Blue White Illustrated

August 2022

Penn State Sports Magazine

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A U G U S T 2 0 2 2 9 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Maryland is going to get its points this year. That much seems certain. With quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa back for his third starting season and a strong skill position arsenal having come together in College Park thanks to coach Mike Lock- sley's recruiting efforts and some judi- cious use of the transfer portal, the Ter- rapins are poised to build on a 2021 season in which they finished fourth in the Big Ten in scoring at 29.3 points per game. The big question facing the Terps as they enter Locksley's fourth full season in charge is whether a proficient offense will be enough to get them where they want to go. Tagovailoa appears ready to excel af- ter ranking third in the Big Ten with an average of 298 passing yards per game in 2021, and his receiving corps looks to be loaded. Florida transfer Jacob Copeland made a splashy debut this spring, catching 5 passes for 70 yards in the Red-White Game. Copeland, a junior who started 22 games the past two years with the Gators, will join three talented returnees: junior Rakim Jarrett and fifth-year seniors Don- tay Demus and Jeshaun Jones. Jarrett led the Terps with 62 catches for 829 yards last year, while Demus played in only six games due to an injury but compiled a gaudy 18.1-yard average on his 28 catches. Jones could be a star if he can stay healthy. He sat out the 2019 season after tearing an ACL in preseason practice and missed the second half of last season with an injury. The backfield is a four-man battle, with last year's second-leading rusher, sophomore Colby McDonald leading the way after gaining 325 yards on 60 carries in 2021. But what this team really needs is an infusion of defensive talent. A year ago, Maryland surrendered 30.7 points per game to rank 13th in the Big Ten and 98th nationally. Those rankings need to im- prove, and much is riding on junior Ru- ben Hyppolite's transition from middle linebacker to the weakside spot. Hyppo- lite was Maryland's third-leading tackler last season with 62 stops. If the defense isn't better, the Terps will most likely go as far as Tagovailoa can carry them. He had some spectacu- lar moments last year, passing for 350 yards or more in five games, including a 419-yard effort in a 38-35 victory over Indiana. But he also has had some afternoons in which seemingly nothing has gone right. He had one of those afternoons in a 51-14 loss to Iowa last season, a game in which he tossed 5 interceptions. That one performance accounted for nearly half of Tagovailoa's season total of 11 picks, but it wasn't enough to shake Locksley's faith in the veteran quarter- back, nor have the Terps' occasional stumbles undermined the university's confidence in Locksley's stewardship of the program. In April, he received a new five-year contract that extends through the 2026 season. — Matt Herb N O V. 1 2 | T I M E T B A | T V T B A | B E A V E R S T A D I U M | U N I V E R S I T Y P A R K , P A . Taulia Tagovailoa threw for 371 yards against Penn State last season but had just 1 touchdown pass in the Lions' 31-14 victory in College Park. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL 2022 SCHEDULE Date Opponent 2021 Result Sept. 3 Buffalo — Sept. 10 at Charlotte — Sept. 17 SMU — Sept. 24 at Michigan L, 59-18 Oct. 1 Michigan State L, 40-21 Oct. 8 Purdue — Oct. 15 at Indiana W, 38-35 Oct. 22 Northwestern — Nov. 5 at Wisconsin — Nov. 12 at Penn State L, 31-14 Nov. 19 Ohio State L, 66-17 Nov. 26 Rutgers W, 40-16 WHAT COULD GO RIGHT If quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa can get hot and stay hot, the Terps have the poten- tial to sweep their nonconference games, handle some of the lesser opponents on their Big Ten slate and maybe even pick off one of the East Division's upper-echelon teams (Michigan State and Penn State, that means you). WHAT COULD GO WRONG The defense was a mess last year, and that could continue to be the case now that safety Nick Cross is off to the NFL and promising sophomore defensive end De- meioun "Chop" Robinson has transferred to Penn State. QUICK FACTS All-Time Series: Penn State leads 41-3 Last Meeting: Penn State defeated the host Terrapins 31-14 on Nov. 6, 2021 Head Coach: Mike Locksley (13-23 in three full seasons and one partial season at Maryland; career coaching record: 15-49) 2021 Record: 7-6, 3-6 Big Ten Returning Starters: 14 (6 offense, 6 de- fense, 2 specialists) RETURNING LEADERS Rushing: RB Colby McDonald (325 yards, 2 TDs) Passing: QB Taulia Tagovailoa (3,860 yards, 26 TDs) Receiving: WR Rakim Jarrett (829 yards, 5 TDs) Tackles: LB Ruben Hyppolite (62) Sacks: DT Mosiah Nasili-Kite (4.0) Interceptions: CB Jakorian Bennett (3) WEEK 10 MARYLAND

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