It’s not difficult to recognize the Terrapin offensive line when it goes out to eat at the dining hall or a local restaurant. But aside from the line’s size, this year’s unit has yet to earn itself a personality through five games.

There’s none of Lamar Bryant’s melodious instructions or Stephon Heyer’s motivational sermons, just a bunch of guys hoping to improve soon enough to help their team win.

In the past two weeks, they’ve done just that.

“I guess we’ve just come together,” said freshman left tackle Jared Gaither. “Maybe we’re a little more prepared and focused, but I think we’re just ready and enough is enough.”

The line has left much of its inexperience in the past, helping the offense compile more than 900 total yards in the past two games. Quarterback Sam Hollenbach has found more time to scan his options and tailbacks Lance Ball and Keon Lattimore have been treated to gaping running lanes.

“It seems like they had a little edge to them,” Ball said of the line’s performance in a 45-33 win against Virginia. “It seemed like they had fun.”

Coach Ralph Friedgen said he recently changed the line’s practice routine to focus on fundamentals, but another alteration can be credited with an added toughness up front.

Gaither stepped into the starting role before the Terps’ Sept. 24 game at Wake Forest and it’s been downhill from there for opposing defensive linemen.

“It was just like a machine,” Gaither said of Saturday’s game. “Everything was going well. Lance was running, we were blocking … it was just rolling.”

Perhaps the entire offense has played better in the past two weeks, but the 6-foot-9, 330-pound Gaither seems a little too large to be considered just a coincidence to the improvement.

Friedgen said the team is much better served with Gaither at tackle and Derek Miller back at tight end. Gaither – who played every snap in just his second career start Saturday – hasn’t mastered all of the fundamentals for his position, but his girth has proven to be the difference.

“With Jared, it can take days to get around him,” defensive end Trey Covington said.

This season, Friedgen tried to get as many linemen in the game as possible to gain experience for the young group. But the way things were going Saturday, offensive line coach Tom Brattan felt they were playing too well together to mess with the continuity.

The linemates try to regularly dine together and hang out to help form a tighter bond. There may not be a vocal field general, but the five starters were clearly in sync as the Terps ran up the score on a top-25 opponent.

“No one really speaks up as the chosen leader,” right tackle Brandon Nixon said. “If a man makes a good play, then we feed off of his action, then the next man makes a big play and it keeps going like that. On Saturday, [center] Ryan McDonald had an excellent game and we just fed off of his energy.”

McDonald still split time with backup Edwin Williams, but the senior had four pancake blocks and didn’t allow a sack or miss an assignment in 53 offensive plays, earning ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors.

“They all bring something to the table,” Brattan said. “That’s the neat part about an offensive line. It’s five guys becoming a cohesive unit. I think it takes the longest to gel, and we’ve showed some improvement.”

Friedgen said he hopes to get his backups more involved this Saturday against Temple, but he would be the last person to suggest the Terps will have an easier time against the 0-5 Owls.

Temple senior defensive end Mike Mendenhall – who the Terps worked out years ago before ultimately opting to offer a scholarship to Shawne Merriman – gave the offensive line problems last season and has a sack and four tackles for loss this year. Fellow Owl defensive end Christian Dunbar also adds a speed rush on the outside and has contributed five tackles for loss and a sack this season.

As Gaither walked into the team’s dining hall yesterday, Friedgen spoke of the challenge that will face the tackles this week. Gaither said he isn’t worried, but he realizes it will take a similar effort each week of the season to keep the Terps winning.

And that’s all the coaches can expect from the group.

“I still think they can improve technique,” Brattan said. “But you just look at the dirty uniforms, guys sweating. I’ll take the effort. That’s what it’s all about.”

TERP NOTES: The team voted seniors D’Qwell Jackson (defense) and Jo Jo Walker (offense) captains for the rest of the season.

Contact reporter David Selig at dseligdbk@gmail.com.