Despite coaching changes and roster turnover the past few seasons, Maryland football has kept a consistent offensive plan: get the ball into its playmakers hands.
That plan worked to perfection in the Terps’ 50-7 win over UConn on Saturday. The Terps collected 249 yards after the catch, a higher total than in any of their games last year.
After officially replacing Taulia Tagovailoa, quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. did exactly what coach Michael Locksley wanted: make connections with his skill players, limit turnovers and let the offensive system work.
“Billy did a great job distributing the ball to the playmakers,” Locksley said. “This system is built for playmakers … [we] get it to them in places they’re able to make plays.”
Past Maryland receivers D.J. Moore, Jeshaun Jones and Rakim Jarrett all excelled at gaining yardage after the catch.
That’s always been one of Tai Felton’s strengths. He had a career game Saturday, recording seven receptions for 178 yards. Fifty-eight percent of those yards came after the catch.
“When I first started playing football, I never liked to get hit,” Felton said. “My thing is I’m not trying to get touched at all.”
[Billy Edwards Jr. shines in Maryland football’s 50-7 season-opening win over UConn]
Felton’s last touch of Saturday was his best, after offensive coordinator Josh Gattis told the starters it was their last drive of the game.
Felton caught a short pass on a hitch route with 13 seconds left in the third quarter with two defenders converging. Three broken tackles, 75 yards and 12 seconds later, the senior was celebrating his second touchdown of the game.
“I was trying to end the drive as quick as possible … I realized I had so much green left, I was like ‘Yeah I’m about to kick it,’” Felton said.
“Tai probably hit like 23 MPH on that … I got very good, very fast, physical receivers around me, so just trying to get the ball to them and let them be special in space,” Edwards said.
Maryland’s offense will likely rely on shorter passes this season without Tagovailoa, who threw 75 passing attempts over 20 yards in the air last season, 17 percent of his attempts.
Saturday was a brief glimpse at the Terps’ offensive potential. Edwards did not throw an interception with a game plan predicated on short throws. A strong running game aided the offense.
[Billy Edwards Jr. played the long game. It could make him Maryland’s quarterback.]
Edwards said that UConn tried to take away the easier throws early in the game. But when Maryland went up-tempo and pushed the ball down field, it opened up the short passing game.
“I credit that to the game plan we have, it’s a chess match,” Edwards said.
Edwards only fired five passes beyond 20 yards Saturday, according to Pro Football Focus. He threw eight balls behind the line of scrimmage and seven passes between zero and nine yards.
Maryland’s offensive success mirrored UConn’s defensive struggles. The Huskies missed plenty of tackles, allowing for Terp receivers to run free on numerous occasions.
Competition will stiffen. Maryland’s first Big Ten opponent next weekend, Michigan State, held Florida Atlantic to 10 points. Edwards will likely have to play the full game.
No matter the opposition, Locksley’s offense seems to have a clear plan in place: get touches for its top skill players.
