Maryland football coach DJ Durkin left the decision up to linebacker Shane Cockerille: Recommit to the program, or don’t come back.
Durkin didn’t know whether Cockerille, suspended before the 2016 Quick Lane Bowl for an undisclosed code of conduct violation, would choose to continue his Maryland career. But Cockerille fought to regain his place on the roster and the trust of his peers, adhering to strict behavioral guidelines implemented by the coaching staff.
Cockerille started at weak-side linebacker on Saturday at No. 23 Texas, which averaged 240.2 rushing yards per contest last season. He made a team-high seven solo tackles, and the Terps held the Longhorns to 98 yards on the ground.
“He had to do some real soul-searching and decide what’s important to him and how important it really is,” Durkin said. “He did that. He’s done everything we’ve asked from him.”
Cockerille arrived at Maryland as a dual-threat quarterback. He saw limited action under center in 2015, completing 11 passes. Then, he transitioned to linebacker and became a focal point of the team’s defense.
Last season, he recorded 108 tackles — second on the team behind Jermaine Carter. He also made eight tackles for a loss and three sacks, using his athleticism to penetrate defensive lines. His suspension threatened to derail the momentum of his breakout campaign.
The Terps prohibited Cockerille from training with the team until August. But he remained in shape during his absence, and defensive coordinator Andy Buh said he looks better now than he did pre-suspension.
On Saturday, the Baltimore native showed he’s still a force in the middle of the field.
“He tends to be in the right place a lot more than he was a year ago,” Buh said. “What’s great about it is he hasn’t lost any of his instincts, which is what we loved about him a year ago. So you’ll probably see a better, faster, smarter Shane Cockerille.”
Cockerille wasn’t guaranteed playing time when he rejoined Maryland. In fact, the Terps listed him as the third option at weak-side linebacker at the start of camp.
By the time Maryland arrived in Texas for its season opener, he was the frontrunner.
“We’re happy to have him back,” Buh said. “When you get a player who has taken that many reps for us a year ago, it has a lot of value as a starter and for depth reasons.”
Cockerille, along with fellow linebackers Jermaine Carter and Jalen Brooks, were tasked with containing Texas’ new-look rushing attack this past weekend.
Texas lost top rusher D’Onta Foreman, a 6-foot, 235-pound wrecking ball who finished second in the nation with 2,028 rushing yards, to the 2017 NFL Draft. The Houston Texans selected him in the third round.
The Longhorns replaced Foreman with another promising tailback. Chris Warren, listed at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, ran for 366 yards in just four games last season.
But he gained only 31 yards against the Terps, who had the fourth-worst run defense in the Big Ten last year.
“We did a good job against the run,” Carter said. “Just fitting our run gaps, being in the proper place I think we did a good job of as a defense.”
With Cockerille back in the fold, Maryland regained a reliable run-stopper. He looked near full strength on Saturday despite missing most of offseason camp.
“Having him, you can definitely tell we have a little extra to us,” defensive end Chandler Burkett said. “He’s a physical dude, and he loves to be aggressive.”
