Written by: Nate Comp (@NathanComp1)

Head Coach: Mike Locksley

Overall: 1st Season, 3-3 (.500)

Bowl Appearances at Maryland: 0

2018 Record: 5-7 (3-6, Big Ten East)

Bowl Appearances Since 2000: 10 (5-5)

Mascot: Testudo

Colors: Red, White, Black, and Gold

Outfitter: Under Armour

National Titles: 2

Conference Titles: 11 (Southern Conference and ACC)

Heisman Winners: 0

2019 Record: 3-3

Last Week: LOSS 40-14 @ Purdue

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing Josh Jackson (70-137, 51.1 Comp %, 968 Passing Yards, 10 TD, 4 INTs)

Rushing Javon Leake (36 attempts, 349 yards, 9.5 avg, 5 TDs)

Receiving Dontay Demus Jr (23 receptions, 384 yards, 3 TDs)

Tackles Ayinde Eley (46 TKLs, 4.0 TFL, 1 INT, 1 FR)

Random Stat of the Day: Maryland is 0-3 when Head Coach Mike Locksley wears black. They are 3-0 when he wears white.

Maryland’s Talking Points

1. Anthony McFarland is a mystery in 2019.

Many Indiana fans will remember running back Anthony McFarland from his 2018 performance at Memorial Stadium. Though it was in a losing effort, McFarland rushed for 210 yards last season against the Hoosiers. He followed that up with a 298-yard outburst against Ohio State.

Flash forward to 2019, and you would expect McFarland to only be more dangerous. And at the start of the season, you’d have been correct. He rushed for 132 yards on 26 carries against Temple at the beginning of the season. But since then, 19 of McFarland’s 20 carries have gone for just 35 yards. The 20thcarry was an outlier 80-yard touchdown against Rutgers. He has been hampered with a nagging ankle injury, but Coach Locksley after the Rutgers game said that “his ankle looks good to me.”

2. Can Maryland’s secondary stop Michael Penix?

Maryland’s secondary was already depleted when they headed to Ross Ade Stadium to face Purdue. Senior cornerback Marcus Lewis was out, and then during the second quarter they lost fellow senior cornerback Tino Ellis. The result? More of the same with blown coverages.

After Maryland’s defense allowed Penn State’s Sean Clifford to pick it apart in its 59-0 drubbing on national television, they knew they were going to need to improve. Clifford had gone 26-31 for nearly 400 yards and three touchdowns, but with Elijah Sindelar hurt surely this wouldn’t happen again, right? Wrong. Backup Purdue quarterback Jack Plummer looked reminiscent of Drew Brees this weekend as he threw for an absurd 33 of 41 with 420 yards and three touchdowns.

If Maryland’s secondary performs similarly against Penix, who has proven he can go on long streaks of completions and sustained drives, it could be a long day for the Terrapin defense.

3. To leave College Park with a victory, Indiana will have to limit the big play.

All year long, Maryland coach Mike Locksley has wanted an offense that can put together long drives and have the firepower of an explosive offense. Instead, they have been plagued far too often with what he deems a “big-little” offense. An offense that on one drive will explode for an 80-yard touchdown, but on the next couple go three-and-out.

Far too often recently, it’s been just a “little-little” offense. Saturday against Purdue, the Terrapins put together just two drives that were ten plays or longer. Neither resulted in any points; both resulted in turnover on downs inside the Purdue 25-yard line. If the Indiana defense can limit the big play and force Maryland to sustain long drives, they should be in a great position to leave Capital One Field victorious.

The Huddle

Know Your Opponent: Maryland Terrapins

Hoosier Huddle