Terrapin LB D’Qwell Jackson vs. Wake Forest TB Micah Andrews
Jackson is tied for the nation’s lead in tackling entering this weekend, and he’ll have his hands full against the Wake Forest rushing attack.
Andrews and Barclay have the Demon Deacons leading the ACC in rushing (270.3 yards per game), and the Terps have struggled with stopping the run over four quarters.
Look for the Terp secondary to play a larger role in stopping the run tomorrow, but Jackson will likely be counted on to make most of the stops.
While Jackson’s 16.3 tackles a game are impressive, the Terps will likely have a better chance to beat Wake Forest if the defense gets off the field and Jackson is forced to make fewer plays.
Wake Forest S Josh Gattis vs. Terrapin TB Mario Merrills
Gattis and fellow safety Patrick Ghee lead the team in tackling – which usually doesn’t say much about a team’s front seven.
After proving they can pass the ball this season, the Terps may be forced to prove they can win on the ground this week.
Coach Ralph Friedgen said all three running backs will probably get carries tomorrow, but Merrills has been counted on the most to pick up yardage on first downs.
Friedgen also said he realized this past week that the team needs to learn to move the ball on third-and short and on the goal line to be successful.
