Maryland Football Team Wraps Up Nonconference Slate Against Kent State

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COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Maryland manager Michael Locksley watched his squad play mostly cleanable shot done its archetypal 2 games.

Then the Terrapins made things hard for themselves successful past week’s triumph astatine Illinois.

“If there’s thing I’ve been the astir arrogant of—up until this past game—was we hadn’t turned it over, and we hadn’t had galore penalties,” Locksley said. “To me, to beryllium a bully offense, it starts with not beating yourself first.”

Maryland volition effort to recapture that mistake-free groove Saturday erstwhile the unbeaten Terps big Kent State successful their last nonconference crippled of the regular season. After this weekend, Maryland’s adjacent 2 games are against Iowa and Ohio State—two teams that tin punish the types of errors the Terrapins made past week.

Maryland (3-0) won its opener against West Virginia successful ample portion due to the fact that it forced 4 turnovers. The pursuing crippled against Howard was a blowout. Then the Terps fumbled doubly successful the 2nd fractional against Illinois. Maryland besides had a touchdown negated due to the fact that of a penalty.

The Terrapins prevailed 20-17 due to the fact that backmost Taulia Tagovailoa and his receivers were capable to execute nether pressure, but there’s plentifulness of country for betterment this weekend.

Kent State (1-2) has already faced immoderate hard tests. The Golden Flashes mislaid to Texas A&M and Iowa by a combined people of 71-17, though their shortage was successful azygous digits astatine halftime of each of those games.

Kent State manager Sean Lewis sounded akin to Locksley erstwhile helium talked astir the value of avoiding miscues.

“Fundamentals and shot security, arsenic boring arsenic that is. It’s similar a cocoa milkshake — it works,” Lewis said. “When done right, it’s done right. So instrumentality attraction of the football, and let’s person large method and fundamentals. No 1 needs to enactment their Superman cape on.”

NEAR THE TOP

Tagovailoa is averaging 319 yards passing per game, the second-best people successful the Big Ten. He’s completed 75.5% of his passes, with 7 touchdowns and nary interceptions.

Tagovailoa has 956 yards passing, the astir by a Maryland subordinate done the archetypal 3 games of the play since Scott Milanovich had 1,109 successful 1993.

AT THE TOP

Maryland’s Dontay Demus leads the league with 113 yards receiving per game. Teammate Rakim Jarrett is averaging 86 and ranks fifth.

PLENTY OF OPTIONS

While Maryland has a heavy receiving corps, Kent State leans connected its moving game, which averaged 283 yards past year. The Golden Flashes ran for 226 yards against Texas A&M.

Running backs Marquez Cooper and Xavier Williams and backmost Dustin Crum person each tally for implicit 100 yards connected the season. Kent State is averaging 266 yards rushing a crippled successful 2021 and 5.4 yards per carry.

IN THE BACKFIELD

Maryland’s Sam Okuayinonu has 4 sacks done the archetypal 3 games. As a team, the Terrapins person 11, including six against Illinois.

The Terps person been mostly beardown defensively implicit the past 2 games, though Illinois did spell 8 of 17 connected 3rd down.

“We didn’t get disconnected the tract connected 3rd down, which I deliberation resulted successful them getting 27 other plays,” Locksley said.

STRONG START

A triumph this play would springiness Maryland its archetypal 4-0 commencement since 2016.

“It’s handling adversity. I consciousness similar this squad has been capable to truthful far,” receiver Jeshaun Jones said. “We person to support building, to enactment connected that, due to the fact that we are going to beryllium successful much adverse situations.”

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