The Terrapins football team entered spring practice with an inexperienced defensive secondary and a lack of depth that was only magnified by the departure of defensive back Avery Graham last week.

An unexpected bright spot in the defensive backfield has emerged, however, in junior Isaac Goins, who arrived in College Park in January as a transfer from California’s Contra Costa College.

Goins has already established himself in the Terps’ rotation at cornerback, coach Randy Edsall said yesterday, and has assumed some of the team’s punt-returning duties during spring practice.

“When it’s 50 degrees, I think he thinks it’s like 30 degrees, so you have to tease him about that,” Edsall said Tuesday of the Oakland, Calif., native. “But I think he’s made the adjustment really well. I’ve been impressed with his football knowledge, his instincts. He’s very smooth, he’s got good hands. I think the only thing he has to do is get better. … He’s got instincts that you don’t teach.”

“He’s a competitor,” quarterback C.J. Brown said. “He’s working hard and he’s really bought into the team. I know a lot of guys get along with him really well.”

While Goins has impressed during the team’s first seven spring practices, he hasn’t yet struck much fear in any of his teammates on the offensive side of the ball. At least, none that are willing to admit as much.

“Let’s just put on the record that Isaac Goins can’t check me,” wide eceiver Kevin Dorsey said jokingly.

ROBINSON RECOVERING

The Terps lost one of their defense’s key cogs just three games into last season when safety Matt Robinson went down for the year with a shoulder injury.

While Robinson has not been cleared for full contact, as signified by the yellow jersey he wears at practice, he’s found himself back on the field in a big way during practice.

“We’re going to keep him out here doing that because it helps us because of all the communication and calls he makes back there for us,” Edsall said of the rising junior. “It’s imperative that we have him out there, but he knows how to practice with the yellow jersey on.”

Robinson’s injury didn’t keep him out of the team’s intrasquad scrimmage Saturday. Although he was able to do everything but hit, his yellow jersey did pose a problem.

“The officials didn’t blow the whistle when he tagged off, and the offense got a touchdown,” Edsall said. “The defense was mad at me, so I had to put up with that.”

PERSONNEL ROUNDUP

As is typical of the shuffle of spring practice, the Terps’ roster and depth chart has undergone several changes of late.

Cornerback Jeremiah Johnson returned to the field yesterday in a limited capacity, while linebacker Alex Twine is slotted to return from injury to the field next week, Edsall said. Linebacker Cole Farrand won’t be back for at least two weeks.

Nick Klemm, meanwhile, has overtaken redshirt freshman Andrew Zeller for the starting job at left tackle, and Nate Clarke has been moved from the offensive line to nose tackle. A.J. Hendy is relocating, as well, playing cornerback after one season at safety.

cwalsh@umdbk.com