Just more than a minute into the annual Red-White spring football game Saturday afternoon, Jamarr Robinson floated a perfect pass to Torrey Smith in the back of the end zone for a touchdown.

After struggling to a 2-10 finish last season, it’s a hopeful sign for the Terrapin football team of things yet to come.

“We’re just trying to put last season to the background,” said Smith, whose Red team fell to the White team 21-13. “We’re looking ahead to this season and focusing on Navy right now.”

If the Terps are going to turn things around, though, they will need a lot of improvement on both sides of the ball. The team’s offense and defense finished near the bottom of the Football Bowl Subdivision last season.

But if the Red-White game is any indication, both units should be improved going into next season.

The Terps’ much-maligned rushing attack also showed improvement, racking up a combined 219 yards on the ground.

“I’m very pleased with the way [Davin] Meggett and [Da’Rel] Scott played today,” coach Ralph Friedgen said. “I think they are both much improved. I also think D.J. Adams is going to be a very good goal-line runner for us this season.”

Adams led the way for the Terps’ rushing attack Saturday, finishing with two touchdowns and 70 yards on 14 carries.  

“My O-line blocked very well for me today,” Adams said. “They opened up a lot of holes for me, and we just got it going from there.”

Robinson finished with a game-high 143 passing yards — 90 of them to Smith — including the game’s opening touchdown. Robinson’s backup, redshirt sophomore Danny O’Brien, finished the game with 93 passing yards, including a 19-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kevin Dorsey. Both quarterbacks also threw two interceptions.

“I thought the quarterbacks did a good job today,” Friedgen said. “Other than the four interceptions, I thought they did some good things out there.”

The Terps’ first-string defense also played well for the Red team, holding the first-string, White team offense to just 52 yards on the ground. Cornerback Cameron Chism led the team with seven tackles, and safety Kenny Tate had two interceptions.

Friedgen knows the team is a long way away from where it needs to be in the fall, but so far he’s liked what he’s seen.

“I think we’ve had a very good spring,” Friedgen said.  “I’m very pleased with where we are at right now.”

vitale@umdbk.com