Washington struggles in second start, but Terrapins hang on for win over Northern Illinois

COLLEGE PARK — Northern Illinois and its run-heavy, possession-based offense grounded Maryland nearly to a halt Friday night. But a late fourth-down touchdown helped the Terrapins hold on to a 20-9 win.

“We don’t get style points for how we win. The goal is to find a way to score one more point than our opponent,” Maryland coach Mike Locksley said. “I thought we needed a game like this, where we were gonna be tested and play for four quarters. I never felt at any point that our team panicked.”

Maryland quarterback Malik Washington looked more his age in his second career start. The freshman completed 19-of-35 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns. Still, he visibly struggled, missing some receivers with overthrown balls and committing his first major mistake, a fumble inside the 10-yard line late in the third quarter.

“I mean, he had a tough game today,” Locksley said. “You know, we’ve got to help him. The drops showed up again, like they did a week ago. And to me, as we start looking in each week, starting to plug holes and fix problems, the drops have been consistent the last two games. So we’ll do things we need to do here to ensure that the guys are making the plays we need to make.”

NIU QB Josh Holst threw for 91 yards on 14-of-22 passing as the Huskies’ ground game tallied 163 total yards rushing, 74 of them coming on a Telly Johnson Jr. touchdown run in the third quarter. 

Linebacker Daniel Wingate recorded a career-high 14 tackles for a Maryland defense that’s allowed only 16 points in two games, the fewest since 2001.

“He’s been one of those young leaders that, he’s been this way since he got here on campus and has played behind some really talented players,” Locksley said. “But I like the way that Danny has really stepped up and [been] playing physical.”

Not much got moving on either side in a quick first quarter. Dorian Fleming broke loose on Maryland’s second drive, catching three-straight passes from Washington, including a 48-yard drag route scamper down the near sideline, shedding multiple tacklers in his wake to get Maryland in the red zone for the first time. 

The drive stalled, however, and Sean O’Haire made a 36-yard field goal to put the Terrapins up 3-0 after one.

On its first drive of the second quarter, NIU fell victim to a fit of desperation. At its own 45-yard line on fourth and 10, linebacker Quinton Urwiler tried a direct snap fake, but was snuffed out by the Maryland coverage unit after gaining just two yards.

Six plays later, Fleming was rewarded with a score, as Washington rolled right and found him from 12 yards out for the game’s first touchdown. The short drive was set up by strong interior running from back Nolan Ray to get the Terrapins in position, and eventually, the 10-0 lead.

NIU, which had been successful on late downs the entire first half, converted four times on third and fourth downs on its final drive before halftime, but it stalled inside the Maryland 10. Andrew Glass hit a 20-yard FG for NIU’s first points as the Terrapins took a 10-3 lead into the break. 

Though a penalty on the opening kickoff was potentially ominous for a Maryland team that committed 14 of them last week, it proved to be the only flag of the half for the Terrapins and one of only three for the game.

The Huskies controlled the ball for an overwhelming 21:55 in the first half, which took just 75 minutes of elapsed time to play. NIU was also an impressive 8-of-16 on third and fourth downs combined in the first two quarters. 

“I think we had 19 plays on offense in the first half, and it’s a byproduct of, again, not getting off the field on those third downs,” Locksley said. “Third and 16, where they pop a run in there and get a first down. You know, those are the type of plays we’ve got to kind of get corrected here sooner rather than later. Much like last week, where we improved as the game went on, I thought we improved on third down in the second half.”

Maryland moved the ball efficiently on its first drive of the second half, but the 12-play effort stalled in the redzone, and was capped by O’Haire’s second FG for a 13-3 lead.

Things got interesting just four plays later when NIU’s Johnson made one cut and took it to the house, a 74-yard touchdown run that cut the Maryland lead to 13-9 after a failed 2-point conversion.

Maryland got going on the next drive late in the third, aided by two NIU penalties for a hit out of bounds on Washington and a pass interference on receiver Octavian Smith. But as Washington was pursued and rolled left on first and goal at the 7, the freshman fumbled the ball, placing it at the NIU 12 while he tumbled to the ground after being tripped up.

“The young crew that we have, we’re pretty mature as a group,” Washington said, “so when we get to those situations, it’s collectively as a team. We’re all coming together saying, you know, it’s fine. I’m going to keep going, next drive, next play, next possession, and just focus on that.”

In the fourth, Maryland finally got some separation. On fourth-and-five just beyond midfield, Washington improbably found Shaleak Knotts for a 42-yard touchdown, as Knotts almost looked surprised that he ended up with the ball, or at least that it wasn’t broken up. Knotts’ third career TD gave Maryland a 20-9 lead with 9:20 to go and proved to be the final margin.

“Simple high-low smash concept. Corner bit on the out. Had a one-on-one opportunity up top, and I trust [No.] 4,” Washington said of Knotts’ catch. “I like him as a player. I love him even better as a person. And I just trusted him on that play.”

The time of possession battled flipped in the second half, as five of NIU’s six drives in the half lasted less than 2 minutes. The Huskies also dipped on late-down conversions, only going 2-of-9 on third and fourth in the second. 

“In these tough games, these gritty games, you just kind of got to stay with it,” Washington said. “No matter how many possessions you get, you gotta make the best of them.”

Maryland (2-0) closes out its season-opening homestand with Locksley’s alma mater, Towson, next Saturday.