Game Preview: Maryland at Indiana
10/25/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football, Terrapin Athletics
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COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The Maryland football program returns to the site of its first Big Ten Conference win in history as it faces Indiana Saturday, Oct. 29, at 3:30 pm. The game is set to be broadcast live from Memorial Stadium on ESPNU.
QUICK HITTERS
- Maryland is looking to lock up bowl eligibility against Indiana after defeating Michigan State, 28-17, in College Park last Saturday. The Terps scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter as Perry Hills completed a career-high 21 passes en route to victory.
- The Terrapins are making just their third trip to Bloomington, Ind., in history and second overall as Big Ten foes. Maryland's 37-15 win on Sept. 27, 2014 was its first game (and victory) against a Big Ten Conference opponent in its inaugural season.
- The Maryland defense has allowed just one opponent to pass for more than 200 yards this season (UCF), in addition to allowing just 146.3 passing yards/g in conference action. It has also held three straight conference opponents (Purdue, Penn State, Michigan State) under 12 pass completions - an accomplishment last achieved in 2004 (Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest).
- After a tremendous game against Michigan State, senior quarterback Perry Hills has vaulted into the Big Ten lead in both completion percentage (66.4) and passing efficiency (151.8). All four of Hills' scoring drives against Michigan State were longer than 75 yards, including two of 90+ yards.
- Running backs Ty Johnson and Lorenzo Harrison both eclipsed the 100-yard mark against Michigan State, with Harrison achieving the feat for the first time in his career. It was the first time a pair of running backs achieved the feat since Sept. 27, 1997, against Temple (LaMont Jordan - 137, Brian Underwood - 114). Harrison earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week for his efforts.
MARYLAND OFFENSE: BY THE NUMBERS
2 - The Terrapin rushing duo of freshman Lorenzo Harrison and sophomore Ty Johnson was sensational against Michigan State, as both players eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark. Johnson needed just nine carries (12.8 yards/c) to record 115 yards, while Harrison finished with 105 yards for the first 100-yard day of his career. It marked the first time two Maryland running backs broke the 100-yard mark since Sept. 27, 1997 against Temple (LaMont Jordan - 137, Brian Underwood - 114).
3 - The Maryland offense has received tremendous support from true freshmen on offense this season, with quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome, running back Lorenzo Harrison and offensive lineman Terrance Davis all earning starts. Harrison and Davis both attended nearby DeMatha Catholic High School and are cousins. Davis has made three starts this season, while Harrison and Pigrome have each made one start.
5 - True freshman running back Lorenzo Harrison scored a rushing touchdown against Michigan State for his fifth score of the season. It marks the most rushing touchdowns for a Maryland freshman running back since D.J. Adams posted 11 touchdowns scores in 2010.
6 - Sophomore Ty Johnson has had a penchant to break loose for huge plays in 2016, totaling six plays of at least 40 yards or more. Five of those plays have been rushes, with the lone reception play coming on a touchdown against Penn State. Johnson most recently had a 44-yard rush and a 40-yard rush against Michigan State.
8.1 - While Maryland has been prone to spread the ball across its bevy of running backs, its top-two ball carriers, Lorenzo Harrison and Ty Johnson, have made the most of their carries by averaging 8.1 yards collectively. The freshman Harrison is averaging 7.7 yards/carry, while Johnson is averaging a remarkable 10.3 yards per carry. Johnson, needed just nine carries to reach 115 yards against Michigan State.
15 - Sophomore D.J. Moore currently leads all Maryland receivers with a reception in 15 consecutive games dating back to Oct. 3, 2015. It is the longest streak for a Terrapin receiver since Torrey Smith pieced together a 30-game streak from Nov. 6, 2008 to the final game of his career on Dec. 29, 2010. Moore leads all offensive players with 17 consecutive starts, and leads the team in receptions (23), receiving yards (319), yards-per-catch (13.9) and receiving touchdowns (4).
19 - After recording just three catches through the first five games of the season, senior Levern Jacobs has been tremendous in his last two outings with a combined 19 catches for 149 yards and a touchdown. Jacobs' 19 catches over a two-game span are the most for a Maryland player since Torrey Smith recorded a combined 21 catches in 2010 against Florida State (7) and NC State (14).
75 - Senior quarterback Perry Hills' impressive night against Michigan State can be underlined by Maryland's four scoring drives, which were all at least 75 yards in length. The Terps' first two touchdown drives were 96 yards and 90 yards in length, respectively, marking the first time since Nov. 20, 1999, against Virginia that Maryland had a pair of 90+ yard scoring drives in the same game.
111 - Senior Levern Jacobs' recent success has vaulted the veteran up Maryland's career receptions chart, moving from 16th overall to ninth in the past two games. With 111 career catches, Jacobs most recently passed Azizuddin Abdur-Ra'oof (1984-87) for the ninth spot. Jacobs also moved into 17th in career reception yards with 1,274, passing Vernon Joines (1985-88).
502 - Freshman running back Lorenzo Harrison has totaled 502 rushing yards through his first seven games, and is currently on pace to shatter LaMont Jordan's Maryland freshman record of 689 rushing yards set in 1997. For comparison's sake, Jordan had 389 rushing yards through his first seven games.
MARYLAND DEFENSE/ST: BY THE NUMBERS
1 - Head coach DJ Durkin has proclaimed numerous times that the best players will play special teams. That sentiment rang true against Penn State when star freshman running back Lorenzo Harrison broke through for his first career punt block. The Terrapins are one of just 10 teams nationally with two blocked punts this season.
2.7 - Despite totaling just two sacks over its last two games, Maryland ranks as one of the top sacking teams in the Big Ten Conference. The Terps' sack rate of 2.71-per-game ranks third in the conference and 34th nationally, bolstered in part by a six sack day against Purdue on Oct. 1.
5.5 - Junior defensive lineman Jesse Aniebonam has taken full advantage of his opportunities for the Terps, ranking third in the Big Ten with 5.5 sacks (0.79/g). Aniebonam, who is the cousin of former great New York Giants pass rusher Osi Umenyiora, was held without a sack for the first time this season against Minneosta.
15 - Junior linebacker Shane Cockerille tuned in the best game of his career against Michigan State, totaling a career-high 15 tackles. The big day propelled him up the Big Ten leaderboards to fourth in the conference with 9.1 tackles/game. Interestingly, Cockerille's lone snaps as a quarterback in 2015 came against Indiana, when he played the entire second half in relief of an injured Caleb Rowe.
18.5 - The Terrapins' defensive special teams unit has been excellent this season, ranking second in the Big Ten in kickoff return defense (18.5 yards/KO) and fourth in punt return defense (5.7 yards/PR). Freshman punter Wade Lees has dropped 13 of his 39 points inside the 20-yard line this season.
20 - Senior defensive tackle Azubuike Ukandu has made the most of his first two starts of the season, totaling a team-high 20 tackles over the last two games. Ukandu followed up a career-best 12-tackle effort against Minnesota with eight more tackles against Michigan State last Saturday. The senior defensive tackle now ranks fourth on the defense with 32 tackles on the season.
32 - Maryland's defense has held strong on third downs this season, ranking fourth in the Big Ten and 21st nationally holding opponents to a 32 percent success rate.
68 - Maryland's red zone defense continues to be a strong point, ranking third in the Big Ten Conference and fifth nationally. The Terrapins are holding opponents to points on just 68 percent (15-of-22) of their red zone chances. The trend continued against Michigan State, as the Terps allowed the Spartans in the red zone just three times and came away with one stop - this time on a key JC Jackson forced fumble.
200 - Maryland has allowed an opponent to pass for more than 200 yards just once in its seven games this season - a 260-yard game for UCF which went to double overtime. The Terrapins' pass defense has been especially impressive over the last three games, holding all three opponents under 12 pass completions.
-TERPS-
