It’s a rite of spring football. Teams spend a month trying to break new players in to replace ones who have departed.
But on special teams this season, it’s just ridiculous. The Terrapins are in the middle of turning over several key positions (kicker, punter and kick returner), while also trying to upgrade in other aspects.
That has created a much different atmosphere for special teams coordinator Ray Rychleski, who has earned a national reputation for outstanding results at his position. The on-the-fly transition has forced the Terps to be focused distinctly on the present, even with the season four and a half months away.
“It’s tough right now. We have a kicker that’s never kicked in a game – field goal or extra point – and a punter who’s never punted in a game,” Rychleski said. “We gotta get better this spring. We’re not thinking about Villanova or anybody next fall yet … We gotta keep the tradition going and be accountable for what we do, and let’s go.”
The difficulty of the overhaul hasn’t escaped players’ minds either. Freshman linebacker Chris Clinton, who’s on the punt protection team, said, “everyone’s being switched around trying to fill all the spaces.”
“It’s a little different, because you got a lot of new guys, and you gotta trust and communicate with them,” Clinton said. “Before, when you have guys you’re used to playing with, you have that chemistry. It’s just developing that chemistry. Right now we don’t have that chemistry.”
But even with a whole new cast, the Terps are still expected to put on a four-star performance. For six years, the Terps have gotten dependable kicking, stellar punting and ample contributions from the kick return game. They also haven’t had a punt blocked in the six years Rychleski has been on staff.
In that way, Rychleski’s reputation is another hurdle for him and his players.
“We’re just so used to high expectations around here; it’s just not there right now,” Rychleski said. “But they’re trying very hard, and it’s very important to them, and I’m probably too tough on ’em right now.
“But they don’t care on Saturday who the guy is doing it, whether he’s a freshman or whether he’s a senior. They just wanna see it get done.”
Obi Egekeze, who will be a junior this fall, will try to get it done at kicker after the graduation of Dan Ennis, who hit 37 of his 50 field goal attempts during his career.
And though he hasn’t attempted a kick in a game during his college career, Egekeze is a scholarship player who feels experienced.
“It’s the same thing as practice,” Egekeze said. “They put us in game situations in practice, so I feel like I’ve kicked in a million games already in practice.”
Rychleski has continually emphasized the importance of special teams and how the kicking game can win and lose games. Because of that, he called it an “open competition,” even though Egekeze is Ennis’ natural successor.
Enter incoming freshman punter Travis Baltz. Baltz graduated from high school early to be with the Terps this spring, serving that punter role in place of Adam Podlesh while also getting his kicks in on field goals and extra points.
Coach Ralph Friedgen noted that Baltz is further ahead in his progress at punter than Podlesh was, but being a part of the kicking game is additional work for someone who Rychleski said “should be going to his prom in about three weeks.”
But Baltz said he doesn’t think about whether he’s competing for two jobs at once, as he is technically listed No. 2 on the depth chart at punter, too, behind Chris Roberts, who will be a senior this fall.
“I’m not really worried about that right now. That’s not the time for it,” Baltz said. “That’s up to [coaches] to decide. I’m just out here to get better at everything I do.”
A strong-legged player, Baltz, along with Egekeze, has made progress but has also struggled getting the ball through the uprights. The two drilled seven of eight attempts to start practice Tuesday while winds swirled around the practice fields. It was the best day for the kickers this spring, and it also was a departure from the inconsistency that has been present for the past few weeks.
At the Terps’ second scrimmage last week, Egekeze hit only one of his four attempts, and Baltz hit one of his two.
“We gotta have a better percentage. We just missed ’em, but we missed ’em,” Rychleski said flatly. “We just gotta get some confidence about ourselves right now.”
A solid day such as Tuesday could do that, but weeks when the kickers have struggled have created a sense of worry. Walking off the field two weeks ago, Rychleski expressed legitimate concern, and days later Friedgen said Baltz needed to “earn his scholarship.” This week, Rychleski voiced some optimism.
“I don’t wanna push the panic button. I was ready to push it a few weeks ago, but we have improved,” Rychleski said.
Even apart from the kicking game, the Terps have plenty of holes to fill, including kick returner, where former returner Josh Wilson headed to the NFL. Freshman Da’Rel Scott was the front-runner to fill that role but hurt his knee. Friedgen said Scott will miss the rest of spring. The next guys down on the depth chart are Emen Ifon and Terrell Skinner. Punt returner Danny Oquendo and others are also trying to improve the Terps’ output at that position after it was nondescript last season.
Expectations are high at almost every spot, from long-snapper (the Terps return both guys) to kickoff return. At almost every spot – from long-snapper, where the Terps return both guys, to kickoff return – expectations are high.
Rychleski said tomorrow’s scrimmage and next week’s Red-White spring game are crucial because those are chances for everyone to give an indication of how they will play in the fall. But along with the concern of restocking the entire unit, Rychleski and the Terps have had to manage expectations and adjust to a much different situation.
“The spring game’s an important game for us, for all those guys, because we treat it like a game. How are you gonna perform when there’s people in the stands? We got a lot of questions, and we don’t have very many answers right now,” Rychleski said. “I’m earning my money this year.”
Contact reporter Stephen Whyno at whynodbk@gmail.com.
