About one week before the Maryland football team opens its season against Howard Sept. 3, coach D.J. Durkin announced the Terps would start the year without one of their top pass catchers from 2015.
Junior wide receiver Taivon Jacobs, who missed fall camp with an injury, will not play against the Bison at Maryland Stadium Saturday afternoon. The squad’s third leading receiver from a year ago hauled in 21 receptions for 264 yards and two touchdowns. He appeared in all 12 games, making four starts.
But what might have been an issue last season doesn’t seem to be one now, as the program’s receiving corps is deeper and more experienced this fall.
It’s a group featuring returning starters, talented freshmen and a high-profile transfer who will look to ease quarterback Perry Hills’ transition to the Terps’ new up-tempo offense.
“D.J. Moore is, I think, having a great camp. He had a great spring for us, he had a great winter, he had a great everything,” Durkin said at media day Aug. 16. “That whole group . . . There’s great competition there.”
Several wide receivers agree with their first-year head coach, citing Moore as a player who’s stood out in the unit.
Wide receiver Teldrick Morgan, who transferred from New Mexico State this summer, called Moore a playmaker and the “leader of our group.” Tino Ellis, a freshman receiver out of DeMatha Catholic High School, noted his practice habits, saying Moore is almost perfect in every rep he takes.
As a freshman, Moore was second on the team with 357 receiving yards, and wide receiver D.J. Turner said the Philadelphia native looks stronger and faster entering his sophomore campaign.
Moore said he’s also improved his releases, something he’s been working on with wide receivers coach Chris Beatty.”Just the little things about being a receiver he’s sharpening up,” Turner said. “Like his routes — he runs real good routes — so he’s definitely one of the best receivers in the country in my opinion.”
Moore’s improvements have positioned him as one of the leaders, and Durkin said the competition for playing time at wide receiver has been one of the best position battles this offseason.
Aside from Moore, the Terps tout a trio of seniors in Levern Jacobs, DeAndre Lane and Malcolm Culmer, who each have experience playing with Hills.
Culmer drew praise from Durkin for being receptive to coaching, doing whatever the new staff asks of him. And like Moore, Culmer strives for perfection. Beatty often points out that habit during film sessions, and Turner expects his veteran teammate to make valuable contributions this year.
Turner could also be in the mix for playing time as he and Ellis have impressed Durkin and Beatty during their rookie fall camp. Morgan, meanwhile, was a second-team all-conference player with the Aggies.
And in an up-tempo attack, which new offensive coordinator Walt Bell installed in College Park this offseason, the more options the better.
“It’s not just three receivers,” Durkin said. “You’re going to play six or seven guys, so they’re all fighting for who is starting, who’s getting the playing time, who’s getting the most reps, so it’s been good. They’re making each other better.”
While Durkin has yet to give a timetable for Taivon Jacobs’ return, the Camp Springs native should join this group at some point during the season.
When he returns, he’ll provide the Terps quarterbacks with another familiar target in an already deep position group.
“Last year, we didn’t really have a lot of people,” Moore said. “But this year, there’s like three different groups of people that are going at a time.”
