Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/847744
2 0 1 7 S E A S O N P R E V I E W 2016 RECORD 6-7, 3-6 Big Ten COACH D.J. Durkin (6-7 in one season; career record: 7-7) SERIES RECORD Penn State leads the all-time series, 37-2-1. MOST RECENT MEETING The Nittany Lions totaled 524 yards, breaking the Terrapins' =ve-game winning streak with a 38-14 victory at Beaver Stadium on Oct. 8, 2016. EXPECTED STRENGTHS The Terps re- turn a couple of playmakers in running back Ty Johnson and wide receiver D.J. Moore. Johnson posted a gaudy rushing average of 9.1 yards per carry, =nishing with 1,004 yards and six touchdowns; Moore caught 47 passes for 637 yards and six scores. Moore's productivity will depend on whether Maryland has a de- pendable quarterback to deliver the ball, but if it does, the junior wideout should be in line for a great season. On defense, starting linebackers Chandler Burkett, Jermaine Carter Jr. and Shane Cockerille are all back. POTENTIAL CONCERNS The quarter- back situation tops this list. The Terps have a pair of returnees at the position and another potential contender in North Carolina transfer Caleb Henderson. But no one emerged from spring practice as the clear favorite, and Maryland could end up going with true freshman Kasim Hill, a four-star pro-style QB out of St. John's College High in Washington, D.C. The defensive line and secondary are also rebuilding, and the o>ensive line has to make strides a?er giving up 49 sacks last year, the second-highest total in the Football Bowl Subdivision. SCHEDULE Maryland opens with a nonconference game at Texas and =n- ishes with consecutive games at Michi- gan, Michigan State and Penn State. The Terps' o>-week is poorly timed, coming in mid-September in between noncon- ference games against Towson and UCF. On a more positive note, four of their last =ve are either at home (Indiana, Michigan, Penn State) or at a neutral site (Rutgers at Yankee Stadium). GAME OF THE YEAR This year's season =nale will mark Penn State's =rst visit to College Park since 1993. The Nittany Lions won that one by 63 points, so even if they're as good as a lot of people expect them to be in 2017, their return to Mary- land Stadium should be quite a bit more competitive than their previous trip. OUTLOOK Maryland still has a ways to go, despite nearly =nishing with a win- ning record in Durkin's =rst season as coach. Of its six Big Ten losses last year, only one was by less than three touch- downs. The good news for the Terps is that their recruiting has really picked up, thanks in large part to the DeMatha Catholic pipeline that Durkin and his sta> are building. Their most recent class ranked 17th nationally according to Ri- vals.com, and that success is eventually going to show up on the =eld. Indeed, if they're going to be a competitive force in the Big Ten's brutal East Division, the Terps don't really have a choice. –M.H. MARYLAND TERRAPINS TOP RETURNEES PASSING Max Bortenschlager 16 of 33 | 209 yds. | 1 TD | 0 int. RUSHING Ty Johnson 110 att. | 1,004 yds. | 6 TD RECEIVING D.J. Moore 41 rec. | 637 yds. | 6 TD TACKLING Shane Cockerille 52 solo | 56 asst. | 108 total INTERCEPTIONS Darnell Savage, Jermaine Carter, J.C. Jackson 1 int. W E E K 1 2 | N O V E M B E R 2 5 | C A P I T A L O N E F I E L D A T M A R Y L A N D S T A D I U M BWI When you don't have a guy like John Reid, does it make you re-evaluate some of what you do in the secondary? Or do you feel comfortable that you won't miss a step with what you have? FRANKLIN Obviously, not having John is significant because he's just been such a consistent player for us. So much leader- ship, a tremendous example of prepara- tion and work ethic for us and very skilled. But yeah, we looked at those other two guys as starters anyway for us, and they played a lot of football. And then we've got some young guys who are ready to take the next step. So it's not ideal, but I feel good about the guys we have. BWI And finally, the return game – kick- offs and punts. Is that an area that you feel you might be able to get more out of? FRANKLIN Very much so. We're going to get more out of that this year. BWI Has that been a point of frustra- tion? FRANKLIN Not frustration, but for us to be who we want to be, we've got to be dangerous in all three phases. We made dramatic improvements [last season]. It probably doesn't get talked about enough how much we improved on spe- cial teams, probably more so than on of- fense, in my opinion. But we haven't been dangerous. We have a chance to be dangerous in all three phases this year and scare people. BWI It seemed like the elements were in place last year, but it didn't quite come together. FRANKLIN We're close. I still don't know if we've had people returning the ball… who scare people in this league. You want a guy who an opposing coach is afraid to punt the ball to, or is afraid to kick the ball to. It changes everything. We've had some guys who I think have the ability to do that but just haven't been ready yet, and I think we're closer to that now than we've ever been. BWI Names? FRANKLIN No. Good try, though. ■ FRANKLIN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10