Take a deep breath, Maryland football fans.
This season may be doomed after quarterbacks Tyrrell Pigrome and Kasim Hill tore their ACLs, but the promise of an emerging program remains.
Hill constitutes Maryland’s long-term future, and his place as one of the nation’s most talented young signal-callers should excite supporters. The Terps will likely place a medical redshirt on the freshman, who should return next season with three or four more years to flash his NFL potential.
Really, he was never supposed to play much this season. Most first-year players remain on the sidelines to observe. But in about five quarters, Hill displayed the skill and poise that made him a four-star recruit. When fall camp rolls around, he’ll have as much promise as before.
For now, Terps faithful must be patient and endure what could be a four-win campaign with Max Bortenschlager under center.
“There are not many kids that have higher character than [Hill],” coach DJ Durkin said. “He’s got a great future in football, both here and beyond. He’s looking this thing right in the face saying, ‘Let’s go get it.'”
Durkin criticized his team for not responding to adversity during a 38-10 loss to Central Florida on Saturday. But much of those problems stemmed from the quarterback, who couldn’t handle that pressure. Bortenschlager completed 15 of 26 passes with a touchdown and two interceptions.
When Pigrome tore his ACL three weeks earlier, Maryland faced even more daunting obstacles. The Terps led by three in the third quarter at then-No. 23 Texas in front of 88,396 rowdy fans and two million more watching on TV.
But against the Longhorns, the Terps had Hill, who led the game-sealing drive by converting a third-and-19 before rushing for a touchdown. The 6-foot-2, 232-pound quarterback has been lauded for overcoming challenges, and that bodes well for his ability to recover by next fall.
“It’s kind of crazy, but that’s the game. Injuries happen,” center Brendan Moore said. “I hate to sound like a broken record, but next man up and keep on fighting. That’s really all you can do.”
Of course, Hill will face competition. Pigrome, who won the preseason starting job, will likely be healthy for fall camp. But Hill has a similar skill set as Pigrome, and the D.C. native displayed he’s already on a similar talent level as the sophomore.
Caleb Henderson, who seemed to be the front-runner for the starting job in spring camp, will also compete for the role as a senior. If all the Terps’ options are healthy, Bortenschlager and incoming three-star recruit Tyler DeSue will likely be afterthoughts.
After getting a glimpse at Hill’s potential this year, Maryland will likely turn to him again in 2018 to aid his development.
As the Terps accumulate top local recruits, they’ll need the player with the most pro potential under center to make the school a Big Ten contender and match up with the conference’s top quarterbacks.
When Maryland’s freshman class develops in two years, four-star offensive linemen Marcus Minor and Jordan McNair, as well as two four-star linemen in the 2018 class, will protect Hill. Four-star running back Anthony McFarland and a bevy of three-star wide receivers will serve as Hill’s weapons.
That team could finish in the top six of the Big Ten and send multiple players to the NFL.
So relax, Terps fans. You’ll have to suffer through only one more disappointing season before Hill resurrects this program.
