If Maryland is to beat Nebraska on Saturday — or any Big Ten team the rest of the season, for that matter — it will require some semblance of a ground game. Whatever the Terrapins are currently presenting out of their backfield would be hard to even reach that definition.
“We’ve got to do a better job ourselves of running the football,” Terrapins coach Mike Locksley said.
Maryland’s rushing attack was already last in the Big Ten, averaging only 102.8 yards per game, entering last week’s game against Washington. After a 55-yard effort in the loss to the Huskies, that rate fell to 93.2, worst in the Power Four conferences. The Terrapins haven’t had a rush of more than 17 yards all season, with one of those two efforts by quarterback Malik Washington.
“I think it’s something that I have to work on, especially,” said Washington, who has three rushing touchdowns this season but only 25 sack-adjusted rushing yards. “It can add another element to the offense. It’s something that I’ve noticed a little bit, and I think I’m going to try to improve it this week, just being able to create another element for teams to have to defend.”
There’s a difference, though, between struggling to gain yards on the ground and even trying to. With a 20-3 lead heading into the fourth quarter, Maryland (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) ran the ball only once in the final 15 minutes, with its three drives producing only 16 plays and 48 total yards.
“We needed one more stop and one more drive, or one more score and one more stop,” Locksley said. “So my philosophy is to move the chains in four-minute situations.”
Instead, Maryland offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton relied on a heavy dose of screen passes, frequently out of an empty backfield, to try to simulate the run. Five of those 16 plays in the final quarter were completions of 3 yards or less, with two completions gaining no yards. The lone carry, by starting running back DeJuan Williams on a second and 10 from his own 38 netted only 2 yards.
“My job is to try to move the chains, get first downs,” Locksley said. “We do everything we can to do that, whether it’s running or throwing. “Balance is having the ability to do both, and we didn’t do either very well during those points of the game.”
Hamilton shouldn’t lack confidence in Maryland’s offensive line, a transfer-laden unit that has kept Washington clean all season, allowing only one sack of the freshman. Yet in leading the Locksley-designed offense, Maryland backs had only 17 carries the entire game, and just three after halftime.
“With the approach this week, we’re going to use every lesson we could gain from the last game, and just try and become a better team,” starting left guard Isaiah Wright said. “I think as the season goes on, and working with your coaches and your teammates, all those things you want out of yourself and as a group ends up happening.”
A faint glimmer of hope to reverse the rushing struggles may come Saturday against Nebraska (3:30 p.m., Big Ten Network). The Huskers (4-1, 1-1) are the conference’s best in passing defense, allowing only 91 yards through the air each game, but are next to last in rushing defense, giving up an average of 155 yards.
“[We’re working] on our run game install,” Washington said, “and making sure our blocks are correct and we’re getting to the right landmarks.”
• George Gerbo can be reached at ggerbo@washingtontimes.com.
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