Roman Hemby was shaping up to be a perfect developmental story.
After he chose Maryland in favor of other Big Ten and SEC schools, he scored the second-most rushing touchdowns by a Terp freshman in 2022. The Maryland native looked poised for a massive career in College Park, especially with three years of eligibility remaining.
But player development isn’t always linear.
His best season came as a redshirt freshman when he rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. The running back hasn’t been able to match or exceed nearly every stat from that season.
“I can’t put a lot of blame on anybody but myself,” Hemby said.
Hemby’s talent hasn’t disappeared, though. He had a strong game against Rutgers, rushing for 87 yards on 5.4 yards a carry and a touchdown. But those performances have been rare this season.
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He is averaging his fewest yards a carry since becoming the Terps’ starting back. Hemby generated 3.76 yards after contact in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus. That number has dropped to 3 this season, with just two games left.
A successful running game requires much more than just a talented running back, though. Scheme, offensive line play and complementary football are all critical pieces to a strong rushing attack.
Maryland’s ground game has struggled all season. It ranks No. 110 in the country in yards a carry.
Hemby doesn’t look as explosive as he did his sophomore year, but it was also the best offensive line he played behind at Maryland.
“I’ve been able to use some of those things that haven’t been going my way as learning experiences so in the future I can make those plays better, or to make myself a better player so that I can get back to playing ball like that,” Hemby said.
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Coach Michael Locksley said he’s tried to keep Hemby’s best interest in mind as well. The NFL typically drafts running backs with less “wear and tear” because of the grueling nature of the position.
The Terps have tried to involve him in the passing game more and have typically split backfield carries between multiple players, Locksley said.
“Contrary to the stats, Roman has been as valuable a piece of this offensive system over the last three years,” Locksley said.
Some players might go through up-and-down careers. Hemby is a clear example of that. Despite his recent struggles, he’s still been a three-year starter who’s contributed to multiple key Maryland wins.
“The value that Roman Hemby has contributed to this program, you can’t put a price tag on it,” Locksley said. “I hate that maybe he’s looked like he didn’t have a great year this year, but if you look at what he’s done for us in a tough year, he’s worth everything that he’s earned this year.”
