell is by “reminding each other to keep practicing, fighting hard, and we will fight our way through it.”
The Terps have several questions on both sides of the ball entering their first Big Ten game against a Michigan team that is very experienced. On the defensive side, the Terps are facing quarterback Jake Rudock who threw for 317 yards versus Maryland last season when he was at Iowa. In the Terps two losses this season, they have allowed over 600 total yards in each.
The Terps offense will be challenged by a Michigan defense that is experienced, and definitely looking forward to playing a turnover-prone Maryland team. They are second in total defense and fourth in scoring defense, and facing Terps Quarterback Caleb Rowe who leads the FBS in turnovers.
The Terps have already had three quarterbacks play in just four games, so many wondered whether Edsall would go to senior transfer Daxx Garman to start the Terps first conference game after Rowe threw for just 67 yards and 4 interceptions against West Virginia. But for now, Edsall is going to stick with Rowe.
“We just want Caleb to go out there and execute, take what’s given to you,” Edsall expressed. “Don’t press, don’t try to make something out of nothing and don’t try to improvise to the point where it causes us a turnover. Just do your job, and do it well. That is all we need to do. When we have all of our guys doing that in all three phases, we are pretty good.”
Although Rowe is set to start the game, Edsall is not afraid to go to Garman if Rowe struggles again.
“We have talked to all the quarterbacks and told them what our expectations are, what we need to have happen to win,” said Edsall. “The [quarterback play] and the situation of the game will dictate whether [we make a change]. Caleb is the starter, and we want Caleb to play well.”
Despite all the questions for the Terps going into Saturday, the team is looking forward to the challenge. The Terps went to the Big House and beat a very similar Michigan team last year, and are amped up for this years challenge.
“We have to put all of our attention and focus towards Michigan,” said Edsall. “A loss is never good, it eats at you, but the good thing about it is that in this arena we are in we get a chance to put it behind us and move forward and got another one this week.”
“The biggest thing is that it is done and over,” said senior placekicker Brad Craddock on the West Virginia game. “This week, we are really focusing on Michigan and what they are going to bring to the table, and really excited for this game…No one really likes losing, you can see it in our guys.”
In order for the Terps to be fully focused on this Michigan team, that is the attitude they must take in order to have a chance to win. They’ll get a chance to bounce back under the lights on Saturday.
“We are playing Michigan, and it is going to be a loud, passionate environment,” said senior linebacker Jefferson Ashiru. “I’m excited!”
