Washington, Maryland struggle offensively as No. 2 Indiana rolls to victory

COLLEGE PARK — Maryland’s defense showed up stout in the initial stages against No. 2 Indiana on homecoming Saturday. But as the Hoosiers found their rhythm, Malik Washington and the Terrapins’ offense were unable to keep up.

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza threw for 201 yards on 14-of-21 passing and a touchdown while his counterpart played his worst game as a Terrapin, as the Hoosiers walked away with a comfortable, 55-10 win.

Washington struggled throughout, throwing two interceptions for the first time in his career while also getting stripped on a run in the third quarter that was returned for a touchdown, three of Maryland’s five turnovers. The freshman from Glen Burnie finished 16-of-31 with 242 yards passing and did not look comfortable when attempting passes downfield, nor when missing targets over the middle within 10 yards.

“It was just tough,” Washington said. “You know, sometimes that’s the way the cards go. We couldn’t really get into a rhythm offensively. We weren’t helping our defense out by having short drives. So that’s the part of the complimentary football that we got to fix is being able to sustain drives.”

After a 4-0 start, Maryland’s losing streak has reached four games, with the Terrapins falling to 0-11 after a bye week under coach Mike Locksley, including two losses this season. Maryland also falls to 0-17 against ranked Big Ten teams under Locksley. The seventh-year coach has come under increasing criticism by university supporters despite having the repeated public and private support of new athletic director Jim Smith.

“I have a relationship with these players. These players will play hard for me. I will coach them hard, and I will hang in there with them. I’ve done that work. It ain’t a year ago. That’s why, when I talk about not [being] the same old Maryland, it ain’t,” Locksley said. “These guys will work, and they have put the work in. I’ve got to coach better. Obviously, my staff’s got to coach better, and we’ve got to have better answers to help this group.”

Maryland’s defense showed up early and provided a glimpse of momentum. Defensive back Jamare Glasker intercepted Mendoza on the third play of the game — his third straight game with a pick — and returned it inside the Indiana 20. Washington and Co. were unable to move the ball, though, and settled for a field goal.

“Our defense continues, as I said, to get off to a fast start, and somehow, some way, we’ve got to get the offense going,” Locksley said. “And to me, the inefficiency on offense is just the inability to have balance. And to me, that’s my job.”

On Indiana’s next drive, Maryland’s defensive front forced a three-and-out on a sack and snuffed out a running play in the backfield. Even while starting in Indiana territory at the 45, Maryland only gained two yards and had to punt. As the Terrapins kicked the ball away, so too went their chances to remain in the game.

“We got to do a better job when we get those opportunities,” Locksley said. “I mean, I can’t say it enough when we have had opportunities to seize momentum, to maybe put doubt in people when we start the game.”

The Hoosiers (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) scored on every single possession the rest of the way — all eight — with Mendoza rushing untouched up the middle for a 7-yard touchdown and throwing a 22-yard strike to Omar Cooper Jr. in the first half.

Running backs Kaelon Black and former Terrapin Roman Hemby joined the party after halftime, punching it in from 22 and 16 yards out, respectively, in the third quarter. In between those scores, Washington was stripped by Indiana defensive back Devan Boykin, who picked up the fumble and ran 32 yards into the end zone for a touchdown.

“Moving forward, just being able to maybe process things a little faster, go through the reads a little faster, and understand not every situation has to be forced,” Washington said. There’s situations where you can take the check down and live to see another play.”

Maryland (4-4, 1-4) had more penalty yards (five) than rushing yards by running backs in the first half (three), as its league-worst rushing offense finished woefully below its 101-yard average with 37. Running back DeJuan Williams scored Maryland’s lone touchdown, but it came on a 55-yard catch-and-run. With four catches for 78 yards, he was the Terrapins’ best receiver on the day. Indiana, meanwhile, tallied 369 yards on the ground across six different runners, led by Black’s 110.

“We’ve seen people make our extra guy in the box miss, and we just haven’t been really finishing in the run game,” Locksley said. “I mean, if you watch it and, and you look at what we’re doing on the inside, it’s mostly when the ball is on the perimeter, people bring the extra guy to blitz and we have to have the ability to either make a guy miss or get it blocked up and use the quarterback a little bit more as a runner.”

The Terrapins were again without standout freshman defensive end Zahir Mathis, who missed Maryland’s previous game two weeks ago at UCLA with an undisclosed injury. Mathis was listed as questionable entering Saturday, but didn’t see the field after being fully dressed and a participant in warmups.

“This team will continue to fight. I’ll continue to coach the crap out of them,” Locksley said. “They continue to show up. I thought they put the necessary work and just weren’t good enough today. And that’s on me as the head coach to make sure we’re good enough on game day.”

Maryland will have a chance to break its skid at Rutgers, a team it has won five of the last seven against, next Saturday.

“Main thing, I think, is just keeping keeping the guys together, the locker room, things like that, which hasn’t really been a huge issue,” said defensive lineman Cam Rice. “A lot of the guys believe how good we can be and what we can do.”